REFRIGERATOR

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a storage chamber having an opening; a drawer type door to open or close the opening; a display positioned at the drawer type door; a first connector provided at a sidewall of the storage chamber; a second connector provided at the drawer type door and being electrically connected to the display; a first frame coupled to an inner wall of the storage chamber, the first frame to cover the first connector; a second frame coupled to the drawer type door, the second frame to support a storage box; and a wire electrically connected between the first connector and the second connector. The first frame has a first accommodating part to accommodate one portion of the wire and the second frame has a second accommodating part to accommodate another portion of the wire.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising: a storage chamber including an opening; at least one wire configured to extend from an inside of the storage chamber to the opening; a drawer type door configured to move out of and into the opening to thereby open and close the opening, respectively, and including a display configured to connect to the at least one wire; a first frame configured to be mounted on an inner surface of the storage chamber; and a second frame configured to be mounted to the drawer type door, wherein the at least one wire is configured to be provided along the inner surface of the storage chamber, and the at least one wire is configured to be provided along the second frame.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the at least one wire includes a first connector configured to detachably and electrically connect the at least one wire to the drawer type door.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the at least one wire includes a second connector configured to detachably and electrically connect the at least one wire to the inside of the storage chamber.

4. The refrigerator of claim 2, further comprising a detachable cover configured to cover the first connector.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the at least one wire is configured to connect to a rear surface of the drawer type door, wherein a front surface of the drawer type door is configured to form an exterior surface of the refrigerator when the drawer type door is moved completely into the opening to close the opening.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the second frame further includes a guide configured to guide the at least one wire into the second frame.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the first frame further includes a protrusion configured to fix the at least one wire to the first frame.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising a detachable storage basket configured to be supported by the second frame.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the at least one wire is configured to form a loop in the first frame that changes in length as the drawer type door moves out of and into the opening.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the storage chamber is configured to be a freezing compartment of the refrigerator.

11. A refrigerator comprising: a storage chamber including an opening; at least one wire extending from an inside of the storage chamber to the opening; a drawer type door slidably provided in the opening to move out of and into the opening to thereby open and close the opening, respectively, and including a display connected to the at least one wire; a first frame mounted on an inner surface of the storage chamber; and a second frame mounted to the drawer type door, wherein the at least one wire is provided along to the inner surface of the storage chamber, and the at least one wire is provided along to the second frame.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the at least one wire includes a first connector detachably and electrically connecting the at least one wire to the drawer type door.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the at least one wire includes a second connector detachably and electrically connecting the at least one wire to the inside of the storage chamber.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13, further comprising a detachable cover covering the second connector.

15. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the at least one wire is connected to a rear surface of the drawer type door, wherein a front surface of the drawer type door forms an exterior surface of the refrigerator when the drawer type door is moved completely into the opening to close the opening.

16. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the second frame further includes a guide guiding the at least one wire into the second frame.

17. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the first frame further includes a protrusion fixing the at least one wire to the first frame.

18. The refrigerator of claim 11, further comprising a detachable storage basket supported by the second frame.

19. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the at least one wire forms a loop in the first frame that changes in length as the drawer type door moves out of and into the opening.

20. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the storage chamber is a freezing compartment of the refrigerator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] These and/or other aspects of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

[0032] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the external appearance of a refrigerator according to an embodiment;

[0033] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a freezing chamber of the refrigerator;

[0034] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a principal part of the refrigerator;

[0035] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG. 3;

[0036] FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating an electric wire cable disposed in a fixed frame of the refrigerator;

[0037] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a coupling structure of the electric wire cable disposed in the refrigerator;

[0038] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the electric wire cable coupled to the fixed frame of the refrigerator;

[0039] FIG. 8 is a view illustrating the operation of the electric wire cable when a freezing chamber door according to an embodiment is drawn out;

[0040] FIG. 9 is a partial view illustrating the rear of the freezing chamber door;

[0041] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the electric wire cable protruding out of a guide hole of the fixed frame according to an embodiment; and

[0042] FIG. 11 is a sectional view illustrating the operation of a push member according to an embodiment;

[0043] FIG. 12 is a view illustrating a connector coupling structure at the rear of the freezing chamber door; and

[0044] FIG. 13 is a view illustrating an opening and closing detection unit according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

[0046] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the external appearance of a refrigerator 1 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a freezing chamber 30 of the refrigerator 1. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a principal part of the refrigerator 1. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG. 3.

