Refrigerator with door open module

Abstract

In refrigerators, energy efficiency is maximized through efficient power distribution. [Solution] The refrigerator according to the present invention allows the drawer assembly to be opened using only the necessary force at each stage of opening the drawer assembly, by ensuring that the multiple gear racks of the rack and pinion assembly are each pulled forward with different pulling forces. This maximizes energy efficiency through efficient force distribution.

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 appliance that supplies cold air generated by utilizing the circulation of a refrigerant to a storage compartment and stores various storage objects in the storage compartment fresh for a long time. The cold air supplied to the refrigerator may be generated by the refrigerant circulating in the order of a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator flowing into the evaporator, and the liquid refrigerant vaporizing into a gas refrigerant while taking away the heat in the refrigerator.

[0003] Generally, a refrigerator may include a cabinet forming a storage compartment and a door provided in the cabinet for opening and closing the storage compartment. For example, the door may be opened and closed in a manner 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 compartment 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 compartment can be opened and closed by a pulling and retracting method.

[0004] The drawer door may include a door portion covering the front surface of the storage compartment and a storage portion provided behind the door portion and having a storage space for storing stored items. The storage space of the drawer door may be exposed to the outside by a user's pulling operation such as pushing or pulling the door. As an example, the drawer door may be provided in the lower region of the cabinet. Thus, when a 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 a 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 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.

[0008] On the other hand, conventional door opening modules are designed to require a complex gear array and numerous parts to open the door. This results in low space utilization and design constraints when applied to the limited storage space of a refrigerator, making installation difficult in confined spaces. Furthermore, this complexity increases the number of parts, increasing the time and cost of the manufacturing process and maintenance, and can lead to problems with durability and reliability during long-term use.

[0009] Furthermore, conventional door opening modules may have inefficiencies in distributing the pulling force required to open the door at each stage, as well as problems with resistance that may occur when the door is initially opened. For example, a large amount of power is required to overcome initial resistance such as the pressure and negative pressure of the gasket that occurs when the door is opened. In other words, in the case of a door opening module, a sufficiently high pulling force must be ensured to overcome the pressure and negative pressure of the gasket when the door is initially opened. However, if a door opening module with such a high pulling force opens the door with a constant pulling force at all stages of opening the door, unnecessary energy consumption occurs after the initial opening of the door, reducing overall efficiency.

[0010] Furthermore, due to its high pulling force, there is a potential safety issue where the user could be injured if they collide with the door during the opening process.

[0011] 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]

[0012] The objective of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can maximize energy efficiency by efficiently distributing force when opening the drawer assembly.

[0013] Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can safely and easily open the initial opening of a drawer assembly that requires a large pulling force.

[0014] Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can use various drawer assembly opening mechanisms at each stage of opening the drawer assembly.

[0015] Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can effectively overcome the pressure of the drawer assembly gasket and the negative pressure of the refrigerator, thereby enabling the drawer assembly to be opened.

[0016] Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can reduce the risk of injury to the user that may occur during the process of opening the drawer assembly.

[0017] Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can easily distribute the amount of force required to open the drawer assembly at each stage.

[0018] 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]

[0019] 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 for opening and closing the front of the storage compartments, and a door open module disposed in the storage compartment for pushing the drawer assembly forward to open, wherein the door open module includes a multi-stage rack and pinion assembly having a plurality of gear racks that are pulled out and retracted in the front-rear direction, and the first gear rack that is pulled out the shortest distance of the plurality of gear racks can push the drawer assembly to open only a portion of it.

[0020] The first gear rack can initially open the drawer assembly when it is closed.

[0021] The system further includes a pushing member that pushes the drawer assembly forward, so that after the drawer assembly is partially opened, the pushing member can push the drawer assembly to fully open it.

[0022] The multi-stage rack and pinion assembly includes the first gear rack, the second gear rack, and the third gear rack, and the pushing member can move while being constrained to the movement of the third gear rack.

[0023] Of the first gear rack, the second gear rack, and the third gear rack, the first gear rack may have the greatest pulling force, and the third gear rack may have the least pulling force.

[0024] The door open module may further include a slide rack, one side of which is connected to the pushing member and the third gear rack, and the other side to the pushing member and the third gear rack, respectively, so as to synchronize the forward and backward movement of the pushing member and the third gear rack.

[0025] Inside the slide rack, there is further included a rack guide member housed inside the slide rack and connected to the third gear rack so as to move in the front-rear direction in a sliding manner. There may be a front slide gap between the front end portion of the rack guide member and the front end portion of the slide rack.

[0026] When the rack guide member moves forward, contacts the slide rack, and pushes the slide rack forward, the pushing member can push the drawer assembly forward.

[0027] The slide rack includes a rear surface that is opened so that the rack guide member can be inserted. The rear surface of the slide rack is sealed by a sealing member. There may be a rear slide gap between the rear end portion of the rack guide member and the front end portion of the sealing member.

[0028] The door opening module further includes a hook member that is connected to and separated from the drawer assembly. The hook member can move while being restricted by the movement of the third gear rack.

[0029] When the rack guide member moves backward and pushes the front surface of the front end portion of the sealing member backward, the hook member can pull the drawer assembly backward.

[0030] A refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a cabinet including one or more storage compartments, a drawer assembly that opens and closes the front surface of the storage compartment, and a door opening module disposed in the storage compartment to push the drawer assembly forward to open it. The door opening module includes a multi-stage rack pinion assembly including a plurality of gear racks, a driving unit, and a gear assembly that transmits the driving force of the driving unit to the rack pinion assembly. The plurality of gear racks are each pulled forward with different pulling forces.

[0031] Each of the gear racks may be pulled forward with a pulling force inversely proportional to the distance from the gear assembly.

[0032] The rotational force generated from the drive unit is distributed to each of the multiple gear racks via the gear assembly to produce the same torque, allowing each of the multiple gear racks to move along a linear path based on the torque transmitted to it.

[0033] The plurality of gear racks include a first gear rack spaced a first transmission distance from the gear assembly, a second gear rack spaced a second transmission distance from the gear assembly, and a third gear rack spaced a third transmission distance from the gear assembly, wherein the separation distances increase in the order of the first transmission distance, the second transmission distance, and the third transmission distance, and the pulling force decreases in the order of the first gear rack, the second gear rack, and the third gear rack.

[0034] The longitudinal length of the first gear rack may be longer than the longitudinal lengths of the second and third gear racks. The drive assembly includes a case for housing the rack and pinion assembly, and when the rack and pinion assembly is driven, the first gear rack may, of the plurality of gear racks, protrude forward and outward from the case with the highest priority.

[0035] The first gear rack includes a first external tooth profile, a first internal tooth profile, and a first pinion gear; the second gear rack includes a second tooth profile and a second pinion gear; the third gear rack includes a third tooth profile; and the gear assembly may be arranged to mesh with the first external tooth profile, the first pinion gear to mesh with the second tooth profile, and the second pinion gear to mesh with the first external tooth profile and the third tooth profile.

[0036] A gasket portion is positioned on the rear surface of the drawer assembly, which contacts the cabinet when the drawer assembly is closed. The first gear rack can push the drawer assembly forward to release the contact between the gasket portion and the cabinet.

[0037] The pulling force of the first gear rack may be even greater than the sealing pressure between the gasket and the cabinet.

[0038] The door open module further includes a pushing member that pushes the drawer assembly forward, the pushing member being able to push the drawer assembly forward after the first gear rack has released contact between the gasket and the cabinet.

[0039] The pushing member may be connected to the third gear rack such that it moves in synchronization with the movement of the third gear rack after a predetermined delay following the start of movement of the third gear rack. [Effects of the Invention]

[0040] The refrigerator according to the present invention maximizes energy efficiency through efficient force distribution, as the drawer assembly can be opened using only the necessary force at each stage of opening the drawer assembly, by ensuring that the multiple gear racks of the rack and pinion assembly are each pulled forward with different pulling forces.

[0041] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, the first gear rack, which is pulled out over the shortest distance among the multiple gear racks of the rack and pinion assembly, pushes the drawer assembly and can only partially open it. Therefore, the initial opening of the drawer assembly, which requires a large pulling force, can be automatically, safely, and easily opened using the driving force of the door open module.

[0042] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, after the first gear rack of the rack and pinion assembly partially opens the drawer assembly, the pushing member pushes the drawer assembly to completely open it. Therefore, the mechanism for initially opening the drawer assembly and the mechanism for completely opening the initially opened drawer assembly can be applied differently. This allows for the use of different opening mechanisms at each stage of opening the drawer assembly, thereby maximizing energy efficiency through efficient force distribution.

[0043] Furthermore, the refrigerator according to the present invention can effectively overcome the pressure on the drawer assembly gasket and the negative pressure of the refrigerator because it can open the drawer assembly initially using the gear rack with the greatest pulling force among multiple gear racks.

[0044] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, after the drawer assembly is initially opened, the drawer assembly can be completely opened using the gear rack with the smallest pulling force among multiple gear racks. Therefore, even if a user bumps into the drawer assembly during the process of opening it, the force applied to the user can be reduced, thereby reducing the risk of injury to the user and improving the stability of product use.

[0045] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, the drawer force of the first gear rack, which has the greatest drawer force, and the pusher member, which moves while being constrained by the movement of the third gear rack, which has the smallest drawer force, are delayed by a predetermined time difference, so that when opening the drawer assembly, the magnitude of the drawer force can be easily distributed and adjusted for each stage.

