Patent Abstract:
A refrigerator compartment having a drawer-type container includes an opening in a top side thereof, and a first rail at a side surface thereof having sloped and horizontal parts. A partition member on the container has a first plate, a second plate, and a link member. The second plate covers an area of the opening of the container, and the first plate is connected to the second plate such that the first plate can pivot relative to the second plate. The link member extends from the first plate and contacts the first rail, for lifting the first plate as the link member moves up the sloped part of the first rail when the container is pulled out. The accessible area of the opening of the container is enlarged as the first plate moves up when the container is pulled out.

Full Description:
This application claims the benefit of the Korean Application No. P2002-22549 filed on Apr. 24, 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a vegetable compartment in a refrigerator for fresh storage of vegetable. 
     2. Background of the Related Art 
     The refrigerator is an appliance for fresh, and long time storage of food. The refrigerator is provided with food storage chambers therein, which is always kept at a low temperature by means of a refrigerating cycle for maintaining a fresh state of the food. 
     The food storage chambers are provided with different characteristics so that the user selects a storage method suitable for different kinds of food taking kinds, characteristics and storage periods of the food into account. Of the food storage chambers, typical ones are the freezing chamber, the refrigerating chamber, and the vegetable compartment. 
     Of the storage chambers, the vegetable compartment is provided with optimal temperature and humidity for fresh storage of vegetable having a storage period shorter than processed food, always. The vegetable compartment is an independent space partitioned with a partition in the refrigerating chamber which is in general at a low temperature. A related art vegetable compartment in the refrigerator will be described. 
     The related art vegetable compartment in the refrigerator is a separate space partitioned from other space of the refrigerating chamber by a partition plate, also serving as a shelf, on a lower side of the refrigerating chamber. The vegetable compartment is provided with a container, top of which is opened, for putting vegetable therein. Since the container is right below the partition plate, the partition plate actually serves as a cover of the container, for covering the opened top side of the container. 
     For using the vegetable compartment, the user is required to open a door to the refrigerator, pull out the container, and put vegetable into the container through an inlet to the container, i.e., a part not covered with the partition plate of the opened top part of the container. However, if the container is pulled out longer than a predetermined length from the vegetable compartment, a bottom plate of the vegetable compartment can not support the contained. Therefore, for preventing the container from falling off the vegetable compartment, it is required that the pulling out length of the container is limited. However, the limitation of the pulling out length of the container substantially reduces a size of the inlet to the vegetable compartment too, which disables storage of large sized vegetable storage. 
     In the meantime, if it is intended to store large sized vegetable by all means, the user is required to cut the vegetable into pieces, or remove the partition plate, put the vegetable into the container and place the partition plate again. 
     However, the cutting of vegetable deteriorates freshness of the vegetable and can not keep proper tastes of the vegetable. 
     In the case of removal of the partition plate, since the partition plate also serves as a shelf, it is required to remove all the food stored on the partition plate, remove the partition plate, put the vegetable into the container, and return the partition plate and the food to original positions, which is very cumbersome. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a vegetable compartment in a refrigerator that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a vegetable compartment in a refrigerator, in which an inlet structure of a container is improved for convenient putting of large sized vegetable into the container. 
     Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. 
     To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the vegetable compartment in a refrigerator includes a container, a guide member, and a partition member. The container has an opening in a top side for pushing in or pulling out of the refrigerator. The guide member is fitted to the container along a direction the container is pushed in or pulled out and has a sloped part adjacent to a door of the refrigerator, which is sloped such that the sloped part becomes the higher as it goes in a direction the container is pushed in. The partition member in the refrigerator for covering a top of the container has a first plate adjacent to the door for enlarging an opened area of the opening as the first plate moves up guided by the sloped part when the container is pulled out. 
     The guide member includes, for an example, at least one first rail fitted to a side surface of the container. The guide member includes, for an example, the sloped part, and a horizontal part extended from an end at a high side of the sloped part to a direction the container is pushed in. 
