U.S. patent application number 11/889662 was filed with the patent office on 2008-03-27 for drawer type door and refrigerator having the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Sung Cheul Park, Oong In Shin.
Application Number | 20080074019 11/889662 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38984019 |
Filed Date | 2008-03-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080074019 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Park; Sung Cheul ; et
al. |
March 27, 2008 |
Drawer type door and refrigerator having the same
Abstract
Disclosed is a refrigerator having a plurality of drawer-type
doors installed in a transverse direction in parallel to each
other. The refrigerator includes a body provided at left and right
portions thereof with a plurality of storage chambers which are
aligned in parallel to each other to store materials therein, and a
plurality of drawer-type doors installed in the storage chambers
and capable of being moved forward or backward. A step difference
adjusting device is provided to adjust installation positions of
the drawer-type doors to reduce a step difference between adjacent
drawer-type doors.
Inventors: |
Park; Sung Cheul; (Gwangju,
KR) ; Shin; Oong In; (Gwangju, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
SUITE 700, 1201 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
Samsung Electronics Co.,
Ltd.
Suwon-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
38984019 |
Appl. No.: |
11/889662 |
Filed: |
August 15, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/236 ;
312/348.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 25/025 20130101;
A47B 88/956 20170101; F25D 23/028 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/236 ;
312/348.4 |
International
Class: |
A47B 77/08 20060101
A47B077/08; A47B 88/04 20060101 A47B088/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 21, 2006 |
KR |
2006-91846 |
Claims
1. A refrigerator, comprising: a body provided at left and right
portions thereof with a plurality of storage chambers which are
aligned in parallel with respect to each other to store materials
therein; a plurality of drawer-type doors installed in the storage
chambers capable of moving forward or backward; and a step
difference adjusting device that adjusts installation positions of
the drawer-type doors to reduce a step difference between adjacent
drawer-type doors.
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein each drawer-type
door includes a cover that covers a front side of one of the
storage chambers so as to close the storage chamber, a storage
container which is opened upward to store the materials therein,
and a support frame having a front end coupled with the cover so as
to support the storage container installed thereon, and wherein the
step difference adjusting device adjusts an installation position
of the support frame coupled with the cover in upward and downward
directions.
3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, the step difference
adjusting device comprising a step difference adjusting cam, which
is rotatably installed on the cover and formed in a rotational
direction thereof with a plurality of cam surfaces in which
distances between a rotational center of the step difference
adjusting cam and the cam surfaces are different from each other,
the support frame being coupled to the cover while being supported
on one of the cam surfaces.
4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, the step difference
adjusting device further comprising a cam installation screw
rotatably coupling the step difference adjusting cam with the
cover, the cam installation screw including a head section on which
a rear surface of the step difference adjusting cam is supported, a
male screw section provided at another side of the head section and
formed with a male screw which is screw-coupled into the cover, and
a hinge section having a circular sectional shape and being
provided between the head section and the male screw section so as
to rotatably install the step difference adjusting cam.
5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the step
difference adjusting cam includes a support protrusion which
extends in a forward direction to allow the step difference
adjusting cam to be selectively rotated when the cam installation
screw is partially released, and a rear surface of the cover
includes a plurality of support holes formed in a circumferential
direction and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined
distance so as to support the support protrusion inserted into at
least one of the support holes in a state in which the cam
installation screw is completely screwed into the cover.
6. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the support frame
comprises an installation section coupled with the cover and
supported by one of the cam surfaces formed on the step difference
adjusting cam, a pair of side support sections extending in a
rearward direction from the installation section so as to support
both sides of the storage container, and a rear support section
connecting rear end portions of the side support sections to each
other so as to support a rear surface of the storage container.
7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the installation
section includes a through hole, through which the step difference
adjusting cam is inserted, and a support rib extending from a
portion adjacent to the through hole and being supported on one of
the cam surfaces formed on the step difference adjusting cam.
8. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein a storage chamber
rail is provided at both sides of the storage chamber to allow the
drawer-type door to move in a forward direction or a backward
direction, and door rails are provided in the side support
sections, respectively, the door rails being installed on the
storage chamber rails to move in a forward direction or a backward
direction.
9. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the installation
section includes a fixing installation part fixedly installed on
one side of a rear surface of the cover, and a variable
installation part installed on the other side of the rear surface
of the cover, the step difference adjusting device being installed
on the variable installation part to change an installation
position of the variable installation part in a longitudinal
direction by rotating the variable installation part about and with
respect to the fixing installation part.
10. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the installation
section is formed with a temporal assembling slot longitudinally
formed in the installation section, an upper portion of the
temporal assembling slot being opened to allow the cover to be
temporarily assembled with the support frame.
11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein a temporal
assembling screw is installed at a rear surface of the cover, a
head section of the temporal assembling screw being spaced apart
from the rear surface of the cover by a predetermined distance, the
temporal assembling screw being coupled into the temporal
assembling slot through an upper portion of the temporal assembling
slot.
12. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein a coupling slot
is formed in the installation section and a coupling screw is
screw-coupled into the coupling slot, in which the coupling slot is
prepared in a form of a longitudinal elongation slot.
13. A drawer-type door installed in one of a plurality of storage
chambers aligned at left and right locations in parallel with
respect to each other to store materials therein, and movable in a
forward direction or a backward direction in the storage chambers,
the drawer-type door comprising: a cover covering a front side of
one of the storage chambers to open and close the storage chamber;
a storage container opening in an upward direction to store
materials therein, a support frame having a front end coupled with
the cover to support the storage container installed thereon, and a
step difference adjusting device adjusting an installation position
of the support frame coupled with the cover in upward and downward
directions to reduce a step difference between adjacent drawer-type
doors.
14. The drawer-type door as claimed in claim 13, wherein the step
difference adjusting device includes a step difference adjusting
cam rotatably installed on the cover and formed in a rotational
direction thereof with a plurality of cam surfaces in which
distances between a rotational center of the step difference
adjusting cam and the cam surfaces are different from each other,
and a cam installation screw rotatably coupling the step difference
adjusting cam with the cover, and wherein the support frame is
coupled to the cover while being supported on one of the cam
surfaces formed on the step difference adjusting cam.
15. The drawer-type door as claimed in claim 14, wherein the cam
installation screw includes a head section on which a rear surface
of the step difference adjusting cam is supported when the cam
installation screw is coupled with the step difference adjusting
cam, a male screw section provided at an other side of the head
section and formed with a male screw which is screw-coupled into
the cover, and a hinge section having a circular sectional shape
and being provided between the head section and the male screw
section to rotatably install the step difference adjusting cam.
16. The drawer-type door as claimed in claim 14, wherein the step
difference adjusting cam is provided with a support protrusion
which extends in a forward direction from a side surface of the
step difference adjusting cam to allow the step difference
adjusting cam to be selectively rotated only when the cam
installation screw is partially released, and a plurality of
support holes are formed at a rear surface of the cover in a
circumferential direction and are spaced apart from each other by a
predetermined distance to support the support protrusion when the
support protrusion is inserted into one of the support holes.
17. The drawer-type door as claimed in claim 14, wherein the
support frame includes an installation section coupled with the
cover and supported by one of the cam surfaces formed on the step
difference adjusting cam, a pair of side support sections extending
in a rearward direction from the installation section to support
both sides of the storage container, and a rear support section
connecting rear end portions of the side support sections to each
other to support a rear surface of the storage container.
18. The drawer-type door as claimed in claim 17, wherein the
installation section includes a through hole through which the step
difference adjusting cam is inserted, and a support rib extending
from a portion adjacent to the through hole and being supported on
one of the cam surfaces formed in the step difference adjusting
cam.
19. The drawer-type door as claimed in claim 17, wherein the
installation section includes a fixing installation section fixedly
installed on one side of the rear surface of the cover, and a
variable installation section installed on the other side of the
rear surface of the cover, the step difference adjusting device
being installed on the variable installation section to change an
installation position of the variable installation section in a
longitudinal direction by rotating the variable installation part
about and with respect to the fixing installation part.
20. The drawer-type door as claimed in claim 17, wherein the
installation section is formed with a temporal assembling slot
longitudinally formed in the installation section and an upper
portion of the temporal assembling slot is opened to allow the
cover to be temporarily assembled with the support frame, and a
temporal assembling screw is installed at the rear surface of the
cover, a head section of the temporal assembling screw being spaced
apart from the rear surface of the cover by a predetermined
distance, and being coupled into the temporal assembling slot
through the upper portion of the temporal assembling slot.