[0046] 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]

[0047] [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 bottom 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 door open module and rail assembly in their state before they are pulled out. [Figure 7] This diagram shows the door open module and rail assembly 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 cross-sectional perspective view showing the connection relationship between the gear rack and pinion gear that constitute the first rack and pinion assembly and the drive assembly, viewed from the side. [Figure 13] This is a perspective view showing the back of a lock assembly fastened to a hook-type member according to one embodiment. [Figure 14] This is a disassembled perspective view of the lock assembly. [Figure 15]This is a cross-sectional view showing the rear region of some components cut open to illustrate the coupling relationship between the slide rack, sealing member, and rack guide member. [Figure 16] This is a cross-sectional view obtained by cutting open a side region of a part of the slide rack, sealing member, and rack guide member to illustrate the relationship between them. [Figure 17] 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 18] 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 installed. [Figure 19] This figure shows a rack and pinion assembly according to one embodiment, installed within a drive assembly, in the unextended state, the fully extended state of the first and second gear racks, and the fully extended state including the third gear rack. [Figure 20] This figure shows a rack and pinion assembly according to one embodiment, installed within a drive assembly, in the unextended state, the fully extended state of the first and second gear racks, and the fully extended state including the third gear rack. [Figure 21] This figure shows a rack and pinion assembly according to one embodiment, installed within a drive assembly, in the unextended state, the fully extended state of the first and second gear racks, and the fully extended state including the third gear rack. [Figure 22] This diagram shows the stepwise movement of the pushing member fastened to the slide rack, so that it moves with a time lag compared to the movement of the gear rack in the rack and pinion assembly. [Figure 23] This diagram shows the stepwise movement of the pushing member fastened to the slide rack, so that it moves with a time lag compared to the movement of the gear rack in the rack and pinion assembly. [Figure 24]This diagram shows the stepwise movement of the pushing member fastened to the slide rack, so that it moves with a time lag compared to the movement of the gear rack in the rack and pinion assembly. [Figure 25] This diagram shows the stepwise movement of the pushing member fastened to the slide rack, so that it moves with a time lag compared to the movement of the gear rack in the rack and pinion assembly. [Figure 26] This is a side cross-sectional 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 27] This is a side cross-sectional view and a magnified view of a portion of the door, showing the door and door open module in the state where the door open module is driven so that the rack and pinion assembly first makes contact with the door's push-out portion. [Figure 28] This is a side cross-sectional view and a magnified view of a portion of the door, showing the door and door open module in a state where the door open module is driven so that the rack and pinion assembly pushes the door's push-out portion by a predetermined distance. [Figure 29] This is a side cross-sectional view showing the door and door open module in a state where 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. [Figure 30] This is a side cross-sectional view and a magnified view of a portion of the door and door open module, showing the door and door open module in a state where the door has moved a predetermined distance backward due to the door open module being driven to automatically close the door. [Figure 31] This figure shows the door open module, rail assembly, and bracket member in their state before being pulled out, according to other embodiments of this specification. [Figure 32] This figure shows the door open module, rail assembly, and bracket member fully extended according to other embodiments of this specification. [Figure 33] This is a side cross-sectional view and a magnified view of a portion of the door and door open module, showing the door and door open module before the door open module according to other embodiments of this specification is driven. [Figure 34] This is a side section view and a magnified view of a portion of the door and door open module in a fully open state, with the door open module according to another embodiment of this specification driven. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] Throughout the specification, unless otherwise stated, each component may be singular or plural.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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.

[0053] 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.”

[0054] In this specification, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. 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.

[0055] 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.

[0056] The following describes refrigerators according to several embodiments of the present invention.

[0057] [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.

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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.

[0060] 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.

[0061] 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.

[0062] 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.

[0063] 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-rear 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-rear width of the lower area of ​​the third storage room 16. Therefore, the front-rear width of the second storage room 15 may be longer than the front-rear 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.

[0064] [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.

[0065] 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.

[0066] 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.

[0067] 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 is not limited to this, and may 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.

[0068] When the rail units of the first rail assembly 71 are pulled out, the first rail unit 710 may be pulled out in a fixed state, with a portion of the second rail unit 720 being pulled out further forward than the first rail unit 710, and a portion of the third rail unit 730 being pulled out further forward than 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 portions 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 shape of a plate that has a predetermined area and is bent upward, thereby increasing the fastening area and improving the fastening force.

[0069] 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.

[0070] 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 long 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 by the extension and retraction of the third rail unit 730. A bracket bent portion 811 may be formed in front of the bracket body portion 810, which is bent downwards and extends. A sensor portion 830 may be provided in the bracket bent portion 811. The sensor portion 830 may be equipped with a sensor that senses whether or not the door 20 is extended or retracted. The sensor portion 830 can transmit a sensing signal to a control unit located inside the refrigerator 1. 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.

[0071] 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.

[0072] 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 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 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 so that the extension and retraction of the rail assembly 70 can be controlled.

[0073] The door open module 30 is not directly connected to the rail assembly 70 and does not provide the driving force for extending and retracting the rail unit, but it can indirectly provide the 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.

[0074] 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 biased toward the first side 162a and the second side 162b of the storage chamber 16, respectively.

[0075] The first drive assembly 41 and the second drive assembly 42 may be arranged in positions and configurations symmetrical to each other 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 arranged in positions and configurations symmetrical to each other with respect to the center of the storage chamber 16. In this way, the door open module 30 according to the present invention is embodied in a dual-module structure including a pair of drive assemblies 40 and a pair of rack and pinion assemblies 50, thereby providing a strong door pulling force 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 are arranged in the central region of the storage chamber 16.

[0076] The lock assembly 60 may be connected to the first rack and pinion assembly 51 and the second rack and pinion assembly 52 on one side and the other side, respectively. For example, the lock assembly 60 may include a pushing member 630 that extends in the left-right direction of the storage chamber 16. A pair of connecting members 612 may be arranged so as to be connected to one side and the other side of the pushing member 630. 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 to the pair of connecting members 612, 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.

[0077] The pushing member 630 may be formed to push the rear surface of the storage section 220. 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 it to move in conjunction with the lock assembly 60. The pushing member 630 may also be equipped with a hook member 620 that can be switched to connect and disconnect the storage section 220 and the lock assembly 60. When the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 is connected to the storage section 220, the storage section 220 can move in conjunction with the lock assembly 60, restricting its movement not only forward but also backward. When the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 is disconnected from the storage section 220, the storage section 220 can move freely independently of the lock assembly 60, even when the lock assembly 60 is not driven. A detailed explanation of each assembly constituting the door open module 30 will be given later.

[0078] 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 pushing member 630 and the hook member 620 may be located at the rear of the storage compartment 220.

[0079] 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 at the bottom of the storage compartment 16, it is located at the upper part of the storage compartment 16 rather than the lower part of the lower surface of the storage compartment 16. This reduces the intrusion of the door open module 30 into the thermal insulation space, thereby maintaining the thermal insulation performance of the refrigerator and improving energy efficiency.

[0080] [Drive assemblies, rack and pinion assemblies, and lock assemblies] In the following, with further reference to Figures 8 to 16, 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.

[0081] 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.

[0082] The first drive assembly 41 may include a first case 410 that constitutes the upper outer surface and a second case 420 that houses various related parts and constitutes the lower 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 an open front surface so that the gear rack of the rack and pinion assembly 50 can be pulled out forward.

[0083] 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 in the storage chamber 16 because it does not need to maximize the thickness in the vertical direction. The gear of the gear assembly 430 that meshes with the rack and pinion assembly 50 may be a pinion gear. In this case, the gear of the gear assembly 430 that meshes with the rack and pinion assembly 50 may be called a contact gear 431. 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 gear included in the gear assembly 430.

[0084] A drive unit 440 may be located in the second case 420. For example, the drive unit 440 may be mounted in a housing space in the second case 420 that opens downwards. 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 lower 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.

[0085] 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.

[0086] A support gear rack 500, having a support gear rack tooth profile 501 with multiple tooth profiles, may be arranged on the inner surface of the second case 420 that forms the first mounting portion 421. The support gear rack 500 may be integrally formed on the inner surface of the second case 420, but is not limited thereto; it may be formed from a separate part from the second case 420 and fastened to the inner surface of the second case 420. The support gear rack 500 can provide a support surface on which the pinion gear of the gear rack of the rack and pinion assembly 50 mounted on the first mounting portion 421 can mesh and move. Multiple fastening members 451 may be arranged on the outer surface of the second case 420 that can fix the drive assembly 40 to the bottom surface 164 of the storage chamber 16. In this case, the fastening members 451 may be in the form of cushioning members that can cancel out vibrations of the drive assembly 40. For example, the cushioning members may be made of rubber, but is not limited thereto.

[0087] The first mounting portions 421 formed on the first drive assembly 41 and the second drive assembly 42 may be positioned adjacent to the center of the storage chamber 16. Therefore, the first rack and pinion assembly 51 and the second rack and pinion assembly 52, which are positioned on the first mounting portions 421 of the first drive assembly 41 and the second drive assembly 42, may be positioned closer to each other toward the center of the storage chamber 16. Also, the second mounting portions 422 formed on the first drive assembly 41 and the second drive assembly 42 may be positioned adjacent to the first side surface 162a and the second side surface 162b of the storage chamber 16, respectively. Therefore, the gear assemblies 430, which are positioned on the second mounting portions 422 of the first drive assembly 41 and the second drive assembly 42, may be positioned further away from each other toward the sides of the storage chamber 16.

[0088] Referring to Figures 10 to 12, 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.

[0089] 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" means 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.

[0090] The more gear racks there are, the greater the total distance that can be pulled out of the storage chamber 16, even though it can be installed in a storage chamber 16 with a short length in the front-to-back direction. As mentioned above, if a machine room 17 is located behind the storage chamber 16, the length of the storage chamber 16 in the front-to-back direction may be shorter than that of other storage chambers 16. Therefore, by including three or more gear racks, the multi-stage rack and pinion assembly 50 according to the present invention can greatly extend the door's pull-out distance so that the storage section 220 of the door 20 can be fully exposed to the outside, even when it is installed in a storage chamber 16 with a narrow width in the front-to-back direction. However, it is not limited to this, and if the rack and pinion assembly 50 is installed in a storage chamber 16 with sufficient length in the front-to-back direction, it may be installed as a two-stage rack and pinion assembly 50 including two gear racks.

[0091] For example, if the rack and pinion assembly 50 includes three gear racks, the rack and pinion assembly may include a first gear rack, a second gear rack, and a third gear rack. In this case, the first gear rack, the second gear rack, and the third gear rack may be referred to by other names. For example, the first gear rack, the second gear rack, and the third gear rack may be referred to as the downstream gear rack, the central gear rack, and the upstream gear rack, respectively. Alternatively, the first gear rack, the second gear rack, and the third gear rack may be referred to as the drive gear rack, the transmission gear rack, and the auxiliary gear rack, respectively. Furthermore, the first gear rack, the second gear rack, and the third gear rack may be referred to as the inner gear rack, the central gear rack, and the outer gear rack.

