Drawer-type refrigerator having tightly closable sliding unit

Abstract

A drawer-type refrigerator includes a body cabinet with at least one storage area having a front opening and a sliding unit to slide in and out through the front opening of the storage area. An automatic guiding device/securing mechanism/locking mechanism which is interposed between the storage area and the sliding unit, stores an elastic force in a sliding-in direction of the sliding unit when the sliding unit slides out and provides the stored elastic force to the sliding unit when the sliding unit slides in. Thus, the drawer-type refrigerator has a sliding unit that can be completely slid into a storage area, and the inside of the storage area can be closed tightly independent of a material of a body cabinet and a door.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A drawer-type refrigerator comprising a body cabinet, comprising: 
 at least one storage area with a front opening;    a sliding unit to slide in and out through the front opening of the storage area; and    an automatic guiding device interposed between the storage area and the sliding unit, stores an elastic force in a sliding-in direction of the sliding unit when the sliding unit slides out, and provides the stored elastic force to the sliding unit when the sliding unit slides in.    
     
     
         2 . The drawer-type refrigerator, according to  claim 1 , wherein the automatic guiding device includes: 
 an engaging projection provided in one of the storage area and the sliding unit;    a sliding locker having a first engaging supporter to engage one side of the engaging projection when the sliding unit slides out and a second engaging supporter to engage the other side of the engaging projection when the sliding unit slides in;    a guide part, disposed in the other one of the storage area and the sliding unit, to guide the sliding locker so that the sliding locker is moveable between a sliding position in which the first engaging supporter slides, engaging one side of the engaging projection, and a disengaging position in which the first engaging supporter is disengaged when the sliding unit slides in and out; and    a spring member to store the elastic force while the sliding locker moves to the disengaging position.    
     
     
         3 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 2 , further comprising a guide rail to guide the sliding unit and installed in the storage area along an entrance direction of the sliding unit, and one of the engaging projection and the guide part is disposed in the guide rail.  
     
     
         4 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 3 , wherein the sliding unit includes a door opening and/or closing the front opening of the storage area, a supporting frame extended along the guide rail from the door, and one of the engaging projection and the guide part disposed in the supporting frame.  
     
     
         5 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein the guide part has a horizontal guide hole, formed along the entrance direction of the sliding unit, to guide the sliding of the sliding locker, and a vertical guide hole, extended from the horizontal guide hole, to guide the sliding locker to the disengaging position.  
     
     
         6 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein the sliding locker further comprises a first guide projection inserted into the horizontal guide hole to slide along the entrance direction of the sliding unit, and a second guide projection to slide between the horizontal guide hole and the vertical guide hole.  
     
     
         7 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein one side of the spring member is connected to the guide part and another side of the spring member is connected to the second guide projection.  
     
     
         8 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein the spring member is installed lengthwise opposite the horizontal guide hole at the disengaging position of the sliding locker.  
     
     
         9 . A drawer-type refrigerator having a storage area, comprising: 
 a sliding unit, arranged to slide in and out through a front opening of the storage area of the refrigerator; and    a securing mechanism, interposed between the storage area and the sliding unit, wherein the securing mechanism includes a spring member to attach the sliding unit securely to the storage area when the sliding unit is inserted completely into the storage area.    
     
     
         10 . The drawer-type refrigerator, according to  claim 9 , wherein the securing mechanism comprises: 
 an engaging projection provided in one of the storage area and the sliding unit;    a sliding locker having a first engaging supporter to engage one side of the engaging projection and extend the spring to store an elastic force when the sliding unit slides out and a second engaging supporter to engage the other side of the engaging projection when the sliding unit slides in, aided by the stored elastic force; and    a guide part, disposed in the other one of the storage area and the sliding unit, to guide the sliding locker so that the sliding locker is moveable between a sliding position in which the first engaging supporter slides, engaging one side of the engaging projection, and a disengaging position in which the first engaging supporter is disengaged when the sliding unit slides in and out.    
     
     
         11 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 10 , further comprising a guide rail to guide the sliding unit and installed in the storage area along an entrance direction of the sliding unit, and one of the engaging projection and the guide part is disposed in the guide rail.  
     
     
         12 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 10 , wherein the sliding unit includes a door opening and/or closing the front opening of the storage area, a supporting frame extended along the guide rail from the door, and one of the engaging projection and the guide part disposed in the supporting frame.  
     
