The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator including a sealing apparatus for a drawer, and more particularly, to a refrigerator including a drawer sealing apparatus by which a drawer is easily accessible.
As well-known, refrigerators are apparatuses for storing foods in a frozen or refrigerated state to keep the foods fresh for a long time.
Such a refrigerator includes a refrigerator body having a cooling chamber and a door for opening or closing the cooling chamber. A refrigeration cycle device for providing cool air into the cooling chamber is disposed in the refrigerator body.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a refrigerator according to a related art.
Referring to FIG. 1, a refrigerator includes a main body 10 having a cooling chamber 20 and a cooling chamber door 30 opening or closing the cooling chamber 20.
The cooling chamber 20 includes a freezing compartment 21 and a refrigerating compartment 22.
The cooling chamber door 30 includes a freezing compartment door 31 and a refrigerating compartment door 32 which respectively open or close the freezing compartment 21 and the refrigerating compartment 22.
A plurality of shelves 41 that vertically partition the refrigerating compartment 22 may be disposed within the refrigerating compartment 22.
A so-called vegetable storage compartment 50 for storing vegetables and/or fruits is disposed within the refrigerating compartment 22.
The vegetable storage compartment 50 may be provided in plurality.
Each of the vegetable storage compartments 50 includes a drawer that is accessible in forward and backward directions.
However, in the refrigerator according to the related art, since air within the refrigerating compartment 22 is a relatively low-temperature dry, the vegetables and/or fruits accommodated within the vegetable storage compartment 50 may be easily dried to reduce a storage period.
In consideration of the above-described limitation, a vegetable storage compartment (not shown) which is capable of sealing a vegetable storage compartment and decompressing the inside of the vegetable storage compartment at a pressure less than an atmospheric pressure is utilized.
The vegetable storage compartment having the sealing function includes a drawer sealing apparatus by which the inside of the vegetable storage compartment is maintained in a sealed state against the outside when a drawer is accommodated.
However, in the refrigerator including the drawer sealing apparatus according to the related art, the drawer sealing apparatus is configured so that a portion of components thereof is operated (rotated) in a state where the portion of the components is exposed to the outside of the drawer. Thus, it may be cumbersome to take the drawer in or out.
Also, foreign substances may be inserted into a coupling region of a component operably disposed on the outside of the drawer to interfere with the operable component.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds