Refrigerator

Abstract

The present invention provides a refrigerator comprising at least one compartment capable of evacuation, said compartment being provided with evacuation means, a drawer locatable in said compartment, the front wall of said drawer possessing a face capable of sealably engaging the front face of the compartment, means provided on said drawer and/or said compartment for maintaining the drawer in sealing engagement with the compartment, means for activating the evacuation means when the drawer is, or is not, in sealing engagement with the compartment, and means for releasing the vacuum in said compartment as well compartment therefor. The invention also provides a box-like compartment suitable for insertion into a refrigerator which comprises evacuation means, means for connecting the evacuation means to an electrical source, an orifice located in at least one wall of the compartment, a lid capable of sealably engaging with said orifice, means provided on said orifice and/or said lid for maintaining the lid in sealing engagement with the orifice, means for activating the evacuation means and means for releasing the vacuum in said compartment.

1 . A refrigerator comprising at least one compartment capable of evacuation, said compartment being provided with evacuation means, a drawer locatable in said compartment, the front wall of said drawer possessing a face capable of sealably engaging the front face of the compartment, means provided on one of said drawer and said compartment for maintaining the drawer in sealing engagement with the compartment, means for activating the evacuation means when the drawer is, or is not, in sealing engagement with the compartment, and means for releasing the vacuum in said compartment. 
   
   
       2 . A refrigerator according to  claim 1  wherein sealing engagement between the drawer and the compartment is provided by an O-ring seal located in the front face of the compartment. 
   
   
       3 . A refrigerator according to  claim 1  wherein the means for maintaining the drawer and the compartment in sealing engagement comprises one or more clips which, when the drawer is in its furthermost position in the compartment, extends over the top of the front face of the drawer to the back face of the front wall of the compartment. 
   
   
       4 . A refrigerator according to  claim 3  wherein the clips are pressure releasable. 
   
   
       5 . A refrigerator according to  claim 4  wherein the back face of the front of the compartment is provided with at least one microswitch which is positioned such that when the clip engages with said back face the microswitch is depressed causing the evacuation means to operate. 
   
   
       6 . A refrigerator according to  claim 4  wherein a switch is located in the rear wall of the compartment such that it is depressed when the drawer is in sealing engagement with the compartment. 
   
   
       7 . A refrigerator according to  claim 1  wherein the front wall of the drawer is provided with a screw threaded pressure-release valve. 
   
   
       8 . A refrigerator according to  claim 1  where in an orifice is located in the rear wall of the compartment and the evacuation means comprises a pump connected to said orifice. 
   
   
       9 . A compartment suitable for insertion into a refrigerator, the compartment comprising evacuation means, means for connecting the evacuation means to an electrical source, a drawer locatable in said compartment, the front wall of said drawer possessing a face capable of sealably engaging the front face of the compartment, means provided on one of said drawer and said compartment for maintaining the drawer in sealing engagement with the compartment, means for activating the evacuation means when the drawer is, or is not, in sealing engagement with the compartment, and means for releasing the vacuum in said compartment. 
   
   
       10 . A compartment according to  claim 9  wherein the means for connecting the evacuation means to an electrical source comprises a cable equipped with a plug suitable for insertion into a light socket located in the interior of a refrigerator. 
   
   
       11 . A compartment according to  claim 9  wherein the means for connecting the evacuation means to an electrical source comprises a bilobal cable which terminates in a plug suitable for insertion into a socket. 
   
   
       12 . A box-like compartment suitable for insertion into a refrigerator, the box-like compartment comprising evacuation means, means for connecting the evacuation means to an electrical source, an orifice located in at least one wall of the compartment, a lid capable of sealably engaging with said orifice, means provided on one of said orifice and said lid for maintaining the lid in sealing engagement with the orifice, means for activating the evacuation means and means for releasing the vacuum in said compartment. 
   
   
       13 . A box-like compartment suitable for insertion into a refrigerator which comprises evacuation means, means for connecting the evacuation means to an electrical source, an orifice located in at least one wall of the compartment, a lid capable of sealably engaging with said orifice, means for activating the evacuation means and means for releasing the vacuum in said compartment. 
   
   
       14 . A refrigerator comprising at least one compartment capable of evacuation, said compartment being provided with evacuation means, a drawer locatable in said compartment, the front wall of said drawer possessing a face capable of sealably engaging the front face of the compartment, means for activating the evacuation means when the drawer is in sealing engagement with the compartment, said means comprising a valve, operable when the drawer is positioned in sealing engagement with the compartment, connected to an evacuatable storage tank, said evacuation means being connected to said compartment via said storage tank and valve.