REFRIGERATOR

Abstract

A refrigerator including; an inner cabinet forming a storage compartments; a fixed rail on an inner wall of the inner cabinet; a movable rail that is slidable along the fixed rail between a first rail position, at which the movable rail is inserted, and a second rail position, at which the movable rail is withdrawn; and a sliding case that is slidable along the movable rail between a first case position, at which the sliding case is inserted with respect to the movable rail, and a second rail position, at which the sliding case is withdrawn from the first case position with respect to the movable rail. The movable rail is configured to be locked to the fixed rail at the first rail position, and to be released from the fixed rail in response to the movable rail moving from the first rail position to the second rail position.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator including a sliding case configured to be insertable and withdrawable along a rail.

BACKGROUND ART

A refrigerator is a device that is composed of a main body including a storage compartment, and a cold air supply system configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment so as to keep food fresh. The storage compartment includes a refrigerating compartment maintained at approximately 0 to 5° C. to store food in a cold state, and a freezing compartment maintained at approximately 0 to −30° C. to store food in a frozen state. In general, the storage compartment includes an open front surface and the open front surface is opened and closed by a door.

The refrigerator repeats a refrigeration cycle of compressing, condensing, expanding, and evaporating a refrigerant using a compressor, a condenser, an expander, and an evaporator. At this time, both the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment may be cooled by one evaporator installed in the freezing compartment. Alternatively, the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment may each include an evaporator installed to cool independently.

The refrigerator may be classified according to the shape of the storage compartment and the door. The refrigerator may be classified into a Top Mounted Freezer (TMF) refrigerator in which a storage compartment is partitioned vertically by horizontal partition walls to form a freezing compartment on an upper side and a refrigerating compartment on a lower side, and a Bottom Mounted Freezer (BMF) refrigerator in which a refrigerating compartment is formed on an upper side and a freezing compartment is formed on a lower side.

The refrigerator may include a sliding case configured to be insertable and withdrawable to allow food to be easily inserted and withdrawn. The sliding case may be configured to be slidable along a rail fixed to the main body.

DISCLOSURE

Technical Problem

The present disclosure is directed to providing a refrigerator including an improved structure to increase an extent to which a sliding case is open.

Further, the present disclosure is directed to providing a refrigerator including an improved structure to allow a sliding case to be stably inserted and withdrawn with respect to a rail.

Additional aspects of the disclosure 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 disclosure.

Technical Solution

A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include an outer case, an inner case inside the outer case and forming a storage compartment, a fixed rail on an inner wall of the inner case, a movable rail configured to be slidable along the fixed rail between a first rail position, in which the movable rail is inserted with respect to the fixed rail, and a second rail position, in which the movable rail is withdrawn from the first rail position with respect to the fixed rail, and a sliding case configured to be slidable along the movable rail between a first case position, in which the sliding case is inserted with respect to the movable rail, and a second case position, in which the sliding case is withdrawn from the first case position with respect to the movable rail, so as to be inserted into or withdrawn from the inner case. The movable rail may be configured to be locked and coupled to the fixed rail at the first rail position, and to be released from the fixed rail in response to the movable rail moving from the first rail position to the second rail position.

The fixed rail may include an insertion portion. The movable rail may include a locking portion configured to be inserted into the insertion portion at the first rail position, so as to be locked and coupled to the insertion portion.

The insertion portion may include a pressing surface. The locking portion inserted into the insertion portion may be pressed by the pressing surface so as to be detached from the insertion portion in response to the movable rail being withdrawn from the first rail position.

The fixed rail may include a rail receiving portion configured to accommodate the movable rail. The movable rail may be configured to be slidable along the rail receiving portion between the first rail position and the second rail position. The pressing surface may have a slope in a direction that is closer to the rail receiving portion as the pressing surface faces forward. A surface of the locking portion in contact with the pressing surface may have a slope corresponding to the slope of the pressing surface.

The locking portion may be in an upper portion of the movable rail. The insertion portion may be in an upper portion of the fixed rail.

The locking portion may include an elastically deformable material.

The sliding case may include a guide portion configured to allow a sliding movement to be guided by the movable rail. The guide portion may include a case stopper to prevent the sliding case from being withdrawn with respect to the movable rail at the second case position.

The case stopper may be configured to press the movable rail to allow the movable rail to be released from the fixed rail in response to receiving an external force in a direction of being withdrawn from the second case position.

The movable rail may include a rail roller in contact with the guide portion. The case stopper may be in contact with the rail roller at the second case position.

The fixed rail may include a rail stopper. The movable rail may include a movable rail body and a movable rail protrusion protruding from the movable rail body toward the fixed rail. The movable rail protrusion may be configured to be in contact with the rail stopper at the second rail position to prevent the movable rail from being withdrawn with respect to the fixed rail.

The fixed rail may include a through hole penetrated toward the movable rail. The through hole may be at a rear side of the rail stopper. The movable rail protrusion at the second rail position may be positioned to cover one side of the through hole.

The rail stopper may include a front surface inclined with respect to a moving direction of the movable rail.

The movable rail protrusion may include an elastically deformable material.

The fixed rail may include a fixed rail rib configured to be vertically inserted into the movable rail. The fixed rail rib may extend along the moving direction of the movable rail.

The movable rail may include a movable rail rib configured to be vertically inserted into the fixed rail. The movable rail rib may extend along a moving direction of the movable rail.

A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a main body forming a storage compartment, a sliding case configured to be slidable with respect to the main body, a fixed rail fixed to the main body, and a movable rail provided to be movably supported on the fixed rail and configured to support the sliding case to be movable. The movable rail may be configured to be slidable along the fixed rail between a first rail position, in which the movable rail is locked and coupled to the fixed rail, and a second rail position provided in front of the first rail position and in which a locking engagement of the movable rail with the fixed rail is released.

The fixed rail may include an insertion portion. The movable rail may include a locking portion provided to be inserted into the insertion portion at the first rail position, so as to be locked and coupled to the insertion portion.

The locking portion may be provided to be elastically deformed and detached from the insertion portion in response to the movable rail moving from the first rail position to the second rail position.

The sliding case may be configured to be movable along the movable rail between a first case position, in which the sliding case is inserted with respect to the movable rail, and a second case position provided in front of the first case position. The sliding case may include a case stopper formed to protrude toward the movable rail so as to prevent the sliding case from being withdrawn with respect to the movable rail at the second case position. The case stopper may press the movable rail to allow the locking portion at the first rail position to be detached from the insertion portion in response to receiving an external force in a direction of being withdrawn from the second case position.

A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include an outer case forming an exterior, an inner case disposed inside the outer case and forming a storage compartment, a fixed rail provided on an inner wall of the inner case and including an insertion portion, a movable rail configured to be slidable along the fixed rail between a first rail position with respect to the fixed rail and a second rail position provided in front of the first rail position and with respect to the fixed rail, the movable rail including a locking portion, and a sliding case configured to be slidable along the movable rail between a first case position with respect to the movable rail and a second case position provided in front of the first case position and with respect to the movable rail. The locking portion may be inserted into the insertion portion in response to the movable rail being at the first rail position. The locking portion inserted into the insertion portion may be detached from the insertion portion in response to the sliding case receiving an external force in a direction of being withdrawn from the second case position with respect to the inner case.

Advantageous Effects

A rail of a refrigerator includes a fixed rail and a movable rail and thus an extent to which a sliding case is open may be increased. Further, a user can easily access a storage compartment inside the sliding case, thereby improving user convenience.

A movable rail of a refrigerator may be provided to be locked and coupled to a fixed rail at a position in which the movable rail is inserted into the fixed rail, and provided to allow a locking engagement thereof with the fixed rail to be released in response to the movable rail being withdrawn from the fixed rail, so as to allow a sliding case to be stably inserted into and withdrawn from the rail.

Additional aspects of the disclosure 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 disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of some components of the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a rail of the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a fixed rail and a movable rail of the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the fixed rail and the movable rail of the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a state in which a sliding case is in a first case position and the movable rail is in a first rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken longitudinally part A of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating a state in which the sliding case is in the first case position and the movable rail is in the first rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a view illustrating a state in which the sliding case is in a second case position and the movable rail is in the first rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of part B of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the movable rail is released from a locking engagement with the fixed rail when the movable rail is moved from the first rail position to a second rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a view illustrating a state in which the sliding case is in the second case position and the movable rail is in the first rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a view illustrating a state in which the sliding case is in the second case position and the movable rail is in the second rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a view illustrating a state in which the sliding case is in the second case position and the movable rail is in the first rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part C of FIG. 15.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a rail stopper and a movable rail protrusion when the movable rail is in the first rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 19 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the rail stopper and the movable rail protrusion when the movable rail is separated from the fixed rail, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 20 is a view illustrating the movable rail and the fixed rail when the movable rail is in the first rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure when viewed from one direction.

FIG. 21 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the rail stopper and the movable rail protrusion when the movable rail is mounted on the fixed rail, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 22 is a view illustrating a movable rail and a fixed rail when the movable rail is in a first rail position, in a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure when viewed from one direction.

MODES OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments described in the disclosure and configurations shown in the drawings are merely examples of the embodiments of the disclosure and may be modified in various different ways at the time of filing of the present application to replace the embodiments and drawings of the disclosure.

In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components.

Also, the terms used herein are used to describe the embodiments and are not intended to limit and/or restrict the disclosure. The singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this disclosure, the terms “including”, “having”, and the like are used to specify features, figures, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more of the features, figures, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

It will be understood that, although the terms “first”, “second”, “primary”, “secondary”, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, but elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. For example, without departing from the scope of the disclosure, a first element may be termed as a second element, and a second element may be termed as a first element. The term of “and/or” includes a plurality of combinations of relevant items or any one item among a plurality of relevant items.

As used herein, the terms “front”, “rear”, “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “right”, and the like are defined with reference to the drawings and are not intended to limit the shape and location of each component.

Hereinafter exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In addition, for the convenience of description, a one-door type refrigerator in which a main body is opened and closed by a single door is described below as an example of the present disclosure, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Unlike FIGS. 1 to 22, a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be a refrigerator in which a main body is opened and closed by a plurality of doors. For example, a refrigerator according to the present disclosure may be a Side by Side (SBS) type in which a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment are arranged left and right, a Bottom Mounted Freezer (BMF) type in which a refrigerating compartment is formed on an upper side and a freezing compartment is formed on a lower side, or a Top Mounted Freezer (TMF) type in which a freezing compartment is formed on an upper side and a refrigerating compartment is formed on a lower side. Alternatively, a refrigerator according to the present disclosure may be a French-Door (FDR) type in which a plurality of doors opens and closes at least one of a plurality of storage compartments.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is an exploded view of some components of the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a refrigerator 1 may include a main body 10, a storage compartment 20 disposed inside the main body 10, a door 30 configured to open and close the storage compartment 20, and a cooling system for supplying cold air to the storage compartment 20.

The main body 10 may be formed with an open front surface to allow a user to put food into the storage compartment 20 or to take food out of the storage compartment 20. That is, the main body 10 may include an opening 10a formed on the front surface of the main body 10. The opening 10a of the main body 10 may be opened and closed by a door 30.

The main body 10 may include an inner case 11 forming the storage compartment 20, an outer case 12 forming an exterior of the refrigerator 1, and a main body insulation material 13 disposed between the inner case 11 and the outer case 12.

The outer case 12 may be formed to have a shape of a box with an open front surface. The outer case 12 may form upper and lower surfaces, left and right surfaces, and a rear surface of the refrigerator 1.

The outer case 12 may be configured to include a metal material. For example, the outer case 12 may be manufactured by processing a steel plate material.

A front surface of the inner case 11 may be opened. The storage compartment 20 may be disposed inside the inner case 11 and the inner case 11 may be disposed on an inner side of the outer case 12. An inner wall of the inner case 11 may form an inner wall of the storage compartment 20.

The inner case 11 may be configured to include a plastic material. For example, the inner case 11 may be manufactured by a vacuum forming process. For example, the inner case 11 may be manufactured by an injection molding process.

The main body insulation material 13 may be provided to allow the outer case 12 and the inner case 11 to be insulated from each other. The main body insulation material 13 may foam between the inner case 11 and the outer case 12 to connect the inner case 11 and the outer case 12 to each other. The main body insulation material 13 may prevent heat exchange between the inside of the storage compartment 20 and the outside of the main body 10, thereby improving a cooling efficiency inside the storage compartment 20.

