KR102386701B1 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and to a refrigerator in which a user can easily insert/withdraw stored items. More specifically, the present invention relates to a refrigerator that can easily use a drawer for accommodating stored items.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a cabinet having a storage room; a door rotatably provided in the cabinet to open and close the storage compartment; a plurality of drawers provided up and down in the storage compartment, and provided to move from an initial position to an operation position spaced apart by a predetermined distance forward when the opening of the door is sensed; an electric drive unit for moving the plurality of drawers from the initial position to the operation position by driving; a plurality of transmission members provided in each of the plurality of drawers; and a single moving frame extending vertically and formed to move the plurality of drawers through the plurality of transmission members by driving of the electric driving unit.

Description

refrigerator {refrigerator}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and to a refrigerator in which a user can easily insert/withdraw stored items. More specifically, the present invention relates to a refrigerator that can easily use a drawer for accommodating stored items.

BACKGROUND ART In general, a refrigerator is a device for freezing or refrigerated storage of food or the like by discharging cold air generated by a refrigeration cycle including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, and the like to lower the temperature in a refrigerator.

A refrigerator generally includes a freezer compartment in which food or beverage is frozen and stored as a storage compartment, and a refrigerating compartment in which the food or beverage is stored at a low temperature.

The refrigerator is a top mount type in which the freezing compartment is placed at the top of the refrigerating compartment, a bottom freezer type in which the freezing compartment is located at the bottom of the refrigerating compartment, and a side-by-side type in which the freezer and refrigerating compartment are divided into left and right sides. It can be divided into (Side-by-Side Type). In this case, a door is provided in each of the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment, and the freezing compartment or the refrigerating compartment can be accessed through the door.

In addition to the refrigerator in which the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment are separated from each other, there are also refrigerators in which the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment can be accessed through a single door. Most of these refrigerators are small, and in general, a freezer compartment is provided in a predetermined space inside the refrigerator compartment.

In addition, among top-mount type refrigerators, a French type refrigerator in which the upper refrigerating compartment is opened and closed through the left and right doors is also provided. The freezer compartment of the French type refrigerator can be opened and closed through the left and right doors as well.

In the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment, shelves or storage boxes containing stored goods are generally provided. The storage box is generally provided to form an independent storage space inside the storage room. That is, a storage box may be provided to independently store vegetables, fruits, etc. from other storage materials or to store meat, fish and fish products independently from other storage materials.

In recent years, the capacity of refrigerators tends to increase in size. Therefore, since the front and rear width of the storage compartment such as the refrigerating compartment or the freezing compartment is increased, it is not easy to take out the stored material stored deep inside. Accordingly, most of the storage boxes are provided in the form of drawers. That is, the user can pull out the storage box to take out the storage inside. In particular, most of the drawer-type storage boxes are provided in the lower region of the refrigerator to enhance user convenience.

In addition, recently, home-bars, ice makers, shelves, or door boxes are mounted on the back of the door of the refrigerator, and there is a tendency to use the back of the door as a separate storage space or as a separate functional space. there is. That is, the function of the door goes beyond simply opening and closing the freezer compartment or the refrigerating compartment, and the door forms a separate storage space or performs additional functions such as generation and supply of ice or cold water. For this reason, the distance through which the rear surface of the door is drawn into the refrigerating compartment or the freezing compartment is getting longer. Accordingly, there may be a problem in that the rear surface of the door and the front end of a shelf or storage box provided in the refrigerating compartment or the freezing compartment interfere with the rear surface of the door.

In order to reduce such interference, the front end of the shelf or storage box may be positioned to be spaced a predetermined distance backward from the front of the main body of the refrigerator. That is, the front end of the shelf or storage box may be positioned to be further spaced apart from the rear of the freezing compartment or the refrigerating compartment. Therefore, when the storage box is provided in the form of a drawer, it may be difficult for a user to grab the front end of the storage box and take it out. In other words, it may be difficult for the user to take out the storage box after putting his or her hand more deeply into the storage compartment. In particular, when the storage box is located at the lower part of the refrigerator, it is not very inconvenient to extend a hand in a crouched position to take out the storage box.

When the user opens the door to take out the storage box, imagine that the front end of the storage box (that is, the handle of the storage box) is not directly in front of the user but is located deep in the storage room, this inconvenience can be easily understood.

An object of the present invention is to basically solve the problems of the conventional refrigerator.

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator in which a drawer provided in a storage compartment is automatically drawn forward a predetermined length when a user opens a door of the refrigerator. That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator in which a drawer automatically moves from an initial position to an operation position.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator in which the user does not need to apply additional force other than the force to open the door by automatically moving the drawer from the initial position to the operation position through the electric drive unit.

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator in which a drawer can automatically return to an initial position from an operation position when a user closes the refrigerator door. That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can reduce the user's effort to withdraw the drawer from the initial position to the operating position and at the same time reduce the user's effort to draw the drawer from the operating position to the initial position.

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator in which an electric driving unit can overcome the elastic force of a spring in stages when a drawer is automatically drawn out. That is, when a plurality of springs are provided, it is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator capable of excluding or minimizing a section in which the plurality of springs are elastically deformed at the same time. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of preventing an overload of an electric drive unit.

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator in which a drawer is automatically drawn out by the operation of an electric driving unit and the drawer can be automatically drawn in by the elastic restoring force of a spring.

Through an embodiment of the present invention, when the drawer is returned to the initial position, the initial return speed is relatively fast and the end return speed is relatively slow, thereby minimizing the impact generated between the drawer and its surrounding components. We want to provide a refrigerator that can be used.

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can significantly reduce interference between drawers that move automatically when a door is opened and closed through a sensor that detects a door opening (closing) angle very accurately through an embodiment of the present invention. That is, it is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator capable of very accurately detecting door opening (closing) at a set angle when a door opening (closing) angle at which interference between a door and a drawer can be minimized is set.

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can protect the electric drive unit by preventing the configuration for automatically withdrawing the drawer from being exposed inside the storage compartment, and is convenient to use and has a beautiful interior design of the storage compartment. .

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of moving a plurality of drawers from an initial position to an operation position substantially simultaneously through a single electric driving unit.

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that allows a plurality of drawers to be automatically drawn out integrally and is easy to manufacture and maintain through one embodiment of the present invention.

In order to achieve the above object, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a cabinet having a storage room; a door rotatably provided in the cabinet to open and close the storage compartment; a drawer provided in the storage compartment; a sensor detecting the opening of the door; an electric driving unit for moving the drawer from an initial position to a manipulating position spaced from an initial position forward by a predetermined distance when the opening of the door is sensed; In addition, a refrigerator including a rail provided to move the drawer back and forth with respect to the storage compartment may be provided.

When the door open signal by the sensor is sensed, the electric driving unit may be driven to automatically move the drawer from the initial position to the operation position.

The manipulation position may be referred to as a position waiting for a user's manipulation, and thus it may also be referred to as a waiting position.

The electric driving unit applies a force to the drawer to move the drawer. Specifically, the electric drive unit pushes the drawer, so that the drawer may be moved from the initial position to the operation position.

The electric driving unit may include a motor assembly and a moving frame. In addition, the moving frame may be provided to be movable back and forth between the initial position and the operation position by driving the motor assembly. The moving frame may be moved from the initial position to the operation position by the forward driving of the motor assembly, and may be returned from the operation position to the initial position by the reverse driving.

The moving frame may be connected to the drawer so as to apply a force to the drawer in a direction in which the drawer is drawn out from the initial position to the manipulation position.

In addition, the moving frame may be disconnected from the drawer so that a force is not applied to the drawer in a direction in which the drawer is retracted from the manipulation position to the initial position. In other words, it is possible to prevent the drawer from being affected by the return of the moving frame.

The electric driving unit may include a connecting member connecting the motor assembly and the moving frame, and the distance between the moving frame and the motor assembly may vary according to a change in a withdrawal distance of the connecting member to the motor assembly.

A side wall forming the storage chamber and a support frame coupled to the side wall to movably support the drawer through the rail may be provided. The rail may be provided on an outer surface of the support frame. That is, the rail may be mounted on one side of the support frame facing the storage compartment.

A predetermined space may be formed between the side wall and the support frame, and the motor assembly may be mounted inside the support frame and positioned within the predetermined space. Specifically, the motor assembly may be mounted on an inner surface of the support frame. Accordingly, the motor assembly is not exposed inside the storage chamber.

It is preferable that guide bars are provided on the upper and lower portions of the inner surface of the support frame, respectively, and the moving frame is supported so as to be movable back and forth between the upper guide bar and the lower guide bar. Accordingly, substantially the entire moving frame is not exposed inside the storage compartment.

A slit passing through the support frame may be formed, and a transmission member passing through the slit may be provided in the moving frame to be connected to the drawer. Accordingly, the transmission member may be configured to transmit the force generated from the inner surface portion of the support frame to the outer surface portion of the support frame.

A first locking member formed in front of the delivery member is formed in the drawer to correspond to the delivery member, and when the delivery member moves forward, the first locking member is pushed forward to move the drawer in the withdrawal direction can be

The drawer may include a basket and a drawer frame provided outside the basket. The basket may be movably supported through the drawer frame. Of course, the drawer frame may be located below the basket.

The moving frame may be selectively connected to the drawer. Specifically, the moving frame may be selectively connected to the drawer frame. When the moving frame and the drawer frame are connected, the movement of the moving frame may be converted into the movement of the drawer. And, when this connection is released, the movement of the moving frame is not converted to the movement of the drawer.

A plurality of the drawers may be provided vertically. That is, a plurality of drawers may be provided vertically inside the storage compartment opened and closed by one door. The moving frame may be selectively connected to each of the drawer frames. Of course, the connection and release positions between the plurality of drawers and one moving frame may be identical to each other. Accordingly, when the door is opened, the plurality of drawers may be simultaneously moved from the initial position to the operation position. And, it is preferable that the moving frame is provided with a plurality of transmission members respectively corresponding to the first locking member of each drawer.

The rail may be provided such that the drawer moves back and forth between the initial position and the maximum withdrawal position spaced forward by a predetermined distance from the manipulation position. The initial position may be a maximum rearward movement position of the drawer, and the maximum pull-out winch may be a maximum forward position of the drawer.

The connection between the moving frame and the drawer frame may be released from the manipulation position to the maximum withdrawal position, so that the drawer may be manually pulled out. That is, it can be automatically withdrawn from the initial position to the operation position, and manually withdrawn from the operation position to the maximum withdrawal position.

The driving of the motor assembly may be maintained while the door is kept open, so that the moving frame may be controlled to maintain the operation position. That is, after the drawer is moved to the operation position after the door open signal is detected, as long as the door closing signal is not detected, the moving frame may be controlled to maintain the operating position.

Similarly, the drawer may be manually retracted from the maximum withdrawal position to an operation position where the drawer frame and the moving frame are recombined. As long as the moving frame maintains the operating position, it is impossible to manually retract the drawer further.

When the closing of the door is sensed, the motor assembly may be operated to return the moving frame from the operation position to the initial position.

When it is sensed through the sensor that the door is opened by more than a predetermined angle in the closed state, it may be determined that the door is opened, and when it is detected that the door is closed within a predetermined angle in the open state, it may be determined that the door is closed. The predetermined angle of door open detection and the predetermined angle of door closing detection may be the same as each other.

When the door is opened at the predetermined angle, it is preferable that interference between the drawer and the door is excluded at the operation position of the drawer. Accordingly, the predetermined angle may be 80 degrees or more. In order to substantially withdraw the drawer completely, the door must be opened more than 100 degrees. That is, when the door is opened more than 100 degrees, the drawer does not interfere with the door.

The user can close the door very quickly. Accordingly, as the door is closed, it may collide with the drawer. Therefore, it is preferable that the drawer should start returning to the initial position from the operating position before the door collides with the drawer while the door is closed. Accordingly, the predetermined angle is preferably less than 100 degrees. In order to make the opening detection angle and the closing detection angle of the door the same, the predetermined angle may be substantially 90 degrees.

A drawer holder may be elastically deformed when the drawer is moved from the initial position to the operation position, and a drawer holder that provides an elastic restoring force to the drawer when the drawer is moved from the operation position to the initial position may be provided. there is. Of course, the drawer holder, in particular, the spring of the drawer holder may not be continuously elastically deformed or elastically restored between the initial position and the operation position.

The drawer holder may include: a housing having a slot formed in a longitudinal direction and provided with a spring; And it moves along the slot to generate elastic deformation and elastic restoration of the spring, and may include a hanging member selectively connected to the drawer.

A plurality of slots may be formed above and below the housing. In addition, an inclined slot may be formed in each of the slots. When the hanging member reaches the inclined slot, the hanging member may rotate. By the rotation of the hanging member, it can be connected to or disconnected from the locking member.

The drawer is provided with a second locking member selectively connected to the hanging member, the hanging member and the second locking member are connected in the operation position, and the drawer is moved to an initial position by the elastic restoring force of the spring. can be returned to That is, the automatic return of the drawer may be performed by the elastic restoring force of the spring. Of course, this elastic deformation of the spring can be said to be generated when the drawer is automatically drawn out by the electric drive unit.

Specifically, at the front end of the slot (especially the front end of the lower slot), in a state in which the hanging member elastically deforms the spring to the maximum, the movement of the hanging member is restricted and the connection between the hanging member and the second locking member is A first inclined slot for releasing the connection may be formed. In the first inclined slot, the catching member is restrained and the connection with the second catching member is released. Accordingly, even if the drawer is further drawn out, the drawer no longer elastically deforms the spring. This means that the user can easily withdraw the drawer manually.

At a predetermined position before the drawer is withdrawn from the operation position to the maximum withdrawal position, the hook member may be moved to the first inclined slot, and the connection between the hook member and the second lock member may be released. The predetermined position will be referred to as an elastic end position. can That is, during a very short section from the manipulation position to the elastic end position, the force of the spring is overcome and the user manually withdraws the drawer.

As the drawer is returned to the operation position after the drawer is withdrawn, it is preferable that the hooking member deviates from the first inclined slot and is connected to the second locking member.

At the rear end of the slot (especially the rear end of the upper slot), the hanging member restricts movement of the hanging member in a state in which the spring is elastically restored to the maximum, and the connection between the hanging member and the second locking member is released. A second inclined slot may be formed to The position of the second inclined slot may be referred to as an elastic starting position.

The initial position, the elastic start position, the manipulation position, the elastic end position, and the maximum withdrawal position may be sequentially preset.

At a predetermined position (that is, an elastic start position) before the drawer is retracted from the manipulation position to the initial position, the hanging member is moved to the second inclined slot so that the connection between the hanging member and the second locking member is can be released

As the drawer is drawn out from the initial position to the operation position, the hook member may be separated from the second inclined slot and connected to the second lock member.

Therefore, it can be said that the drawer holder is elastically deformed by the drawer only in the elastic section from the elastic start position to the elastic end position or provides an elastic restoring force to the drawer.

For this reason, when returning to the initial position of the drawer, the impact can be prevented. In addition, it is possible to reduce the initial load applied to the motor assembly when the drawer is drawn out from the initial position. This is because a large load may be generated in the initial driving in order to push the stationary drawer. Therefore, by differentiating the initial position and the elastic starting position of the drawer, it is possible to reduce the initial load of the motor assembly.

In order to achieve the above object, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a cabinet having a storage room; a door rotatably provided in the cabinet to open and close the storage compartment; a drawer provided in the storage compartment; a sensor for detecting opening and closing of the door; an electric driving unit for moving the drawer from an initial position to an operation position spaced apart by a predetermined distance forward when the opening of the door is sensed; a rail provided to move the drawer back and forth with respect to the storage compartment; In addition, there may be provided a refrigerator including a drawer holder selectively connected to the drawer and providing an elastic restoring force to the drawer when the drawer is returned to the initial position from the manipulation position.

When the automatic withdrawal of the drawer is performed by the driving force of the electric driving unit, the automatic withdrawal of the drawer may be performed by the elastic restoring force of the drawer holder. Accordingly, the force applied by the user in the automatic withdrawal and withdrawal of the drawer can be excluded. That is, other than the force required to open and close the door, the user's force may be excluded in the automatic withdrawal and withdrawal of the drawer. Accordingly, it is possible to use the drawer very conveniently.

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator in which a drawer provided in a storage compartment is automatically drawn forward a predetermined length when a user opens a door of the refrigerator. That is, it is possible to provide a refrigerator in which the drawer automatically moves from the initial position to the operation position.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a refrigerator in which the user does not need to apply additional force other than the force to open the door by automatically moving the drawer from the initial position to the operation position through the electric drive unit. .

According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a refrigerator in which the drawer can automatically return to the initial position from the operation position when the user closes the door of the refrigerator. That is, it is possible to provide a refrigerator that can reduce the user's effort to withdraw the drawer from the initial position to the operating position and at the same time reduce the user's effort to draw the drawer from the operating position to the initial position.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a refrigerator in which the electric driving unit overcomes the elastic force of the spring in stages when the drawer is automatically drawn out. That is, when a plurality of springs are provided, it is possible to provide a refrigerator capable of excluding or minimizing a section in which the plurality of springs are elastically deformed at the same time. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a refrigerator capable of preventing an overload of the electric drive unit.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a refrigerator in which the drawer is automatically drawn out by the operation of the electric driving unit and the drawer is automatically drawn in by the elastic restoring force of the spring.

Through an embodiment of the present invention, when the drawer is returned to the initial position, the initial return speed is relatively fast and the end return speed is relatively slow, thereby minimizing the impact generated between the drawer and its surrounding components. A refrigerator can be provided.

Through one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a refrigerator having a convenient and elegant storage compartment interior design, which can protect the electric drive unit by preventing the configuration for automatically withdrawing the drawer from being exposed inside the storage compartment. there is.

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can significantly reduce interference between drawers that move automatically when a door is opened and closed through a sensor that detects a door opening (closing) angle very accurately through an embodiment of the present invention. That is, when a door opening (closing) angle at which the interference between the door and the drawer can be minimized is set, it is possible to provide a refrigerator capable of detecting the door opening (closing) very accurately at the set angle.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a refrigerator capable of moving a plurality of drawers from an initial position to an operation position at substantially the same time through a single electric driving unit.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a refrigerator that allows a plurality of drawers to be automatically drawn out integrally and is easy to manufacture and maintain.