21. The drawer-type door as claimed in claim 17, wherein a coupling
slot is formed in the installation section and a coupling screw is
screw-coupled into the coupling slot, the coupling slot being
formed as a longitudinal elongation hole.
22. A drawer-type door installed in one of a plurality of storage
chambers holding a storage container, the drawer-type door
comprising: a cover covering a front side of one of the storage
chambers; a support frame coupled with the cover to support the
storage container; and a step difference adjusting device adjusting
an installation position of the support frame and concurrently
adjusting the height of the cover.
23. The drawer-type door according to claim 22, wherein the step
difference adjusting device includes a cam having a plurality of
cam surfaces.
24. The drawer-type door according to claim 23, wherein at least
two of the cam surfaces vary in length such that the height of the
cover can be increased or decreased according to the rotation of
the cam onto a specific one of the cam surfaces with respect to the
support frame.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 2006-91846, filed on Sep. 21, 2006, in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates generally to a refrigerator,
and more particularly to a refrigerator having a plurality of
drawer-type doors installed in a transverse direction in parallel
to each other.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In general, a refrigerator is an appliance that supplies
cold air generated from an evaporator through a refrigeration cycle
to storage chambers storing various foodstuffs so as to allow the
foodstuffs to be kept in a fresh state for a long period of
time.
[0006] Among the refrigerators, as disclosed in Korean Unexamined
Patent Publication No. 10-2004-45808, there is provided a
refrigerator including a drawer-type door, which is installed in a
storage chamber and moved forward or backward so as to open or
close the storage chamber. Recently, as the size of refrigerators
has become enlarged, there has been provided a refrigerator
equipped with a pair of drawer-type doors installed at left and
right portions of the refrigerator in parallel to each other.
[0007] However, in the refrigerator equipped with the drawer-type
doors, which are installed at left and right portions of the
refrigerator in parallel with each other, a step difference is
inevitably generated between two drawer-type doors installed in the
storage chambers due to the process tolerance or the assembling
tolerance. Such a step difference significantly degrades the
external appearance of the product.
SUMMARY
[0008] Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve
the above-mentioned problem occurring in the prior art, and an
object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator
capable of reducing a step difference generated between a pair of
drawer-type doors installed at left and right portions of the
refrigerator in parallel with each other.
[0009] Additional aspects and/or advantages will be set forth in
part in the description which follows and, in part, will be
apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the
invention.
[0010] The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention
are achieved by providing a refrigerator including a body provided
at left and right portions thereof with a plurality of storage
chambers which are aligned in parallel with respect to each other
to store materials therein, a plurality of drawer-type doors
installed in the storage chambers and capable of moving forward or
backward, and a step difference adjusting device that adjusts
installation positions of the drawer-type doors to reduce a step
difference between adjacent drawer-type doors.
[0011] In addition, each drawer-type door includes a cover that
covers a front side of one of the storage chambers so as to close
the storage chamber, a storage container which is opened upward to
store the materials therein, and a support frame having a front end
coupled with the cover so as to support the storage container
installed thereon, and the step difference adjusting device adjusts
an installation position of the support frame coupled with the
cover in upward and downward directions.
[0012] The step difference adjusting device includes a step
difference adjusting cam, which is rotatably installed on the cover
and formed in a rotational direction thereof with a plurality of
cam surfaces in which distances between a rotational center of the
step difference adjusting cam and the cam surfaces are different
from each other, and the support frame is coupled to the cover
while being supported on one of the cam surfaces.
[0013] The step difference adjusting device further includes a cam
installation screw rotatably coupling the step difference adjusting
cam with the cover, the cam installation screw including a head
section on which a rear surface of the step difference adjusting
cam is supported, a male screw section provided at another side of
the head section and formed with a male screw which is
screw-coupled into the cover, and a hinge section having a circular
sectional shape and being provided between the head section and the
male screw section so as to rotatably install the step difference
adjusting cam.