Urethane foam insulation, expanded polystyrene insulation, vacuum insulation panel, etc. may be used as the main body insulation material 13. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the main body insulation material 13 may be configured to include various materials.

The storage compartment 20 may be formed on the inner side of the main body 10. For example, the storage compartment 20 may include a refrigerating compartment that is maintained at approximately 0 to 5 degrees Celsius and for storing food in a cold state. For example, the storage compartment 20 may include a freezing compartment that is maintained at approximately −30 to 0 degrees Celsius and for storing food in a frozen state.

The storage compartment 20 may include a first storage compartment 21 and a second storage compartment 22. An internal space of the main body 10 may be divided into the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22.

The first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22 may each be configured as either a refrigerating compartment or a freezing compartment. For example, the first storage compartment 21 may be a refrigerating compartment and the second storage compartment 22 may be a freezing compartment. For example, the first storage compartment 21 may be a freezing compartment and the second storage compartment 22 may be a refrigerating compartment. For example, the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22 may both be refrigerating compartments. For example, the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22 may both be freezing compartments.

The second storage compartment 22 may be arranged below the first storage compartment 21. For example, the first storage compartment 21 may be formed at an upper portion inside the main body 10, and the second storage compartment 22 may be formed at a lower portion inside the main body 10.

However, the configuration of the storage compartment 20 provided inside the main body 10 is not limited thereto, and the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22 may be arranged in various ways, unlike those shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the first storage compartment 21 may be configured as a space in which food is directly stored. When the door 30 is opened, the first storage compartment 21 may also be opened, and a user can access the first storage compartment 21 to take in and take out food.

The first storage compartment 21 may be provided with shelves (not shown) for placing food and storage containers (not shown) for storing food.

In contrast, food stored inside the second storage compartment 22 may not be stored directly in the second storage compartment 22, but may be stored directly in a case storage compartment 112 in a sliding case 100 described later. The case storage compartment 112 may be inserted or withdrawn together as the sliding case 100 is inserted into or withdrawn from the main body 10.

The second storage compartment 22 and the case storage compartment 112 may share some space, but the second storage compartment 22 may be distinguished from the case storage compartment 112 in that the case storage compartment 112 is inserted or withdrawn together with the sliding case 100, and a space, in which food is directly stored, is the case storage compartment 112 provided inside the sliding case 100.

A configuration of the sliding case 100 including the case storage compartment 112 will be described later.

The main body 10 may include a partition wall 15 provided to define the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22. The partition wall 15 may be disposed between the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22. Particularly, the main body 10 may include the partition wall 15 provided to divide the main body 15 into the first storage compartment 21 on the upper side and the second storage compartment 22 on the lower side.

The partition wall 15 may divide the main body 15 into the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22 with respect a direction horizontal to the ground. The partition wall 15 may extend in a direction horizontal to the ground.

An upper surface of the partition wall 15 may face the first storage compartment 21. The upper surface of the partition wall 15 may form a lower surface of the first storage compartment 21.

A lower surface of the partition wall 15 may face the second storage compartment 22. The lower surface of the partition wall 15 may form an upper surface of the second storage compartment 22. The lower surface of the partition wall 15 may cover an upper side of the case storage compartment 112 when the sliding case 100 is inserted with respect to the main body 10. The lower surface of the partition wall 15 may form an upper surface of the case storage compartment 112 when the sliding case 100 is inserted with respect to the main body 10.

The partition wall 15 may be disposed inside the inner case 11. The partition wall 15 may be coupled to the inner wall of the inner case 11. Particularly, the inner case 11 may include a partition wall coupling portion 11b formed on the inner wall of the inner case 11, and the partition wall 15 may be coupled to the partition wall coupling portion 11b. For example, the partition wall coupling portion 11b may be formed to have a shape of a groove that is concavely recessed on the inner wall of the inner case 11. The partition wall 15 may be coupled by being inserted into the groove of the partition wall coupling portion 11b.

The partition wall coupling portion 11b may be formed on the left or right surface of the inner case 11 based on FIG. 1.

However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the partition wall 15 may be provided in various ways to be disposed inside the inner case 11. For example, the partition wall 15 may be coupled to the inner case 11 by an adhesive or the like, or may be coupled to the inner case 11 by using a fastening member such as a screw. For example, the partition wall 15 may be formed integrally with the inner case 11.

Additionally, unlike FIGS. 1 to 3, the partition wall 15 may be extended to allow a part of the partition wall 15 to be positioned inside the storage compartment 20 while another part of the partition wall 15 is positioned outside the storage compartment 20.

As described above, the refrigerating compartment may be provided in the first storage compartment 21, and the case storage compartment 112 may be provided in the second storage compartment 22. Therefore, the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22 need to be maintained at different temperatures.

The partition wall 15 may allow the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22 to be portioned from each other so as to be insulated from each other. The partition wall 15 may be provided to allow the first storage compartment 21 and the case storage compartment 112 to be insulated from each other when the sliding case 100 is inserted.

For example, the partition wall 15 may include a partition wall insulation material 15a disposed inside the partition wall 15. The partition wall insulation material 15a may be formed by foaming between the upper and lower surfaces of the partition wall 15.

The partition wall insulation material 15a may be provided to prevent heat exchange between the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22 to allow the first storage compartment 21 and the case storage compartment 112 to be maintained at different temperatures.

Urethane foam insulation, expanded polystyrene insulation, vacuum insulation panel, etc. may be used as the partition wall insulation material 15a. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the partition wall insulation material 15a may be configured to include various materials.

For example, the partition wall insulation material 15a may be composed of the same insulation material as the main body insulation material 13. Alternatively, the partition wall insulation material 15a may be composed of an insulation material different from the main body insulation material 13.

For example, the partition wall 15 may be manufactured in such a way that the partition wall insulation material 15a first foams inside the partition wall 15 during the manufacturing stage and then is coupled to the inner case 11. Alternatively, the partition wall 15 may be manufactured in such a way that the partition wall insulation material 15a is first coupled to the inner case 11 before the partition wall insulation material 15a foams, and then the partition wall insulation material 15a foams simultaneously with the main body insulation material 13. The present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the partition wall 15 may be manufactured in various ways.

The refrigerator 1 may include a cooling system configured to generate cold air using a cooling cycle and supply the generated cold air to the storage compartment 20.

The cooling system may generate cold air by utilizing the latent heat of vaporization of the refrigerant in the cooling cycle. The cooling system may be configured to include a compressor 73, a condenser (not shown), an expansion valve (not shown), an evaporator 71, a blower fan 72, etc.

A cooling room 50 and a machine room 60 in which the cooling system is disposed may be provided in the main body 10. For example, the cooling room 50 may be provided with components such as the evaporator 71 generating cold air and the blower fan 72 allowing the cold air generated by the evaporator 71 to flow. The machine room 60 may be provided with components such as the compressor 73 and the condenser.

The cooling room 50 may be disposed at the rear side of the storage compartment 20. The machine room 60 may be disposed at the rear side of the storage compartment 20.

Components of the refrigerator 1 forming the cooling system may have a relatively considerable weight. Accordingly, the cooling room 50 and the machine room 60 may be provided at the lower portion of the main body 10. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the cooling room 50 and the machine room 60 may be arranged in various ways, and the components forming the cooling system may be arranged in various ways to correspond to the positions of the cooling room 50 and the machine room 60.

Because cold air is generated by the evaporator 71, a relatively low temperature state may be maintained in the cooling room 50. In contrast, because heat is generated by the compressor 73 and the condenser, a relatively high temperature state may be maintained in the machine room 60. Therefore, the cooling room 50 and the machine room 60 may be formed in separate spaces, and may be insulated from each other. For example, the main body insulation material 13 may foam between the cooling room 50 and the machine room 60.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the evaporator 71 provided in the cooling room 50 may evaporate a refrigerant to generate cold air, and the cold air generated by the evaporator 71 may be moved by the blower fan 72. A portion of the cold air moved by the blower fan 72 may be supplied to the first storage compartment 21, and another portion of the cold air moved by the blower fan 72 may be supplied to the second storage compartment 22. In other words, the evaporator 71 may generate cold air in the cooling room 50, and the cold air generated by the evaporator 71 may be moved from the cooling room 50 to the storage compartment 20 by the blower fan 72 provided in the cooling room 50. The cooling room 50 may be provided to communicate with each of the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22.

In other words, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the refrigerator 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be an indirect-cooling refrigerator. For convenience of description, the following description will be made on the assumption that the refrigerator 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is an indirect-cooling refrigerator, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may also be applied to a direct-cooling refrigerator.

The evaporator 71, the blower fan 72, etc. disposed in the cooling room 50 may be referred to as a cold air supply device in that the evaporator 71, the blower fan 72, etc. generate cold air and supply the cold air to the storage compartment 20.

The main body 10 may include a cold air supply duct 14. The cold air supply duct 14 may form a path through which cold air generated by the cold air supply device flows from the cooling room 50 to the first storage compartment 21 or the second storage compartment 22. The first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22 may each be provided to communication with the cold air supply duct 14.

The cold air supply duct 14 may be disposed inside the inner case 11. The cold air supply duct 14 may be disposed at the rear side of the inner case 11. Particularly, the cold air supply duct 14 may be disposed at the rear side of the storage compartment 20.

For example, only one evaporator 71 may be disposed in the cooling room 50. The blower fan 72 may be provided to allow the cold air generated by one evaporator 71 to flow to the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22, respectively. In this case, the cold air generated by one evaporator 71 may have a temperature within a certain range. Accordingly, in order to maintain the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22 at different temperatures, an amount of cold air introduced into the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22 may be provided differently.

For example, when the first storage compartment 21 is configured as a refrigerating compartment and the second storage compartment 22 is configured as a freezing compartment, a damper 14c configured to control an amount of cold air directed to the first storage compartment 21 may be disposed in the cold air supply duct 14. The damper 14c may be configured to open and close a path of cold air directed from the cooling room 50 to the first storage compartment 21. A storage compartment temperature sensor (not shown) may be provided in the first storage compartment 21 to measure a temperature of the first storage compartment 21, and a controller (not shown) of the refrigerator 1 may receive an output value of the storage compartment temperature sensor and control the opening and closing of the damper 14c.

However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and various configurations may be provided to maintain the temperatures of the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22 at different temperatures. For example, two or more evaporators (not shown) may be disposed in the cooling room 50. At least one evaporator may be configured to generate cold air supplied to the first storage compartment 21, and at least one other evaporator may be configured to generate cold air supplied to the second storage compartment 22. In correspondence with each evaporator, two or more blower fans (not shown) may be disposed in the cooling room 50. The evaporator and the blower fan for supplying cold air to the first storage compartment 21 and the evaporator and the blower fan for supplying cold air to the second storage compartment 22 may be respectively arranged in spaces that are partitioned from each other within the cooling room 50.

The door 30 may be configured to open and close the main body 10. The door 30 may be rotatably coupled to the main body 10. Particularly, the door 30 may be rotatably coupled to the main body 10 by a hinge 40 which is connected to the door 30 and the main body 10, respectively. The door 30 may be rotatably coupled to the outer case 12.

An outer surface 31 of the door 30 may form a part of the exterior of the refrigerator 1. When the door 30 is in a closed position, the outer surface 31 of the door 30 may form a front surface of the door 30.

An inner surface 32 of the door 30 may be formed on a side opposite to the outer surface 31 of the door 30. In the closed position of the door 30, the inner surface 32 of the door 30 may form the rear surface of the door 30. In the closed position of the door 30, the inner surface 32 of the door 30 may be arranged to face the inside of the main body 10. In the closed position of the door 30, the inner surface 32 of the door 30 may be arranged to cover the front side of the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22.

A foaming space may be formed between the outer surface 31 of the door 30 and the inner surface 32 of the door 30 and thus a door insulation material 35 may foam. The door insulation material 35 may prevent heat exchange between the outer surface 31 and the inner surface 32 of the door 30. The door insulation material 35 may improve an insulation performance between the inside of the storage compartment 20 and the outside of the door 30.

Urethane foam insulation, expanded polystyrene insulation, vacuum insulation panel, etc. may be used as the door insulation material 35. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the door insulation material 35 may be configured to include various materials.