[0092] In a similar configuration, if the rack and pinion assembly 50 includes four gear racks, the rack and pinion assembly may include a first gear rack, a second-first gear rack, a second-second gear rack, and a third gear rack. In this case, the first gear rack, second-first gear rack, second-second gear rack, and third gear rack may be referred to by other names. For example, the first gear rack, second-first gear rack, second-second gear rack, and third gear rack may be referred to as the downstream gear rack, first central gear rack, second central gear rack, and upstream gear rack, respectively. Alternatively, the first gear rack, second-first gear rack, second-second gear rack, and third gear rack may be referred to as the drive gear rack, first transmission gear rack, second transmission gear rack, and auxiliary gear rack, respectively. Furthermore, the first gear rack, second-first gear rack, second-second gear rack, and third gear rack may be referred to as the inner gear rack, first central gear rack, second central gear rack, and outer gear rack. In other words, if the rack and pinion assembly includes four gear racks, two second gear racks may be located between the first and third gear racks.

[0093] In a similar configuration, if the rack and pinion assembly 50 includes two gear racks, the rack and pinion assembly may include a first gear rack and a third gear rack. In this case, the first gear rack and the third gear rack may be referred to by other names. For example, the first gear rack and the third gear rack may be referred to as the downstream gear rack and the upstream gear rack, respectively. Alternatively, the first gear rack and the third gear rack may be referred to as the drive gear rack and the auxiliary gear rack, respectively. Furthermore, the first gear rack and the third gear rack may be referred to as the inner gear rack and the outer gear rack. That is, if the rack and pinion assembly includes two gear racks, there may be no separate second gear rack between the first gear rack and the third gear rack, and the first gear rack and the third gear rack may be directly connected. Therefore, the embodiments described herein can also be applied to embodiments consisting only of the first gear rack and the third gear rack without a second gear rack.

[0094] As an example, 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.

[0095] A sawtooth-shaped first external tooth profile 511a may be formed on one side of the support wall 513. For example, the first external tooth profile 511a may be formed over a length of about half of the total length of the support wall 513 in the front-rear direction. The first external tooth profile 511a 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 external tooth profile 511a 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 on the support wall 513 on which the first external tooth profile 511a is formed. The first pinion gear 512 may be located near the central region of the first gear rack 510 and positioned forward of the first external tooth profile 511a.

[0096] The aforementioned support gear rack 500 may be located in front of the gear assembly 430 when the rack and pinion assembly 50 is mounted on the second case 420 of 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. When the gear assembly 430 is driven, the first pinion gear 512 can move forward along the support gear rack 500 while meshing with the support gear rack tooth profile 501 of the support gear rack 500. This may cause the first gear rack 510 to be pulled forward.

[0097] On the other side of the support wall 513 on which the first external tooth profile 511a is formed, a sawtooth-shaped first internal tooth profile 511b may be formed. For example, the first internal tooth profile 511b may be formed to a length of about half of the total length of the support wall 513 in the front-rear direction. The first internal tooth profile 511b may be formed on the inner surface of the support wall 513 so as to mesh with the second pinion gear 522 of the second gear rack 520 which is housed in the storage space 514 of the first gear rack 510. The first internal tooth profile 511b may be formed on the support wall 513 on which the first pinion gear 512 is formed. The first internal tooth profile 511b may be located in front of the first pinion gear 512.

[0098] A second gear rack 520 may be disposed in the storage space 514 of the first gear rack 510. The second gear rack 520 may be formed in a form that extends long in one direction. The second gear rack 520 may be formed to have a substantially elongated rod shape. The second gear rack 520 may be formed to be even shorter than the length of the first gear rack 510 in the front-rear direction. 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 disposed on the side on which the second tooth profile 521 is formed.

[0099] 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. When the first pinion gear 512 rotates, the second gear rack 520 can move forward while meshing with the first pinion gear 512 and with the second pinion gear 522 meshing with the first internal tooth profile 511b. In this case, the second pinion gear 522 can also move forward. Therefore, when the first gear rack 510 is pulled out, the second gear rack 520 may be pulled forward by a rack and pinion drive system along the first internal tooth profile 511b that meshes with the second pinion gear 522. A second rack cover 523 that seals the lower surface of the second gear rack 520 may be positioned on the lower surface of the second gear rack 520.

[0100] 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 be formed in a form that extends long in one direction. The third gear rack 530 may be formed to have a substantially elongated rod shape. The third gear rack 530 may be formed to be even shorter than the front-to-rear length of the first gear rack 510. Alternatively, the third gear rack 530 may be formed to have substantially the same front-to-rear length as the second gear rack 520. 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 state 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.

[0101] A portion of the third gear rack 530 may be formed to protrude outward from the upper surface of the first gear rack 510. For example, a projection 533 protruding to a predetermined height may be formed on the upper surface of the third gear rack 530, which extends long in one direction. The projection 533 may be formed to substantially correspond to the length of the third gear rack 530 in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, a stepped portion 534 may be formed on the upper surface of the projection 533, protruding further above the projection 533 by a predetermined height. The stepped portion 534 may be formed to be even shorter in the front-rear direction than the projection 533, and the stepped portion 534 may be located behind the projection 533.

[0102] The upper surface of the first gear rack 510 may be covered by a rack cover. For example, the rack cover may consist of a pair of first rack covers 540a and second rack covers 540b. The first rack cover 540a and the second rack cover 540b may be arranged to cover the second gear rack 520 and the third gear rack 530, and may be spaced apart by a predetermined distance such that the protruding portion 533 and the stepped portion 534 of the third gear rack 530 protrude upward. An opening guide portion 541 may be formed between the first rack cover 540a and the second rack cover 540b, which are spaced apart by a predetermined distance. The opening guide portion 541 may have a shape that penetrates vertically and extends in the front-rear direction so that the front and rear are open. Therefore, the protruding portion 533 and the stepped portion 534 of the third gear rack 530 may slide along the opening guide portion 541 in the front-rear direction.

[0103] A rack guide member 532 may be placed on the third gear rack 530. For example, the rack guide member 532 may be fastened and fixed on the stepped portion 534 of the third gear rack 530. For example, the rack guide member 532 may be fastened in a manner that fits onto the upper surface of the stepped portion 534. In this case, the rack guide member 532 may be fastened and fixed on the stepped portion 534 by a plurality of fastening members. For example, the rack guide member 532 may include a rack guide neck portion 5321 and a rack guide head portion 5322. One side of the rack guide neck portion 5321 may be fastened to the stepped portion 534, and the rack guide head portion 5322 may be placed on the other side of the rack guide neck portion 5322. Therefore, when the rack guide member 532 is fastened on the stepped portion 534, the rack guide neck portion 5321 and the rack guide head portion 5322 may be placed sequentially on the stepped portion 534. The lengths of the rack guide neck portion 5321 and the rack guide head portion 5322 in the front-rear direction may be formed to be substantially the same as the length of the stepped portion 534 in the front-rear direction. The width of the rack guide head portion 5322 in the left-right direction may be formed to be narrower than the width of the rack guide neck portion 5321 in the left-right direction. Therefore, the rack guide head portion 5322 may be formed to protrude outward from the rack guide neck portion 5321 with respect to the left-right direction. The width of the rack guide neck portion 5321 in the left-right direction may be formed to be substantially the same as the width of the stepped portion 534 in the left-right direction.

[0104] 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. This will be explained in detail later.

[0105] 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.

[0106] 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 rather than the up-down direction of the storage chamber 16, that is, in the horizontal direction rather than 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.

[0107] Referring further to Figures 13 to 16, 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. For example, the lock assembly extension bar 610 may be a rod-shaped form with an open rear surface. For example, the lock assembly extension bar 610 may have a front surface formed in the shape of a plate that extends long in the left-right direction, with an upper and lower surface formed in a form that is bent backward at the upper and lower sections of the front surface. In this case, both sides and the rear surface of the lock assembly extension bar 610 may be formed to be open. This may form a bending groove 6101 inside the lock assembly extension bar 610. The lock assembly extension bar 610 can act as a base member that fastens and supports related parts located on both sides in order to synchronize the operation of the first rack and pinion assembly 51 and the second rack and pinion assembly 52 with each other.

[0108] The lock assembly 60 may include a pair of slide racks 611 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 a front-to-back 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. For example, the slide racks 611 may be fastened to a rack guide member 532 positioned on the third gear rack 530. The slide racks 611 may be formed to have a storage space so that the rack guide member 532 is housed inside. The rear surface of the slide racks 611 may be open, and the bottom surface may also be formed to have an open area extending in the front-to-back direction. The rack guide head portion 5322 of the rack guide member 532 may be housed in the slide racks 611, and the rack guide neck portion 5321 may protrude into the open area on the bottom surface of the slide racks 611.

[0109] When fastening the rack guide member 532 to the slide rack 611, the rack guide member 532 can be inserted forward in a sliding manner from the rear surface of the opening of the slide rack 611. The internal storage space of the slide rack 611 may be formed in a shape that fits with the rack guide head portion 5322. In this case, the rack guide head portion 5322 may be supported by the non-opening lower surface of the slide rack 611. The slide rack 611 may be formed to be even longer in the front-rear direction than the rack guide member 532. With the slide rack 611 and the rack guide member 532 fastened together, the slide rack 611 can move in the front-rear direction in a sliding manner along the rack guide head portion 5322 of the rack guide member 532. Therefore, the slide rack 611 may move in the front-rear direction while being constrained to the front-rear movement of the third gear rack 530.

[0110] A gap of a predetermined distance may exist between the rack guide member 532 and the slide rack 611 so that the rack guide member 532 can move in a sliding manner in the front-rear direction when inserted inside the slide rack 611. For example, when the rack guide member 532 is in close contact with the rear of the slide rack 611, a front slide gap 6111 of a predetermined distance may be formed between the front portion 5323 of the rack guide member 532 and the front portion 6113 of the slide rack 611. That is, the front slide gap 6111 can be defined as the distance between the front surface of the front portion 5323 of the rack guide member 532 and the rear surface of the front portion 6113 of the slide rack 611.

[0111] As another embodiment, referring further to Figures 22 to 25 described later, a front slide gap 6111 may be provided between the front surface of the front section of the rack guide member 532 and the rear surface of the front section of the slide rack 611. The front slide gap 6111 allows the movement of each gear rack of the rack and pinion assembly 50 and the movement of the pushing member 630 to occur with a predetermined time difference, which will be described in detail later. The time difference that occurs between the movement of each gear rack of the rack and pinion assembly 50 and the movement of the pushing member 630 can be proportional to the distance of the front slide gap 6111.