1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 shows a lower storage compartment portion of the refrigerator shown in Figure 1,
3 shows the sensor shown in FIG. 2 and the sensor mounting position;
4 is an exploded view of the side wall and the moving assembly shown in FIG. 2;
5 shows a state in which the rail and the drawer holder are mounted to the support frame in the moving assembly shown in FIG. 4;
Figure 6 shows the initial positions of the motor assembly and the moving frame in the moving assembly shown in Figure 4,
Figure 7 shows the operation positions of the motor assembly and the moving frame in the moving assembly shown in Figure 4,
8 shows an enlarged cross-section of a connection part between the drawer and the moving assembly;
9 shows a side view of the drawer, in particular, the connection part between the drawer frame and the moving assembly,
10 illustrates a connection relationship between the drawer and the drawer holder according to the draw-out (draw-in) distance of the drawer.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 shows a front side of a refrigerator 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. An example of a four-door refrigerator having a refrigerating compartment 11 at an upper portion and freezing compartments 12 and 13 at the lower portion is shown. For convenience, the left and right doors of the upper refrigerating compartment are omitted, and the left door of the lower freezing compartment is omitted, so that only the right door 20 of the lower refrigerating compartment is shown. Of course, this embodiment can be applied not only to this type of refrigerator but also to a side-by-side type of refrigerator. That is, if the refrigerator is provided with a door that opens and closes the storage compartment and a drawer that moves back and forth in the storage compartment, the present embodiment may be applied.

The refrigerator includes a cabinet 10 having storage compartments 11 , 12 , and 13 , and a door 20 rotatably provided in the cabinet to open and close the storage compartment. As described above, if there are a plurality of storage compartments, a plurality of doors may be provided corresponding thereto.

The refrigerating compartment 11 and the freezing compartments 12 and 13 may be partitioned from each other through the horizontal partition wall 14 . In addition, the left freezing compartment 12 and the right freezing compartment 13 may be partitioned from each other through separate side walls or partition walls 16 . The partition wall 16 may be referred to as a vertical partition wall for convenience. The refrigerating compartment 11 , the left freezing compartment 12 , and the right freezing compartment 13 may be opened and closed by individual doors, respectively.

The storage compartments 11 , 12 , and 13 , particularly the freezing compartments 12 and 13 , may be provided with a drawer 30 including a basket 31 for accommodating stored items. A plurality of drawers 30 may be provided vertically. 1 shows an example in which three drawers 30a, 30b, and 30c are provided in the right and left freezer compartments, respectively. Of course, this embodiment may be applied to a case in which a drawer is provided in the refrigerating compartment as well as the freezing compartment. In addition, one or two drawers in one door may be automatically interlocked with the door, and four or more drawers may be automatically interlocked with the door.

In this embodiment, it is intended to provide a refrigerator in which the drawer 30 can be automatically moved for user convenience by interlocking with the opening and/or opening and closing of the door 20 . For example, as the right freezer compartment 13 is opened or closed through the door 20 , it is possible to provide a refrigerator in which the drawer 30 provided in the right freezer compartment 13 can automatically move.

FIG. 2 shows only the lower freezer compartments 12 and 13 in the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1 . The omitted left freezer compartment door can be said to be in a closed state, and the right freezer compartment door 20 is in an open state.

As shown, the drawer 30 provided in the left freezer compartment can be said to be more drawn into the storage compartment compared to the drawer provided in the right freezer compartment. That is, based on the figure shown in FIG. 2 , the position of the drawer 30 provided in the left freezing compartment may be referred to as an initial position, and the position of the drawer 30 provided in the right freezing compartment may be referred to as an operation position.

In other words, it can be said that the drawer 30 in the state in which the door 20 is closed is located at the initial position, and the drawer 30 in the state in which the door 20 is open is located in the operation position. .

As described above, a storage box or basket (not shown) is provided on the rear surface of the door 20 , and a separate door storage area 21 may be formed through this. In order to exclude interference between the door 20 and the drawer 30, the drawer is retracted to the initial position when the door 20 is closed. When the user opens the door 20 to take out the stored material, the drawer 30 moves from the initial position to the forwardly operated operation position so that the user can more easily withdraw the drawer. Accordingly, since the front end or the handle 35 of the drawer is moved to a position closer to the user, the user can more easily withdraw the drawer.

That is, the initial position may be referred to as a position of the drawer in a state in which the drawer is substantially moved to the inside of the storage chamber, and the operation position may be referred to as a position spaced apart by a predetermined distance forward from the initial position. In this operation position, since the user does not need to put his hand deep into the storage compartment to hold the handle 35 , the drawer 30 can be operated very conveniently. On the other hand, the operation position may be referred to as a standby position. This is because, on the side of the drawer, it may be a position waiting to receive a user's manipulation.

As shown in Fig. 2, it is preferable that the drawer 30 does not deviate from the opening 17 of the storage compartment even in the operating position. That is, even if the door 20 is opened, it is preferable that the drawer 30, particularly the front end or the handle 35 of the drawer, is located behind the opening 17 . That is, it is still preferable that the drawer 30 is located inside the storage compartment. This is because opening the door 20 by the user may not necessarily mean using or withdrawing the drawer 30 . This is because, for example, the door 20 may be opened to use the door storage area 21 . In addition, when there are a plurality of drawers 30 , since only a specific drawer can be withdrawn, the drawer 30 that will not be drawn out to the outside of the storage chamber only causes cold air loss.

As will be described later, an embodiment of the present invention may provide a refrigerator in which the drawer is automatically moved according to the user's door opening shape, particularly, the door opening angle. Through this, it is possible to prevent the drawer from being moved unnecessarily, thereby reducing cold air loss and energy loss. In addition, it is possible to provide a refrigerator in which interference between the drawer and the door can be minimized.

Also, when the door is opened, the cold air in the storage room is basically lost. And, as the drawer is withdrawn, the cold air inside the basket of the drawer is also lost. That is, as the withdrawal length of the drawer increases, the loss of cold air inside the basket is accelerated, and in particular, when the drawer is drawn out more forward than the opening, the loss of cold air may be further accelerated. Therefore, in order to minimize the loss of cool air inside the basket at the operating position, it is preferable that the drawer 30 does not leave the inside of the storage compartment even at the operating position of the drawer.

The operation position may be, for example, a position moved forward by about 120 mm from the initial position. Of course, the interval between the manipulation position and the initial position may be set differently depending on the shape of the refrigerator, the position of the drawer, the distance at which the storage area 21 of the door is drawn into the storage compartment, and the capacity of the refrigerator. However, it is preferable that the operation position is a position where the front end of the drawer or the handle 35 does not deviate from the opening 17 of the storage compartment. That is, it is preferable that the front end or the handle be positioned inside the opening without departing from the opening.

This embodiment can be said to be related to a refrigerator in which, when the door 20 for opening and closing the storage compartment is opened, the drawer provided in the storage compartment is automatically moved (withdrawn) from the initial position to the operation position. Accordingly, the refrigerator according to this embodiment includes an electric driving unit 150 (refer to FIG. 5) for moving the drawer, and includes a sensor 40 (refer to FIG. 3) for detecting a condition in which the electric driving unit is driven. desirable.

Specifically, the sensor 40 is a sensor provided to detect the opening of the door 20, and when the sensor 40 detects the opening of the door 20, the electric driving unit 50 operates to operate the The lower 30 is moved from the initial position to the operation position.

The door 20 is a swing-type door and may be said to be a door that is opened and closed by rotating about a substantially vertical axis. That is, if a state in which the door 20 completely blocks the opening 17 is defined as a 0 degree angle, the door 20 may be opened by rotating it to exceed 90 degrees.

Here, when the door 20 slightly deviates from the opening 17, it can be said that the door is in an open state when viewed broadly. For example, when the close contact between the door 20 and the opening 17 is released, it can be said that the door is opened. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2 , when the close contact between the gasket 22 provided on the rear surface of the door 20 and the cabinet 10 is released, the door 20 may be said to be opened. Accordingly, in such a state, a loss of cold air may inevitably occur.

However, the opening of the door in this embodiment can be said to be on the premise that the drawer is drawn out as described above. That is, when the user opens the door 20 on the premise that the drawer is drawn out and used, it is preferable that the drawer is moved to the operation position. Therefore, it can be said that the opening angle of the door for detecting the opening of the door is very important.

For example, when a user attempts to withdraw only the stored material accommodated in the door storage area 21 on the rear surface of the door 20, the door may be opened only at an angle of 40 to 50 degrees. In this case, it may be preferable that the drawer continues to be in the initial position. When a user withdraws the drawer and wants to use it, the user generally knows empirically that the door must be opened more than 90 degrees. This is because, at a door opening angle of 90 degrees or less, the drawer is caught in a basket on the rear surface of the door before the drawer is completely withdrawn. In general, in order for the drawer to be completely withdrawn without interference with the door, the door must be opened, for example, by 100 degrees or more.

