Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9933201-B2
Application number	US-201514959124-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2015
Priority date	Dec 4, 2014
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

A refrigerator that includes a cabinet; a storage compartment located in the cabinet; a door mounted to the cabinet and configured to open or close at least a portion of the storage compartment; a freezing compartment provided in an upper region of the cabinet; an evaporator configured to cool the freezing compartment; an elevating frame provided at a lower part of the freezing compartment, the elevating frame being configured to move vertically and defining an expanded freezing compartment based on the elevating frame being moved downward; and fixed frames that are secured to respective sidewalls of the storage compartment and that are configured to guide and support vertical movement of the elevating frame is disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet;
a storage compartment located in the cabinet;
a door mounted to the cabinet and configured to open or close at least a portion of the storage compartment;
a fixed freezing compartment having a fixed capacity provided in an upper region of the cabinet;
an evaporator configured to define and cool the fixed freezing compartment;
an elevating frame provided at a lower part of the fixed freezing compartment, the elevating frame being configured to move vertically and defining an expanded freezing compartment based on the elevating frame being moved downward; and
fixed frames that are secured to respective sidewalls of the storage compartment and that are configured to guide and support vertical movement of the elevating frame.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the fixed frames provided at the respective sidewalls of the storage compartment include a pair of fixed guides, and
the elevating frame includes a bottom plate portion extending from a first fixed guide to a second fixed guide in the pair of fixed guides.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a support bar pivotably provided between the elevating frame and the fixed frames, the support bar being configured to guide and support the vertical movement of the elevating frame.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a plurality of support bars pivotably provided between the elevating frame and the fixed frames, the plurality of support bars being configured to guide and support the vertical movement of the elevating frame, and each of the support bars is spaced apart from each other in a front-and-rear direction.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of support bars includes:
a pivot shaft portion rotatably mounted to the bottom plate portion of the elevating frame and configured to support the bottom plate portion across a horizontal direction;
support shaft portions bent from both ends of the pivot shaft portion and configured to support the bottom plate portion vertically; and
mounting shaft portions bent from lower ends of the support shaft portions toward the fixed guides and connected to the fixed guides.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the elevating frame is configured to be moved downward relative to the fixed frames as an angle between the bottom plate portion and the support shaft portions is decreased, and
the elevating frame is supported at four or more points in all directions by the plurality of support bars.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6 , wherein each fixed frame has a vertical guide groove, and
the elevating frame has a guide protrusion configured to be inserted into at least one vertical guide groove to guide vertical movement of the elevating frame.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 6 , wherein each fixed guide has a support rib configured to support the elevating frame based on the elevating frame being moved downward.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the elevating frame includes:
sidewall plate portions extending upward from both side ends of the bottom plate portion; and
a shelf panel connected to upper ends of the sidewall plate portions and spaced upward apart from the bottom plate portion by a certain distance.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9 , wherein the elevating frame defines a chiller chamber with the bottom plate portion, the sidewall plate portions, and the shelf panel.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 10 , further comprising a drawer configured to be pushed into or pulled out of the chiller chamber.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 9 , wherein the shelf panel is in contact with the evaporator based on the elevating frame being moved upward, and
the expanded freezing compartment is defined between the evaporator and the shelf panel based on the elevating frame being moved downward.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 12 , wherein the shelf panel is charged with a cold storage material.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 12 , wherein the shelf panel is provided with a pivoting cover, and the pivoting cover is configured to pivot back and forth to open or close a front side of the expanded freezing compartment.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 14 , wherein the pivoting cover is configured to slide rearward along the shelf panel based on the elevating frame being moved upward.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the evaporator includes an upper surface portion, a left side surface portion, and a right side surface portion, respectively defining an upper surface, a left side surface, and a right side surface of the fixed freezing compartment.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 16 , wherein the evaporator further includes a rear surface portion defining a rear surface of the fixed freezing compartment.

18. The refrigerator according to claim 16 , wherein the evaporator further includes a lower surface portion defining a lower surface of the fixed freezing compartment.

19. The refrigerator according to claim 18 , further comprising a freezing compartment door configured to open or close the fixed freezing compartment.

20. The refrigerator according to claim 18 , wherein the evaporator further includes a left extension and a right extension extending downward from the left side surface portion and the right side surface portion beyond the lower surface portion, and
the left extension, the right extension, and the lower surface portion define the expanded freezing compartment based on the elevating frame being moved downward.

21. The refrigerator according to claim 18 , wherein the fixed frames are respectively provided with drain grooves, and the drain grooves are located below a left extension and a right extension such that defrosting water generated by the evaporator is introduced into the drain grooves.

22. The refrigerator according to claim 18 , wherein the elevating frame is provided at a rear portion of a drain groove such that defrosting water generated by the evaporator is introduced into the drain groove.

23. The refrigerator according to claim 18 , wherein the evaporator is a single plate,
a rear surface portion of the evaporator is bent from a rear end of the lower surface portion,
the upper surface portion is bent from an upper end of the rear surface portion,
the left side surface portion is bent from a left end of the upper surface portion, and
the right surface portion is bent from a right end of the upper surface portion.

24. The refrigerator according to claim 23 , wherein the lower surface portion is welded at left and right ends thereof to the left side surface portion and the right side surface portion to define the fixed freezing compartment.

25. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet having a storage compartment;
a door mounted to the cabinet configured to open or close at least a portion of the storage compartment;
a fixed freezing compartment having a fixed capacity defined in an upper region of the cabinet;
a refrigerating compartment defined in a lower region of the cabinet;
an evaporator configured to define and cool the fixed freezing compartment;
an elevating frame configured to define a chiller chamber between the fixed freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment, the elevating frame (1) provi

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Yi Myeongha
• Lee Jaeyoul
• Kim Taegyeong

Classifications

• F25D23/02 Primary

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

• F25D25/02

  by shelves · CPC title

• F25D21/14 Primary

  Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays · CPC title

• F25D23/067 Primary

  Supporting elements · CPC title

• F25B39/02

  Evaporators · CPC title