US20060192469A1

US20060192469A1 - Slide guide for pushing/drawing box into/out of refrigerator

Info

Publication number: US20060192469A1
Application number: US11/338,832
Authority: US
Inventors: Min Koo
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2005-02-25
Filing date: 2006-01-25
Publication date: 2006-08-31

Abstract

Object of the present invention is to provide a slide guide of a simple structure for pushing/drawing a box for food into/out of a refrigerator, for smooth sliding of the box in a refrigerator body. The slide guide including a rail guide fixedly secured to an inside of the refrigerator, at least one rolling member rollably mounted on the rail guide, a slide rail mounted in the rail guide for making rolling contact with the rail rolling member, to make a sliding movement, and at least one box rolling member mounted on the box for holding food, for rolling along the slide rail.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Application Nos. P2005-15694, and P2005-15696, both filed on Feb. 25, 2005, which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to refrigerators, and more particularly, to a slide guide for pushing/drawing a box for food, such as vegetable, into/out of a refrigerator.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, the refrigerator, an appliance for storing food at a low temperature, stores the food at a frozen state or a cold state depending on kinds of food. Cold air supplied to the refrigerator is produced by heat exchange action of refrigerant as the refrigerant is compressed, condensed, expanded, and evaporated repeatedly, and the cold air supplied thus is delivered throughout an inside of the refrigerator uniformly by convection, to enable to store the food at a desired temperature.
A related art refrigerator will be described with reference to FIG. 1, briefly.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is a hexahedral body 10 of the refrigerator provided with a refrigerating chamber 20 for low temperature storage of food, and a freezing chamber 30 for frozen storage of food on an upper side and a lower side thereof, respectively.
The refrigerating chamber 20 and the freezing chamber 30, spaces independent from each other, have fronts to be opened, respectively. The fronts are opened/closed with refrigerating chamber doors 22 for the refrigerating chamber 20 on the upper side of the body 10, and a freezing chamber door 32 for the freezing chamber 30 on the lower side of the body 10.
The refrigerating chamber doors 22 are rotatably mounted on a left side and a right side of the body 10 with hinges at opposite edges thereof, for selective opening/closing of a front of the refrigerating chamber 20 by rotating the refrigerating chamber doors 22 in left/right sides.
In the refrigerating chamber 20 and in a cavity of the refrigerating door 22, there are a plurality of boxes 24, shelves, baskets 28, and so on for holding various sizes, and states of food.
Of the boxes 24, a vegetable box 40 for holding vegetable and fruits are arranged on a lower side of the refrigerating chamber 20.
The vegetable box 40 is slidably mounted for pushing into, and drawing out of the refrigerator. If the vegetable box 40 is drawn forward, an opened top of the vegetable box 40 is exposed to an outside of the refrigerator, enabling an easy putting in/taking out of the food.
The lower side of the front of the refrigerator body 10, i.e., the opened front of the freezing chamber 30 is opened/closed with the freezing chamber door 32, selectively. The freezing chamber door 32 slides in front/rear directions, to open/close the opened front of the freezing chamber 30.
On an upper portion of the freezing chamber door 32, there is a freezing chamber handle 34 for user's easy opening/closing of the freezing chamber 30. Accordingly, if the user holds, and pulls the handle 34 forward, the freezing chamber door 32 is drawn out as the freezing chamber door 32 is tilted by a certain angle, and slid forward, and opposite to this, if the freezing chamber door 32 is pushed backward, the freezing chamber door 32 is pushed in, and closed.
In the freezing chamber 30, there are a plurality of boxes, for holding various kinds of food separately, and there is an ice maker 36 at one side of the freezing chamber 30.
FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram of a related art slide guide for pushing/drawing boxes, such as the vegetable box 40, into/out of a refrigerator body.
As described before, the vegetable box 40 has a cavity therein for holding the food. On an upper side of the front of the vegetable box 40, there is a box handle 42 for user's easy holding, and pushing/drawing in/out of the vegetable box 40.
The vegetable box 40 is slidably mounted on a two-stage rail 50 on opposite sidewalls of the refrigerating chamber. The two stage rail 50 is provided with a rail case 52, a rail guide 54, a first drawing out rail 56, and a second drawing out rail 58.
The rail case 52 is an injection molding of plastic fixedly secured to an inside wall of the refrigerating chamber 20, for receiving the rail guide 54 where a rail is to be placed therein.
The rail guide 54 is fixedly secured to an inside of the rail case 52, for guiding slide of the first drawing out rail 56. The rail guide 54, the first drawing out rail 56, and the second drawing out rail 58 are formed of metal, such as stainless steel, and slide relative to one another.
In the meantime, the first drawing out rail 56 is on an inside of the rail guide 54, and, in turn, the second drawing out rail 58 is on an inside of the first drawing out rail 56. The first drawing out slides along the rail guide 54 in front/rear directions, and the second drawing out rail 58 slide along the first drawing out rail 56.
Both on upper/lower surfaces of the first drawing out rail 56 in contact with the rail guide 54, and on upper/lower surfaces of the second drawing out rail 58 in contact with the first drawing out rail 58, there are a plurality of rolling members 60, such as bearings, or rolling members, for smooth sliding of the first drawing out rail 56, and the second drawing out rail 58, respectively.
The second drawing out rail 58 is fixedly secured to an upper side of a side of the vegetable box 40. Therefore, if the user holds, and pulls the handle 42 on the vegetable box 40 forward in a state the vegetable box 40 is placed in the refrigerating chamber 20, at first, the second drawing out rail 58 slides along the first drawing out rail 56 until the second drawing out rail 58 is drawn out, and, next, the first drawing out rail 56 slides along the rail guide 54 until the first drawing out rail 56 is drawn out, thereby drawing out the vegetable box from the refrigerating chamber.
However, the related art slide guide for pushing in/drawing out a box has the following problems.
First, as described before, the two stage rail 50 for guiding slide of the vegetable box 40 is provided with the rail case 52, the rail guide 54, the first drawing out rail 56, and the second drawing out rail 58, with rolling members on the upper surface and the lower surface of the first drawing out rail 56, and the second drawing out rail 58, for the rolling members to slide in front/rear directions while the rolling members are in contact with the rail guide 54 and the first drawing out rail 56, respectively.
Therefore, there are too many components for the drawing out/pushing in of the vegetable box 40, with large differences in kinds and fabricating processes of the components, to require much time for fabrication of the related art slide guide, leading to increase a cost, and drop productivity.
Second, a drawing out distance of the vegetable box 40 is not so great compared to a number and kinds of components of the two stage rail 50, i.e., the two stage rail 50 has a low effectiveness.
Third, because the second drawing out rails 58, coupled to the first drawing out rail 56, are fixedly secured to opposite sides of the vegetable box 40, it is impossible to separate the vegetable box 40 from the refrigerator fully without releasing the coupling between the second drawing out rail 58 and the first drawing out rail 56, forcibly.
Therefore, if it is intended to replace or repair a damaged vegetable box, or clean a space the vegetable box is placed therein, such a work can not be carried out because the vegetable box can not be separated from the refrigerator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a slide guide of a simple structure for pushing/drawing a box for food into/out of a refrigerator, for smooth sliding of the box in a refrigerator body.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator, which enables easy and fill separation and mounting of the box.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator, which enables a long distance drawing out of the box, to make easy putting in/taking out of food.
Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may 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 objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator includes a rail guide fixedly secured to an inside of the refrigerator, at least one rolling member rollably mounted on the rail guide, a slide rail mounted in the rail guide for making rolling contact with the rail rolling member, to make a sliding movement, and at least one box rolling member mounted on the box for holding food, for rolling along the slide rail.
The slide guide of the present invention permits to secure an adequate drawing distance of the box for holding food only with a simple structure of the box, rolling members provided to, for an example, to a vegetable box, a slide rail, and a rail guide.
Moreover, the box can be mounted/dismounted to/from the refrigerator by simple operation of putting/lifting the box rolling member on/from the slide rail.
In another aspect of the present invention, a slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator includes at least one box rolling member rollably mounted on a box for holding food, a rail guide fixedly secured to an inside of the refrigerator, the rail guide having a recessed groove shape of rail receiving portion, and a rolling member mounting portion which is recessed downwardly under the rail receiving portion, at least one rail rolling member rollably mounted on the rolling member mounting portion of the rail guide, having a top positioned higher than a lower surface of the rail receiving portion, and a slide rail mounted in the rail receiving portion of the rail guide, the slide rail having a rolling member receiving portion of recessed groove shape for receiving the box rolling member and enabling the box rolling member to roll, and a contact portion under the rolling member receiving portion for making rolling contact with the rail rolling member to make sliding movement.
In another aspect of the present invention, a slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator includes at least one box rolling member rollably mounted on a box for holding food, a rail guide fixedly secured to an inside of the refrigerator, the rail guide having a recessed groove shape of rail receiving portion, a plurality of rail rolling members mounted in the rail receiving portion spaced a distance from an upper surface and a lower surface of the rail receiving portion respectively, and a slide rail having a box rolling member receiving portion of a ‘⊂’ shaped recessed section for receiving the box rolling member and enabling the box rolling member to roll, and a rail rolling member receiving portion of a ‘⊂’ shaped recessed section in a direction opposite to the box rolling member receiving portion under the box rolling member receiving portion for surrounding and receiving the rail rolling members.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention 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 application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings;
FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a related art refrigerator, with doors opened;
FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a related art slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator;
FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a refrigerator having a slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention applied thereto, with the box (vegetable box) drawn out;
FIG. 4 illustrates a side disassembled view of a slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 illustrates a partial disassembled front view of the slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator in FIG. 4;
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate side views each showing operation of the slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator in FIG. 4, wherein FIG. 6 illustrates the box pushed in the refrigerating chamber fully, and FIG. 7 illustrates the box drawn out of the refrigerating chamber;
FIG. 8 illustrates a side disassembled view of a slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9 illustrates a partial disassembled front view of the slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator in FIG. 8; and
FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate side views each showing operation of the slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator in FIG. 8, wherein FIG. 10 illustrates the box pushed in the refrigerating chamber fully, and FIG. 11 illustrates the box drawn out of the refrigerating chamber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
Referring to FIG. 3, a refrigerator having a slide guide of the present invention applied thereto will be described. There is a refrigerating chamber 20 on an upper side of a refrigerator body 10, having a plurality of shelves 25 and boxes 24 provided thereto. Of the plurality of boxes 24, on a lower side of the refrigerating chamber 20, there is a vegetable box 140 provided thereto, for holding comparatively large vegetables and fruits. In general, the vegetable box is arranged on the lower side of the refrigerating chamber 20 where the air is less cold, for preventing the food from going bad by cold air.
The vegetable box 140 has a box shape with an opened top, to form a holding space in state the vegetable box 140 is pushed-in the refrigerator 20 as the opened top is covered with a box cover 27, enabling to store the vegetables or fruits at a proper temperature while the vegetables or fruits are influenced from the cold air in the refrigerating chamber 20, comparatively less.
The vegetable box 140 slides horizontally in front/rear directions on a slide guide to be described below if pushed-in or drawn out of the refrigerating chamber 20.
The slide guide for pushing/drawing the vegetable box 140 into/out of the refrigerator will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7, in detail.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is a rail guide 150 having two rail rolling members 156 provided thereto fixedly secured to each sidewall of the refrigerating chamber 20 where the vegetable box 140 is placed in. There is a slide rail slidably mounted on the rail guide 150 for sliding a predetermined distance along the rail guide 150. The slide rail 110 is movably secured to an upper side of each of opposite sides of the vegetable box 140, to enable relative movement with respect to the vegetable box 140.
On a front of the vegetable box 140, there is a vegetable box door 145 for opening the top and a portion of the front of the vegetable box 140 by rotating a lower side by a predetermined angle forward.
On an upper edge of the vegetable box door 145, there is a box handle 142 for user's easy holding of the vegetable box door 145, with a button 146 provided thereto for opening/closing of the vegetable box door 145. The box handle is used, not only for opening/closing of the box door 145, but also for pushing/drawing the vegetable box 140 in/out.
At an upper edge of a rear side of each of opposite sides of the vegetable box 140, there is a box rolling member 141 secured so as to be rotatable, freely. The box rolling member 141 rolls on the slide rail 110 for making smooth slide of the vegetable box 140.
Upper edges of opposite sides of the vegetable box 140 are bent outwardly to form ‘
’ shapes respectively, so that each of the bent portions is in contact with the slide rail 110. Moreover, there is a first stop 143 projected upward from a rear end portion of the vegetable box 140, more specifically right rear of a portion of the vegetable box 140 over the box rolling member 141. The first stop 143 is brought into contact with a second stop 115 at one side of the slide rail 110 having a shape in conformity with the first stop 143, selectively.
As described before, designed to guide sliding of the box rolling member 141, and, at the same time with this, slide in front/rear directions guided by the rail guide 150, the slide rail 110 is elongated laterally, and has a length that fixes most of a drawing out distance of the vegetable box 140.
It is preferable that the slide rail 110 is formed of metal which is strong against wear and deformation because the box rolling member 141 and the rail rolling members 156 roll, continuously. Moreover, it is preferable that the slide rail 11 is bent a plurality of times for contact with the box rolling member 141 and the rail rolling members 156.