[0047] Referring to FIG. 1, the refrigerator 1 may include a refrigerator body 10, storage chambers 20 and 30 vertically partitioned in the refrigerator body 10. The storage chambers 20 and 30 may have open fronts, and doors 40 and 41 to open and close the open fronts of the storage chambers 20 and 30.

[0048] The storage chambers 20 and 30 may be vertically partitioned by a horizontal partition 11. Above the horizontal partition 11 may be located a refrigerating chamber 20 to store food in a refrigerated state. Below the horizontal partition 11 may be located a freezing chamber 30 to store food in a frozen state.

[0049] At the upper part of the refrigerating chamber 20 may be provided a plurality of shelves 21 on which food may be placed. At the lower part of the refrigerating chamber 20 may be provided a drawer type storage container 23 to store food, such as vegetables, moisture evaporation from which is to be restrained.

[0050] At the upper part of the freezing chamber 30 may be provided a sliding storage basket 31 to store food in a frozen state.

[0051] The doors 40 and 41 may include refrigerating chamber doors 40 to open and close the refrigerating chamber 20 and a freezing chamber door 41 to open and close the freezing chamber 30.

[0052] The freezing chamber door 41 may be configured in a drawer type structure in which the freezing chamber door 41 is slidably drawn from and inserted into the freezing chamber 30 to open and close the freezing chamber 30. The refrigerating chamber doors 40 may be hingedly coupled to opposite sides of the refrigerator body 10.

[0053] A storage box 43 may be integrally or detachably mounted to the freezing chamber door 41 such that, when the freezing chamber door 41 is opened, the storage box 43 is exposed such that a user may easily put food in the storage box 43 or withdraw food from the storage box 43.

[0054] At one side of the top of the freezing chamber door 41 may be provided a control panel 45 including manipulation buttons to allow the user to manipulate functions of the freezing chamber 30 and a display to display the operation of the freezing chamber 30.

[0055] Referring to FIG. 2, sliding frames 60 may be provided at opposite sides of the rear of the freezing chamber door 41 such that the sliding frames 60 extend rearward to support the storage box 43. The sliding frames 60 may be coupled to sliding units 80 provided at opposite sidewalls of the freezing chamber 30.

[0056] Also, fixed frames 70 may be provided at sidewalls 33 of the freezing chamber 30 such that an electric wire cable 50 electrically connected to the control panel 45 of the freezing chamber door 41 is received in a corresponding one of the fixed frames 70. The sliding units 80 may be coupled to the respective fixed frames 70.

[0057] Referring to FIGS. 3 to 4, the electric wire cable 50 electrically connected to the control panel 45 may be drawn from an electric wire drawing part 35 provided at one of the sidewalls 33 of the freezing chamber 30.

[0058] The electric wire drawing part 35 may be disposed adjacent to the front opening of the freezing chamber 30 at one of the sidewalls 33 of the freezing chamber 30.

[0059] The electric wire cable 50 may be longer than the maximum opening length of the freezing chamber door 41. In an embodiment, the electric wire cable 50 may have a length sufficient to extend from the electric wire drawing part 35 to the rear end of the freezing chamber 30 and from the rear end to the front end of the freezing chamber 30.

[0060] Also, the electric wire cable 50 may be provided at opposite ends thereof with connectors 51 and 52 for electrical connection.

[0061] The first connector 51 provided at one end of the electric wire cable 50 may be coupled to a first connector 36 provided at the electric wire drawing part 35 formed at one of the sidewalls 33 of the freezing chamber door 41, and the second connector 52 provided at the other end of the electric wire cable 50 may be coupled to a second connector 47 formed at the rear of the freezing chamber door 41 as shown in FIG. 9. The second connector 47 may be electrically connected to the control panel 45.

[0062] The second connector 47 exposed from the rear of the freezing chamber door 41 is hidden by the storage box 43 located at a location part 61 of a corresponding one of the sliding frames 60 such that the second connector 47 is not exposed outward.

[0063] The sliding frames 60 may be slidably provided at the corresponding fixed frames 70. Specifically, the sliding frames 60 may be slidably provided at the corresponding fixed frames 70 via the sliding units 80 for stable movement thereof.

[0064] Each of the sliding units 80 may include a first rail 81 provided at the corresponding fixed frame 70, a second rail 83, having a width sufficient to be received in the first rail 81, provided to move relative to the first rail 81, and a third rail 85, having a width sufficient to be received in the second rail 83, provided at the corresponding sliding frame 60 to move relative to the second rail 83. That is, each of the sliding units 80 may be configured in a three-stage rail structure.

[0065] Also, bearings 87 to assist easy movement of the drawer type freezing chamber door 41 may be provided between the rails 81, 83 and 85 of each of the sliding units 80.