For example, the door insulation material 35 may be composed of the same insulation material as the main body insulation 13 or the partition wall insulation material 15a. Alternatively, the door insulation material 35 may be composed of an insulation material different from the main body insulation 13 or the partition wall insulation material 15a.

A door gasket 33 provided to seal a gap between the door 30 and the main body 10 so as to prevent leakage of cold air from the storage compartment 20 may be provided on the inner surface 32 of the door 30. The door gasket 33 may be provided along a perimeter of the inner surface 32 of the door 30. The door gasket 33 may be arranged parallel to the opening 10a of the main body 10 when the door 30 is closed. The door gasket 33 may be configured to include an elastic material such as rubber.

A door shelf 34 in which food is stored may be provided on the inner surface 32 of the door 30.

The door 30 may be provided as a single door, and then the door 30 may be rotatably coupled to the main body 10, and may open and close the main body 10. In other words, the single door 30 may be configured to open and close the entire internal space of the main body 10.

The door 30 may close the first storage compartment 21 when closing the opening 10a of the main body 10. The door 30 may cover the front side of the first storage compartment 21 when closing the opening 10a of the main body 10.

The door 30 may cover the front side of the sliding case 100 described later when closing the opening 10a of the main body 10. In other words, when the door 30 closes the sliding case 100, the front of the sliding case 100 may be closed by the door 30 at an inserted position. When the door 30 closes the opening 10a of the main body 10, the door 30 may not directly close the second storage compartment 22, but rather cover the front side of the sliding case 100 closing the second storage compartment 22, and may cover the front side of the second storage compartment 22.

The door 30 may cover the front side of the partition wall 15 when the door 30 closes the opening 10a of the main body 10. That is, entire the partition wall 15 may be disposed inside the main body 10, and when the opening 10a of the main body 10 is closed, the partition wall 15 may be covered by the door 30 and not be exposed to the outside.

However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the door of the refrigerator may be configured in various ways depending on the type of the refrigerator according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, the door of the refrigerator may be provided in plurality. For example, the door of the refrigerator may be configured to open and close only a part of the storage compartment. For example, the partition wall of the refrigerator may not be covered by the door of the refrigerator, and may be arranged to be exposed to the outside of the front surface of the refrigerator. For example, the front side of the sliding case of the refrigerator may not be covered by the door.

The refrigerator 1 may include the sliding case 100 including the case storage compartment 112 provided therein. The sliding case 100 may be configured to open and close the case storage compartment 112. The case storage compartment 112 may be defined as a space formed on the inside of the sliding case 100.

The sliding case 100 may be disposed inside the main body 10. Particularly, the sliding case 100 may be disposed inside the inner case 11.

For example, the sliding case 100 may be disposed in the second storage compartment 22 of the main body 10. The sliding case 100 may be disposed at the lower portion of the main body 10. Correspondingly, the case storage compartment 112 may also be disposed in the second storage compartment 22 of the main body 10. The case storage compartment 112 may be provided at the lower portion of the main body 10. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the position of the sliding case 100 may be provided in various ways.

The sliding case 100 may be configured to be inserted and withdrawn with respect to the inner case 11. The case storage compartment 112 may be configured to be inserted and withdrawn with respect to the inner case 11 together with the sliding case 100. When the sliding case 100 is withdrawn with respect to the inner case 11, the case storage compartment 112 may be withdrawn with respect to the inner case 11. When the sliding case 100 is inserted with respect to the inner case 11, the case storage compartment 112 may be inserted with respect to the inner case 11.

The sliding case 100 may be configured to be slidable with respect to the main body 10. Particularly, the sliding case 100 may be configured to be slidable forward and backward along rails 200 and 300 mounted on the inner case 11. The sliding case 100 may be configured to be slidable with respect to the inner case 11.

The sliding case 100 may cover the front side of the second storage compartment 22. The sliding case 100 may move forward and backward along the rails 200 and 300 while covering the front side of the second storage compartment 22.

The sliding case 100 may close the front side of the second storage compartment 22 at a position in which the sliding case 100 is inserted into the inner case 11. At the position in which the sliding case 100 is inserted into the inner case 11, the sliding case 100 may be provided to allow the inside of the second storage compartment 22 to be partitioned from the outside of the second storage compartment 22 and to prevent cold air of the second storage compartment 22 from leaking to the outside.

The sliding case 100 may include a freezing compartment opening 111 provided to open the case storage compartment 112. The freezing compartment opening 111 may be formed in an upper portion of the sliding case 100. The freezing compartment opening 111 may be formed to allow the case storage compartment 112 to be opened in a vertical direction.

The case storage compartment 112 may be closed at a position in which the sliding case 100 is inserted with respect to the inner case 11. The case storage compartment 112 may be opened at a position in which the sliding case 100 is withdrawn with respect to the inner case 11. The freezing compartment opening 111 may be closed at a position in which the sliding case 100 is inserted with respect to the inner case 11, and may be opened at a position in which the sliding case 100 is withdrawn with respect to the inner case 11.

For example, the case storage compartment 112 may be opened and closed by the partition wall 15. The sliding case 100 may be provided to allow the case storage compartment 112 to be closed by the partition wall 15 at the position in which the sliding case 100 is inserted with respect to the inner case 11. Particularly, the upper side of the case storage compartment 112 may be covered by the partition wall 15 at the position in which the sliding case 100 is inserted with respect to the inner case 11. At the position in which the sliding case 100 is withdrawn with respect to the inner case 11, the upper side of the case storage compartment 112 may be opened.

However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the case storage compartment 112 may be provided to be opened and closed by a configuration other than the partition wall 15. However, for convenience of description, it is assumed that the case storage compartment 112 is opened and closed by the partition wall 15.

The sliding case 100 may include a case body 110 in which the case storage compartment 112 is provided, and a front portion 120 forming the front surface of the sliding case 100.

The case body 110 may have a shape of a basket that is formed to store food, as shown in FIG. 3, etc. The shape of the case body 110 is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. 3, and may be formed to have various shapes in which the case storage compartment 112 is provided.

The case body 110 may include the freezing compartment opening 111. The freezing compartment opening 111 may be provided at the upper portion of the case body 110. That is, the case body 110 may include a shape in which an upper portion is open.

The front portion 120 may be provided at the front side of the case body 110. The front portion 120 may be provided at the front side of the case storage compartment 112. The front portion 120 may cover the front side of the case storage compartment 112.

The front portion 120 may be formed to include a shape of an approximately flat plate. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the front portion 120 may be formed to have various shapes.

The front portion 120 may include a grip portion 121 formed to be gripped by a user. The user can withdraw the sliding case 100 forward through the grip portion 121.

At the position in which the sliding case 100 is inserted into the inner case 11, the front portion 120 may cover not only the front side of the case storage compartment 112, but also the front side of the second storage compartment 22.

The inner case 11 may include a front support portion 11a provided to support the front portion 120 at the position in which the sliding case 100 is inserted into the inner case 11. When the sliding case 100 is at the position of being inserted into the inner case 11, the front portion 120 may cover the front side of the front support portion 11a.

In comparison to when the front portion 120 simply covers the front side of the second storage compartment 22, when the front portion 120 covers the front side of the front support portion 11a, the second storage compartment 22 and the case storage compartment 112 may be sealed more efficiently, and cold air may be effectively prevented from leaking from the second storage compartment 22 and the case storage compartment 112.

The front support portion 11a may be provided adjacent to a front portion of the second storage compartment 22. The front support portion 11a may be formed along a circumference of an opening that is opened in the front and rear direction at the front portion of the second storage compartment 22.

When the sliding case 100 is at the position of being inserted into the inner case 11, the front portion 120 may cover at least a portion of the partition wall 15 from the front. In this case, the front portion 120 may more efficiently seal the second storage compartment 22 and the case storage compartment 112, and may effectively prevent cold air from leaking from the case storage compartment 112 through a gap between the partition wall 15 and the sliding case 100.

The sliding case 100 may include a case insulation material 122. The case insulation material 122 may be provided to allow the first storage compartment 21 and the case storage compartment 112 to be insulated from each other at the position in which the sliding case 100 is inserted with respect to the inner case 11.

The case insulation material 122 may be provided at the front side of the case storage compartment 112. Particularly, the case insulation material 122 may be provided at the front portion 120 of the sliding case 100.

The case insulation material 122 may prevent heat exchange between the first storage compartment 21 and the case storage compartment 112. In addition, the case insulation material 122 may prevent heat exchange between the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22. The case insulation material 122 may improve an insulation performance between the inside and the outside of the sliding case 100, and may be provided to allow the first storage compartment 21 and the case storage compartment 112 to be efficiently maintained at different temperatures.

For example, the case insulation material 122 may foam inside the front portion 120. A foaming space may be formed between front and rear surfaces of the front portion 120, and the case insulation material 122 may foam thereon.

Urethane foam insulation, expanded polystyrene insulation, vacuum insulation panel, etc. may be used as the case insulation material 122. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the case insulation material 122 may be configured to include various materials.

For example, the case insulation material 122 may be composed of the same insulation material as the main body insulation 13 or the partition wall insulation material 15a or the door insulation material 35. Alternatively, the case insulation material 122 may be composed of an insulation material different from the main body insulation 13 or the partition wall insulation material 15a or the door insulation material 35.

The sliding case 100 may further include a sealing member 130 (refer to FIG. 9) provided to seal between the front portion 120 and the partition wall 15 or between the front portion 120 and the inner case 11 at the position in which the sliding case 100 is inserted into the inner case 11.

The sealing member 130 may be provided on the rear surface of the front portion 120. The sealing member 130 may be provided along a perimeter of the rear surface of the front portion 120. The sealing member 130 may be formed to have a shape of an approximately closed loop.

The rear surface of the front portion 120 may face the inner case 11. Particularly, the rear surface of the front portion 120 may face the front support portion 11a of the inner case 11. The sealing member 130 may be provided to seal the gap between the rear surface of the front portion 120 and the front support portion 11a at the position in which the sliding case 100 is inserted into the inner case 11.

The rear surface of the front portion 120 may face the partition wall 15. The sealing member 130 may be provided to seal the gap between the rear surface of the front portion 120 and the partition wall 15 at the position in which the sliding case 100 is inserted into the inner case 11.

The sealing member 130 may be configured to include an elastic material such as rubber. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the sealing member 130 may be configured to include various materials.

With the configuration, the sliding case 100 may effectively seal the case storage compartment 112 and the second storage compartment 22 at the position in which the sliding case 100 is inserted into the inner case 11, and may effectively prevent cold air from leaking from the case storage compartment 112 and the second storage compartment 22. This may be important in that the first storage compartment 21 and the case storage compartment 112 need to maintain different temperatures even when the door 30 closes the main body 10.

The sliding case 100 may communicate with the cooling room 50. The sliding case 100 may be provided to communicate with the cooling room 50 and to receive cold air from the cooling room 50. In other words, the case storage compartment 112 may communicate with the cooling room 50.

The sliding case 100 may communicate with the second storage compartment 22 and may communicate with the cooling room 50 via the second storage compartment 22. In other words, the case storage compartment 112 at the position of being inserted into the inner case 11 may communicate with the second storage compartment 22 and the cooling room 50.

Alternatively, the sliding case 100 may not communicate with the second storage compartment 22 and the cooling room 50. Even when the second storage compartment 22 communicates with the cooling room 50 to receive cold air, the sliding case 100 may include the case body 110 formed of a material with high thermal conductivity, and thus the case body 110 itself may be cooled by the cold air of the second storage compartment 22. For example, in a direct-cooling type refrigerator, even when the case storage compartment 112 communicates with the second storage compartment 22, the second storage compartment 22 may not communicate with the cooling room 50.

With the configuration, the sliding case 100 may be supplied with an appropriate amount of cold air from the cooling room 50 to maintain the temperature of the inside of the case storage compartment 112. That is, the case storage compartment 112 is provided in the second storage compartment 22 separated from the first storage compartment 21 by the front portion 120 of the sliding case 100, the sealing member 130, the partition wall 15, etc., and may be supplied with cold air through a supply path that is distinct from a supply path of cold air flowing into the first storage compartment 21.

