Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12516871-B2
Application number	US-202318217130-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2023
Priority date	Oct 31, 2014
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

A refrigerator with a drawer provided in a storage compartment formed on a cabinet and which accommodates stored goods, the drawer being movably supported by a drawer guide disposed in the storage compartment. A frame which is movable in the front/back directions by a frame guide, and a door opening and closing the storage compartment may be connected with the frame by a link. The frame may have a base part which is disposed on the lower side of the drawer and is connected with the link. The side plate includes a vertical part which is vertical with respect to the base part. A cross section formed by horizontally cutting the vertical part may be formed so as to be elongated along the moving direction of the drawer. The vertical part may be connected with the drawer so as to enable the drawer to move integrally with the frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet defining a storage space and an opening at a front side of the cabinet; a door coupled to the cabinet and configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage space; a drawer supported on a side wall or a rear wall of the storage space and configured to move through the opening of the cabinet; a side plate supported on the side wall of the storage space and configured to move in a horizontal direction within the storage space; a base part coupled to the side plate and configured to move in the horizontal direction within the storage space; an interlocking unit connecting the drawer to the side plate; and a link connecting the base part to the door, wherein the rear wall of the storage space supports a load of the drawer, and wherein the drawer is configured to, based on the side plate moving in the horizontal direction, move in the horizontal direction.

2 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the side plate defines a protrusion fastening hole, and
wherein the interlocking unit defines a connection protrusion that is disposed on the drawer, that is configured to move in a lateral direction, and that is configured to, based on a position of the connection protrusion, be inserted into or separated from the protrusion fastening hole.

3 . The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the connection protrusion is configured to, based on the connection protrusion being moved toward the side wall of the storage space, be inserted into the protrusion fastening hole, and
wherein the connection protrusion is configured to, based on the connection protrusion being moved away from the side wall of the storage space, be separated from the protrusion fastening hole.

4 . The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the drawer comprises a plurality of drawers that arranged in a vertical direction, and
wherein the protrusion fastening hole comprises a plurality of protrusion fastening holes located at positions corresponding to the plurality of drawers.

5 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a front end of the link is connected to the door and configured to rotate with respect to the door, and a rear end of the link is connected to the base part and configured to rotate with respect to the base part.

6 . The refrigerator according to claim 5 :
wherein the front end of the link is connected to a lower side of the door, and wherein the rear end of the link is connected to a lower side of the base part and configured to rotate with respect to a horizontal plate of the base part.

7 . The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the link comprises:
a first bent section that extends from the front end of the link and that curves outward convexly away from a turning axis of the door with respect to the cabinet; and a second bent section that is located between the first bent section and the rear end of the link and that curves convexly in a direction opposite to the first bent section.

8 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a horizontal support bar disposed in the storage space and connecting the rear wall of the storage space to the drawer,
wherein the horizontal support bar supports the drawer to maintain the drawer at a predetermined height in the storage space, and a length of the horizontal support bar is configured to, based on a distance between the rear wall of the storage space and the drawer, be adjusted.

9 . The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein the horizontal support bar comprises:
a stationary horizontal bar connected to the rear wall of the storage space and extending forward from the rear wall, and a moving horizontal bar that is connected to the drawer, that is coupled to the stationary horizontal bar, and that extends in a longitudinal direction of the horizontal support bar.

10 . The refrigerator according to claim 9 , wherein the moving horizontal bar is connected to a rear surface of the drawer opposite to the rear wall of the storage space, and
wherein the side plate is disposed between the side wall of the storage space and the horizontal support bar.

11 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a cantilever disposed in the storage space,
wherein a rear end of the cantilever is coupled to the rear wall of the storage space, and the cantilever extends horizontally toward the opening at the front side of the cabinet, and wherein the drawer is supported by the cantilever and configured to move in a longitudinal direction of the cantilever.

12 . The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein the cantilever is disposed at a lower side of the drawer and supports a bottom surface of the drawer, and
wherein the drawer defines at least one groove that is provided at the bottom surface of the drawer, that extends in the longitudinal direction of the cantilever, and that is configured to, based on the drawer being moved, move along an upper end of the cantilever.

13 . The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein the side plate is disposed between the side wall of the storage space and the cantilever.

14 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the base part comprises a horizontal plate disposed at a lower side of the drawer in the storage space,
wherein the side plate comprises:
a vertical part extending upward to a height at least corresponding to a height of the drawer and having a horizontal section extending in a forward-rearward direction, and
a horizontal part having a horizontal plate shape and connecting the horizontal plate to the vertical part.

15 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the door comprises at least one basket disposed at a rear surface of the door and defining a space configured to receive an object,
wherein a front surface of the drawer is configured to, based on the door being closed, face a front surface of the basket and be spaced apart from the front surface of the basket, and wherein the front surface of the drawer is configured to, based on the door being opened, move forward beyond a position where the front surface of the basket is located when the door is closed.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Yu Seonil
• Kwon Hongsik
• Heo Junyi

Classifications

• F25D25/02

  by shelves · CPC title

• F25D23/06

  Walls (F25D23/08 takes precedence; containers with thermal insulation B65D81/38) · CPC title

• F25D23/02 Primary

  Doors; Covers (F25D23/08 takes precedence {locks or fastenings E05B65/0042}) · CPC title

• F25D23/00

  General constructional features (F25D21/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F25D2400/40

  Refrigerating devices characterised by electrical wiring · CPC title