     The sloped part includes a moderate straight slope rising along a direction the container is pushed in, or a moderate curved slope rising along a direction the container is pushed in. The first rail is fitted to each of opposite side surfaces of the container. 
     The partition member includes, for an example, a second plate, a first plate, and a link member. The second plate provided to be pushed in or pulled out of the refrigerator, for covering a part of the opening of the container. The first plate connected to the second plate, such that the first plate can make relative motion with respect to the second plate, for enlarging the opened area of the opening when the container is pulled out. The link member extended a predetermined length from the first plate such that a part thereof is in contact with the first rail, for moving up or down the first plate when the container is pushed in or pulled out, respectively. The first plate and the second plate are coupled with a hinge, or connected with a connection member of a flexible material. 
     The partition member further includes, for an example, a second rail fitted to an underside of the first plate for making smooth sliding in a state a part of the container is in contact therewith when the container is pushed in or pulled out. In this instance, the container further includes, for an example, a second roller for making a contain movement smooth as the second roller is in contact with the second rail and slides thereon. 
     The partition member further includes, for an example, a stopper at an end of the second rail for preventing the second roller from failing off the second rail and limiting a maximum pulling out range of the container when the container is pulled out to the maximum. 
     The link member is, for an example, in contact with the guide member, and includes, for an example, a first roller for reducing friction between the guide member and the link member as the first roller rotates when the container is pushed in or pulled out. 
     The vegetable compartment in a refrigerator of the present invention further includes a supplementary contained under the container for pushing in or pulling out of the refrigerator. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention: 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a section showing one preferred embodiment of the present invention, schematically; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a plan view of a vegetable compartment in FIG. 1, schematically; 
     FIGS.  3 A˜ 3 C illustrate the steps of a process for pulling out the container from the vegetable compartment in FIG. 1, schematically; and 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a section showing an embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In describing the embodiments, same parts will be given same names and reference symbols, and repetitive description of which will be omitted. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the vegetable compartment of the present invention is a separate space partitioned from a refrigerating chamber  12  with a partition member  300  provided to the refrigerating chamber  12  in a refrigerator  10 . The vegetable compartment  100  includes a container  200 , a guide member, and the partition member  300 . 
     An embodiment will be described in detail, in which the vegetable compartment is provided under the refrigerating chamber  12 , with reference to FIG.  1 . However, a position of the vegetable compartment  100  is not limited to under the refrigerating chamber  12 , but may be a separate space partitioned with the partition member  300  and the container  200  in a middle part of the refrigerating chamber  12 , if necessary. A detailed structure of the vegetable compartment is as follows. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the container  200  is provided to be pushed in and pulled out of the refrigerator  10 . The container has an opening  210  in a top side for putting/taking out vegetable. 
     In the meantime, the refrigerator designed to have a small capacity of the vegetable compartment  100  is provided with, for an example, one container  200 , and the refrigerator designed to have a large capacity of the vegetable compartment  100  is provided with, for an example, a supplementary container  250  additionally as shown in FIG.  1 . Of course, the supplementary container  250  has an opening in a top side, and, for maintaining freshness of the vegetable stored in the supplementary container  250 , there is a cover  255  provided to the opening of the supplementary container  250  additionally for covering the opening of the supplementary container  250 . A number of the supplementary containers provided thus are not limited. 
     The container  200  or the supplementary container  250  may be one piece or two or more pieces. 
     FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment in which a guide member is a rail. However, the guide member is not limited to the rail, and the rail provided as the guide member is called as a first rail for convenience of description. 
     The first rail  400  provided as the guide member is provided to side surfaces of the container  200 , for an example, inside or outside surfaces of the side surfaces of the container  200  along a direction the container  200  is pushed in or pulled out. One first rail may be provided to one of the side surfaces of the container  200 , or one pair of the first rails may be provided to the side surfaces of the container  200 . 