[0014] The step difference adjusting cam includes a support
protrusion which extends in a forward direction to allow the step
difference adjusting cam to be selectively rotated when the cam
installation screw is partially released, and a rear surface of the
cover includes a plurality of support holes formed in a
circumferential direction and spaced apart from each other by a
predetermined distance so as to support the support protrusion
inserted into at least one of the support holes in a state in which
the cam installation screw is completely screwed into the
cover.
[0015] The support frame includes an installation section coupled
with the cover and supported by one of the cam surfaces formed on
the step difference adjusting cam, a pair of side support sections
extending in a rearward direction from the installation section so
as to support both sides of the storage container, and a rear
support section connecting rear end portions of the side support
sections to each other so as to support a rear surface of the
storage container.
[0016] The installation section includes a through hole, through
which the step difference adjusting cam is inserted, and a support
rib extending from a portion adjacent to the through hole and being
supported on one of the cam surfaces formed on the step difference
adjusting cam.
[0017] In addition, a storage chamber rail is provided at both
sides of the storage chamber to allow the drawer-type door to move
in a forward direction or a backward direction, and door rails are
provided in the side support sections, respectively, the door rails
being installed on the storage chamber rails to move in a forward
direction or a backward direction.
[0018] The installation section includes a fixing installation part
fixedly installed on one side of a rear surface of the cover, and a
variable installation part installed on the other side of the rear
surface of the cover, the step difference adjusting device being
installed on the variable installation part to change an
installation position of the variable installation part in a
longitudinal direction by rotating the variable installation part
about and with respect to the fixing installation part.
[0019] The installation section is formed with a temporal
assembling slot, longitudinally formed in the installation section,
an upper portion of the temporal assembling slot being opened to
allow the cover to be temporarily assembled with the support
frame.
[0020] A temporal assembling screw is installed at a rear surface
of the cover, a head section of the temporal assembling screw being
spaced apart from the rear surface of the cover by a predetermined
distance, the temporal assembling screw being coupled into the
temporal assembling slot through an upper portion of the temporal
assembling slot.
[0021] A coupling slot is formed in the installation section and a
coupling screw is screw-coupled into the coupling slot, in which
the coupling slot is prepared in a form of a longitudinal
elongation slot.
[0022] The foregoing and/or other aspects are achieved by providing
a drawer-type door installed in one of a plurality of storage
chambers, aligned at left and right locations in parallel with
respect to each other to store materials therein, and movable in a
forward direction or a backward direction in the storage chambers,
the drawer-type door including a cover covering a front side of one
of the storage chambers to open and close the storage chamber, a
storage container opening in an upward direction to store materials
therein, a support frame having a front end coupled with the cover
to support the storage container installed thereon, and a step
difference adjusting device adjusting an installation position of
the support frame coupled with the cover in upward and downward
directions to reduce a step difference between adjacent drawer-type
doors.
[0023] The step difference adjusting device includes a step
difference adjusting cam rotatably installed on the cover and
formed in a rotational direction thereof with a plurality of cam
surfaces in which distances between a rotational center of the step
difference adjusting cam and the cam surfaces are different from
each other, and a cam installation screw rotatably coupling the
step difference adjusting cam with the cover, and the support frame
is coupled to the cover while being supported on one of the cam
surfaces formed on the step difference adjusting cam.
[0024] The cam installation screw includes a head section on which
a rear surface of the step difference adjusting cam is supported
when the cam installation screw is coupled with the step difference
adjusting cam, a male screw section provided at another side of the
head section and formed with a male screw which is screw-coupled
into the cover, and a hinge section having a circular sectional
shape and being provided between the head section and the male
screw section to rotatably install the step difference adjusting
cam.
[0025] The step difference adjusting cam is provided with a support
protrusion which extends in a forward direction from a side surface
of the step difference adjusting cam to allow the step difference
adjusting cam to be selectively rotated only when the cam
installation screw is partially released, and a plurality of
support holes are formed at a rear surface of the cover in a
circumferential direction and are spaced apart from each other by a
predetermined distance so as to support the support protrusion when
the support protrusion is inserted into one of the support
holes.
[0026] The support frame includes an installation section coupled
with the cover and supported by one of the cam surfaces formed on
the step difference adjusting cam, a pair of side support sections
extending in a rearward direction from the installation section to
support both sides of the storage container, and a rear support
section connecting rear end portions of the side support sections
to each other to support a rear surface of the storage
container.