Accordingly, it is preferable that the opening angle of the door for automatic movement of the drawer is substantially 80 degrees or more, more preferably 90 degrees or more. That is, it is preferable that the opening of the door is sensed at such an angle so that the electric driving unit is driven. This is to take into account that it takes a certain amount of time for the drawer to move to the operation position. That is, it is preferable that the angle at which the door opening is sensed is smaller than the opening angle of the door at which the interference between the drawer and the door is completely excluded. Of course, the angle at which the opening of the door is sensed and the drawer automatically starts to move is preferably determined so that the door and the drawer at the operating position do not interfere with each other.

For this reason, it is preferable that the sensor 40 is a sensor capable of accurately detecting a door opening angle for the door 20 to take out the drawer. To this end, the sensor 40 preferably includes a magnet 42 and a reed switch 41 (reed switch). As the distance between the reed switch 41 and the magnet 42 varies, the strength of the magnetic force applied to the reed switch varies. That is, the specific separation distance between the reed switch 41 and the magnet 42 , that is, the distance at which the contact point of the reed switch 41 is changed, can be accurately predicted by varying the magnetic force of the magnet 42 itself.

3 shows the positional relationship between the reed switch 41 and the magnet 42 . Specifically, FIG. 3 shows a state in which the door 20 is opened at an angle of 90 degrees. That is, the door 20 is rotated 90 degrees with respect to the hinge cover 45 positioned near the leg 2 fixed to the ground and opened is shown. 3 is a view from the ground toward the top.

The reed switch may be located on the hinge cover 45 , and the magnet 42 may be provided under the door 20 . Specifically, the magnet 42 may be provided on the cap decoration 22 of the door 20 . Of course, the reed switch may be positioned on the door 20 and the magnet 42 may be positioned on the hinge cover. However, since a contact is formed and a configuration for transmitting a door open signal or a closing signal to the outside is a reed switch, the reed switch is preferably located in a fixed configuration, that is, the hinge cover 45 .

When the door 20 is closed, the reed switch 41 and the magnet 42 may be positioned to face up and down with the same radius from the hinge shaft 23 of the door hinge. Accordingly, in a state in which the door 20 is closed, the magnet 42 may be said to be in a state in which the strongest magnetic force is applied to the reed switch 41 . And, as the opening angle of the door 20 increases, the distance between the magnet 42 and the reed switch 42 gradually increases. Accordingly, for example, when the opening angle of the door 20 reaches a 90 degree angle, the contact point of the reed switch 41 may be changed. This change in contact of the reed switch 41 can be said to be the generation of a door open on (on) signal. That is, when the door is opened to a preset angle, it is possible to detect this as the door opening.

Accordingly, by implementing a sensor that detects the opening of the door through the reed switch 41 and the magnet 42 , it is possible to accurately generate a door open on signal at a desired door opening angle (predetermined angle).

As shown in FIG. 3 , when the door 20 rotates about the hinge shaft 23 and completely closes, it can be seen that the magnet 42 is positioned past the upper part of the reed switch 41 . Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the large magnetic force of the magnet 42 from continuously affecting the reed switch 41 while the door 20 is closed. Of course, even in this state, the magnet 42 will have to provide magnetic force to the reed switch 41 to the extent that the contact point of the reed switch 41 is not changed. Through this, it is possible to secure the durability and accuracy of the reed switch.

Meanwhile, the sensor 40 may perform door open detection and door closing detection through the same angle. For example, when a door opening is detected at the same angle, the subsequent detection of the same angle may be referred to as door closing detection. Also, the same angle after door closing detection may be referred to as door open detection. Accordingly, it is possible to simply and accurately detect the opening and closing of the door at the preset door opening angle using a relatively very simple reed switch and magnet. In addition, the door opening angle may be set differently for each model of the refrigerator. In this case, it is possible to easily adjust the door opening/closing setting angle only by changing the magnetic force of the magnet.

As described above, when the opening of the door is detected through the sensor 40, the drawer 30 is moved from the initial position to the operation position. Accordingly, a structure for supporting the drawer 30 to be movable and a structure or configurations for automatically moving the drawer 30 are required. Hereinafter, the moving assembly 100 for supporting the drawer and moving the drawer will be described in detail. Hereinafter, specific configurations of the drawer associated with the moving assembly 100 will be described in detail.

4 illustrates a moving assembly 100 that may be coupled to a sidewall of a freezer compartment of the refrigerator illustrated in FIG. 1 . Specifically, the partition wall 16 that is one of the side walls of the freezing compartment and the moving assembly 100 respectively positioned on the left and right of the freezing compartment partition wall 16 are shown. Of course, this is a case in which the freezing compartment is provided on the left and right sides of the freezing compartment partition wall 16, and when there is one freezing compartment, the partition wall 16 may be a left insulating wall (left side wall) or a right insulating wall (right side wall) of the freezing compartment. . In any case, the moving assembly 100 is preferably mounted on the side wall of the storage compartment.

However, when the left and right freezing compartments shown in FIG. 1 are divided, it is very disadvantageous in terms of thermal insulation performance to mount the moving assembly 100 on the left insulating wall or the right insulating wall. In the case of maintaining the conventional insulation wall thickness, there is a risk that the inner space of the moving assembly 100 storage room becomes very small. Therefore, it is preferable to mount the moving assembly 100 to the freezer compartment partition wall 16 where thermal insulation performance is not prioritized.

The partition wall 16 is a partition wall partitioning the left and right freezing chambers, and is preferably formed symmetrically on the left and right sides. That is, moving assemblies having the same shape may be mounted on the left and right sides of the partition wall 16 in the same shape.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the moving assembly 100 is mounted on the left and right sides of the side walls forming the storage compartment, in particular the partition walls 16 dividing the left and right storage compartments, will be described in detail.

The moving assembly 100 performs a function of supporting the drawer 30 to be movable back and forth.

Preferably, the moving assembly 100 includes a support frame 110 . The support frame 110 may be mounted on the partition wall 16 . As will be described later, the support frame 110 may be provided to mount various components such as an electric drive unit, and the moving assembly 100 is mounted to the partition wall 16 as one assembly through the support frame 110 . or may be separated from the partition wall 16 . Therefore, manufacturing can be very simple, and subsequent maintenance can also be performed very easily.

A rail 120 may be mounted on the support frame 110 . The rail 120 may be provided so that the drawer moves back and forth in the storage compartment. That is, the drawer 30 may be supported so as to be movable back and forth in the storage chamber through the rail 120 . The drawer 30 may be moved while sliding back and forth through the rail 120 .

When there are a plurality of drawers 30 , a plurality of rails 120 may be provided accordingly. Accordingly, a plurality of rails 120 may be mounted on a single support frame 110 . Specifically, the plurality of rails 120 may be mounted vertically.

Meanwhile, the support frame 110 is mounted on the partition wall 16 to form a predetermined space 130 between the support frame 110 and the partition wall 16 . The predetermined space 130 may be referred to as a space that is not exposed inside the storage chamber. Accordingly, the components provided in the predetermined space 130 are not exposed to the inside of the storage chamber. For this reason, the predetermined space may be referred to as an isolation space.

The predetermined space or isolation space 130 is provided between the inner surface 112 and the partition wall 16 of the support frame 110, and the components mounted on the inner surface 112 are not exposed to the inside of the storage compartment. do. On the other hand, components mounted on the outer surface 111 of the support frame 110 may be exposed into the storage compartment. For example, the rail 120 may be mounted on the outer surface 111 of the support frame 110 , and thus the rail 120 may be exposed inside the storage compartment.

An electric driving unit 150 may be provided on the inner surface 112 of the support frame 110 . That is, the electric driving unit 150 may be located in the predetermined space 130 . Accordingly, the electric driving unit 150 is not substantially exposed to the inside of the storage chamber.

Specifically, the electric driving unit 150 may be mounted on the inner surface of the support frame 110 instead of the partition wall 16 . That is, when the support frame 110 is separated from the partition wall 16 , it is preferable that the electric driving unit 150 is also separated from the partition wall 16 .

The electric driving unit 150 may be configured to move the drawer 30 from the initial position to the operation position as it is driven. Accordingly, the electric driving unit 150 includes a motor assembly 160 that generates a force to move the drawer 30 and a moving frame 170 that applies a force to the drawer so that the drawer 30 moves. can be done by

The moving frame 170 may be provided to move back and forth by the driving of the motor assembly 160 . Here, the forward and backward movement may be in the same direction as the forward and backward movement of the drawer 30 . That is, the moving frame 170 may be provided to move in the same direction as the movement direction of the drawer 30 by driving the motor assembly 160 .

Specifically, the moving frame 170 may be movably mounted to the support frame 110 . For example, the moving frame 170 may be movably mounted on the inner surface of the support frame 110 back and forth. Therefore, since the entire moving frame 170 is substantially located in the predetermined space 130 , the entire moving frame 170 and the moving state of the moving frame 170 cannot be seen inside the storage compartment. However, as will be described later, the movement of the moving frame 170 must be transferred to the drawer 30 provided in the storage compartment. Therefore, it is preferable that the configuration for transmitting the force, for example, a transmission member to be described later is exposed to the outer surface of the support frame 110 .

Accordingly, the moving frame 170 may be configured to transmit the force of the motor assembly 160 located in the predetermined space 130 to the drawer 30 located outside the predetermined space 130 .

