Refrigerator with door open module

Abstract

A refrigerator is provided that includes a door open module that allows the drawer assembly to be pulled out and retracted, even though the gear rack or pinion gear of the door open module is not directly fastened to the drawer assembly. [Solution] In the refrigerator according to the present invention, the drawer assembly can be moved forward and backward by a door open module located on the underside of the storage compartment pushing and pulling the drawer assembly. Therefore, the drawer assembly can be pulled out and retracted even when the gear rack or pinion gear of the door open module is not directly fastened to the drawer assembly.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] A refrigerator is a household electrical appliance that supplies cold air generated by utilizing the circulation of a refrigerant to a storage chamber and stores various storage objects in the storage chamber fresh for a long period. The cold air supplied to the refrigerator may be generated by a refrigerant circulating in the order of a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator flowing into the evaporator, and the liquid refrigerant vaporizing into a gaseous refrigerant while taking away the heat inside the refrigerator.

[0003] Generally, a refrigerator may include a cabinet forming a storage chamber and a door provided in the cabinet to open and close the storage chamber. For example, the door may be opened and closed by a method such as a rotary door or a drawer door. The rotary door is connected to one side of the cabinet so as to be rotatable about a single axis, and the storage chamber can be opened and closed by a rotary method. The drawer door is provided so as to be pulled out and retracted in the front-rear direction of the cabinet, and the storage chamber can be opened and closed by a pulling-out and pulling-in method.

[0004] The drawer door may include a door part covering the front surface of the storage chamber and a storage part provided behind the door part and having a storage space for storing stored items. The storage space of the drawer door may be exposed to the outside by a pulling-out operation of a user such as pushing or pulling the door. As an example, the drawer door may be provided in a lower region of the cabinet. Thus, when the drawer door is provided in the lower region of the cabinet, the user has to bend down to pull out the drawer door, which is inconvenient as the operation is not easy. Accordingly, in recent years, a refrigerator including a door opening module that automatically pulls out and retracts the drawer door by driving a motor has been developed.

[0005] On the other hand, conventional door opening modules have several problems. These problems mainly stem from resistance caused by the direct connection between the drive motor and rails, reduced heat insulation performance, increased load due to the weight of the storage compartment, and problems with pulling force due to negative pressure.

[0006] Specifically, conventional door open modules have problems with the resistance and unfamiliar feeling experienced when the user manually pulls out the door. In the case of retractable doors, in addition to automatically pulling them out using the door open module, there are times when the user needs to pull them out manually. In this case, if the door open module is designed with the rail and motor directly connected, the resistance the user feels when manually pulling out the door may be significant. This can cause the user to feel unfamiliar and cause inconvenience when manually pulling out the door. In particular, if the pulling resistance increases due to the motor's back electromotive force, it becomes difficult to pull out the door manually, which can further reduce the user experience.

[0007] Furthermore, conventional door-opening modules have the problem of reducing the insulation performance of refrigerators. For example, if the door-opening module is located inside the bottom of the refrigerator, it can infringe on the insulation area, potentially reducing the insulation performance of the lower part of the refrigerator. In other words, if components such as drive motors or rails are located inside the bottom of the refrigerator, insufficient insulation material may be provided, making it difficult to maintain the internal temperature. This can reduce the energy efficiency of the refrigerator and negatively impact the ability to maintain the freshness of food.

[0008] Furthermore, conventional door-opening modules may be susceptible to rail sagging and rack damage due to the weight of the storage compartment. For example, a door-opening module can utilize a rack-and-pinion system that converts rotational motion into linear motion using a gear rack and pinion gear. In this case, when many items are stored in the compartment, the weight can cause the rails to sag or the racks to break. In the long term, these structural flaws can reduce the reliability of the refrigerator, and if the rails sag or the racks break, the drawers will no longer open smoothly. This can ultimately lead to increased maintenance costs for the refrigerator.

[0009] Furthermore, conventional door opening modules face the challenge of ensuring sufficient door-pull force to overcome the negative pressure in the storage compartment. Typically, pull-out doors can be used in freezers. In particular, the interior of a freezer generates strong negative pressure due to the operating conditions of the freezer in order to maintain low temperatures, which requires more force to open the door. When the load generated when pulling out the door manually or automatically due to the negative pressure in the storage compartment becomes large, users may experience inconvenience when opening or closing the door, which can lead to a decrease in the reliability of the storage compartment door.

[0010] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention proposes a refrigerator that includes the following door opening module. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator including a door open module that allows the drawer assembly to be pulled out and retracted, even though the gear rack or pinion gear of the door open module is not directly fastened to the drawer assembly.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that includes a door-opening module in which the load of the drawer assembly is not directly applied.

[0013] Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator including a door open module that can stably pull out and retract the drawer assembly even when it is misaligned with the drawer assembly.

[0014] Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator including a door-opening module that can significantly extend the drawer assembly's extension distance, even when placed in a storage compartment with a narrow width in the front-to-back direction.

[0015] Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator including a door open module that has a driving force to effectively overcome the door sealing pressure.

[0016] Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator including a door open module that allows the drawer assembly to be advanced by simply pushing the storage compartment, even when it is not directly fastened to the drawer assembly.

[0017] Another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator including a door open module that can implement a manual drawer mode without any additional operation when the drawer assembly is closed.

[0018] Another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator including a door open module that can solve the problem of back electromotive force that may occur when manually pulling out and retracting the drawer assembly.

[0019] Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator including a door open module that minimizes the resistance and discomfort felt by the user when manually pulling out and retracting the drawer assembly.

[0020] Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator including a door opening module that can prevent damage due to the load of the storage compartment and can operate stably regardless of the magnitude of the load of the storage compartment.

[0021] Another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that includes a door-opening module that can reduce the thickness in the vertical direction.

[0022] Another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that includes a door-opening module that can reduce the intrusion of the refrigerator's thermal insulation space.

[0023] Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator including a door open module that can smoothly open the drawer assembly even in a strong negative pressure environment.

[0024] The objectives of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above. Other objectives and advantages of the present invention not mentioned can be understood from the following description and more clearly from the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, it is readily apparent that the objectives and advantages of the present invention can be achieved by the means and combinations thereof described in the claims. [Means for solving the problem]

[0025] To solve the problems described above, a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a cabinet having one or more storage compartments, a drawer assembly having a door portion for opening and closing the front of the storage compartments, a storage portion housed in the storage compartments, a rail assembly for guiding the movement of the drawer assembly in the front-rear direction, and a door open module disposed on the underside of the storage compartments for pushing the drawer assembly forward and pulling the drawer assembly backward.

[0026] The door opening module may include one or more multi-stage rack and pinion assemblies, one or more drive assemblies for driving the rack and pinion assemblies, and a lock assembly that is connected and disconnected from the storage portion.

[0027] It may further include a machine room arranged behind the storage chamber, and the multi-stage rack and pinion assembly may include three or more gear racks.

[0028] When the door opening module advances the drawer assembly in a state where the drawer assembly is fully retracted, the rack and pinion assembly can push the rear surface of the door portion to release the contact between the door portion and the cabinet.

[0029] The rack and pinion assembly includes a plurality of gear racks, and among the plurality of gear racks, the gear rack that is pulled out shortest in front of the rack and pinion assembly can push the rear surface of the door portion.

[0030] The door opening module may further include one or more pushing members arranged behind the storage portion to push the rear surface of the storage portion to advance the drawer assembly.

[0031] The pushing member may be attached to the lock assembly.

[0032] The pushing member can push the rear surface of the storage portion after the rack and pinion assembly pushes the rear surface of the door portion.

[0033] A pair of the pushing members may be provided to push one side and the other side of the rear surface of the storage portion respectively.

[0034] The lock assembly may be fitted with a hook member that is connected to the storage section while the drawer assembly is moving forward or backward, and separated from the storage section when the drawer assembly is fully retracted.

[0035] The rack and pinion assembly may include a first rack and pinion assembly and a second rack and pinion assembly, which are located on one side and the other side of the storage chamber, respectively, and the drive assembly may include a first drive assembly and a second drive assembly, which drive the first rack and pinion assembly and the second rack and pinion assembly, respectively.

[0036] The lock assembly includes a lock assembly extension bar extending in the left-right direction of the storage chamber such that one end is connected to the first rack and pinion assembly and the second rack and pinion assembly, respectively, and the lock assembly extension bar can synchronize the operation of the first rack and pinion assembly and the second rack and pinion assembly.

[0037] The rack and pinion assembly includes a first rack and pinion assembly and a second rack and pinion assembly, which are located on one side and the other side of the storage chamber, respectively, and the drive assembly is located on one side of the storage chamber and can drive the first rack and pinion assembly.

[0038] The lock assembly includes a lock assembly extension bar extending in the left-right direction of the storage chamber such that one end and the other end are connected to the first rack and pinion assembly and the second rack and pinion assembly, respectively, and the second rack and pinion assembly can be operated constrained to the movement of the lock assembly extension bar, which synchronizes the operation of the first rack and pinion assembly and the second rack and pinion assembly.

[0039] In automatic door open mode, the drawer assembly moves in the forward and backward direction along the rail assembly by the drive of the door open module, and in manual door open mode, the drawer assembly may be able to move in the forward and backward direction along the rail assembly by the user when the door open module is not driven.

[0040] The rail assemblies may be provided in pairs, each positioned on either side of the storage section.

[0041] The door open module may further include a connecting bar extending laterally across the storage compartment such that one side is connected to a pair of rail assemblies, and the door open module may further include one or more pushing members positioned behind the storage compartment that push the drawer assembly supported by the pair of rail assemblies.

[0042] The rail assembly supports the storage unit such that a clearance space is formed between the lower surface of the storage unit and the upper surface of the door open module, and this clearance space may be maintained when the drawer assembly moves forward and backward.

[0043] The rail assembly may be a multi-stage rail assembly whose length extends and shortens in response to the forward and backward movement of the drawer assembly.

[0044] A refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a cabinet having one or more storage compartments, a storage unit disposed within the storage compartment, one or more rail assemblies for guiding the movement of the storage unit, and a door open module disposed on the underside of the storage compartment for moving the storage unit in a forward and backward direction, wherein the door open module includes a plurality of gear racks and a plurality of pinion gears and is driven in a rack and pinion drive system, and the rotation axis of the pinion gears may extend in the vertical direction of the storage compartment.

[0045] The plurality of gear racks and the plurality of pinion gears do not need to be in contact with the lower surface of the housing.

[0046] The rail assemblies are provided in pairs and are positioned on the inside of both sides of the storage compartment, respectively, and when the door open module is driven, the storage compartment may be moved in the front-rear direction with the load supported by the rail assemblies.

[0047] The door opening module does not need to support the load of the storage compartment.

[0048] The storage unit can be moved forward by pushing its rear surface, and it can be moved backward by pulling its rear surface.

