US20130127322A1 - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator may include a barrier that partitions an interior of the refrigerator into a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment, a recess formed in the barrier and having a predetermined depth, and a cover for opening or closing a top of the recess. A seating step may be formed at a peripheral portion of the recess to receive a peripheral portion of the cover seated thereon. A guide groove may extend from the seating step to guide movement of the cover. Storage items may be stored in the recess independently of other food articles.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
• This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Korean Application No. 10-2011-0120777 filed on Nov. 18, 2011, whose entire disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND
• 1. Field
• This relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator efficiently utilizing interior space thereof.
• 2. Background
• Generally, a refrigerator stores items in a frozen or refrigerated state by lowering an internal temperature of a compartment thereof through discharge of cold air generated by a refrigeration cycle including a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve, and an evaporator. Such a refrigerator may include a freezing compartment for storing items in a frozen state, and a refrigerating compartment for storing items at low temperature. A Kimchi refrigerator may store items such as Kimchi or vegetables in a fresh state.
• A refrigerator may include a plurality of doors, at least one of the plurality of doors being connected to a refrigerator body by hinges to open or close a front side of the refrigerator body. In addition to the hinged door, the refrigerator may include a drawer type door mounted to a front wall of a drawer slidably installed in the refrigerator.
• Items of various sizes and shapes may be stored in the freezing and refrigerating compartments, which may include a plurality of racks to vertically partition the storage compartment to receive such items. Enhancing utility of the inner space of the refrigerator may provide greater refrigerator capacity.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements wherein:
• FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to an exemplary embodiment as broadly described herein;
• FIG. 2 is a front view of the refrigerator shown inFIG. 1, with its doors open;
• FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of an auxiliary storage space formed in a barrier of a refrigerator, according to an embodiment as broadly described herein;
• FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views of an auxiliary storage space formed in a barrier of a refrigerator, according to another embodiment as broadly described herein; and
• FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of the refrigerator shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, illustrating placement of a recess in a barrier.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
• In accordance with the refrigerator illustrated in the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the refrigerator, which is designated by reference numeral “10”, is applicable not only to a top mount type refrigerator in which the inner space of the refrigerator is vertically partitioned to define a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment such that the freezing compartment is arranged above the refrigerating compartment, but also to a side-by-side type refrigerator in which the inner space of the refrigerator is laterally partitioned to define a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment such that the freezing compartment and refrigerating compartment are laterally arranged. Simply for ease of discussion and illustration, embodiments will be described in conjunction with a bottom freezer type refrigerator. That is, the inner space of theexemplary refrigerator10 is vertically partitioned to define afreezing compartment32 positioned below the refrigeratingcompartment22.
• Generally, thefreezing compartment32 may be maintained at a sub-zero temperature, and the refrigeratingcompartment22 may be maintained at a temperature relatively higher than that of thefreezing compartment32.
• Therefrigerator10 may include a body which defines an outer appearance of therefrigerator10 while also protecting mechanical devices received therein. The body of therefrigerator10 may include anouter case12 which defines an outer appearance of therefrigerator10, and aninner case14 which defines storage compartments therein, namely, thefreezing compartment32 and the refrigeratingcompartment22. A certain space may be defined between theouter case12 and theinner case14. A passage for circulation of cold air may be formed in the space.
• A machinery chamber may be formed in the space between theouter case12 and theinner case14 to accommodate a refrigerant cycle device for generating cold air through circulation of a refrigerant. Using the refrigerant cycle device, the interior of therefrigerator10 may be maintained at low temperature to keep a desired freshness level of items stored in therefrigerator10. The refrigerant cycle device may include, for example, a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, and an evaporator for changing the phase of the refrigerant from liquid to gas, to cause the refrigerant to exchange heat with the outside of the refrigerant cycle device.
