Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11629907-B2
Application number	US-202117168570-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2021
Priority date	Feb 5, 2020
Publication date	Apr 18, 2023
Grant date	Apr 18, 2023

Abstract

Provided is a refrigerator having a supporting frame whose installation structure is enhanced. The refrigerator includes an inner case defining a storeroom and having a projection formed to protrude to the inside of the storeroom, a drawer arranged to be inserted or pulled out from the storeroom, and a supporting frame arranged in the storeroom to guide movements of the drawer, and installed at the projection, wherein the supporting frame includes a fixer arranged on a side of the supporting frame to prevent the supporting frame from deviating from the projection, the fixer being deformed when pressurized by the projection and restored to an original state when the pressure from the projection is released.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
an inner case defining a storeroom and having a projection formed to protrude toward an inside of the storeroom;
a drawer arranged to be inserted into and pulled out from the storeroom; and
a supporting frame formed in a plate shape and formed to extend across a width of the drawer, the supporting frame installed at the projection of the inner case in the storeroom to guide a movement of the drawer,
wherein the supporting frame comprises:
a guide rib formed to guide the movement of the drawer, and
a fixer arranged on a side of the supporting frame to prevent the supporting frame from deviating from the projection, the fixer formed on a bottom surface of the guide rib and configured to be deformed from an original state while a pressure is applied by the projection and restored to the original state while the pressure from the projection is released,
wherein the projection comprises a fixing groove recessed to form a space into which the fixer is insertable, and the supporting frame is fixed to the projection while the fixer is inserted into the fixing groove.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 ,
wherein the fixer comprises an insertion projection arranged to be separated from the guide rib by a cut, and an elastic connector to connect the guide rib to the insertion projection.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the elastic connector is elastically deformed as the insertion projection is pushed upwards by the pressure applied from the projection, and restored to an original state of the elastic connector when the pressure from the projection is released.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the fixing groove is formed to correspond to the fixer, and the insertion projection is inserted to the fixing groove.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the insertion projection is pushed upwards by the pressure from the projection, and when the insertion projection is located above the fixing groove, the pressure from the projection is released and the insertion projection is returned to an original state of the insertion projection and inserted to the fixing groove.

6. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the insertion projection has a slope arranged to come into contact with the projection, and the projection pushes up the insertion projection while sliding on the slope.

7. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the elastic connector is formed behind the insertion projection.

8. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the elastic connector is formed in front of the insertion projection.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the supporting frame is inserted to and installed in an installation groove formed by the projection.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the supporting frame comprises an elastic supporter formed on the side of the supporting frame on which the fixer is arranged to prevent the supporting frame from moving from side to side.

11. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein an upper portion of the drawer is slidably inserted to a guide groove formed by the guide rib.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein the drawer is a first drawer and the guide rib is a first guide rib, and the refrigerator further comprises:
a second drawer arranged above the first drawer, and a second guide rib formed on the supporting frame to guide a movement of the second drawer.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the supporting frame comprises a main body arranged between the first drawer and the second drawer, and
wherein the first guide rib is formed to protrude downwards from the main body, and the second guide rib is formed to protrude upwards from the main body.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein the second guide rib supports a lower portion of a side of the second drawer to prevent the second drawer from moving from side to side.

15. A refrigerator comprising:
an inner case defining a storeroom and having a projection formed to protrude toward an inside of the storeroom;
a plurality of drawers arranged in the storeroom to be movable; and
a supporting frame arranged to be fixed at the projection between the plurality of drawers to support the plurality of drawers,
wherein the supporting frame comprises:
a main body formed in a plate shape and formed to extend across a width of the plurality of drawers;
a guide rib formed to protrude downwards from the main body to support one of the plurality of drawers;
a fixer arranged on the guide rib to be elastically deformable in a vertical direction to fix the supporting frame at the projection; and
an elastic supporter arranged on a side of the main body to be elastically deformable in a left and right direction, while pressure is applied by the inner case, to support the supporting frame,
wherein the projection comprises a fixing groove recessed to form a space into which the fixer is insertable, and the supporting frame is fixed to the projection while the fixer is inserted into the fixing groove.

16. The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein the guide rib is a first guide rib and the supporting frame further comprises a second guide rib protruding upwards from the main body to support another one of the plurality of drawers.

17. The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein the fixing groove is formed to correspond to the fixer, and the fixer is inserted to the fixing groove.

18. The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein the main body comprises a stopper formed to protrude upwards from the main body to restrict a movement radius of the other one of the plurality of drawers supported by the second guide rib.

19. The refrigerator of claim 18 , wherein the other one of the plurality of drawers supported by the second guide rib comprises a stopping projection matching the stopper,
wherein the stopping projection moves along with the other one of the plurality of drawers supported by the second guide rib, and
wherein the stopper restricts a movement radius of the stopping projection.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• LEE Yeongjun
• Park Kyoungsun
• Park Hyunnam
• Park Hosang
• Yu Jinhong
• Hwang Jisick

Classifications

• A47B2210/0059

  Guide located at the side of the drawer · CPC title

• A47B88/417 Primary

  Profiled cabinet walls with grooves or protuberances for supporting drawers · CPC title

• F25D25/025 Primary

  Drawers · CPC title

• A47B2210/175

  Refrigerators or freezers · CPC title

• A47B96/024

  characterised by support bracket location means, e.g. fixing means between support bracket and shelf (A47B96/028 takes precedence) · CPC title