     The first rail provided thus includes a sloped part  410  and a horizontal part  420 . As shown in FIG. 1, the sloped part  410  is provided to a part adjacent to the door  15  of the refrigerator  10  in the side surfaces of the container  200 . The sloped part  410  is provided such that a horizontal height thereof becomes the higher as it goes the farther in a direction the container  200  is pushed in, in a direction of a rear wall  17  of the refrigerator  10  in a case of the embodiment shown in FIG.  1 . 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the sloped part  410  of the first rail  400  provided thus has a moderate straight slope rising in a direction the container  200  is pushed in. However, the sloped part  410  is not limited to this, but may have a moderate curved sloped part  410  in the direction the container  200  is pushed in, for example, as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the horizontal part  420  of the first rail  400  is extended a predetermined distance from one end of the sloped part  410 , in more detail, from one of ends of the sloped part  410  at a side a horizontal height is higher toward the direction the container  200  is pushed in. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the partition member  300 , provided to be pushed in/pulled out of the refrigerating chamber  12 , partitions the vegetable compartment  100  from the refrigerating chamber  12 . For supporting the partition member  300  in a state the partition member  300  is inserted in the refrigerating chamber  12 , ledges (not shown) are projected from both sides of inside walls of the refrigerating chamber  12  in the refrigerator  10  along the direction the partition member  300  is inserted. Therefore, the partition member  300  is supported in a state both edges of the partition members  300  are placed on the ledges. 
     The partition member  300  serves, not only as a partition for separating the refrigerating chamber  12  from the vegetable compartment, but also as a shelf. That is, in a case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, since an upper space of the partition member  300  is the refrigerating chamber  12 , if food is placed on the partition member  300 , the partition member  300  serves as a shelf of the refrigerating chamber  12 . 
     Moreover, since the partition member  300  is on top of the container  200 , the partition member  300  covers the opening  210  of the container  200 , serving to form an inside space of the container  200  as an independent space. 
     The partition member  300  with the foregoing services includes a first plate  310 , a second plate  320 , and a link member  330 , of which details are as follows. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the second plate  320 , provided to be pushed in or pulled out of the refrigerating chamber  12 , covers a part of the opening  210  of the container  200 , i.e., a region adjacent to the rear wall  17  of the refrigerator  10 . Since the second plate  320  serves as a shelf in a state inserted into the refrigerating chamber  12  fully, the second plate  320  has a flat top surface. It is preferable that the second plate  320  is fitted such that the second plate  320  does not move together with the container  200  when the container  200  is pulled out or pushed in. 
     The first plate  310  is connected to an end of the second plate  320  adjacent to the door  15  to the refrigerator  10 , such that the first plate  310  can make relative motion with respect to the second plate  320 . The first plate  310  and the second plate  320  are connected with a hinge  340  or a connecting member (not shown) of a flexible plastic. The connecting member includes a first end connected to the first plate  310  and a second end connected to the second plate  2 . 
     Referring to FIG. 2, one pair of the hinges  340  or the connection members (not shown) may be provided for connecting both sides of a width direction of the first plate  310  or the second plate  320 . However, the connection method is not limited to this, but one the hinge  340  or the connection member can be provided to connect a middle part of the width direction of the first plate and the second plate  320 . Moreover, a plurality of the hinges  340  or the connection members may be provided at regular or irregular intervals along a width direction of the first plate  310  and the second plate  320 . 
     Once the first plate  310  and the second plate  320  are connected with the hinge or the flexible connection member, the first plate  310  becomes rotatable with respect to the second plate  320  around the hinge or the connection member. As shown in FIG. 1, once the first plate  310  has the foregoing structure, the first plate  310  can enlarge an opened area of the opening  210  as an end of the first plate  310  adjacent to the door  15  moves up guided by the sloped part  410  when the container  200  is pulled out, and the first plate  310  can cover an opened area of the opening  210  fully as the end of the first plate  310  adjacent to the door  15  moves down guided by the sloped part  410  when the container  200  is pushed in. 