[0112] A recessed portion 6117 with a shape that protrudes upward may be formed on the rear of the upper surface of the slide rack 611. One or more fastening columns 6118 may be formed on the recessed portion 611. For example, the fastening columns 6118 may be fastened to the connecting member 612 by a screw connection using a separately provided fastening member 650. Multiple openings 6113 may be formed in the slide rack 611. Multiple openings 6113 may be arranged in the front-rear direction so as to penetrate the upper surface of the slide rack 611. The slide rack 611 may be easily formed using an injection molding method by being formed to have openings 6113.

[0113] The rear surface of the opening of each slide rack 611 may be sealed by a sealing member 613. The sealing member 613 may be formed such that a portion of it is inserted forward from the rear surface of the slide rack 611 and fixed in place. The sealing member 613 may have a hole 6131 that penetrates in the vertical direction. The sealing member 613 may be fastened and fixed to the slide rack 611 by a fastening member 652 provided separately so as to penetrate the hole 6131. ​​For example, the fastening member 652 can be inserted downward from the sealing member 613 and penetrate a portion of the lower surface of the rear region of the protrusions 6117 of the slide rack 611, thereby fastening the sealing member 613 and the slide rack 611 together. Considering the direction of movement of the lock assembly 60 which moves in the front-rear direction, the slide rack 611 and the sealing member 613 may be fastened in the vertical direction. In this way, by making the direction of movement and the direction of fastening perpendicular to each other, it is possible to reduce the weakening of the fastening force between the slide rack 611 and the sealing member 613 even when repeated movement in the forward and backward directions occurs.

[0114] As described above, after the rack guide member 532 is inserted into the slide rack 611, the sealing member 613 may be fastened to the slide rack 611 so as to seal the rear surface of the slide rack 611. Therefore, when the rack guide member 532 moves in the front-rear direction along the slide rack 611, the front portion 5323 of the rack guide member 532 may be restrained from moving forward by the front portion 6113 of the slide rack 611, and its rearward movement may be restrained by the front portion 6132 of the sealing member 613 that seals the rear portion of the slide rack 611. In other words, the sealing member 613 can play a role in preventing the rack guide member 532 from detaching to the rear.

[0115] Thus, when the rack guide member 532 moves forward, a gap may occur between the rear portion 5324 of the rack guide member 532 and the rear portion of the slide rack 611. Referring further to Figures 27 and 28 described later, a rear slide gap 6112 may be formed between the rear portion 5324 of the rack guide member 532 and the rear portion of the slide rack 611. The rear slide gap 6112 may increase by the same distance that the front slide gap 6111 decreases. Therefore, the front slide gap 6111 and the rear slide gap 6112 can be inversely proportional to each other. Since the rear portion of the slide rack 611 is sealed by the sealing member 613, the rear slide gap 6112 can be defined as the distance between the front portion 6132 of the sealing member 613 and the rear portion 5324 of the rack guide member 532.

[0116] The lock assembly 60 may include a pair of connecting members 612 positioned 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. For example, each connecting member 612 may be inserted into the rear and side openings of the lock assembly extension bar 610, respectively, and placed on the inner surface of the lock assembly extension bar 610. Multiple fastening holes 615 may be formed on the front surface of the lock assembly extension bar 610. Multiple fastening holes 6121 may also be formed on the front surface of the connecting member 612 housed in the lock assembly extension bar 610. After positioning the connecting member 612 such that its fastening holes 6121 and the fastening holes 615 of the lock assembly extension bar 610 correspond to each other, the connecting member 612 can be fixed inside the lock assembly extension bar 610 with a separately provided fastening member 651. The connecting member 612, which is fixed to the lock assembly extension bar 610, may be formed such that a portion of it protrudes from the side and rear surfaces of the lock assembly extension bar 610. Therefore, when the connecting member 612 is fastened to the lock assembly extension bar 610, the areas on both sides of the lock assembly extension bar 610, excluding the central area, may be formed to surround a portion of the connecting member 612. A portion of the connecting member 612 may be inserted into a bending groove 6101 formed inside the lock assembly extension bar 610.

[0117] Each connecting member 612 may be fastened to the slide rack 611. Considering the direction of movement of the lock assembly 60, which moves in the front-rear direction, the slide rack 611 and the connecting member 612 may be fastened in the vertical direction. By making the direction of movement and the fastening direction perpendicular to each other in this way, the weakening of the fastening force between the slide rack 611 and the connecting member 612 can be reduced even when repeated movement in the front-rear direction occurs. As an example, a portion of the connecting member 612 protruding from both sides of the lock assembly extension bar 610 may be fastened to the slide rack 611. The recessed portion 6117 of the slide rack 611 and the fastening column 6118 may be inserted from the lower surface of one end of the connecting member 612. A fastening hole may be formed on the upper surface of the connecting member 6112 corresponding to the fastening column 6118 into which a separately provided fastening member 650 can be inserted. Thus, with the fastening column 6118 of the slide rack 611 inserted into the connecting member 612, the fastening column 6118 of the slide rack 611 may be fastened to the connecting member 612 by a screw connection using a separately provided fastening member 650.

[0118] The pair of slide racks 611 described above may be formed in the same shape. That is, the pair of slide racks 611 may be interchangeable with each other so that their functions can be realized even if their positions are changed. Similarly, the pair of sealing members 613 and the pair of connecting members 612 may be formed in the same shape. Therefore, according to the present invention, since parts of the same shape can be mass-produced, the manufacturing cost can be reduced and the assembly and maintenance of parts can be simplified.

[0119] The lock assembly 60 may include a pushing member 630. The pushing member 630 may extend long in the left-right direction, which is the same direction in which the lock assembly extension bar 610 extends. The pushing member 630 may be formed to have substantially the same length in the left-right direction as the lock assembly extension bar 610. The pushing member 630 may be formed to surround the front and top surfaces of the lock assembly extension bar 610.

[0120] As an example, the pushing member 630 may include a pushing portion 631 that extends upward and forward. The pushing portion 631 is capable of pushing an object located in front of it, for example, 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, such as 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.

[0121] A bent pushing member portion 632, which is bent forward, is formed on the lower part of the pushing portion 631, and a pushing member fastening portion 634, which is bent downward and extends, may be formed on the front part of the bent pushing member portion 632. The pushing member 630 is placed on the upper surface of the lock assembly extension bar 610 on the bent pushing member 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. Multiple fastening holes may be formed on the front of the pushing member fastening portion 634. The fastening holes formed on the front of the pushing member fastening portion 634 may be aligned to correspond to the fastening holes 615 of the lock assembly extension bar 610 and the fastening holes 6121 of the connecting member 612, and the pushing member fastening portion 634, the lock assembly extension bar 610 and the connecting member 612 may be fastened and fixed by a separately provided fastening member 651 that passes through the fastening holes.

[0122] 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 bent portion 632 of the pushing member to reinforce the strength of the pushing member 630.

[0123] A hook member fixing portion 621 may be formed on the pushing member 630. A portion of the pushing portion 631 may be removed from the central region of the pushing member 630, and a hook member fixing portion 621 may be formed in the region where the pushing portion 631 was removed. Therefore, a pair of pushing portions 631 may be arranged on both sides of the hook member fixing portion 621, with the hook member fixing portion 621 at the center. A pair of rotating shaft portions 6211 may be formed on the hook member fixing portion 621. For example, a pair of rotating shaft portions 6211 may be formed to project rearward from the rear surface of a pair of pushing portions 631, which are respectively arranged on both sides of the hook member fixing portion 621. A pair of rotating shaft portions 6211 may be arranged adjacent to the hook member fixing portion 621. A through hole 6215 may be formed in each of the rotating shaft portions 6211. A pair of rotating shaft portions 6211 may be arranged so that their through holes 6215 face each other. The rotating shaft portion 6211 can be fastened to the hook member 620 to provide a rotating shaft on which the hook member 620 rotates.

[0124] The lock assembly 60 may include a hook member 620. The hook member 620 may be located in the central region of the pushing member 630. For example, the hook member 620 may be positioned on the hook member fixing portion 621. Therefore, when the hook member 620 is positioned on the pushing member 630, pushing portions 631 may be located on both sides of the hook member 620. Figure 13 shows one embodiment in which one hook member 620 is located in the central region of the pushing member 630, and a pair of pushing portions 631 are positioned on both sides of the hook member 620 so as to be offset to one side and the other side of the lock assembly extension bar 610, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, in another embodiment, one pushing portion 631 may be located in the central region of the pushing member 630, and a pair of hook members 620 may be positioned on both sides of the pushing portion 631 so as to be offset to one side and the other side of the pushing member 630. Furthermore, the number and position of the hook members 620 and pushing portions 631 are not limited to this. For example, it may include one hook member 620 and one pushing part 631, or it may include a pair of hook members 620 and a pair of pushing parts 631. It may also include three or more hook members 620 or three or more pushing parts 631. Furthermore, the arrangement can be modified in various ways so that the hook members 620 and pushing parts 631 are arranged alternately.

[0125] The hook member 620 can be operated to connect to and disconnect from an object located in front of it, such as the storage section 220. The hook member 620 may include a hook head portion 6222 which is substantially the part that fastens during hook connection, and a hook tail portion 6221 which extends downward from the hook head portion 6222. The hook head portion 6222 may be the part that connects to and disconnects from an object located in front of the hook member 620 by hook connection, such as the storage section 220. The hook head portion 6222 may be formed to have an inwardly curved surface in order to improve the hook connection force with the object to be hooked. A head bend portion 6225 may be formed at the end of the hook head portion 6222 in an inwardly bent form.

[0126] The hook tail portion 6221 of the hook member 620 may be formed to extend downward on the lower surface of the hook head portion 6222. A tail bend portion 6224 may be formed at the lower end of the hook tail portion 6221, which is bent forward at a predetermined angle. The hook tail 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.

[0127] One or more reinforcing ribs 6225 may be formed on the outer surface, which is the rear surface of the hook member 620. The reinforcing ribs 6225 may be formed on the hook head portion 6222 and the hook tail portion 6221, and the reinforcing ribs 6225 formed on the hook head portion 6222 and the hook tail portion 6221 may be formed to extend continuously in the vertical direction. Since the hook member 620 is a component that is connected to an object and substantially provides force to move the object backward, the presence of the reinforcing ribs 6225 can reinforce the rigidity of the hook member 620.