[0049] The door open module, while connected to the storage compartment, can push and pull the storage compartment.

[0050] The storage unit and the door opening module may be separated when the storage unit is fully housed in the storage chamber.

[0051] The storage unit and the door opening module may be connected while the storage unit is separated from the rear surface of the storage chamber by a predetermined distance. [Effects of the Invention]

[0052] In the refrigerator according to the present invention, the drawer assembly can be moved forward and backward by a door open module located on the underside of the storage compartment pushing and pulling the drawer assembly. Therefore, the drawer assembly can be pulled out and retracted even when the gear rack or pinion gear of the door open module is not directly fastened to the drawer assembly.

[0053] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, the drawer assembly can be moved forward and backward by a door open module located on the underside of the storage compartment pushing and pulling the drawer assembly. Therefore, the load of the drawer assembly is not directly applied to the door open module, which reduces misalignment or play between the gear rack and pinion gear of the door open module.

[0054] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, the drawer assembly can be moved forward and backward by a door open module located on the underside of the storage compartment pushing and pulling the drawer assembly. Therefore, even if the drawer assembly is tilted and the alignment between the drawer assembly and the door open module is misaligned, it does not affect the drive of the door open module, and the drawer assembly can be stably pulled out and retracted.

[0055] Furthermore, the refrigerator according to the present invention includes three or more gear racks in its multi-stage rack and pinion assembly, which significantly extends the drawer extension distance so that the storage compartment of the drawer assembly is fully exposed to the outside, even when it is placed in a storage compartment with a narrow width in the front-to-back direction.

[0056] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, when the drawer assembly is closed and the door open module opens the drawer assembly, the rack and pinion assembly pushes the rear surface of the door portion located in front of the drawer assembly, thereby preferentially releasing contact between the door portion and the cabinet. This allows the driving force of the door open module to effectively overcome the door sealing pressure between the cabinet and the gasket of the drawer assembly.

[0057] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, the pushing member of the door open module pushes the rear surface of the storage compartment located behind the drawer assembly, thereby advancing the drawer assembly. Therefore, even without the door open module being directly fastened to the drawer assembly, the drawer assembly can be advanced by simply pushing the rear surface of the storage compartment.

[0058] Furthermore, the refrigerator according to the present invention includes a lock assembly to which a hook member is attached, which is connected to the storage compartment while the drawer assembly is moving forward or backward, and separated from the storage compartment when the drawer assembly is closed. Therefore, when the drawer assembly is closed, a manual drawer mode can be implemented without any additional operation. As a result, the refrigerator according to the present invention allows for a natural switch between the automatic door open mode and the manual door open mode, and the user can easily and smoothly pull out the drawer assembly without any additional command to switch to the manual door open mode, thereby maximizing ease of use.

[0059] Furthermore, in the manual door-open mode of the refrigerator according to the present invention, the drawer assembly may be pulled out and retracted by the rail assembly alone, without being fastened to the door open module. This eliminates the need to forcibly drive the door open module when manually pulling out and retracting the drawer assembly, thus solving the problem of back electromotive force that may occur in the door open module during manual pulling out and retracting.

[0060] Furthermore, in the manual door open mode, the refrigerator according to the present invention allows the drawer assembly to be pulled out and retracted by the rail assembly alone, without being fastened to the door open module. This minimizes the resistance and unfamiliar feeling the user experiences when pulling out and retracting the drawer assembly, thereby improving the user experience.

[0061] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, the load of the storage compartment of the drawer assembly is not supported by the door open module, but rather by a rail assembly located on the side of the drawer assembly. This prevents the door open module, which provides direct driving force, from being damaged by the load of the storage compartment, and allows the door open module to operate stably regardless of the magnitude of the load of the storage compartment.

[0062] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, the rotation axis of the pinion gear of the door open module, which is driven by a rack and pinion drive system, is positioned to extend in the vertical direction of the storage compartment. This reduces the vertical thickness of the door open module, thereby improving the usability of the storage compartment space.

[0063] Furthermore, although the refrigerator according to the present invention places the door open module at the bottom of the storage compartment, it is positioned at the upper part of the storage compartment rather than the bottom surface, thereby reducing the extent to which the door open module infringes on the thermal insulation space. This allows the thermal insulation performance of the refrigerator to be maintained and energy efficiency to be improved.

[0064] Furthermore, the refrigerator according to the present invention is characterized by a door opening module that is implemented in a dual-module structure including a pair of drive assemblies and a rack and pinion assembly, thereby providing a strong door pulling force that allows the drawer assembly to open smoothly even in a strong negative pressure environment such as a freezer compartment.

[0065] The effects described above, as well as the specific effects of the present invention, will be explained and described below in the following descriptions of embodiments for carrying out the invention. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0066] [Figure 1] This is a front view perspective of the refrigerator with the door closed. [Figure 2] This is a front view perspective of the refrigerator with the lower door open. [Figure 3] This diagram shows the interior of the storage room with the lower door removed and the door opening module installed. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the storage compartment with the top and one side removed, illustrating the state in which the door storage section attached to the bracket member is retracted into the storage compartment. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the top and one side of the storage chamber removed, illustrating the state in which the door storage section attached to the bracket member is pulled out to the outside of the storage chamber along the rail assembly. [Figure 6] This diagram shows the state before the door open module, rail assembly, and bracket members are pulled out. [Figure 7] This diagram shows the door open module, rail assembly, and bracket members in their fully extended positions. [Figure 8] This diagram shows the drive assembly, rack and pinion assembly, and lock assembly that make up the door open module, separated from each other. [Figure 9] This is a disassembled perspective view of the drive assembly. [Figure 10] This is an exploded perspective view of a rack and pinion assembly. [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view from the front showing the connection relationship between the gear rack and pinion gear that constitute the first rack and pinion assembly and the drive assembly. [Figure 12] This is a disassembled perspective view of the lock assembly. [Figure 13] This diagram shows the bracket member and rail assembly attached to the door section of the door, and the door open module located at the bottom, with the door storage compartment removed. [Figure 14] This diagram shows the door opening module according to one embodiment, with the door storage compartment installed, a bracket member and rail assembly attached to the door portion of the door, and a door opening module positioned at the bottom. [Figure 15]This diagram shows the door opening module according to another embodiment, with the door storage compartment installed, a bracket member and rail assembly attached to the door section of the door, and the door opening module positioned at the bottom. [Figure 16] This diagram shows the door opening module according to yet another embodiment, with the door storage compartment installed, a bracket member and rail assembly attached to the door portion of the door, and a door opening module positioned at the bottom. [Figure 17] This is a plan view showing the door and door open module before the door open module is activated, as well as a magnified view of a portion of the area. [Figure 18] This is a plan view showing the door and door open module in a state where the door open module is driven so that the rack and pinion assembly contacts the door's push-button. It also includes a magnified view of a portion of the area. [Figure 19] This is a plan view showing the door and door open module when the door open module is driven and the door has moved a predetermined distance forward, as well as a magnified view showing a portion of the area. [Figure 20] This is a plan view showing the door and door open module when the door is fully open after the door open module is activated, as well as a magnified view showing a portion of the area. [Figure 21] This is a side cross-sectional view showing the door and door open module before the door open module is driven, as well as a magnified view of a portion of the area. [Figure 22] This is a side cross-sectional view showing the door and door open module in a state where the door open module is driven so that the rack and pinion assembly contacts the pressed portion of the door, and a magnified view of a part of the view. [Figure 23] This is a side cross-sectional view showing the door and door open module when the door open module is driven and the door has moved a predetermined distance forward, as well as a magnified view of a portion of the area. [Figure 24]This is a side cross-sectional view showing the door and door open module when the door is fully open after the door open module has been driven, as well as a magnified view of a portion of the area. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0067] The aforementioned objectives, features, and advantages will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings, so that a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can easily implement the technical concept of the present invention. In describing the present invention, if a specific description of known technology according to the present invention is deemed to obscure the gist of the present invention, then such detailed description will be omitted. Hereafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings are used to indicate the same or similar components.

[0068] Although terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used to indicate various components, these components are, of course, not limited by these terms. These terms are simply used to distinguish one component from another, and unless otherwise specified, the first component may also be the second component.

[0069] Throughout the specification, unless otherwise stated, each component may be singular or plural.

[0070] Hereinafter, the placement of any configuration on the "upper (or lower)" or "above (or below)" of a component means not only that the configuration is placed in contact with the upper surface (or second) of the component, but also that other configurations may be interposed between the component and any configuration placed on (or below) it.

[0071] Furthermore, where it is stated that one component is “linked,” “joined,” or “connected” to another component, it should be understood that the components may be directly linked or connected to one another, but may also be “interposed” between each component, or each component may be “linked,” “joined,” or “connected” through other components.

[0072] Furthermore, throughout this specification, the terms “connect” and “disconnect” 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 “connect” and “disconnect,” or “join” and “separate.” Also, throughout this specification, the term “mesh” is used to define the functional connection between gear components. This term is not intended to be limiting and may include other forms of connection described by terms such as “engage with,” “connect to,” or “joined with.”

[0073] In this specification, singular expressions include plural expressions unless otherwise explicitly stated in the context. Terms such as “composed of” or “including” in this application should not be interpreted as necessarily including all of the multiple components or stages described in the specification, but rather as meaning that some of the components or stages may not be included, or that further components or stages may be included.

[0074] Throughout the specification, "A and / or B" means A, B, or A and B unless otherwise specified, and "C to D" means C or greater and D or less unless otherwise specified.

[0075] The following describes refrigerators according to several embodiments of the present invention.

[0076] [Refrigerator structure] The structure of a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

[0077] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the refrigerator 1 may have an exterior formed by a cabinet 2 containing one or more storage compartments which are storage spaces for items, and a plurality of doors 20 that can open and close the open front of the cabinet 2. The cabinet 2 may include an outer case 12 and an inner case 11 coupled to the inside of the outer case 12. An insulated area filled with insulating material is formed between the inner case 11 and the outer case 12, and various ducts related to the cooling system can pass through the insulated area.

[0078] The internal case 11 may be partitioned 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 on the upper level, the second storage compartment 15 on the middle level, and the third storage compartment 16 on the lower level. In this specification, the arrangement of three storage compartments stacked vertically is described as an example, but the number and location of the storage compartments are not limited thereto. For example, the first storage compartment 14 may function as a refrigerator, the second storage compartment 15 may function as a switchable compartment that can be used as a refrigerator, a freezer, or a separate storage compartment with a desired temperature depending on the user's settings, and the third storage compartment 16 may function as a freezer, but the function of each storage compartment is not limited thereto.

