Refrigerator including door opening module

Abstract

The invention relates to a refrigerator including a door opening module. In a refrigerator according to the present invention, a door opening module provided on a side surface of a storage compartment can move a drawer assembly forward and backward by pushing and pulling the drawer assembly provided on the side surface of the storage compartment, thus, the drawer assembly can be pulled in or out without directly fastening the rack or pinion of the door opening module to the drawer assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more specifically, to a refrigerator including a door opening module. Background Technology

[0002] A refrigerator is used to supply cold air generated by a refrigerant cycle to the storage compartment, keeping various types of stored items fresh for extended periods. The refrigerant flows sequentially through the compressor, condenser, and evaporator into the evaporator, where the liquid refrigerant absorbs heat from the refrigerator's interior and evaporates into a gaseous state, producing the cold air supplied to the refrigerator.

[0003] Typically, a refrigerator may include a cabinet forming a storage compartment and a door disposed within the cabinet to open and close the storage compartment. For example, the door may open and close in the same manner as a rotating door or a drawer door. A rotating door may be attached to one side of the cabinet and rotatable about an axis, thereby opening and closing the storage compartment in a rotating manner. A drawer door may be configured to be pulled in or pulled out in the front-to-back direction of the cabinet to open and close the storage compartment in a pull-in / pull-out manner.

[0004] A drawer door may include a door unit covering the front surface of the storage compartment and a storage unit located behind the door unit, having storage space for storing the stored items. The storage space of the drawer door is exposed to the outside through a user's pulling operation (such as pushing or pulling the door). For example, the drawer door may be installed in the lower area of ​​the cabinet. In this case, when the drawer door is installed in the lower area of ​​the cabinet, the user needs to bend over to pull out the drawer door, which is inconvenient and difficult to operate. Therefore, refrigerators that include a door opening module have recently been developed, which automatically pulls the drawer door out and in by a drive motor.

[0005] In addition, traditional door opening modules have various problems. These problems are mainly caused by the resistance resulting from the direct connection between the drive motor and the guide rail, the reduction in thermal insulation performance, the increased load due to the weight of the storage compartment, and the pull-in / pull-out problems caused by negative pressure.

[0006] Specifically, traditional door opening modules suffer from resistance and inconvenience when users manually pull the door out. For drawer-type doors, besides the scenario where the user automatically pulls the door out using the opening module, there are also situations where manual pulling is required. In this case, when the door opening module is designed with the guide rail and motor directly connected, the user will experience significant resistance when manually pulling the door out. This causes inconvenience for the user. In particular, when the pulling resistance increases due to the motor's back electromotive force, manually pulling the door out becomes difficult, significantly reducing the user experience.

[0007] Furthermore, traditional door opening modules can reduce the refrigerator's insulation performance. For example, when the door opening module is located inside the bottom surface of the refrigerator, it may encroach on the insulation area, reducing the insulation performance of the lower part of the refrigerator. In other words, when components such as the drive motor or guide rails are located inside the bottom surface of the refrigerator, sufficient insulation material cannot be provided, making it difficult to maintain the internal temperature. This reduces the refrigerator's energy efficiency, which negatively impacts the freshness of food.

[0008] Furthermore, traditional door opening modules are prone to guide rail sagging and rack damage due to the weight of the storage unit. For example, door opening modules may use a rack and pinion system to convert rotary motion into linear motion. In this case, when the storage unit is filled with many items, the weight of the storage unit may cause the guide rail to sag or the rack to damage. In the long run, this structural defect reduces the refrigerator's reliability, and when the guide rail sags or the rack is damaged, the storage unit cannot be pulled out smoothly. This ultimately leads to increased maintenance costs for the refrigerator.

[0009] Furthermore, traditional door opening modules often fail to ensure sufficient door pull-out force to overcome the negative pressure in the storage compartment. Drawer-type doors are typically used in freezers. In particular, because freezers operate under conditions aimed at maintaining low temperatures, a strong negative pressure is generated inside, requiring greater force to open the door. Thus, when the increased load during manual and automatic pull-out due to the negative pressure in the storage compartment causes discomfort for the user when opening or closing the door, this leads to decreased door reliability.

[0010] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention proposes a refrigerator that includes the following door opening module. Summary of the Invention

[0011] The present invention aims to provide a refrigerator including a door opening module, which enables the drawer assembly to be pulled in and out without the rack or pinion of the door opening module being directly fastened to the drawer assembly.

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a refrigerator including a door opening module, wherein the load of the drawer assembly is not directly applied to the door opening module.

[0013] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a refrigerator including a door opening module that can stably pull the drawer assembly in and out even if the door opening module is not aligned with the drawer assembly.

[0014] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a refrigerator including a door opening module, which can significantly extend the pull-out distance of the drawer assembly even when the door opening module is located in a storage compartment with a narrow width in the front-to-back direction.

[0015] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a refrigerator including a door opening module, which has a driving force capable of effectively overcoming door sealing pressure.

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a refrigerator including a door opening module that enables the drawer assembly to move forward simply by pushing the storage unit, without having to be directly fastened to the drawer assembly.

[0017] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a refrigerator including a door opening module, which can achieve a manual opening mode without separate operation when the drawer assembly is closed.

[0018] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a refrigerator including a door opening module that can solve the problem of back electromotive force that may occur when manually pulling the drawer assembly in and out.

[0019] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a refrigerator including a door opening module that minimizes the resistance or inconvenience experienced by the user when manually pulling the drawer assembly in and out.

[0020] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a refrigerator including a door opening module that can prevent damage due to the load on the storage unit and operate stably regardless of the load on the storage unit.

[0021] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a refrigerator including a door opening module, which can reduce intrusion into the insulated space of the refrigerator.

[0022] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a refrigerator including a door opening module, which can smoothly open the drawer assembly even in a high negative pressure environment.

[0023] The objectives of this invention are not limited to those described above, and other objectives and advantages not described herein will be understood from the following description and will become clearer through embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, it will be readily apparent that the objectives and advantages of this invention can be achieved by the means and combinations thereof described in the claims.

[0024] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a refrigerator is provided, comprising: a cabinet including one or more storage compartments; a drawer assembly including a door unit for opening and closing a front surface of the storage compartment and a storage unit housed within the storage compartment; a guide rail assembly for guiding movement of the drawer assembly in a front-rear direction; and a door opening module disposed on a side surface of the storage compartment and for pushing and moving the drawer assembly forward and pulling and moving the drawer assembly backward.

[0025] The refrigerator may also include a support member fastened to the guide rail assembly and supporting one side and the other side of the storage unit, and a door opening module that can push the support member to push the drawer assembly forward and pull the support member to pull the drawer assembly backward.

[0026] The support components may further include: a first support component and a second support component fastened to the guide rail assembly and respectively disposed on both sides of the storage unit; and a support extension rod extending in the left-right direction of the storage chamber such that one side and the other side are respectively connected to the first support component and the second support component, and the door opening module can push or pull the support extension rod.

[0027] The refrigerator may also include a pair of storage compartment connecting members that respectively fix the guide rail assembly to two side surfaces of the storage compartment and have an adjusting rack, wherein the support member may also include an adjusting unit extending in the left-right direction of the storage compartment such that one side and the other side are respectively connected to the first support member and the second support member, and the adjusting unit may include an adjusting pinion that meshes with the adjusting rack.

[0028] The guide rail assembly may include multiple guide rail units whose length can be extended and retracted according to the forward and backward movement of the support member.

[0029] The door opening module may include one or more multi-stage rack-pinion assemblies, one or more drive assemblies that drive the rack-pinion assemblies, and a locking assembly configured to engage and disengage from the support member.

[0030] The refrigerator may also include a machine compartment located behind the storage compartment, wherein the multi-stage rack and pinion assembly may include three or more racks.

[0031] The pressing part can be provided on the rear surface of the door unit, and when the door opening module moves the drawer assembly forward while the drawer assembly is fully moved backward, the rack and pinion assembly can push the pressing part to release the contact between the door unit and the cabinet.

[0032] The pressing part can be fastened to the front end of the support component.

[0033] The door opening module may also include one or more push members located at the rear of the storage unit and push the support members to move the drawer assembly forward.

[0034] The pushing component can be mounted on the locking assembly.

[0035] The support components may further include: a first support component and a second support component fastened to the guide rail assembly and respectively disposed on both sides of the storage unit; and a support extension rod extending in the left-right direction of the storage chamber such that one side and the other side are respectively connected to the first support component and the second support component, and the pusher components may be configured as a pair and each of the one side and the other side of the support extension rod.

[0036] The locking assembly may be provided with a hook member that engages with the support member when the drawer assembly moves forward or backward and disengages from the support member when the drawer assembly is fully moved backward.

[0037] The rack and pinion assembly may include a first rack and pinion assembly and a second rack and pinion assembly respectively disposed on one side and the other side of the storage chamber, and the drive assembly may include a first drive assembly and a second drive assembly respectively driving the first rack and pinion assembly and the second rack and pinion assembly.

[0038] The locking assembly may include a locking assembly extension rod extending in the left-right direction of the storage compartment, such that one side and the other side are respectively connected to the first rack-pinion assembly and the second rack-pinion assembly, and the locking assembly extension rod can synchronize the operation of the first rack-pinion assembly and the second rack-pinion assembly.

[0039] The rack and pinion assembly may include a first rack and pinion assembly and a second rack and pinion assembly respectively disposed on one side and the other side of the storage chamber, and a drive assembly may be disposed on one side of the storage chamber and drive the first rack and pinion assembly.

[0040] The locking assembly may include a locking assembly extension rod extending in the left-right direction of the storage compartment, such that one side and the other side are respectively connected to the first rack-pinion assembly and the second rack-pinion assembly, and the second rack-pinion assembly can be operated by the movement constraint of the locking assembly extension rod, which synchronizes the operation of the first rack-pinion assembly and the second rack-pinion assembly.

[0041] The drawer assembly can move along the guide rail assembly in the front-to-back direction by driving the door opening module in automatic door opening mode, and the drawer assembly can be moved by the user in the front-to-back direction along the guide rail assembly in manual opening mode when the door opening module is not driven.

[0042] The guide rail assembly supports the storage unit, creating a gap space between the lower surface of the storage unit and the lower inner surface of the storage chamber, and maintaining the gap space as the drawer assembly moves forward and backward.