The slide rail 110 includes a rolling member receiving portion 111 and a contact portion 113. The member receiving portion 111 forms an upper portion of the slide rail 110, and has an inwardly recessed shape, i.e., substantially a groove of a ‘C’ shape section, for receiving the box rolling member 141.
Therefore, the box rolling member 141 is in contact with, and rolls on, a lower surface of the rolling member receiving portion 111 in a state the box rolling member 141 is received in the rolling member receiving portion 111, for smooth pushing in/drawing out of the vegetable box 140.
The contact portion 113 is placed, and slides, on the rail rolling members 156 of the rail guide 150. The contact portion 113 is recessed in a ‘⊂’ shape section in a direction opposite to the rolling member receiving portion 111.
Accordingly, the rolling member receiving portion 111 and the contact portion 113 form an ‘S’ section substantially on the whole.
Of course, since the contact portion 113 is a portion placed, and rolls, on the rail rolling members 156 of the rail guide 150, as described before, the contact portion 113 is not required to have the ‘⊂’ shape section, necessarily.
It is preferable that a lower portion of the contact portion 113 is wider than a width of the rail rolling member 156 for secure contact with the rail rolling members 156.
The rolling member receiving portion 111 has a stopping slot 112 elongated in a front/rear direction. The stopping slot 112, for matching with a stopper 154 at one side of the rail guide 150 to limit a drawing out distance of the slide rail 110, is extended from middle to a rear end of the slide rail 110, substantially.
As described before, the second stop 115 is projected downwardly from an upper surface of a front of the rolling member receiving portion 111 in correspondence to the first stop 143 on the vegetable box 140. The second stop 115 is brought into contact with the first stop 143 at the time the vegetable box 140 is drawn, to fix a drawing out position of the vegetable box 140 with respect to the slide rail 110, and, at the same time with this, serve to draw out the slide rail 110.
Because the rail guide 150 is required to be formed in a comparatively complicate shape so that the rail guide 150 is not smaller than a size of the slide rail 110 for receiving the slide rail 110, and is for placing on the rail rolling members 156, it is preferable that the rail guide 150 is formed of plastic which is easy to process.
The rail guide 150 has a ‘c’ shape section substantially, on the whole. Moreover, the rail guide 150 has a mounting surface 151 on an upper side for secure mounting of the rail guide 150 on a wall surface of the refrigerating chamber 20, and a screw hole 158 on one side of the mounting surface 151 for pass through of a screw to fasten the rail guide 150.
The rail guide 150 includes a rail receiving portion 153 and a rolling member mounting portion 155. The rail receiving portion 153 receives the slide rail 110, to guide sliding of the slide rail 110. It is preferable that the rail receiving portion 153 has a size slightly larger than the slide rail 110, for minimizing a loss of momentum caused by friction with the slide rail 110.
The stopper 154 is projected from a surface of the rail receiving portion 153, i.e., a surface adjacent to the slide rail 110, for placing in the stopping slot 112 in the slide rail 110.
The rail receiving portion 153 has falling off preventive pieces 157 projected vertically from an upper end and a lower end of projected surfaces of the rail receiving portion 153 toward an inner side of the rail receiving portion 153. The falling off preventive pieces 157 prevent the slide rail 110 in the rail receiving portion 153 from moving in a lateral direction to help smooth pushing in/drawing out of the slide rail 110 as well as prevent the slide rail 110 from falling off the rail receiving portion 153.
The rolling member mounting portions 155 of arch shapes are in a lower surface of an inner side of the rail receiving portion 153. On the rolling member mounting portions 155, the rail rolling members 156 are mounted. The rolling member mounting portion 155 has a depth of recess enough to position a top of the rail rolling member 156 slightly higher than the lower surface of the rail receiving portion 153.
Accordingly, when the slide rail 110 is mounted in the rail receiving portion 153, the slide rail 110 is in contact with the top of the rail rolling member 156, but not with other surfaces of the rail receiving portion 153.
The rolling member mounting portions 155 are formed at a lower side of the rail receiving portion 153 at a predetermined distance on left/right sides thereof, for receiving the rail rolling members 156, respectively. Between the rolling member mounting portions 155, there is a screw hole 158 for fastening a screw to fasten the rail guide 150.
Operation of the slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings.
Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, in a state the vegetable box 140 is in the refrigerating chamber fully, the slide rail 110 is in the rail guide 150, fully. In this instance, the box rolling member 141 of the vegetable box 140 is positioned at a rear end portion of the slide rail 110.
In the state the vegetable box 140 is in the refrigerating chamber fully, the opened top of the vegetable box 140 is covered with the box cover 27. The box cover 27 partitions the refrigerating chamber 20 in a lateral direction, to serve as a shelf, and, when the vegetable box 140 is pushed-in, covers the opened top of the vegetable box 140, isolating the vegetable box from other space, for fresher storage of the vegetables and fruits.