[0079] The first storage compartment 14 may be opened and closed by a first door 21. The first door 21 may be a pair of revolving doors that rotate, connected by hinges to one side and the other side of the cabinet 2 constituting the first storage compartment 14, respectively. Each first door 21 may have a handle for easy opening and closing by the user. In addition, one of the first doors 21 may be equipped with a dispenser unit 13 that allows the user to take out water or ice without opening the first door 21.

[0080] The third storage compartment 16 may be opened and closed by a third door 23. The third door 23 may be a retractable door that can be opened and closed by being pulled out and retracted in the front-rear direction. In this specification, the front-rear direction means the direction relative to the front and rear of the refrigerator 1, and the left-right direction means the direction relative to both sides of the refrigerator 1. The front of the refrigerator 1 means the direction in which the user uses the refrigerator 1. The third door 23 may include a door section 210 that covers the front of the third storage compartment 16, and a storage section 220 provided behind the door section 210 and housed in the third storage compartment 16. The door section 210 may have a handle formed on it for easy opening and closing by the user. The third door 23, including the door section 210 and the storage section 220, may be referred to as a drawer assembly or an auto drawer.

[0081] The storage compartment 220 may be formed in a basket shape, with a storage space for storing items such as food. The storage compartment 220 may be formed to be separable so as to be separable from the door compartment 210. For example, the storage compartment 220 may be fixed to the door compartment 210 by fastening to or resting on a separate connecting member such as a bracket member, which will be described later, but is not limited to this, and the storage compartment 220 may be fixed by fastening directly to the door compartment 210. By configuring the storage compartment 220 to be separable from the door compartment 210 in this way, the user can easily separate the storage compartment 220 for cleaning. The storage compartment 220 of the third door 23 described herein may be referred to as the first storage compartment 220. A second storage compartment 230 may be further arranged in the third storage compartment 16. The second storage compartment 230 may be arranged on top of the first storage compartment 220. The door compartment 210 may be formed to substantially cover the front of the first storage compartment 220 and the second storage compartment 230. For example, the second storage section 230 may be pulled out and retracted in the front-to-back direction without being constrained by the movement of the first storage section 220. For instance, the second storage section 230 may be pulled out and retracted in the front-to-back direction by a roller system that rolls along the upper surfaces of the frame sections on both sides of the first storage section 220.

[0082] The second storage room 15 may be opened and closed by a second door 22. The second door 22 may be a retractable door that can be opened and closed by being pulled out and retracted in the front-to-back direction. For example, the second door 22 may also include a door section that covers the front of the second storage room 15 in the same manner as the third door 23, and a storage section provided behind the door section and housed inside the second storage room 15, but is not limited to this. The second door 22 including the door section and storage section may also be called a drawer assembly or auto drawer. A machine room may be located behind the lower area of ​​the third storage room 16, thereby reducing the front-to-back width of the lower area of ​​the third storage room 16. Therefore, the front-to-back width of the second storage room 15 may be longer than the front-to-back width of the lower area of ​​the third storage room 16 where the machine room 17 is located. The second door 22 may have a handle for easy opening and closing by the user. The opening and closing methods of each door 20 described above are not limited by the drawings, and the revolving doors and the retractable doors may be changed to different methods from each other as needed.

[0083] [Rail assembly, bracket member, and door open module] In the following, with further reference to Figures 3 to 7, a rail assembly 70, a bracket member 80, and a door open module 30 arranged in a storage room according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. The storage room described below will be described as a third storage room 16 as an example, but it is not limited to this, and the same can be applied to the first storage room 14 and the second storage room 15 when they are opened and closed with a pull-out door system. In the following, for convenience of explanation, the third storage room 16 will be referred to as storage room 16, and the third door 23 will be referred to as door 23. Also, as mentioned above, the third door 23 may also be referred to as a drawer assembly or auto drawer.

[0084] The storage chamber 16 may be divided by a bottom surface 164 that constitutes the lower surface, first side surfaces 162a and second side surfaces 162b that constitute the two sides, and a rear surface 163. The upper surface of the storage chamber 16 may be composed of a barrier portion that separates the second storage chamber 15 and the third storage chamber 16. A machine room 17 may be located behind the storage chamber 16. Specifically, a machine room 17 in which components related to a cooling system, such as a compressor, are located may be located outside the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16. Therefore, the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16 that overlaps the machine room 17 in the front-rear direction may be formed to be narrower in the front-rear direction than other rear surfaces 163 of the storage chamber 16 that do not overlap the machine room 17 in the front-rear direction. As an example, the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16 that overlaps in the front-rear direction may be formed to have a surface that slopes forward towards the bottom surface 164.

[0085] A pair of rail assemblies 70 may be positioned on each side of the storage chamber 16. The rail assemblies 70 may be multi-stage rail assemblies 70 whose length can be extended and shortened. The rail assemblies 70 can guide the movement of the door 20 in the front-rear direction. For example, a first rail assembly 71 may be positioned on the first side 162a of the storage chamber 16, and a second rail assembly 72 may be positioned on the second side 162b of the storage chamber 16. The first rail assembly 71 may be fixed to the first side 162a of the storage chamber 16 by a separately provided storage chamber connecting member 18. One side of the storage chamber connecting member 18 may provide a mounting space on which the first rail assembly 71 can be placed and may be fastened to the first rail assembly 71. The other side of the storage chamber connecting member 18 may be fastened to the first side 162a of the storage chamber 16.

[0086] The first rail assembly 71 may include multiple rail units so that they can be extended in multiple stages. For example, the first rail assembly 71 may be a three-stage rail assembly including three rail units consisting of a first rail unit 710, a second rail unit 720, and a third rail unit 730. However, it may also include two rail units or four or more rail units. When the rail units of the first rail assembly 71 are not extended, the length of the first rail unit 710 can substantially correspond to the length of the first rail assembly 71. When the rail units of the first rail assembly 71 are extended, the first rail unit 710 may be fixed in place, with a portion of the second rail unit 720 extended forward of the first rail unit 710, and a portion of the third rail unit 730 extended forward of the second rail unit 720. One or more rail fixing portions 711 may be formed on one side of the first rail unit 710. The rail fixing portion 711 can fasten and fix the first rail assembly 71 to the storage chamber connecting member 18. For example, the rail fixing portion 711 may be in the form of a plate that has a predetermined area and is bent upward, thereby increasing the fastening area and improving the fastening force.

[0087] In a similar manner, the second rail assembly 72 may be fixed to the second side surface 162b of the storage chamber 16 by a separately provided storage chamber connecting member 18. Alternatively, the second rail assembly 72 may be positioned opposite the first rail assembly 71 and formed in a symmetrical shape. The description of the first rail assembly 71 can be similarly applied to the second rail assembly 72.

[0088] A bracket member 80 may be provided in each rail assembly 70. A first bracket member 81 may be provided in the first rail assembly 71, and a second bracket member 82 may be provided in the second rail assembly 72. The first bracket member 81 may include a bracket body portion 810 that extends elongated in one direction. The bracket body portion 810 may be fastened to the third rail unit 730 that protrudes furthest forward among the rail units of the first rail assembly 71. Thus, the first bracket member 81 can move in the front-rear direction while being constrained to the extension and retraction of the third rail unit 730.

[0089] A bracket bent portion 811 may be formed in front of the bracket body portion 810, extending downward. A sensor portion 830 may be arranged in the bracket bent portion 811. The sensor portion 830 may be equipped with a sensor that detects whether the door 20 is pulled out or pulled in. The sensor portion 830 can transmit a sensing signal to a control unit located inside the refrigerator 1.

[0090] A front extension portion 820 may be formed in front of the bracket bent portion 811, extending downward from the bracket body portion 810. The front extension portion 820 may have a predetermined area, be formed in a plate shape facing forward, and be positioned in front of the first bracket member 81. The front extension portion 820 may be the part that fastens and fixes the first bracket member 81 to the door 20.

[0091] The second bracket member 82 may be fastened to the second rail assembly 72 in a similar manner. Alternatively, the second bracket member 82 may be positioned opposite the first bracket member 81 and formed in a symmetrical shape. The description relating to the first bracket member 81 can be similarly applied to the second bracket member 82.

[0092] As described above, the rail assembly 70 and bracket member 80 may be fastened to the door 20 and constrained to the door 20's movement in the front-rear direction, allowing them to be extended and retracted in that direction. In the manual door open mode, where the user manually controls the extension and retraction of the door 20, the rail unit of the rail assembly 70 may be extended and retracted in the front-rear direction even without separate driving force provided to the rail assembly 70 by a drive motor. However, in the automatic door open mode, where the extension and retraction of the door 20 are automatically controlled, since the rail assembly 70 is not directly provided with driving force by a drive motor, a method must be implemented to indirectly provide driving force to control the extension and retraction of the rail assembly 70.

[0093] The door open module 30 is not directly connected to the rail assembly 70 and does not provide driving force for the extension and retraction of the rail unit, but it can indirectly provide driving force to control the extension and retraction of the rail unit of the rail assembly 70. The door open module 30 may not be directly connected to the rail assembly 70 and the bracket member 80, but may be positioned at a predetermined distance apart. The door open module 30 can push the door 20 forward and pull the door 20 backward. Thus, the door 20 can be moved so as to be extended and retracted in the front-rear direction by the door open module 30. The door open module 30 may include one or more multi-stage rack and pinion assemblies 50, one or more drive assemblies 40 that drive the rack and pinion assemblies 50, and a lock assembly 60 that is connected to and disconnected from the door 20.

[0094] For example, the drive assembly 40 may include a pair consisting of a first drive assembly 41 and a second drive assembly 42. The rack and pinion assembly 50 may also include a pair consisting of a first rack and pinion assembly 51 and a second rack and pinion assembly 52. ​​The first rack and pinion assembly 51 may be attached to the first drive assembly 41 and transmit driving force from the first drive assembly 41. The second rack and pinion assembly 52 may be attached to the second drive assembly 42 and transmit driving force from the second drive assembly 42. The first drive assembly 41 and the second drive assembly 42 may be positioned so as to be off-center to the first side 162a and the second side 162b of the storage chamber 16, respectively. The first drive assembly 41 and the second drive assembly 42 may be positioned and configured symmetrically with respect to the center of the storage chamber 16. The first rack and pinion assembly 51 and the second rack and pinion assembly 52 may also be positioned and configured symmetrically with respect to the center of the storage chamber 16. Thus, by embodying the door open module 30 according to the present invention in a dual-module structure including a pair of drive assemblies 40 and a pair of rack and pinion assemblies 50, a strong door pulling force can be provided that allows the door to be opened smoothly even in a strong negative pressure environment such as a freezer. However, the door open module 30 may include one drive assembly 40 and one rack and pinion assembly 50. In this case, it is preferable that the drive assembly 40 and the rack and pinion assembly 50 be located in the central region of the storage chamber 16.