     In the meantime, when the container  200  is pushed in, or pulled out, the first plate  310  moves down or up as the first plate  310  rotates around the hinge. Therefore, no food is placed on the first plate  310 , and, consequently, different form the second plate  320 , the first plate  310  does not serve as a shelf. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the link member  330  is extended from the first plate  310  for a predetermined length, for an example, such that an end thereof is in contact with the guide member, in the case of the first embodiment, the first rail  400 . When one first rail  400  is provided, one link member  330  is extended from the first plate  310  so as to contact with the first rail  400 . As shown in FIG. 2, when one pair of the first rails  400  are provided, one pair of the link members  330  are extended from the first plate  310  and in contact with the first rails  400 , respectively. 
     A part where the link member  330  and the first plate  310  are joined are rigid unable to make a relative motion. The link member  330  and the first plate  310  may be attached after the link member  330  and the first plate  310  are fabricated as individual pieces, or may be formed as one unit. 
     If the link member  330  is extended from the first plate as above, the link member  330  and the first plate  310  are always movable altogether. That is, since the link member  330  is always in contact with the first rail  400  as above, the link member  330  moves up or down guided by the sloped part  410  and the horizontal part  420  of the first rail  400  when the container  200  is pushed in, or pulled out, according to which the first plate  310  rigidly joined with the link member  330  moves up or down as the first plate  310  rotates around the hinge  340 . According to this, as shown in FIG. 1, when the container  200  is pulled toward the door side, the first plate  310  is lifted as the first plate  310  rotate upward, to enlarge an opening of the container  200 , i.e., an opened area of the opening  210  actually. When the container  200  is pushed toward the rear wall  17  of the refrigerator  10 , the link member  330  is moved down guided by the sloped part  410 , and the first plate  310  is restored to an original position. 
     Meanwhile, the link member  330  may be provided with a roller for reducing friction with the guide member and making smooth relative motion between two members. For convenience of description, the roller provided to the link member  330  is called as a first roller  335 . 
     The first roller  335  is provided to a contact part with the guide member, for an example, a contact part with the first rail  400  in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG.  1 . In the case of FIG. 1, the first roller  335  is provided to an end of the link member  330 . The first roller  335  provided thus keeps contact with the guide member, the first rail  400  in the case of the embodiment in FIG. 1, and rotates when the container is pulled out or pushed in, to reduce friction between the first rail  400  and the link member  330 . 
     In the meantime, the vegetable compartment of the present invention is provided with a structure for making the pushing in and pulling out of the container  200  smooth. To do this, the partition member  300  includes a rail, and the container  200  includes a roller, further. For convenience of description, the rail provided to the partition member  300  is called as a second rail  325 , and a rail provided to the container  200  is called as a second roller  220 . 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the second rail  325  is fitted to an underside of the partition member  300 , in more detail, underside of the second plate  320 . The second rail  325  is fitted in the direction the container  200  is pushed in or pulled out, for guiding relative motion of the partition member  300  and the second plate  320  by designing a part of the container  200 , for an example, the second roller  220 , to slide smoothly in a state the second roller  220  is in contact with the second rail  325  when the container  200  is pushed in or pulled out. 
     The second roller  220  is provided to one side of the container  200 , for an example, to a top side of the container  200  as shown in FIG.  1 . The roller  220  is provided to, for an example, the top side of an end of the container  200  adjacent to the rear wall  17  of the refrigerator  10 , for smooth guidance of the relative motion of the container  200  and the partition member  300  as the second roller  220  is in contact with, and slides on the second rail  325 . 
     The vegetable compartment  100 , having the structure for making smooth relative motion of the partition member  300  and the container  200  by means of the roller and the rail, further includes means for limiting a pulling out range of the container  200  while preventing falling off of the container  200 . For this, the partition member  300  further includes a stopper  327 . 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the stopper  327  is provided to an end of the second rail  325  adjacent to the door  15 , for limiting a maximum pulling out range of the container  200  while preventing the second roller  220  from falling off the second rail  325  when the container  200  pulled out to the maximum. 