[0027] The installation section includes a through hole, through
which the step difference adjusting cam is inserted, and a support
rib extending from a portion adjacent to the through hole and being
supported on one of the cam surfaces formed in the step difference
adjusting cam.
[0028] The installation section includes a fixing installation
section fixedly installed on one side of the rear surface of the
cover, and a variable installation section installed on the other
side of the rear surface of the cover, the step difference
adjusting device being installed on the variable installation
section to change an installation position of the variable
installation section in a longitudinal direction by rotating the
variable installation part about and with respect to the fixing
installation section.
[0029] The installation section is formed with a temporal
assembling slot longitudinally formed in the installation section
and an upper portion of the temporal assembling slot is opened to
allow the cover to be temporarily assembled with the support frame,
and a temporal assembling screw is installed at the rear surface of
the cover, a head section of the temporal assembling screw being
spaced apart from the rear surface of the cover by a predetermined
distance, and being coupled into the temporal assembling slot
through the upper portion of the temporal assembling slot.
[0030] The foregoing and/or other aspects are achieved by providing
a drawer-type door installed in one of a plurality of storage
chambers holding a storage container, the drawer-type door
including a cover covering a front side of one of the storage
chambers; a support frame coupled with the cover to support the
storage container; and a step difference adjusting device adjusting
an installation position of the support frame and concurrently
adjusting the height of the cover.
[0031] The step difference adjusting device includes a cam having a
plurality of cam surfaces. At least two of the cam surfaces vary in
length such that the height of the cover can be increased or
decreased according to the rotation of the cam onto a specific one
of the cam surfaces with respect to the support frame.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will become more apparent and more readily
appreciated from the following detailed description of the
embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0033] FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating the schematic
structure of a refrigerator equipped with drawer-type doors
according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0034] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the refrigerator
equipped with drawer-type doors according to the first embodiment
of the present invention;
[0035] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a step difference
adjusting device used for the refrigerator equipped with
drawer-type doors according to the first embodiment of the present
invention;
[0036] FIG. 4 is a view illustrating the operational state of the
step difference adjusting device used for the refrigerator equipped
with drawer-type doors according to the first embodiment of the
present invention;
[0037] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating the operational state of the
step difference adjusting device used for the refrigerator equipped
with drawer-type doors according to the first embodiment of the
present invention;
[0038] FIG. 6 is a front view of the refrigerator equipped with
drawer-type doors according to the first embodiment of the present
invention;
[0039] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a support bracket
temporarily assembled with a cover in the refrigerator equipped
with drawer-type doors according to the first embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0040] FIG. 8 is a front view illustrating a refrigerator equipped
with drawer-type doors according to a second embodiment the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0041] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments,
examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings,
wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements
throughout. The embodiments are described below to explain the
present invention by referring to the figures.
[0042] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention
will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0043] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a refrigerator according to the
present invention includes a box-shaped body 10 that is opened
forward and has a plurality of storage chambers 11 in which stored
goods, such as foodstuff, are stored at a low temperature, a
plurality of doors 20a and 20b that are hinged and pivoted on one
side of the body 10 and open and close the storage chambers 11. The
body 10 is provided therein with refrigerating cycle components,
such as a compressor 12, a condenser (not shown), an evaporator 13,
and an expansion valve (not shown), thereby allowing cold air
generated from the evaporator 13 to be supplied to the storage
chambers 11.
[0044] The storage chambers 11 are provided in the body 10 and are
used as a cooling chamber to store the stored goods in a cooled
state, a freezing chamber store the stored goods in a frozen state,
etc. In the first embodiment, the body 10 is partitioned into a
total of four storage chambers 11, two of which are located at an
upper portion of the body, and two of which are located at a lower
portion of the body. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the two storage
chambers 11 located at the upper portion of the body have a pair of
rotary doors 20a, each of which is hinged and rotated on one side
of the body 10, and opens and closes the corresponding storage
chambers 11. The two storage chambers 11 located at the lower
portion of the body have a pair of drawer type doors 20b, each of
which can be installed to move forward and backward in the
corresponding storage chamber 11, and store the stored goods.