[0043] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a refrigerator is provided, comprising: a cabinet including one or more storage compartments; a storage unit disposed within the storage compartment; a guide rail assembly for guiding movement of the storage unit; and a door opening module separate from the guide rail assembly, disposed on a side surface of the storage compartment, and for moving the storage unit in a front-rear direction.

[0044] The door opening module can be driven by a rack and pinion drive method, which includes multiple racks and pinions, and the rotation axis of the pinions can extend in the left and right direction along the storage chamber.

[0045] The guide rail assembly can be configured as a pair of guide rail assemblies and disposed on each of the two inner sides of the storage chamber, and when the door opening module is driven, the load of the storage unit can be supported by the guide rail assembly, so that the storage unit can move in the front-back direction.

[0046] The door opening module may not support the load of the storage unit.

[0047] The refrigerator may also include a support member fastened to the guide rail assembly and supporting one side and the other side of the storage unit. The door opening module can push the support member to move the storage unit forward and pull the support member to move the storage unit backward.

[0048] The door opening module can push and pull the storage unit while engaging with the support components.

[0049] The support components and door opening module can be detached when the storage unit is fully retracted into the storage chamber.

[0050] The support components and door opening module can be engaged with the storage unit at a predetermined distance from the rear surface of the storage chamber.

[0051] In the refrigerator according to the invention, since the door opening module provided on the side surface of the storage compartment can move the drawer assembly forward and backward by pushing and pulling the drawer assembly provided on the side surface of the storage compartment, the drawer assembly can be pulled in or out without the rack or pinion of the door opening module being directly fastened to the drawer assembly.

[0052] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the invention, since the door opening module provided on the side surface of the storage compartment can move the drawer assembly forward and backward by pushing and pulling the drawer assembly provided on the side surface of the storage compartment, the load of the drawer assembly is not directly applied to the door opening module, which can reduce the occurrence of misalignment or gaps in the rack and pinion of the door opening module.

[0053] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, since the door opening module provided on the side surface of the storage compartment can move the drawer assembly forward and backward by pushing and pulling the drawer assembly provided on the side surface of the storage compartment, even if the drawer assembly and the door opening module are not aligned due to the tilt of the drawer assembly, the drawer assembly can be stably pulled in or out without affecting the operation of the door opening module.

[0054] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the invention, since the multi-stage rack and pinion assembly includes two or more racks, even if the door opening module is located in a storage compartment with a narrow width in the front-to-back direction, the pull-out distance of the drawer assembly can be significantly extended, so that the storage unit of the drawer assembly can be fully exposed to the outside.

[0055] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the invention, when the door opening module opens the drawer assembly while the drawer assembly is closed, the rack and pinion assembly can preferentially release the contact between the door unit and the cabinet by pushing the rear surface of the door unit located at the front of the drawer assembly. This allows the driving force of the door opening module to effectively overcome the door sealing pressure between the gasket of the cabinet and the drawer assembly.

[0056] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the invention, since the pushing member of the door opening module can push the rear surface of the storage unit located at the rear of the drawer assembly to move the drawer assembly forward, the door opening module can move the drawer assembly forward simply by pushing the rear surface of the storage unit without being directly fastened to the drawer assembly.

[0057] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the invention, since the drawer assembly includes a locking assembly with a hook member configured to engage with the storage unit during forward and backward movement of the drawer assembly and disengage from the storage unit when the drawer assembly is closed, a manual opening mode can be achieved without separate operation when the drawer assembly is closed. Therefore, in the refrigerator according to the invention, since switching between automatic door opening mode and manual opening mode is possible, the user can easily and smoothly pull out the drawer assembly without a separate command to switch to manual opening mode, thereby maximizing ease of use.

[0058] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the invention, in manual opening mode, the drawer assembly can be pulled in or out solely by the guidance of the guide rail assembly, without needing to be secured to the door opening module. Therefore, when the drawer assembly is manually pulled in or out, there is no need to forcibly or passively drive the door opening module, which solves the problem of back electromotive force in the door opening module that may occur during manual pull-in / pull-out operations.

[0059] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the invention, since the drawer assembly can be pulled in or out by the guide rail assembly without being fastened to the door opening module in manual opening mode, the resistance or inconvenience felt by the user when pulling the drawer assembly in and out can be minimized, thereby improving the user experience.

[0060] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the invention, the drawer assembly can be separated from the door opening module, such that the guide rail assembly provided on the side surface of the drawer assembly supports the load of the storage unit without the door opening module supporting the load of the storage unit of the drawer assembly. Therefore, the door opening module, which directly provides the driving force, can be prevented from being damaged by the load of the storage unit, and the door opening module can operate stably regardless of the magnitude of the load on the storage unit.

[0061] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, by arranging the door opening module on the side surface of the storage compartment, it is possible to prevent the door opening module from intruding into the heat-insulating space, thereby maintaining the heat insulation performance of the refrigerator and improving energy efficiency.

[0062] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the invention, since the door opening module is implemented as a dual-module structure including a pair of drive components and a rack-pinion assembly, it is possible to provide a strong door pull-out force that can smoothly open the drawer assembly even in high negative pressure environments such as the freezer compartment.

[0063] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the invention, when the door opening module is disposed in a storage compartment that overlaps with the machine compartment in the front-back direction, the rack-pinion assembly included in the door opening module may be configured to overlap with the upper region of the machine compartment rather than the lower region in the front-back direction, so as to increase the length of the rack-pinion assembly in the front-back direction, thereby increasing the pull-out amount of the rack of the rack-pinion assembly.

[0064] The specific effects of the present invention, as well as the aforementioned effects, will be explained in conjunction with the following detailed description for carrying out the present invention.

[0065] Postscript:

[0066] Appendix 1. A refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising:

[0067] A cabinet, the cabinet comprising one or more storage compartments;

[0068] A drawer assembly, the drawer assembly including a door unit for opening and closing the front surface of the storage compartment and a storage unit housed within the storage compartment;

[0069] A guide rail assembly that guides the movement of the drawer assembly in the front-to-back direction; and

[0070] A door opening module is disposed on the side surface of the storage compartment, which pushes the drawer assembly and moves the drawer assembly forward, and pulls the drawer assembly and moves the drawer assembly backward.

[0071] Appendix 2. According to Appendix 1, the refrigerator further includes a support member fastened to the guide rail assembly and supporting one side and the other side of the storage unit.

[0072] The door opening module pushes the support member to push the drawer assembly forward, and pulls the support member to pull the drawer assembly backward.

[0073] Note 3. The refrigerator according to Note 2, wherein the support component further includes:

[0074] A first support component and a second support component, the first support component and the second support component being fastened to the guide rail assembly and respectively disposed on both sides of the storage unit; and

[0075] A support extension rod extends along the left-right direction of the storage chamber such that one side is connected to the first support member and the second support member, respectively.

[0076] The door opening module pushes or pulls the bracket extension rod.

[0077] Appendix 4. According to Appendix 3, the refrigerator further includes a pair of storage compartment connecting members, which respectively fix the guide rail assembly to two side surfaces of the storage compartment, and each includes an adjusting rack.

[0078] The support component further includes an adjustment unit that extends along the left-right direction of the storage chamber such that one side and the other side are respectively connected to the first support component and the second support component.

[0079] The adjustment unit includes an adjustment pinion that meshes with the adjustment rack.

[0080] Note 5. The refrigerator according to Note 2, wherein the guide rail assembly includes a plurality of guide rail units, the length of which can be extended and retracted according to the forward movement and the backward movement of the support member.

[0081] Appendix 6. The refrigerator according to Appendix 2, wherein the door opening module includes:

[0082] One or more multi-stage rack-pinion assemblies;

[0083] One or more drive components that drive the rack-pinion assembly; and

[0084] A locking component configured to engage and disengage from the support member.

[0085] Note 7. The refrigerator according to Note 6 further includes a machine compartment located behind the storage compartment.

[0086] The multi-stage rack-pinion assembly includes two or more racks.

[0087] Note 8. The refrigerator according to Note 6, wherein the pressing part is provided on the rear surface of the door unit, and

[0088] When the door opening module moves the drawer assembly forward while the drawer assembly is fully moved backward,

[0089] The rack and pinion assembly pushes the pressing part to release the contact between the door unit and the cabinet.

[0090] Note 9. The refrigerator according to Note 8, wherein the pressing part is fastened to the front end portion of the support member.

[0091] Note 10. The refrigerator according to Note 6, wherein the door opening module further includes one or more push members disposed at the rear of the storage unit and push the support member to move the drawer assembly forward.

[0092] Note 11. The refrigerator according to Note 6, wherein the locking assembly is provided with a hook member configured to engage with the support member when the drawer assembly moves forward or backward, and configured to disengage from the support member when the drawer assembly is fully moved backward.

[0093] Appendix 12. The refrigerator according to Appendix 6, wherein the rack and pinion assembly includes a first rack and pinion assembly and a second rack and pinion assembly respectively disposed on one side and the other side of the storage compartment, and

[0094] The drive assembly includes a first drive assembly and a second drive assembly that drive the first rack-pinion assembly and the second rack-pinion assembly, respectively.

[0095] Appendix 13. The refrigerator according to Appendix 12, wherein the locking assembly includes a locking assembly extension rod that extends in the lateral direction of the storage compartment such that one side and the other side are respectively connected to the first rack-pinion assembly and the second rack-pinion assembly, and

[0096] The locking component extension rod synchronizes the operation of the first rack-pinion assembly and the second rack-pinion assembly.

[0097] Appendix 14. The refrigerator according to Appendix 1, wherein, in automatic door opening mode, by driving the door opening module, the drawer assembly can move along the guide rail assembly in the front-to-back direction, and

[0098] In manual opening mode, when the door opening module is not driven, the drawer assembly can be moved by the user along the guide rail assembly in the front-back direction.

[0099] Appendix 15. The refrigerator according to Appendix 1, wherein the guide rail assembly supports the storage unit such that a gap space is formed between the lower surface of the storage unit and the lower inner surface of the storage compartment, and

[0100] The gap space is maintained as the drawer assembly moves forward and backward.

[0101] Appendix 16. A refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising:

[0102] A cabinet, the cabinet comprising one or more storage compartments;

[0103] Storage unit, wherein the storage unit is disposed in the storage room;

[0104] A guide rail assembly that guides the movement of the storage unit; and

[0105] A door opening module, which is detached from the guide rail assembly, is disposed on the side surface of the storage chamber and moves the storage unit in the front-back direction.