When the user intends to draw out the vegetable box 140, the user is required to hold the box handle 142 and pulls the vegetable box 140 forward. Upon pulling the vegetable box 140 forward, the box rolling member 141 on the vegetable box 140 rolls on the lower surface of an inner side of the rolling member receiving portion 111 of the slide rail 110.
The rolling of the box rolling member 141 enables smooth forward drawing out of the vegetable box 140 along the slide rail 110. When the vegetable box 140 is drawn out by a predetermined distance guided by the slide rail 110, the first stop 143 on the vegetable box 140, and the second stop 115 on the slide rail 110 are brought into contact with each other, to finish a first stage drawing out.
If the user keeps pulling the box handle 142 in a state the first stop 143 and the second stop 115 are in contact to each other, a pulling force is transmitted to the slide rail 110 in the state the first stop 143 and the second stop 115 are in contact to each other, leading to start to draw out the slide rail 110.
In this instance, since an underside of the contact portion 113 of the slide rail 110 is in contact with a top of the rail rolling members 156 of the rail guide 150, the slide rail 110 is drawn forward smoothly while the slide rail 110 makes the rail rolling members 156 to roll.
When the slide rail 110 is drawn out fully, a rear end of the stopping slot 112 in the slide rail 110 is held by the stopper 154 on the rail guide 150, such that the slide rail 110 is drawn out no more, but stopped at the position. Thus, the two stage drawing out is finished.
Once the slide rail 110 and the vegetable box 140 are drawn out fully, most area of the opened top of the vegetable box 140 is exposed to an outside of the refrigerating chamber, enabling the user to make easy taking out of food from, putting the food into, the vegetable box 140.
Next, when it is intended to put the vegetable box 140 drawn out thus into the refrigerating chamber, the user holds, and pushes the box handle 142 backward.
When the user pushes the vegetable box 140, the box rolling member 141 of the vegetable box 14 is in contact with, and rolls on the lower surface of the rolling member receiving portion 111 of the slide rail 110, to slide the vegetable box 140 backward as the vegetable box 140 is placed in.
Then, the lower surface of the contact portion 113 of the slide rail 110 slides backward while the lower surface of the contact portion 113 makes the rail rolling member 156 to roll.
Referring to FIG. 6, when pushing in of the slide rail 110 and the vegetable box 140 is finished, the slide rail 110 is placed in the rail receiving portion 153 of the rail guide 150 fully, and the vegetable box 140 is placed in the refrigerating chamber 20 fully, such that the box rolling member 141 is positioned at a rear end portion of the rolling member receiving portion 111 of the slide rail 110.
In this instance, the opened top of the vegetable box 140 is covered with the box cover 27 fully, enabling to secure an independent space.
In the meantime, the vegetable box 140 is separable from the slide rail 110. That is, referring to FIG. 7, in a state the vegetable box 140 is drawn to a front most side of the slide rail 110, upon lifting a front portion of the vegetable box 140 slightly, and pulling the vegetable box 140 forward, the engagement of the first stop 143 on the vegetable box 140 with the second stop 115 on the slide rail 110 is released, enabling to separate the vegetable box 140 from the slide rail 110, and take out the vegetable box 140 to an outside of the slide rail 110.
Thus, the slide guide of the present invention permits to secure an adequate drawing out distance of the food box only with simple components of the rolling members, the slide rail, and the rail guide provided to the box, for an example, the vegetable box.
Accordingly, the reduction of a number of components required for smooth pushing in/drawing out of the box permits to improves productivity, by enabling to reduce a number of components and working man-hours, which permits to reduce total time period and cost required for production of the product.
Moreover, a structure of the slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator becomes compact to enable secure pushing in/drawing out of the box, and the compact structure enables to reduce factors that cause services, to expect secure operation and improved durability of the product.
Furthermore, the possibility of separation/engagement of the box rolling member on the box from/to the slide rail permits easy dismounting/mounting of the vegetable box from/to the refrigerator.
Next, a slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 11.
Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the slide guide includes at least one pair of box rolling members 241 rotatably mounted to an upper edge of each side of a vegetable box 240, a slide rail 210 coupled to the upper edge of each side of the vegetable box 240 such that the box rolling members 241 roll, and slide thereon, and a rail guide 250 fixedly secured to each inside wall the refrigerating chamber 20 (see FIG. 3) the vegetable box is to be received therein, for having the slide rail 210 slidably coupled thereto. The rail guide 250 is provided with two rail rolling members 255 for guiding movement of the slide rail 210.
One of the box rolling members 241 of the vegetable box 240 has a top side exposed to a top side of the vegetable box 240, and the other one box rolling member 241 has a bottom side exposed to a lower side of each side of the vegetable box 240.
That is, the top side and the bottom side of the box rolling members 241 roll on an upper surface and a lower surface of an inside of the rail receiving portion 251 of the slide rail 210 respectively.
