US20090009044A1

US20090009044A1 - Refrigerator

Info

Publication number: US20090009044A1
Application number: US12/142,619
Authority: US
Inventors: Min Kyeong KIM
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2007-06-20
Filing date: 2008-06-19
Publication date: 2009-01-08
Also published as: KR20080111832A

Abstract

A refrigerator is provided. In the refrigerator, a tray is provided with one side of a shelf and the tray is separable from the shelf. A user can take out various foods at a time without arranging a specific tray member.

Description

THE BACKGROUND

1. The Field
This document relates to a shelf structure of a refrigerator.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, refrigerators are domestic appliances to keep foods in a refrigerating or freezing state by using a circulation cycle of cold air. An internal space of refrigerator is divided into a freezer compartment based on a freezing temperature condition and a refrigerator compartment with a low temperature environment that is a little higher than the freezer compartment. Further, the refrigerator may be classified as bottom freezer type, top mount type, side-by-side type and three-door type according to a position of the freezer compartment or installation structure of door.
Inside refrigerators of such various types, a plurality of shelves to efficiently use a storage space are adapted. An inside space of the refrigerator is divided by the plurality of shelves.
Therefore a user can keep food per kind inside the freezer compartment or refrigerator compartment divided into respective sections by using the shelves and various kinds of and many foods can be kept in the refrigerator compartment.
However, such conventional art has the following problems.
In a refrigerator according to a conventional art, when trying to take out food kept on a shelf from the refrigerator, a user first grasps a container filled with food to be drawn out by using his/her hand and then takes out food in an opened state of refrigerator door. Thus the number of food items a user can stably take out from the refrigerator is limited. In particular, for example, when food items to be taken out are kept deeply in the refrigerator, it is not easy to take out the food.
To solve such problem, when taking out various food items, a user should prepare a specific tray and put the food items on the tray and then take out the food items at a time. However, in this case there are problems a space to specifically support the tray during taking out the food items is needed and a specific tray must be arranged in taking out food items.

THE SUMMARY

The present invention is derived to resolve the above disadvantages.
Some embodiments of the invention provide a refrigerator for which the need to specifically arrange a tray used to take out food items kept in the refrigerator is not required. Therefore a space or structure to support the tray in taking out food items is not required.
According to some embodiments of the invention, a refrigerator comprises: a main body having a space for storing food; a shelf horizontally adapted in the space, to divide the space into a plurality of sections; and a tray withdrawably adapted to an undersurface of the shelf.
As described above, in a refrigerator according to some embodiments of the invention, a user can easily take out various food items kept inside a refrigerator compartment or freezer compartment at a time.
In addition, a tray member used to take out various food items at a time is provided in one body with a shelf, but separable therefrom, thus it is unnecessary to arrange a specific tray.
Furthermore, in a refrigerator according to some embodiments of the invention, a specific structure to support a tray during taking out various food items is not required and a user does not need to support the tray by using one hand, thereby providing a relatively increased convenience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an interior structure of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a tray provided with a shelf of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the shelf and the tray disassembled.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along a line of A-A′ shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a front view of tray according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal-sectional view taken along a line of B-B′ shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal-sectional view of tray forward—taken out in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal-sectional view illustrating a structure of shelf and tray according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal-sectional view illustrating a tray taken out of a shelf.