However, the configuration of the sliding case 100 described above is only an example of a sliding case provided in a refrigerator according to the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

The refrigerator 1 may include the rails 200 and 300 provided to allow the sliding case 100 to be insertable and withdrawable with respect to the inner case 11. The sliding case 100 may be configured to be slidable along the rails 200 and 300. Particularly, the sliding case 100 may be movable in the front and rear direction of the refrigerator 1 along the rails 200 and 300. The rails 200 and 300 may support the sliding case 100 so as to move.

The rails 200 and 300 may be provided on the inner wall of the inner case 11. For example, the rails 200 and 300 may be provided on a left inner wall and a right inner wall of the inner case 11 respectively, based on FIG. 3.

The rails 200 and 300 may be mounted on the inner case 11. A rail fixing portion 11c may be provided on the inner wall of the inner case 11, and the rails 200 and 300 may be fixed to the rail fixing portion 11c. The rail fixing portion 11c may be provided on the left inner wall and the right inner wall of the inner case 11 respectively, based on FIG. 3.

The rails 200 and 300 may be provided in the second storage compartment 22. The sliding case 100 may be configured to be slidable along the rails 200 and 300 and may be provided to be insertable and withdrawable with respect to the second storage compartment 22.

A specific configuration of the rails 200 and 300 will be described later.

The configuration of the refrigerator 1 described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 is merely an example for describing the refrigerator according to the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The refrigerator according to the present disclosure may be provided to include various configurations for performing the function of supplying cold air to a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment for storing food.

For example, the storage compartment 20 provided inside the main body 10 of the refrigerator 1 may include the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment that are partitioned to be insulated from each other, and the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment may be arranged parallel to each other in the left and right directions of the refrigerator 1. Alternatively, the storage compartment inside the main body 10 may be partitioned into three or more storage compartments, or may be provided with only a single storage compartment. When the storage compartment 20 is partitioned into a plurality of storage compartments, the sliding case according to an example of the present disclosure may be provided in at least one of the plurality of storage compartments. When the storage compartment 20 is provided with only a single storage compartment, the sliding case according to an example of the present disclosure may be provided in a single storage compartment.

For example, when it is assumed that the storage compartment 20 provided inside the main body 10 of the refrigerator 1 includes the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22 that are partitioned vertically as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the sliding case may not be provided in the second storage compartment 22 located in the lower portion, but may be provided in the first storage compartment 21 located in the upper portion. For example, the sliding case may be provided to slide along the rail provided in the first storage compartment 21 and provided to be insertable and withdrawable with respect to the first storage compartment 21. In this case, unlike the sliding case 100 according to the example of FIGS. 1 to 3 in which the upper portion of the case storage compartment 112 is opened and closed by the partition wall 15 depending on the insertion and withdrawal, the sliding case according to an example may be opened and closed by another structure within the first storage compartment 21 rather than the partition wall 15. Alternatively, the sliding case according to an example may be opened and closed by an upper inner wall of the inner case 11 depending on the insertion and withdrawal.

For example, unlike the above-described case, the inside and the outside of the sliding case 100 may not be insulated from each other. In this case, the case storage compartment 112, which is an inner space of the sliding case 100, may be provided so as to maintain a temperature similar to that of the storage compartment 20 provided on the outside of the sliding case 100. In other words, even when the sliding case 100 is positioned to be inserted into the inner case 11, cold air inside the case storage compartment 112 may leak into a portion of the storage compartment 20 disposed on the outside of the case storage compartment 112, and cold air in a portion of the storage compartment 20 disposed on the outside of the case storage compartment 112 may flow into the inside of the case storage compartment 112. When it is assumed that the sliding case 100 maintains the position of being inserted into the second storage compartment 22 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22 may not be insulated from each other and may be provided to maintain similar temperatures. That is, the first storage compartment 21 and the second storage compartment 22 may both be refrigerating compartments or freezing compartments.

For example, the sliding case of the refrigerator according to one embodiment may not be a configuration provided inside the main body. Particularly, unlike as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the sliding case according to one embodiment may not be covered by the door of the refrigerator configured to open and close the storage compartment, and the front portion of the sliding case may form at least a portion of the front exterior of the refrigerator. In this case, the sliding case according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may also be referred to as a sliding door, a drawer-type door, or the like that opens and closes a storage compartment of the refrigerator.

Hereinafter the configuration of the sliding case 100, the rails 200 and 300, etc. included in the refrigerator 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be particularly described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 22.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a rail of the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a fixed rail and a movable rail of the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the fixed rail and the movable rail of the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, the refrigerator 1 may include the rails 200 and 300 provided to support the sliding case 100 to be slidable. The sliding case 100 may slide forward and backward along the rails 200 and 300 and may be inserted into and withdrawn from the inner case 11.

The rails 200 and 300 may include a fixed rail 200 provided to maintain a fixed position with respect to the inner case 11, and a movable rail 300 configured to be movable with respect to the inner case 11.

The fixed rail 200 may be disposed on the inner wall of the inner case 11. The fixed rail 200 may be fixed to the inner wall of the inner case 11. The fixed rail 200 may be fixed to the rail fixing portion 11c disposed on the inner wall of the inner case 11.

The fixed rail 200 may be mounted and fixed to the inner wall of the inner case 11 in various ways. For example, the fixed rail 200 may be fixed to the inner wall of the inner case 11 by screw fastening. For example, the fixed rail 200 may be fixed to the inner wall of the inner case 11 by hook coupling. For example, the fixed rail 200 may be fixed to the inner wall of the inner case 11 by adhesive or the like.

However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the fixed rail 200 may be formed integrally with the inner case 11. In this case, the fixed rail 200 may be formed integrally with the inner wall of the inner case 11.

Hereinafter it is assumed that the fixed rail 200 is formed separately from the inner case 11 and then mounted on the inner wall of the inner case 11.

The movable rail 300 may slidably support the sliding case 100. The sliding case 100 may be slidable forward and backward along the movable rail 300 and may be inserted and withdrawn with respect to the main body 10. For example, in a state in which the sliding case 100 is in contact with the movable rail 300, the sliding case 100 may be slidable forward and backward along the movable rail 300.

The movable rail 300 may be configured to be movable with respect to the inner wall 11. Particularly, the movable rail 300 may be provided to be movable with respect to the fixed rail 200. The movable rail 300 may be movably supported on the fixed rail 200.

The movable rail 300 may be configured to be insertable and withdrawable with respect to the fixed rail 200. The movable rail 300 may be configured to be slidable with respect to the fixed rail 200.

The movable rail 300 may be coupled to the fixed rail 200 so as to be movable with respect to the fixed rail 200. The movable rail 300 may be detachably mounted to the fixed rail 200. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the movable rail 300 may be coupled so as to be movable with respect to the fixed rail 200 but not detachable from the fixed rail 200.

The fixed rail 200 may include a rail receiving portion 210 formed to accommodate the movable rail 300. The movable rail 300 may be accommodated in the rail receiving portion 210 and may be configured to be slidable along the rail receiving portion 210. In other words, when the movable rail 300 is mounted on the fixed rail 200, the movable rail 300 may be accommodated in the rail receiving portion 210 and may slide along the rail receiving portion 210. The movable rail 300 may move along the rail receiving portion 210 and may be insertable and withdrawable with respect to the rail receiving portion 210.

The rail receiving portion 210 may include a groove shape formed to allow the movable rail 300 to be accommodated. The movable rail 300 may be received in the groove shape of the rail receiving portion 210 and may be configured to be insertable and withdrawable with respect to the groove shape of the rail receiving portion 210. In other words, the movable rail 300 may be inserted into the rail receiving portion 210 so as to be movable. In this respect, the rail receiving portion 210 may also be referred to as a fixed rail groove.

Particularly, the movable rail 300 may include a movable rail body 310. The movable rail body 310 may be accommodated in the rail receiving portion 210 of the fixed rail 200. The movable rail body 310 may be accommodated in the rail receiving portion 210 and supported so as to be movable along the rail receiving portion 210.

The movable rail body 310 may have a shape corresponding to the shape of the rail receiving portion 210. The movable rail body 310 may be provided to be received in the rail receiving portion 210 by being fitted into the inside of the rail receiving portion 210.

However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the movable rail 300 may be coupled to the fixed rail 200 in various ways. For example, the fixed rail 200 may include a protrusion that protrudes toward the movable rail 300, and the movable rail 300 may include a groove that is provided to accommodate the protrusion of the fixed rail 200, and the protrusion of the fixed rail 200 may be inserted into the groove of the movable rail 300. The movable rail 300 may slide along the protrusion of the fixed rail 200 and may be movably mounted on the fixed rail 200.

The movable rail body 310 may include a movable rail groove 311 for movably supporting the sliding case 100. The movable rail groove 311 may have a shape that is concavely recessed in the movable rail body 310. For example, the movable rail groove 311 may have a shape that is concavely recessed from one surface of the movable rail body 310 facing the storage compartment 20 toward the other surface facing the inner wall of the inner case 11.

The movable rail groove 311 may be provided to support a guide portion 113 (refer to FIG. 7) of the sliding case 100. When the sliding case 100 moves along the movable rail 300, the movable rail groove 311 may guide a sliding movement of the guide portion 113. For example, the guide portion 113 may be provided to include a protruding shape so as to be inserted into the movable rail groove 311, and the guide portion 113 may be configured to be slidable forward and backward along the movable rail groove 311 while being inserted into the movable rail groove 311. As the guide portion 113 is inserted into the movable rail groove 311, the sliding case 100 may be movably coupled to the movable rail 300. The movable rail groove 311 may be provided to accommodate the guide portion 113.

However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the sliding case 100 may be coupled to the movable rail 300 in various ways. For example, the movable rail 300 may include a protrusion that protrudes toward the sliding case 100, and the sliding case 100 may include a groove that is provided to accommodate the protrusion of the movable rail 300, and the protrusion of the movable rail 300 may be inserted into the groove of the sliding case 100. The sliding case 100 may slide along the protrusion of the movable rail 300 and may be movably mounted on the movable rail 300.

Hereinafter the present disclosure will be described with reference to one embodiment in which the movable rail body 310 of the movable rail 300 is provided to be received in the rail receiving portion 210 of the fixed rail 200 and the movable rail 300 is inserted and withdrawn with respect to the fixed rail 200 while the movable rail body 310 slides along the rail receiving portion 210.

Further, hereinafter the present disclosure will be described with reference to one embodiment in which the guide portion 113 of the sliding case 100 is provided to be received in the movable rail groove 311 of the movable rail 300 and the sliding case 100 is inserted and withdrawn with respect to the movable rail 300 while the guide portion 113 slides along the movable rail groove 311.

The fixed rail 200 may be formed to have a shape extending in one direction. For example, the fixed rail 200 may be formed to have a shape extending approximately in the front and rear direction. The rail receiving portion 210 of the fixed rail 200 may be formed to have a shape extending approximately in the front and rear direction, to be parallel to the direction in which the fixed rail 200 extends.

In accordance with an extending direction of the fixed rail 200, the movable rail 300 may be formed to have a shape extending in one direction. For example, the movable rail 300 may be formed to have a shape extending approximately in the front and rear direction. The movable rail body 310 and the movable rail groove 311 of the movable rail 300 may be formed to have a shape extending approximately in the front and rear direction, to be parallel to the direction in which the movable rail 300 extends.

In order that the movable rail 300 is more stably supported on the fixed rail 200, the movable rail 300 may include a movable rail rib 340 provided to be inserted into the fixed rail 200. The movable rail rib 340 may have a shape that protrudes from the movable rail body 310.

For example, the movable rail rib 340 may be formed to vertically protrude from the movable rail body 310. The movable rail rib 340 may be provided to be vertically inserted into the fixed rail 200.

The movable rail rib 340 may be inserted into a first rib insertion groove 213 provided in the fixed rail 200. The first rib insertion groove 213 may be formed to have a concavely recessed shape to allow the movable rail rib 340 to be inserted. The first rib insertion groove 213 may be provided in the rail receiving portion 210.

The first rib insertion groove 213 may have a shape corresponding to the movable rail rib 340. For example, the first rib insertion groove 213 may have a shape that is recessed in the vertical direction.

The movable rail rib 340 may be configured to be slidable along the first rib insertion groove 213 in a state in which the movable rail rib 340 is inserted into the first rib insertion groove 213. When the movable rail 300 slides forward and backward along the fixed rail 200, the movable rail rib 340 may also be slidable forward and backward along the first rib insertion groove 213.