The slide rail 210 guides sliding of the box rolling members 241, as well as slides in a front/rear direction guided by the rail guide 250. The slide rail 210 is elongated in a lateral direction, and has a length depending on which most of a drawing out distance of the vegetable box 240 is fixed.
Moreover, the slide rail 210 has a shape bent a plurality of times for contact with the box rolling members 241 and the rail rolling members 255. In more detail, the slide rail 210 includes a box rolling member receiving portion 211 for receiving the box rolling members 255, and a rail rolling member receiving portion 212 for receiving the rail rolling members 255.
The box rolling member receiving portion 211 has a groove of a ‘⊂’ shape substantially with one opened side for receiving the top edge of the vegetable box 240. The box rolling member receiving portion 211 has a height slightly greater than a diameter of the box rolling member 241, so that not only the box rolling members 241, but also the upper edge of the vegetable box 240 can be placed therein easily.
The box rolling member receiving portion 211 has a stopper 213 at a rear end portion, projected perpendicular toward the rail guide 250.
The box rolling member receiving portion 211 has a falling off preventive projection 214 at a front end of the lower surface. The falling off preventive projection 214 is vertically projected from the lower surface of the box rolling member receiving portion 211, for holding one side of the box rolling member 241 or the vegetable box 240 at the time of drawing out of the vegetable box 240, thereby preventing the vegetable box 240 from falling off the slide rail 210.
The rail rolling member receiving portion 212 has a groove of a ‘⊂’ shape opened in a direction opposite to the box rolling member receiving portion 211 for receiving the rail rolling members 255 from an outer side of the slide rail 210. Accordingly, the box rolling member receiving portion 211 and the rail rolling member receiving portion 212 form an ‘S’ shape on the whole.
When the rail rolling members 255 are received in the rail rolling member receiving portion 212, an inner upper surface of the rail rolling member receiving portion 212 is in contact with top sides of the rail rolling members 255, such that the rail rolling members 255 roll on the rail rolling member receiving portion 212.
Though the rail rolling member receiving portion 212 is more or less greater than a diameter of the rail rolling member 255, it is preferable that the rail rolling member receiving portion 212 has a size in which an underside surface of the rail rolling member receiving portion 212 is not in contact with the rail receiving portion 251.
Moreover, when the slide rail 210 is mounted in the rail receiving portion 251, the slide rail 210 is supported on the rail rolling members 255. In this instance, it is preferable that a top of the slide rail 210 is not in contact with an inner top of the rail receiving portion 251.
Since the slide rail 210 keeps in contact with the box rolling members 241, and the rail rolling members 255 of the rail guide 250, it is preferable that the slide rail 210 is formed of metal that is strong against wear and deformation.
In the meantime, though the rail guide 250 may be formed of plastic that is easy to process, the rail guide 250 may also be formed of metal. No limit is imposed on a material of the rail guide 250.
The rail guide 250 has a section of a ‘C’ shape substantially on the whole, with one side flat throughout the side in contact with an inside wall of the refrigerating chamber 20, and fastened with screws or the like thereto.
The rail guide 250 has the rail receiving portion 251 for surrounding, and receiving the slide rail 210. As described before, it is preferable that the rail receiving portion 251 has a height at which a top and a bottom of the slide rail 210 are not in contact with the upper surface and a lower surface of the rail receiving portion 251, respectively.
The rail rolling members 255 on the rail receiving portion 251 have axes arranged on the same horizontal line. The rail rolling members 255 are arranged at a predetermined distance, and since the rail rolling members 255 are received in the rail rolling member receiving portion 212 of the slide rail 210 surrounded thereby, a rear half of the slide rail 210 does not shake in up/down directions at the time the slide rail 210 is drawn out.
The rail receiving portion 251 has a stopping slot 252 extended from a center to a rear end. The stopping slot 252 is matched with the stopping projection 213 at the time of mounting the slide rail 210, to limit a pushing in/drawing out distance of the slide rail 210.
The operation of the slide guide for pushing/drawing a box for food into/out of a refrigerator in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described.
Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, in a state the vegetable box 240 is placed in the refrigerating chamber fully, the slide rail 210 is in the rail guide 250 fully. Moreover, the box rolling members 241 of the vegetable box 240 are positioned at the rear end portion of the slide rail 210.
In a state the vegetable box 240 is placed in the refrigerating chamber 20 fully, the opened top of the refrigerating chamber 20 is covered with the box cover 27. The box cover 27 partitions the refrigerating chamber 20 in a lateral direction, to serve as a shelf, and, when the vegetable box 240 is pushed-in, covers the opened top of the vegetable box 240, isolating the vegetable box from other space, for fresher storage of the vegetables and fruits.
