U.S. patent application number 13/800815 was filed with the patent office on 2013-10-17 for sliding apparatus and refrigerator having the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., L TO. The applicant listed for this patent is SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., L TO. Invention is credited to Hyoung Min GO, Sang bum KIM, Sung Cheul PARK.
Application Number | 20130270989 13/800815 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48095571 |
Filed Date | 2013-10-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130270989 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
PARK; Sung Cheul ; et
al. |
October 17, 2013 |
SLIDING APPARATUS AND REFRIGERATOR HAVING THE SAME
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a refrigerator which improves the structure
of a sliding apparatus to reduce noise and warpage generated when a
storage unit slides. The refrigerator includes storage units
inserted into and extracted out of storage chambers in a sliding
manner, cover rails combined with both side walls of the insides of
the storage chambers and provided with rack gears and planar parts,
slide units combined with both side surfaces of the storage units
and including pinion gears moving in a state in which the pinion
gears are engaged with the rack gears and moving in a state in
which the pinion gears are suspended above the planar parts, a
connection bar connected between the pinion gears to prevent
movement of the storage units, and a reinforcing frame connected
between the slide units to prevent warpage of the storage units
generated when the pinion gears move above the planar parts.
Inventors: |
PARK; Sung Cheul; (Gwang-ju,
KR) ; GO; Hyoung Min; (Gwang-ju, KR) ; KIM;
Sang bum; (Gwangju, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., L TO |
Suwon-si |
|
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., L
TO
Suwon-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
48095571 |
Appl. No.: |
13/800815 |
Filed: |
March 13, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/404 ;
312/334.8; 74/89.17 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 25/025 20130101;
A47B 88/40 20170101; F25D 23/021 20130101; F25D 23/00 20130101;
Y10T 74/18808 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/404 ;
312/334.8; 74/89.17 |
International
Class: |
A47B 88/04 20060101
A47B088/04; F25D 23/00 20060101 F25D023/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 12, 2012 |
KR |
10-2012-0037924 |
Claims
1. A refrigerator comprising: a main body; a plurality of storage
chambers, each of which is provided with an opened front surface,
provided in the main body; a storage unit received within the
storage chamber formed in the lower portion of the main body among
the plurality of storage chambers, and inserted into and extracted
out of the storage chambers in a sliding manner; a pair of cover
rails respectively combined with both side walls of the inside of
each of the storage chambers in which the storage units are
received, and provided with rack gears at the front regions of the
lower ends thereof and planar parts, from which the rack gears are
removed, at the rear regions of the lower ends thereof; a pair of
slide units respectively combined with both side surfaces of each
of the storage units, and including a pinion gears moving in a
state in which the pinion gears are engaged with the rack gears and
are rotated, at the front regions of the lower ends of the cover
rails and moving in a state in which the pinion gears are suspended
above the planar parts, at the rear regions of the lower ends of
the cover rails so as to allow the each of the storage units to
slide; a connection bar connecting each of the pinion gears of the
slide units of each of the storage units and preventing movement of
each of the storage units when each of the storage units is
inserted into and extracted out of each of the storage chambers;
and a reinforcing frame connected between the slide units of each
of the storage units to prevent warpage of each of the storage
units generated when the pinion gears move above the planar
parts.
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein, by providing the
planar parts, from which the rack gears are removed, at the rear of
the rack gears of the cover rails, noise due to friction generated
when the pinion gears are engaged with the rack gears and move is
eliminated when the pinion gears move above the planar parts.
3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein each of the slide
units includes a first slide rail received in each of the cover
rails and fixed, a second slide rail slidably combined with the
first slide rail, and a third slide rail slidably combined with the
second slide rail.
4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein a sliding part
with which bearings facilitating sliding is combined is provided
between the first slide rail and the second slide rail and between
the second slide rail and the third slide rail.
5. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein each of the slide
units further includes a slide cover receiving and fixing the third
slide rail and combined with each of both side surfaces of each of
the storage units.