[0106] Appendix 17. The refrigerator according to Appendix 16, wherein the door opening module is driven by a rack and pinion drive method comprising multiple racks and multiple pinions, and

[0107] The axis of rotation of the pinion extends in the left-right direction of the storage chamber.

[0108] Note 18. The refrigerator according to Note 16 further includes a support member fastened to the guide rail assembly and supporting one side and the other side of the storage unit.

[0109] The door opening module pushes the support member to move the storage unit forward and pulls the support member to move the storage unit backward.

[0110] Note 19. The refrigerator according to Note 18, wherein the support member is detached from the door opening module when the storage unit is completely stored in the storage compartment.

[0111] Note 20. The refrigerator according to Note 18, wherein the support member engages with the door opening module when the storage unit is spaced a predetermined distance from the rear surface of the storage compartment. Attached Figure Description

[0112] Figure 1 It is a 3D view of the refrigerator with the door closed.

[0113] Figure 2 This is a 3D view of the refrigerator with the bottom door open.

[0114] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the interior of a storage compartment equipped with a door opening module, with the lower door removed.

[0115] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the upper surface and one side surface of the storage chamber, in which the storage unit with a door mounted on a support member is pulled into the storage chamber.

[0116] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the upper surface and one side surface of the storage chamber, in which the storage unit with the door mounted on the support member is pulled out to the outside of the storage chamber along the guide rail assembly.

[0117] Figure 6 The diagram shows the state of the door opening module, guide rail assembly, and support components before they are pulled out.

[0118] Figure 7 The diagram shows the door opening module, guide rail assembly, and support components fully extended.

[0119] Figure 8 This diagram shows the drive assembly, rack and pinion assembly, and locking assembly that make up the door opening module in their separated states.

[0120] Figure 9 It is an exploded 3D view of the driving component.

[0121] Figure 10 This is an exploded perspective view of the rack and pinion assembly.

[0122] Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional view showing the connection between the rack and pinion constituting the first rack-pinion assembly and the drive assembly.

[0123] Figure 12 The image shows the rack of the rack-pinion assembly mounted in the drive unit before it is pulled out.

[0124] Figure 13 The image shows the rack of the rack-pinion assembly installed in the drive assembly with the rack pulled out.

[0125] Figure 14 This is an exploded 3D view of the locking component.

[0126] Figure 15 The diagram shows the door opening module, guide rail assembly, and support member being fully extended according to another embodiment.

[0127] Figure 16 The image shows the rack of a rack-pinion assembly mounted in a drive assembly according to another embodiment before the rack is pulled out.

[0128] Figure 17 The diagram shows the rack of a rack-pinion assembly mounted in a drive assembly according to another embodiment being pulled out.

[0129] Figure 18 This is an enlarged view showing the bracket members and guide rail assembly mounted on the door unit with the door storage unit removed, the door opening module set on the side surface of the door, and some areas.

[0130] Figure 19 This is an enlarged view showing, according to one embodiment, a bracket member and guide rail assembly mounted on a door unit, a door opening module disposed on the side surface of the door, and some areas, with the door storage unit installed.

[0131] Figure 20 It shows a side cross-sectional view of the door and the door opening module before the door opening module is activated, as well as enlarged views of some areas.

[0132] Figure 21 It shows a side cross-sectional view of the door and the door opening module with the door fully open when the door opening module is activated, as well as an enlarged view showing some areas. Detailed Implementation

[0133] The above-described objects, features, and advantages will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, thus enabling those skilled in the art to readily implement the technical concept of the invention. In describing the invention, detailed descriptions of known technologies related to the invention will be omitted where it is determined that such detailed descriptions may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the invention. Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments according to the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same or similar parts.

[0134] Although the terms "first," "second," etc., are used to describe various components, it is clear that these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another, and unless otherwise stated, the first component can obviously be the second component.

[0135] Throughout the instruction manual, unless otherwise stated, each component may be a single or multiple.

[0136] In the following text, the arrangement of any component "above (or below)" a component or "on" or "below" the component can mean not only that the arbitrary component is configured to contact the upper (or lower) surface of the component, but also that other components can be inserted between the component and any component arranged "above (or below)" the component.

[0137] Furthermore, when describing a component as “connected,” “joined,” or “engaged” to another component, these components may be directly connected or engaged, but it should be understood that another component may be “inserted” between these components, or that these components may be “connected,” “joined,” or “engaged” through another component.

[0138] Furthermore, throughout this specification, the terms "engagement" and "disengagement" are used to describe the connection and disconnection between components. However, these terms are not limited to these and may be used interchangeably with other similar terms such as "connection" and "disconnection" or "linking" and "separation." Additionally, throughout this specification, the term "engagement with" is used to define a functional connection between gear components. It is to be understood that this term is not intended to be limiting and may include other forms of connection, such as those described by the terms "engagement with," "connected to," or "linked to."

[0139] The singular expressions used herein include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, terms such as “consisting of” or “comprising” should not be construed as including all the various components or operations described in the specification, but should be construed as excluding some components or operations, or further including additional components or operations.

[0140] Throughout the specification, when “A and / or B” is described, unless otherwise specified, it means A, B, or A and B, and when “C to D” is described, unless otherwise specified, it means C or greater and D or less.

[0141] In the following text, a refrigerator according to some embodiments of the present invention will be described.

[0142] [Refrigerator Structure]

[0143] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 A refrigerator structure according to one embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0144] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2The exterior of the refrigerator 1 may be formed by a cabinet 2, which includes one or more storage compartments (these are storage spaces for items) and multiple doors 20 that allow the cabinet 2 to be opened and closed. The cabinet 2 may include an outer shell 12 and an inner shell 11 connected to the interior of the outer shell 12. An insulated area filled with insulating material may be formed between the inner shell 11 and the outer shell 12, and various types of pipes associated with the cooling system may pass through the insulated area.

[0145] The inner shell 11 can be divided into separate spaces to include multiple storage compartments. For example, the storage compartments may include a first storage compartment 14, a second storage compartment 15, and a third storage compartment 16. The first storage compartment 14 may be located at the upper end of the storage compartment, the second storage compartment 15 may be located in the middle, and the third storage compartment 16 may be located at the lower end. In this specification, an example of three of the storage compartments being stacked vertically will be described, but the number and location of the storage compartments are not limited thereto. For example, the first storage compartment 14 may be used as a refrigerator compartment, the second storage compartment 15 may be used as a switching compartment, which may be used as a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment, or a separate storage compartment with a desired temperature according to user settings, and the third storage compartment 16 may be used as a freezer compartment, but the function of each storage compartment is not limited thereto.

[0146] The first storage compartment 14 can be opened and closed by a first door 21. The first door 21 can be a pair of doors, and can be a revolving door, connected by hinges to one side and the other side of the cabinet 2 constituting the first storage compartment 14 and rotating. A handle can be formed on each first door 21 so that the user can easily open and close them. In addition, a dispenser 13 can be provided on one of the first doors 21, which allows the user to remove water or ice without opening the first door 21.

[0147] The third storage compartment 16 can be opened and closed by a third door 23. The third door 23 can be a drawer-type door that can be opened and closed by pulling it out and pulling it in in the front-back direction. In this specification, the front-back direction is relative to the front and back of the refrigerator 1, and the left-right direction is relative to the sides of the refrigerator 1. The front of the refrigerator 1 is the direction from which the user uses the refrigerator 1. The third door 23 may include a door unit 210 covering the front surface of the third storage compartment 16 and a storage unit 220 disposed behind the door unit 210 and housed within the third storage compartment 16. A handle may be formed on the door unit 210, allowing the user to easily open and close it. The third door 23, including the door unit 210 and the storage unit 220, may be referred to as a drawer assembly or an autodrawer.

[0148] Storage unit 220 may be formed in the form of a basket having storage space for storing objects such as food. Storage unit 220 may be formed in a separable form to be detachable from door unit 210. For example, storage unit 220 may be secured to door unit 210 by fastening to or mounting to a separate connecting member such as a support member described below, but is not limited thereto, and storage unit 220 may be directly fastened and secured to door unit 210. Because storage unit 220 is constructed in this way to be detachable from door unit 210, the user can easily separate and clean storage unit 220. Storage unit 220 of the third door 23 described in this specification may be referred to as first storage unit 220. Second storage unit 230 may be additionally provided in third storage chamber 16. Second storage unit 230 may be provided on top of first storage unit 220. Door unit 210 may be formed to substantially cover the front surfaces of first storage unit 220 and second storage unit 230. For example, the second storage unit 230 can be pulled out or pulled in in the front-back direction without being restricted by the movement of the first storage unit 220. For example, the second storage unit 230 can be pulled out or pulled in in the front-back direction by rolling along the upper edge surfaces on both sides of the first storage unit 220.

[0149] The second storage compartment 15 can be opened and closed by a second door 22. The second door 22 can be a drawer-type door that can be opened and closed by pulling out and pulling in the front-back direction. For example, the second door 22 may also include, in the same manner as the third door 23, a door unit covering the front surface of the second storage compartment 15 and a storage unit disposed behind the door unit and housed within the second storage compartment 15, but is not limited thereto. The second door 22, including the door unit and the storage unit, may also be referred to as a drawer assembly or an automatic drawer. Since the machine compartment can be located behind the lower region of the third storage compartment 16, the width of the lower region of the third storage compartment 16 in the front-back direction can be reduced. Therefore, the width of the second storage compartment 15 in the front-back direction can be formed to be greater than the width of the lower region of the third storage compartment 16 in which the machine compartment 17 is disposed. Handles can be formed on the second doors 22 to allow the user to easily open and close them. The above-described opening and closing methods for each door 20 are not limited to the figures, and revolving doors and drawer-type doors can be changed in different ways as needed.

[0150] [Guide rail assembly, bracket components, and door opening module]

[0151] Further reference will be made below. Figures 3 to 7This description includes a guide rail assembly 70, a support member 80, and a door opening module 30 disposed in a storage compartment according to one embodiment of the present invention. The storage compartment described below is an example of a third storage compartment 16, but the invention is not limited thereto, and the following description also applies to the first storage compartment 14 and the second storage compartment 15 when they are opened and closed in a drawer-type door manner. For ease of description, the third storage compartment 16 is referred to as storage compartment 16, and the third door 23 is referred to as door 23. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the third door 23 may be referred to as a drawer assembly or an automatic drawer.