[0045] Among these components, each drawer type door 20b includes a
cover 21 that covers a front side of the open storage chamber 11, a
storage container 22 that is installed on a rear side of the cover
21, has the shape of an upwardly opened box and contains the stored
goods, and a support bracket 23 that is installed at the rear
surface of the cover 21 at a leading end thereof so as to guide and
support the storage container 22. The support bracket 23 includes
installation sections 23a and 23b installed at the rear surface of
the cover 21, a pair of side supports 23c extending backwards from
the installation sections 23a and 23b and supporting sides of the
storage container 22, and a rear support 23d connecting the two
side supports 23c and supporting a rear surface of the storage
container 22. In the first embodiment, the pair of installation
sections 23a and 23b are adapted to be provided to the support
bracket 23 so as to be installed on left and right sides of the
rear surface of the cover 21, and the side supports 23c are adapted
to extend from the installation sections 23a and 23b,
respectively.
[0046] The opposite inner sidewalls of the storage chambers 11 are
provided with a pair of storage chamber rails 14, which extend
along a length of sides of the storage chambers 11 so as to allow
the drawer type door 20b to be installed to move forward and
backward. The opposite sides of the drawer type door 20b are
provided with a pair of door rails 24, which extend along a length
of sides of the drawer type door 20b and are fitted onto the
storage chamber rails 14 so as to move forward and backward. In the
first embodiment, the door rails 24 are installed on the outer
sides of the side supports 23c respectively.
[0047] Further, the refrigerator according to the present invention
is provided with a step difference adjusting unit 30, which adjusts
the installation positions of the two drawer type doors 20b, which
are installed to move forward and backward in the two lower storage
chambers 11, and thus reduces a step difference generated between
the neighboring drawer type doors 20b to further improve beauty of
the refrigerator, as illustrated in FIG. 3.
[0048] The step difference adjusting unit 30 includes a step
difference adjusting cam 31, which is rotatably installed at the
rear surface of each cover 21, and has a plurality of cam surfaces
31 a formed in a rotating direction thereof at a different distance
from the center of rotation thereof. In the state in which the step
difference adjusting cam 31 is rotated, and thus any one of the cam
surfaces 31a is supported on any one of the installation sections
23a and 23b, the installation sections 23a and 23b are coupled with
the cover 21. Thereby, the installation position of the cover 21
can be varied in an upward and downward direction, and thus the
step difference between the neighboring drawer type doors 20b can
be reduced.
[0049] In the first embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5,
when the step difference adjusting cam 31 is rotated in a clockwise
direction adopting the cam surface 31a indicated by "0" as a
reference surface, a height of the cover 21 is increased in a range
from 1 mm to 3 mm by 1 mm. In contrast, when the step difference
adjusting cam 31 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, the
height of the cover 21 is decreased in a range from 1 mm to 3 mm by
1 mm.
[0050] Further, as illustrated in FIG. 6, one 23a of the
installation sections 23a and 23b in this embodiment is a fixing
installation section that is fixedly coupled on one side of the
rear surface of the cover 21, and the other 23b is a variable
installation section that is fixedly coupled on the other side of
the rear surface of the cover 21 and is fitted with the step
difference adjusting unit 30 such that the installation position
thereof can be varied in an upward and downward direction by the
step difference adjusting unit 30. The variable installation
section 23b rotates about and with respect to the fixing
installation section 23a by the step difference adjusting unit 30,
and then is supported and fixed after the upward or downward
movement.
[0051] For the installation sections 23a and 23b, the variable
installation section 23b on which the step difference adjusting
unit 30 is installed is provided with a through hole 23e, through
which the step difference adjusting cam 31 passes to protrude
backwards, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The through hole 23e is
provided with a support rib 23f, which extends backwards and on
which any one of the cam surfaces 31a of the step difference
adjusting cam 31 is supported. Any one of the installation sections
23a and 23b can be stably supported on the cam surface 31a through
the support rib 23f.
[0052] Further, the step difference adjusting unit 30 is provided
with a cam installation screw 32, which allows the step difference
adjusting cam 31 to be rotatably installed on the cover 21. The cam
installation screw 32 includes a head section 32a on which the rear
surface of the step difference adjusting cam 31 is supported, a
male screw section 32b provided at the other side of the head
section 32a with a male screw, the male screw section 32b being
screwed into the rear surface of the cover 21, and a hinge section
32c having a circular sectional shape between the head section 32a
and the male screw section 32b such that the step difference
adjusting cam 31 is rotatably installed. The step difference
adjusting cam 31 is provided with a hinge hole 31b into which the
cam installation screw 32 is fitted.
