Refrigerator with easy access drawer

Abstract

A refrigerator having an easy access refrigerator drawer which can be accessed directly from the front of the refrigerator without opening the main refrigerator door. The drawer has an inner compartment with a plurality of pockets and an outer compartment. Both compartments are accessed by pulling out the drawer. The front wall of the drawer is also pivotable to allow access only to the outer compartment, while maintaining the refrigerated integrity of the inner compartment.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 at least one refrigerated fresh food main storage space located within the refrigerator;   a refrigerator door for opening and closing said refrigerated space, the door having an outer surface which forms part of the front surface of the refrigerator when the door is closed; and   a pull out drawer located within the refrigerator, the drawer comprising:
 a front wall with an outer surface which forms a part of the front surface of the refrigerator when the drawer is fully closed; 
 locking means for maintaining the front wall in a vertical position; 
 a sectionalized refrigerated food storage compartment having an inner refrigerated section and an outer refrigerated section; 
 partition means for separating the inner section from the outer section; 
 handle means located at the front wall for pulling the drawer out of the refrigerator to expose and allow access to the inner and outer sections; and 
 hinge means for pivoting the front wall between said vertical position and a horizontal position while the drawer remains within the refrigerator, whereby when the front wall is in said horizontal position only the outer section is exposed and access is provided to that section, the inner section remaining within the refrigerator protected from exposure and access by the partition means. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator as in  claim 1  wherein the inner section comprises sectionalized sub-compartments. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator as in  claim 1  further comprising tab means for detaching the front wall from the refrigerator, thereby freeing the front wall to allow pivoting of the front wall between the vertical and horizontal positions. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator as in  claim 1  wherein the partition means provides a substantially air tight seal preventing exposure to the inner section when the front wall is in the horizontal position.