Refrigerator appliances including a drawer assembly

Abstract

Refrigerator appliances that include a drawer assembly are provided herein. The drawer assembly may generally include a primary door and secondary door. The primary door may be slidably mounted to a cabinet of the refrigerator appliance to selectively move along a transverse direction between a primary open position permitting access to a chamber and a primary closed position restricting access to the chamber. The primary door may define a secondary opening. The secondary door may extend in a lateral direction from along at least a portion of the primary door. The secondary door may be movably mounted to the primary door to selectively move between a secondary open position permitting access to the chamber through the secondary opening and a secondary closed position restricting access through the secondary opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a cabinet defining a fresh food chamber for receipt of fresh food articles and a freezer chamber for receipt of frozen food articles; and   a freezer drawer assembly comprising
 a primary door extending in the lateral direction from a first side to a second side, the primary door being slidably mounted to the cabinet to selectively move along the transverse direction between a primary open position permitting access to the freezer chamber and a primary closed position restricting access to the freezer chamber, the primary door defining a secondary opening, and 
 a secondary door extending in the lateral direction from the first side to the second side, the secondary door being movably mounted to the primary door to selectively move between a secondary open position permitting access to the freezer chamber through the secondary opening and a secondary closed position restricting access to the secondary opening. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the freezer drawer assembly further comprises a handle mounted to the secondary door to move the primary door between the primary open position and the primary closed position. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the freezer drawer assembly further comprises a locking assembly selectively securing the secondary door in the secondary closed position. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the locking assembly comprises a catch comprising a body mounted to the primary door, the body comprising a support surface and a locking member, the support surface positioned between the outer surface of the inner door and the inner surface of the outer door along the transverse direction, and a latch coupled to the outer door, the latch operable to engage the locking member. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the secondary door is pivotally mounted to the primary door and defines a rotation axis parallel to the lateral direction. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the freezer drawer assembly further comprises a top basket slidably mounted to the cabinet independent of the primary door to selectively extend through the secondary opening. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 6 , wherein the freezer drawer assembly further comprises a bottom basket positioned below the top basket along the vertical direction. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 6 , wherein the secondary door comprises a presentation latch selectively engaged with the top basket to motivate the top basket through the secondary opening. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the freezer drawer assembly further comprises a secondary gasket attached to the secondary door to contact the primary door along a mated surface in the secondary closed position. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the freezer drawer assembly further comprises a heater positioned on the primary door along the mated surface. 
     
     
         11 . A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a cabinet defining a fresh food chamber for receipt of fresh food articles and a freezer chamber for receipt of frozen food articles, the freezer chamber being positioned below the fresh food chamber along the vertical direction; and   a freezer drawer assembly comprising
 a primary door slidably mounted to the cabinet to selectively move along the transverse direction between a primary open position permitting access to the freezer chamber and a primary closed position restricting access to the freezer chamber, the primary door defining a secondary opening, 
 a secondary door extending in the lateral direction along at least a portion of the primary door, the secondary door being movably mounted to the primary door to selectively move between a secondary open position permitting access to the freezer chamber through the secondary opening and a secondary closed position restricting access through the secondary opening, and 
 a handle mounted to the secondary door and comprising a locking assembly selectively securing the secondary door in the secondary closed position to move the primary door between the primary open position and the primary closed position. 
   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the locking assembly comprises a catch comprising a body mounted to the primary door, the body comprising a support surface and a locking member, the support surface positioned between the outer surface of the inner door and the inner surface of the outer door along the transverse direction, and a latch coupled to the outer door, the latch operable to engage the locking member. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the secondary door is pivotally mounted to the primary door and defines a rotation axis parallel to the lateral direction. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the freezer drawer assembly further comprises a top basket slidably mounted to the cabinet independent of the primary door to selectively extend through the secondary opening. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the freezer drawer assembly further comprises a bottom basket positioned below the top basket along the vertical direction. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the secondary door comprises a presentation latch selectively engaged with the top basket to motivate the top basket through the secondary opening. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the freezer drawer assembly further comprises a secondary gasket attached to the secondary door to contact the primary door along a mated surface in the secondary closed position. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the freezer drawer assembly further comprises a heater positioned on the primary door along the mated surface.