[0128] A pair of connecting portions 6223 may be formed on the inner surface of the front surface of the hook member 620. That is, the pair of connecting portions 6223 may be formed on the opposite surface from the surface on which the reinforcing rib 6225 is formed. For example, the pair of connecting portions 6223 may be formed to protrude forward from the inner surface, which is one surface of the hook tail portion 6221. The pair of connecting portions 6223 may be arranged facing each other at a predetermined distance apart. Through holes may be formed in each of the pair of connecting portions 6223, and the pair of connecting portions 6223 may be arranged so that the through holes face each other. The connecting portion 6223 of the hook member 620 is the portion that is connected to the rotating shaft portion 6211 of the hook member fixing portion 621, and the connecting portion 6223 and the rotating shaft portion 6211 may be connected to each other by a separately provided fastening pin 624. For example, the through hole in the connecting portion 6223 is positioned to align with the through hole 6215 in the rotating shaft portion 6211, and the fastening pin 624 passes through the through hole in the connecting portion 6223 and the through hole 6215 in the rotating shaft portion 6211 in the left-right direction, thereby fixing the hook member 620 to the pushing member 630.

[0129] An elastic member 623, which provides elastic force to the hook member 620, may be fastened together with the fastening pin 624 to the connecting portion 6223 and the rotating shaft portion 6211. The elastic member 623 may be positioned between a pair of connecting portions 6223 that are spaced apart from each other. Therefore, the fastening pin 624, passing through the through hole 6215 of the rotating shaft portion 6211 and the through hole 6215 of the rotating shaft portion 6211 from one side, can pass through the elastic member 623 and then through the through hole 6215 of the connecting portion 6223 and the through hole 6215 of the rotating shaft portion 6211 located on the other side.

[0130] 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 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 elastic energy through rotation or torsion, and then, when unwound, restoring by releasing the stored elastic energy. 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 elastic energy may be stored by that torsion. Therefore, the hook member 620 can rotate in such a way that it can be restored in the opposite direction by the elastic member 623 during rotational motion in one direction.

[0131] For example, the elastic member 623 may include a coil portion 6231 and a pair of leg portions 6232 projecting outward from both sides of the coil portion 6231. The coil portion 6231 is configured as a spirally wound coil and can store energy through elastic deformation when subjected to a torsional load. The fastening pin 624 can pass through the coil portion 6231. The leg portions 6232 extend from both ends of the coil portion 6231 and can be connected to external components to transmit or fix rotational motion. The leg portions 6232 may be designed at a specific angle and manufactured in various forms depending on the intended use. For example, the leg portions 6232 may be formed in a straight line, but are not limited to this, and may also be formed in a curved shape. When an external force is applied to the leg portions 6232, the coil portion 6231 stores elastic energy through torsional deformation, and when the external force is removed, the stored elastic energy can be released by a restoring force. The elastic member 623 is connected to an external component via the leg portion 6232, and when rotational motion is applied in a specific direction, the coil portion 6231 undergoes torsional deformation, storing energy. Subsequently, when the external force is removed, the coil portion 6231 can release torque, which is rotational force, via the leg portion 6232 while returning to its original state. Thus, according to the present invention, by providing a torsion spring including the coil portion 6231 and leg portions 6232 extending from both ends, stable energy storage and release during rotational motion is possible, and high durability and efficiency can be provided in various application environments.

[0132] The hook member 620 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 hook tail portion 6221 of the hook member 620 can come into contact with the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16. In this case, the rear surface of the hook tail portion 6221 of the hook member 620 is pressed forward by the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16, so the hook head portion 6222, which is located above the hook tail portion 6221, can rotate backward around the axis of rotation of the hook member 620. That is, the hook head portion 6222 and the lower end portion of the hook tail portion 6221, which are located in opposite directions to each other around the axis of rotation of the hook member 620, rotate in opposite directions to each other. As a result, the hook head 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.

[0133] Thus, when the hook member 620 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 hook tail portion 6221 of the hook member 620 is released from contact with the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16, and the hook head portion 6222 rotates forward around the axis of rotation in the connecting portion 6223 due to the restorative energy of the elastic member 623. Therefore, the hook head portion 6222 may be hooked to an object to be hooked, such as the storage portion 220 located in front.

[0134] As described above, the lock assembly 60 can synchronize the driving of the pair of drive assemblies 40 and the pair of rack and pinion assemblies 50 located on both sides. 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.

[0135] [Door opening module, rail assembly, bracket member, and door connecting structure] The following description will refer further to Figures 17 and 18 to explain the door opening module 30, the rail assembly 70, the bracket member 80, and the connecting structure of the door 20. Referring to Figure 17, 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 the bracket member 80. A door dike 216 may be formed on the rear surface of the door liner 212, along the rear circumference. The door dike 216 may protrude from the rear of the door liner 212 so as to be inserted into the interior of the storage compartment 16.

[0136] A recessed door recess 217 may be formed on the rear surface of the door liner 212 corresponding to the inside of the door dike 216. Bracket connecting portions 214 may be formed on the door recess 217, which are connected to a first bracket member 81 and a second bracket member 82, respectively. The bracket connecting portions 214 may be formed to protrude to the rear by a predetermined thickness to facilitate connection with the bracket member 80. The bracket member 80 may be fastened to the outside of the rear surface of the bracket connecting portion 214, or inserted into an insertion space formed on the inside of the rear surface of the bracket connecting portion 214 and fastened to the inside of the rear surface, and 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, the bracket member 80 and the 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, which is arranged around the outside 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.

[0137] 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.

[0138] 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 a separate 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.

[0139] 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.

[0140] Referring to Figures 13 and 18, a hook-hooking member 221 may be positioned on the rear surface of the storage section 220. The hook member 620 may be fastened to the hook-hooking member 221 by rotating in a circular motion around a rotation axis in the left-right direction. The hook-hooking member 221 may be formed in a shape that facilitates the connection and disconnection of the hook coupling with the hook head portion 6222 of the hook member 620. The hook-hooking member 221 may be located in the lower region of the storage section 220. Since the lower region of the storage section 220 is formed to have an inclined surface toward the front, the hook-hooking member 221 may be formed to protrude toward the rear with a predetermined width. The hook-hooking member 221 may be formed in a shape corresponding to the inclined surface of the rear surface of the storage section 220 and fastened to the rear surface of the storage section 220. For example, the hook-hooking member 221 may be fixed to the rear surface of the storage section 220 in a manner that surrounds a part of the rear and bottom surfaces, including the corners of the rear and bottom surfaces of the storage section 220. For example, the hook-hooking member 221 may be formed to extend long in the left-right direction. The left-right length of the hook-hooking member 221 may be formed to be substantially the same as the left-right length of the pushing member 630.

[0141] A slot portion 2211 may be formed on the rear surface of the hook hooking member 221, which is an open area into which a portion of the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 is inserted. When the hook member 620, which is fixed to the hook member fixing portion 621, rotates forward about the axis of rotation, the hook head portion 6222 may be inserted into the slot portion 2211. The rear surface of the slot portion 2211 may be sealed by the hook portion 2212. Thus, the hook portion 2212 formed on the rear surface of the slot portion 2211 may be a portion that is substantially hooked with the hook head portion 6222. A second push portion 222 may be formed on both sides of the slot portion 2211 and the hook portion 2212. The second push portion 222 may be an area that is pushed forward by the pushing portion 631 of the pushing member 630. The rear surface of the hook hooking member 221 that is pushed by the pushing member 630 can be defined as the second push portion 222.

[0142] Thus, by forming the hook-hooking member 221 in the lower region of the storage section 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 section 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 section 220, may not be positioned behind the rearmost surface of the storage section 220, but rather positioned to overlap the inclined surface in the lower region of the storage section 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.

[0143] In the refrigerator 1 according to the present invention, the hook member 620 is separated from the door 23 when the door 23 is closed, so the manual door open mode can be quickly implemented without any time lag when the door 23 is closed. In the present invention, the manual door open mode means a mode in which the hook member 620 and the door 23 are separated and the door open module 30 is not activated, and the door 23 can be opened and closed by the user's manual operation. The automatic door open mode means a mode in which the hook member 620 and the door 23 are connected and the door 23 is opened by the operation of the door open module 30, and the door 23 can be opened and closed automatically. In other words, according to the present invention, the hook member 620 may be separated from the door 23 and automatically switched to the manual door open mode without separate control by the refrigerator's control unit. Therefore, as soon as the door 23 is closed, the switch to the manual door open mode is performed, so the user can open and close the door 23 in manual door open mode very quickly.

[0144] If door 23, which has been opened in automatic door open mode, closes, it may be automatically switched to manual door open mode. Furthermore, if the door open module 30 is activated and door 23 is automatically opened, it may be switched to automatic door open mode, door 23 opens and closes, and once door 23 is completely closed, it may be automatically switched back to manual door open mode. In addition, door 23 that has been opened and closed in manual door open mode will continue to maintain manual door open mode unless otherwise switched to automatic door open mode.

[0145] [Gear rack pull-out mechanism of rack and pinion assembly] In the following, with further reference to Figures 19 to 21, the gear rack extraction mechanism of a rack and pinion assembly 50 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0146] As described above, the first gear rack 510 of the rack and pinion assembly 50 may include a first external tooth profile 511a, a first internal tooth profile 511b, and a first pinion gear 512; the second gear rack 520 may include a second tooth profile 521 and a second pinion gear 522; and the third gear rack 530 may include a third tooth profile 531. The contact gear 431 of the gear assembly 430 may mesh with the first external tooth profile 511a, the first pinion gear 512 may mesh with the second tooth profile 521, and the second pinion gear 522 may mesh with the first external tooth profile 511a and the third tooth profile 531.

[0147] The gear assembly 430, which includes multiple gears arranged to mesh with each other, is also arranged to mesh with the gears of the drive unit 440, thereby transmitting the rotational force of the drive unit 440. The gear assembly 430, having received the rotational force from the drive unit 440, can transmit the rotational force to each gear rack via the contact gear 431. In this case, since the first gear rack 510, the second gear rack 520, and the third gear rack 530 are connected to mesh with each other by the first pinion gear 512 and the second pinion gear 522, the same rotational force transmitted by the contact gear 431 may be transmitted to the first gear rack 510, the second gear rack 520, and the third gear rack 530. As a result, the rotational force generated in the drive unit 440 may be distributed to each of the first gear rack 510, the second gear rack 520, and the third gear rack 530 as the same torque (T) via the gear assembly 430. Torque (T) is a physical quantity that indicates the ability to rotate an object in rotational motion, and in this invention it can be defined as follows.