[0066] In this embodiment, each of the sliding units 80 is configured in the three-stage rail structure to increase the maximum opening length of the freezing chamber door 41. Alternatively, a general two-stage rail structure may be adopted, or rollers, which perform rolling motion, may be used.

[0067] In this embodiment, the fixed frames 70 and the sliding frames may have a structure to prevent the electric wire cable 50 from being damaged due to interference with the surroundings when the freezing chamber door 41 is inserted into and drawn from the freezing chamber 30.

[0068] Each of the fixed frames 70 may extend in the frontward-and-rearward direction of the freezing chamber 30. Each of the fixed frames 70 may be fixed to the sidewall 33 of the freezing chamber 30. One side of a corresponding one of the fixed frames 70 may be open such that a space to receive the electric wire cable 50 is defined in the corresponding one of the fixed frames 70. As a result, a receiving space 71 (refer to FIG. 4) to receive the electric wire cable 50 drawn from the electric wire drawing part 35 may be provided between the sidewall 33 of the freezing chamber 30 and the corresponding one of the fixed frames 70.

[0069] The electric wire cable 50 disposed in the receiving space 71 may extend toward the rear of the freezing chamber 30 from a part thereof coupled to the first connector 36, may be bent, and may extent toward the front of the freezing chamber 30.

[0070] In this case, a portion of the electric wire cable 50 extending toward the rear of the freezing chamber 30 may be fixedly supported by a support plane 74 formed at one side of the receiving space 71, and the remaining portion of the electric wire cable 50 may be disposed in the receiving space 71 in a non-contact state.

[0071] Also, the electric wire cable 50 extending toward the front of the freezing chamber 30 may extrude from the receiving space 71 such that the electric wire cable 50 is fixedly received in an electric wire cable housing 90 coupled to a corresponding one of the sliding frame 60.

[0072] That is, referring to FIGS. 5 to 7, the corresponding fixed frame 70 having the receiving space 71 may be provided at one side 71a thereof with a support plane 74 extending outward, and the support plane 74 may extend a predetermined length in a longitudinal direction L thereof from the front upper side of the receiving space 71.

[0073] Also, the corresponding fixed frame 70 having the receiving space 71 may be provided at the lower part of the side 71a thereof with a guide hole 76 cut in the longitudinal direction L thereof such that one end of the electric wire cable housing 90 is inserted into the guide hole 76.

[0074] One side of the electric wire cable housing 90 may be open such that the electric wire cable 50 is inserted into the electric wire cable housing 90. The electric wire cable housing 90 may extend in the longitudinal direction L thereof, The electric wire cable housing 90 may detachably coupled to the lower end of a corresponding one of the sliding frames 60.

[0075] The electric wire cable 50 received in the receiving space 71 may include a first length part 53 extending from the connector 51 coupled to the first connector 36 to the other end 73 of the corresponding fixed frame 70 in the longitudinal direction L thereof, a bend part 57 bent at the end of the first length part 53, and a second length part 55 extending from the end of the bend part 57 to one end 72 of the corresponding fixed frame 70, which is opposite to the other end 73 of the corresponding fixed frame 70.

[0076] The electric wire cable 50 may be provided in the receiving space 71 of the corresponding fixed frame 70 such that the length of the electric wire cable 50 changes according to change in drawn length of the freezing chamber door 41 when the freezing chamber door 41 is drawn out.

[0077] That is, the electric wire cable 50 disposed in the receiving space 71 may be provided between one end 72 of the corresponding fixed frame 70 adjacent to the opening of the freezing chamber 30 and the other end 73 of the corresponding fixed frame 70 adjacent to the rear wall of the freezing chamber 30 such that the electric wire cable 50 forms a loop.

[0078] In this case, the first length part 53 of the electric wire cable 50 may be disposed at the upper part of the receiving space 71, and the second length part 55 of the electric wire cable 50 may be disposed at the lower part of the receiving space 71 such that the first length part 53 and the second length part 55 are separated from each other. That is, the receiving space 71 is divided into an upper receiving space 71 and a lower receiving space 71 by the support plane 74.

[0079] The front end of the first length part 53 disposed at the upper part of receiving space 71 may be located at the support plane 74 in a supported state, and the rear end of the first length part 53 may be disposed in the receiving space 71 in a freely movable state such that the shape of the rear end of the first length part 53 is deformed in correspondence to the drawn distance of the freezing chamber door 41.