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 4 , a through portion 16a may be formed in the partition wall 16 . The through portion 16a may be formed so that the motor assembly 160 passes therethrough. The motor assembly 160 may have a predetermined left and right width based on the reference shown in FIG. 4 . Therefore, when the motor assembly 160 is positioned in the predetermined space 130 to isolate it from the storage chamber, there is a risk that the left and right widths of the partition wall 16 or the left and right widths of the support frame 110 become excessively large. This can be said to narrow the space inside the storage room. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the storage compartment space from being reduced due to the motor assembly 160 through the through portion 16a.

Specifically, when the moving assembly 100 is positioned on the left and right sides of the partition wall 16 , a part of the left motor assembly passes through the through part 16a and may be positioned in a predetermined space 130 on the right side. there is. Conversely, a portion of the motor assembly on the right may be located in the predetermined space 130 on the left side through the through portion 16a. In addition, the two motor assemblies 150 may be positioned vertically side by side. That is, the two motor assemblies 150 may be positioned vertically in parallel so that the left and right widths partially overlap. Through this, it is possible to minimize the influence of the thickness due to the moving assembly compared to the case where the two motor assemblies 150 are positioned side by side side by side.

Here, the through portion 16a may be formed to correspond to the outer shape of the motor assembly 150 . Accordingly, the motor assembly 150 may be fitted to the through portion 16a to be fixed and supported.

Hereinafter, a structure for supporting the drawer and applying a force to the drawer will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 5 . FIG. 5 shows a rail 120 corresponding to one drawer 30 in the support frame 110 and a structure for transmitting force to the drawer 30 .

Although not shown in FIG. 5 , the drawer 30 is movably supported forward and backward through the rail 120 . In general, a user draws out or retracts the drawer 30 while pulling or pushing the drawer 30 . In this case, it can be said that the rail 120 is generally provided so that the drawer can be easily drawn in and out while minimizing the required force. Accordingly, the rail 120 may be mounted on the outer surface 111 of the support frame 110 , that is, the surface facing the inside of the storage compartment.

As described above, the electric driving unit, particularly the motor assembly 160 , may be mounted on the inner surface 112 of the support frame 110 . Accordingly, a structure for transmitting the force generated from the inner surface 112 portion of the support frame to the outer surface 111 portion of the support frame is required.

To this end, it is preferable that the support frame 110 has a slit 113 formed therein. That is, it is preferable that a slit passing through the support frame 110 is formed. It is possible to transmit the movement of the moving frame 170 to the drawer 30 through the slit 113 .

Specifically, the moving frame 170 may include a transmission member 171 that transmits a force to the drawer 30 . The transmission member 171 may be provided to pass through the slit 113 . That is, substantially the entire moving frame 170 moves on the inner side 112 portion of the support frame, but a part of the moving frame, that is, the transmission member 171 passes through the slit 113 to support the support frame. It is preferable to move from the outer surface 111 portion of the frame. Accordingly, the transmission member 171 is shown to move forward and backward along the slit 113 .

The transmission member 171 performs a function of transmitting the force of the electric driving unit, in particular, the movement of the moving frame 170 to the drawer 30 . That is, the transfer member 171 may push the drawer 30 so that the drawer 30 moves through the rail. In other words, it is possible to automatically move the drawer 30 even if the user does not manually manipulate the drawer.

Meanwhile, the rail 120 and the drawer holder 180 may be mounted on the support frame 110 . Specifically, a pair of rails 120 , one slit 113 , and one drawer holder 180 may be provided as a set in one drawer 30 . If there are a plurality of drawers 30 , they may also be provided in a plurality of sets.

The drawer holder 180 may be provided to provide an elastic restoring force to the drawer 30 . In particular, the drawer 30 may be elastically deformed when the drawer 30 is withdrawn, and may be provided to provide an elastic restoring force to the drawer 30 when the drawer 30 is drawn in. That is, as described above, the drawer may be drawn out automatically by the electric driving unit, and the drawer may be drawn in automatically by the drawer holder 180 . Details of the mechanism between the drawer holder 180 and the drawer 30 will be described later.

Hereinafter, a mechanism between the electric driving unit 150 and the drawer 30 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 . 6 is a view of the moving assembly 100 in the initial position of the drawer from the inner side 112 of the support frame 110, and FIG. 7 is a support frame of the moving assembly 100 in the operation position of the drawer. It is a view from the inner side 112 of (110).

The motor assembly 160 may be provided in a predetermined space 130 between the inner surface 112 of the support frame 110 and the partition wall 16 . Specifically, the motor assembly 160 may be mounted on the inner surface 112 of the support frame 110 .

The motor assembly 160 may include a housing 161 , and power components such as a motor and a gear may be accommodated in the housing 161 . Accordingly, since the housing 161 is fixed to the support frame 110 , the motor assembly 160 may be stably supported by the support frame.

The electric driving unit 150 may include a connecting member 163 . It may be said that the motor assembly 160 includes the connection member 163 . The connecting member 163 may be provided between the motor assembly, particularly the housing 161 of the motor assembly 160 and the moving frame 170 . That is, the connecting member 163 may be provided to connect the motor assembly 160 and the moving frame 170 .

The connecting member 163 may be provided to have a different withdrawal distance from the motor assembly 160 , particularly the housing 161 . That is, the withdrawal distance of the connecting member 163 may be varied. As the withdrawal distance of the connecting member 163 from the fixed housing 161 increases, the distance between the housing 161 and the moving frame 170 increases. Conversely, as the withdrawal distance of the connecting member 163 decreases, the distance between the housing 161 and the moving frame 170 decreases. Accordingly, the motor assembly 160 is driven so that the withdrawal distance of the connection member 163 is variable, and as a result, the moving frame 170 is moved.

Preferably, one side of the connecting member 163 is movably fixed with respect to the motor assembly 160 , and the other side is fixed to move integrally with the moving frame 170 . That is, the other side of the moving frame 170 may be coupled to the moving frame 170 . Specifically, the connecting member 163 may be formed in the form of a rack, and the motor assembly 160 may be provided in the form of a pinion. According to the forward/reverse driving of the motor assembly 160 , the withdrawal distance of the connecting member may be increased or decreased. The driving of the motor assembly 160 pushes or pulls the connecting member 163, and thus pushes or pulls the moving frame.

The moving frame 170 may be configured to transmit the driving force of the motor assembly 160 to the drawer 30 . Therefore, basically, the moving frame 170 is moved by the driving of the motor assembly 160 . Specifically, it is preferable that the moving frame 170 is movably provided on the inner surface 113 of the support frame 110 .

As described above, not only one drawer but also a plurality of drawers may be provided in the storage compartment, and when the door is opened, it is preferable to move all of the plurality of drawers from the initial position to the operation position. It is preferable that the movement of the plurality of drawers is performed collectively. Accordingly, the moving frame 170 may be provided to transmit force not only to one drawer but also to all of the plurality of drawers.

In order to transmit force to a plurality of drawers arranged vertically, the moving frame 170 is preferably formed to extend vertically. In addition, a plurality of transmission members 172 may be provided in the moving frame 170 . Similarly, the transmission members may be disposed vertically in one moving frame 170 . One transfer member 172 may be provided to correspond to one drawer 30 .

6 and 7 show an example in which three transmission members 172 are formed in one moving frame 170 . This means that one moving frame 170 can move to move three drawers arranged vertically. That is, it means that the three drawers can be simultaneously moved from the initial position to the operation position through the movement of the single connecting member 163 . Through this, it is possible to simultaneously move the plurality of drawers through one motor assembly 150 , one connection member 163 , and one moving frame 170 . That is, in spite of having only one electric driving unit 150 interlocked with the door 20 , it is possible to easily move the plurality of drawers. Accordingly, the configuration can be simple, and it becomes possible to implement an easy and easy control logic.

The moving frame 170 is preferably supported so as to be movable back and forth on the inner surface 112 of the support frame 110 . More specifically, the moving frame 170 is preferably supported so as to be slidable back and forth.

As described above, the moving frame 170 may be provided to move the plurality of drawers 30 . Accordingly, the moving frame 170 is provided in a vertically extended form, and therefore, it is preferable to minimize the movement deviation between the upper and lower portions when the moving frame 170 is moved.

To this end, it is preferable that sliding support portions 172 are respectively provided on the upper and lower portions of the moving frame 170 . The sliding support 172 may be formed in a pair on the upper portion of the moving frame 170 and a pair on the lower portion. Accordingly, the moving frame 170 can be moved with four supporting points on the top, bottom, left, and right sides. Through this, it is possible to prevent the moving frame from being twisted when the moving frame 100 is moved forward and backward.

In order to allow the moving frame 170 to move more smoothly, a guide bar 114 may be formed on the support frame 110 . The guide bar 114 may be formed to correspond to the upper and lower portions of the moving frame 170 , respectively. Accordingly, the guide bar may include an upper guide bar and a lower guide bar. In addition, the sliding support 172 may be formed to surround the guide bar 114 . Accordingly, the sliding support portion 172 may be slid forward and backward in a state in which the guide bar 114 is covered.