[0148] Torque (T) = Pulling force (F) × Transmission distance (L)

[0149] In this case, the transmission distance (L) can be defined as the vertical distance, which is the vertical separation distance from the rotation axis of the contact gear 431 to the point where the force acts. The first transmission distance (L1) of the first gear rack 510 can be defined as the vertical distance from the rotation axis of the contact gear 431 to the first external tooth profile 511a. The second transmission distance (L2) of the second gear rack 520 can be defined as the vertical distance from the rotation axis of the contact gear 431 to the second tooth profile 521. The third transmission distance (L3) of the third gear rack 530 can be defined as the vertical distance from the rotation axis of the contact gear 431 to the third tooth profile 531. In this case, the first external tooth profile 511a of the first gear rack 510, the second tooth profile 521 of the second gear rack 520, and the third tooth profile 531 of the third gear rack 530 are arranged to be progressively further away from the rotation axis of the contact gear 431, so that the separation distances increase in the order of first transmission distance (L1), second transmission distance (L2), and third transmission distance (L3).

[0150] On the other hand, the pull-out force (F) is a physical action that moves an object, which each gear rack can have when torque (T) is transmitted, and can be defined as the force that pulls each gear rack forward. The multiple gear racks included in the rack and pinion assembly 50 may be pulled forward in a straight line path based on the transmitted torque (T). Therefore, since the force that the gear racks have can substantially act as a force that opens the door 20, the pull-out force (F) can be defined as the force used to open the door 20.

[0151] In this case, if the same torque (T) is supplied to each gear rack, the magnitude of the pulling force (F) can be inversely proportional to the transmission distance (L) of each gear rack. That is, if the transmission distance (L) is short, the pulling force (F) may be large, and if the transmission distance (L) is long, the pulling force (F) may be small. Therefore, the magnitude of the first pulling force (F1) of the first gear rack 510, the second pulling force (F2) of the second gear rack 520, and the third pulling force (F3) of the third gear rack 530 may decrease in that order. That is, the first pulling force (F1) of the first gear rack 510 may be the largest, and the third pulling force (F3) of the third gear rack 530 may be the smallest.

[0152] Thus, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, each of the first gear rack 510, second gear rack 520, and third gear rack 530 included in the rack and pinion assembly may be pulled forward with different pulling forces. In the case of the door 20, when closed, a strong sealing pressure acts between the gasket portion 213 of the door 20 and the cabinet 2. Therefore, in the initial stage of opening the door 20, a strong pulling force may be required to overcome the sealing pressure. However, once the sealing pressure has been overcome and the door 20 has begun to open, the door 20 can be opened further without the strong pulling force required in the initial stage to open the door 20. Therefore, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, by arranging the multiple gear racks of the rack and pinion assembly 50 to be pulled forward with different pulling forces, the door can be opened using only the force required at each stage of opening the door, thereby maximizing energy efficiency through efficient force distribution.

[0153] Since the first gear rack 510, the second gear rack 520, and the third gear rack 530 mesh with each other, when the drive unit 440 is operated, the first gear rack 510, the second gear rack 520, and the third gear rack 530 may move simultaneously. In this case, the longitudinal length of the first gear rack 510 may be set to be different from the longitudinal lengths of the second gear rack 520 and the third gear rack 530. For example, the longitudinal length of the first gear rack 510 may be set to be longer than the longitudinal lengths of the second gear rack 520 and the third gear rack 530. Alternatively, the longitudinal lengths of the second gear rack 520 and the third gear rack 530 may be set to be the same. In this way, in the case of multiple gear racks, by setting the longitudinal lengths of at least some of the gear racks to be different from each other, the gear rack that substantially contributes to opening the door 20 may be different at each stage of opening the door 20.

[0154] When the rack and pinion assembly 50 begins to operate, the first gear rack 510 may be the first to protrude forward and outward from the second case 420. At this time, the second gear rack 520 and the third gear rack 530 may be pulled forward in conjunction with the movement of the first gear rack 510, but because they are shorter in length than the first gear rack 510, it may take them longer than the first gear rack 510 to protrude forward and outward from the second case 420. Referring to Figure 20, even after the first gear rack 510 has been fully pulled out, the second gear rack 520 and the third gear rack 530 may be pulled out to protrude even further forward than the first gear rack 510. In Figure 20, the first gear rack 510 and the second gear rack 520 are shown pulled out to their maximum length. Referring to Figure 21, even after the second gear rack 520 has been fully pulled out, the third gear rack 530 may be pulled out to protrude even further forward than the second gear rack 520.

[0155] Thus, according to the present invention, the length of the first gear rack 510 in the front-rear direction is set to be longer than the lengths of the second gear rack 520 and the third gear rack 530 in the front-rear direction. Therefore, even when the first gear rack 510, the second gear rack 520 and the third gear rack 530 move simultaneously, the first gear rack 510 may have the highest priority in protruding forward and outward from the second case 420. Consequently, in the process of opening the door 20, in the initial stage, the pulling force of the first gear rack 510 can substantially act on the door 20, in the subsequent stage, the pulling forces of the second gear rack 520 and the third gear rack 530 can substantially act on the door 20, and in the final stage, the pulling force of the third gear rack 530 can substantially act on the door 20, thereby opening the door 20.

[0156] [Operation of the door open module, and the pulling out and pulling in of the door] In the following, with further reference to Figures 22 to 30, 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.

[0157] Figure 22 shows a plan view of the door 20 and the door open module 30 before the door open module 30 is driven, and Figure 26 shows a side cross-sectional view of the door 20 and the door open module 30 before the door open module 30 is driven. That is, Figures 22 and 26 show the state in which the door 20 is completely closed and the storage section 220 is also completely stored within the storage chamber 16. In this case, the rack and pinion assembly 50 is also in a state before it is activated, and the rack and pinion assembly 50 attached to the drive assembly 40 remains in a state where it 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 from each other without coming into contact.

[0158] Furthermore, the second pressing portion 222 of the hook hooking member 221 of the storage section 220 and the pushing member 630 of the lock assembly 60 do not come into contact with each other and can maintain a predetermined distance apart. Since the lock assembly 60 is fully 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 backward-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 hooking member 221 of the storage section 220. Therefore, when the door 20 is fully closed and the storage section 220 is fully stored in the storage chamber 16, the storage section 220 of the door 20 and the door open module 30 remain disconnected from each other.

[0159] Furthermore, a forward slide gap 6111 having a predetermined separation distance may be formed in front of the rack guide member 532 which is positioned within the slide rack 611. Therefore, the forward slide gap 6111 can be defined as the distance between the front section of the slide rack 611 and the front section of the rack guide member 532.

[0160] 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.

[0161] 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 draw-out mode can be quickly and easily implemented without any additional operation.

[0162] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the switch from automatic door opening mode to manual door opening mode is performed naturally, and the door can be easily and smoothly pulled out without the user having to issue a separate command to switch to manual door opening mode, thereby maximizing ease of use.

[0163] 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.

[0164] Furthermore, according to the present invention, in the manual door open mode, the door 20 may be pulled out and pulled in 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 pulling in the door 20, thereby improving the user experience.

[0165] 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).

[0166] 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, is 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.

[0167] Figure 23 shows a plan view of the door 20 and the door open module 30 after the door open module 30 has been driven, showing the state after it has moved only up to the point before contact with the first gear rack 510 and the first push portion 215. In this case, the distance between the first gear rack 510 and the first push portion 215 may become closer. Along with this, the distance of the forward slide gap 6111 may also become shorter. Furthermore, the second gear rack 520 and the third gear rack 530, which are housed within the first gear rack 510, may also be pulled forward by a predetermined distance as the first gear rack 510 moves. However, the second gear rack 520 and the third gear rack 530 do not protrude further forward than the first gear rack 510. In addition, the pushing member 630 may also move forward by a predetermined distance. However, the pushing member 630 may not yet push the hook-hook member 221 forward, but may simply be in contact with it or at a predetermined distance apart.

[0168] Figures 24, 25, 27, and 28 show side cross-sectional views of the door 20 and the door open module 30 when 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. Figures 24 and 27 show the moment when the rack and pinion assembly 50 first contacts the first pressed portion 215 of the door 23, and Figures 25 and 28 show the state after the rack and pinion assembly 50 has made contact with the first pressed portion 215 of the door 23 and has been pressurized by a predetermined distance.

[0169] When the user activates the automatic door open mode, the door 20 can move back and forth along the rail assembly 70 by the drive of the door open module 30. The refrigerator 1 may be equipped with a separate button to activate 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.

[0170] 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, it is preferable that the pulling force of the first gear rack 510 be set to be greater than the sealing pressure between the gasket portion 213 and the cabinet 2. In this case, pushing the rear surface of the door portion 210, which is located in front of the door 20, may be more effective in effectively overcoming the sealing pressure between the gasket portion 213 and the cabinet 2 than pushing the storage portion 220, which is located behind the door 20.

[0171] 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 can push the rear surface 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 with the greatest pulling force pushes the rear surface of the door portion 210 by having the gear rack that is pulled the shortest distance forward of the rack and pinion assembly 50 among the multiple gear racks push the rear surface of the door portion 210. This allows the driving force of the door open module 30 to effectively overcome the sealing pressure of the door between the cabinet 2 and the gasket portion 213 of the door 20. In other words, according to the present invention, the first gear rack 510, which is pulled the shortest distance among the multiple gear racks constituting the multi-stage rack and pinion assembly 50, can push the door 20 and open only a portion of it. Therefore, the first gear rack 510 can initially open the closed door 20.

[0172] With the first gear rack 510 of the rack and pinion assembly 50 pressing against the rear surface of the door portion 210, 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 portion 220, and the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 may be in a state before connecting with the hook hook member 221 of the storage portion 220. Referring to Figures 24 and 27, the front slide gap 6111 formed in front of the rack guide member 532 may decrease, and the rear slide gap 6112 formed behind the rack guide member 532 may increase. In this case as well, since the rack guide member 532 has not yet contacted the slide rack 611, the rack guide member 532 is in a state before pushing the slide rack 611 forward.