[0095] The lock assembly 60 may be connected on one side to the first rack and pinion assembly 51 and the second rack and pinion assembly 52, respectively. The lock assembly 60 may include a lock assembly extension bar 610 that extends in the left-right direction of the storage chamber 16. A pair of slide racks 611 that fasten to the first rack and pinion assembly 51 and the second rack and pinion assembly 52 may be connected on one side and the other side of the lock assembly extension bar 610, respectively. In this way, by connecting the lock assembly 60 to the first rack and pinion assembly 51 and the second rack and pinion assembly 52, the lock assembly 60 can move together with the first rack and pinion assembly 51 and the second rack and pinion assembly 52, while being constrained to their movement in the front-rear direction. One or more pushing members 630 that press against the rear surface of the storage section 220 may be provided on the lock assembly extension bar 610. In this way, the pushing member 630 of the lock assembly 60 pushes the rear surface of the storage section 220, thereby restricting the forward movement of the lock assembly 60 and allowing the storage section 220 to move in conjunction with the forward movement.

[0096] Furthermore, the lock assembly extension bar 610 may be provided with a hook member 620 that can be switched to connect and disconnect the storage unit 220 and the lock assembly 60. When the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 is connected to the storage unit 220, the storage unit 220 can move together with the lock assembly 60, while being constrained to move not only forward but also backward. When the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 is separated from the storage unit 220, the storage unit 220 can move freely independently of the lock assembly 60, even when the lock assembly 60 is not being driven. A detailed explanation of each assembly constituting the door open module 30 will be given later.

[0097] The drive assembly 40 and the rack and pinion assembly 50 may be located at the bottom of the storage compartment 220. When the door 20 is closed, the drive assembly 40 and the rack and pinion assembly 50 may be positioned so as to overlap each other vertically with respect to the storage compartment 220. The lock assembly 60 may be located at the rear of the storage compartment 220, with the exception of some components. The slide rack 611 of the lock assembly 60 may be located at the bottom of the storage compartment 220, and the lock assembly extension bar 610, pushing member 630 and hook member 620 may be located at the rear of the storage compartment 220.

[0098] The door open module 30 may be located in the lower region of the storage chamber 16. For example, the door open module 30 may be located on the bottom surface 164, which is the lower surface of the storage chamber 16. The bottom surface 164 of the storage chamber 16 may be composed of an internal case 11, and the space between it and an external case 12 located below the bottom surface 164 may become an insulated space where insulation material is placed. The door open module 30 may be located above the bottom surface 164 so as not to infringe upon the insulated space. A groove 165 on which the drive assembly 40 of the door open module can be placed may be formed in the bottom surface 164 of the storage chamber 16. Preferably, the groove 165 is formed to be thinner than the vertical thickness of the drive assembly 40. This allows the groove 165 to stably place the drive assembly 40 on the bottom surface 164 while minimizing the reduction of the insulated space below the bottom surface 164 of the storage chamber 16. Thus, although the door open module 30 according to the present invention is located in the lower region of the storage compartment 16, by being located above the lower surface of the storage compartment 16 rather than below it, the intrusion of the door open module 30 into the thermal insulation space can be reduced, thereby maintaining the thermal insulation performance of the refrigerator and improving energy efficiency.

[0099] [Drive assemblies, rack and pinion assemblies, and lock assemblies] In the following, with further reference to Figures 8 to 12, the drive assembly 40, rack and pinion assembly 50, and lock assembly 60 included in the door open module 30 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0100] Referring to Figure 9, the drive assembly 40 may comprise a pair of a first drive assembly 41 and a second drive assembly 42. The first drive assembly 41 and the second drive assembly 42 may be formed to have symmetrical shapes, and the description based on the first drive assembly 41 can be similarly applied to the second drive assembly 42.

[0101] The first drive assembly 41 may include a first case 410 that constitutes the upper outer surface and a second case 420 that constitutes the lower outer surface. The second case 420 may be formed to have sufficient thickness to house the rack and pinion assembly 50 and the gear assembly 430. The second case 420 may include a first mounting section 421 on which the rack and pinion assembly 50 can be housed and mounted, and a second mounting section 422 on which the gear assembly 430 can be housed and mounted. The first mounting section 421 may have a long, elongated shape in the front-rear direction and its front surface may be open so that the gear rack of the rack and pinion assembly 50 can be pulled out forward.

[0102] The gear assembly 430 may include multiple gears. For example, the multiple gears may be circular gears arranged to mesh with each other. The multiple gears constituting the gear assembly 430 can rotate with respect to a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction. Therefore, the gear assembly 430 may be advantageous in terms of space utilization of the storage chamber 16 because it does not significantly increase the thickness in the vertical direction. The gears of the gear assembly 430 that mesh with the rack and pinion assembly 50 may be pinion gears. Therefore, when the gear assembly 430 is driven, the rack and pinion assembly 50 may be driven in a rack and pinion drive manner by the pinion gears included in the gear assembly 430.

[0103] A drive unit 440 may be located at the bottom of the second case 420. The drive unit 440 can be coupled to one of the gears of the gear assembly 430 to provide driving force. The drive unit 440 may also 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 then to the housing 220 and the rail assembly 70 via the rack and pinion assembly 50. A drive unit cover 450 may be located at the bottom of the second case 420 to house the drive unit 440 and protect the appearance of the drive unit 440.

[0104] The first case 410 is positioned to cover the top surface of the second case 420, thereby protecting the gear assembly 430 and the rack and pinion assembly 50. The first case 410 may have an opening extension 411 extending in the front-rear direction, which is open in the vertical direction, to guide the movement of the gear rack of the rack and pinion assembly 50. The opening extension 411 is also open on the front of the first case 410, allowing the gear rack of the rack and pinion assembly 50 to be pulled forward.

[0105] Referring to Figures 10 and 11, the rack and pinion assembly 50 may comprise a pair of first rack and pinion assemblies 51 and second rack and pinion assemblies 52. The first rack and pinion assembly 51 and the second rack and pinion assembly 52 may be formed to have symmetrical shapes, and the description based on the first rack and pinion assembly 51 can be similarly applied to the second rack and pinion assembly 52.

[0106] The first rack and pinion assembly 51 may be a multi-stage rack and pinion assembly including multiple gear racks. While the present invention describes a three-stage rack and pinion assembly including three gear racks as a basis, it is not limited to this and may include four or more gear racks. That is, the rack and pinion assembly 50 according to the present invention may include three or more gear racks. Here, three or more gear racks mean gear racks that are moved to be pulled out and retracted in the front-rear direction, and may exclude gear racks that remain fixed and not moved. The more gear racks there are, the greater the total pull-out distance that can be extended outside the storage chamber 16, even while still being installable within a storage chamber 16 with a short front-rear length. As mentioned above, if the machine chamber 17 is located behind the storage chamber 16, the front-rear length of the storage chamber 16 may be shorter than that of other storage chambers 16. Therefore, the multi-stage rack and pinion assembly 50 according to the present invention, by including three or more gear racks, can greatly extend the door extension distance so that the storage section 220 of the door 20 can be fully exposed to the outside, even when it is placed in a storage chamber 16 with a narrow width in the front-to-back direction. However, it is not limited to this, and when the rack and pinion assembly 50 is placed in a storage chamber 16 with sufficient length in the front-to-back direction, it may be arranged as a two-stage rack and pinion assembly 50 including two gear racks.

[0107] The first rack and pinion assembly 51 may include a first gear rack 510, a second gear rack 520, and a third gear rack 530. The first gear rack 510 may be elongated in one direction and formed with an open front and top surface. The first gear rack 510 has a storage space 514 that can accommodate the second gear rack 520 and the third gear rack 530, and the storage space 514 may be formed by a pair of support walls 513 formed on both sides of the first gear rack 510. A sawtooth first tooth profile 511 may be formed on one side of the support wall 513. For example, the first tooth profile 511 may be formed for about half the length of the support wall 513 in the front-rear direction. The first tooth profile 511 may be formed on the outer surface of the support wall 513 facing the gear assembly 430 so as to mesh with the pinion gear of the gear assembly 430. Therefore, when the gear assembly 430 is driven, the first gear rack 510 may be pulled forward by a rack and pinion drive along the first tooth profile 511 that meshes with the gear assembly 430. The first gear rack 510 may include a first pinion gear 512. The first pinion gear 512 may be formed in the support wall 513 on which the first tooth profile 511 is formed. The first pinion gear 512 may be located near the central region of the first gear rack 510 and forward of the first tooth profile 511.

[0108] A support gear rack 500 may be positioned in the drive assembly 40. The support gear rack 500 may be located in front of the gear assembly 430 and fixed to the drive assembly 40. The support gear rack 500 may be formed to have a length equivalent to approximately half the length of the first gear rack 510 in the front-rear direction. A support gear rack tooth profile 501 that meshes with the first pinion gear 512 may be formed on one side of the support gear rack 500. Thus, when the gear assembly 430 is driven, the first pinion gear 512 can move forward along the support gear rack 500 while meshed with the support gear rack tooth profile 501. This allows the first gear rack 510 to be pulled forward, and the support gear rack 500 to maintain its fixed position even during the operation of the first gear rack 510 being pulled forward.

[0109] A second gear rack 520 may be positioned in the storage space 514 of the first gear rack 510. The second gear rack 520 may include a second tooth profile 521 formed along the surface facing the first pinion gear 512. The second tooth profile 521 may be formed to mesh with the first pinion gear 512. The second gear rack 520 may include a second pinion gear 522 positioned on one side of the second tooth profile 521. When the first gear rack 510 is pulled forward, the second gear rack 520, which maintains meshing with the first pinion gear 512, may be pulled forward by a rack and pinion drive system with the first pinion gear 512. Therefore, when the first pinion gear 512 rotates, the second gear rack 520 can move forward while meshing with the first pinion gear 512. In this case, the second pinion gear 522 can also move forward.

[0110] A third gear rack 530 may be positioned in the storage space 514 of the first gear rack 510. The third gear rack 530 may include a third tooth profile 531 formed along the surface facing the second pinion gear 522. The third tooth profile 531 may be formed to mesh with the second pinion gear 522. When the second gear rack 520 is pulled forward, the third gear rack 530, which maintains its meshing with the second pinion gear 522, may be pulled forward by a rack and pinion drive system with the second pinion gear 522. Therefore, when the second pinion gear 522 rotates, the third gear rack 530 can move forward while meshing with the second pinion gear 522. A portion of the third gear rack 530 may be formed to protrude outward from the upper surface of the first gear rack 510. The upper surface of the first gear rack 510 may be covered by a rack cover 540. The rack cover 540 is positioned to cover the second gear rack 520 and the third gear rack 530 and may include an opening guide portion 541 that is open so that a portion of the third gear rack 530 protrudes upward. The opening guide portion 541 may have a shape that penetrates vertically, is open at the front, and extends in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the third gear rack 530 may slide in the front-rear direction along the opening guide portion 541.