[0152] Storage chamber 16 may consist of a bottom surface 164 forming a lower inner surface, a first side surface 162a and a second side surface 162b forming two side surfaces, and a rear surface 163. The upper surface of storage chamber 16 may be formed by a partition dividing the second storage chamber 15 and the third storage chamber 16. A machine room 17 may be located behind storage chamber 16. Specifically, the machine room 17, which houses refrigeration system components such as a compressor, may be located outside the rear surface 163 of storage chamber 16. Therefore, the rear surface 163 of storage chamber 16, which overlaps with machine room 17 in the longitudinal direction, may be formed to have a narrower longitudinal width than other rear surfaces 163 of storage chamber 16 that do not overlap with machine room 17 in the longitudinal direction. For example, the rear surface 163 of storage chamber 16, which overlaps in the longitudinal direction, may be formed to have an inclined surface that moves forward as it travels toward the bottom surface 164; in other words, the rear surface 163 of storage chamber 16 may have a forward-inclined slope or a forward-inclined conical surface.

[0153] A pair of guide rail assemblies 70 may be respectively disposed on two side surfaces of the storage chamber 16. The guide rail assembly 70 may be a multi-stage guide rail assembly 70 that is extendable and retractable. The guide rail assembly 70 may guide the movement of the door 20 in the front-back direction. For example, a first guide rail assembly 71 may be disposed on a first side surface 162a of the storage chamber 16, and a second guide rail assembly 72 may be disposed on a second side surface 162b of the storage chamber 16.

[0154] The first guide rail assembly 71 can be fixed to the first side surface 162a of the storage chamber 16 via a separately provided storage chamber connecting member 18. One side of the storage chamber connecting member 18 provides a placement space for the first guide rail assembly 71 and can be fixed to the first guide rail assembly 71. The other side of the storage chamber connecting member 18 can be fixed to the first side surface 162a of the storage chamber 16. For example, a guide rail assembly placement portion 181 can be formed on one side of the storage chamber connecting member 18, which provides a receiving space for storing and placing the first guide rail assembly 71. The guide rail assembly placement portion 181 can be configured such that the storage chamber 16 is open in the inward and forward directions. The storage chamber connecting member 18 can include an adjusting rack 182, which forms the lower surface of the guide rail assembly placement portion 181. The adjusting rack 182 can include an adjusting rack profile 183, which is fixed to the guide rail assembly placement portion 181 and is configured to extend in the front-rear direction. The adjusting rack profile 183 can be configured to face upward. The adjusting rack profile 183 can mesh with the adjusting pinion 85 of the adjusting unit 83, which will be described below.

[0155] The first guide rail assembly 71 may include multiple guide rail units that can be pulled out in multiple stages. For example, the first guide rail assembly 71 may be a three-stage guide rail assembly comprising three guide rail units: a first guide rail unit 710, a second guide rail unit 720, and a third guide rail unit 730. However, the invention is not limited thereto, and the first guide rail assembly 71 may include two guide rail units or four or more guide rail units. When the guide rail units of the first guide rail assembly 71 are not pulled out, the length of the first guide rail unit 710 may substantially correspond to the length of the first guide rail assembly 71. When the guide rail units of the first guide rail assembly 71 are pulled out, with the first guide rail unit 710 fixed, a portion of the second guide rail unit 720 may be pulled forward further than the first guide rail unit 710, and a portion of the third guide rail unit 730 may be pulled forward further than the second guide rail unit 720.

[0156] Similarly, the second guide rail assembly 72 can be secured to the second side surface 162b of the storage chamber 16 via a separately provided storage chamber connecting member 18. Furthermore, the second guide rail assembly 72 can be positioned facing the first guide rail assembly 71, and the first and second guide rail assemblies 71 and 72 can be formed symmetrically. The description of the first guide rail assembly 71 can be applied to the second guide rail assembly 72 in the same manner.

[0157] A support member 80 may be disposed on each guide rail assembly 70. A first support member 81 may be disposed in the first guide rail assembly 71, and a second support member 82 may be disposed in the second guide rail assembly 72. The first support member 81 may include a support body 810 extending in one direction. The support body 810 may be fastened to a second guide rail unit 720 and a third guide rail unit 730 projecting forward within the guide rail units of the first guide rail assembly 71. Therefore, the first support member 81 may be restricted by the pull-in / pull-out operation of the second guide rail unit 720 and the third guide rail unit 730, and may move forward and backward. For example, the support body 810 may be fixedly fastened to a side surface of the second guide rail unit 720 and the third guide rail unit 730 by a hook-and-loop fastening method, but this fastening method is not limited to this.

[0158] A curved support portion 811, which bends and extends downward, can be formed on the front of the support body 810. A sensor portion 830 can be disposed on the curved support portion 811. A sensor for detecting whether the door 20 is pulled out or pulled in can be disposed on the sensor portion 830. The sensor portion 830 can send a sensing signal to a controller disposed inside the refrigerator 1. For example, the sensor can be a Hall sensor using a magnet such as a magnet. For example, a magnet can be disposed on the sensor portion 830, and a Hall sensor can be disposed on one side of the storage compartment 16. When the support member 80 is fully pulled into the storage compartment 16, the magnet and the Hall sensor can be disposed adjacent to each other to generate a magnetic field, and the sensor can detect that the door 20 is in the closed state. When the support member 80 is pulled out of the storage compartment 16, as the magnet and the Hall sensor move away from each other, the magnetic field disappears, and the sensor can detect that the door 20 is in the open state.

[0159] A front extension 820, which bends and extends downward from the bracket body 810, may be formed in front of the bracket bend portion 811. The front extension 820 may be formed in the shape of a plate with a predetermined area facing forward, and is provided at the front end of the first bracket member 81. The front extension 820 may be the part that securely fastens the first bracket member 81 to the door 20.

[0160] A pressing part 822 may be provided on the front extension 820. Each pressing part 822 may be located at a position overlapping with the first rack-pinion assembly 51 and the second rack-pinion assembly 52 respectively mounted on the first drive assembly 41 and the second drive assembly 42 in the front-rear direction, as will be described below. When the rack of the rack-pinion assembly 50 is pulled forward, a pressing member 532 positioned on the front end portion of the rack may contact the pressing part 822 to press and push the pressing part 822 forward. The pressing part 822 may be fastened to one side of the front extension 820. For example, a portion of the pressing part 822 may be inserted and fastened along the lateral direction of the front extension 820. The pressing part 822 may be fastened to the front extension 820 by a separate fastening member, or by a hook connection method, etc., but there are no particular limitations on such fastening methods. Since the pressing part 822, which is pressed forward by the pressing member 532, is inserted into the front extension 820 in a left-right direction perpendicular to the forward direction, the weakening of the fastening force from the front extension 82 can be reduced even when the pressing part 822 is pressed by the pressing member 532.

[0161] The pressing part 822 may be provided on the rear surface of the door unit 210. For example, the pressing part 822 may also be fastened to the rear surface of the door unit 210 while being fastened to the bracket member 80. Alternatively, the pressing part 822 may be fastened to the rear surface of the door unit 210 without being fastened to the bracket member 80. In this case, the pressing part 822 may be fixed to the rear surface of the door unit 210 by means such as assembly, by means such as hooking, or by a separate fastening member. The pressing part 822 may be formed of a plastic material with high impact resistance and may include, for example, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) plastic, but is not limited thereto. An embodiment in which the pressing part 822 is a component separate from the bracket member 80 or the door unit 210 has been described, but the invention is not limited thereto.

[0162] In another embodiment, the pressing portion 822 may be integrally formed with the support member 80 or the door unit 210. For example, a shape corresponding to the pressing portion 822 located on the rear or side surface of the support member 80 or the door unit 210 may be integrally formed with the support member 80 or the door unit 210. Furthermore, the pressing portion 822 may be integrally molded and formed with the support member 80 or the door unit 210. Alternatively, the pressing portion 822 may not be molded separately from the support member 80 or the door unit 210, and in this case, the pressing portion 822 may be conceptually defined as the surface pressed by the pressing member 532.

[0163] Because the pressing member 532 pushes the rear surface of the door unit 210 positioned in front of the door 20, the pressing member 532 can transmit a force that pushes the rear surface of the door unit 210, which is greater than the force that pushes other parts positioned away from the door unit 210. Since the sealing pressure between the gasket 213 of the door 20 and the cabinet 2 is high when the door 20 is closed, a larger initial force may be required to disengage the door 20 from the cabinet 2. Therefore, by pushing the pressing part 822 of the door unit 210 positioned in front of the door 20, causing the pressing member 532 to abut against the gasket 213, the sealing pressure between the gasket 213 and the cabinet 2 can be effectively overcome. In this case, pushing the rear surface of the door unit 210 positioned in front of the door 20 can overcome the sealing pressure between the gasket 213 and the cabinet 2 more effectively than simply pushing other parts located at the rear of the door 21.

[0164] In the same manner, the second support member 82 can be fastened to the second guide rail assembly 72. Furthermore, the second support member 82 can be configured to face the first support member 81, and the first support member 81 and the second support member 82 can be formed symmetrically. The description of the first support member 81 can also be applied to the second support member 82 in the same manner.

[0165] The support member 80 may include a support extension rod 840 extending in the left-right direction of the storage chamber 16, such that one side engages with the first support member 81 and the second support member 82, respectively. The support extension rod 840 may generally have a rod shape extending in one direction, but is not limited thereto. For example, the support extension rod 840 may have a rod shape with an open rear surface. The support extension rod 840 may be configured to engage with the first support member 81 and the second support member 82, and to synchronize movement when the first support member 81 and the second support member 82 move in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the support extension rod 840 may serve as an anti-torsion extension rod, preventing torsion of the support member 80 that may occur when a load is applied to the first support member 81 and the second support member 82.

[0166] Furthermore, the support member 80 may include an adjustment unit 83 extending in the left-right direction of the storage chamber 16, such that one side engages with the first support member 81 and the second support member 82, respectively. The adjustment unit 83 may be configured not to interfere with the support extension rod 840. For example, the adjustment unit 83 may be positioned above and behind the support extension rod 840, but is not limited thereto. The adjustment unit 83 typically includes an adjustment shaft 84 and a pair of adjustment pinions 85, the adjustment shaft having a rod-like shape extending in one direction, the pair of adjustment pinions being formed at both ends of the adjustment shaft 84. The adjustment pinions 85 may engage with the first support member 81 and the second support member 82 to rotate about a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction. Each adjustment pinion 85 may be configured to mesh with an adjustment rack profile 183 formed on an adjustment rack 182 of the storage chamber connecting member 18, allowing the first support member 81 and the second support member 82 to move in the front-back direction along the adjustment rack 182 by a rack and pinion drive method. In this way, the movement of the first support member 81 and the second support member 82 in the front-to-back direction can be synchronized by using the rack and pinion drive method of the adjustment unit 83.

