Storage drawer assembly for a refrigerator appliance

Abstract

A refrigerator appliance may define a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction and may include a cabinet that may define a chilled chamber, a door rotatably coupled to the cabinet, the door may be rotatable between an open position and a closed position, and a storage drawer assembly positioned within the chilled chamber. The storage drawer assembly may include a drawer positioned within the cabinet that may define a storage compartment. The storage drawer assembly may include a side support. The storage drawer assembly may include a lid moveably mated to the side support. The lid may be moveable between a shut position and a tucked position. The storage drawer assembly may include a locking assembly that may include a latch disposed at the side support in selective engagement with the lid in the tucked position to selectively lock the lid in the tucked position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a cabinet defining a chilled chamber;   a door rotatably coupled to the cabinet, the door being rotatable between an open position and a closed position;   a storage drawer assembly positioned within the chilled chamber, the storage drawer assembly comprising:
 a drawer positioned within the cabinet, the drawer defining a storage compartment, 
 a side support positioned above the drawer, 
 a lid moveably mated to the side support, the lid being moveable between a shut position and a tucked position, wherein in the shut position the lid is positioned at a front end of the drawer, wherein in the tucked position the lid is positioned behind the front end along the transverse direction, and 
 a locking assembly comprising a latch disposed at the side support in selective engagement with the lid in the tucked position to selectively lock the lid in the tucked position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the locking assembly further comprises a trigger positioned outside of the side support, to be engageable with the door in the closed position of the door, and wherein the locking assembly comprises a connector to connect the trigger to the latch. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the connector comprises one or more linkage arms, wherein the trigger is mechanically connected to the latch via the one or more linkage arms. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the connector comprises one or more electrical connectors, and wherein the trigger is electrically connected to the latch via the one or more electrical connectors. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the side support defines an enclosure therewithin, wherein the side support comprises a front surface at a front thereof, and wherein the trigger extended through the front surface into the enclosure. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the locking assembly further comprises a lock spring biasing the latch toward a locked position. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the side support defines an enclosure therewithin, and wherein the locking assembly is positioned within the enclosure. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the side support comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface is positioned inward of the outer surface along the lateral direction, and wherein the inner surface defines a guide track for receiving the lid. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the guide track comprises a front portion and a rear portion spaced apart along the transverse direction, and wherein the front portion is positioned below the rear portion along the vertical direction to define a back-to-front slope. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the side support is a first side support,
 wherein the storage drawer assembly further comprises a second side support,   wherein the first side support and the second side support are spaced apart along the lateral direction,   wherein a first side of the lid is moveably mated to the first side support,   wherein a second side of the lid is moveable mated to the second side support,   wherein the latch is a first latch disposed at the first side support,   wherein the locking assembly further comprises a second latch disposed at the second side support, and   wherein the first latch and the second latch together selectively lock the lid in the tucked position of the lid.   
     
     
         11 . A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a cabinet defining a chilled chamber;   a door rotatably coupled to the cabinet, the door being rotatable between an open position and a closed position;   a storage drawer assembly positioned within the chilled chamber, the storage drawer assembly comprising:
 a drawer positioned within the cabinet, the drawer defining a storage compartment; 
 a side support positioned above the drawer; 
 a lid moveably mated to side support, the lid being moveable between shut position and a tucked position, wherein in the shut position the lid is positioned at a front end of the drawer, wherein in the tucked position the lid is positioned behind the front end of the drawer along the transverse direction; and 
 a locking assembly comprising a latch and a paddle, the latch being positioned within the side support, the paddle comprising a head and a linkage arm extending from the head into the side support, the linkage arm forming a pivot joint with the latch to selectively actuate the latch between a locked position and a free position. 
   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the latch comprises a lock portion attached to the linkage arm at the pivot joint, wherein the lock portion comprises a locking surface extending along the lateral direction, wherein the locking surface that is selectively engageable with the lid to lock the lid in the tucked position thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the head of the paddle is positioned at an exterior wall of the side support, wherein the head is selectively engageable with the door in the closed position of the door. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the side support defines an enclosure therewithin, wherein the side support comprises a front face at a front thereof, and wherein the paddle is extended through the front face into the enclosure. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the pivot joint defines a pivot axis extending parallel to the vertical direction. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the locking assembly further comprises a lock spring biasing the latch toward the locked position. 
     
     
         17 . A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a cabinet defining a chilled chamber;   a door rotatably coupled to the cabinet, the door being rotatable between an open position and a closed position;   a storage drawer assembly positioned within the chilled chamber, the storage drawer assembly comprising:
 a drawer positioned within the cabinet, the drawer defining a storage compartment; 
 a side support positioned above the drawer, the side support defining an enclosure therewithin; 
 a lid moveably mated to side support, the lid being moveable between a shut position and a tucked position, wherein in the shut position the lid is positioned at a front end of the drawer, wherein in the tucked position the lid is positioned behind the front end of the drawer along the transverse direction; and 
 a locking assembly comprising a latch and a switch, the latch being mounted to the side support within the enclosure the switch being positioned outside of the enclosure, the switch being electrically connected to the latch via one or more electrical connectors to selectively actuate the latch from a locked position to a free position. 
   
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the latch comprises a lock portion, wherein the lock portion comprises a locking surface extending along a frontal plane, wherein the locking surface is selectively engageable with the lid to lock the lid in the tucked position thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the switch is disposed on an internal wall of the cabinet to be selectively engageable with the door in the closed position of the door. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the latch comprises a base and a plunger, wherein the base is mounted within the enclosure, and wherein the plunger is moveable attached within the base between a locked position and a free position along the vertical direction.