     The principle of enlargement/reduction of the opened area of the inlet to the container  200 , i.e., the opening  210  in using the vegetable compartment  100  will be described with reference to FIGS.  3 A˜ 3 B. 
     FIG. 3A illustrates a configuration of the partition member  300  and the container  200  when the container  200  is pushed in the vegetable compartment fully. In the case of FIG. 3A, the second plate  320  covers an area of the opening  210  in the container  200  in a state the second plate  320  is supported on the ledges on the inside wall of the refrigerating chamber  12 . The first roller  335  of the link member  330  is in contact with a lower part of the sloped part  410 , when the first plate  310  and the second plate  320  connected with the hinge  340  are leveled when seen from a side. 
     Under this state, if pulling out of the container  200  is started after the door  15  of the refrigerator  10  is opened, as shown in FIG. 3B, the link member  330  moves up guided by the sloped part  410 , and, according to this, the first plate  310  rotates upward around the hinge  340 . When the first plate  310  rotates upward around the hinge  340 , the end of the first plate  310  adjacent to the door  15  is lifted, to enlarge the opened area of the inlet to the container  200 , i.e., the opening  210 , actually. 
     Then, as shown in FIG. 3C, when the container  200  is pulled out further, the link member  330  comes from the sloped part  410  to the horizontal part  420 . After the link member  330  comes to the horizontal part  420  thus, only the container  200  is pulled out in a state the first plate  310  is left stationary. 
     When the container  200  is pulled out thus, since the first plate  310  moves up with a slope, to enlarge the opened area of the inlet of the container  200 , i.e., the opening  210 , even large sized vegetable can be put into the container  200  through the inlet of the container  200 . 
     After the vegetable is stored in the container  200 , the container  200  is pushed in toward the rear wall  17  of the refrigerator  10 . When the container  200  is pushed in, the link member  330  is guided by the horizontal part  420  of the first rail  400 , when the first plate  310  does not rotate. As the container  200  is pushed in further, the link member  330  comes from the horizontal part  420  to the sloped part  410 , when the first plate  310  rotates to move downward. As shown in FIG. 3A, once the container  200  is pushed in fully, the first plate  310  is on the same plane with the second plate  320 , and the opening  210  of the container  200  is covered by the first plate  310  and the second plate  320 , fully. 
     The vegetable compartment  100  of the present invention enlarges the opened area of the opening  210  of the container  200  as the first plate  310  rotates upward around the hinge  340  when the container  200  is pulled out. The second plate  320  serves both as a shelf of the refrigerating chamber  12  and the cover on the opening  210  of the container  200 . 
     In the present invention, a size of an area serving as the shelf for placing food thereon, and a size of the enlargeable opened area of the container  200  are fixed by adjusting sizes of the second plate  320  and the first plate  310  when a size of the partition member  300  is the same. 
     In the meantime, when the size of the first plate  310  is the same, the enlargeable opened area of the container  200  is fixed depending on an upward maximum rotation angle of the first plate  310 . In this instance, the length of the link member  330  extended from the first plate  310 , and an angle between the link member  330  and the first plate  310 , a joint point of the link member  330  and the first plate  310 , and a position and a sloped angle of the sloped part  410  are taken into account in the design. 
     Since the vegetable compartment in a refrigerator of the present invention enlarges the opened area of the container as a part of the partition member rotates upward in pulling out the container, the vegetable can be put into the container conveniently, even large sized vegetable can be put in. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. 
     For an example, the guide means for guiding the link member is not limited to the rail. 
     As one example, if a system is designed such that a rail like long projection is formed on an inside or outside surface of the container, and the link member is made to contact with a top of the projection, the system will serve as the guide means, adequately. 
     As another example, if a system is designed such that a long groove is formed in the inside or outside surface of the container, and a part of the link member, such as the first roller is placed thereon, so that the link member moves with respect to the container in a state the first roller is placed in the groove, the system will serve as the guide means, adequately. 
     Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5