[0167] As described above, the guide rail assembly 70 and the bracket member 80 can be fastened to the door 20 and are restricted by the movement of the door 20 in the front-back direction, thereby allowing pull-in and pull-out in the front-back direction. In the manual opening mode where the user manually controls the pull-in / pull-out operation of the door 20, the guide rail unit of the guide rail assembly 70 can be pulled in or out in the front-back direction without the drive motor applying a separate driving force to the guide rail assembly 70. However, in the automatic door opening mode where the pull-in / pull-out operation of the door 20 is automatically controlled, since the driving force generated by the drive motor is not directly applied to the guide rail assembly 70, a method is needed to indirectly apply the driving force to control the pull-in / pull-out operation of the guide rail assembly 70.

[0168] The door opening module 30 does not directly engage with the guide rail assembly 70 to provide driving force for pulling in and out of the guide rail units. Instead, it indirectly applies driving force to control the pull-in / pull-out operation of the guide rail units of the guide rail assembly 70. The door opening module 30 may be configured to be spaced a predetermined distance from the guide rail assembly 70 and the support member 80, without directly engaging with them. The door opening module 30 can push and move the door 20 forward and pull and move the door 20 backward. Thus, the door 20 can be moved in the front-back direction via the door opening module 30 to be pulled in or pulled out. The door opening module 30 may include one or more multi-stage rack-pinion assemblies 50, one or more drive assemblies 40 for driving the rack-pinion assemblies 50, and a locking assembly 60 configured to engage and disengage from the support member 80. The door opening module 30 may be located below the guide rail assembly 70 and the support member 80. For example, the drive assembly 40 may be located below the guide rail assembly 70 and the support member 80. In this configuration, the drive assembly 40 may be spaced a predetermined distance from the guide rail assembly 70 and the support member 80, but is not limited thereto. For example, the drive assembly 40 may be connected to the guide rail assembly 70, but this means that the drive assembly 40 and the guide rail assembly 70 are arranged as close to each other as possible for space utilization, and does not mean that drive-related components are connected so that the driving force of the drive assembly 40 directly drives the guide rail assembly 70. Therefore, the drive assembly 40 and the guide rail assembly 70 may be fixedly fastened, but they may also be formed separately.

[0169] For example, drive assembly 40 may include a pair of first drive assemblies 41 and second drive assemblies 42. Rack-pinion assembly 50 may include a pair of first rack-pinion assemblies 51 and second rack-pinion assemblies 52. The first rack-pinion assembly 51 may be mounted on the first drive assembly 41 to receive drive force from the first drive assembly 41. Furthermore, the second rack-pinion assembly 52 may be mounted on the second drive assembly 42 to receive drive force from the second drive assembly 42. The first drive assembly 41 and the second drive assembly 42 may be respectively configured to be biased towards a first side surface 162a and a second side surface 162b of the storage chamber 16. The first drive assembly 41 and the second drive assembly 42 may be arranged in a position and shape that are symmetrical with respect to the center of the storage chamber 16. The first rack-pinion assembly 51 and the second rack-pinion assembly 52 may also be arranged in a position and shape that are symmetrical with respect to the center of the storage chamber 16. In this way, since the door opening module 30 according to the invention is implemented as a dual-module structure including a pair of drive assemblies 40 and a pair of rack-pinion assemblies 50, it can provide strong force for pulling the door in and out, and can open the door smoothly even in high negative pressure environments such as freezers. However, the invention is not limited thereto, and the door opening module 30 may include a drive assembly 40 and a rack-pinion assembly 50.

[0170] The locking assembly 60 can be connected to the first rack-pinion assembly 51 and the second rack-pinion assembly 52 on one side and the other side, respectively. The locking assembly 60 may include a locking assembly extension rod 610 extending in the left-right direction of the storage chamber 16. A pair of sliding racks 611 fastened to the first rack-pinion assembly 51 and the second rack-pinion assembly 52 can be connected to one side and the other side of the locking assembly extension rod 610, respectively. Since the locking assembly 60 is connected to the first rack-pinion assembly 51 and the second rack-pinion assembly 52 in this manner, the locking assembly 60 can be restricted and moved together by the movement of the first rack-pinion assembly 51 and the second rack-pinion assembly 52 in the front-back direction.

[0171] One or more push members 630 may be provided on the locking assembly extension rod 610 to push the door 20 forward and move it. As the push members 630 of the locking assembly 60 push the door 20 forward in this manner, the storage unit 220 may be restricted by the forward movement of the locking assembly 60 and move forward together. For example, the push members 630 may push the rear surface of the bracket extension rod 840 forward. As described above, since one side and the other side of the bracket extension rod 840 are connected to the first bracket member 81 and the second bracket member 82, respectively, when the push members 630 push the rear surface of the bracket extension rod 840 forward, the first bracket member 81 and the second bracket member 82 are also pushed forward together. Therefore, the door 20, which is fixed to the first bracket member 81 and the second bracket member 82, can move forward. Therefore, even when the push members 630 do not directly push the door 20, the push members 630 can indirectly push the door 20 by pushing the rear surface of the bracket member 80.

[0172] Furthermore, a switchable hook member 620 may be provided on the locking component extension rod 610 to engage or disengage the storage unit 220 from the locking component 60. For example, the hook member 620 may be configured to engage and disengage from the support extension rod 840 of the support member 80. When the hook member 620 of the locking component 60 is engaged with the support extension rod 840, the storage unit 220 supported by the support member 80 may be restricted by the locking component 60 to move not only forward but also backward, and move together with it. In other words, the engagement of the hook member 620 of the locking component 60 with the storage unit 220 does not necessarily limit the hook member 620 to always being in contact with the storage unit 200, and may include a state where the hook member 620 of the locking component 60 is temporarily separated from or not in contact with the storage unit 200 while the movement of the storage unit 220 is restricted by the locking component. Furthermore, with the hook member 620 of the locking assembly 60 disengaged from the bracket extension rod 840, the storage unit 220 can move freely independently of the locking assembly 60, even when the locking assembly 60 is in an inactive state. A detailed description of each component constituting the door opening module 30 will be provided below.

[0173] The drive assembly 40 and the rack-and-pinion assembly 50 may be disposed on two side surfaces of the storage unit 220. In the closed state of the door 20, the drive assembly 40 and the rack-and-pinion assembly 50 may be arranged to overlap with the storage unit 220 in the left-right direction. In addition to some components, the locking assembly 60 may be disposed on the rear of the storage unit 220. The sliding rack 611 of the locking assembly 60 may be disposed on two side surfaces of the storage unit 220, and the locking assembly extension rod 610, the pushing member 630, and the hook member 620 may be disposed on the rear of the storage unit 220.

[0174] The door opening module 30 can be disposed in the internal regions of the two side surfaces of the storage compartment 16. The bottom surface 164 of the storage compartment 16 can be formed by the inner shell 11, and the space between the bottom surface 164 and the outer shell 12 disposed below the bottom surface 164 can be an insulated space in which heat-insulating material is disposed. In this way, since the door opening module 30 according to the invention is disposed on the two side surfaces of the storage compartment 16, the door opening module 30 can be prevented from intruding into the insulated space in the lower region of the storage compartment 16, thereby maintaining the heat insulation performance of the refrigerator and improving energy efficiency.

[0175] [Drive assembly, rack and pinion assembly, and locking assembly]

[0176] Further reference will be made below. Figures 8 to 14 The description includes a drive assembly 40, a rack and pinion assembly 50, and a locking assembly 60 in a door opening module 30 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0177] Reference Figure 8 and Figure 9 The drive assembly 40 may consist of a pair of first drive assemblies 41 and second drive assemblies 42. Since the first drive assembly 41 and the second drive assembly 42 may be formed with symmetrical shapes, the description based on the first drive assembly 41 can be applied to the second drive assembly 42 in the same manner.

[0178] The second drive assembly 42 may include a first housing 410 forming one outer surface and a second housing 420 forming another outer surface. The first housing 410 may be formed to have a thickness sufficient to store the rack-pinion assembly 50 and the gear assembly 430. The first housing 410 may include a first housing portion 421 in which the rack-pinion assembly 50 is stored and disposed, and a second housing portion 422 in which the gear assembly 430 is stored and disposed. The gear assembly 430 may be rotatably connected to the second housing portion 422 by a connecting pin 432, which provides an axis of rotation about which each of the gears rotates. The first housing portion 421 may have a shape extending in a front-rear direction and have an open front surface such that the rack of the rack-pinion assembly 50 can be pulled forward.

[0179] Gear assembly 430 may include multiple gears. For example, the multiple gears may be circular gears configured to mesh with each other. The multiple gears forming gear assembly 430 are rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction. Therefore, since gear assembly 430 can avoid increasing thickness in the left-right direction as much as possible, it is advantageous for utilizing the space of storage chamber 16. Among the gears in gear assembly 430, the gear meshing with rack-pinion assembly 50 may be a pinion. Therefore, when gear assembly 430 is driven, rack-pinion assembly 50 can be driven in a rack-pinion drive manner via the pinion included in gear assembly 430.

[0180] The drive unit 440 may be disposed on one side of the first housing 410. The drive unit 440 may be connected to a gear of the gear assembly 430 to provide driving force. The drive unit 440 may be a drive motor. The driving force of the drive unit 440 may be transmitted to the rack and pinion assembly 50 via the gear assembly 430, and to the support member 80 and the guide rail assembly 70 via the rack and pinion assembly 50.

[0181] The second housing 420 may be configured to cover one side of the first housing 410 to protect the gear assembly 430 and the rack-pinion assembly 50. In the first housing 410, a vertically opening extension 411 may extend in the front-rear direction to guide the movement of the rack of the rack-pinion assembly 50. The opening extension 411 may also open on a surface facing the interior of the storage chamber 16 of the first housing 410 to allow the rack of the rack-pinion assembly 50 to extend laterally.