6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein a combining part
with which each of the pinion gears is combined is provided on the
third slide rail.
7. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein both ends of the
reinforcing frame are combined with the slide covers of the slide
units.
8. A refrigerator comprising: a main body; a plurality of storage
chambers, each of which is provided with an opened front surface,
provided in the main body; a plurality of drawer-type doors opening
and closing the storage chambers in a sliding manner; a receiving
container mounted on the rear surfaces of the drawer-type doors,
received in the storage chambers, and inserted into and extracted
out of the storage chambers together with the drawer-type doors in
the sliding manner; and a sliding apparatus including a cover rail
respectively combined with both side walls of the inside of each of
the storage chambers and provided with a rack gear at the lower
ends thereof, and a slide unit, each of which is provided with one
side connected to each of the receiving containers and the other
side slidably combined with each of the cover rails, a pinion gears
engages with the rack gears and moving are provided on the sliding
apparatus so that each of the receiving containers may slide along
the cover rails, and the rack gear is removed from a section of the
lower end of each of the cover rails on which the pinion gears move
so that noise due to friction generated when the pinion gears are
engaged with the rack gears and move is eliminated in the section
from which the rack gear is removed.
9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the pinion gears
are respectively combined with the sliding apparatus, and in order
to prevent movement of each of the receiving containers when each
of the receiving containers is inserted into and extracted out of
the corresponding storage chamber, a connection bar is connected
between the pinion gears.
10. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the sliding
apparatus further includes a reinforcing frame connected between
the slide units to prevent warpage of each of the drawer-type doors
generated when the pinion gears pass through the rack gears and
moves above the planar parts during the sliding process of each of
the receiving containers in the forward and backward
directions.
11. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein each of the
slide units includes a first slide rail received in each of the
cover rails and fixed, a second slide rail slidably combined with
the first slide rail, and a third slide rail slidably combined with
the second slide rail.
12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein a sliding part
with which bearings facilitating sliding are combined is provided
between the first slide rail and the second slide rail and between
the second slide rail and the third slide rail.
13. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein each of the
slide units further includes a slide cover receiving and fixing the
third slide rail and combined with each of both side surfaces of
each of the storage units.
14. The refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein both ends of
the reinforcing frame are combined with the slide covers of the
slide units.
15. A sliding apparatus to insert and extract a storage unit
received in a storage chamber, the front surface of which is
opened, into and out of the storage chamber in a sliding manner,
comprising: a cover rail respectively combined with both side walls
of the inside of the storage chamber in which the storage unit is
received, and provided with a rack gears at the front regions of
the lower ends thereof and planar parts, from which the rack gears
are removed, at the rear regions of the lower ends thereof; a slide
unit respectively combined with both side surfaces of the storage
unit, and including a pinion gear moving in a state in which the
pinion gear engages with the rack gears and are rotated, at the
front regions of the lower ends of the cover rails and moving in a
state in which the pinion gears are suspended above the planar
parts, at the rear regions of the lower ends of the cover rails so
as to allow the storage unit to slide; a connection bar connected
between the pinion gears of the slide units to prevent movement of
the storage unit when the storage unit is inserted into and
extracted out of the storage chamber; and a reinforcing frame
connected between the slide units of the storage unit to prevent
warpage of the storage unit generated when the pinion gears pass
through the rack gears and move above the planar parts during the
sliding process of the storage unit in the forward and backward
directions.
16. The sliding apparatus according to claim 15, wherein, by
providing the planar parts, from which the rack gears are removed,
at the rear of the rack gears of the cover rails, noise due to
friction generated when the pinion gears are engaged with the rack
gears and move is eliminated when the pinion gears move above the
planar parts.
17. The sliding apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each of
the slide units includes a first slide rail received in each of the
cover rails and fixed, a second slide rail slidably combined with
the first slide rail, and a third slide rail slidably combined with
the second slide rail.
18. The sliding apparatus according to claim 17, wherein a sliding
part with which bearings facilitating sliding are combined is
provided between the first slide rail and the second slide rail and
between the second slide rail and the third slide rail.