• Therefrigerator10 may include afreezing compartment door30 for opening or closing thefreezing compartment32, and a refrigeratingcompartment door20 for opening or closing the refrigeratingcompartment22. Each of thefreezing compartment door30 and refrigeratingcompartment door20 may be pivotally mounted to the body of therefrigerator10 at one end thereof by hinges. Each of thefreezing compartment door30 and refrigeratingcompartment door20 may include a plurality of doors. That is, as shown inFIG. 2, each of thefreezing compartment door30 and refrigeratingcompartment door20 may be configured such that it opens forward while being pivotally moved about opposite lateral edges of therefrigerator10.
• Abarrier16 may be positioned between thefreezing compartment32 and the refrigeratingcompartment22, to partition thefreezing compartment32 and refrigeratingcompartment22. Thebarrier16 may be formed at theinner case14 such that it has a certain thickness. Thebarrier16 may extend horizontally to vertically partition thefreezing compartment32 and refrigeratingcompartment22 such that thefreezing compartment32 and refrigeratingcompartment22 are disposed below and above thebarrier16, respectively.
• Apartition wall18 may be positioned in thefreezing compartment32, for example at a central portion thereof to partition thefreezing compartment32 into two separate spaces. Thepartition wall18 may be vertically installed at theinner case14 such that thefreezing compartment32 is divided into two laterally arranged compartments. In this case, thefreezing compartment door30 may include two doors for opening or closingrespective freezing compartments32.
• In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, there is no partition wall installed in the refrigeratingcompartment22 to laterally partition the refrigeratingcompartment22. However, a partition wall may be installed in the refrigeratingcompartment22, as in thefreezing compartment32.
• Racks, drawers, baskets, and the like may be disposed in each of thefreezing compartment32 and refrigeratingcompartment22, to store various items.
• Adrawer40 may be mounted in the freezing compartment and slidably extracted or retracted. Food and other such items may be stored in thedrawer40. A vertically-extending cover may be mounted to a front wall of thedrawer40 to preserve cold air in thefreezing compartment32 even when thefreezing compartment door30 is opened.
• A plurality ofdrawers40 may be provided in thefreezing compartment32. In this case, thedrawers40 may be arranged at opposite sides of thepartition wall18, and stacked vertically.
• Alight source150 to emit light may be installed in thefreezing compartment32 and/or refrigeratingcompartment22. Thelight source150 may operate when thefreezing compartment door30 or refrigeratingcompartment door20 is opened. Thelight source150 may emit light toward the interior of thefreezing compartment32 and/or refrigeratingcompartment22 to improve visibility therein.
• As shown in detail inFIGS. 3,4 and7, the refrigerator shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, in accordance with an embodiment as broadly described herein, may include arecess154 formed at thebarrier16, thebarrier16 extending horizontally in theinner case14 to partition the freezing and refrigerating compartments such that therecess154 may also extend horizontally and have a predetermined depth. The refrigerator may also include acover160 for opening or closing a top of therecess154.
• In certain embodiments, the depth of therecess154 may be greater than a thickness of thecover160. Accordingly, when thecover160 is fitted in therecess154, a space may be defined in the interior of therecess154, between the bottom of therecess154 and thecover160 to receive items therein for storage. A maximum depth of therecess154 may be less than a thickness of thebarrier16. Therecess154 may have various different depths depending on the kinds of items to be received in therecess154 and the amount of space available in thebarrier16.
• Aseating step156 may be formed at a peripheral portion of therecess154 on which a peripheral portion of thecover160 may be seated. Theseating step156 may be higher than the bottom of therecess154 while being lower than an upper surface portion of thebarrier16 surrounding theseating step156. A size and shape of theseating step156 may be the same as or similar to those of the peripheral portion of thecover160. For example, when thecover160 has a rectangular shape, theseating step156 may have a similar shape so that thecover160 may be positioned to cover the open top of therecess154 simply by seating thecover160 on theseating step156.
• Aguide groove158 may extend rearward from theseating step156, to guide movement of thecover160. Theguide groove158 may guide thecover16 in a rear direction along a top of the barrier16 (corresponding to an inside of the drawing shown inFIG. 3). When thecover160 moves toward the rear of thebarrier16, therecess154 may be opened/accessible. Thus, in this arrangement, thecover160 need not be fully separated from thebarrier16 in order to provide access to the interior of therecess154.