The movable rail rib 340 may be formed to have a shape extending along a moving direction of the movable rail 300. For example, the movable rail rib 340 may be formed to have a shape extending approximately in the front and rear direction.

Accordingly, the first rib insertion groove 213 may also be formed to have a shape extending along the moving direction of the movable rail 300. For example, the first rib insertion groove 213 may be formed to have a shape extending approximately in the front and rear direction.

The movable rail rib 340 and the first rib insertion groove 213 may be formed to allow widths thereof in the left and right directions of the refrigerator 1 to be almost the same or similar to each other.

As the movable rail rib 340 is inserted into the first rib insertion groove 213, the movable rail 300 may be movable in the front and rear direction of the refrigerator 1 with respect to the fixed rail 200, and at the same time, the movable rail 300 may be prevented from being separated from the fixed rail 200 caused by movement in the left and right direction of the refrigerator 1.

In order that the movable rail 300 is more stably supported on the fixed rail 200, the fixed rail 200 may include a fixed rail rib 240 provided to be inserted into the movable rail 300. The fixed rail rib 240 may have a shape that protrudes toward the inside of the rail receiving portion 210.

For example, the fixed rail rib 240 may be formed to vertically protrude toward the inside of the rail receiving portion 210. The fixed rail rib 240 may be provided to be vertically inserted into the movable rail 300.

The fixed rail rib 240 may be inserted into a second rib insertion groove 313 provided in the movable rail 300. The second rib insertion groove 313 may be formed to have a concavely recessed shape to allow the fixed rail rib 240 to be inserted thereinto. The second rib insertion groove 313 may be provided in the movable rail body 310.

The second rib insertion groove 313 may have a shape corresponding to the fixed rail rib 240. For example, the second rib insertion groove 313 may have a shape that is recessed in the vertical direction.

In a state in which the fixed rail rib 240 is inserted into the second rib insertion groove 313, the second rib insertion groove 313 may be slidable along the fixed rail rib 240. When the movable rail 300 slides forward and backward along the fixed rail 200, the second rib insertion groove 313 may also be slidable forward and backward along the fixed rail rib 240.

The fixed rail rib 240 may be formed to have a shape extending along the moving direction of the movable rail 300. For example, the fixed rail rib 240 may be formed to have a shape extending approximately in the front and rear direction.

Accordingly, the second rib insertion groove 313 may also be formed to have a shape extending along the moving direction of the movable rail 300. For example, the second rib insertion groove 313 may be formed to have a shape extending approximately in the front and rear direction.

The fixed rail rib 240 and the second rib insertion groove 313 may be formed to allow widths thereof in the left and right directions of the refrigerator 1 to be almost the same or similar to each other.

As the fixed rail rib 240 is inserted into the second rib insertion groove 313, the movable rail 300 may be movable in the front and rear direction of the refrigerator 1 with respect to the fixed rail 200, and at the same time, the movable rail 300 may be prevented from being separated from the fixed rail 200 caused by movement in the left and right direction of the refrigerator 1.

With the configuration, the movable rail 300 may be supported more stably on the fixed rail 200 and configured to be slidable more stably with respect to the fixed rail 200.

However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and only the movable rail 300 may include the movable rail rib 340 and the fixed rail 200 may not include the fixed rail rib 240, or conversely, only the fixed rail 200 may include the fixed rail rib 240 and the movable rail 300 may not include the movable rail rib 340. Alternatively, the movable rail 300 and the fixed rail 200 may be configured to have various structures for preventing the movable rail 300 from being separated from the fixed rail 200 in addition to the structure of the protruding rib shape.

The sliding case 100 may be configured to be slidable between the position of being inserted with respect to the movable rail 300 (refer to FIGS. 7, 9, etc.) and the position of being withdrawn with respect to the movable rail 300 (refer to FIGS. 10, 13, 14, 16, etc.). The sliding case 100 may move forward and backward along the movable rail 300 and may be inserted and withdrawn with respect to the movable rail 300.

In addition, the movable rail 300 may be configured to be slidable between the position of being inserted with respect to the fixed rail 200 (refer to FIGS. 7, 9, 10, 13, etc.) and the position of being withdrawn with respect to the fixed rail 200 (refer to FIGS. 14, 16, etc.). The movable rail 300 may move forward and backward along the fixed rail 200 and may be inserted and withdrawn with respect to the fixed rail 200.

A position in which the sliding case 100 is inserted with respect to the movable rail 300 may be referred to as a first case position 100A (refer to FIG. 7, etc.), and a position in which the sliding case 100 is withdrawn with respect to the movable rail 300 may be referred to as a second case position 100B (refer to FIG. 10, etc.). The sliding case 100 may be configured to be movable along the movable rail 300 between the first case position 100A and the second case position 100B. The second case position 100B may be arranged in front of the first case position 100A.

In addition, for the convenience of description, each component (a case body 110, a case opening 111, a case stopper 114, a case roller 115, etc.) forming the sliding case 100 may also be referred to as being positioned at the first case position 100A or the second case position 100B, and may also be referred to as being configured to be movable between the first case position 100A and the second case position 100B. Similarly, the case storage compartment 112 provided in the sliding case 100 may also be referred to as being positioned at the first case position 100A or the second case position 100B, and may also be referred to as being configured to be movable between the first case position 100A and the second case position 100B.

In addition, a position in which the movable rail 300 is inserted with respect to the fixed rail 200 may be referred to as a first rail position 300A (refer to FIG. 7, etc.), and a position in which the movable rail 300 is withdrawn with respect to the fixed rail 200 may be referred to as a second rail position 300B (refer to FIG. 14, etc.). The movable rail 300 may be configured to be movable along the fixed rail 200 between the first rail position 300A and the second rail position 300B. The second rail position 300B may be provided in front of the first rail position 300A.

In addition, for convenience of description, each component (a movable rail body 310, a locking portion 320, a movable rail protrusion 330, a rail roller 350, etc.) forming the movable rail 300 may also be referred to as being positioned at the first rail position 300A or the second rail position 300B, and may be referred to as being configured to be movable between the first rail position 300A and the second rail position 300B.

When the movable rail 300 maintains the position in which the movable rail 300 is inserted with respect to the fixed rail 200, i.e., the first rail position 300A, a maximum distance by which the sliding case 100 is withdrawn with respect to the inner case 11 may correspond to a distance between the first case position 100A and the second case position 100B with respect to the movable rail 300.

In this case, when a sufficient distance, in which the sliding case 100 is withdrawn with respect to the movable rail 300, is not secured in a state in which the movable rail 300 maintains the first rail position 300A, an extent to which the sliding case 100 is opened may not be sufficient. Accordingly, user accessibility to the case storage compartment 112 may be reduced.

Particularly, as for the refrigerator 1 in which the sliding case 100 is fully inserted into the inside of the storage compartment 20 at the first case position 100A as described in FIGS. 1 to 3, the user accessibility to the case storage compartment 112 may be further restricted.

In contrast, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the movable rail 300 may be configured to be movable along the fixed rail 200 between the first rail position 300A and the second rail position 300B.

For example, when the sliding case 100 is at the first case position 100A and the movable rail 300 is at the first rail position 300A (refer to FIG. 9), the sliding case 100 may be at a most inserted position with respect to the inner case 11. When the sliding case 100 is at the second case position 100B and the movable rail 300 is at the first rail position 300A (refer to FIG. 13), the sliding case 100 may be at a withdrawn position with respect to the inner case 11, but at this time, the position of the sliding case 100 may not be the most withdrawn position with respect to the inner case 11. When the sliding case 100 is at the second case position 100B and the movable rail 300 is at the second rail position 300B (refer to FIG. 16), the sliding case 100 may be at the most withdrawn position with respect to the inner case 11.

Therefore, a maximum distance in which the sliding case 100 is withdrawn with respect to the inner case 11 may correspond to the sum of a distance between the first case position 100A and the second case position 100B with respect to the movable rail 300 and a distance between the first rail position 300A and the second rail position 300B with respect to the fixed rail 200.

That is, in comparison to a case in which the movable rail 300 maintains the first rail position 300A, when the movable rail 300 is moved to the second rail position 300B, the sliding case 100 may be withdrawn further to the front of the refrigerator 1 by the distance between the first rail position 300A and the second rail position 300B.

With the configuration, in the refrigerator 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an extent, to which the sliding case 100 is opened may be increased when the sliding case 100 is withdrawn by moving along the rails 200 and 300. Accordingly, the user accessibility to the case storage compartment 112 inside the sliding case 100 may be increased, and the user convenience may be improved.

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a state in which a sliding case is in a first case position and the movable rail is in a first rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken longitudinally part A of FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a view illustrating a state in which the sliding case is in the first case position and the movable rail is in the first rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 7 to 9, when the sliding case 100 is at the first case position 100A and the movable rail 300 is at the first rail position 300A, the sliding case 100 may be positioned to be maximally inserted with respect to the inner case 11.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, when the sliding case 100 is at the first case position 100A and the movable rail 300 is at the first rail position 300A, the case storage compartment 112 of the sliding case 100 may be closed.

As described above, the sliding case 100 may include a guide portion 113 inserted into the movable rail groove 311. The guide portion 113 may be guided to move in the front and rear direction by the movable rail groove 311. The guide portion 113 may be inserted into and supported by the movable rail groove 311. The guide portion 113 may be provided in the case body 110. Particularly, the guide portion 113 may be provided on both side surfaces of the case body 110. The guide portion 113 may extend along the front and rear direction of the sliding case 100.

For example, the sliding case 100 may include a case roller 115. The case roller 115 may be configured to roll along the movable rail groove 311 when the sliding case 100 slides along the movable rail 300. The case roller 115 may roll by a frictional force generated between the sliding case 100 and the movable rail groove 311 when the sliding case 100 slides. The sliding case 100 may easily move along the movable rail 300 by the case roller 115.

For example, the case roller 115 may be configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis provided in the guide portion 113. The case roller 115 may be arranged at a position adjacent to a rear end of the guide portion 113. The case roller 115 may be arranged adjacent to one end of the guide portion 113 with respect to a direction in which the sliding case 100 is inserted. According to a length by which the movable rail groove 311 is extended, the case roller 115 at the first case position 100A may reach the rear end of the movable rail groove 311.

The case roller 115 may be formed to have an approximately circular plate shape, but the shape of the case roller 115 is not limited thereto.

For example, the movable rail 300 may include a rail roller 350. The rail roller 350 may be configured to roll along the guide portion 113 when the sliding case 100 slides along the movable rail 300. The rail roller 350 may roll by a frictional force generated between the sliding case 100 and the guide portion 113 when the sliding case 100 slides. The sliding case 100 may easily move along the movable rail 300 by the rail roller 350.

For example, the rail roller 350 may be configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis provided on the movable rail body 310. The rail roller 350 may be positioned adjacent to a front end of the movable rail body 310. The rail roller 350 may be positioned adjacent to one end of the movable rail groove 311 with respect to a direction in which the sliding case 100 is withdrawn.

The rail roller 350 may be formed to have an approximately circular plate shape, but the shape of the rail roller 350 is not limited thereto.

The sliding case 100 may be moved forward from the first case position 100A by an external force directed toward the front side of the refrigerator 1. In other words, the sliding case 100 may be withdrawn from the movable rail 300 by an external force directed toward the front side of the refrigerator 1. For example, a user can apply an external force to the sliding case 100 by pulling the grip portion 121, which is provided on the front portion 120 of the sliding case 100, forward.

At this time, the external force applied to the sliding case 100 may also be applied to the movable rail 300. Particularly, when a forward external force is applied to the sliding case 100, the forward external force may also be applied to the movable rail 300 as a frictional force is applied between the sliding case 100 and the movable rail 300. In other words, when the sliding case 100 receives an external force in a direction from the first case position 100A toward the second case position 100B, the movable rail 300 may receive an external force in a direction from the first rail position 300A toward the second rail position 300B. Accordingly, while the sliding case 100 slides to be withdrawn with respect to the movable rail 300, the movable rail 300 at the first rail position 300A may move to the second rail position 300B, and there is a possibility that the withdrawal process of the sliding case 100 is not performed stably.

