Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator having a storage container adapted to be forwardly openable, a cover member installed to be movable with respect to the storage container, and adapted to open the storage container in a forwardly moved state of the storage container, and to close the storage container in a rearwardly moved state of the storage container, a plate member fixed to an inner wall of the refrigerator, and operating levers hingeably mounted on the plate member, and adapted to operatively connect the storage container and the cover member. It is possible to put food having a large size into the storage container and to remove food stored in a rear inner portion of the storage container, thereby securing the utility of the large-size storage container while providing an improved convenience in use to the user, and thus, an improved satisfaction to the user.

1 . A refrigerator comprising: 
 a storage container adapted to be openable in a first direction;    a cover, installed to be movable with respect to the storage container, the cover being adapted to open the storage container when the storage container is moved in the first direction, and to close the storage container when the storage container is moved opposite the first direction; and    a connector adapted to connect the storage container and the cover.    
   
   
       2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises: 
 a plate member fixed to an inner wall of the refrigerator; and    a cover member arranged on a first surface of the plate member.    
   
   
       3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the connector comprises: 
 at least one operating lever provided with a hinge hole, and two slots arranged at opposite sides of the hinge hole; and    a plurality of pins comprising a hinge pin provided at the plate member and coupled with the hinge hole of the operating lever, a storage container connecting pin provided at a first end of the storage container and coupled with one of the slots, and a cover member connecting pin provided at the cover member and coupled with the remaining one of the slots.    
   
   
       4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the cover member has a length in the first direction shorter than a length of the storage container in the first direction, while having a convex structure to allow the operating lever to be hingeably movable within the convex structure.  
   
   
       5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the plate member covers a portion of the container body not covered by the cover member.  
   
   
       6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein a distance in the first direction of the portion of the container body not covered by the cover member is equal to a distance the cover member is moved in response to movement of the storage container.  
   
   
       7 . A storage container comprising: 
 a container body adapted to be openable in a first direction;    a cover, installed to be movable with respect to the container body, the cover being adapted to open the container body when the container body is moved in the first direction, and to close the container body when the container body is moved opposite the first direction; and    a connector adapted to connect the container body and the cover.    
   
   
       8 . The storage container according to  claim 7 , wherein the cover comprises: 
 a plate member fixed to a region where the container body is installed; and    a cover member arranged on a first surface of the plate member.    
   
   
       9 . The storage container according to  claim 7 , wherein the connector comprises: 
 at least one operating lever provided with a hinge hole, and two slots arranged at opposite sides of the hinge hole; and    a plurality of pins comprising a hinge pin provided at the plate member and coupled with the hinge hole of the operating lever, a container body connecting pin provided at a first end of the container body and coupled with one of the slots, and a cover member connecting pin provided at the cover member and coupled with the remaining one of the slots.    
   
   
       10 . The storage container according to  claim 8 , wherein the cover member has a length in the first direction shorter than a length of the container body in the first direction, while having a convex structure to allow the operating lever to be hingeably movable within the convex structure.  
   
   
       11 . A storage container for a refrigerator, comprising: 
 a container body to store items, connected with the refrigerator, being movable relative to the refrigerator, and having an opening;    a cover member, movable relative to the refrigerator and covering at least a portion of the opening of the container body; and    a connector, movably connecting the cover member and the container body such that movement of one of the cover member and the container body in a first direction induces movement of the remaining one of the cover member and the container body opposite the first direction.    
   
   
       12 . The storage container according to  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 a plate member fixedly connected with the refrigerator, wherein the cover member and the container body move relative to the plate member.    
   
   
       13 . The storage container according to  claim 12 , wherein the connector comprises: 
 a container body connecting pin positioned on the container body;    a hinge pin positioned on the plate member;    a cover member connecting pin disposed on the cover member; and    an operating lever having a hinge hole moveably engaging the hinge pin, and a pair of slots disposed oppositely on the operating lever with respect to the hinge hole, each slot movably engaging one of the container body connecting pin and the cover member connecting pin.    
   
   
       14 . The storage container according to  claim 13 , wherein the container body connecting pin, the hinge pin, the cover member connecting pin, and the slots are positioned such that a revealed distance of the opening, as measured in the first direction, is proportionally greater than a distance the one of the cover member and the container body is moved in the first direction.  
   
   
       15 . The storage container according to  claim 14 , wherein the revealed distance is twice the distance the one of the cover member and the container body is moved in the first direction.  
   
   
       16 . The storage container according to  claim 12 , wherein the plate member covers a portion of the container body not covered by the cover member.  
   
   
       17 . The storage container according to  claim 16 , wherein a distance in the first direction of the portion of the container body not covered by the cover member is equal to a distance the cover member is moved in response to movement of the storage container.  
   
   
       18 . A storage container for a refrigerator, comprising: 
 a plate member connected with the refrigerator;    a container body to store items, the container body being movable relative to the plate member;    a cover member movable relative to the plate member; and    a connector, movably connected with the plate member, and movably connecting the cover member and the container body such that movement of one of the cover member and the container body in a first direction induces movement of the remaining one of the cover member and the container body opposite the first direction.    
   
   
       19 . A storage container for a refrigerator, comprising: 
 a plate member connected with the refrigerator;    a container body to store items, the container body being movable relative to the plate member and having an opening;    a cover, member movable relative to the plate member and covering a portion of the opening; and    a connector, movably connected with the plate member, and movably connecting the cover member and the container body such that when one of the cover member and the container body is moved in a first direction to reveal the opening, a revealed distance of the opening, as measured in the first direction, is proportionally greater than a distance the one of the cover member and the container body is moved in the first direction.    
   
   
       20 . The storage container according to  claim 19 , wherein the revealed distance is twice the distance the one of the cover member and the container body is moved in the first direction.  
   
   
       21 . A storage container for a refrigerator, comprising: 
 a plate member connected with the refrigerator;    a container body to store items, the container body being movable relative to the plate member along a first axis and having an opening;    a cover, member movable relative to the plate member along the first axis; and    a connector, movably connected with the plate member, and movably connecting the cover member and the container body to move in opposing directions and selectively reveal and cover a portion of the opening such that a distance the opening is one of revealed and covered, measured along the first axis, is proportionally greater than a distance one of the cover member and the container body is moved along the first axis.    
   
   
       22 . The storage container according to  claim 21 , wherein the distance the opening is one of revealed and covered is twice the distance the one of the cover member and the container body is moved along the first axis.