THE DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an interior structure of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the invention.
Referring to FIG. 1, a refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a main body 110 having an internal space divided into a freezer compartment 200 and a refrigerator compartment 300, and a freezer door 220 and a refrigerator door 320 to selectively shield the freezer compartment 200 and the refrigerator compartment 300.
The freezer door 220 may be provided with an ice-making assembly 240 to produce and store ice. The refrigerator door 320 may be provided with a refrigerator home-bar unit 340 so that a user can easily take out or put in foods without opening the refrigerator door 320.
In the freezer compartment 200 and the refrigerator compartment 300, shelves 400 are adapted to divide an interior space of the refrigerator into a plurality of sections. An inner wall face of the main body is formed of a support structure to support both side end parts of the shelf 400.
On the other hand, a tray 500 is adapted movable and separable on a bottom face of the shelf 400. The tray 500 may be sliding movable forward and backward and taken out through a manipulation of user, and may be separated from the shelf 400 according to the need.
The structure and operation of the shelf 400 and tray 500 in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the invention are described more in detail as follows, referring to the accompanied drawings.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a tray provided with a shelf of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the shelf and the tray disassembled.
With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, shelf 400 of refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a main body unit 420 on which food is put, a support unit 440 extended downward from both end parts of the main body unit 420 and mounted on the support structure, and a tray support unit 460 extended from a point inwardly distanced from the support unit 440, to support the tray 500.
In detail, the main body unit 420 has a width corresponding to the transverse width of the freezer compartment 200 or refrigerator compartment 300. In the main body unit 420, a top face 421 and a bottom face 422 may be formed of mutually different materials, and the top face 421 may be manufactured of reinforced glass plate. The support unit 440 is formed extended downward from both edge parts of the main body unit 420. A front end part of the support unit 440 is formed a little more protruded downward to become a shape of
in viewing from a side face.
Further, the front end part of the support unit 440 is formed bent downward and so the shelf is stopped by a front end part of the support structure formed on the inner wall face of the main body, that is, the shelf 400 is no longer induced backward. The front end part of the support unit 440 serves as a stopper. Although it is herein proposed in a
shape, this may be diversely changed according to a shape of the support structure.
The tray support unit 460 is downward extended at a position distanced into a center direction of the shelf 400 from the support unit 440. A vertical width of the tray support unit 460 may be the same as a vertical width of front face part of the support unit 440. The distance between the tray support unit 460 and the support unit 440 is formed larger than a protrusion width of the support structure protruded from an inner wall face of the main body 110 to support the support unit 440. Then the tray support unit 460 can be prevented from being interfered by the support structure in supplied/discharged steps of the shelf 400.
On an inner wall face of the tray support unit 460, a plurality of support protrusions 462 to support a bottom face of the tray 500 are formed protruded to support a bottom face of the tray 500 when the tray 500 is loaded into the shelf 400.
That is, a top face of the support protrusion 462 is formed flat to put the tray 500 and support a load of the tray 500, and at least one support protrusion is each formed on front and back parts of the tray support unit 460.
On the other hand, in both side ends of front face of the shelf, a front plate 470 is further formed to couple a front end part of the support unit 440 and a front end part of the tray support unit 460. An opening part 480 is formed between the front plates 470, into which the tray 500 is loaded into or discharged therefrom. Thus, a width of the tray 500 is formed equal to a width of the opening part 480. On the bottom of both side end parts of the tray 500, a plurality of stop protrusions 520 to be interfered by the support protrusions 462 are formed. The structure of tray 500 is described more in detail as follows, referring to the accompanied drawings.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along a line of A-A′ shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a front view of tray according to an embodiment of the invention.
With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, tray 500 according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a tray body 530 on which food is put, an extending portion 550 extended downward from a bottom face of the tray body 530, a plurality of stop protrusions 520 protruded from both side ends of the bottom of the tray body 530, and a front panel 540 formed perpendicular to the front end part of the tray body 530 and the extending portion 550.
In detail, a handle 510 is formed on a front face part of the front panel 540. The extending portion 550 is formed with a width smaller than the tray body 530 so that the support protrusion 462 protruded from an inner sidewall face of the tray support unit 460 can be prevented from being interfered by a side face of the extending portion 550. The stop protrusion 520 is formed on a bottom face of the tray body 530 as a portion closely contacted with the support protrusion 462. In a loaded and discharged step of the tray 500, the stop protrusion 520 is interfered by the support protrusion 462.