[0173] The hook member 620 may still be in contact with the rear surface of the storage chamber 16. Referring to Figure 27, the rack guide member 532 can also move forward by a predetermined distance due to the drive of the rack and pinion assembly 50. The rotation of the hook member 620 may occur in sync with the forward movement of the slide rack 611. The forward movement of the slide rack 611 may occur as the rack guide member 532, housed within the slide rack 611, begins to push the slide rack 611 forward. At this time, since the front slide gap 6111 still remains in front of the rack guide member 532, even if the rack guide member 532 moves forward, the rotation of the hook member 620 does not need to occur until it pushes the front part of the slide rack 611 forward. Therefore, in the case of Figure 27, the first gear rack 510 of the rack and pinion assembly 50 has come into contact with the first pushed portion 215, but the state before the rack guide member 532 pushes the slide rack 611 forward is shown. This indicates that the hook member 620 and the hook portion 2212 are not fastened together.

[0174] In the case of Figure 28, the first gear rack 510 of the rack and pinion assembly 50 is shown in contact with the first pressed portion 215, and then pushed forward by a predetermined distance. At this time, the front portion of the rack guide member 532 has already come into contact with the rear surface of the front portion of the slide rack 611, so the forward movement of the slide rack 611 may be synchronized with the forward movement of the rack guide member 532. In this way, as the slide rack 611 moves forward, the hook member 620 may also move forward. As a result, the hook member 620 can release contact with the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16, and the hook member 620 can rotate forward so that it hooks with the hook portion 2212.

[0175] As the lock assembly 60 moves forward, the hook member 620 on 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 may rotate forward along the axis of rotation and be fastened by a hook connection with the hook hooking member 221 on the rear surface of the storage unit 220. That is, 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 during the movement of the door 20 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 movement of the door 20 forward and backward.

[0176] Figure 25 shows the state in which the pushing member 630 pushes the door 20 forward by a predetermined distance due to the rack guide member 532 contacting the slide rack 611. In this case, the forward slide gap 6111 disappears. After the first gear rack 510 pressurizes the first pushed portion 532, the pushing member 630 pushes the door 20 forward, so the contact between the first gear rack 510 and the first pushed portion 215 can be released and the distance between them can increase. That is, after the first gear rack 510 has initially played its role in opening the door 20, the pushing member 630 can move in synchronization with the movement of the third gear rack 530, which can be pulled out even further than the first gear rack 510, due to the forward movement of the slide rack 611 which is synchronized with the movement of the third gear rack 530. Thus, the pushing member 630 does not move in perfect synchronization with the movement of the gear rack. After a predetermined delay until the forward slide gap 6111 disappears, when the rack guide member 532 pushes the slide rack 611 forward so that the forward slide gap 6111 disappears, the pushing member 630 can also be constrained to move with the movement of the third gear rack 530 and move together with it.

[0177] Figure 29 shows a side cross-sectional view of the door 20 and the door open module 30 when the door open module 30 is driven and the door 20 is fully open. After the first gear rack 510 of the rack and pinion assembly 50 pushes the first push 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 push portion 215 is released and the distance between them increases. Meanwhile, 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.

[0178] 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 may come into contact with the second push-in portion 222 located on the rear surface of the storage portion 220, and push the second push-in portion 222 forward. That is, as the third gear rack 530 is extended, the lock assembly 60 moves forward while pushing the rear surface of the storage portion 220. The hook member 620, which is hooked to the hook portion 2212, can also move forward with the movement of the storage portion 220. When the door 23 moves forward, the hook member 620 does not substantially contribute to the forward movement of the door 23, so the hook member 620 can move forward while maintaining a predetermined distance from the hook portion 2212. That is, after a portion of the door 20 is opened by the first gear rack 510, the pushing member 630 can push the door 20 and fully open it. As mentioned above, since the pushing member 630 restrains the movement of the third gear rack 530, the pulling force of the pushing member 630 is substantially the same as the pulling force of the third gear rack 530.

[0179] As described above, in the refrigerator 1 according to the present invention, the first gear rack 510, which is pulled out over the shortest distance among the multiple gear racks of the rack and pinion assembly 50, pushes the door 20, causing only a portion of it to open. Therefore, the initial opening of the door, which requires a large pulling force, can be automatically, safely, and easily opened using the driving force of the door open module.

[0180] Furthermore, in the refrigerator 1 according to the present invention, after the first gear rack 510 of the rack and pinion assembly 50 partially opens the door 20, the pushing member 630 pushes the door 20 to fully open it. Therefore, the mechanism for initially opening the door 20 and the mechanism for fully opening the initially opened door 20 can be applied differently. This allows for the use of different opening mechanisms at each stage of opening the door 20, thereby maximizing energy efficiency through efficient force distribution.

[0181] Furthermore, the refrigerator 1 according to the present invention can open the door initially using the gear rack with the greatest pulling force among multiple gear racks, thereby effectively overcoming the pressure on the door gasket and the negative pressure inside the refrigerator.

[0182] Furthermore, in the refrigerator 1 according to the present invention, after the door 20 is initially opened, the door can be fully opened using the gear rack with the smallest pulling force among the multiple gear racks. Therefore, even if a user bumps into the door during the opening process, the force applied to the user can be reduced, thereby reducing the risk of injury to the user and improving the stability of the product's use.

[0183] Furthermore, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, the drawer of the first gear rack 510, which has the greatest drawer force, and the drawer of the pushing member 630, which is constrained to move by the movement of the third gear rack 530, which has the smallest drawer force, are moved with a predetermined time difference, so that the magnitude of the drawer force can be easily distributed and adjusted for each stage when opening the door.

[0184] Figure 30 is a side cross-sectional view showing the door and door open module when the door has been moved a predetermined distance backward by the door open module being driven so that the door closes automatically. When the door 20 is fully open, the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 can maintain a state of fastening with the hook hook member 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 portion 2212 of the hook hook member 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.

[0185] 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.

[0186] 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 though the gear rack or pinion gear of the door open module 30 is not directly fastened to the door 20.

[0187] 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.

[0188] 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.

[0189] 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.

[0190] 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.

[0191] As described above, in one embodiment, the door open module 30 is described as being located on the underside of the storage chamber 16. However, it is not limited to this, and in other embodiments, the door open module 30 may be located on the side of the storage chamber 16. Below, with reference to Figures 31 to 34, other embodiments in which the door open module 30 is located on the side of the storage chamber 16 will be described. The above-mentioned details regarding the door open module 30 can also be applied to the other embodiments described below, so redundant content will be omitted.

[0192] Figure 31 shows the door open module, rail assembly, and bracket member in the state before they are pulled out according to another embodiment of this specification, and Figure 32 shows the door open module, rail assembly, and bracket member in the state after they are fully pulled out according to another embodiment of this specification.

[0193] A pair of rail assemblies 70 may be arranged on each side of the storage chamber 16. The first rail assembly 71 may be fixed to the first side surface 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 surface 162a of the storage chamber 16. For example, a rail assembly mounting section 18 may be formed on one side of the storage chamber connecting member 18, providing a mounting space on which the first rail assembly 71 can be stored and placed. The rail assembly mounting section 18 may be formed to be open in the inward direction and in front of the storage chamber 16. The storage chamber connecting member 18 may include an adjustment gear rack 182 that forms the lower surface of the rail assembly mounting section 18. The adjustment gear rack 182 may be fixed to the rail assembly mounting portion 18 and include an adjustment gear rack tooth profile 183 formed to extend in the front-rear direction. The adjustment gear rack tooth profile 183 may be formed to extend upward. The adjustment gear rack tooth profile 183 may be configured to mesh with the adjustment pinion gear 85 of the adjustment unit 83.

[0194] 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 facing the first rail assembly 71 and formed in a symmetrical shape.

[0195] A first bracket member 81 may be disposed on the first rail assembly 71, and a second bracket member 82 may be disposed on the second rail assembly 72. The first bracket member 81 may include a bracket body portion 810 that extends elongated in one direction. A bracket bent portion 811 may be formed in front of the bracket body portion 810, which is bent downwards and extends. A front extension portion 820 may be formed in front of the bracket bent portion 811, which is bent downwards and extends from the bracket body portion 810. A pressed portion 822 may be disposed on the front extension portion 820. The pressed portion 822 may be positioned so as to overlap each other in the front-rear direction with the first rack and pinion assembly 51 and the second rack and pinion assembly 52, which are attached to the respective first drive assembly 41 and second drive assembly 42. When the gear rack of the rack and pinion assembly 50 is pulled forward, the pressurizing member 532 located on the front part of the gear rack can contact the pressed portion 822 and pressurize and push the pressed portion 822 forward. The pressed portion 822 may be fastened to one side of the front extension 820. The pressed portion 822 may be located on the rear surface of the door portion 210. For example, the pressed portion 822 may be fastened to the bracket member 80 and also to the rear surface of the door portion 210. Alternatively, it may not be fastened to the bracket member 80 and may be fastened to the rear surface of the door portion 210.

[0196] The pressurizing member 532, connected to one of the gear racks of the rack and pinion assembly 50, presses against the rear surface of the door section 210 located in front of the door 20. This allows for a greater force to be transmitted against the rear surface of the door section 210 compared to pressing against other components located far away from the door section 210. The second bracket member 82 may be fastened to the second rail assembly 72 in a similar manner. The second bracket member 82 may also be positioned opposite the first bracket member 81 and formed in a symmetrical shape.

[0197] The bracket member 80 may include a bracket extension bar 840 that extends in the left-right direction of the storage chamber 16, such that one side and the other side are connected to the first bracket member 81 and the second bracket member 82, respectively. The bracket extension bar 840 is formed to be connected to the first bracket member 81 and the second bracket member 82, so that when the first bracket member 81 and the second bracket member 82 move in the front-rear direction, they can synchronize their movement.

[0198] On the other hand, the bracket member 80 may include an adjustment unit 83 extending in the left-right direction of the storage chamber 16 such that one side and the other side are connected to the first bracket member 81 and the second bracket member 82, respectively. The adjustment unit 83 may include a rod-shaped adjustment shaft 84 that extends substantially in one direction, and a pair of adjustment pinion gears 85 formed at both ends of the adjustment shaft 84. The adjustment pinion gears 85 may be connected to the first bracket member 81 and the second bracket member 82 so as to be rotatable with respect to a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction. Each adjustment pinion gear 85 is arranged to mesh with an adjustment gear rack tooth profile 183 formed on the adjustment gear rack 182 of the storage chamber connecting member 18, so that the first bracket member 81 and the second bracket member 82 can move in the front-rear direction along the adjustment gear rack 182 by a rack and pinion drive system. Thus, the first bracket member 81 and the second bracket member 82 may be synchronized in their forward and backward movements by a rack and pinion drive system using the adjustment unit 83.