[0111] When the rack and pinion assembly 50 is driven, the first gear rack 510 may protrude the shortest distance forward relative to the front section of the rack and pinion assembly 50, followed by the second gear rack 520 which protrudes further forward than the first gear rack 510, and then the third gear rack 530 which protrudes further forward than the second gear rack 520. The speed of movement of the gear racks may increase in the order of the first gear rack 510, the second gear rack 520, and the third gear rack 530. Also, since the distance traveled by the gear racks and the pulling force of the gear racks are inversely proportional to each other, the pulling force may increase in the order of the third gear rack 530, the second gear rack 520, and the first gear rack 510. In this case, the gear rack that protrudes first relative to the front section of the rack and pinion assembly 50 may be the first gear rack 510.

[0112] As described above, the rotation axis of the pinion gear of the rack and pinion assembly 50 may extend in the vertical direction of the storage chamber 16, similar to the rotation axis of the gear assembly 430. Therefore, the pinion gear does not rotate in a vertically upright position, but can rotate horizontally parallel to the bottom surface 164 of the storage chamber 16. Since the thickness of the pinion gear in the horizontally upright position is relatively thinner than the thickness of the pinion gear in the vertically upright position, the overall vertical thickness of the rack and pinion assembly 50 can also be reduced. Therefore, according to the present invention, by arranging the rotation axis of the pinion gear of the door open module 30, which is driven by a rack and pinion drive system, to extend in the vertical direction of the storage chamber 16, the vertical thickness of the door open module 30 can be reduced, thereby improving the space utilization of the storage chamber 16.

[0113] Furthermore, the pinion gear and gear rack according to the present invention may be arranged to mesh with each other in the left-right direction, not the up-down direction, of the storage chamber 16, that is, in the horizontal direction, not the vertical direction of the storage chamber 16. According to the present invention, since there are no other parts that directly apply load to the rack and pinion assembly 50 in the horizontal direction, it is possible to reduce misalignment or play between the pinion gear and gear rack.

[0114] On the other hand, when using a multi-stage rack and pinion assembly 50, since a large number of gear racks and pinion gears are configured to mesh with each other, the cumulative tolerance between parts may be large. As a result, the parts of the rack and pinion assembly 50 according to the present invention may be designed so that a predetermined clearance space creates a tolerance between adjacent parts. For example, referring to Figure 11, it can be seen that a projection 550 is formed along the corner of the third gear rack 530. The projection 550 may be formed to extend in the front-rear direction along the corner of the third gear rack 530. The projection 550 may be formed in such a way that the corner protrudes convexly compared to other surfaces. As an example, the projection 550 may be formed to have a circular curved surface.

[0115] Thus, by forming projections 550 along the corners of the third gear rack 530, when the third gear rack 530 contacts an adjacent part, it is possible to ensure that line contact is made to the maximum extent possible over a narrow area via the projections 550, rather than surface contact between surfaces consisting of large surfaces. By designing the third gear rack 530 to make line contact with adjacent parts, the contact area between parts can be reduced, thereby reducing friction, and allowing for smoother movement of parts in the front-rear direction when the rack and pinion assembly 50 is extended and retracted. Furthermore, the projections 550 may cause adjacent parts to have tolerances with a predetermined separation space, so even if alignment problems occur between parts, a kind of buffer space may be provided that does not affect the movement of the parts. The projections 550 described above have been explained using the third gear rack 530 as an example, but these projections 550 can be similarly applied to any other parts included in the rack and pinion assembly 50, such as the first gear rack 510, the second gear rack 520, and the rack cover 540.

[0116] Referring to Figure 12, the lock assembly 60 may include a lock assembly extension bar 610 extending in the left-right direction. That is, the lock assembly extension bar 610 may extend in a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction in which the gear rack of the rack and pinion assembly 50 is extended and retracted. As an example, the lock assembly extension bar 610 may be a rod-shaped form with an open rear end. The lock assembly extension bar 610 can synchronize the operation of the first rack and pinion assembly 51 and the second rack and pinion assembly 52 with each other.

[0117] A pair of slide racks 611 may be positioned on one side and the other side of the lock assembly extension bar 610. The slide racks 611 may be formed to extend in the front-rear direction, perpendicular to the direction in which the lock assembly extension bar 610 extends. The slide racks 611 may be fastened and fixed to the third gear rack 530 of the rack and pinion assembly 50. Therefore, the slide racks 611 may also move in the front-rear direction, constrained by the front-rear movement of the third gear rack 530. In this way, as the slide racks 611 move in the front-rear direction, the lock assembly extension bar 610 may also move in the front-rear direction, constrained by the movement of the slide racks 611.

[0118] A pair of connecting members 612 may be arranged on one side and the other side of the lock assembly extension bar 610, respectively, to connect the slide rack 611 and the lock assembly extension bar 610 to each other. The connecting members 612 may extend for a predetermined length in the same direction as the lock assembly extension bar 610 and be fastened to the rear surface of the lock assembly extension bar 610. The connecting members 612 may be bent in the same direction as the slide rack 611 at the end of the lock assembly extension bar 610 and be fastened to the slide rack 611. That is, although the connecting members 612 have an overall rod-like shape, they may be formed to include a portion bent in the vertical direction, but their shape is not limited to this. Considering the direction of movement of the lock assembly 60 which moves in the front-rear direction, the slide rack 611 and the connecting members 612 may be fastened in the up-down direction. In this way, by making the direction of movement and the fastening direction perpendicular to each other, it is possible to reduce the weakening of the fastening force between the slide rack 611 and the connecting members 612 even when repeated front-rear movement occurs. As an example, the connecting member 612 may be positioned on the upper part of the slide rack 611 so as to cover a portion of the rear section of the slide rack 611. In this case, the slide rack 611 and the connecting member 612 may be fastened together by another fastening member, but are not limited to this.

[0119] A fixing member 613 may be further positioned below the connecting member 612 and behind the slide rack 611. The fixing member 613 can function to fill the gap formed between the rear of the slide rack 611 and the bottom of the connecting member 612, and can prevent the slide rack 611 from detaching in the front-rear direction. The slide rack 611 and the fixing member 613 can support the lower surface of the connecting member 612.

[0120] A pushing member 630 and a hook member 620 may be arranged on the lock assembly extension bar 610. In Figure 12, one embodiment is shown in which one hook member 620 is located in the central region of the lock assembly extension bar 610, and a pair of pushing members 630 are located on either side of the hook member 620, offset to one side and the other side of the lock assembly extension bar 610, respectively, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, in another embodiment, one pushing member 630 may be located in the central region of the lock assembly extension bar 610, and a pair of hook members 620 may be located on either side of the pushing member 630, offset to one side and the other side of the lock assembly extension bar 610. Furthermore, the number and position of the hook members 620 and pushing members 630 are not limited to this. For example, it may include one hook member 620 and one pushing member 630, or it may include a pair of hook members 620 and a pair of pushing members 630. Furthermore, it may include three or more hook members 620 or three or more pushing members 630. In addition, the arrangement can be modified in various ways, such as by arranging the hook members 620 and pushing members 630 alternately.

[0121] The pushing member 630 may include a pushing portion 631 positioned to face forward. The pushing portion 631 is capable of pushing an object located in front of it, similar to the storage portion 220. The pushing portion 631 may be formed to have a plate-like shape with a predetermined area so that it can make surface contact with the object to be pushed, similar to the storage portion 220. For example, the pushing portion 631 may be formed to extend in the left-right and up-down directions, with the length in the left-right direction being longer than the length in the up-down direction. A pushing member bending portion 632, which is bent forward, may be formed on the lower part of the pushing member bending portion 631, and a pushing member fastening portion 634, which is bent downward and extends, may be formed on the front part of the pushing member bending portion 632. The pushing member 630 may be placed on the lock assembly extension bar 610 at the pushing member bending portion 632, and the pushing member fastening portion 634 may be fastened to the outer surface of the front of the lock assembly extension bar 610. Since the pushing portion 631 of the pushing member 630 pushes the object forward, the repulsive force applied to the pushing member 630 may also be applied to the rear. Therefore, by fastening the pushing member fastening portion 634 to the outer surface of the front of the lock assembly extension bar 610, it is possible to prevent the fastening between the pushing member 630 and the lock assembly extension bar 610 from loosening due to the repulsive force applied to the pushing member 630. Multiple reinforcing ribs 633 are formed on the bending portion 632 of the pushing member to reinforce the strength of the pushing member 630.

[0122] The hook member 620 may include a hook member fixing portion 621 for fastening the hook member 620 to the lock assembly extension bar 610, and a hook member body portion 622 that operates to connect to and disconnect from an object located in front of it, such as a storage portion 220. The hook member fixing portion 621 may include a rotating shaft portion 6211. The rotating shaft portion 6211 can be fastened to the hook member body portion 622 to provide a rotating shaft on which the hook member body portion 622 rotates. The rotating shaft portion 6211 is formed to extend upward above the lock assembly extension bar 610, and a space may be provided in the central region for fastening to a connecting portion 6223 of the hook member body portion 622. A bent portion 6212 bent forward may be formed on the lower part of the rotating shaft portion 6211, and a fastening portion 6213 bent downward and extending on the front part of the bent portion 6212 may be formed. The hook member fixing portion 621 is placed on the lock assembly extension bar 610 at the bent portion 6212, and the fastening portion 6213 may be fastened to the outer surface of the front of the lock assembly extension bar 610. Multiple reinforcing ribs 6214 are formed on the bent portion 6212 of the hook member fixing portion 621 to reinforce the strength of the hook member fixing portion 621.

[0123] The hook member body portion 622 may include a hook portion 6222 which is substantially the portion that fastens during hook coupling, an extension portion 6221 extending downward from the hook portion 6222, and a connecting portion 6223 formed on one side of the extension portion 6221. The hook portion 6222 may be a portion that connects and disconnects to an object located in front of the hook member 620 by hook coupling, such as the storage portion 220. The hook portion 6222 may be formed to have a curved surface that bends inward in order to improve the hook coupling force with the object to which it is hooked.

[0124] The extension portion 6221 of the hook member body portion 622 is formed to extend downward on the lower surface of the hook portion 6222, and the lower portion of the extension portion 6221 may be formed to be bent forward at a predetermined angle. The extension portion 6221 having these shapes is the part that comes into contact with the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16, and can realize smooth contact and release from the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16.

[0125] The connecting portion 6223 of the hook member body portion 622 is the portion that connects to the rotating shaft portion 6211 of the hook member fixing portion 621, and the connecting portion 6223 and the rotating shaft portion 6211 may be connected to each other by a fastening pin 624. For example, through holes extending in the left-right direction may be formed in the connecting portion 6223 and the rotating shaft portion 6211 so that the fastening pin 624 can pass through them.