19. The sliding apparatus according to claim 17, wherein each of
the slide units further includes a slide cover receiving and fixing
the third slide rail and combined with each of both side surfaces
of the storage unit.
20. A storage apparatus comprising: a body; a storage compartment
disposed within the body; a drawer-type door to open and close the
storage compartment; a storage container attached to the rear of
the drawer-type drawer that slidable into and out of the storage
compartment with the movement of the drawer-type drawer; a cover
rail disposed on opposing sides of the storage compartment; a
sliding unit attached to opposing sides of the storage container to
slidably interact with the cover rail; wherein the cover rail
comprises: a rack gear disposed on the front portion of cover rail;
a smooth portion disposed on the rear portion of the cover rail
adjacent to the rack gear; wherein the sliding unit comprises: a
plurality of slide rails that allow the draw to slide; a pinion
gear to engage the rack gear of the cover rail and to be suspended
over the smooth portion of the cover rail; a connection bar
connecting each of the pinion gears disposed on opposing sides of
the storage container; a reinforcement member to connect each of
the opposing sliding unit to each other to prevent warping.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 10-2012-0037924, filed on Apr. 12, 2012 in the
Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a sliding
apparatus and a refrigerator having the same.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] A refrigerator includes storage chambers and a cold air
supply apparatus supplying cold air to the storage chambers, and
thus stores foods in a fresh state.
[0006] The insides of the storage chambers maintain temperatures,
each of which is within a designated range, required to store foods
in the fresh state.
[0007] The front surfaces of such storage chambers of the
refrigerator are opened, and the opened front surfaces are closed
by doors to maintain the temperatures of the insides of the storage
chambers at normal times.
[0008] The storage chambers are divided by diaphragms, and among
the storage chambers, the upper storage chamber is opened and
closed by two doors rotatably hinged to a main body of the
refrigerator and the lower storage chamber is opened and closed by
a drawer-type door sliding in the forward and backward
directions.
[0009] The drawer-type door slides in the forward and backward
directions by a sliding apparatus, and the sliding apparatus
includes cover rails connected to both side walls of the inside of
the storage chamber and slide units connected to the drawer-type
door.
[0010] A rack gear is provided at the lower end of the cover rail,
and a pinion gear engaged with the rack gear and moving is provided
on the slide unit.
[0011] When the pinion gears are engaged with the rack gears and
thus moves in the forward and backward directions while being
rotated, the drawer-type door slides in the forward and backward
directions.
[0012] However, if the pinion gears are engaged with the rack gears
and thus move, noise friction due to friction between the pinion
gears and the rack gears may occur.
SUMMARY
[0013] Therefore, it is an aspect of the present disclosure to
provide a refrigerator which improves the structure of a sliding
apparatus sliding a storage unit to reduce noise and warpage
generated when the storage unit slides.
[0014] Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the
description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the
description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
[0015] In accordance with one aspect, a refrigerator includes a
main body, plural storage chambers, each of which is provided with
an opened front surface, provided in the main body, storage units
received within the storage chambers formed in the lower portion of
the main body among the plural storage chambers, and inserted into
and extracted out of the storage chambers in a sliding manner,
cover rails respectively combined with both side walls of the
inside of each of the storage chambers in which the storage units
are received, and provided with rack gears at the front regions of
the lower ends thereof and planar parts, from which the rack gears
are removed, at the rear regions of the lower ends thereof, slide
units respectively combined with both side surfaces of each of the
storage units, and including pinion gears moving in a state in
which the pinion gears are engaged with the rack gears and are
rotated, at the front regions of the lower ends of the cover rails
and moving in a state in which the pinion gears are suspended above
the planar parts, at the rear regions of the lower ends of the
cover rails so as to allow the each of the storage units to slide,
a connection bar connected between the pinion gears of the slide
units of each of the storage units and preventing movement of each
of the storage units when each of the storage units is inserted
into and extracted out of each of the storage chambers, and a
reinforcing frame connected between the slide units of each of the
storage units to prevent warpage of each of the storage units
generated when the pinion gears move above the planar parts.
