Storage unit and refrigerator having the same

Abstract

A storage unit and refrigerator that allows an internal space of an accommodating vessel to be divided into a plurality of sub-spaces by box-shaped division cases are provided. The refrigerator includes a body, a storage compartment having an open front, a door pivotably coupled to the body to open and close the open front of the storage compartment, division cases formed in a box shape to allow food to be stored therein, and an accommodating vessel to accommodate the division cases such that an internal space of the accommodating vessel is divided into sub-spaces. A bottom face of each of the division cases is provided with a protrusion, a bottom face of the accommodating vessel is provided with concave portions. The protrusions are fixed to the concave portions to allow the division cases to be accommodated in the accommodating vessel.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a body;   a storage compartment provided in the body and having an open front;   a door pivotably coupled to the body to open and close the open front of the storage compartment;   a plurality of division cases formed in a box shape to allow food to be stored therein; and   an accommodating vessel to accommodate the division cases therein such that an internal space of the accommodating vessel is divided into a plurality of sub-spaces by the division cases and to be stored in the storage compartment along with the division cases,   wherein a bottom face of each of the division cases is provided with a protrusion protruding downward, a bottom face of the accommodating vessel is provided with a plurality of concave portions formed in a shape corresponding to a shape of the protrusion, and the protrusions are fixed to the concave portions to allow the division cases to be accommodated in the accommodating vessel.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the division cases includes the bottom face, front and rear walls and lateral sidewalls, and is provided with an accommodating space formed by the bottom face, front and rear walls and lateral sidewalls to have an open upper face, wherein the bottom face, front and rear walls and lateral sidewalls are integrally formed. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the protrusion of the bottom face of each of the division cases is provided with a quadrangular edge protruding downward, and includes a first protrusion protruding from inner and outer sides of the edge of the protrusion to be slanted toward a center of the protrusion, and a second protrusion protruding from a center of the first protrusion downward. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the concave portions provided in the accommodating vessel is provided with a quadrangular edge grooved downward in a shape corresponding to the shape of the protrusion, and includes a first concave portion grooved to be slanted from inner and outer sides of the edge of the concave portion toward a center of the concave portion to have a shape corresponding to that of the first protrusion, and a second concave portion grooved from a center of the first concave portion downward. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the front and rear walls are provided with knobs integrated with the front and rear walls to allow the division case to be placed in and drawn out of the accommodating vessel. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein an ice vessel to make ice is accommodated in the accommodating space of the division case and is detachably supported by the lateral sidewalls of the division case. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein the ice vessel includes an ice making tray to make ice and a support supported by the lateral sidewalls of the division case. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the division cases is formed in a square shape to be accommodated in the accommodating vessel, and the division case having the square shape is provided with one protrusion. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the division cases is formed in a rectangular shape to be accommodated in the accommodating vessel, and the division case having the rectangular shape has a size two times that of the division case having a square shape and is provided with two protrusions. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 8 , wherein the number of the concave portions provided in the accommodation vessel is eight such that the division cases having the square shape are disposed in two rows and four columns. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 10 , wherein the accommodating vessel accommodates the division cases having the square shape and the division cases having the rectangular shape, only the division cases having the square shape, or only the division cases having the rectangular shape. 
     
     
         12 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a body;   a storage compartment provided in the body and having an open front;   a door pivotably coupled to the body to open and close the open front of the storage compartment;   a drawer slidably coupled to the body to open and close the storage compartment and provided with a storage space therein;   a plurality of division cases accommodated in the storage space of the drawer to allow food to be stored in the division cases, the division cases dividing the storage space into a plurality of sub-spaces; and   an ice vessel to make ice, the ice vessel being detachably coupled to one of the division cases;   wherein a bottom face of each of the division cases is provided with a protrusion protruding downward, a bottom face of the drawer is provided with a plurality of concave portions corresponding to a shape of the protrusion, and the protrusions are fixed to the concave portions to allow the division cases to be accommodated in the drawer.   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein each of the division cases includes the bottom face, front and rear walls and lateral sidewalls, and the ice vessel is supported by the lateral sidewalls and accommodated in an accommodating space formed by the bottom face, front and rear walls and lateral sidewalls to have an open upper face, wherein the bottom face, front and rear walls and lateral sidewalls are integrally formed. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein the ice vessel includes an ice making tray to make ice and a support supported by the lateral sidewalls of the division case. 
     
     
         15 . A storage unit comprising:
 at least one division case provided with an accommodating space having an open upper face formed by a bottom face, front and rear walls and lateral sidewalls and including a protrusion protruding downward from the bottom face, the bottom face, front and rear walls and lateral sidewalls being integrally formed; and   an accommodating vessel to accommodate the division case, the accommodating vessel including a concave portion grooved in a shape corresponding to a shape of the protrusion,   wherein the at least one division case includes a plurality of division cases adapted to divide an internal space of the accommodating vessel into a plurality of sub-spaces and accommodated in the accommodating vessel such that the protrusion is fixed to the concave portion.   
     
     
         16 . The storage unit according to  claim 15 , wherein the division case includes knobs integrally formed on the front and rear walls to allow the division case to be moved. 
     
     
         17 . The storage unit according to  claim 15 , wherein the protrusion is provided with a quadrangular edge protruding downward, and includes a first protrusion protruding from inner and outer sides of the edge of the protrusion to be slanted toward a center of the protrusion, and a second protrusion protruding from a center of the first protrusion downward. 
     
     
         18 . The storage unit according to  claim 17 , wherein the concave portion is provided with a quadrangular edge grooved downward in a shape corresponding to the shape of the protrusion, and includes a first concave portion grooved to be slanted from inner and outer sides of the edge of the concave portion toward a center of the concave portion to have a shape corresponding to a shape of the first protrusion, and a second concave portion grooved from a center of the first concave portion downward. 
     
     
         19 . The storage unit according to  claim 15 , wherein an ice vessel to make ice is accommodated in the accommodating space of the division case, and includes a support detachably supported by the lateral sidewalls of the division case. 
     
     
         20 . A storage unit comprising:
 a plurality of cases each having one side open and including a protrusion protruding from one of the sides; and   an accommodating vessel for the plurality of cases, the accommodating vessel including a portion to receive the protrusion,   wherein at least one of the plurality of cases includes a plurality of sub-cases adapted to divide an internal space of the accommodating vessel into a plurality of sub-spaces.   
     
     
         21 . The refrigerator according to  claim 9 , wherein the number of the concave portions provided in the accommodation vessel is eight such that the division cases having the square shape are disposed in two rows and four columns. 
     
     
         22 . The refrigerator according to  claim 21 , wherein the accommodating vessel accommodates the division cases having the square shape and the division cases having the rectangular shape, only the division cases having the square shape, or only the division cases having the rectangular shape