Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10634422-B2
Application number	US-201615550691-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Feb 13, 2015
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet that includes a storage compartment. The refrigerator further includes a door. The refrigerator further includes a drawer. The refrigerator further includes a drawer guide that is configured to support the drawer and that is configured to guide the drawer based on the drawer moving forward and backward. The refrigerator further includes a withdrawal unit that is configured to push the drawer forward based on the door opening. The withdrawal unit includes a base part that is located under the drawer, that is configured to move forward based on the door opening, and that is configured to move backward based on the door closing. The withdrawal unit further includes a rear frame that extends from the base part to a rear side of the drawer and that is configured to push the drawer forward based on the base part moving forward.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet that includes a storage compartment that has an opening at a front of the storage compartment;
a door that is configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage compartment;
a drawer that is located in the storage compartment;
a drawer guide that is configured to support the drawer, that is configured to guide the drawer based on the drawer moving forward and backward, that is located between a side surface of the storage compartment and the drawer, and that comprises:
a fixed rail that is located in the storage compartment and that extends in a forward direction and a backward direction; and
at least one moving rail that is connected with the drawer and that is configured to move along the fixed rail;

a bracket that is located on the side surface of the storage compartment and that is connected to the fixed rail; and
a withdrawal unit that is configured to push the drawer forward based on the door opening and that comprises:
a base part that is located under the drawer, that is configured to move forward based on the door opening, and that is configured to move backward based on the door closing; and
a rear frame that upwardly extends from the base part to be disposed to a rear side of the drawer and that is configured to push the drawer forward from the rear side of the drawer based on the base part moving forward; and

wherein the fixed rail comprises:
a first strip part that is parallel to the side surface of the storage compartment and that extends in the forward direction and the backward direction;
a second strip part that extends horizontally from the first strip part to the drawer and that comprises a notch that extends up from a portion of the second strip part that is spaced apart from the first strip part; and
a pocket part that is located on one end of the second strip part and that is configured to receive a lower end portion of the moving rail, and

wherein the bracket defines a rail installation groove that is configured to receive the first strip part of the fixed rail.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the rear frame comprises:
a pair of vertical bars that extend up from the base part, that are located at the rear side of the drawer, and that are spaced from each other in a horizontal direction.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , further comprising a link that has a front end portion that is pivotably connected to the door, that has a rear end portion that is pivotably connected to the base part, and that is configured to move the base part based on opening and closing the door,
wherein the base part comprises:
a bottom portion that is pivotably connected to the rear end portion of the link; and
a rear surface portion that extends up from a rear end of the bottom portion, and

wherein the pair of vertical bars each have lower end portions that are coupled to the rear surface portion.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the rear end portion of the link is connected to an undersurface of the bottom portion.

5. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein:
each of the pair of vertical bars includes a portion of a frame member that is in a beam shape and that is longer than it is wide, and
the frame member comprises a connection section that connects the pair of vertical bars and that is coupled to an undersurface of the bottom portion.

6. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the withdrawal unit further comprises a connection bar that connects the pair of vertical bars and that is located above the base part.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the withdrawal unit further comprises one or more additional connection bars that are located above or below the connection bar.

8. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein a lower end portion of each of the pair of vertical bars is coupled to the base part.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8 , further comprising a link that has a front end portion that is pivotably connected to the door, that has a rear end portion that is pivotably connected to the base part, and that is configured to move the base part based on opening and closing the door,
wherein the base part comprises:
a bottom portion that is pivotably connected to the rear end portion of the link; and
a rear surface portion that extends up from a rear end of the bottom portion, and

wherein the pair of vertical bars each have lower end portions that are coupled to the rear surface portion.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9 , further comprising a pair of holders that are located on the rear surface portion, and that are configured to receive a respective lower end portion of the pair of vertical bars, and that each define a pocket that is configured to surround both lateral sides of a respective vertical bar.

11. The refrigerator of claim 2 , further comprising a link that has a front end portion that is pivotably connected to the door, that has a rear end portion that is pivotably connected to the base part, and that is configured to move the base part based on opening and closing the door,
wherein the base part comprises:
a bottom portion that is pivotably connected to the rear end portion of the link;
a pair of side surface portions that extend up from side ends of the bottom portion; and
a rear surface portion that extends up from a rear end of the bottom portion and that is configured to connect the pair of side surface portions,
wherein the withdrawal unit further comprises a reinforcing band that is configured to surround the pair of side surface portions and the rear surface portion, that is bent at a first location where a first end of the rear surface portion connects with one of the side surface portions, and that is bent at a second location where a second end of the rear surface portion connects with another one of the side surface portions.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein the reinforcing band comprises a metallic material.

13. The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein the pair of vertical bars are coupled to the reinforcing band.

14. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a link that has a front end portion that is pivotably connected to the door, that has a rear end portion that is pivotably connected to the base part, and that is configured to move the base part based on opening and closing the door.

15. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein:
the front end portion defines a first pivot joint that is located at a connection between the front end portion and the door and that is located a particular distance from a rotation axis of the door, and
the rear end portion defines a second pivot joint that is located at a connection between the rear end portion and the base part.

16. The refrigerator of claim 15 , further comprising a pair of withdrawal unit guides that are located at opposite sides of the base part and that are configured to guide movement of the base part in a forward direction and a backward direction,
wherein the first pivot joint is located at a left side of the refrigerator and the second pivot joint is located at a right side of the refrigerator or the first pivot joint is located at the right side of the refrigerator and the second pivot joint is located at the left side of the refrigerator.

17. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the link comprises:
a first bent section that extends from the front end portion and that is concave with respect to a rotation axis of the door based on the door being open, and
a second bent section that is bent opposite to the first bent section and that i

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Yang Changwoan
• Choi Seungjin
• Kim Hanhyo
• Park Yoomin
• Park Minwoo
• Han Tackwon

Classifications

• F25D23/067

  Supporting elements · CPC title

• A47B2210/175

  Refrigerators or freezers · CPC title

• F25D25/025 Primary

  Drawers · CPC title

• F25D23/028

  Details · CPC title