Meanwhile, with reference to FIG. 4, in fastening the tray 500 to the shelf 400, the tray body 530 is mounted on the support protrusion 462. A side face of the extending portion 550 is in contact with an end part of the support protrusion 462 to prevent the tray 500 from shaking from side to side.
Further, in a state the tray 500 is completely loaded through the opening part of the shelf, the stop protrusion 520 protruded from the bottom face of the tray body 530 is positioned behind the support protrusion 462. That is, it becomes a state that a back face of the support protrusion 462 is contacted with a front face of the stop protrusion 520.
FIG. 6 is a longitudinal-sectional view taken along a line of B-B′ shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 7 is a longitudinal-sectional view of tray discharged forward referred to in FIG. 6.
Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a back face of the stop protrusion 520 is formed with a tilt of given degrees. Thus, when the tray 500 is loaded into, the tray 500 slides and goes over a front end part of the support protrusion 462 and then loaded. Further, the stop protrusions 520 are arrayed at least two in forward and backward directions so as to have at least one stop position for a discharged step of the tray 500.
On the other hand, an interval between the support protrusion 462 and the main body part 420 is formed to become more than a thickness of the tray body 530. That is, when a user grasps the handle 510 of the tray 500 and lifts it up, there is formed a distanced space through which the stop protrusion 520 goes over the support protrusion 462.
Operation in an embodiment of the invention with the above-described configuration is described as follows.
First, when a user tries to take out various foods kept in the refrigerator compartment 300 at a time, the user opens the refrigerator door 320 and pulls forward the tray 500 adapted in a lower side of the shelf 400.
In detail, the user grasps the handle 510 and pulls it forward in a state of lifting up the tray 500.
At this time, the stop protrusion 520 adapted on a bottom face of the tray 500 is distanced from the support protrusion 462. Then, when the stop protrusion 520 is released from the interference of the support protrusion 462, the user pulls forward the tray 500 and the stop protrusion 520 goes over an upper face of the support protrusion 462 and then moves forward.
On the other hand, when the tray 500 is taken out corresponding to a length the user desires, the user puts down the tray 500 and puts vessels of various foods the user wants to take out, on the top of the tray 500. Then, the user lifts up the tray 500 and pulls it forward until the tray 500 is completely separated from the shelf 400.
FIG. 8 is a longitudinal-sectional view illustrating a structure of shelf and tray according to another embodiment of the invention. FIG. 9 is a longitudinal-sectional view illustrating a tray taken out of a shelf.
Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, tray 500 according to an embodiment of the invention is characterized by the stop protrusion 520 that is adapted each one on both side ends of bottom face of the tray body 530.
In detail, the stop protrusion 520 is adapted between the support protrusions 462 to limit a pulled extent of the tray 500.
In such structure according to an embodiment of the invention, when a user pushes the tray 500 in, the tray 500 can smoothly go over, sliding over the support protrusion 462, by a tilt face formed on a rear face of the stop protrusion 520. In a state the tray 500 is completely inserted into, the stop protrusion 520 is positioned in the front of the support protrusion 462 formed in a back side. Therefore, the user can take out the tray 500 by a given distance without lifting it up. In other words, in a state the tray body 530 is mounted on the support protrusion 462, the tray 500 can be pulled forward until the stop protrusion 529 be in contact with the support protrusion 462 formed in a front side. Only when the tray 500 is completely separated from the shelf 400, user just lifts up the tray 500. It is apparent with reference to the drawings that a pulled limitation of the tray 500 may be determined differently according to a formation position of support protrusion 462 formed in a front side and the stop protrusion 520.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a main body having a space for storing food;

a shelf horizontally adapted in the space, to divide the space into a plurality of sections; and

a tray withdrawably adapted to an undersurface of the shelf.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein a front end part of the shelf is more extended downward than a side face part thereof.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein a side inner face of the shelf is provided with a support protrusion to support the tray.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the support protrusion is provided in at least two at each side face part of the shelf.

5. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the side face part of the tray is in contact with an end part of the support protrusion.

6. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein an undersurface of the side end of the tray, which is contacted with a top face of the support protrusion, provided with at least one stop protrusion.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the stop protrusion has a back face part which is tilted.

8. The refrigerator of claim 3, further comprising at least one stop protrusion protruded from an undersurface of the tray and interfered by the support protrusion to establish a pulled limitation of the tray.

9. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the tray comprises:

a tray body on which food is put;

an extending portion extended from a bottom face of the tray body; and

a front panel formed in a front face of the extending portion and the tray body.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein an end part of the support protrusion is in contact with a side face of the extending portion to prevent the tray from shaking from side to side during the tray is pulled out.