Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a receiving box that may be automatically drawn in and out together with a door in response to a door drawing in command or drawing out command, thereby enhancing user convenience.

1 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a main body having a storage space formed therein;   a door slidably coupled to the main body so as to selectively open and close the storage space;   a receiving box coupled to a rear surface of the door so as to be drawn in and out together with the door;   a slide assembly provided at a side wall of the storage space so as to guide a forward and backward movement of the door;   a driving assembly operably coupled to the slide assembly, wherein the driving assembly generates a driving force and transmits the driving force to the slide assembly so as to move the door; and   a rail connector that is fixed to the rear surface of the door and is detachably coupled to the slide assembly, wherein the driving assembly is connected to the slide assembly such that the driving assembly moves together with the door.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the slide assembly includes:
 a rail guide fixed to the side wall of the storage space; and   a moving rail that is movably coupled to the rail guide and has the rail connector connected thereto, wherein the driving assembly is coupled to the moving rail.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , further comprising a bracket provided on the moving rail and a flange that extends from the driving assembly, wherein the flange is coupled to the bracket so as to fix the driving assembly to the moving rail. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 3 , wherein the rail connector is coupled to the moving rail at a position forward of the bracket. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 3 , wherein the driving assembly comprises:
 a motor that generates a driving force;   a shaft coupled to the motor; and   a pinion provided at a distal end of the shaft, wherein the pinion engages a rack provided along the rail guide, and the shaft transmits the driving force of the motor to the pinion such that the pinion rotates and moves linearly along the rack so as to move the moving rail, the rail connector and the door linearly.   
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein the rack extends between a rear end and a forward end of the rail guide such that engagement of the pinion and rack guides linear forward and rearward movement of the door and receiving box coupled thereto. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein the rack comprises first and second racks respectively provided on first and second rail guides positioned at two opposite side walls of the storage space, the shaft comprises first and second shafts that extend outward in opposite directions from the motor, and the pinion comprises first and second pinions respectively provided at distal ends of the first and second shafts so as to engage the first and second shafts, respectively. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein the motor transfers the driving force to both the first and second shafts such that the first and second pinions rotate at substantially the same speed. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the rail connector comprises first and second rail connectors detachably connected to opposite sides of the receiving box. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an input device provided on the main body or the door so as to receive at least one of a command to draw the door in or a command to draw the door out.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 10 , wherein the input device comprises a single button, and the drawing in command or the drawing out command is determined based on a pressing frequency or a pressing duration of the single button. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator according to  claim 10 , wherein the input device comprises one of a capacitance switch, a tact switch, a toggle switch, a voice recognizing device, a sound recognizing device, or a light sensing device. 
     
     
         13 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a main body having an open front face;   a slide assembly provided at an inner wall of the main body, the slide assembly including a moving part configured to be slidably drawn out of the slide assembly in a longitudinal direction thereof;   a rail connector coupled to the moving part of the slide assembly so as to be slidably drawn out together with the moving part;   a door coupled to a front end of the rail connector, wherein the door selectively opens and closes at least a portion of the open front face of the main body; and   a driving assembly operably coupled to the moving part, wherein the driving assembly generates a driving force and transmits the driving force to the moving part so as to slidably move the moving part.   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein the moving part includes a bracket having a front portion which the rail connector is detachably coupled, and a rear portion to which the driving assembly is coupled. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein the slide assembly comprises first and second slide assemblies respectively provided on two opposite inner side walls of the main body, and the driving assembly is coupled to the moving part of one of the first or second slide assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator according to  claim 15 , wherein the driving assembly comprises:
 a motor;   a shaft having a proximal end thereof coupled to the motor; and   a pinion provided at a distal end of the shaft.   
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator according to  claim 15 , wherein the motor is coupled to the one of the first or second slide assembly, and the pinion is engaged with a rack provided with the other of the first or second slide assembly.