A POM liner 173 (refer to FIG. 8 ) may be interposed between the guide bar 114 and the sliding support 172 . That is, a liner formed of an engineering plastic such as polyacetal or polyoxymethylene may be interposed. POM material has very good mechanical strength, wear resistance, low frictional resistance and self-lubrication. Therefore, even when used for a long period of time, the moving frame 170 can be supported so that it can be moved smoothly. Of course, the guide bar 114 is preferably coated with a lubricant such as grease.

Meanwhile, in FIG. 6 , the motor assembly 160 is mounted at a position lower than the upper and lower centers of the support frame 110 . This is to allow the two motor assemblies 160 to be mounted vertically through the partition wall 16 as described with reference to FIG. 4 . That is, the motor assembly 160 may be mounted on the opposite support frame 110 at a position higher than the vertical center of the support frame 110 .

Due to the position of the motor assembly 160 , the connecting member 163 pushes or pulls an upwardly biased portion or a downwardly skewed portion of the moving frame 170 rather than the upper and lower center portion. Therefore, basically, the connecting member 163 has no choice but to apply a force to twist the moving frame. In order to minimize the force applied to an eccentric portion other than the upper and lower center portions of the moving assembly 170 , the connecting member 163 includes an extension portion 164 . The extension 164 may be formed to extend upwardly or downwardly from an end (ie, an end connected to the moving frame) of the connecting member 163 . The extension portion 164 is preferably formed to further pass the upper and lower centers of the moving assembly 170 . That is, the extension part 164 shown in FIG. 6 further extends from the lower center of the upper and lower center of the moving assembly 170 to the upper part, and in the case of the opposite extension part, the extension part 164 further extends from the upper and lower center upper part of the moving assembly 170 to the lower part. It is preferable to do so. Through this, even if the upper and lower centers of the connecting member 163 and the upper and lower centers of the moving frame do not coincide, the distortion of the moving frame 170 can be minimized.

As described above, a slit 113 is formed in the support frame 110 . The number of slits 113 may be the same as the number of drawers 30 . The slit 113 is formed to pass through the support frame 110 , and is formed to elongate left and right of the support frame 110 based on FIGS. 6 and 7 . The transmission member 171 moves left and right along the slit 113 . With respect to the refrigerator, the transfer member 171 moves forward and backward along the slit 113 . Since the transmission member passes through the support frame 110 , it may be connected to the drawer 30 provided on the outer surface 111 side of the support frame 110 . That is, it may be coupled to the drawer 30 or may be in contact with the drawer 30 . The transmission member 171 is connected to the drawer so that a force can be directly applied to the drawer 30 .

As shown in FIG. 6 , the distance between the motor assembly 150 and the moving frame 170 in the initial position is relatively small. In this state, the moving frame 170 is biased to the left. In other words, it is positioned more deeply into the storage compartment of the refrigerator.

When it is determined through the sensor 40 that the door 20 is opened, that is, when a door open signal is generated, the motor assembly 150 is driven, and the distance between the motor assembly 150 and the moving frame 170 is will increase relatively. That is, the connecting member 163 pushes the moving frame 170 to move the moving frame 170 forward. At this time, the transfer member 171 of the moving frame 170 pushes the drawer 30 to move the drawer 30 to the operation position. In other words, the appearance of the moving assembly 100 in the initial position in FIG. 6 and the appearance of the moving assembly 100 in the operation position in FIG. 7 are changed. In other words, it can be said that the connecting member 163 and the moving frame 170 shown in FIG. 6 are located at the initial positions, and the connecting member 163 and the moving frame 170 shown in FIG. 7 are located at the operating position. it can be said that On the other hand, the relative position change of the support frame 110 and the housing 161 of the motor assembly does not occur. Accordingly, it can be said that the moving frame 170 is provided to be movable back and forth between the initial position and the operation position by the driving of the motor assembly 160 . In addition, it can be said that the moving frame 170 is connected to the drawer so as to apply a force to the drawer in a direction in which the drawer is drawn out from the initial position to the manipulation position.

As will be described later, the connection between the drawer 30 and the moving frame, in particular, the transmission member 171 may be referred to as a jam, and release of this connection may be referred to as a jam release. In particular, when the moving frame 170 is moved from the operation position to the initial position on the contrary, it is preferable that the disconnection between the moving frame 170 and the drawer 30 is performed. That is, it is preferable that the jam release is performed. For this reason, it is preferable not to apply force to the drawer 30 when the moving frame 170 is moved from the operation position to the initial position. In other words, the movement from the initial position to the operation position of the drawer 30 is performed by the driving of the electric driving unit 150 , but the movement from the operation position to the initial position is performed by the driving of the electric driving unit 150 . It is desirable to make it independent of Details on this will be described later.

Hereinafter, an automatic movement mechanism of the drawer 30 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 8 . 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion in which the drawer 30 is connected to the moving assembly 100 .

The drawer 30 may include a basket 31 for accommodating storage and a drawer frame 32 provided outside the basket 31 . The basket 31 may be movably supported on the rail 120 through the drawer frame 32 . The basket 31 and the drawer frame 32 are preferably provided to be movable integrally. The drawer frame 32 may be provided under the basket 31 .

The drawer frame 32 and the moving frame 170 are partitioned through the support frame 110 . However, the transfer member 171 of the moving frame 170 may extend to the drawer frame 32 through the slit 113 formed in the support frame 110 .

The moving frame 170 may be selectively connected to the drawer frame 32 . Through the connection between the moving frame 170 and the drawer frame 32 , the movement of the moving frame 170 may be converted into the movement of the drawer frame 32 , that is, the drawer 30 . Conversely, by disconnecting the moving frame 170 and the drawer frame 32 , it is possible to prevent the movement of the moving frame 170 from being converted to the movement of the drawer 30 .

Specifically, a locking member 33 may be formed on the drawer. The locking member 33 may be referred to as a first locking member 33 for convenience in distinguishing it from other locking members to be described later. The first locking member 33 may be formed on the drawer frame 32 , and may be formed to extend toward the moving frame 170 .

As described above, the moving frame 170 may move forward from the initial position to the operation position. The movement of the moving frame 170 is converted into movement from the initial position of the drawer 30 to the operation position. In addition, the movement of the moving frame 170 from the initial position to the operation position may be generated by a force pushing the moving frame 170 from the rear. Accordingly, it is preferable that the moving frame 170 moves the drawer 30 from the initial position to the operation position by pushing the drawer 30 .

To this end, the first locking member 33 is preferably located in front of the transmission member 171 . In addition, when both the moving frame 170 and the drawer 30 are in the initial position, it is preferable that they contact each other. Accordingly, as the transmission member 171 moves from the initial position to the operation position, the first locking member 33 can be continuously pushed. Due to this, the drawer 30 may also be moved from the initial position to the operation position.

Conversely, when the drawer 30 is in the operating position, the transfer member 171 may be returned to the initial position. That is, at this time, the connection or engagement between the transmission member 171 and the first locking member 33 is released. Accordingly, the drawer 30 maintains the operation position state, and the transfer member 171 , particularly the moving frame 170 , may be returned to the initial position.

As described above, the initial position of the drawer 30 may be a state in which the drawer 30 is still located inside the storage compartment. Accordingly, when the drawer 30 is used, the user opens the door 20 and pulls the drawer 30 to withdraw at least a portion of the drawer 30 out of the storage compartment. Accordingly, the maximum withdrawal position of the drawer 30 may be defined. That is, the maximum withdrawal position may be a position in which the drawer 30 is maximally drawn forward in a state in which the drawer 30 is supported on the rail 120 . The maximum withdrawal position may be preset through the rail 120 . That is, the separation distance between the manipulation position and the maximum withdrawal position may be preset.

Basically, the drawer 30 may be movably supported between the initial position and the maximum withdrawal position through the rail 120 . As described above, the drawer 30 may be automatically moved from the initial position to the operation position by the driving of the electric driving unit 150 .

Here, it is preferable that the drawer 30 is drawn out manually from the operation position to the maximum withdrawal position (a position spaced apart by a predetermined distance forward from the operation position). That is, it is preferable that the connection between the moving frame 170 and the drawer 30 is released from the operation position to the maximum withdrawal position, so that the drawer 30 can be manually pulled out.

When the door 20 is opened, the drawer 30 may be automatically moved to an operation position so that the user can easily withdraw the drawer 30 . When a user uses the drawer 30, the drawer may be further drawn out manually from the operation position. And, when the use of the drawer 30 is finished, the drawer 30 may be manually drawn in. For example, the user may manually retract the drawer 30 to the operation position or near the operation position.

In the above, the mechanism between the drawer 30 and the moving assembly 100 has been basically described in terms of automatic withdrawal of the drawer 30 . However, it is desirable to minimize the user's effort during the withdrawal as well as the withdrawal of the drawer 30 .

In this embodiment, in order to provide a user's convenience when the drawer 30 is retracted, a refrigerator into which the drawer 30 can be automatically retracted may be provided. In particular, it is possible to provide a refrigerator in which the drawer 30 can be automatically drawn into the initial position from an operation position or a position near the operation position. That is, in the same way that the automatic withdrawal of the drawer 30 does not require the user's force, the user's force is not required for the automatic withdrawal of the drawer 30 .