[0126] In this case, an elastic member 623 that provides elastic force to the hook member body 622 may 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 may be a spring. Specifically, the elastic member 623 may be a torsion spring. A torsion spring is a spring that stores and releases energy by using torsion. A torsion spring can act when a torsional force is applied around an axis. Therefore, a torsion spring may have the property of storing energy by rotation or torsion and then restoring itself when released. A torsion spring is wound in a spiral shape, and torsion can be generated by the support bases connected to both ends. That is, the torsion spring itself may twist when subjected to force by rotational motion, and energy may be stored by that torsion. Therefore, the hook member body portion 622 may be capable of rotational motion such that it can be restored in the opposite direction by the elastic member 623 when it rotates in one direction.

[0127] For example, the hook member body portion 622 can rotate in a circular motion by a predetermined angle around the connecting portion 6223, which is connected to the rotating shaft portion 6211. When the door 20 is closed, that is, when the lock assembly 60 is fully retracted to the rear, the rear surface of the extension portion 6221 of the hook member body portion 622 can come into contact with the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16. In this case, the rear surface of the extension portion 6221 of the hook member body portion 6222 is pressed forward by the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16, so the hook portion 6222, which is located on the upper part of the extension portion 6221, can rotate backward around the axis of rotation of the hook member body portion 622. That is, the hook portion 6222 and the lower end portion of the extension portion 6221, which are located in opposite directions to each other around the axis of rotation of the hook member body portion 622, will rotate in opposite directions to each other. As a result, the hook portion 6222 can maintain a state in which the hook connection with an object such as the storage portion 220 located in front is released.

[0128] In this way, when the hook member body portion 622 is in contact with the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16, the restorative energy is maintained by the torsion of the elastic member 623. Subsequently, when the lock assembly 60 moves forward, the extension portion 6221 of the hook member body portion 6222 releases contact with the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16, and the hook portion 6222 may rotate forward around the axis of rotation in the connecting portion 6223 due to the restorative energy of the elastic member 623. Therefore, the hook portion 6222 may be hooked to an object to be hooked, such as the storage portion 220 located in front.

[0129] As described above, the lock assembly 60 can synchronize the driving of the pair of drive assemblies 40 located on both sides with the driving of the pair of rack and pinion assemblies 50. Therefore, even if one of the pair of drive assemblies 40 fails or stops working, if the other working drive assembly 40 is driven, the lock assembly 60 can control the rack and pinion assembly 50 that is engaged with the stopped drive assembly 40 to be pulled out and pulled in normally through synchronization.

[0130] In yet another embodiment, the first rack and pinion assembly 51 and the second rack and pinion assembly 52 are located on one side and the other side of the storage chamber 16, respectively, while the drive assembly 40 may be located on only one side or the other side of the storage chamber 16. For example, if the drive assembly 40 is located only on one side of the storage chamber 16 where the first rack and pinion assembly 51 is located and directly drives the first rack and pinion assembly 51, the second rack and pinion assembly 52 can be operated in sync with the operation of the first rack and pinion assembly 51 by the lock assembly 60. Therefore, even if there is no drive assembly 40 that directly fastens to the second rack and pinion assembly 52 to drive the second rack and pinion assembly 52, the driving force of the drive assembly 40 that directly fastens to the first rack and pinion assembly 51 to drive the first rack and pinion assembly 51 can be indirectly transmitted to the second rack and pinion assembly 52 via the lock assembly 60.

[0131] [Door opening module, rail assembly, bracket member, and door connecting structure] In the following, the connecting structure of the door open module 30, rail assembly 70, bracket member 80, and door 20 will be described with further reference to Figures 13 to 16.

[0132] Referring to Figure 13, the door 20 may include a door section 210 that opens and closes the front of the cabinet 2. The door section 210 may include a door frame 211 that forms the substantial appearance of the door 20, and a door liner 212 positioned behind the door frame 211 and connected to a bracket member 80. A door dike 216 may be formed on the rear surface of the door liner 212, formed along the rear circumference. The door dike 216 may protrude rearward from the door liner 212 so as to be inserted into the interior of the storage compartment 16. A recessed door recess section 217 may be formed on the rear surface of the door liner 212 corresponding to the inside of the door dike 216. Bracket connecting sections 214 may be formed on the door recess section 217, which are connected to a first bracket member 81 and a second bracket member 82, respectively. The bracket connecting sections 214 may be formed to protrude rearward by a predetermined thickness to facilitate connection with the bracket member 80. The bracket member 80 may be fastened to the outer rear surface of the bracket connecting portion 214, or inserted into an insertion space formed on the inner rear surface of the bracket connecting portion 214 and fastened to the inner rear surface; the fastening method is not particularly limited. In this way, by fastening the door portion 210 and the bracket member 80 to each other, the movement and operation of the door 20, bracket member 80 and rail assembly 70 may be synchronized with each other. A gasket portion 213 may be formed on the rear surface of the door liner 212, positioned around the outer circumference of the door dike 216. The gasket portion 213 contacts the cabinet 2, sealing the space between the door 20 and the cabinet 2, thereby reducing the occurrence of cold air leakage.

[0133] A pair of first press portions 215 may be positioned in the lower region of the door liner 212. The pair of first press portions 215 may be positioned so as to overlap each other in the longitudinal direction with the first drive assembly 41 and the second drive assembly 42. The first press portions 215 may be positioned so as to overlap each other in the longitudinal direction with the first rack and pinion assembly 51 and the second rack and pinion assembly 52, which are attached to the first drive assembly 41 and the second drive assembly 42, respectively. Specifically, when the first gear rack 510 of the rack and pinion assembly 50 protrudes forward, it can come into contact with the first press portion 215 and press the first press portion 215 forward.

[0134] For example, the first press portion 215 may be formed on the door dike 216. As an example, the first press portion 215 may be formed in a manner that surrounds the top, rear, and bottom surfaces of the door dike 216 and fixed to the door dike 216. In this case, the first press portion 215 may be fixed to the door dike 216 by a method such as a plug-in connection, a method such as a hook connection, or by another fastening member. The first press portion 215 may be formed of a highly impact-resistant plastic material, and as an example, it may include, but is not limited to, ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) plastic. As described above, the first press portion 215 is described as a separate component from the door dike 216 of the door liner 212 as one embodiment, but is not limited to this.

[0135] In another embodiment, the first press portion 215 may be formed integrally with the door liner 212. For example, a shape corresponding to the first press portion 215 may be formed integrally with the door liner 212 on the rear surface of the door liner 212. Alternatively, the first press portion 215 may be molded integrally with the door dike 216. Furthermore, the first press portion 215 does not need to be separately molded with the door dike 216; in this case, the first press portion 215 can be defined conceptually as a surface that contacts the gear rack of the rack and pinion assembly 50.

[0136] Referring to Figure 14, a second push portion 222 may be formed on the rear surface of the storage portion 220 so as to overlap the pushing member 630 of the lock assembly 60 in the front-rear direction. If a pair of pushing members 630 are formed on the lock assembly 60, a pair of second push portions 222 may also be formed on the rear surface of the storage portion 220 in correspondence. The second push portion 222 may be located in the lower region of the storage portion 220. The lower region of the storage portion 220 may be formed to have an inclined surface that slopes forward, taking into account the rear area occupied by the machine room 17 located behind the storage portion 220. That is, the front-rear width of the lower region of the storage portion 220 may be formed to be smaller than the front-rear width of the upper region of the storage portion 220. Therefore, the second push portion 222 formed in the lower region of the storage portion 220 may be formed to protrude to have a predetermined width to the rear. Thus, by forming the second push portion 222 in the lower region of the storage portion 220 having an inclined surface, the pushing member 630 of the lock assembly 60 may also be formed adjacent to the lower region of the storage portion 220 having an inclined surface. For example, the pushing member 630 of the lock assembly 60, which is located behind the storage portion 220, may not be located behind the rearmost surface of the storage portion 220, but rather may be arranged to overlap the inclined surface in the lower region of the storage portion 220 in the vertical direction. Therefore, the width of the door open module 30 including the lock assembly 60 in the front-rear direction can be reduced, thereby increasing the usability of space within the narrow storage room 16.

[0137] The second pressing portion 222 may have a flat surface facing the pushing member 630 so as to increase the contact area with the pushing member 630. The second pressing portion 222 may be formed integrally with the storage portion 220. For example, a shape corresponding to the second pressing portion 222 may be formed integrally with the storage portion 220 on the rear surface of the storage portion 220. In this case, the second pressing portion 222 can also be defined conceptually as the surface that contacts the pushing member 630.

[0138] Furthermore, a hook fastening portion 221 may be formed on the rear surface of the storage portion 220, positioned to overlap the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 in the front-rear direction. The hook fastening portion 221 may be arranged to overlap the second pressing portion 222 with each other in the left-right direction. The hook member 620 may fasten to the hook fastening portion 221 by rotating in a circular motion around a rotation axis in the left-right direction. The hook fastening portion 221 may be formed in a shape that facilitates hook connection and disconnection with the hook portion 6222 of the hook member 620. The hook fastening portion 221 may be located in the lower region of the storage portion 220. As described above, since the lower region of the storage portion 220 is formed to have an inclined surface that slopes forward, the hook fastening portion 221 may be formed to protrude to the rear with a predetermined width. The hook fastening portion 221 may, but is not limited to, protruding with substantially the same thickness as the second pressing portion 222. Thus, by forming the hook fastening portion 221 in the lower region of the storage portion 220 having an inclined surface, the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 may also be formed adjacent to the lower region of the storage portion 220 having an inclined surface. For example, the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60, which is located at the rear of the storage portion 220, may not be located behind the rearmost surface of the storage portion 220, but rather may be arranged to overlap the inclined surface in the lower region of the storage portion 220 in the vertical direction. Therefore, the width of the door open module 30 including the lock assembly 60 in the front-rear direction can be reduced, thereby increasing the usability of space within the narrow storage room 16.

[0139] For example, the hook fastening portion 221 may be formed in a shape that includes a hook slot 2211 that penetrates vertically on the inside, so that the hook portion 6222 of the hook member 620 can be hooked and connected. When the hook fastening portion 221 is fastened to the storage portion 220, the hook fastening portion 221 may have a shape like a roughly D-shaped handle. This allows the hook portion 6222 of the hook member 620, which rotates in a circular motion forward around a rotation axis in the left-right direction, to be inserted into the hook slot 2211 and hook connection to be possible. Also, the hook portion 6222 of the hook member 620, which rotates in a circular motion backward around a rotation axis in the left-right direction, can be separated from the hook slot 2211 and the hook connection to be released. The hook fastening portion 221 may be formed integrally with the storage portion 220. For example, a shape corresponding to the hook fastening portion 221 may be formed integrally with the storage portion 220 on the rear surface of the storage portion 220. In this case, the hook fastening portion 221 can also be defined conceptually as the part that hooks onto the hook member 620.