[0080] Meanwhile, the support plane 74 may be provided with a fixing part 75 to prevent the front end of the first length part 53 of the electric wire cable 50 located at the support place 74 in the supported state from being separated from the support place 74 when the rear end of the first length part 53 of the electric wire cable 50 is deformed.

[0081] The fixing part 75 may include a plurality of hooks extending from one side of the support plane 74 to surround the outer circumference of the front end of the first length part 53. The fixing part 75 may serve to fix the front end of the first length part 53 to the support plane 74.

[0082] The second length part 55 disposed at the lower part of the receiving space 71 may be received in the electric wire cable housing 90 in a supported state such that the shape of the second length part 55 is not freely deformed.

[0083] To this end, the electric wire cable housing 90 may be provided with a receiving part 91 open at one side thereof to receive at least a portion of the second length part 55. The second length part 55 of the electric wire cable 50 may fixedly inserted in to the receiving part 91 through an opening of the receiving part 91 via the guide hole 76.

[0084] That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the second length part 55 of the electric wire cable 50 is fixedly inserted into the receiving part 91 of the electric wire cable housing 90 through the opening of the receiving part 91, and the connector 52 provided at the end of the second length part 55 protrudes from the electric wire cable housing 90 such that the connector 52 is coupled to the second connector 47 provided at the rear of the freezing chamber door 41.

[0085] Consequently, the second length part 55 of the electric wire cable 50 is fixedly located in the receiving part 91, with the result that the shape of the second length part 55 is prevented from being deformed upon insertion and drawing of the freezing chamber door 41.

[0086] Meanwhile, the opening of the electric wire cable housing 90 may be disposed in the inward direction of the freezing chamber 30 to prevent the electric wire cable 50 from being exposed from the corresponding sliding frame 60 drawn together with the freezing chamber door 41.

[0087] When the storage box 43 is located at the sliding frames 60, therefore, as shown in FIG. 12, the opening of the electric wire cable housing 90 faces the side of the storage box 43 such that the opening of the electric wire cable housing 90 is covered by the storage box 43. Consequently, the second length part 55 of the electric wire cable 50 is prevented from being exposed outward, thereby improving aesthetic appearance. Also, a connector cover 59 may be mounted at the rear of the freezing chamber door 41 to prevent the connector 52 and the second length part 55 protruding from the electric wire cable housing 90 from being exposed outward.

[0088] The electric wire cable housing 90 may prevent the electric wire cable 50 from being exposed upon drawing of the freezing chamber door 41 and guide the electric wire cable 50 such that the electric wire cable 50 is arranged at the original position in the receiving space 71 upon insertion of the freezing chamber door 41.

[0089] The electric wire cable housing 90 may be integrally or detachably provided at the lower part of the corresponding sliding frame 60 such that the electric wire cable housing 90 moves simultaneously with the corresponding sliding frame 60 upon movement of the corresponding sliding frame 60.

[0090] In this case, the electric wire cable housing 90 may be disposed such that the electric wire cable housing 90 faces the guide hole 76 formed at the corresponding fixed frame 70, and the end of the electric wire cable housing 90 adjacent to the bent part 57 of the electric wire cable 50 may be provided with a guide part 93 configured to be movable along the guide hole 76.

[0091] The guide part 93 may be bent and extend from the end of the electric wire cable housing 90 toward the guide hole 76 such that the guide part 93 is inserted into the guide hole 76. The guide part 93 bent and extending toward the guide hole 76 serves to guide the electric wire cable 50 such that the electric wire cable 50 is deformed and moved only in the receiving space 71.

[0092] In this embodiment, interference between the electric wire cable 50 and the surroundings is avoided, when the freezing chamber door 41 is drawn out and inserted into the freezing chamber 30, thereby preventing damage to the electric wire cable 50. That is, when the freezing chamber door 41 is drawn out, as shown in FIG. 8, the corresponding sliding frame 60 fixed to the freezing chamber door 41 and the electric wire cable housing 90 fixed to the corresponding sliding frame 60 are also slid and drawn frontward.

[0093] In this embodiment, the second length part 55 of the electric wire cable 50 connected to the second connector 47 provided at the rear of the freezing chamber door 41 is pulled frontward, with the result that the first length part 53 of the electric wire cable 50 disposed at the rear of the receiving space 71 such that the first length part 53 is not fixed to the corresponding fixed frame 70 but freely deformed is moved frontward while being deformed by a drawn length thereof.