To this end, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 8 , a drawer holder 180 may be provided. The drawer holder 180 may be provided to provide an elastic restoring force to the drawer 30 when the drawer 30 returns to the initial position from the operation position or a position near the operation position. The drawer 30 may be automatically returned to the initial position through the elastic restoring force.

To this end, the drawer holder 180 may be provided to be selectively connected to the drawer 30 . That is, it may be provided to selectively hold the drawer.

The drawer holder 180 may include a hanging member 181 . The hanging member 181 may be provided to be selectively connected to the drawer 30 .

As shown in FIG. 8 , the hook member 181 of the drawer holder 180 may be selectively connected to the second lock member 34 provided in the drawer 30 . For example, in the initial position of the drawer 30 or a section near the initial position to the manipulation position or near the manipulation position (this can be referred to as an elastic section), the second locking member 34 is It may be connected to the lower holder 180 .

When the drawer 30 is withdrawn from the elastic section, a spring (not shown) provided in the drawer holder 180 is elastically deformed. And, when the drawer 30 is retracted in the elastic section, the spring is elastically restored.

Specifically, in the elastic section, the drawer 30 is automatically drawn forward by the operation of the electric driving unit 150 . That is, it is drawn out to the operation position. As the drawer 30 is drawn out, the second locking member 34 provided in the drawer 30 pushes the hanging member 181 . The hanging member 181 moves forward together with the second locking member 34, and accordingly, the spring may be elastically deformed. For example, the spring may be tensioned. The elastic restoring force generated at this time automatically retracts the drawer 30 .

More specifically, by the operation of the electric driving unit 150, the drawer 30 can overcome the elastic force of the drawer holder 180 and can be automatically drawn out. As described above, when the force pushing the drawer 30 is removed through the electric driving unit 150 , an elastic restoring force by the drawer holder 180 is applied to the drawer 30 . Accordingly, the catching member 181 pulls the second catching member 34 of the drawer by the elastic restoring force. Accordingly, even if the user does not apply a separate force to retract the drawer 30 , the drawer 30 can be retracted automatically.

Accordingly, while the transmission member 171 is provided only for pushing the first locking member 33 , the hook member 181 is pulled by the second locking member 34 and holds the second locking member 34 . It can be said that it is equipped to pull. That is, the hook member 181 is pulled by the second locking member 34 when the drawer 30 is withdrawn, and the second locking member 34 is pulled when the drawer 30 is drawn in. will pull In other words, it is preferable that the hooking member 181 and the second locking member 34 are always connected to each other when the drawer 30 is drawn in and out of the elastic section. Therefore, when the drawer is retracted, the user can operate the drawer very conveniently by enabling automatic retraction instead of manual retraction. Of course, it is preferable that the automatic drawing-in of the drawer 30 is performed not from the above-described maximum withdrawal position to the initial position, but from the operation position or near the operation position to the initial position.

Here, the automatic retracting section may vary depending on how to set the elastic section in the relationship between the initial position and the manipulation position. In addition, various embodiments may be implemented according to the return time of the moving frame 170 (ie, the return time from the manipulation position to the initial position). Details on this will be described later.

Hereinafter, an automatic retraction mechanism of the drawer by the drawer holder 180 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 9 .

As described above, the drawer holder 180 is elastically deformed when the drawer 30 is moved from the initial position to the operation position, and when the drawer 30 is moved from the operation position to the initial position An elastic restoring force is provided to the drawer 30 . Here, elastic deformation and elastic restoration may or may not occur in the drawer holder 180 continuously from the initial position to the manipulation position.

In FIG. 9, an example in which the elastic section starts further from the front than the initial position and ends further from the front than the manipulation position is shown.

First, in FIG. 9, the second locking member 34 in the initial position is shown. A state in which the first locking member 33 and the transmission member 171 are connected in this initial position is shown.

When the door is opened, the electric driving unit 150 operates so that the transmission member 171 pushes the first locking member 33 forward. Accordingly, the drawer 30 is withdrawn forward, and similarly, the second locking member 34 also moves forward.

In FIG. 9, for convenience, a state in which one hanging member 181 is positioned at an elastic starting position and an operating position is shown. And, for convenience, a state in which one transmission member 181 is positioned at an initial position and an operation position is shown. It can be seen that the transmission member 181 is biased to the left of the slit 113 in the initial position, and is biased to the right of the slit 113 in the operation position.

When the second locking member 34 is moved forward from the initial position to reach the elastic starting position, the second locking member 34 is connected to the hooking member 181 . The elastic starting position may be preset between the initial position and the manipulation position, which is the shape of the slots 183 and 184 formed in the housing 182 of the drawer holder 180 and the hanging member 181 . This can be done by changing the connection relationship of

For example, when the separation distance between the initial position and the manipulation position is 120 mm, the elastic starting position may be set to be separated by 30 mm forward from the initial position.

Since the coupling between the second locking member 34 and the hooking member 181 is released until the drawer reaches the elastic starting position from the initial position, the spring of the drawer holder 180 is not elastically deformed. And, as the drawer is further drawn out at the elastic starting position, the hanging member 181 moves forward to elastically deform the spring. And, when the drawer moves further forward to reach the operating position, the elastic deformation is further increased. That is, the second locking member 34 is hooked to the hooking member 181 shown on the right side of FIG. 9 , and the drawer 30 is in the operating position.

As shown, it can be seen that the drawer holder 180 at the manipulation position of the drawer 20 applies a force for drawing in the drawer 30 . Therefore, in the present embodiment, it is preferable that the operation of the electric driving unit 150 is maintained at the operation position. That is, it is preferable that the operating state of the electric driving unit 150 is maintained so that the drawer 20 is always pushed in the state in which the door 20 is opened. In other words, it is preferable that the driving of the motor assembly 160 is maintained while the door is kept open, so that the moving frame 170 is controlled to maintain the operation position. Of course, as will be described later, when the closing of the door 20 is sensed, the motor assembly 160 is preferably reversely driven so that the moving frame 170 returns to its initial position.

As described above, the automatic withdrawal of the drawer 20 by the electric driving unit 150 is preferably from the initial position to the operation position. Accordingly, the withdrawal from the operation position to the maximum withdrawal position can be performed manually. That is, the user can directly pull the drawer 20 to withdraw.

When withdrawing the drawer 20 from the operation position to the maximum withdrawal position, the drawer holder 180 may be elastically deformed in a direction that prevents the withdrawal. Therefore, it is preferable to release the connection between the drawer holder 180 and the drawer 30 during manual withdrawal.

For this purpose, it is preferable to form an inclined slot 185 in the slot formed in the housing 182 of the drawer holder. Specifically, it is preferable to form the inclined slot 185 in front of the lower slot 184 among the two slots 183 and 184 formed side by side up and down. The inclined slot 185 may be referred to as a first inclined slot 185 for convenience in distinguishing it from other inclined slots to be described later.

The first inclined slot 185 is positioned in front of the slot 184 . When the user withdraws the drawer 30 forward a little further from the operation position, the hanging member 181 may be constrained by the first inclined slot 185 . At this time, the hanging member 181 is rotated so that the coupling between the hanging member 181 and the second locking member 34 is released. In addition, the position at which the coupling between the hook member 181 and the second lock member 34 is released may be referred to as an elastic end position. Accordingly, the elastic start position in this embodiment can be said to be in front of the initial position, and similarly, the elastic end position can be said to be in front of the operation position.

When the coupling between the hooking member 181 and the second locking member 34 is released, the user can easily withdraw the drawer manually to the maximum withdrawal position without being disturbed by the drawer holder 180 . there will be

According to this embodiment, as described above, the moving frame 170 maintains the operation position in the open state of the door. Accordingly, in the state in which the door is opened, the user can manually retract the drawer 30 to the operation position after withdrawing the drawer.

At this time, the user may not retract the drawer 30 to the operation position. However, as described above, in this embodiment, the distance between the elastic end position and the manipulation position is relatively very short. Accordingly, as the door is closed, the door may push the drawer 30 . That is, by pushing the drawer 30 , the second locking member 34 may be reconnected with the hooking member 181 . When the door is closed, since the moving frame 170 returns to its initial position, the force for drawing out the drawer 30 is removed. Accordingly, by the elastic restoring force of the drawer holder 180, the hanging member 181 pulls the second locking member 34, so that the drawer 30 automatically returns to its initial position. .

Unlike the above, the elastic starting position and the initial position may be the same. However, in this case, when the drawer 30 is returned to the initial position, an impact may be applied to the drawer 30 . And, in this case, since the amount of elastic deformation of the spring is relatively large (ie, the elastic section is increased), the elastic restoring force of the spring may be reduced over time.

Accordingly, by setting the elastic starting position to be spaced forward from the initial position, the initial return speed of the drawer can be relatively fast and the end return speed can be relatively slow. Here, it can be said that this difference in return speed is very important.

The initial return speed is related to the closing speed of the door. For example, if the door closes very quickly, but the initial return speed of the drawer is slower than the closing speed of the door, an impact may be applied to the drawer by the door. Conversely, if the end return speed is fast, a large impact may be applied to the rail 120 by the drawer 20 as described above. Therefore, it is preferable that the drawer returns quickly at the beginning, and then returns smoothly and slowly at the end.