[0053] Further, the step difference adjusting unit 30 is adapted to
selectively rotate only when the cam installation screw 32 is
partly unscrewed. To this end, the step difference adjusting cam 31
is provided with a support protrusion 31c, which extends in a
forward direction so as to allow the step difference adjusting cam
31 to be selectively rotated only when the cam installation screw
32 is partially released, and a plurality of support holes 21a are
formed at a rear surface of the cover 21 in a circumferential
direction while being spaced apart from each other by a
predetermined distance so as to support the support protrusion 31c
inserted into any of the support holes 21a.
[0054] Thus, in the state in which the cam installation screw 32 is
completely screwed into the cover 21 with the step difference
adjusting cam 31 fitted between the head section 32a of the cam
installation screw 32 and the rear surface of the cover 21, the
support protrusion 31c is maintained to be inserted in the support
hole 21a, and thus the step difference adjusting cam 31 cannot be
rotated. In the state in which the cam installation screw is
partially released, the step difference adjusting cam 31 moves
backwards at a predetermined interval, and thus the support
protrusion 31c can be separated from any of the support holes 21a.
The step difference adjusting cam 31 can be rotated.
[0055] The installation sections 23a and 23b are adapted to be
fixed to the cover 21 through coupling screws 24, which pass
through the installation sections 23a and 23b to be screwed into
the cover 21. The installation sections 23a and 23b are provided
with coupling slots 23g, through which the coupling screws 24 pass
to be screwed. At this time, the coupling slots 23g have the shape
of a long hole in a longitudinal direction such that the coupling
screws 24 pass through the coupling slots 23g to be screwed into
the cover 21 in the state in which the installation sections 23a
and 23b move up or down by the step difference adjusting unit
30.
[0056] Further, in order to allow the cover 21 to be coupled with
the support bracket 23 in a temporally assembled state, the
installation sections 23a and 23b of the support bracket 23 are
provided with a temporal assembly slot 23h, which is opened upwards
to allow the cover 21 to be assembled temporally with the support
bracket 23. In addition, a temporal assembling screw 25 is
installed at the rear surface of the cover 21, in which a head
section of the temporal assembling screw 25 is spaced apart from
the rear surface of the cover 21 by a predetermined distance, and
is coupled into the temporal assembling slot 23h through an upper
portion of the temporal assembling slot 23h.
[0057] Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 7, in the state in which the
cover 21 is temporally assembled with the support bracket 23
through the temporal assembling slot 23h and the temporal
assembling screw 25, the coupling screws 24 pass through the
coupling slots 23g to be fixed to the cover 21. Thereby, the cover
21 can be easily fixed to the support bracket 23. Further, after
the coupling screws 24 are completely screwed, the temporal
assembling screw 25 is fully screwed into the cover 21. As a
result, the coupling of the cover 21 and the support bracket 23 can
be more stably maintained through the temporal assembling screw
25.
[0058] According to the present embodiment, the fixing installation
section 23a is coupled to one side of the rear surface of the cover
21 and the variable installation section 23b, which is moved upward
and downward by the step difference adjusting device 30, is coupled
to the other side of the rear surface of the cover 21. Thus, the
variable installation section 23b can be moved upward and downward
while being rotated about and with respect to the fixing
installation section 23a by the step difference adjusting device
30, so that the step difference between adjacent drawer-type doors
20b can be adjusted. However, the present embodiment is not limited
thereto. For instance, as shown in FIG. 8 in a second embodiment,
both of the installation sections provided at the rear surface of
the cover 21 can be prepared in the form of variable installation
sections 23b equipped with the step difference adjusting device
30.
[0059] As described above, the refrigerator according to the
present embodiments includes the step difference adjusting device
capable of changing the installation position of the support frame,
which is coupled to the cover through the step difference adjusting
member. Thus, the installation height of the cover can be adjusted,
so that the step difference between adjacent drawer-type doors can
be reduced.
[0060] Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it
would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may
be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles
and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the
claims and their equivalents.
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