[0016] By providing the planar parts, from which the rack gears are
removed, at the rear of the rack gears of the cover rails, noise
due to friction generated when the pinion gears are engaged with
the rack gears and move may be eliminated when the pinion gears
move above the planar parts.
[0017] Each of the slide units may include a first slide rail
received in each of the cover rails and fixed, a second slide rail
slidably combined with the first slide rail, and a third slide rail
slidably combined with the second slide rail.
[0018] A sliding part with which bearings facilitating sliding are
combined may be provided between the first slide rail and the
second slide rail and between the second slide rail and the third
slide rail.
[0019] Each of the slide units may further include a slide cover
receiving and fixing the third slide rail and combined with each of
both side surfaces of each of the storage units.
[0020] A combining part with which each of the pinion gears is
combined may be provided on the third slide rail.
[0021] Both ends of the reinforcing frame may be combined with the
slide covers of the slide units.
[0022] In accordance with one aspect, a refrigerator includes a
main body, plural storage chambers, each of which is provided with
an opened front surface, provided in the main body, drawer-type
doors opening and closing the storage chambers in a sliding manner,
receiving containers mounted on the rear surfaces of the
drawer-type doors, received in the storage chambers, and inserted
into and extracted out of the storage chambers together with the
drawer-type doors in the sliding manner, and a sliding apparatus
including cover rails respectively combined with both side walls of
the inside of each of the storage chambers and provided with rack
gears at the lower ends thereof, and slide units, each of which is
provided with one side connected to each of the receiving
containers and the other side slidably combined with each of the
cover rails, wherein pinion gears engaged with the rack gears and
moving are provided on the sliding apparatuses so that each of the
receiving containers may slide along the cover rails, and the rack
gear is removed from a section of the lower end of each of the
cover rails on which the pinion gears move so that noise due to
friction generated when the pinion gears are engaged with the rack
gears and move is eliminated in the section from which the rack
gear is removed.
[0023] The pinion gears may be respectively combined with the
sliding apparatus, and in order to prevent movement of each of the
receiving containers when each of the receiving containers is
inserted into and extracted out of the corresponding storage
chamber, a connection bar may be connected between the pinion
gears.
[0024] The sliding apparatus may further include a reinforcing
frame connected between the slide units to prevent warpage of each
of the drawer-type doors generated when the pinion gears pass
through the rack gears and moves above the planar parts during the
sliding process of each of the receiving containers in the forward
and backward directions.
[0025] Each of the slide units may include a first slide rail
received in each of the cover rails and fixed, a second slide rail
slidably combined with the first slide rail, and a third slide rail
slidably combined with the second slide rail.
[0026] A sliding part with which bearings facilitating sliding are
combined may be provided between the first slide rail and the
second slide rail and between the second slide rail and the third
slide rail.
[0027] Each of the slide units may further include a slide cover
receiving and fixing the third slide rail and combined with each of
both side surfaces of each of the storage units.
[0028] Both ends of the reinforcing frame may be combined with the
slide covers of the slide units.
[0029] In accordance with one aspect, a sliding apparatus to insert
and extract a storage unit received in a storage chamber, the front
surface of which is opened, into and out of the storage chamber in
a sliding manner, includes cover rails respectively combined with
both side walls of the inside of the storage chamber in which the
storage unit is received, and provided with rack gears at the front
regions of the lower ends thereof and planar parts, from which the
rack gears are removed, at the rear regions of the lower ends
thereof, slide units respectively combined with both side surfaces
of the storage unit, and including pinion gears moving in a state
in which the pinion gears are engaged with the rack gears and are
rotated, at the front regions of the lower ends of the cover rails
and moving in a state in which the pinion gears are suspended above
the planar parts, at the rear regions of the lower ends of the
cover rails so as to allow the storage unit to slide, a connection
bar connected between the pinion gears of the slide units to
prevent movement of the storage unit when the storage unit is
inserted into and extracted out of the storage chamber, and a
reinforcing frame connected between the slide units of the storage
unit to prevent warpage of the storage unit generated when the
pinion gears pass through the rack gears and move above the planar
parts during the sliding process of the storage unit in the forward
and backward directions.
