Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10900709-B2
Application number	US-202016791953-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2020
Priority date	Mar 16, 2018
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

A refrigerator includes: a cabinet that defines an upper storage space and a lower storage space; a front panel door that opens and closes the lower storage space; a drawer that inserts into and withdraws from the lower storage space, the drawer including an accommodation portion; a driving device located in the front panel door and configured to generate power; and an elevation device located in the drawer and configured to elevate, relative to the drawer, at least part of the accommodation portion of the drawer. The driving device is configured to couple to the elevation device through a rear surface of the front panel door and through a front surface of the drawer that faces the rear surface of the front panel door. The driving device is further configured to, in a state of being coupled to the elevation device, provide the power for operation of the elevation device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet that defines an upper storage space and a lower storage space;
a front panel door configured to open and close the lower storage space;
a drawer configured to insert into and withdraw from the lower storage space, the drawer comprising an accommodation portion;
a driving device disposed inside of the front panel door and configured to generate power;
an elevation device that is disposed at a bottom surface of the drawer and that is configured to support one or more food items or one or more containers in the drawer, the elevation device having an upper surface that is configured to, based on operation of the driving device, be raised relative to the bottom surface of the drawer; and
a connection assembly that is disposed between the front panel door and the drawer, that is configured to couple the driving device to the elevation device, and that is configured to transmit the power from the driving device to the elevation device,
wherein the connection assembly comprises an exposed portion that is exposed between a rear surface of the front panel door and a front surface of the drawer, and
wherein the driving device and the elevation device are configured to, based on a user manipulating the exposed portion of the connection assembly, be decoupled from each other.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the accommodation portion of the drawer comprises:
a front accommodation portion at which the elevation device is arranged, the front accommodation portion being positioned at an outside of the lower storage space in a state in which the drawer is withdrawn from the lower storage space; and
a rear accommodation portion defined rearward of the front accommodation portion.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the elevation device has a size corresponding to a size of the front accommodation portion.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the drawer comprises a drawer cover configured to partition the accommodation portion into the front accommodation portion and the rear accommodation portion.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the drawer cover comprises:
a cover front surface that is connected to the bottom surface of the drawer and that is configured to partition the accommodation portion into the front accommodation portion and the rear accommodation portion; and
a cover top surface that extends from an upper end of the cover front surface to a rear upper end of the drawer and that is configured to cover the rear accommodation portion.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , further comprising an inner plate disposed in the accommodation portion, the inner plate having a front plate that faces the cover front surface and a rear plate that faces the cover top surface.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the drawer comprises a draw-out rail that is configured to guide the drawer to insert into and withdraw from the lower storage space and that is configured to limit a withdrawal distance of the drawer from the lower storage space, and
wherein at least a part of the rear accommodation portion is configured to remain inside the lower storage space in a state in which the drawer is withdrawn from the lower storage space by the withdrawal distance.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the elevation device comprises a support plate that covers a top surface of the elevation device and that is configured to support the one or more food items or the one or more containers in the drawer.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein the support plate has a size corresponding to a size of the front accommodation portion.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein the support plate is disposed in the front accommodation portion.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the elevation device is configured to:
seat a container accommodated in the accommodation portion; and
elevate the container relative to the drawer to a position at which an upper end of the container is disposed vertically above an upper end of the lower storage space.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein the elevation device is configured to elevate the container in a state in which a rear end of the container is disposed outside the lower storage space, and a portion of the drawer remains inside the lower storage space.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a door cover that defines the rear surface of the front panel door and that covers the driving device disposed inside the front panel door.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein the door cover defines a cover opening, and the drawer defines a drawer opening at the front surface of the drawer facing the door cover, and
wherein the connection assembly extends through the cover opening and connects to a portion of the elevation device exposed through the drawer opening.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the elevation device comprises:
a scissors assembly comprising a plurality of rods that cross each other, the plurality of rods comprising a first rod that is rotatably coupled to the driving device and that is configured to rotate about a rotation shaft, and
wherein the connection assembly comprises:
a first connection part connected to the first rod, and
a second connection part spaced apart from the first connection part and configured to connect to the first rod at a position offset from the rotation shaft of the first rod.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 15 , wherein the connection assembly comprises a push button that is configured to selectively couple and decouple the driving device and the elevation device and that defines a through-hole configured to receive the first connection part.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 16 , wherein the push button is exposed between a rear surface of the front panel door and a front surface of the drawer and that is configured to be manipulated by the user.

18. The refrigerator according to claim 15 , wherein the rotation shaft of the first rod protrudes from a side of the first rod toward the front panel door, and
wherein the driving device comprises a lever configured to connect to the rotation shaft of the first rod and to rotate the rotation shaft of the first rod.

19. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the rear surface of the front panel door faces the front surface of the drawer.

20. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet that defines an upper storage space and a lower storage space;
a front panel door configured to open and close the lower storage space;
a drawer configured to insert into and withdraw from the lower storage space, the drawer comprising an accommodation portion;
a driving device disposed inside of the front panel door and configured to generate power;
an elevation device that is disposed at a bottom surface of the drawer and that is configured to support one or more food items or one or more containers in the drawer, the elevation device having an upper surface that is configured to, based on operation of the driving device, be raised relative to the bottom surface of the drawer; and
a connection assembly that is disposed between the front panel door and the drawer, that is configured to couple the driving device to the elevation device, and that is configured to transmit the power from the driving device to the elevation device,
wherein the elevati

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kang Daekil

Classifications

• A47B2210/175

  Refrigerators or freezers · CPC title

• A47B2088/901

  Drawers having a lifting mechanism · CPC title

• F25D23/021

  Sliding doors · CPC title

• F25D25/04 Primary

  by conveyors (in general B65G) · CPC title

• F25D25/025 Primary

  Drawers · CPC title