[0140] Referring to Figure 15, another embodiment of the present invention will be described, in which the second push portion 222 may be located in the upper region of the rear surface of the storage portion 220. The upper region of the rear surface of the storage portion 220 may be formed to have a vertical surface rather than an inclined surface, but is not limited thereto. The hook fastening portion 221 may be located in the lower region of the rear surface of the storage portion 220. Therefore, the second push portion 222 and the hook fastening portion 221 may be arranged so as not to overlap each other in the left-right direction. By positioning the second push portion 222 in the upper region of the storage portion 220, the pushing member 630 of the lock assembly 60 that pushes the second push portion 222 may be formed to extend to the upper region of the storage portion 220. That is, the pushing member 630 may be formed to extend from the lower region to the upper region of the rear surface of the storage portion 220. However, it is not limited to this, and the shape of the lock assembly extension bar 610 on which the pushing member 630 is placed may be molded to extend to the upper region, so that the pushing member 630 is located in the upper region of the rear surface of the storage section 220.

[0141] The second pushing portion 222 is located in the upper region of the storage portion 220, and the hook fastening portion 221 is located in the lower region of the storage portion 220. As a result, the pushing member 630 of the lock assembly 60 pushes the rear surface of the storage portion 220 in the upper region, and the hook member 620 may connect to and disconnect from the rear surface of the storage portion 220 in the lower region. When the hook member 620 is connected to the hook fastening portion 221 of the storage portion 220, the hook member 620 may also perform the action of pushing the rear surface of the storage portion 220 while connected to the hook fastening portion 221 of the storage portion 220. Therefore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, since the pushing member 630 can push the upper region of the rear surface of the storage portion 220 and the hook member 620 can push the lower region of the rear surface of the storage portion 220, a uniform pushing force can be applied to the entire rear surface of the storage portion 220 compared to pushing only the lower region or only the upper region of the storage portion 220. This prevents the storage unit 220 from becoming unbalanced between its upper and lower parts during the process of being pulled forward, thus preventing it from lifting up or becoming misaligned.

[0142] Referring to Figure 16, yet another embodiment of the present invention may be described, in which the rail assembly 70 further includes rail connecting bars 73 extending in the left-right direction of the storage compartment 16, such that one side and the other side are connected to a first rail assembly 71 and a second rail assembly 72, respectively. The pushing member 630 of the lock assembly 60 does not directly push the rear surface of the storage compartment 220, but can push the rear surface of the rail connecting bars 73. As previously stated, since the movement of the storage compartment 220 of the door 20 is synchronized with the operation of the rail assembly 70, when the rear surface of the rail connecting bars 73 that connect the pair of rail assemblies 70 to each other is pushed, the storage compartment 220 may also move forward due to the forward pulling operation of the rail units of the rail assemblies 70. The rail connecting bars 73 may be located behind the upper region of the rear surface of the storage compartment 220. By positioning the rail connecting bars 73 behind the upper region of the storage compartment 220, the pushing member 630 of the lock assembly 60 that pushes the rail connecting bars 73 may be formed to extend to the upper region of the storage compartment 220. In other words, the pushing member 630 may be formed to extend from the lower region to the upper region of the rear surface of the storage section 220. However, it is not limited to this, and the pushing member 630 may be located in the upper region of the rear surface of the storage section 220 by shaping the lock assembly extension bar 610 on which the pushing member 630 is placed so that it extends to the upper region. In yet another embodiment, the pushing member 630 may be located in the lower region of the rear surface of the storage section 220 by shaping the rail connecting bar 73 so that it extends to the lower region of the rear surface of the storage section 220.

[0143] Thus, the pushing member 630 of the lock assembly 60 may push the rear surface of the rail connecting bar 73, and the hook member 620 may connect to and disconnect from the rear surface of the storage unit 220. When the hook member 620 is connected to the hook fastening portion 221 of the storage unit 220, the hook member 620 may also perform the action of pushing the rear surface of the storage unit 220 while connected to the hook fastening portion 221 of the storage unit 220. Therefore, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention, since the pushing member 630 can push the rail connecting bar 73 and the hook member 620 can push the rear surface of the storage unit 220, the pushing force can be distributed to the storage unit 220 and the rail assembly 70 compared to pushing only the storage unit 220, so that the forward movement of the storage unit 220 and the pulling out operation of the rail unit of the rail assembly 70 can be synchronized more smoothly.

[0144] [Operation of the door open module and the pulling out and pulling in of the door] In the following, with further reference to Figures 17 to 24, the operation of the door open module 30 according to one embodiment of the present invention and the pulling out and pulling in operations of the door 20 will be described.

[0145] Figures 17 and 20 show the door 20 and the door open module 30 in the state before the door open module 30 is driven. That is, Figures 17 and 20 show the state when the door 20 is completely closed and the storage section 220 is also completely stored inside the storage chamber 16. In this case, the rack and pinion assembly 50 is also in the state before it is activated, and the rack and pinion assembly 50 attached to the drive assembly 40 remains in a state that is not pulled forward. Therefore, the first push portion 215 of the door 20 and the rack and pinion assembly 50 can maintain a predetermined distance apart without contacting each other. Similarly, the second push portion 222 of the storage section 220 and the pushing member 630 of the lock assembly 60 can also maintain a predetermined distance apart without contacting each other. Since the lock assembly 60 is completely retracted to the rear, the rear surface of the hook member 620 adheres tightly to the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16, maintaining a rearward curved state. As a result, the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 can maintain a state in which it is not connected to the hook fastening portion 221 of the storage section 220. Therefore, when the door 20 is completely closed and the storage section 220 is fully stored in the storage room 16, the storage section 220 of the door 20 and the door open module 30 remain disconnected from each other.

[0146] Thus, with the connection between the storage unit 220 and the door open module 30 released, the user can easily pull out and retract the door 20 in manual door open mode. In other words, according to the present invention, when the storage unit 220 is retracted, the connection between the hook member 620 and the storage unit 220 is automatically released, so the user does not need to perform any additional operation to switch to manual door open mode. Therefore, in manual door open mode, the door 20 may be able to move in the forward and backward directions along the rail assembly 70 by the user, even when the door open module 30 is not being driven.

[0147] As a result, according to the present invention, the lock assembly 60 includes a hook member 620 to which is attached, which is connected to the storage section 220 when the door 20 is moving forward or backward, and separated from the storage section 220 when the door 20 is closed. Therefore, when the door 20 is closed, the manual pull-out mode can be quickly and easily implemented without any additional operation.

[0148] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the switching between the automatic door opening mode and the manual door opening mode is performed naturally, and the user can easily and smoothly pull out the door without needing a separate command to switch to the manual door opening mode, thereby maximizing ease of use.

[0149] Furthermore, according to the present invention, in manual door open mode, the door 20 may be pulled out and retracted by the rail assembly 70 alone, even without being fastened to the door open module 30. Therefore, when the door 20 is pulled out and retracted manually, there is no need to forcibly drive the door open module 30, thus solving the problem of back electromotive force of the door open module 30 that may occur during manual pulling out and retraction.

[0150] Furthermore, according to the present invention, in the manual door open mode, the door 20 may be pulled out and retracted by the rail assembly 70 alone, even without being fastened to the door open module 30. This minimizes the resistance and unfamiliar feeling the user experiences when pulling out and retracting the door 20, thereby improving the user experience.

[0151] When the door open module 30 is not activated, the storage unit 220 and the door open module 30 can maintain a state where they are not in contact with each other. That is, the door open module 30 does not support the load of the storage unit 220, and the load of the storage unit 220 may be supported by the rail assembly 70. For example, a pair of rail assemblies 70 positioned on both sides of the storage unit 220 can support the lower surfaces of the side frame portions of the storage unit 220. Therefore, the multiple gear racks and multiple pinion gears of the rack and pinion assembly 50 do not have to be in contact with the lower surface of the storage unit 220. The lower surface of the storage unit 220 and the upper surface of the door open module 30 may be separated by a predetermined distance of clearance space (CS).

[0152] Thus, according to the present invention, the load of the storage compartment 220 can be supported not by the door open module 30, but by the rail assembly 70 located on the side of the door 20. Therefore, the door open module 30, which provides direct driving force, can be prevented from being damaged by the load of the storage compartment 220, and the door open module 30 can be operated stably regardless of the magnitude of the load of the storage compartment 220.

[0153] Figures 18 and 21 show the door 20 and the door open module 30 in a state where the door open module 30 is driven so that the rack and pinion assembly 50 contacts the first pressed portion 215 of the door 20. When the user activates the automatic door open mode, the door 20 can move in the forward and backward directions along the rail assembly 70 by the drive of the door open module 30. To activate the automatic door open mode, the refrigerator 1 may be equipped with a separate button to implement the automatic door open mode, but is not limited to this, and may be activated in various ways, such as by a sensor such as a motion sensor or a sound sensor, by a voice command from the user, or by input from a mobile device such as a mobile phone or remote control.

[0154] When the automatic door open mode is activated and the door open module 30 is driven, the drive assembly 40 drives the gear rack of the rack and pinion assembly 50 forward. When the rack and pinion assembly 50 begins to be pulled out, the first gear rack 510 may be the first to be pulled out. The first gear rack 510 is pulled out a shorter distance than the second gear rack 520 and the third gear rack 530, but its pulling force may be greater than that of the second gear rack 520 and the third gear rack 530. When the door 20 is closed, the sealing pressure between the gasket portion 213 of the door 20 and the cabinet 2 is high, so a large force may be required initially to separate the door 20 from the cabinet 2. Therefore, the sealing pressure between the gasket portion 213 and the cabinet 2 can be effectively overcome by having the first gear rack 510, which has the greatest pulling force, push the first push portion 215 of the door portion 210 located in front of the door 20. In this case, pushing the rear surface of the door section 210, which is located in front of the door 20, may be more effective in effectively overcoming the sealing pressure between the gasket section 213 and the cabinet 2 than pushing the storage section 220, which is located behind the door 20.

[0155] Thus, according to the present invention, when the door open module 30 moves the door 20 forward while the door 20 is fully retracted, the rack and pinion assembly 50 pushes the rear surface 163 of the door portion 210, thereby releasing the contact between the door portion 210 and the cabinet 2. At this time, the rack and pinion assembly 50 can ensure that the gear rack that is pulled out the shortest in front of the rack and pinion assembly 50 pushes the rear surface of the door portion, thereby allowing the gear rack with the greatest pulling force to push the rear surface of the door portion 210. This effectively overcomes the door sealing pressure between the cabinet 2 and the gasket portion 213 of the door 20.