[0030] By providing the planar parts, from which the rack gears are
removed, at the rear of the rack gears of the cover rails, noise
due to friction generated when the pinion gears are engaged with
the rack gears and move may be eliminated when the pinion gears
move above the planar parts.
[0031] Each of the slide units may include a first slide rail
received in each of the cover rails and fixed, a second slide rail
slidably combined with the first slide rail, and a third slide rail
slidably combined with the second slide rail.
[0032] A sliding part with which bearings facilitating sliding are
combined may be provided between the first slide rail and the
second slide rail and between the second slide rail and the third
slide rail.
[0033] Each of the slide units may further include a slide cover
receiving and fixing the third slide rail and combined with each of
both side surfaces of the storage unit.
[0034] Both ends of the reinforcing frame may be combined with the
slide covers of the slide units.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0035] These and/or other aspects will become apparent and more
readily appreciated from the following description of the
embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of
which:
[0036] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator in accordance
with one embodiment;
[0037] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating combination of a sliding
apparatus to the inside of a storage chamber and a storage unit in
accordance with the embodiment;
[0038] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the sliding
apparatus in accordance with the embodiment;
[0039] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a slide unit in
accordance with the embodiment;
[0040] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating an automatic door closing unit
in accordance with the embodiment; and
[0041] FIGS. 6 to 8 are views illustrating an operation of
inserting and extracting the storage unit in accordance with the
embodiment by the sliding apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0042] 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 like elements
throughout.
[0043] As shown in FIG. 1, a refrigerator in accordance with one
embodiment includes a main body 10, plural storage chambers 20,
each of which is provided with an opened front surface, provided in
the main body 10, doors 30 rotatably connected to the main body 10
so as to open and close the opened front surface of the upper
storage chamber 21 formed in the upper portion of the main body 10
among the plural storage chambers 20, storage units 40 received
within the middle storage chamber 23 and the lower storage chamber
25 formed in the lower portion of the main body 10 among the plural
storage chambers 21 and inserted into and extracted out of the
middle storage chamber 23 and the lower storage chamber 25 in a
sliding manner, and sliding apparatuses 100 connected to both side
walls of the insides of the middle storage chamber 23 and the lower
storage chamber 25 in which the storage units 40 are received and
to both side walls of the storage units 40 so as to slide the
storage units 40 to insert and extract the storage units 40 into
and out of the middle storage chamber 23 and the lower storage
chamber 25.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIGS. 5 to 7, the main body 10
includes an inner case 13 forming the storage chambers 20, an outer
case 11 forming the external appearance of the main body 10, and a
cold air supply apparatus (not shown) supplying cold air to the
storage chambers 20.
[0045] The cold air supply apparatus may include a compressor C, a
condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, an air blower fan and
a cold air duct, and a foamed thermal insulating material 15 is
provided between the inner case 13 and the outer case 11 of the
main body 10 so as to prevent cold air leakage.
[0046] A machine chamber 29 in which the compressor C compressing a
refrigerant and the condenser condensing the compressed refrigerant
are installed is provided in the lower area of the rear portion of
the main body 10.
[0047] The storage chambers 20 are divided by diaphragms 17, and
may include an upper storage chamber 21, an middle storage chamber
23 and an lower storage chamber 25 disposed sequentially in the
downward direction. The upper storage chamber 21, the middle
storage chamber 23 and the lower storage chamber 25 may store foods
in a refrigerated state or a frozen state, as needed.
[0048] Multiple racks 27 may be provided within the upper storage
chamber 21 to divide the upper storage chamber 21 into plurality of
places.
[0049] The upper storage chamber 21 may be opened and closed by the
doors 30 rotatably combined with the main body 10, and the middle
storage chamber 23 and the lower storage chamber 25 may be opened
and closed by the storage units 40 slidable with respect to the
main body 10.