To prevent this, the movable rail 300 may be provided to be locked and coupled to the fixed rail 200 at the first rail position 300A. As the movable rail 300 is locked and coupled to the fixed rail 200 at the first rail position 300A, the movable rail 300 may maintain the fixed position with respect to the fixed rail 200, and this is the same even when the sliding case 100 receives an external force directed forward. Accordingly, even when the sliding case 100 is moved from the first case position 100A to the second case position 100B in a state in which the movable rail 300 is at the first rail position 300A, the movable rail 300 may maintain the fixed position without moving along the fixed rail 200 (refer to FIG. 10, etc.).

Particularly, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the fixed rail 200 may include an insertion portion 220, and the movable rail 300 may include the locking portion 320 provided to be locked and coupled to the insertion portion 220 at the first rail position 300A. The locking portion 320 at the first rail position 300A may be inserted into the insertion portion 220 and locked and coupled to the insertion portion 220.

When the movable rail 300 is at the first rail position 300A, the locking portion 320 and the insertion portion 220 may be formed at positions corresponding to each other. For example, the locking portion 320 may be provided at the upper portion of the movable rail 300. Correspondingly, the insertion portion 220 may be provided at the upper portion of the fixed rail 200. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the locking portion 320 may be formed at various positions, such as the lower portion, the left portion, and the right portion of the movable rail 300, and the insertion portion 220 may be formed at various positions, such as the lower portion, the left portion, and the right portion of the fixed rail 200, so as to correspond to the position of the locking portion 320.

The locking portion 320 may extend from the movable rail body 310 to a direction toward the fixed rail 200. The locking portion 320 at the first rail position 300A may extend from the movable rail body 310 toward the insertion portion 220. For example, when the locking portion 320 extends from the upper portion of the movable rail body 310, the locking portion 320 may extend upward toward the insertion portion 220 arranged above the movable rail body 310. For example, when the locking portion 320 extends from the lower portion of the movable rail body 310, the locking portion 320 may extend downward toward the insertion portion 220 arranged below the movable rail body 310.

The insertion portion 220 may be provided on one side of the fixed rail 200 facing the movable rail 300. Particularly, the insertion portion 220 may be provided on one side of the rail receiving portion 210 facing the locking portion 320 at the first rail position 300A.

The insertion portion 220 may include various shapes that are provided to allow the locking portion 320 to be inserted thereinto. For example, the insertion portion 220 may have a shape of a hole formed to penetrate the fixed rail 200. For example, the insertion portion 220 may include a shape of a groove that is concavely recessed from the rail receiving portion 210 toward the outside. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the insertion portion 220 may have various shapes.

The insertion portion 220 may include a pressing surface 221. The pressing surface 221 may be provided on one side of the insertion portion 220 with respect to the direction in which the movable rail 300 is withdrawn with respect to the fixed rail 200. In other words, the pressing surface 221 may be provided on the front side of the insertion portion 220. The locking portion 320 at the first rail position 300A may be positioned at the rear side of the pressing surface 221 in a state in which the locking portion 320 is inserted into the insertion portion 220.

When the first rail position 300A receives an external force in a direction toward the second rail position 300B, the pressing surface 221 may press the locking portion 320 at the first rail position 300A. Accordingly, when an external force, which is sufficient to allow the locking portion 320 to be detached from the insertion portion 220, is not applied to the movable rail 300 at the first rail position 300A, the locking portion 320 may be pressed rearward by the pressing surface 221, and the movable rail 300 may not be withdrawn from the first rail position 300A.

The locking portion 320 may be positioned adjacent to the rear portion of the movable rail 300. Correspondingly, the insertion portion 220 may be positioned adjacent to the rear portion of the fixed rail 200. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the locking portion 320 and the insertion portion 220 may be positioned in various ways on the movable rail 300 and the fixed rail 200, respectively.

As described below, when the movable rail 300 is withdrawn from the first rail position 300A, the movable rail 300 may be released from a locking engagement with the fixed rail 200. Particularly, when the movable rail 300 is withdrawn forward from the first rail position 300A, the locking portion 320 may be detached from the insertion portion 220.

For example, the locking portion 320 may be configured to include an elastically deformable material, and when the movable rail 300 is withdrawn forward from the first rail position 300A, the locking portion 320 may be elastically deformed in a direction away from the insertion portion 220.

At this time, the movable rail body 310 may include a locking portion hole 312 formed to prevent the elastically deformed locking portion 320 from interfering with the movable rail body 310. The locking portion hole 312 may be formed at a position adjacent to the locking portion 320 on the movable rail body 310. The locking portion hole 312 may be formed to penetrate the movable rail body 310.

The locking portion 320 may be extended to cover the outside of the locking portion hole 312.

However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the movable rail 300 at the first rail position 300A may include various configurations that are locked and coupled to the fixed rail 200.

For example, unlike as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the fixed rail 200 may include a locking portion, and the movable rail 300 may include an insertion portion provided to be locked and coupled to the locking portion at the first rail position 300A. When the movable rail 300 is at the first rail position 300A, the locking portion of the fixed rail 200 may be inserted into and locked and coupled to the insertion portion of the movable rail 300.

A specific description of the configuration that allows the locking engagement of the movable rail 300 with the fixed rail 200 to be released will be described later.

FIG. 10 is a view illustrating a state in which the sliding case is in a second case position and the movable rail is in the first rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of B of FIG. 10. FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the movable rail is released from a locking engagement with the fixed rail when the movable rail is moved from the first rail position to a second rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a view illustrating a state in which the sliding case is in the second case position and the movable rail is in the first rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 10 to 13, the sliding case 100 may be moved from the first case position 100A to the second case position 100B by an external force directed toward the front of the refrigerator 1. At this time, the movable rail 300 may maintain the first rail position 300A with respect to the fixed rail 200.

As illustrated in FIG. 13, when the sliding case 100 is at the second case position 100B and the movable rail 300 is at the first rail position 300A, the sliding case 100 may be withdrawn forward by a predetermined distance with respect to the inner case 11, and the case storage compartment 112 may be opened compared to the case of FIG. 9.

When the sliding case 100 is withdrawn forward from the movable rail 300 and reaches the second case position 100B, the sliding case 100 may be provided to be no longer withdrawn forward from the movable rail 300 despite an external force applied toward the front side of the sliding case 100. A fact that the sliding case 100 is not withdrawn forward from the movable rail 300 means that a relative position of the sliding case 100 with respect to the movable rail 300 does not move forward, and does not mean that the relative position of the sliding case 100 with respect to the inner case 11 does not move forward.

Particularly, the sliding case 100 may include a case stopper 114 provided to prevent the sliding case 100 from being withdrawn with respect to the movable rail 300 when the sliding case 100 reaches the second case position 100B. The case stopper 114 may be in contact with the movable rail 300 in the front and rear direction at the second case position 100B to prevent the sliding case 100 from moving more forward than the second case position 100B with respect to the movable rail 300. In other words, the case stopper 114 may prevent the sliding case 100 from being detached forward with respect to the movable rail 300 when the sliding case 100 reaches the second case position 100B.

As illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, the case stopper 114 may be in contact with the rail roller 350 at the second case position 100B to prevent the sliding case 100 from being withdrawn more forward than the second case position 100B with respect to the movable rail 300.

The case stopper 114 may be provided in the case body 110. Particularly, the case stopper 114 may be disposed in the guide portion 113. The case stopper 114 may be configured to be included in the guide portion 113.

For example, the case stopper 114 may be formed to have a protruding shape. The case stopper 114 may be formed to have a protruding shape compared to other regions on the guide portion 113. Particularly, the case stopper 114 may be formed to allow a stepped portion to be formed between a region on the guide portion 113 located in front of the case stopper 114 and a region on the case stopper 114. By the stepped portion, the case stopper 114 at the second case position 100B may come into contact with the rail roller 350 in the front and rear direction.

However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and a separate stopper structure (not shown) may be formed in the movable rail groove 311 to be in contact with the case roller 115 in the front and rear direction when the sliding case 100 reaches the second case position 100B, so as to prevent the sliding case 100 from being withdrawn more forward than the second case position 100B with respect to the movable rail 300.

As illustrated in FIG. 10, when an external force, in a direction in which the sliding case 100 is withdrawn forward, is applied to the sliding case 100 in a state in which the sliding case 100 is positioned at the second case position 100B and the movable rail 300 is positioned at the first rail position 300A, the external force applied to the sliding case 100 may be transmitted to the movable rail 300.

Particularly, when a forward external force is applied to the sliding case 100 at the second case position 100B, the case stopper 114 at the second case position 100B may press the movable rail 300 forward. That is, the movable rail 300 may receive an external force in a direction in which the movable rail 300 is withdrawn with respect to the fixed rail 200 as the movable rail 300 is pressed by the case stopper 114. For example, the case stopper 114 at the second case position 100B may press the rail roller 350 of the movable rail 300 forward, and thus, the movable rail 300 may receive an external force in a direction from the first rail position 300A toward the second rail position 300B.

The movable rail 300 may be provided to allow the locking engagement with the fixed rail 200 to be released when the movable rail 300 is moved from the first rail position 300A to the second rail position 300B. As the locking engagement with the fixed rail 200 is released, the movable rail 300 may slide with respect to the fixed rail 200 and may be withdrawn forward along the fixed rail 200.

Particularly, when an external force, which has a predetermined magnitude or more and is directed to the second rail position 300B, is applied to the movable rail 300 at the first rail position 300A, the locking engagement between the movable rail 300 and the fixed rail 200 may be released. For example, as the case stopper 114 at the second case position 100B presses the movable rail 300 forward, the locking engagement between the movable rail 300 and the fixed rail 200 may be released.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, when the movable rail 300 is withdrawn from the first rail position 300A with respect to the fixed rail 200, the locking portion 320 inserted into the insertion portion 220 may be detached from the insertion portion 220.

Particularly, the locking portion 320 may be configured to be elastically deformable when an external force is applied. The locking portion 320 may be configured to be detached from the insertion portion 220 as the locking portion 320 is elastically deformed.

For example, the locking portion 320 may include a fixed end 321 fixed to the movable rail body 310, a free end 322 opposite to the fixed end 321, and an extension portion 323 extending from the fixed end 321 toward the free end 322.

The free end 322 may be inserted into the insertion portion 220 at the first rail position 300A. The free end 322 at the first rail position 300A may be locked and coupled to the insertion portion 220. When the movable rail 300 is withdrawn forward from the first rail position 300A, the free end 322 may be detached from the insertion portion 220, and the locking engagement with the insertion portion 220 may be released.

The fixed end 321 may maintain a fixed position on the movable rail body 310. When the free end 322 is pressed, the locking portion 320 may be elastically deformed with respect to the fixed end 321. The fixed end 321 may be positioned on the side in which the movable rail 300 is withdrawn with respect to the free end 322. That is, the fixed end 321 may be positioned in front of the free end 322.

The extension portion 323 may connect the fixed end 321 and the free end 322. The extension portion 323 may be elastically deformed with respect to the fixed end 321 when the free end 322 is pressed. When the extension portion 323 is elastically deformed, the position of the free end 322 with respect to the fixed end 321 may change.

The extension portion 323 may be formed to extend in a direction opposite to the direction, in which the movable rail 300 is withdrawn from the fixed end 321 toward the free end 322, so as to be easily elastically deformed when the movable rail 300 is withdrawn from the first rail position 300A. In other words, the extension portion 323 may extend rearward from the fixed end 321 toward the free end 322.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the locking portion 320 at the first rail position 300A may have a shape that protrudes outward from the movable rail body 310 toward the fixed rail 200 to be inserted into the insertion portion 220. Therefore, the free end 322 may be positioned in an outward direction of the movable rail 300 compared to the fixed end 321, and the extension portion 323 may extend in the outward direction of the movable rail 300 from the fixed end 321 toward the free end 322.

The extension portion 323 may extend rearwardly from the fixed end 321 toward the free end 322 and may extend in the outward direction of the movable rail 300. In this case, the extension portion 323 may extend in an inclined direction with respect to the front and rear direction of the movable rail 300. At this time, the extension portion 323 may be elastically deformed more efficiently when the free end 322 is pressed.

However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the fixed end 321, the free end 322, and the extension portion 323 may be formed to have various shapes.

