Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a body having a compartment in the body and a door for opening and closing the compartment, an electrical device movable with respect to the body along a first direction, a conductor electrically connecting the electrical device with the body, and a winding device for adjusting a length of the conductor in the first direction when the electrical device moves along the first direction.

1 . A refrigerator, comprising: 
 a body having a compartment in the body and a door for opening and closing the compartment;    an electrical device movable with respect to the body along a first direction;    a conductor electrically connecting the electrical device with the body; and    a winding device for adjusting a length of the conductor in the first direction when the electrical device moves along the first direction.    
   
   
       2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the first direction is a horizontal direction.  
   
   
       3 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical device is movable along the first direction when the door moves along the first direction.  
   
   
       4 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a container provided in the compartment, wherein the electrical device includes an elevating device for elevating the container.  
   
   
       5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a first rail secured to the body; and    a second rail secured to the door, wherein the first and the second rails guide a movement of the door along the first direction.    
   
   
       6 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein the conductor passes through the first and the second rails.  
   
   
       7 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein the winding device is located in the rails.  
   
   
       8 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein the winding device includes: 
 a reel secured to one of the first and the second rails, the conductor being wound on the reel;    a rack secured to the other one of the first and the second rails and arranged along the first direction; and    a pinion engaged with the rack and secured to the reel.    
   
   
       9 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a conductor guide extendable and retractable along the first direction when the electric device moves along the first direction, wherein the conductor passes through the conductor guide.  
   
   
       10 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein the winding device is located in the conductor guide.  
   
   
       11 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein the conductor guide includes: 
 a first and a second guides overlappable with each other along the first direction.    
   
   
       12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein the winding device includes: 
 a reel secured to any one of the first and the second guides, the conductor being wound on the reel;    a rack secured to the other one of the first and the second guides and arranged along the first direction; and    a pinion engaged with the rack and secured to the reel.    
   
   
       13 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the winding device applies a tension of the conductor in the first direction toward the compartment.  
   
   
       14 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the winding device includes a reel, the conductor being unwound or wound on the reel when the electrical device moves along the first direction to adjust a length of the conductor in the first direction.  
   
   
       15 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the winding device includes: 
 a reel around which the conductor is wound; and    an elastic member, the elastic member applying a rotational force on the reel so that a tension is applied to the conductor in the first direction toward the compartment to tighten the conductor.    
   
   
       16 . The refrigerator of  claim 15 , wherein the elastic member includes a spring which accumulates an elastic energy therein while the door is open.  
   
   
       17 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the winding device includes: 
 a reel around which the conductor is wound; and    a mechanism for rotating the reel to wind or unwind the conductor when the electrical device moves along the first direction.    
   
   
       18 . The refrigerator of  claim 17 , wherein the mechanism rotates the reel toward the compartment when the electrical device moves in the first direction toward the compartment and rotates the reel against the body when the electrical device moves in the first direction against the body  
   
   
       19 . The refrigerator of  claim 17 , wherein the mechanism includes: 
 a rack arranged along the first direction; and    a pinion engaged with the rack and secured to the reel.    
   
   
       20 . The refrigerator of  claim 19 , wherein the reel extends from a lateral side of the pinion.  
   
   
       21 . The refrigerator of  claim 17 , wherein the reel has two slots at a circumference of the reel and the conductor passes through two slots to be wound around the circumference of reel when the reel rotates.  
   
   
       22 . The refrigerator of  claim 17 , wherein the reel is located at a middle portion of the conductor when the conductor extends to a maximum length in the first direction so that the reel winds the conductor at both sides of the conductor at the same time.  
   
   
       23 . A refrigerator comprising: 
 a body having a compartment therein and a door opening and closing the compartment;    an electrical device movable with respect to the body along a first direction;    a conductor electrically connecting the electrical device with the body; and    a winding device for applying a tension on the conductor in the first direction toward the compartment.    
   
   
       24 . The refrigerator of  claim 23 , wherein the first direction is a horizontal direction.  
   
   
       25 . A refrigerator comprising: 
 a body having a compartment therein and a door opening and closing the compartment;    an electrical device movable with respect to the body along a first direction;    a conductor electrically connecting the electrical device with the body; and    means for winding and unwinding the conductor when the electrical device moves along the first direction.    
   
   
       26 . The refrigerator of  claim 25 , wherein the first direction is a horizontal direction.  
   
   
       27 . The refrigerator of  claim 25 , wherein the means for winding and unwinding includes a reel which automatically rotates when the electrical device moves along the first direction to wind or unwind the conductor on the reel.