[0199] The lock assembly 60 may be connected to the first rack and pinion assembly 51 and the second rack and pinion assembly 52 on one side and the other side, 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 to 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.

[0200] The lock assembly extension bar 610 may have one or more pushing members 630 that push the door 20 forward. In this way, the pushing members 630 of the lock assembly 60 push the door 20 forward, so that the storage unit 220 can move forward in accordance with the forward movement of the lock assembly 60, while being constrained to the forward movement of the lock assembly 60. For example, the pushing member 630 can push the rear surface of the bracket extension bar 840 forward. As mentioned above, since the bracket extension bar 840 is connected to the first bracket member 81 and the second bracket member 82 on one side and the other side, respectively, when the pushing member 630 pushes the rear surface of the bracket extension bar 840 forward, the first bracket member 81 and the second bracket member 82 are also pushed forward in accordance with it. Therefore, the door 20 fixed to the first bracket member 81 and the second bracket member 82 may move forward. Therefore, the pushing member 630 can indirectly push the door 20 by pushing the rear surface of the bracket member 80, without directly pushing the door 20.

[0201] Furthermore, the lock assembly extension bar 610 may be equipped with a hook member 620 that can be switched to connect and disconnect the bracket member 80 and the lock assembly 60. For example, the hook member 620 may be connected to and disconnected from the bracket extension bar 840 of the bracket member 80. When the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 is connected to the bracket extension bar 840, the storage unit 220 supported by the bracket member 800 can move together with the lock assembly 60, while being constrained to move not only forward but also backward. Also, when the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 is disconnected from the bracket extension bar 840, the storage unit 220 can move freely independently of the lock assembly 60, even when the lock assembly 60 is not being driven.

[0202] Figure 33 is a side cross-sectional view and a magnified view of a portion of the door and door open module before the door open module according to another embodiment of this specification is driven, and Figure 34 is a side cross-sectional view and a magnified view of a portion of the door and door open module when the door open module according to another embodiment of this specification is driven and the door is fully open.

[0203] In the following, with further reference to Figures 33 and 34, the operation of the door open module 30 and the pulling out and pulling in of the door 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0204] Figure 33 shows the state in which the door 20 is completely closed and the storage unit 220 is also completely stored inside the storage chamber 16. Since the lock assembly 60 is fully retracted to the rear, the rear surface of the hook member 620 maintains its retracted position by making close contact with the stopper 166 formed on the rear surface 163 of the storage chamber 16. As a result, the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 can maintain a state in which it is disconnected from the bracket extension bar 840. Therefore, when the door 20 is completely closed and the storage unit 220 is completely stored inside the storage chamber 16, the bracket extension bar 840 and the door open module 30 maintain a state in which they are disconnected from each other.

[0205] Thus, with the connection between the bracket extension bar 840 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 section 220 is retracted, the connection between the hook member 620 and the bracket extension bar 840 can be 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 front-rear direction along the rail assembly 70 by the user, even when the door open module 30 is not being driven.

[0206] 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 bracket member 80 when the door 20 is moving forward or backward, and separated from the bracket member 80 when the door 20 is closed. Therefore, when the door 20 is closed, a manual pull-out mode can be quickly and easily implemented without any additional operation. In another embodiment, the hook member 620 may be hook-coupled to the rear surface of a storage section 220 other than the bracket member 80. Thus, the lock assembly 60 to which the hook member 620 is attached may be 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. In this case, the storage section 220 and the bracket member 80 can move together in synchronous motion, so the same forward and backward movement mechanism can be obtained by hook-coupling with the storage section 220 or the bracket member 80.

[0207] 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 frames of the storage unit 220. Therefore, the bottom surface 164 of the storage chamber 220 does not have to be in contact with the bottom surface of the storage unit 220. The bottom surface of the storage unit 220 and the bottom surface 164 of the storage chamber 220 may be separated by a predetermined distance of clearance space (CS).

[0208] Referring to Figure 34, when the user activates the automatic door open mode, the door 20 can move back and forth along the rail assembly 70 by the drive of the door open module 30. The refrigerator 1 may be equipped with a separate button to activate 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.

[0209] When the door open module 30 is driven, the lock assembly 60 moves forward, causing the pushing member 630 of the lock assembly 60 to contact the rear surface of the bracket extension bar 840 and push the bracket extension bar 840 forward. 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 its axis of rotation and may be fastened to the bracket extension bar 840 by a hook connection.

[0210] With the door 20 open, the hook member 620 of the lock assembly 60 can remain fastened to the bracket extension bar 840. When the door 20 closes, the drive assembly 40 may be driven by switching the direction of rotation 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 to the bracket extension bar 840 of the bracket member 80, the lock assembly 60 may pull the bracket extension bar 840 backward. As a result, the storage section 220 connected to the bracket member 80 may move inward into the storage compartment 16, restrained by the backward movement of the lock assembly 60.

[0211] 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. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0212] 1. Refrigerator 2 cabinets 11 Internal Case 12 External Cases 13 Dispenser section 14. Storage Room 1 (Refrigerated Room) 15. Second Storage Room (Switching Room) 16. Third Storage Room (Freezer Room)

Claims

1. Cabinet containing one or more storage compartments, A drawer assembly for opening and closing the front of the storage chamber, and A door opening module is provided in the storage room to push the drawer assembly forward to open it. Includes, The door opening module includes a multi-stage rack and pinion assembly containing multiple gear racks that are pulled out and retracted in the front-rear direction. The first gear rack, which is pulled out over the shortest distance among the plurality of gear racks, pushes the drawer assembly to partially open it. refrigerator.

2. The aforementioned first gear rack causes the closed drawer assembly to open initially. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

3. The assembly further includes a pushing member for pushing the drawer assembly forward. After the drawer assembly is partially opened, the pushing member pushes the drawer assembly to fully open it. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

4. The multi-stage rack and pinion assembly includes the first gear rack, the second gear rack, and the third gear rack, The pushing member moves while being constrained to the movement of the third gear rack. The refrigerator according to claim 3.

5. The multi-stage rack and pinion assembly includes the first gear rack, the second gear rack, and the third gear rack, Of the first gear rack, the second gear rack, and the third gear rack, the first gear rack has the greatest pulling force, and the third gear rack has the smallest pulling force. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

6. The multi-stage rack and pinion assembly includes the first gear rack, the second gear rack, and the third gear rack, The door open module further includes a slide rack, one side of which is connected to the pushing member and the third gear rack, and the other side of which is connected to the pushing member and the third gear rack, respectively, so as to synchronize the forward and backward movement of the pushing member and the third gear rack. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

7. The system further includes a rack guide member housed inside the slide rack and connected to the third gear rack, so as to move in the front-rear direction in a sliding manner within the slide rack. There is a front slide gap between the front part of the rack guide member and the front part of the slide rack. The refrigerator according to claim 6.

8. When the rack guide member moves forward and contacts the slide rack, pushing the slide rack forward, the pushing member pushes the drawer assembly forward. The refrigerator according to claim 7.

9. The slide rack includes a rear surface that is open so that the rack guide member can be inserted, and the rear surface of the slide rack is sealed by a sealing member. There is a rear sliding gap between the rear portion of the rack guide member and the front portion of the sealing member. The refrigerator according to claim 7.

10. The door open module further includes a hook member that connects to and disconnects from the drawer assembly, The hook member moves while being constrained to the movement of the third gear rack. The refrigerator according to claim 9.

11. When the rack guide member moves backward and pushes the front surface of the front portion of the sealing member backward, the hook member pulls the drawer assembly backward. The refrigerator according to claim 10.

12. Cabinet containing one or more storage compartments, A drawer assembly for opening and closing the front of the storage chamber, and A door opening module is provided in the storage room to push the drawer assembly forward to open it. Includes, The aforementioned door open module is A multi-stage rack and pinion assembly including multiple gear racks, and A drive assembly including a drive unit and a gear assembly that transmits the driving force of the drive unit to the rack and pinion assembly, Includes, The aforementioned multiple gear racks are each pulled forward with different pulling forces. refrigerator.

13. Each of the aforementioned gear racks is pulled forward with a pulling force inversely proportional to the distance from the gear assembly. The refrigerator according to claim 12.

14. The rotational force generated from the drive unit is distributed to each of the multiple gear racks with the same torque via the gear assembly. Each of the aforementioned gear racks moves along a straight path based on the torque transmitted to it. The refrigerator according to claim 12.

15. The plurality of gear racks include a first gear rack separated from the gear assembly by a first transmission distance, a second gear rack separated by a second transmission distance, and a third gear rack separated by a third transmission distance. The separation distance increases in the order of the first transmission distance, the second transmission distance, and the third transmission distance. The pulling force decreases in the order of the first gear rack, the second gear rack, and the third gear rack. The refrigerator according to claim 12.

16. The length of the first gear rack in the front-rear direction is longer than the lengths of the second gear rack and the third gear rack in the front-rear direction. The refrigerator according to claim 15.

17. The drive assembly includes a case for housing the rack and pinion assembly, When the rack and pinion assembly is driven, the first gear rack among the plurality of gear racks takes the highest priority in protruding forward and outward from the case. The refrigerator according to claim 15.

18. The first gear rack includes a first external tooth profile, a first internal tooth profile, and a first pinion gear. The second gear rack includes a second tooth profile and a second pinion gear, The aforementioned third gear rack includes a third tooth profile, The gear assembly meshes with the first external tooth profile, The first pinion gear meshes with the second tooth profile, The second pinion gear is positioned to mesh with the first external tooth profile and the third tooth profile. The refrigerator according to claim 15.

19. A gasket portion is positioned on the rear surface of the drawer assembly, which contacts the cabinet when the drawer assembly is closed. The first gear rack pushes the drawer assembly forward, releasing the contact between the gasket and the cabinet. The refrigerator according to claim 15.

20. The pulling force of the first gear rack is even greater than the sealing pressure between the gasket and the cabinet. The refrigerator according to claim 19.

21. The door open module further includes a pushing member that pushes the drawer assembly forward. The pushing member pushes the drawer assembly forward after the first gear rack has released contact between the gasket and the cabinet. The refrigerator according to claim 15.

22. The pushing member is connected to the third gear rack so as to move in synchronization with the movement of the third gear rack after a predetermined delay following the start of the movement of the third gear rack. The refrigerator according to claim 21.

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