[0050] A plurality of guards 31 receiving foods may be installed on
the rear surfaces of the doors 30.
[0051] The storage unit 40 includes a drawer-type door 41 opening
and closing the middle storage chamber 23 or the lower storage
chamber 25 and a receiving container 43 mounted on the rear surface
of the drawer-type door 41, and a handle 41a gripped by a user may
be provided on the drawer-type door 41.
[0052] The receiving container 43 may be formed integrally with the
drawer-type door 41, or may be manufactured separately from the
drawer-type door 41 and then combined with the drawer-type door
41.
[0053] The storage units 40 are inserted into and extracted out of
the middle storage chamber 23 and the lower storage chamber 25 in a
sliding manner by the sliding apparatuses 100.
[0054] For convenience, the storage unit 40 inserted into and
extracted out of the lower storage chamber 25, is combined with the
sliding apparatus 100 to allow the storage unit 40 to be inserted
into and extracted out of the lower storage chamber 25 will be
exemplarily illustrated.
[0055] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, one side of the sliding apparatus
100 sliding the storage unit 40 is combined with both side walls of
the inside of the lower storage chamber 25 in which the storage
unit 40 is received, and the other side of the sliding apparatus
100 is combined with both side surfaces of the receiving container
43 of the storage unit 40.
[0056] Although the drawings illustrate the other side of the
sliding apparatus 100 as being combined with both side surfaces of
the receiving container 43 of the storage unit 40, the other side
of the sliding apparatus 100 may be combined with the rear surface
of the drawer-type door 41 other than both side surfaces of the
receiving container 43 so that the sliding apparatus 100 may
support the receiving container 43.
[0057] The sliding apparatus 100 includes cover rails 110 combined
with both side walls of the inside of the lower storage chamber 25,
slide units 120, each of which is provided with one side combined
with each of both side surfaces of the receiving container 43 and
with the other side combined with the cover rails 110 so as to be
slidable, a connection bar 130 connecting pinion gears 126 which
will be described later, a reinforcing frame 140 connecting the
slide units 120, and automatic door closing units 150 moving the
storage unit 40 so that the storage unit 40 closes the lower
storage chamber 25 when the storage unit 40 reaches a designated
point during a process of inserting and extracting the storage unit
40 into and out of the lower storage chamber 25.
[0058] The cover rails 110 are combined with both side walls of the
inside of the lower storage chamber 25, and rack gears 111 are
provided at the lower ends of the cover rails 110.
[0059] The pinion gears 126 are engaged with the upper portions of
the rack gears 111 provided at the lower ends of the cover rails
110, and thus when the storage unit 40 moves in the forward and
backward directions so as to be inserted into and extracted out of
the lower storage chamber 25, the pinion gears 126 engaged with the
rack gears 111 are rotated and move in the forward and backward
directions so that the storage unit 40 is inserted into and
extracted out of the lower storage chamber 25.
[0060] The rack gears 111 provided at the lower ends of the cover
rails 110 are provided only at the front regions of the lower ends
of the cover rails 110, and planar parts 113 from which the rack
gears 111 are removed are provided at the rear regions of the lower
ends of the cover rails 110. The planar parts 113 may have a length
of about 100 mm.
[0061] When the pinion gears 126 are engaged with the rack gears
111 and move, noise due to friction occurs. However, since the
planar parts 113 are provided at the lower ends of the cover rails
110, when the pinion gears 126 pass through the rack gears 111 and
move above the planar parts 113, the pinion gears 126 do not
contact the planar parts 113 and are suspended above the planar
parts 113 and thus noise due to friction does not occur.
[0062] When the pinion gears 126 moves along the planar parts 113,
noise due to friction is eliminated, but the pinion gears 126 moves
in a non-contact state with the planar parts 113 and thus, the
drawer-type door 41 of the storage unit 40 may be warped.
[0063] In order to prevent warpage of the drawer-type door 41, the
reinforcing frame 140 connecting the slide units 120 is provided.