[0182] Reference Figure 8 and Figures 10 to 13 The rack and pinion assembly 50 may consist of a pair of first rack and pinion assemblies 51 and second rack and pinion assemblies 52. Since the first rack and pinion assembly 51 and the second rack and pinion assembly 52 may be formed to have symmetrical shapes, the description based on the second rack and pinion assembly 52 can be applied to the first rack and pinion assembly 51 in the same manner.

[0183] The second rack-pinion assembly 52 can be a multi-stage rack-pinion assembly comprising multiple racks. For example, a telescopic mechanism can be used in the multi-stage rack-pinion assembly. The invention is described based on a three-stage rack-pinion assembly comprising three racks, but is not limited thereto, and the rack-pinion assembly may include four or more racks. That is, the rack-pinion assembly 50 according to the invention may include three or more racks. Here, the three or more racks may be racks that move in a forward or backward direction, such as being pulled in or out, and may mean excluding racks that are fixed and do not move. As the number of racks increases, the racks can be installed in a storage chamber 16 having a shorter length in the forward or backward direction, while also increasing the total pull-out distance of the racks from the storage chamber 16. As described above, when the machine chamber 17 is located behind the storage chamber 16, the length of the storage chamber 16 in the forward or backward direction can be shortened compared to other storage chambers 16. Therefore, since the multi-stage rack-pinion assembly 50 according to the present invention includes three or more racks, even when the rack-pinion assembly 50 is disposed within a storage chamber 16 having a narrow width in the front-rear direction, the pull-out distance of the door can be significantly extended, allowing the storage unit 220 of the door 20 to be fully exposed to the outside. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and when the rack-pinion assembly 50 is disposed within a storage chamber 16 having a sufficient length in the front-rear direction, the rack-pinion assembly 50 can be configured as a two-stage rack-pinion assembly 50 including two racks.

[0184] The first rack-pinion assembly 51 may include a first rack 510, a second rack 520, and a third rack 530. The first rack 510 may be formed to extend in one direction and have an open surface. The first rack 510 may have a storage space 514 for storing the second rack 520 and the third rack 530, and the storage space 514 may be formed by a pair of support walls 513 formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the first rack 510. A first tooth profile 511 having a serrated shape may be formed on each of the other two sides of the support wall 513. For example, the first tooth profile 511 may include a first front tooth profile 5111 formed on the front upper surface of the support wall 513 at the bottom and a first rear tooth profile 5112 formed on the rear lower surface of the support wall 513 at the bottom. Each of the first front tooth profile 5111 and the first rear tooth profile 5112 may be formed to be approximately half the length of the total length of the support wall 513 in the front-rear direction. A first rear tooth profile 5112 may be formed on the lower surface of the support wall 513 facing the gear assembly 430 to mesh with the pinion of the gear assembly 430. Therefore, when the gear assembly 430 is driven, the first rack 510 can be pulled forward along the first rear tooth profile 5112 meshing with the gear assembly 430 by a rack-pinion drive method. The first rack 510 may include a first pinion 512. The first pinion 512 may be formed on the support wall 513 on which the first tooth profile 511 is formed. The first pinion 512 may be disposed near the central region of the first rack 510 and positioned in front of the first rear tooth profile 5112.

[0185] A support rack 500 may be disposed in the drive assembly 40. The support rack 500 may be located in front of the gear assembly 430 and fixed to the drive assembly 40. The support rack 500 may be formed such that its length in the front-rear direction is substantially equal to half the length of the first rack 510. A support rack tooth profile 501 that meshes with the first pinion 512 may be formed on one side surface of the support rack 500. Therefore, when the gear assembly 430 is driven, the first pinion 512 may move forward along the support rack 500 while meshing with the support rack tooth profile 501. Thus, the first rack 510 may be pulled forward, and the support rack 500 may remain in a fixed position even during the operation of pulling out the first rack 510.

[0186] The second rack 520 may be disposed in the storage space 514 of the first rack 510. The second rack 520 may include a second tooth profile 521 formed along a surface facing the first pinion 512. The second tooth profile 521 may be configured to mesh with the first pinion 512. The second rack 520 may include a second pinion 522 disposed on the side thereon on which the second tooth profile 521 is formed. When the first rack 510 is pulled forward, the second rack 520 meshing with the first pinion 512 may be pulled forward by a rack-pinion drive method with the first pinion 512. Therefore, when the first pinion 512 rotates, the second rack 520 may move forward while meshing with the first pinion 512. In this case, the second pinion 522 may mesh with the first front tooth profile 5111 of the first rack 510 to move forward along the first front tooth profile 5111.

[0187] A third rack 530 may be disposed in the storage space 514 of the first rack 510. The third rack 530 may include a third tooth profile 531 formed along a surface facing the second pinion 522. The third tooth profile 531 may be configured to mesh with the second pinion 522. When the second rack 520 is pulled forward, the third rack 530 meshing with the second pinion 522 may be pulled forward by a rack-pinion drive method with the second pinion 522. Therefore, when the second pinion 522 rotates, the third rack 530 may move forward while meshing with the second pinion 522. A portion of the third rack 530 may be configured to protrude outward from one surface of the first rack 510. The other surface of the first rack 510 may be covered by a rack cover 540. The rack cover 540 may be configured to cover both the second rack 520 and the third rack 530. One surface of the first rack 510 may include an opening guide 541 that is opened to allow a portion of the third rack 530 to protrude outward. The opening guide 541 may have a shape that extends through in the left-right direction and has an open front surface, and extends in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the third rack 530 may slide along the opening guide 541 in the front-rear direction.

[0188] When the rack and pinion assembly 50 is driven, relative to the front end of the rack and pinion assembly 50, the first rack 510 can protrude forward by the shortest distance, the second rack 520 can protrude forward by a greater distance than the first rack 510, and the third rack 530 can protrude forward by a greater distance than the second rack 520. The speed of the rack movement can increase in the order of the first rack 510, the second rack 520, and the third rack 530. Furthermore, since the rack movement distance and the rack pull force are inversely proportional, the pull force can increase in the order of the third rack 530, the second rack 520, and the first rack 510.

[0189] As described above, the axis of rotation of the pinion of the rack-pinion assembly 50 can extend along the left-right direction of the storage chamber 16 in the same direction as the axis of rotation of the gear assembly 430. Therefore, since the overall thickness of the rack-pinion assembly 50 in the left-right direction is reduced, the thickness of the door opening module 30 in the left-right direction can be reduced, thereby increasing the space utilization of the storage chamber 16 in the left-right direction and the space utilization of the lower region of the storage unit 220.

[0190] Furthermore, when using a multi-stage rack-pinion assembly 50, the cumulative tolerances between components may increase because multiple racks and pinions are formed to mesh with each other. Therefore, the components of the rack-pinion assembly 50 according to the invention can be designed to allow a predetermined clearance space between adjacent components to accommodate tolerances. For example, refer to... Figure 11 It can be confirmed that a protrusion 550 is formed along the edge of the third rack 530. The protrusion 550 may be formed to extend in the front-rear direction along the edge of the third rack 530. The protrusion 550 may be formed to have a convex protrusion at the edge compared to other surfaces. For example, the protrusion 550 may be formed to have a circular curved surface.

[0191] In this manner, because the protrusion 550 is formed along the edge of the third rack 530, when the third rack 530 contacts an adjacent component, the protrusion 550 allows the third rack 530 to achieve maximum line contact with the adjacent component in a narrow area, rather than a broad surface contact. Since the third rack 530 is designed to make line contact with the adjacent component, the contact area between the components can be reduced, thereby reducing friction and enabling smoother movement of the components in the forward and backward directions when the rack-pinion assembly 50 is pulled in or out. Furthermore, since adjacent components may have a predetermined separation space due to the protrusion 550, thereby providing tolerance, a buffer space can be provided that does not affect the movement of the components even if alignment problems occur between them. An example of applying the protrusion 550 to the third rack 530 has been described, but the protrusion 550 can be applied in the same way to all other components included in the rack-pinion assembly 50, such as the first rack 510, the second rack 520, and the rack cover 540.

[0192] Reference Figure 14 The locking assembly 60 may include a locking assembly extension rod 610 extending in the left-right direction. That is, the locking assembly extension rod 610 may extend in a direction orthogonal to the front-back direction of the rack and pinion assembly 50 during pull-in or pull-out. For example, the locking assembly extension rod 610 may have a rod shape with an open rear surface. The locking assembly extension rod 610 may synchronize the operation of the first rack and pinion assembly 51 and the second rack and pinion assembly 52.

[0193] A pair of sliding racks 611 may be respectively disposed on one side and the other side of the locking assembly extension rod 610. The sliding racks 611 may be configured to extend in the front-rear direction orthogonal to the direction of extension of the locking assembly extension rod 610. The sliding racks 611 may be securely fastened to the third rack 530 of the rack-pinion assembly 50. Therefore, the sliding racks 611 may also be limited by the movement of the third rack 530 in the front-rear direction and move in the front-rear direction. In this way, as the sliding racks 611 move in the front-rear direction, the locking assembly extension rod 610 may also be limited by the movement of the sliding racks 611 and move in the front-rear direction. Each sliding rack 611 may have a shape in which the end portion fastened to the locking assembly extension rod 610 extends a predetermined distance in the direction of extension of the locking assembly extension rod 610 and is curved. For example, the sliding racks 611 may extend a predetermined length in the same direction as the locking assembly extension rod 610 and may be fastened to the rear surface of the locking assembly extension rod 610. In other words, the sliding rack 611 may have an integral rod shape and may be formed to include a portion that is bent in the vertical direction, but its shape is not limited to this.

[0194] The pushing member 630 and the hook member 620 may be disposed on the locking assembly extension rod 610. Figure 14 An example has been described where one hook member 620 is located in the central region of the locking assembly extension rod 610 and a pair of push members 630 are located on either side of the hook member 620 to bias towards one side and the other side of the locking assembly extension rod 610, but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, in another embodiment, a push member 630 may be located in the central region of the locking assembly extension rod 610, and a pair of hook members 620 may be located on either side of the push member 630 to bias towards one side and the other side of the locking assembly extension rod 610. Furthermore, the number and position of the hook members 620 and the push members 630 are not limited thereto. For example, one hook member 620 and one push member 630 may be included, or a pair of hook members 620 and a pair of push members 630 may be included. Furthermore, three or more hook members 620 or three or more push members 630 may be included. Moreover, the arrangement can vary in various ways, such as by arranging the hook members 620 and the push members 630 alternately.