• In alternative embodiments, it may be possible to form theguide groove158 such that it instead extends from theseating step156 toward a front side of thebarrier16. In this case, theguide groove158 may extend forward from theseating step156, to guide thecover16160 toward the front side of thebarrier16. When thecover160 moves toward the front side of thebarrier16, therecess154 may be opened/accessible. This configuration is considered an alteration of the position of theguide groove158, and, as such, no further detailed description thereof will be provided with reference to separate drawings.
• Theguide groove158 may have substantially the same width as thecover160 to allow thecover160 to stably move along theguide groove158. In certain embodiments, theguide groove158 may have a greater length than thecover160 to allow thecover160 to move longitudinally along theguide groove158 such that thecover160 may be completely moved away from therecess154 in the longitudinal direction, thereby completely opening therecess154.
• In certain embodiments, the width of theseating step156 defined between opposite lateral portions of the peripheral edge of theseating step156 may be the same as the width of theguide groove158. In this case, thecover160 may smoothly move from theseating step156 to theguide groove158 without being obstructed. Thus, theguide groove158 may have the same height as theseating step156 so that thecover160 may easily move from theseating step156 to theguide groove158 or from theguide groove158 to theseating step156.
• A plurality of aligned lugs may be provided at a boundary between theguide groove158 and theseating step156. The lugs may maintain thecover160 positioned at theguide groove158 or positioned at theseating step156, unless the user applies force of a certain level or more to thecover160.
• When thecover160 is guided along theguide groove158 after being moved away from theseating step156, therecess154 may be opened and accessible to receive storage items. Thereafter, the user may move thecover160 back onto theseating step156 to close therecess154.
• In certain embodiments, aplate162 having a plurality ofgrooves164, oropenings164, formed therein for receiving storage items such as, for example, eggs may be received in therecess154. For example, each of thegrooves164 may have a truncated spherical shape capable of receiving, for example, an egg. A shape of thegrooves164 may be adjusted to receive particular storage items as appropriate. As shown inFIG. 4, theplate162 may be detachably mounted in therecess154. In order to fix theplate162 at a predetermined level in therecess154, various level fixing approaches may be used. For example, a plurality of fixing protrusions may be formed on an inner surface of therecess154 at various levels to fix theplate162 at a selected one of the various levels.
• Ahandle168 may be provided at theplate162, upwardly protruded from theplate162 to facilitate removal of theplate162 from therecess154. Thehandle168 may have, for example, an inverted-U shape, to allow a user to grasp a middle portion of thehandle168. Other arrangements may also be appropriate.
• Opposite ends of thehandle168 may be disposed at opposite ends of theplate162 so that, when the user lifts thehandle168, force may uniformly transferred to theplate162 and theplate162 may be stably lifted. Other arrangements may also be appropriate.
• Since eggs may be easily broken, it may be difficult to store eggs in a stacked state. Also, storage of eggs may require careful attention, as compared to other items, due to propagation of bacteria which may occur due to foreign matter attached to the surfaces of eggs. To this end, therecess154 may be sealed from other spaces of therefrigerating compartment22 by thecover160 to effectively store eggs in therecess154.
• Aknob161 may be provided at an upper surface of thecover160. Theknob161 may protrude upward to a certain height from thecover160 so that the user may move thecover160 forward and rearward along theguide groove158 by grasping theknob161. The movement range of thecover160 may be limited between a front edge of theseating step156 and a rear edge of theseating step156, from which theguide groove158 extends.
• The user may separate thecover160 from theseating step156 or guidegroove158 because thecover160 may be simply positioned on theseating step156 or guidegroove158 without using any additional mounting or securing members.
• Thecover160 may be made of a transparent material so that items received in therecess154 may be identified even when thecover160 is closed, without moving thecover160 to open therecess154.
• In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, a depth of therecess154 may be less than that of the embodiment ofFIGS. 3 and 4 such that it may only receive atray160a.That is, a depth of therecess154 may be less than or equal to the thickness of thetray160a,or equal to the depth of theseating step156 of the embodiment shown inFIGS. 3 and 4.
• In this embodiment, the previously discussedcover160 may take the form of thetray160a,which may be slidably seated in therecess154. When items are to be removed from the refrigerator, the items may be temporarily placed on thetray160a, and then thetray160amay be used to simultaneously move the items. For example, a plurality of side dish containers received in the refrigerator may be simultaneously moved to a desired place using thetray160a.
• Thetray160amay be formed, at an upper surface thereof, with a flat surface having a sufficiently large area to allow a plurality of articles to be laid thereon. Upwardly-protruded lugs may be formed at the upper surface of thetray160a,along a peripheral portion of thetray160a,in order to prevent articles laid on thetray160afrom being separated from thetray160a.
• Aguide groove158 may extend from therecess154, to guide movement of thetray160a.A depth of theguide groove158 may be equal to the depth of therecess154. When theguide groove158 andrecess154 have the same depth, it may be possible to move thetray160aalong theguide groove158 andrecess154.
• Theguide groove158 may extend toward a front side of the barrier16 (corresponding to an outside of the drawing shown inFIG. 5 or6). A width of theguide groove158 may be equal to the width of therecess154 while being similar to the width of thetray160a.
• Thetray160amay be removed from therecess154 along theguide groove158 and out of the refrigerator. Since theguide groove158 extends in the extraction direction of thetray160a,the user may easily extract thetray160aafter grasping one side of thetray160awhen thetray160ahas been moved to theguide groove158. Since thetray160ahas a simple structure as described above, the manufacture thereof may be easily achieved, and the structure for receiving thetray160ain/on thebarrier16 may also be simplified.
• As shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, theguide groove158 may extend to a boundary of thebarrier16. That is, therecess154 may substantially extend to an end of thebarrier16 when thebarrier16 is viewed from the front side. In this case, the end of thebarrier16 may be opened.
• Theguide groove158 may have a rectangular shape, and may have the same width as thetray160a. The length of theguide groove158, perpendicular to the width of theguide groove158, may be shorter than the length of thetray160a.
• In alternative embodiments, the length of theguide groove158 may be longer than the length of thetray160a.When thetray160ais long, it may be possible to position items on thetray160aafter partially extracting thetray160a,and then to move thetray160ato a desired place.
• Alternatively, the end of thebarrier16 may not be opened. In this case, theguide groove158 does not extend to the end of thebarrier16. In this case, an inclined surface having a gentle inclination may be formed at an end of theguide groove158 adjacent to the end of thebarrier16. When the user extracts thetray160afrom therecess154, thetray160amay be raised along the inclined surface after passing theguide groove158 so the user may easily separate thetray160a.
• As apparent from the above description, the barrier may include an auxiliary storage space capable of storing items such as eggs independently of other items. Accordingly, it may be possible to independently and individually store such items without undue attention.
• Also, a tray may be removably installed at the barrier, to enable simultaneous movement of several items to enhance user convenience.
• A refrigerator is provided that is capable of using a barrier, which partitions an internal space of the refrigerator into a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment, to provide additional storage space.
• A refrigerator as embodied and broadly described herein may include a barrier for partitioning an interior of the refrigerator into a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment, a recess formed at the barrier while having a predetermined depth, a cover for opening or closing a top of the recess, a seating step formed at a peripheral portion of the recess, to allow a peripheral portion of the cover to be seated on the seating step, and a guide groove extending from the seating step, to guide movement of the cover.
• The depth of the recess may be greater than a thickness of the cover.
• The seating step may have a width defined between opposite portions of a peripheral edge of the seating step that is equal to a width of the guide groove.
• The guide groove may extend toward a rear side of the freezing compartment or toward a rear side of the refrigerating compartment.
• The guide groove may extend toward a front side of the freezing compartment or toward a front side of the refrigerating compartment.
• The refrigerator may further include a plate formed with a plurality of grooves for receiving eggs, the plate being received in the recess.
• The plate may be provided with a handle upwardly protruded from the plate.
• The barrier may extend horizontally to partition the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment.
• A refrigerator in accordance with another embodiment as broadly described herein may include a barrier for partitioning an interior of the refrigerator into a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment, a recess formed at the barrier while having a predetermined depth, a tray disposed on the recess, and a guide groove extending from the recess, to guide movement of the tray.
• The guide groove may have a width equal to a width of the recess.
• The depth of the recess may be equal to a thickness of the tray.
• Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.
• Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims (20)

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator, comprising:

a barrier partitioning an interior of the refrigerator into a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment;

a recess formed in the barrier and having a predetermined depth;

a cover selectively positioned across an open top of the recess;

a seating step formed along a peripheral portion of the recess, wherein a corresponding peripheral portion of the cover is seated on the seating step; and

a guide groove extending outward from the seating step along the barrier to guide a sliding movement of the cover.

2. The refrigerator ofclaim 1, wherein the predetermined depth of the recess is greater than a thickness of the cover such that a storage space is formed between a bottom of the recess and the cover.

3. The refrigerator ofclaim 1, wherein a distance between two opposite outer peripheral edges of the seating step is equal to a width of the guide groove.

4. The refrigerator ofclaim 1, wherein the guide groove extends from the peripheral portion of the recess toward a rear side of the interior of the refrigerator.

5. The refrigerator ofclaim 1, wherein the guide groove extends from the peripheral portion of the recess toward a front side of the interior of the refrigerator.

6. The refrigerator ofclaim 5, wherein the cover comprises a tray that is slidably removable from and replaceable into the recess via the guide groove.

7. The refrigerator ofclaim 1, further comprising:

a plate received in the recess, the plate having a plurality of grooves formed therein for receiving storage items.

8. The refrigerator ofclaim 7, further comprising a handle that protrudes upward from the plate.

9. The refrigerator ofclaim 1, wherein the barrier extends horizontally to partition the interior of the refrigerator, with the freezing compartment positioned below the refrigerating compartment.

10. A refrigerator, comprising:

a barrier partitioning an interior of the refrigerator into two compartments;

a recess formed in the barrier and having a predetermined depth;

a tray removably positioned in the recess; and

a guide groove extending from the recess to guide a sliding movement of the tray.

11. The refrigerator ofclaim 10, wherein a width of the guide groove is equal to a width of the recess.

12. The refrigerator ofclaim 10, wherein the predetermined depth of the recess is substantially equal to a thickness of the tray.

13. A refrigerator, comprising:

a body having a storage space formed therein;

at least one door coupled to the body to open and close the storage space;

a barrier extending horizontally in the storage space and partitioning the storage space into two separate compartments; and

a recess formed in the barrier and having a predetermined depth.

14. The refrigerator ofclaim 13, further comprising:

a cover removably positioned across an open top of the recess; and

a guide groove extending outward from a peripheral portion of the recess and guiding movement of the cover.

15. The refrigerator ofclaim 13, wherein a distance between two opposite peripheral edges of the cover is substantially equal to a width of the guide groove.

16. The refrigerator ofclaim 14, further comprising a plate removably received on a seating step extending along an interior periphery of the recess, wherein a receiving space is formed between the plate and the cover extending across the open top of the recess.

17. The refrigerator ofclaim 16, wherein a width of the guide groove corresponds to a width of the cover such that the cover is slideable within the guide groove to selectively remove and replace the cover for access into and sealing of the recess.

18. The refrigerator ofclaim 13, wherein the freezing compartment is positioned below the barrier and the refrigerating compartment is positioned above the barrier.

19. The refrigerator according toclaim 13, further comprising:

a plate removably received in the recess and configured to receive items thereon for storage.

20. The refrigerator ofclaim 19, wherein a thickness of the plate is substantially equal to a thickness of the recess, and wherein the plate is slidably removeable from and replaceable into the recess via a guide groove extending outward from a peripheral portion of the recess.

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