Such connection of the slide units 120 by the reinforcing frame 140
will be described later.
[0064] A hanging member 115 hung on cover rails 110 to connect to
the automatic door closing unit 150 which will be described later
and inducing an automatic closing operation of the storage unit 40
is provided at the lower end of the cover rail 110.
[0065] Each of the slide units 120 combined with both side surfaces
of the receiving container 43, as shown in FIG. 4, includes a first
slide rail 121 received in the cover rail 110 and fixed, a second
slide rail 122 slidably combined with the first slide rail 121, a
third slide rail 123 slidably combined with the second slide rail
122, a slide cover 124 combined with each of both side surfaces of
the receiving container 43 so that the third slide rail 123 is
fixed to the slide cover 124, and the pinion gear 126 rotatably
combined with the third slide rail 123.
[0066] Although the drawings illustrate the slide unit 120 as
including three slide rails, i.e., the first slide rail 121, the
second slide rail 122 and the third slide rail 123, the slide unit
120 may include two slide rails, i.e., the first slide rail 121 and
the third slide rail 123, and the second slide rail 122 may be
omitted.
[0067] A sliding part 125 facilitating sliding is provided between
the first slide rail 121 and the second slide rail 122 and between
the second slide rail 122 and the third slide rail 123.
[0068] Bearings 125a facilitating sliding of the first slide rail
121 and the second slide rail 122 and sliding of the second slide
rail 122 and the third slide rail 123 may be combined with the
sliding part 125.
[0069] A combining part 123a with which the pinion gear 126 is
rotatably combined is provided on the third slide rail 123.
[0070] The pinion gear 126 combined with the combining part 123a of
the third slide rail 123 moves along the rack gear 111 and the
planar part 113 provided at the lower end of the cover rail 110
when the storage unit 40 moves in the forward and backward
directions, thereby allowing the storage unit 40 to slide in the
forward and backward directions.
[0071] The connection bar 130 to prevent movement of the receiving
container 43 when the storage unit 40 is inserted into and
extracted out of the lower storage chamber 25 is connected between
the pinion gears 126 of the slide units 120 respectively combined
with both side surfaces of the receiving container 43.
[0072] During the process of inserting and extracting the storage
unit 40 into and out of the lower storage chamber 25, when the
pinion gears 126 move on the upper portions of the rack gears 111
of the cover rails 110, the pinion gears 126 are engaged with the
rack gears 111 and thus are rotated and move, and when the pinion
gears 126 pass through the rack gears 111 and move above the planar
parts 113, the pinion gears 126 are suspended above the planar
parts 113 from which the pinion gears 126 are removed without
contact with the planar parts 113, and thus noise due to friction
does not occur but the drawer-type door 41 may be warped.
[0073] In this case, in order to prevent warpage of the drawer-type
door 41, the reinforcing frame 140 is connected between the slide
covers 124 of the slide units 120.
[0074] Since both ends of the reinforcing frame 140 are
respectively combined with the slide covers 124 combined with both
side surfaces of the receiving container 43 and thus support the
slide covers 124, warpage of the drawer-type door 41 may be
prevented when the storage unit 40 is inserted into and extracted
out of the lower storage chamber 25.
[0075] The automatic door closing units 150 are mounted on the
slide covers 124 of the slide units 120, and move the storage unit
40 so as to close the lower storage chamber 25 when the storage
unit 40 reaches a designated position during the process of
inserting and extracting the storage unit 40 into and out of the
lower storage chamber 25.
[0076] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the automatic door closing unit
150 includes a case 151 forming the external appearance of the
automatic door closing unit 150, a slider 153 moving rectilinearly
within the case 151, a rotator 155 rotatably combined with one side
of the slider 153, and an elastic member 157 connecting the slider
153 to the case 151.
[0077] The case 151 is fixed to the lower portion of the slider
cover 124, and accommodates the slider 153, the rotator 155 and the
elastic member 157.