Meanwhile, as described above, in the section between the initial position of the drawer and the elastic start position, the connection between the drawer holder 180 and the drawer may be released. Accordingly, the drawer 30 may not be completely returned to the initial position.

In order to prevent this, the same structure as that of the drawer holder 180 may be applied to the rail 120 . That is, the spring provided on the rail 120 is elastically deformed when the drawer is drawn out from the initial position to the elastic starting position, and in a subsequent section, the spring of the drawer holder can be elastically deformed as described above. That is, a section in which both springs are elastically deformed at the same time may be excluded or formed very narrowly. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent in advance that a relatively large load is generated on the electric driving unit 150 in order to elastically deform the two springs.

Conversely, from the operation position to the elastic starting position, the drawer is drawn in by the elastic restoring force of the spring of the drawer holder, and the drawer is drawn in by the elastic restoring force of the rail spring from the elastic starting position to the initial position. Accordingly, it is possible to more effectively return the drawer completely to the operating position, and at the same time perform very smooth and smooth return. Here, the elastic restoring force by the spring provided on the rail allows the drawer to move to the initial position more reliably.

On the other hand, when the drawer 30 is withdrawn, the second locking member 34 is connected to the hooking member 181 at the elastic starting position when the drawer 30 is drawn out, and vice versa at the elastic starting position when the drawer 30 is drawn in. The connection between the second locking member 34 and the hooking member 181 is released. This can be performed in the same manner as the structure in the elastic end position described above. Similarly, a second inclined slot 186 is formed at the rear end of the upper slot 183 to allow the hook member 181 to rotate in the elastic starting position. If the hook member 181 in the above-described first inclined slot rotates counterclockwise to release the connection, the hook member 181 in the second inclined slot 186 rotates clockwise to release the connection. can do.

According to the above-described embodiment, the drawer may be automatically drawn out and automatically drawn in in the following order.

1) When the door is closed, the plurality of drawers are in their initial position.

2) When the door open signal is generated, the electric drive unit is driven to move the moving frame from the initial position to the operation position. Accordingly, the plurality of drawers are integrally moved from the initial position to the operation position and stopped. The operation of the electric driving unit is maintained until the door closing signal is generated, so that the moving frame maintains the operation position.

3) From the operation position of the drawer, the user can manually withdraw the drawer further.

4) When the door closing signal is generated, the electric driving unit is driven in the reverse direction to return the moving frame to its initial position. As the door is closed, the door may push the drawer and the drawer may return to its initial position.

5) When the drawer returns to its initial position, it can be automatically restored by the elastic restoring force. At this time, the elastic restoring force is generated by the elastic deformation generated when the drawer is moved to the operating position. The elastic deformation and elastic restoration may be generated by a spring provided in the drawer holder.

Accordingly, according to the present embodiment, when the door is opened, the drawer can be automatically withdrawn to an operation position from which the user can easily withdraw the drawer. As the door is closed at the operating position, the door may push the drawer to be retracted to the initial position, and the drawer may be automatically retracted to the initial position by using an elastic restoring force.

Hereinafter, a step-by-step spring structure will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 10 . 10, the connection and disconnection of the drawer holder 180 according to the change in the position of the drawer 30 is sequentially shown.

FIG. 10( a ) shows a state in which the connection between the drawer holder 180 and the drawer 30 is released from the initial position of the drawer.

When the door open signal is generated, the electric drive unit operates to move the drawer to the operating position. FIG. 10(b) shows a point in time when the drawer holder 180 and the drawer 30 are connected while the drawer moves from the initial position to the operation position. This position may be referred to as an elastic starting position as described above.

From the initial position to the elastic starting position, the rail spring, not the spring of the drawer holder 180, is elastically deformed. Then, the spring of the drawer holder 180 is elastically deformed from the elastic starting position. The elastic starting position may be set, for example, to a position spaced 30 mm forward from the initial position.

As the drawer moves further forward beyond the elastic starting position, the elastic deformation of the rail spring is terminated at a specific position. That is, the connection between the rail spring and the drawer is released. This disconnection can be performed by itself through the double rail, as shown in FIG. 8 .

FIG. 10( c ) shows a point in time when the elastic deformation of the rail spring is finished. The position at this time may be referred to as the elastic end position of the rail spring. The elastic end position of the rail spring may be set to a position spaced 40 mm forward from the initial position.

Accordingly, after the drawer starts to move from the initial position, an overlapping section of about 10 mm may be formed. That is, in the section between the elastic start position and the elastic end position of the rail spring, the rail spring and the spring of the drawer holder may be elastically deformed together.

It is preferable to set the overlapping section to be biased toward the initial position rather than the operation position at the same time as the position deviated from the initial position. This is because, as the elastic deformation increases, the motor assembly must be driven while overcoming a greater elastic restoring force.

FIG. 10( d ) shows a state in which the drawer is moved further forward and the connection between the drawer holder 180 and the drawer is released, that is, the elastic end position. Therefore, in the elastic end position, the elastic restoring force by the rail spring and the spring of the drawer holder is not applied to the drawer.

It has been described that the operation position in the above-described embodiment is a position between FIGS. 10 ( c ) and 10 ( d ). Accordingly, the user must manually withdraw the drawer from the operation position to the elastic end position, and in this case, the user must overcome the elastic restoring force of the drawer holder spring for a very short distance. The user may further withdraw the drawer manually from the elastic end position of the drawer. At this time, the user does not withdraw the drawer while overcoming the elastic restoring force.

Conversely, when the drawer is retracted, the user can manually retract the drawer further back than the elastic end position shown in FIG. 10(d). That is, it is possible to manually retract the drawer to the operation position. In this operation position, the drawer holder 180 and the drawer are reconnected.

When the door closing signal is generated, the electric drive unit returns to the initial position. That is, the force that pushes the drawer from the electric drive unit is no longer maintained. Accordingly, in the operating position, the drawer is provided with an elastic restoring force by the spring of the drawer holder. Due to this, the drawer is automatically retracted.

As the drawer is retracted, when the elastic end position of the rail spring shown in FIG. 10(c) is reached, the elastic restoring force of the rail spring is provided to the drawer. Accordingly, from the position shown in Fig. 10(c) to the position shown in Fig. 10(b), the elastic restoring force of the rail spring and the elastic restoring force of the drawer holder are simultaneously provided to the drawer.

As the drawer is further retracted, when the elastic starting position shown in FIG. 10(b) is reached, the elastic restoring force of the drawer holder is no longer provided to the drawer. From this position to the initial position, the elastic restoring force of the rail spring is provided to the drawer, and the drawer is automatically returned to the initial position by this elastic restoring force.

10: cabinet 20: door
30: Drawer 31: Basket
32: drawer frame 40: sensor
100: moving assembly 110: support frame
120: rail 150: electric drive unit
160: motor assembly 170: moving frame
180: drawer holder

Claims (9)

a cabinet having a storage room;
a door rotatably provided in the cabinet to open and close the storage compartment;
a plurality of drawers provided up and down in the storage compartment, and provided to move from an initial position to an operation position spaced apart by a predetermined distance forward when the opening of the door is sensed;
an electric drive unit for moving the plurality of drawers from the initial position to the operation position by driving;
It is formed extending up and down and includes a single moving frame provided to move the plurality of drawers by transmitting the driving force of the electric driving unit through a plurality of transmission members corresponding to each of the plurality of drawers,
The one moving frame moves on the inner surface of the support frame, and the plurality of transfer members move the plurality of drawers on the outer surface of the support frame as a part of the one moving frame. The method of claim 1,
The electric driving unit may include: a motor assembly generating a force for moving the plurality of drawers; and
and a connecting member connecting the motor assembly and the moving frame. 3. The method of claim 2,
The refrigerator is provided such that a distance between the moving frame and the motor assembly varies as a withdrawal distance of the connecting member with respect to the motor assembly varies. 4. The method of claim 3,
One side of the connecting member is movably connected to the motor assembly,
The other side of the connecting member is fixed to move integrally with the moving frame, refrigerator. 5. The method of claim 4,
The motor assembly and the moving frame are provided one by one, respectively, to move the plurality of drawers integrally, the refrigerator. 5. The method of claim 4,
The connecting member includes an extension portion disposed in the vertical direction on the other side connected to the moving frame, the refrigerator. 7. The method of claim 6,
The motor assembly is provided in plurality in the vertical direction,
One motor assembly of the plurality of motor assemblies is connected to the moving frame through the connecting member on one side of the vertical center rather than the vertical center of the moving frame,
The extension portion is disposed in the vertical direction from one side of the moving frame to the other side with respect to the vertical center of the moving frame. 5. The method of claim 4,
Each of the motor assembly and the moving frame is provided in plurality,
A first combination consisting of one motor assembly of the plurality of motor assemblies and one moving frame of the plurality of moving frames moves the plurality of drawers constituting the first combination among the plurality of drawers as one unit, Refrigerator. 9. The method of claim 8,
The second combination comprising the other one of the plurality of motor assemblies and the other one of the plurality of moving frames comprises a plurality of drawers constituting another second combination among the plurality of drawers as one body. Moving refrigerator.

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