[0195] The pushing member 630 may include a pushing portion 631 positioned facing forward. The pushing portion 631 can be used to push an object located in front, such as a support extension rod 840. The pushing portion 631 may be formed in the shape of a plate having a predetermined area for surface contact with the object to be pushed, such as the support extension rod 840. For example, the pushing portion 631 may be formed to extend in both the left-right and vertical directions, and its length in the left-right direction may be greater than its length in the vertical direction. A forward-curved pushing member bend 632 may be formed at the lower end portion of the pushing portion 631, and a downward-curved and extending pushing member fastening portion 634 may be formed at the front end portion of the pushing member bend 632. The pushing member bend 632 of the pushing member 630 may be mounted on the locking assembly extension rod 610, and the pushing member fastening portion 634 may be fastened to the outer front surface of the locking assembly extension rod 610. As the pushing portion 631 of the pushing member 630 pushes the object forward, the reaction force applied to the pushing member 630 may be applied rearward. Therefore, since the fastening portion 634 of the push member is fastened to the outer front surface of the locking assembly extension rod 610, the fastening between the push member 630 and the locking assembly extension rod 610 is prevented from loosening due to the reaction force applied to the push member 630. Multiple reinforcing ribs 633 may be formed on the bent portion 632 of the push member to enhance the strength of the push member 630.

[0196] The hook member 620 may include a hook member fixing portion 621 for securing the hook member 620 to the locking assembly extension rod 610, and a hook member body 622 operable to engage and disengage with a front-mounted object such as the storage unit 220. The hook member fixing portion 621 may include a rotation axis portion 6211. The rotation axis portion 6211 may be secured to the hook member body 622 to provide an axis of rotation about which the hook member body 622 rotates. The rotation axis portion 6211 may be formed to extend upward beyond the locking assembly extension rod 610 and may provide empty space in its central region for a connection portion 6223 secured to the hook member body 622. A forward-bending curved portion 6212 may be formed at the lower end portion of the rotation axis portion 6211, and a curved and downward-extending fastening portion 6213 may be formed at the front end portion of the curved portion 6212. The bent portion 6212 of the hook member fixing part 621 can be mounted on the locking assembly extension rod 610, and the fastening portion 6213 can be fastened to the outer front surface of the locking assembly extension rod 610. A plurality of reinforcing ribs 6214 can be formed on the bent portion 6212 of the hook member fixing part 621 to enhance the strength of the hook member fixing part 621.

[0197] The hook member body 622 may include a hook portion 6222 (which is the main fastening portion during hook engagement), an extension portion 6221 extending downward from the hook portion 6222, and a connecting portion 6223 formed on one side surface of the extension portion 6221. The hook portion 6222 may be the portion that engages and disengages with an object (such as storage unit 220) located in front of the hook member 620 via hook engagement. The hook portion 6222 may be formed with an inwardly curved surface to increase the hook engagement force with the object to be hooked.

[0198] The extension 6221 of the hook member body 622 may be formed to extend downward from the lower surface of the hook portion 6222, and the lower end portion of the extension 6221 may be formed to bend forward at a predetermined angle. The extension 6221 having this shape is the portion that contacts the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16 and can achieve smooth contact and release with the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16.

[0199] The connecting portion 6223 of the hook member body 622 is connected to the rotating shaft portion 6211 of the hook member fixing portion 621, and the connecting portion 6223 and the rotating shaft portion 6211 can be connected by a fastening pin 624. For example, a through hole in the left-right direction can be formed in the connecting portion 6223 and the rotating shaft portion 6211 to allow the fastening pin 624 to pass through.

[0200] In this configuration, the elastic member 623, which provides elastic force to the hook member body 622, can be fastened together with the fastening pin 624 to the connecting portion 6223 and the rotating shaft portion 6211. For example, the elastic member 623 can be a spring. Specifically, the elastic member 623 can be a torsion spring. A torsion spring is a spring that stores and releases energy by torsion. When a torsional force is applied about its axis, the torsion spring can operate. Therefore, the torsion spring has the property of storing energy by rotation or torsion and returning to its original shape when the applied force is released. The torsion spring is wound in a helical shape and can be torsioned by supports connected to its two ends. That is, the torsion spring can be torsioned by force applied via rotational movement and can store energy by torsion. Therefore, the hook member body 622 can perform a rotational movement that is to be reversed by the elastic member 623 during rotational movement in one direction.

[0201] For example, the hook member body 622 can rotate at a predetermined angle by means of a connecting portion 6223 connected to a rotating shaft portion 6211, which serves as the axis of rotation. In the closed state of the door 20, i.e., when the locking assembly 60 is fully moved backward, the rear surface of the extension 6221 of the hook member body 622 can contact the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16. In this case, since the rear surface of the extension 6221 of the hook member body 622 is pressed forward by the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16, the hook portion 6222, whose axis of rotation about the hook member body 622 is located at the upper end of the extension 6221, can rotate backward about the axis of rotation. That is, the lower ends of the hook portion 6222 and the extension 6221, whose axes of rotation about the hook member body 622 are located in opposite directions, rotate in opposite directions. Therefore, the hook portion 6222 can remain in a state where the hook connection with an object such as the storage unit 220 located in front is released. (See reference...) Figure 5 A stop 166 may be disposed on the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16. The stop 166 may be formed to protrude forward by a predetermined thickness beyond the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16 to allow the extension 6221 of the hook member 620 to more easily contact the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16. The stop 166 may be molded separately from and fixed to the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16, but is not limited thereto, and a portion of the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16 may be molded and formed as the stop 166.

[0202] In this manner, with the hook member body 622 in contact with the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16, the stored energy is maintained due to the torsion of the elastic member 623. Subsequently, when the locking assembly 60 moves forward, the extension 6221 of the hook member body 622 can disengage from contact with the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16, and the hook 6222 can rotate forward about the rotation axis of the connecting portion 6223 due to the energy recovery of the elastic member 623. Therefore, the hook 6222 can be hooked to an object located in front, such as the storage unit 220, to be hooked.

[0203] As described above, the locking component 60 synchronizes the operation of the pair of drive components 40 and the pair of rack-pinion assemblies 50 located on either side of it. Therefore, even if one of the pair of drive components 40 fails or stops operating, when the other normal drive component 40 is driven, the rack-pinion assembly 50 fastened to the stopped drive component 40 can be properly pulled in or out through the synchronization operation performed via the locking component 60.

[0204] Furthermore, in another embodiment, the first rack-pinion assembly 51 and the second rack-pinion assembly 52 may be respectively disposed on one side and the other side of the storage chamber 16, and the drive assembly 40 may be located only on one side or the other side of the storage chamber 16. (See also...) Figure 15 For example, when the drive assembly 40 is located only on the side of the storage chamber 16 where the second rack-pinion assembly 52 is located and directly drives the second rack-pinion assembly 52, the first rack-pinion assembly 51 can operate in sync with the operation of the second rack-pinion assembly 52 through the locking assembly extension rod 610, the adjustment unit 83, and the bracket extension rod 840. Therefore, even if the drive assembly 40 is not provided to directly fasten to and drive the first rack-pinion assembly 51, the driving force of the drive assembly 40 to directly fasten to and drive the second rack-pinion assembly 52 can be indirectly transmitted to the first rack-pinion assembly 51 through the locking assembly extension rod 610.

[0205] Reference Figures 15 to 17 The rack-pinion assembly 50 can be configured as a two-stage rack-pinion assembly 50 including two racks (including a first rack 510 and a second rack 520). The first rack 510 may have a first pinion 512 and a first tooth profile 511, the second rack 520 may have a second tooth profile 521, and a pressing member 532 may be formed at the front end portion of the second rack 520. Since the connection relationship, construction, etc. of the rack and pinion are the same as those in the previously described rack-pinion assembly 50, their detailed description will be omitted. In this way, when the rack-pinion assembly 50 includes two racks, the required driving force can be less than that of a rack-pinion assembly 50 including three or more racks, so this embodiment can be achieved with a single drive assembly. Furthermore, in this case, the locking assembly extension rod 610 may not have a separate pushing member 630 or hook member 620. In other words, the door opening module 30 can control the forward and backward movement of a pair of rack and pinion assemblies 50 by driving the drive assembly 40, and can also control the movement of the door 20, which is fastened to the bracket member 80 whose movement is limited by the rack and pinion assemblies 50. In this case, the drive assembly 40 can drive in the forward direction when pulling the door 20 forward, and in the reverse direction when pulling the door 20 backward.

[0206] [Connection structure between door opening module, guide rail assembly, bracket components and door]

[0207] Further reference will be made below. Figures 18 to 19 Describe the connection structure between the door opening module 30, the guide rail assembly 70, the bracket component 80 and the door 20.

[0208] Door 20 may include a door unit 210 for opening and closing the front surface of cabinet 2. Door unit 210 may include a door frame 211 forming the actual exterior of door 20 and a door liner 212 located behind the door frame 211 and connected to the support member 80. Door pier 216 may be formed along the periphery of the rear surface of door liner 212. Door pier 216 may project rearward from door liner 212 to be inserted into storage compartment 16. Door recess 217 having a concave shape may be formed in the rear surface of door liner 212, corresponding to the interior of door pier 216. Support connection portion 214 connected to the first support member 81 and the second support member 82 respectively may be formed in door recess 217. Support connection portion 214 may be formed to project rearward by a predetermined thickness to facilitate connection with support member 80. The bracket member 80 can be fastened to the rear outer side of the bracket connection portion 214, or inserted into the insertion space formed on the rear inner side of the bracket connection portion 214 and fastened to the rear inner side, and there are no particular limitations on this fastening method. With the door unit 210 and the bracket member 80 fastened in this way, the movement and operation of the door 20, the bracket member 80, and the guide rail assembly 70 can be synchronized. A gasket 213 disposed along the outer periphery of the door sill 216 can be formed on the rear surface of the door lining 212. The gasket 213 can contact the cabinet 2 to seal the space between the door 20 and the cabinet 2, thereby reducing cold air leakage.

[0209] A pair of pressing portions 822 may be provided on the rear surface of the door liner 212. Each pressing portion 822 may be respectively positioned to overlap with the first drive assembly 41 and the second drive assembly 42 in the front-rear direction. The pressing portions 822 may be respectively positioned to overlap with the first rack-pinion assembly 51 and the second rack-pinion assembly 52 mounted on the first drive assembly 41 and the second drive assembly 42 in the front-rear direction. Specifically, when the third rack 530 of the rack-pinion assembly 50 protrudes forward, the pressing portion 532 of the third rack 530 may contact the pressing portion 822 to press and push the pressing portion 822 forward.