[0078] A guide rail 151A guiding the slider 153 and the rotator 155
so as to move the slider 153 and the rotator 155 along a designated
orbit is provided in the case 151.
[0079] The guide rail 151A includes a straight route 151a formed in
a straight line, and a hanging part 151b formed at the end of the
straight route 151a so that the rotator 155 may be rotated and hung
on the hanging part 151b.
[0080] A guide part 151B is provided in the case 151 in parallel
with the guide rail 151A. The guide part 151B is provided so as to
cause the hanging member 115 provided on the cover rail 110 to be
engaged with a hanging recess 155a of the rotator 155 which will be
described later.
[0081] The slider 153 moves along the straight route 151a of the
guide rail 151A, and the position of the slider 153 is varied
according to elastic force of the elastic member 157 and force by
which a user pushes or draws the storage unit 40.
[0082] The rotator 155 is rotatably combined with one side of the
slider 153 by a combining pin 153a. When the rotator 155 moves on
the straight route 151a, the rotator 155 is not rotated, and when
the rotator 155 is hung on the hanging part 151b, a rotator
protrusion 155b enters the hanging part 151b and thus the entirety
of the rotator 155 is rotated.
[0083] The hanging recess 155a with which the hanging member 115 is
engaged is provided on the upper portion of the rotator 155.
[0084] That is, during the process of opening and closing the lower
storage chamber 25 by the storage unit 40, the hanging member 115
is engaged with the hanging recess 155a of the rotator 155 through
the guide part 151B, and the slider 153 and the rotator 155
relatively moves on the guide rail 151A.
[0085] Next, with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8, an operation of
inserting and extracting the storage unit 40 into and out of the
lower storage chamber 25 will be described.
[0086] First, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in a state in which the
storage unit 40 is inserted into the lower storage chamber 25, the
pinion gears 126 of the sliding apparatus 100 are located above the
planar parts 113 of the cover rails 110.
[0087] Since the pinion gears 126 do not contact the planar parts
113 when the pinion gears 126 are located above the planar parts
113, the pinion gears 126 move in a suspended state above the
planar parts 113 in an initial stage of the operation of extracting
the storage unit 40 out of the lower storage chamber 25, and thus
strong force is not required to draw the storage unit 40 out of the
lower storage chamber 25.
[0088] During the operation of extracting the storage unit 40 out
of the lower storage chamber 25, when the pinion gears 126 move
above the planar parts 113, strong force is not required, but the
pinion gears 126 do not contact any portion and thus the
drawer-type door 41 of the storage unit 40 may be warped.
[0089] In order to prevent movement of the storage unit 40 during
the insertion and extraction of the storage unit 40, the connection
bar 130 is connected between the pinion gears 126. However, warpage
of the drawer-type door 41 is not greatly reduced by the connection
bar 130 alone, and thus the reinforcing frame 140 is connected
between the slide units 120 to prevent warpage of the drawer-type
door 41.
[0090] As shown in FIG. 8, when the storage unit 40 is extracted
out of the lower storage chamber 25 to some degree, the pinion
gears 126 pass through the planar parts 113, are engaged with the
rack gears 111, are rotated, and thus move.
[0091] In the same manner as the operation of extracting the
storage unit 40 out of the lower storage chamber 25, during the
operation of inserting the storage unit 40 into the lower storage
chamber 25, when the storage unit 40 is inserted into the lower
storage chamber 25 to some degree, the pinion gears 126 engaged
with the rack gears 111 pass through the rack gears 111 and move
above the planar parts 113.
[0092] Movement of the pinion gears 126 above the planar parts 113
during the operation of inserting the storage unit 40 is the same
as movement of the pinion gears 126 above the planar parts 113
during the operation of extracting the storage unit 40, and thus a
detailed description thereof will be omitted.
[0093] As is apparent from the above description, in a sliding
apparatus and a refrigerator having the same in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention, noise due to friction
generated during an operation of inserting and extracting a storage
unit into and out of a storage chamber is reduced, and warpage of
the storage unit is prevented.
[0094] 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.
* * * * *