[0094] That is, the front end of the first length part 53 of the electric wire cable 50 located at the support plane 74 is fixed by the fixing part 75, with the result that the front end of the first length part 53 of the electric wire cable 50 does not move upon drawing of the freezing chamber door 41. However, the rear end (imaginary part) of the first length part 53 of the electric wire cable 50 disposed at the rear of the support plane 74 is deformed by the drawn distance of the freezing chamber door 41 and moved in the longitudinal direction L thereof upon drawing of the freezing chamber door 41.

[0095] At this time, the second length part 55 of the electric wire cable 50 drawn frontward is received in the electric wire cable housing 90, and therefore, the second length part 55 is not exposed to the outside, and, at the same time, damage to the second length part 55 due to interference with a surrounding structure is prevented.

[0096] Also, when the freezing chamber door 41 is inserted into the freezing chamber 30, the electric wire cable housing 90 guides the electric wire cable 50 disposed in the receiving space 71 according to a predetermined motion pattern such that the electric wire cable 50 is moved to the original position (shown by an imaginary line) in the receiving space 71.

[0097] In this embodiment, the deforming portion of the electric wire cable 50 is guided by the guide part 93 such that the deforming portion of the electric wire cable 50 is moved in the receiving space 71 from the end of the electric wire cable housing 90 toward the inside of the receiving space 71.

[0098] Meanwhile, during the deformation of the electric wire cable 50 disposed in the receiving space 71 upon drawing and insertion of the freezing chamber door 41, as shown in FIG. 10, the electric wire cable 50 may protrude out of the guide hole 76, with the result that the electric wire cable 50 may be bent or damaged due to interference with the surroundings.

[0099] To prevent the electric wire cable 50 from being bent or damaged, the corresponding sliding frame 60 may be provided at the lower part of the rear end thereof with a push member 63.

[0100] As shown in FIG. 11, the push member 63 may press the electric wire cable 50 protruding out of the guide hole 76 to push the protruding portion of the electric wire cable 50 in a contact state into the receiving space 71 inside the guide hole 76.

[0101] To this end, the push member 63 may include a fixing part 64 fixed to the corresponding sliding frame 60, a tight contact part 65 extending from the fixing part 64 such that the tight contact part 65 tightly contacts the guide hole 76, and a pressing part 66 provided at one end of the tight contact part 65 to contact the electric wire cable 50 protruding out of the guide hole 76.

[0102] The tight contact part 65 may be disposed adjacent to the guide hole 76 such that the tight contact part 65 faces the guide part 93 of the electric wire cable housing 90.

[0103] The pressing part 66 presses the electric wire cable 50 protruding out of the guide hole 76 to guide the protruding portion of the electric wire cable 50 into the receiving space 71. The pressing part 66 may be bent to prevent damage to the electric wire cable 50 due to contact.

[0104] Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the refrigerator may further include an opening and closing detection unit 95 and 96 to detect an open or closed state of the freezing chamber door 41.

[0105] FIG. 13 is a view illustrating an opening and closing detection unit according to an embodiment. Referring to FIG. 13, the opening and closing detection unit 95 and 96 may include a reed switch 95 disposed at the front end of the receiving space 71 of the corresponding fixed frame 70 and a magnet 96 disposed at the front of the lower end of the corresponding sliding frame 60.

[0106] The front end of the corresponding fixed frame 70 may be provided with an open switch hole 98, through which the reed switch 95 is exposed, and the reed switch 95 may be disposed in the receiving space 71 inside the switch hole 98.

[0107] Also, the reed switch 95 may be electrically connected to an electric wire 99 drawn from the electric wire drawing part 35 provided in the vicinity of the front end of the corresponding sidewall 33 of the freezing chamber 30. The reed switch 95 is connected to a controller (not shown) to transmit and receive an operation signal to and from the controller.

[0108] That is, when the freezing chamber door 41 is drawn with the result that the magnet 96 provided at the corresponding sliding frame 60 is placed in the vicinity of the reed switch 95, the reed switch 95 is operated, and the operation signal of the reed switch 95 is output to the controller.

[0109] The open or closed state of the freezing chamber door 41 is detected by the cooperation of the reed switch 95 and the magnet 96. The reed switch 95 is disposed adjacent to the electric wire drawing part 35, thereby reducing the length of the electric wire 99. Meanwhile, the electric wire 99 connected to the reed switch 95 is separately provided as shown in FIG. 13. Alternatively, the reed switch 95 may be electrically connected to the electric wire cable 50, which is connected to the control panel 45.

[0110] As is apparent from the above description, the electric wire cable connected to the control panel is prevented from being damaged upon sliding insertion and drawing of the freezing chamber door in the frontward-and-rearward direction of the refrigerator body, thereby improving reliability of the refrigerator.

[0111] Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.