The locking portion 320 may be configured to include an elastically deformable material. For example, the locking portion 320 may be formed to include various materials such as a plastic material.

The locking portion 320 may be formed by injection molding integrally with the movable rail body 310. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the locking portion 320 may be formed in such a way that the locking portion 320 is manufactured separately from the movable rail body 310 and then assembled to the movable rail body 310.

With the configuration, the locking portion 320 may be configured to be elastically deformed when a predetermined magnitude or more of external force is applied. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the locking portion 320 may be configured in various ways to be elastically deformed when an external force is applied.

The free end 322 at the first rail position 300A may be positioned at the rear side of the pressing surface 221 of the insertion portion 220. When an external force is applied in a direction in which the free end 322 at the first rail position 300A is withdrawn, the pressing surface 221 may press the free end 322. The free end 322 at the first rail position 300A may be prevented from moving forward by the pressing surface 221 when an external force, which is sufficient to elastically deform the locking portion 320, is not provided.

When a predetermined magnitude or more of external force is applied to the movable rail 300 at the first rail position 300A, the free end 322 may be pressed against the pressing surface 221 to an extent which is sufficient to the locking portion 320 to be elastically deformed. In other words, when the movable rail 300 at the first rail position 300A receives the predetermined magnitude or more of external force, the free end 322 may be pressed by the pressing surface 221 and thus the extension portion 323 may be elastically deformed with respect to the fixed end 321. When the extension portion 323 is elastically deformed, the free end 322 may be detached from the insertion portion 220 as the position of the free end 322 with respect to the fixed end 321 changes.

The pressing surface 221 may be formed to have an incline in a direction that is closer to the rail receiving portion 210 as the pressing surface 221 faces forward. The pressing surface 221 may be formed to have an incline in a direction that is closer to the inside of the fixed rail 200 as the pressing surface 221 faces forward.

For example, when the insertion portion 220 is provided on the upper portion of the fixed rail 200, the pressing surface 221 may be formed to have a shape that is inclined downward as the pressing surface 221 faces forward.

For example, when the insertion portion 220 is provided at the lower portion of the fixed rail 200, the pressing surface 221 may be formed to have a shape that is inclined upward as the pressing surface 221 faces forward.

When an external force is applied in the direction in which the movable rail 300 is withdrawn from the first rail position 300A, the locking portion 320 may be guided by the pressing surface 221 to be detached from the insertion portion 220 because the pressing surface 221 is formed to have the incline. That is, the locking portion 320 may be detached from the insertion portion 220 more efficiently.

In order that the locking portion 320 is guided more efficiently by the pressing surface 221 when the locking portion 320 is detached from the insertion portion 220, one surface of the locking portion 320 that comes into contact with the pressing surface 221 may be formed to have an incline corresponding to the incline of the pressing surface 221.

That is, one surface of the locking portion 320 that is in contact with the pressing surface 221 at the first rail position 300A may be formed to have an incline in a direction that is closer to the movable rail body 310 as the one surface thereof faces forward. One surface of the locking portion 320 that is in contact with the pressing surface 221 may be formed to have an incline in a direction that is closer to the inside of the movable rail 300 as the one surface thereof faces forward.

In other words, one surface of the free end 322 that is in contact with the pressing surface 221 may be formed to have an incline that is closer to the fixed end 321 as the one surface thereof faces forward.

One surface of the locking portion 320 that is in contact with the pressing surface 221 may refer to a front surface of the locking portion 320.

For example, when the locking portion 320 is provided on the upper portion of the movable rail 300, the front surface of the locking portion 320 that is in contact with the pressing surface 221 at the first rail position 300A may be formed to have a shape that is inclined downward as the front surface faces forward.

For example, when the locking portion 320 is provided at the lower portion of the movable rail 300, the front surface of the locking portion 320 that is in contact with the pressing surface 221 at the first rail position 300A may be formed to have a shape that is inclined upward as the front surface faces forward.

However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and a contact surface in which the pressing surface 221 and the locking portion 320 come into contact with each other may be formed to have various shapes. For example, the pressing surface 221 may be formed to have an incline having the above-described characteristics, but the locking portion 320 may not. For example, the locking portion 320 may be formed to have an incline having the above-described characteristics, but the pressing surface 221 may not. For example, both the pressing surface 221 and the locking portion 320 may be formed to not have an inclined surface.

When the movable rail 300, which is already withdrawn, is inserted into the fixed rail 200 again, that is, when the movable rail 300 is moved from the second rail position 300B to the first rail position 300A, the locking portion 320 of the movable rail 300 may be moved in the opposite direction to the moving direction illustrated in FIG. 12. When the movable rail 300 reaches the first rail position 300A, the locking portion 320 may be inserted into the insertion portion 220 again, and the movable rail 300 may be locked and coupled to the fixed rail 200.

Particularly, as in the case of the example illustrated in FIG. 12, the locking portion 320 at a position detached from the insertion portion 220 may maintain an elastically deformed state. When the locking portion 320 is moved to the first rail position 300A, the locking portion 320 may restore the elastic deformation. In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the locking portion 320 may be inserted into the insertion portion 220 again and may be locked and coupled to the insertion portion 220.

With the configuration, the locking portion 320 inserted into the insertion portion 220 at the first rail position 300A may be pressed by the pressing surface 221 when the movable rail 300 is withdrawn from the first rail position 300A, and may be detached from the insertion portion 220. Accordingly, the movable rail 300 may be released from the locking engagement with the fixed rail 200 and the movable rail 300 may be slidable with respect to the fixed rail 200.

In addition, with the configuration, when the movable rail 300 is moved from the second rail position 300B to the first rail position 300A, the locking portion 320 may be inserted into the insertion portion 220. Therefore, the movable rail 300 may be locked and coupled to the fixed rail 200 and may maintain the fixed position with respect to the fixed rail 200.

However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the movable rail 300 may include various configurations in which the movable rail 300 is locked and coupled to the fixed rail 200 at the first rail position 300A and is released from the locking engagement with the fixed rail 200 when the movable rail 300 is moved from the first rail position 300A to the second rail position 300B.

For example, unlike as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the fixed rail 200 may include a locking portion, and the movable rail 300 may include an insertion portion that is provided to be locked and coupled to the locking portion at the first rail position 300A.

At this time, the locking portion of the fixed rail 200 may be provided to be inserted into the insertion portion of the movable rail 300 at the first rail position 300A. When the movable rail 300 receives a predetermined magnitude or more of external force in a direction from the first rail position 300A toward the second rail position 300B, the locking portion of the fixed rail 200 may be detached from the insertion portion of the movable rail 300. The locking portion of the fixed rail 200 may be provided to be elastically deformable when pressed. The locking portion of the fixed rail 200 may be detached from the insertion portion of the movable rail 300 as the locking portion is elastically deformed, and the movable rail 300 may be released from the locking engagement with the fixed rail 200. When the movable rail 300 is moved from the second rail position 300B back to the first rail position 300A, the locking portion of the fixed rail 200 may be restored from an elastic deformation state and inserted into the insertion portion of the movable rail 300, and the movable rail 300 may be locked and coupled to the fixed rail 200.

At this time, the locking portion of the fixed rail 200 may include the fixed end and the free end that is opposite the fixed end and inserted into the insertion portion of the movable rail 300. The locking portion of the fixed rail 200 may extend forward from the fixed end toward the free end. The locking portion of the fixed rail 200 may protrude toward the inside of the fixed rail 200 which is from the fixed end toward the free end.

At this time, the insertion portion of the movable rail 300 may include the pressing surface provided to press the locking portion of the fixed rail 200. At the first rail position 300A, the pressing surface of the insertion portion of the movable rail 300 may be located at the rear side of the locking portion of the fixed rail 200.

The pressing surface of the insertion portion of the movable rail 300 may be formed to have an incline in a direction that is closer to the rail receiving portion 210 as the pressing surface faces forward. One surface of the locking portion of the fixed rail 200 that is in contact with the pressing surface of the insertion portion of the movable rail 300 may be formed to have an incline in a direction that is closer to the inside of the rail receiving portion 210 as the one surface thereof faces forward.

FIG. 14 is a view illustrating a state in which the sliding case is in the second case position and the movable rail is in the second rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ of FIG. 14. FIG. 16 is a view illustrating a state in which the sliding case is in the second case position and the movable rail is in the first rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 14 to 16, when the sliding case 100 is at the second case position 100B and the movable rail 300 is at the second rail position 300B, the sliding case 100 may be positioned to be maximally withdrawn with respect to the inner case 11.

As illustrated in FIG. 16, when the sliding case 100 is at the second case position 100B and the movable rail 300 is at the second rail position 300B, an extent to which the case storage compartment 112 of the sliding case 100 is opened may increase in comparison to when the movable rail 300 is at the first rail position 300A (refer to FIG. 13, etc.). Accordingly, the user accessibility to the case storage compartment 112 may be improved, and the user convenience may be improved.

Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIG. 15, the fixed rail 200 may include a rail stopper 230. The rail stopper 230 may be configured to prevent the movable rail 300 from being further withdrawn with respect to the fixed rail 200 when the movable rail 300 reaches the second rail position 300B.

The rail stopper 230 may be formed to have a shape that protrudes toward the movable rail 300. The rail stopper 230 may be provided in the rail receiving portion 210.

The movable rail 300 may further include a movable rail protrusion 330. The movable rail protrusion 330 may protrude from the movable rail body 310 toward the fixed rail 200. When the movable rail 300 is inserted into the rail receiving portion 210, the movable rail protrusion 330 may be disposed on the inside of the rail receiving portion 210.

The movable rail protrusion 330 may be positioned at the rear side of the rail stopper 230. The movable rail protrusion 330 may be slidable along the rail receiving portion 210 together with the movable rail body 310.

The movable rail protrusion 330 may be provided to be in contact with the rail stopper 230 at the second rail position 300B. Particularly, as the movable rail protrusion 330 is moved from the first rail position 300A to the second rail position 300B, the movable rail protrusion 330 may reach the rail stopper 230 and may be in contact with the rail stopper 230 at the second rail position 300B.

The movable rail protrusion 330 may be provided to be in contact with the rail stopper 230 at the second rail position 300B so as to prevent the movable rail 300 from being withdrawn from the fixed rail 200. The movable rail protrusion 330 at the second rail position 300B may be in contact with a rear surface 232 (refer to FIG. 17) of the rail stopper 230, and the rail stopper 230 may prevent the movable rail protrusion 330 at the second rail position 300B from moving forward. Therefore, when the movable rail protrusion 330 is in contact with the rail stopper 230, the movable rail 300 may no longer move forward from the fixed rail 200. Additionally, by the movable rail protrusion 330 and the rail stopper 230, the movable rail 300 may be prevented from being detached forward with respect to the fixed rail 200.

The movable rail 300 may slide with respect to the fixed rail 200 by a distance between the rail stopper 230 and the movable rail protrusion 330. That is, a distance between the first rail position 300A and the second rail position 300B may be approximately equal to the distance between the rail stopper 230 and the movable rail protrusion 330. Therefore, as the movable rail 300 moves to the second rail position 300B in a state in which the movable rail 300 is at the first rail position 300A and the sliding case 100 is at the second case position 100B, the sliding case 100 may be further withdrawn by the distance between the rail stopper 230 and the movable rail protrusion 330.

With the configuration, the sliding case 100 may be moved from the maximum inserted position to the maximum withdrawn position with respect to the inner case 11.

Hereinafter an example of a process, in which the sliding case 100 is moved from the maximum inserted position to the maximum withdrawn position with respect to the inner case 11, will be briefly described.

When a user presses the sliding case 100 rearward in the state in which the sliding case 100 is at the second case position 100B and the movable rail 300 is at the second rail position 300B, the sliding case 100 and the movable rail 300 may slide rearward.

For example, the sliding case 100 may be moved from the second case position 100B to the first case position 100A with respect to the movable rail 300. At this time, the movable rail 300 may still maintain the second rail position 300B with respect to the fixed rail 200.

When the sliding case 100 reaches the first case position 100A, the movable rail 300 may be pressed by the sliding case 100 and may be moved from the second rail position 300B to the first rail position 300A.

For example, the movable rail 300 at the second rail position 300B may be pressed rearward by the case roller 115 at the first case position 100A and then moved to the first rail position 300A. Alternatively, the movable rail 300 at the second rail position 300B may be moved to the first rail position 300A as the rail roller 350 or the movable rail body 310 is pressed rearward by the rear surface of the front portion 120 at the first case position 100A.