     
         13 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein the guide part has a horizontal guide hole, formed along the entrance direction of the sliding unit, to guide the sliding of the sliding locker, and a vertical guide hole, extended from the horizontal guide hole, to guide the sliding locker to the disengaging position.  
     
     
         14 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein the sliding locker further comprises a first guide projection inserted into the horizontal guide hole to slide along the entrance direction of the sliding unit, and a second guide projection to slide between the horizontal guide hole and the vertical guide hole.  
     
     
         15 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 14 , wherein one side of the spring member is connected to the guide part and another side of the spring member is connected to the second guide projection.  
     
     
         16 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 15 , wherein the spring member is installed lengthwise opposite the horizontal guide hole at the disengaging position of the sliding locker.  
     
     
         17 . A drawer-type refrigerator having a storage area, comprising: 
 a sliding unit, arranged to slide in and out through a front opening of the storage area of the refrigerator; and    a locking mechanism, interposed between the storage area and the sliding unit, wherein the locking mechanism includes a spring-loaded sliding locking unit to secure the sliding unit to the storage area when the sliding unit slides completely into the storage area.    
     
     
         18 . The drawer-type refrigerator, according to  claim 17 , wherein the spring-loaded locking sliding locking unit comprises: 
 a sliding locker having a first engaging supporter to engage one side of the engaging projection when the sliding unit slides out and a second engaging supporter to engage the other side of the engaging projection when the sliding unit slides in; and    a spring member to store an elastic force while the sliding locker moves to a disengaging position.    
     
     
         19 . The drawer-type refrigerator, according to  claim 18 , wherein the locking mechanism further includes: 
 an engaging projection provided in one of the storage area and the sliding unit; and    a guide part, disposed in the other one of the storage area and the sliding unit, to guide the sliding locker so that the sliding locker is moveable between a sliding position in which the first engaging supporter slides, engaging one side of the engaging projection, and a disengaging position in which the first engaging supporter is disengaged when the sliding unit slides in and out.    
     
     
         20 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 19 , further comprising a guide rail to guide the sliding unit is installed in the storage area along an entrance direction of the sliding unit, and one of the engaging projection and the guide part is disposed in the guide rail.  
     
     
         21 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 20 , wherein the sliding unit includes a door opening and/or closing the front opening of the storage area, a supporting frame extended along the guide rail from the door, and one of the engaging projection and the guide part disposed in the supporting frame.  
     
     
         22 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 21 , wherein the guide part has a horizontal guide hole, formed along the entrance direction of the sliding unit, to guide the sliding of the sliding locker, and a vertical guide hole, extended from the horizontal guide hole, to guide the sliding locker to the disengaging position.  
     
     
         23 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 22 , wherein the sliding locker comprises a first guide projection inserted into the horizontal guide hole to slide along the entrance direction of the sliding unit, and a second guide projection to slide between the horizontal guide hole and the vertical guide hole.  
     
     
         24 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 23 , wherein one side of the spring member is connected to the guide part and another side of the spring member is connected to the second guide projection.  
     
     
         25 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 24 , wherein the spring member is installed lengthwise opposite the horizontal guide hole at the disengaging position of the sliding locker.  
     
     
         26 . The drawer-type refrigerator according to  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 the locking mechanism comprises an automatic guiding device interposed between the storage area and the sliding unit, stores an elastic force in a sliding-in direction of the sliding unit when the sliding unit slides out, and provides the stored elastic force to the sliding unit when the sliding unit slides in, and the guiding device includes: 
 an engaging projection provided in one of the storage area and the sliding unit;  
 a sliding locker having a first engaging supporter to engage one side of the engaging projection when the sliding unit slides out and a second engaging supporter to engage the other side of the engaging projection when the sliding unit slides in;  
 a guide part, disposed in the other one of the storage area and the sliding unit, to guide the sliding locker so that the sliding locker is moveable between a sliding position in a horizontal opening in which a first guide projection and a second guide projection slide, and a locking position in which the second guide projection slides into a vertical opening that is connected to the horizontal opening; and  
 a spring member, attached to the second guide projection, storing the elastic force in the spring member and locking the sliding unit completely closed when the second guide projection slides into the vertical opening.