[0210] [Door opening module operation and door pull-in / pull-out operation]

[0211] Further reference will be made below. Figure 20 and Figure 21 The operation of the door opening module 30 and the pull-in / pull-out operation of the door 20 are described according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0212] Figure 20 This shows the door 20 and the door opening module 30 before the door opening module 30 is actuated. That is, Figure 20The diagram shows the door 20 fully closed and the storage unit 220 fully retracted into the storage chamber 16. Because the locking assembly 60 is in a fully rearward-moved state, the rear surface of the hook member 620 is in close contact with the stop 166 formed on the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16, thus maintaining its rearward tilt. Therefore, the hook member 620 of the locking assembly 60 remains disengaged from the bracket extension rod 840. Thus, with the door 20 fully closed and the storage unit 220 fully stored in the storage chamber 16, the bracket extension rod 840 and the door opening module 30 remain disengaged.

[0213] In this way, with the bracket extension rod 840 disengaged from the door opening module 30, the user can easily pull the door 20 in and out in manual opening mode. That is, according to the present invention, when the storage unit 220 moves backward, the engagement between the hook member 620 and the bracket extension rod 840 is automatically released, so the user does not need to switch to manual opening mode separately. Therefore, in manual opening mode, with the door opening module 30 not driven, the door 20 can be moved by the user along the guide rail assembly 70 in the front-to-back direction.

[0214] Therefore, according to the present invention, by including a locking assembly 60 with a hook member 620 configured to engage with the support member 80 during forward or backward movement of the door 20 and disengage from the support member 80 in the closed state of the door 20, a manual pull-out mode can be quickly and easily achieved without separate operation in the closed state of the door 20. In another embodiment, the hook member 620 may hook onto the rear surface of the storage unit 220 instead of the support member 80. Therefore, the locking assembly 60 with the hook member 620 may engage with the storage unit 220 during forward or backward movement of the door 20 and disengage from the storage unit 220 in the closed state of the door 20. In this case, since the storage unit 220 and the support member 80 can move together synchronously, the same forward and backward movement mechanism can be obtained by hooking onto either the storage unit 220 or the support member 80.

[0215] Furthermore, since the switching between automatic and manual opening modes is performed smoothly, users can easily and smoothly pull the door out without needing a separate command to switch to manual opening mode, thus maximizing ease of use.

[0216] Furthermore, according to the present invention, in manual opening mode, door 20 can be pulled in or out simply by guidance performed by guide rail assembly 70, without needing to be fastened to door opening module 30. Therefore, when door 20 is manually pulled in or out, there is no need to forcibly or passively drive door opening module 30, thus solving the problem of back electromotive force of door opening module 30 that may occur during manual pull-in / pull-out operations.

[0217] Furthermore, according to the present invention, in manual opening mode, door 20 can be pulled in or out by guidance performed by guide rail assembly 70 without being fastened to door opening module 30, thereby minimizing the resistance or inconvenience felt by the user when pulling in or out door 20, thereby improving the user experience.

[0218] When the door opening module 30 is not activated, the storage unit 220 and the door opening module 30 remain in a non-contact state. That is, the door opening module 30 does not support the load of the storage unit 220, and the load of the storage unit 220 can be supported by the guide rail assembly 70. For example, a pair of guide rail assemblies 70 located on both sides of the storage unit 220 can support the lower surfaces of the side edges of the storage unit 220. Therefore, the bottom surface 164 of the storage chamber 16 does not need to contact the lower surface of the storage unit 220. The lower surface of the storage unit 220 and the bottom surface 164 of the storage chamber 16 can be separated from each other by a predetermined gap space CS.

[0219] In this manner, according to the present invention, the load of the storage unit 220 can be supported not by the door opening module 30 or the bottom surface 164 of the storage chamber 16, but by the guide rail assembly 70 provided on the side surface of the door 20. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the door opening module 30, which provides direct driving force, from being damaged by the load of the storage unit 220, and the door opening module 30 can operate stably regardless of the size of the load on the storage unit 220.

[0220] Figure 21 This diagram shows the door 20 and door opening module 30 in the state where the door opening module 30 is actuated and the door 20 is open. When the user activates the automatic door opening mode, the door 20 can be moved in the front-to-back direction along the guide rail assembly 70 by actuating the door opening module 30. The refrigerator 1 may have a separate button for activating the automatic door opening mode, but the invention is not limited to this, and the automatic door opening mode can be activated in various ways, such as by sensors such as motion detection sensors or sound detection sensors, by the user's voice command, or by input from a mobile device such as a mobile phone or remote controller.

[0221] As the door opening module 30 is actuated and the locking assembly 60 moves forward, the pushing member 630 of the locking assembly 60 can contact the rear surface of the bracket extension rod 840 to push the bracket extension rod 840 forward. As the locking assembly 60 moves forward, the hook member 620 of the locking assembly 60 can also move forward, thereby allowing the hook member 620 to disengage from the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16. In this way, when the contact between the hook member 620 and the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16 is released, the hook member 620 can rotate forward along the axis of rotation and can be fastened to the bracket extension rod 840 via a hook connection.

[0222] With door 20 open, the hook member 620 of locking assembly 60 remains secured to the bracket extension rod 840. In this state, when door 20 is closed, drive assembly 40 can be driven by changing the rotation direction of the motor, causing the rack of rack-pinion assembly 50 to be pulled in. Therefore, locking assembly 60, whose movement is restricted by rack-pinion assembly 50, can move backward. In this state, since the hook member 620 of locking assembly 60 is secured to the bracket extension rod 840 of bracket member 80, locking assembly 60 can pull bracket extension rod 840 backward. Therefore, storage unit 220 connected to bracket member 80 can be restricted by the backward movement of locking assembly 60 and moved into storage chamber 16.

[0223] Therefore, the door opening module 30 can move the storage unit 220 forward by pushing the rear surface of the support member 80, and move the storage unit 220 backward by pulling the rear surface of the support member 80. In other words, the door opening module 30 can push and pull the storage unit 220 while engaging with the support member 80. During the forward and backward movement of the door 20, the gap space CS between the lower surface of the storage unit 220 and the bottom surface 164 of the storage chamber 16 can be continuously maintained.

[0224] In this manner, according to the present invention, since the door opening module 30 provided on the side surface of the storage chamber 16 can move the door 20 back and forth by pushing and pulling the door 20, the door 20 can be pulled in or out without the rack or pinion of the door opening module 30 being directly fastened to the door 20.

[0225] Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the door opening module 30 provided on the side surface of the storage chamber 16 can move the door 20 back and forth by pushing and pulling the door 20, the load of the door 20 is not directly applied to the door opening module 30, thereby reducing the occurrence of misalignment or gaps in the rack and pinion of the door opening module 30.

[0226] Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the door opening module 30 provided on the side surface of the storage chamber 16 can move the door 20 back and forth by pushing and pulling the door 20, even if the door 20 is tilted and the door 20 is not aligned with the door opening module 30, the door 20 can be stably pulled in or out without affecting the drive of the door opening module 30.

[0227] Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the pushing member 630 of the door opening module 30 can move the door 20 forward by pushing the rear surface of the support member 80, the door opening module 30 can move the door 20 forward simply by pushing the rear surface of the support member 80 without being directly fastened to the door 20.

[0228] Furthermore, according to the present invention, even if the storage unit 220 of the door 20 tilts slightly during the forward and backward movement, this phenomenon can be resolved by naturally aligning the storage unit 220 during the process of the door opening module 30 pushing the support member 80 connected to the storage unit 220.

[0229] Although the invention has been described above with reference to exemplary drawings, it is not limited to the embodiments and drawings disclosed in this specification, and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the inventive concept. Furthermore, even if the operational effects of the configuration according to the invention are not explicitly described in the description of the embodiments, it is beyond doubt that the predictable effects through the appropriate configuration should be recognized.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising: A cabinet, the cabinet comprising one or more storage compartments; A drawer assembly, the drawer assembly including a door unit for opening and closing the front surface of the storage compartment and a storage unit housed within the storage compartment; A guide rail assembly that guides the movement of the drawer assembly in the front-to-back direction; as well as A door opening module is disposed on the side surface of the storage compartment, which pushes the drawer assembly and moves the drawer assembly forward, and pulls the drawer assembly and moves the drawer assembly backward.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a support member fastened to the guide rail assembly and supporting one side and the other side of the storage unit. The door opening module pushes the support member to push the drawer assembly forward, and pulls the support member to pull the drawer assembly backward.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein, The support component also includes: A first support component and a second support component, the first support component and the second support component being fastened to the guide rail assembly and respectively disposed on both sides of the storage unit; and A support extension rod extends along the left-right direction of the storage chamber such that one side is connected to the first support member and the second support member, respectively. The door opening module pushes or pulls the bracket extension rod.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, further comprising a pair of storage compartment connecting members, the pair of storage compartment connecting members respectively fixing the guide rail assembly to two side surfaces of the storage compartment, and each including an adjusting rack. in, The support component further includes an adjustment unit that extends along the left-right direction of the storage chamber such that one side and the other side are respectively connected to the first support component and the second support component. The adjustment unit includes an adjustment pinion that meshes with the adjustment rack.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein, The guide rail assembly includes multiple guide rail units, the length of which can extend and retract according to the forward and backward movement of the support member.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein, The door opening module includes: One or more multi-stage rack-pinion assemblies; One or more drive components that drive the rack-pinion assembly; and A locking component configured to engage and disengage from the support member.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, further comprising a machine compartment disposed behind the storage compartment. in, The multi-stage rack-pinion assembly includes two or more racks.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein, The pressing part is provided on the rear surface of the door unit, and When the door opening module moves the drawer assembly forward while the drawer assembly is fully moved backward, The rack and pinion assembly pushes the pressing part to release the contact between the door unit and the cabinet.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein, The pressing part is fastened to the front end portion of the support member.

10. A refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising: A cabinet, the cabinet comprising one or more storage compartments; Storage unit, wherein the storage unit is disposed in the storage room; A guide rail assembly that guides the movement of the storage unit; as well as A door opening module, which is detached from the guide rail assembly, is disposed on the side surface of the storage chamber and moves the storage unit in the front-back direction.

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