When the user intends to draw out the vegetable box 240, the user is required to hold the box handle 242 and pulls the vegetable box 240 forward. Upon pulling the vegetable box 240 forward, the box rolling members 241 on the vegetable box 240 roll on the lower surface and upper surface of an inner side of the rolling member receiving portion 211 of the slide rail 210, respectively.
In more detail, at an initial stage of drawing out of the vegetable box 240, a front box rolling member 241 is in contact with, and rolls on, the lower surface of the box rolling member receiving portion 211, to guide movement of vegetable box 240.
After the vegetable box 240 is drawn out to a certain extent, the vegetable box 240 hangs down by food held therein, or gravity, such that a rear box rolling member 241 is in contact with, and rolls on, the upper surface of the box rolling member receiving portion 211, to guide movement of the vegetable box 240.
Thus, the vegetable box 240 can be drawn smoothly by the plurality of box rolling members 241 to be brought into contact with the lower surface or the upper surface of the box rolling member receiving portion 211, while minimizing up/down movement of the vegetable box 240.
The vegetable box 240 is kept drawn guided by the slide rail 210, until the vegetable box 240 is drawn by a predetermined distance, when the box rolling member 241 or the vegetable box 240 at one side thereof is brought into contact with the falling off preventive projection 214, to finish a first stage drawing out of the vegetable box 240.
If the user keeps drawing the box handle 242 in a state the vegetable box 240 is held at the falling off preventive projection 214, the falling off preventive projection 214 transmits a pulling force to the slide rail 210 in a state the falling off preventive projection 214 is in contact with one side of the rolling member 241 or the vegetable box 240, to start drawing out of the slide rail 210.
In this instance, the rail rolling members 255 are in contact with, and roll on the upper surface of the inside of the rail rolling member receiving portion 212 in a state the rail rolling members 255 are received in the rail rolling member receiving portion 212 of the slide rail 210. Therefore, the slide rail 210 is supported on the rail rolling members 255 when the slide rail 210 is mounted in the rail guide 250.
As the rail rolling members 255 roll, the slide rail 210 is drawn forward, when the slide rail 210 is only in contact with the rail rolling members 255, and spaced from a predetermined distance from the rail guide 250.
When the slide rail 210 is drawn out fully, the stopper 213 on the slide rail 210 is in contact with a front end of the stopping slot 252 in the rail guide 250, permitting no more forward movement of the slide rail 210, to finish the two stage drawing out.
Once the slide rail 210 and the vegetable box 240 are drawn out fully, a most area of the opened top of the vegetable box 240 is exposed to an outside of the refrigerating chamber, enabling the user to make easy talking out of food from, putting the food into, the vegetable box 240.
Next, when it is intended to put the vegetable box 240 drawn out thus into the refrigerating chamber, the user holds, and pushes the box handle 42 on the vegetable box 240 backward.
When the user pushes the vegetable box 240, the box rolling members 241 of the vegetable box 240 are in contact with, and roll on the upper surface and the lower surface of the rolling member receiving portion 211 of the slide rail 210, to slide the vegetable box 240 backward as the vegetable box 240 is placed in.
The rail rolling members 255 secured to the rail guide 250 are in contact with, and roll on the upper surface of the rail rolling member receiving portion 212 in a state the rail rolling members 255 are received in the rail rolling member receiving portion 212 of the slide rail 210, to make the slide rail 210 to be placed in.
When placing in of the slide rail 210 and the vegetable box 240 is finished, the slide rail 210 is placed in the rail receiving portion 253 of the rail guide 250 fully, and the vegetable box 240 is placed in the refrigerating chamber 20 fully, such that the box rolling members 241 are positioned at a rear end portion of the box rolling member receiving portion 211 of the slide rail 210.
In this instance, the opened top of the vegetable box 240 is covered with the box cover 160 fully, enabling to secure an independent storage space.
Thus, in the slide guide in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, since the slide rail 210 is supported, and slides, on the rail rolling members 255, while spaced from an inside surface of the rail receiving portion 251 of the rail guide 250, the slide rail 210 is not brought into contact with the rail guide 250 unnecessarily in a process the slide rail 210 is drawn out/pushed in. According to this, wear of the slide rail 210 can be prevented, to improve durability of the product.
Moreover, the contact of the slide rail 210 only with the rail rolling members 255 and the box rolling members 241 enables to minimize a power loss caused by contact with the rail guide 250 or the vegetable box 240. Eventually, easy two stage drawing out of the vegetable box with a smaller power is permitted, to improve convenience of use.
Furthermore, alike the foregoing embodiment, by mounting/dismounting the vegetable box 240 and the box rolling members 241 to/from the slide rail 210, the vegetable box can be mounted/dismounted to/from the vegetable box.
Though the embodiments take the vegetable box 140, or 240 as a box drawing out in two stages, it is evident that the present invention is applicable to boxes for holding various kinds of food, identically, or similarly.
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 inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator comprising:

a rail guide fixedly secured to an inside of the refrigerator;

at least one rail rolling member rollably mounted on the rail guide;

a slide rail mounted in the rail guide for making rolling contact with the rail rolling member, to make a sliding movement; and

at least one box rolling member mounted on the box for holding food, for rolling along the slide rail.

2. The slide guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rail guide includes a rail receiving portion of a inwardly recessed groove shape for receiving the slide rail.

3. The slide guide as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rail guide further includes a recessed rolling member mounting portion under the rail receiving portion for receiving and mounting the rail rolling member therein.

4. The slide guide as claimed in claim 3, wherein the rail rolling member has a top positioned higher than a lower surface of an inside of the rail receiving portion.

5. The slide guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein the slide rail includes;

a rolling member receiving portion of an inwardly recessed groove for receiving, and enabling the box rolling member to roll, and

a contact portion under the rolling member receiving portion for seating on the rail rolling member.

6. The slide guide as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rail rolling member is mounted in the rail receiving portion spaced a distance from the upper surface and the lower surface of the rail receiving portion.

7. The slide guide as claimed in claim 6, wherein a plurality of the rail rolling members are arranged at predetermined intervals with axes of the rail rolling members arranged on the same horizontal line.

8. The slide guide as claimed in claim 6, wherein the slide rail includes a rolling member receiving portion having a ‘c’ section on a lower side for surrounding, and receiving the rail rolling member, to seat and support an upper surface of the rolling member receiving portion thereon.

9. The slide guide as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rolling member receiving portion of the slide rail has a lower surface spaced a distance from a lower surface of the rail receiving portion, and an upper surface spaced a distance from an upper surface of the rail receiving portion.

10. The slide guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of the box rolling members are mounted to an upper edge of each side of the box, wherein at least one of the box rolling members is mounted to be able to contact with an upper surface of the slide rail, and at least the other one of the box rolling members is mounted to be able to contact with a lower surface of the slide rail.

11. The slide guide as claimed in claim 1, further comprising first drawing out position fixing means for fixing a final drawing out position of the box with respect to the slide rail.

12. The slide guide as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first drawing out position fixing means includes;

a first stop projected from the slide rail, and

a second stop projected from each side of the box for being brought into contact with the first stop.

13. The slide guide as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first drawing out position fixing means is a piece projected from a surface of the slide rail where the box rolling member is in contact with, and rolls on, for holding a portion of the box rolling member, or the box, to limit movement of the box rolling member.

14. The slide guide as claimed in claim 1, further comprising second drawing out position fixing means for limiting a drawing out position of the slide rail with respect to the rail guide.

15. The slide guide as claimed in claim 14, wherein the second drawing out position fixing means includes;

a stopping slot in the slide rail extended in a lateral direction of the slide rail, and

a stopper projected from the rail guide so as to be placed in the stopping slot, for being brought into contact with a front end or rear end of the stopping slot.

16. The slide guide as claimed in claim 14, wherein the second drawing out position fixing means includes;

a stopping slot in the rail guide extended in a lateral direction of the rail guide, and

a stopper projected from the slide rail so as to be placed in the stopping slot, for being brought into contact with a front end or rear end of the stopping slot.

17. The slide guide as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a plurality of falling off preventive pieces projected from an upper side and/or lower side of the rail receiving portion for preventing the slide rail from falling off the rail receiving portion.

18. A slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator comprising:

at least one box rolling member rollably mounted on a box for holding food;

a rail guide fixedly secured to an inside of the refrigerator, the rail guide having a recessed groove shape of rail receiving portion, and a rolling member mounting portion which is recessed downwardly under the rail receiving portion;

at least one rail rolling member rollably mounted on the rolling member mounting portion of the rail guide, having a top positioned higher than a lower surface of the rail receiving portion; and

a slide rail mounted in the rail receiving portion of the rail guide, the slide rail having a rolling member receiving portion of recessed groove shape for receiving the box rolling member and enabling the box rolling member to roll, and a contact portion under the rolling member receiving portion for making rolling contact with the rail rolling member to make sliding movement.

19. A slide guide for pushing/drawing a box into/out of a refrigerator comprising:

at least one box rolling member rollably mounted on a box for holding food;

a rail guide fixedly secured to an inside of the refrigerator, the rail guide having a recessed groove shape of rail receiving portion;

a plurality of rail rolling members mounted in the rail receiving portion spaced a distance from an upper surface and a lower surface of the rail receiving portion respectively; and

a slide rail having a box rolling member receiving portion of a ‘⊂’ shaped recessed section for receiving the box rolling member and enabling the box rolling member to roll, and a rail rolling member receiving portion of a ‘⊂’ shaped recessed section in a direction opposite to the box rolling member receiving portion under the box rolling member receiving portion for surrounding and receiving the rail rolling members.

20. The slide guide as claimed in claim 19, wherein a plurality of the box rolling members are mounted to an upper edge of each side of the box, wherein at least one of the box rolling members is mounted to be able to contact with an upper surface of the slide rail, and at least the other one of the box rolling members is mounted to be able to contact with a lower surface of the slide rail.