[0156] With the first gear rack 510 of the rack and pinion assembly 50 pressing against the rear surface of the door section 210, the storage section 220 and the door open module 30 can maintain a state where they are not in contact with each other. The pushing member 630 of the lock assembly 60 may be in a state before pressing against the second pushed portion 222 of the storage section 220, and the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 may be in a state before being connected to the hook fastening portion 221 of the storage section 220. That is, the hook member 620 may still be in contact with the rear surface of the storage chamber 16. The hook member 620 can rotate forward by a predetermined angle compared to the state where the door 20 is completely closed, but it does not need to rotate to the extent that it hooks onto the hook fastening portion 221.

[0157] Figures 19 and 22 show the door 20 and the door open module 30 after the door open module 30 has been driven and the door 20 has moved forward a predetermined distance. The door 20 can move forward or backward, and Figures 19 and 22 can be applied to both the forward and backward movements of the door 20. After the first gear rack 510 of the rack and pinion assembly 50 pushes the first pressed portion 215 of the door portion 210, releasing contact between the gasket portion 213 of the door 20 and the cabinet 2, the contact between the first gear rack 510 and the first pressed portion 215 is released, and the distance between them increases. On the other hand, after the first gear rack 510 of the rack and pinion assembly 50 pushes the first push portion 215 located on the rear surface of the door portion 210, the second gear rack 520 and the third gear rack 530 of the rack and pinion assembly 50 can be operated to be pulled further forward than the first gear rack 510.

[0158] Since the slide rack 611 of the lock assembly 60 is connected to the third gear rack 530, the pushing member 630 of the lock assembly 60 can contact the second push portion 222 located on the rear surface of the storage portion 220, and push the second push portion 222 forward. In other words, when the third gear rack 530 is pulled out, the lock assembly 60 moves forward while pushing against the rear surface of the storage portion 220. As the lock assembly 60 moves forward, the hook member 620 in the lock assembly 60 also moves forward, and the hook member 620 can release contact with the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16. When the contact between the hook member 620 and the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16 is released in this way, the hook member 620 rotates forward along the axis of rotation and may be fastened with the hook fastening portion 221 on the rear surface of the storage portion 220 by a hook connection. In other words, the storage unit 220 and the door open module 30 can remain connected when the storage unit 220 is separated from the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16 by a predetermined distance. Thus, the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 may be connected to the storage unit 220 while the door 20 is moving forward or backward, and separated from the storage unit 220 when the door 20 is closed. The separation space (CS) between the lower surface of the storage unit 220 and the upper surface of the door open module 30 may be continuously maintained during the process of the door 20 moving forward and backward.

[0159] Figures 20 and 22 show the door 20 and the door open module 30 when the door open module 30 is driven and the door 20 is fully open. When the door 20 is fully open, the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 can maintain a state of being fastened with the hook fastening portion 221 of the storage compartment 220. At this time, when the door 20 closes, the drive assembly 40 may be driven by switching the rotation direction of the motor so that the gear rack of the rack and pinion assembly 50 is retracted. Therefore, the lock assembly 60, which restrains the movement of the rack and pinion assembly 50, may move backward. At this time, since the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 is fastened with the hook fastening portion 221 of the storage compartment 220, the lock assembly 60 may pull the storage compartment 220 backward. As a result, the storage compartment 220 may move inward into the storage chamber 16, restrained by the backward movement of the lock assembly 60.

[0160] Therefore, the door open module 30 can move the storage unit 220 forward by pushing its rear surface, and move the storage unit 220 backward by pulling its rear surface. In other words, the door open module 30 can push and pull the storage unit 220 while connected to it.

[0161] Thus, according to the present invention, the door open module 30, which is positioned on the lower surface of the storage chamber 16, can move the door 20 forward and backward by pushing and pulling it. Therefore, the door 20 can be pulled out and retracted even when the gear rack or pinion gear of the door open module 30 is not directly fastened to the door 20.

[0162] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the door open module 30, which is positioned on the lower surface of the storage chamber 16, can move the door 20 forward and backward by pushing and pulling it. As a result, the load of the door 20 is not directly applied to the door open module 30, and the misalignment or play between the gear rack and pinion gear of the door open module 30 can be reduced.

[0163] Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the door open module 30, which is positioned on the lower surface of the storage chamber 16, can move the door 20 forward and backward by pushing and pulling the door 20, even if the door 20 is tilted and the alignment between the door 20 and the door open module 30 is misaligned, it does not affect the operation of the door open module 30, and the door 20 can be stably pulled out and retracted.

[0164] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the pushing member 630 of the door open module 30 pushes the rear surface of the storage compartment 220 located behind the door 20, thereby moving the door 20 forward. Therefore, even without being directly fastened to the door 20, the door open module 30 can move the door 20 forward by simply pushing the rear surface of the storage compartment 220.

[0165] Furthermore, according to the present invention, even if the storage section 220 of the door 20 tilts slightly during its movement in the front-rear direction, this can be resolved by the door open module 30 naturally aligning the storage section 220 during its push-pull operation.

[0166] As described above, the present invention has been explained with reference to the illustrative drawings, but it is clear that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and drawings disclosed herein, and that various modifications can be made by an ordinary person skilled in the art within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention. Furthermore, even if the effects of the configuration of the present invention are not explicitly described in the embodiments described above, it is natural that the effects that can be predicted by such configuration should also be recognized.

Claims

1. Cabinet containing one or more storage compartments, A drawer assembly including a door that opens and closes the front of the storage chamber and a storage compartment that is housed inside the storage chamber, A rail assembly that guides the movement of the drawer assembly in the front-to-back direction, and A door opening module positioned on the underside of the storage chamber, which pushes the drawer assembly forward and pulls the drawer assembly backward to retract it. including, refrigerator.

2. The aforementioned door open module is One or more multi-stage rack and pinion assemblies, One or more drive assemblies for driving the rack and pinion assembly, and A lock assembly connected to and separated from the aforementioned storage section, including, The refrigerator according to claim 1.

3. The facility further includes a machine room located behind the storage room, The aforementioned multi-stage rack and pinion assembly includes three or more gear racks. The refrigerator according to claim 2.

4. When the drawer assembly is fully retracted, and the door open module moves the drawer assembly forward, The rack and pinion assembly pushes the rear surface of the door portion to release contact between the door portion and the cabinet. The refrigerator according to claim 2.

5. The rack and pinion assembly includes a plurality of gear racks, Of the plurality of gear racks, the gear rack that is pulled out the shortest in front of the rack and pinion assembly, the gear rack that pushes against the rear surface of the door portion, The refrigerator according to claim 4.

6. The aforementioned door open module is The system further includes one or more pushing members positioned behind the storage compartment, which push the rear surface of the storage compartment to advance the drawer assembly. The refrigerator according to claim 2.

7. The pushing member is attached to the lock assembly. The refrigerator according to claim 6.

8. The pushing member pushes the rear surface of the storage section after the rack and pinion assembly pushes the rear surface of the door section. The refrigerator according to claim 6.

9. The pushing members are provided in pairs and push one side and the other side of the rear surface of the storage section, The refrigerator according to claim 6.

10. The lock assembly includes: A hook member is attached to the drawer assembly, which is connected to the storage compartment while the drawer assembly is moving forward or backward, and separates from the storage compartment when the drawer assembly is closed. The refrigerator according to claim 2.

11. The rack and pinion assembly includes a first rack and pinion assembly and a second rack and pinion assembly, which are arranged on one side and the other side of the storage chamber, respectively. The drive assembly includes a first drive assembly and a second drive assembly that drive the first rack and pinion assembly and the second rack and pinion assembly, respectively. The refrigerator according to claim 2.

12. The lock assembly includes a lock assembly extension bar that extends in the left-right direction of the storage chamber, such that one end and the other end are connected to the first rack and pinion assembly and the second rack and pinion assembly, respectively. The lock assembly extension bar synchronizes the operation of the first rack and pinion assembly and the second rack and pinion assembly. The refrigerator according to claim 11.

13. The rack and pinion assembly includes a first rack and pinion assembly and a second rack and pinion assembly, which are arranged on one side and the other side of the storage chamber, respectively. The drive assembly is located on one side of the storage chamber and drives the first rack and pinion assembly. The refrigerator according to claim 2.

14. The lock assembly includes a lock assembly extension bar that extends in the left-right direction of the storage chamber, such that one end and the other end are connected to the first rack and pinion assembly and the second rack and pinion assembly, respectively. The second rack and pinion assembly operates constrained to the movement of the lock assembly extension bar, which synchronizes the operation of the first rack and pinion assembly and the second rack and pinion assembly. The refrigerator according to claim 13.

15. In the automatic door open mode, the drawer assembly moves in the forward and backward direction along the rail assembly by the drive of the door open module. In the manual door open mode, the drawer assembly can be moved in the forward and backward directions along the rail assembly by the user when the door open module is not driven. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

16. The rail assemblies are provided in pairs and are arranged on both sides of the storage section, The refrigerator according to claim 1.

17. The storage chamber further includes rail connecting bars extending in the left-right direction, such that one side and the other side are connected to a pair of rail assemblies, The aforementioned door open module is The storage section is positioned behind the drawer assembly and includes one or more pushing members that push the rail connecting bar and are supported by a pair of rail assemblies, The refrigerator according to claim 16.

18. The rail assembly supports the storage unit such that a separation space is formed between the lower surface of the storage unit and the upper surface of the door open module. The separation space is maintained when the drawer assembly moves forward and backward. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

19. The rail assembly is a multi-stage rail assembly whose length extends and shortens in response to the forward and backward movement of the drawer assembly. The refrigerator according to claim 18.

20. Cabinet containing one or more storage compartments, A storage unit located in the aforementioned storage chamber, One or more rail assemblies that guide the movement of the storage unit, and A door opening module is positioned on the lower surface of the storage chamber and moves the storage section in the front-to-back direction. Includes, The aforementioned door opening module includes multiple gear racks and multiple pinion gears, and is driven by a rack and pinion drive system. The rotation axis of the pinion gear extends in the vertical direction of the storage chamber. refrigerator.

21. The plurality of gear racks and the plurality of pinion gears do not come into contact with the lower surface of the housing. The refrigerator according to claim 20.

22. The rail assemblies are provided in pairs and are positioned on the inside of both sides of the storage chamber, When the door open module is driven, the storage unit is supported by the rail assembly and moves in the front-rear direction. The refrigerator according to claim 20.

23. The aforementioned door opening module does not support the load of the storage compartment. The refrigerator according to claim 20.

24. The aforementioned door open module is The storage unit is moved forward by pushing its rear surface, and the storage unit is moved backward by pulling its rear surface. The refrigerator according to claim 20.

25. The door open module, while connected to the storage compartment, pushes and pulls the storage compartment. The refrigerator according to claim 24.

26. With the storage unit fully retracted into the storage chamber, the storage unit and the door opening module are separated. The refrigerator according to claim 20.

27. The storage unit is separated from the rear surface of the storage chamber by a predetermined distance, and the storage unit and the door opening module are connected. The refrigerator according to claim 20.

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