However, the process, by which the sliding case and the movable rail are respectively inserted, in the refrigerator according to the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The above-description is merely an example of the process, by which the sliding case 100 and the movable rail 300 are respectively inserted, in the refrigerator 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part C of FIG. 15. FIG. 18 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a rail stopper and a movable rail protrusion when the movable rail is in the first rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 19 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the rail stopper and the movable rail protrusion when the movable rail is separated from the fixed rail, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 20 is a view illustrating the movable rail and the fixed rail when the movable rail is in the first rail position, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure when viewed from one direction.

Referring to FIGS. 17 to 20, the movable rail 300 may be removably mounted to the fixed rail 200.

The fixed rail 200 may include a through hole 250 penetrated toward the movable rail 300. The through hole 250 may be formed to allow the inside of the rail receiving portion 210 to communicate with the outside of the rail receiving portion 210. The through hole 250 may be formed on one surface of the fixed rail 200 facing the inner wall of the inner case 11.

The through hole 250 may be arranged at the rear side of the rail stopper 230. The through hole 250 may be arranged adjacent to the rear surface 232 of the rail stopper 230.

FIG. 17 illustrates that the movable rail 300 is positioned at the second rail position 300B. As shown in FIG. 17, the movable rail protrusion 330 at the second rail position 300B may be positioned to cover one side of the through hole 250. The movable rail protrusion 330 at the second rail position 300B may cover the through hole 250 in the rail receiving portion 210.

When the movable rail 300 is at the second rail position 300B, a user can access the movable rail protrusion 330 through the through hole 250 on one surface of the fixed rail 200 that is coupled to the rail fixing portion 11c, as illustrated in FIG. 20. The user can press the movable rail protrusion 330 at the second rail position 300B through the through hole 250.

The movable rail protrusion 330 may include a connecting portion 332 connected to the movable rail body 310, and a pressing portion 331 extending from the connecting portion 332. The connecting portion 332 may connect the pressing portion 331 and the movable rail body 310. The connecting portion 332 may be fixed to the movable rail body 310.

The pressing portion 331 may cover one side of the through hole 250 at the second rail position 300B. Through the through hole 250, a user can press the pressing portion 331 at the second rail position 300B.

The pressing portion 331 may be disposed on a front side of the connecting portion 332. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the connecting portion 332 may be disposed in various positions, such as on the front side or the upper and lower side of the pressing portion 331.

The movable rail protrusion 330 may be configured to include an elastically deformable material. For example, the movable rail protrusion 330 may be configured to include a plastic material. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and may be configured to include various materials.

The movable rail protrusion 330 may be provided to be elastically deformable when pressed. Particularly, the movable rail protrusion 330 at the second rail position 300B may be elastically deformed when the pressing portion 331 is pressed. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 18, a user can press the pressing portion 331 at the second rail position 300B through the through hole 250, and the position of the pressing portion 331 relative to the movable rail body 310 may change.

As illustrated in FIG. 17, the pressing portion 331 at the second rail position 300B may be positioned to be parallel in the front and rear direction with respect to the rail stopper 230. As illustrated in FIG. 18, when the pressing portion 331 is moved in the direction in which pressing portion 331 is pressed by elastic deformation, the pressing portion 331 may be moved laterally from a position parallel in the front and rear direction with respect to the rail stopper 230. In this state, when the movable rail 300 is withdrawn forward, the pressing portion 331 may be moved forward by passing through the rail stopper 230, as illustrated in FIG. 19. As illustrated in FIG. 19, after the pressing portion 331 is elastically deformed once and moved forward by a predetermined distance, the pressing portion 331 may be supported by the rail stopper 230 while passing the rail stopper 230, and may maintain the elastically deformed state. Accordingly, after the user moves the pressing portion 331 forward by the predetermined distance, the user can move the movable rail 300 forward of the fixed rail 200 without pressing the pressing portion 331 any further.

With the configuration, a user can easily separate the movable rail 300 from the fixed rail 200 by pressing the movable rail protrusion 330.

FIG. 21 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the rail stopper and the movable rail protrusion when the movable rail is mounted on the fixed rail, in the refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 21, the movable rail 300 may be mounted on the fixed rail 200 in a sliding manner.

Particularly, when the movable rail 300 in a separated state is mounted on the fixed rail 200, the movable rail 300 may be mounted on the fixed rail 200 by sliding from the front to the rear of the fixed rail 200.

For example, the rail stopper 230 may include a front surface 231 formed to be inclined with respect to the moving direction of the movable rail 300. That is, the front surface 231 of the rail stopper 230 may be formed to be inclined with respect to the front and rear direction. The front surface 231 of the rail stopper 230 may be provided on a front side of the rear surface 232.

For example, the front surface 231 of the rail stopper 230 may include an inclined surface formed to allow a thickness of the rail stopper 230 in the left and right direction to increase from the front to the rear. In other words, the front surface 231 of the rail stopper 230 may have a shape that is inclined in a direction away from the rail fixing portion 11c of the inner case 11 as the front surface 231 faces the rear side.

When the movable rail 300 is mounted on the fixed rail 200 in a sliding manner, the movable rail protrusion 330 may be moved rearward by coming into contact with the front surface 231 of the rail stopper 230. When the movable rail protrusion 330 is moved rearward, the movable rail protrusion 330 may be elastically deformed by being pressed by the front surface 231 of the rail stopper 230. Because the front surface 231 of the rail stopper 230 has an incline, an extent of elastic deformation of the movable rail protrusion 330 may increase as the movable rail protrusion 330 is moved rearward until the movable rail protrusion 330 is separated from the front surface 231 of the rail stopper 230. When the movable rail protrusion 330 is moved more rearward than the rail stopper 230, the shape of the elastically deformed movable rail protrusion 330 may be restored. Particularly, the rail stopper 230 may be provided to allow the movable rail protrusion 330 to be elastically deformed as the pressing portion 331 of the movable rail protrusion 330 is pressed.

When the movable rail 300 is moved from the front to the rear of the rail stopper 230, the movable rail protrusion 330 may be moved and elastically deformed along the front surface 231 of the rail stopper 230 without a user having to separately press the movable rail protrusion 330. Accordingly, the user can easily mount the movable rail 300 on the fixed rail 200 in a sliding manner without performing a separate operation.

Meanwhile, unlike the front surface 231 of the rail stopper 230, the rear surface 232 may not include an inclined surface. Accordingly, even when the movable rail 300 is withdrawn forward while the movable rail 300 is mounted on the fixed rail 200, the movable rail 300 may be prevented from being withdrawn forward from the rail stopper 230. In order for the movable rail 300 to be withdrawn forward from the rail stopper 230, a separate operation in which a user presses the movable rail protrusion 330 through the through hole 250 may be required.

With the configuration, a user can easily mount the movable rail 300 on the fixed rail 200 and separate the movable rail 300 from the fixed rail 200 if necessary.

FIG. 22 is a view illustrating a movable rail and a fixed rail when the movable rail is in a first rail position, in a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure when viewed from one direction.

In describing one embodiment illustrated in FIG. 22, the same configurations as those illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 21 may be given the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 22, a fixed rail 200 may include a rail stopper 1230. A movable rail 300 may include a movable rail protrusion 1330 provided to protrude from a movable rail body 310 toward the fixed rail 200. The movable rail protrusion 1330 may be in contact with the rail stopper 1230 at a second rail position 300B. The movable rail protrusion 1330 may be provided to prevent the movable rail 300 from being withdrawn more forward than the second rail position 300B with respect to the fixed rail 200.

The movable rail protrusion 1330 may be provided to be elastically deformable.

The fixed rail 200 may include a through hole 1250 penetrated toward the movable rail 300. The through hole 1250 may be provided at the rear side of the rail stopper 1230. The movable rail protrusion 1330 at the second rail position 300B may be positioned to cover one side of the through hole 1250.

The through hole 1250 may be formed on one side of the fixed rail 200 facing the inside of the inner case 11. In other words, the through hole 1250 may be formed on one side opposite to the rail fixing portion 11c of the fixed rail 200.

A user can access the movable rail protrusion 1330 at the second rail position 300B from the storage compartment 20 through the through hole 1250. The user can press the movable rail protrusion 1330 at the second rail position 300B through the through hole 1250 to the direction toward the inner wall of the inner case 11 in the storage compartment 20.

When the movable rail protrusion 1330 is elastically deformed, the movable rail protrusion 1330 may be moved to the front side of the rail stopper 1230. The user can withdraw the movable rail 300 at the second rail position 300B to the front side.

A front surface and a rear surface of the rail stopper 1230 may have features corresponding to the front surface 231 and the rear surface 232 of the rail stopper 230 described with reference to FIGS. 17 to 21, etc., and a description thereof will be omitted.

With the configuration, the user can easily separate the movable rail 300 from the fixed rail 200 by pressing the movable rail protrusion 1330. At this time, even when the fixed rail 200 is mounted on the rail fixing portion 11c of the inner case 11, the user can press the movable rail protrusion 1330 and separate the movable rail 300 from the fixed rail 200.

While the present disclosure has been particularly described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it should be understood by those of skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising: an outer case;an inner case inside the outer case and forming a storage compartment;a fixed rail on an inner wall of the inner case;a movable rail configured to be slidable along the fixed rail between a first rail position, in which the movable rail is inserted with respect to the fixed rail, and a second rail position, in which the movable rail is withdrawn from the first rail position with respect to the fixed rail; anda sliding case configured to be slidable along the movable rail between a first case position, in which the sliding case is inserted with respect to the movable rail, and a second case position, in which the sliding case is withdrawn from the first case position with respect to the movable rail, so as to be inserted into or withdrawn from the inner case,wherein the movable rail is configured to be locked and coupled to the fixed rail at the first rail position, and to be released from the fixed rail in response to the movable rail moving from the first rail position to the second rail position.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the fixed rail includes an insertion portion,wherein the movable rail includes a locking portion configured to be inserted into the insertion portion at the first rail position, so as to be locked and coupled to the insertion portion.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the insertion portion includes a pressing surface,wherein the locking portion inserted into the insertion portion is pressed by the pressing surface so as to be detached from the insertion portion in response to the movable rail being withdrawn from the first rail position.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the fixed rail includes a rail receiving portion configured to accommodate the movable rail,wherein the movable rail is configured to be slidable along the rail receiving portion between the first rail position and the second rail position,wherein the pressing surface has a slope in a direction that is closer to the rail receiving portion as the pressing surface faces forward,wherein a surface of the locking portion in contact with the pressing surface has a slope corresponding to the slope of the pressing surface.

5. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the locking portion is in an upper portion of the movable rail; andthe insertion portion is in an upper portion of the fixed rail.

6. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the locking portion includes an elastically deformable material.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the sliding case includes a guide portion configured to allow a sliding movement to be guided by the movable rail,wherein the guide portion includes a case stopper configured to prevent the sliding case from being withdrawn with respect to the movable rail at the second case position.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the case stopper is configured to press the movable rail to allow the movable rail to be released from the fixed rail in response to receiving an external force in a direction of being withdrawn from the second case position.

9. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the movable rail includes a rail roller in contact with the guide portion,wherein the case stopper is in contact with the rail roller at the second case position.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the fixed rail incudes a rail stopper,wherein the movable rail includes a movable rail body and a movable rail protrusion protruding from the movable rail body toward the fixed rail,wherein the movable rail protrusion is configured to be in contact with the rail stopper at the second rail position to prevent the movable rail from being withdrawn with respect to the fixed rail.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the fixed rail includes a through hole penetrated toward the movable rail,wherein the through hole is at a rear side of the rail stopper,wherein the movable rail protrusion at the second rail position covers one side of the through hole.

12. The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the rail stopper includes a front surface inclined with respect to a moving direction of the movable rail.

13. The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the movable rail protrusion includes an elastically deformable material.

14. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the fixed rail includes a fixed rail rib configured to be vertically inserted into the movable rail,wherein the fixed rail rib extends along a moving direction of the movable rail.

15. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the movable rail includes a movable rail rib configured to be vertically inserted into the fixed rail,wherein the movable rail rib extends along a moving direction of the movable rail.