Refrigerator with height adjustable shelf

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a height adjustable shelf. The refrigerator according to the present invention comprises a shelf 200 with a pair of guide protrusions 210 formed on each of both side surfaces of the shelf; and a plurality of guide grooves 240 formed in each of both side surfaces of a refrigerator storage space at the same interval as the guide protrusions, wherein the guide protrusions are guided along the guide grooves, respectively. Each of the guide grooves 240 includes an upper end portion 242 in which the guide protrusion is seated and supported, a lower end portion 244 in which the guide protrusion is seated and supported, the lower end portion being in a lower position than the upper end portion, and a connecting portion 248 formed to connect the upper and lower end portions. The guide protrusions 210 are supported in any ones of the upper end portions 242 and the lower end portions 244 , so that the height of the shelf 200 can be adjusted.

1 . A refrigerator with a height adjustable shelf, comprising: 
 the shelf with a plurality of guide protrusions formed on each of both side surfaces thereof; and    a plurality of guide grooves formed in each of both side surfaces of a refrigerator storage space at the same interval as the guide protrusions,    wherein the guide protrusions are guide along the guide grooves; each of the guide grooves includes an upper end portion in which the guide protrusion is seated and supported, a lower end portion in which the guide protrusion is seated and supported, and a connecting portion formed to connect the upper and lower end portions; and the lower end portion is in a lower position than the upper end portion.    
   
   
       2 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the guide groove further includes a horizontal portion horizontally formed in front of the lower end portion, and the connecting portion is formed to be downwardly inclined forward from the upper end portion and meets the horizontal portion at a front portion of the connecting portion.  
   
   
       3 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the connecting portion includes a first connecting portion formed to be downwardly inclined rearward from the upper end portion and meet a front end of the horizontal portion, and a second connecting portion formed to be downwardly inclined rearward from the upper end portion and meet an intermediate portion of the horizontal portion.  
   
   
       4 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a pair of the guide grooves are formed in each of both the side surfaces of the refrigerator storage space and a pair of the guide protrusions are formed on each of both the side surfaces of the shelf.  
   
   
       5 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a handle gripped by a user when pulling out the shelf is formed on a front end of the height adjustable shelf.  
   
   
       6 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the handle is formed to be inclined downward.  
   
   
       7 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the upper end portion of the guide groove is formed slightly downward more than a front portion of the upper end portion.  
   
   
       8 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the upper end portion of the guide groove is formed partially horizontal together with a front portion of the upper end portion.  
   
   
       9 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the guide protrusion is elastically supported outward by a spring on each of both the side surfaces of the height adjustable shelf.  
   
   
       10 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a roller is installed on an outside surface of the guide protrusion to be brought into rolling contact with the guide groove.  
   
   
       11 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the guide protrusions are formed on each of both the side surfaces of the shelf at slightly front portions of middle and rear end portions of the shelf.  
   
   
       12 . A refrigerator, comprising: 
 a front shelf with a plurality of guide protrusions formed on each of both side surfaces of the front shelf at a certain interval;    a rear shelf with a plurality of guide protrusions formed on each of both side surfaces of the rear shelf at a certain interval, the rear shelf being positioned in the rear of the front shelf;    a connecting means for the rear shelf to cooperate with the front shelf when the front shelf is pulled out; and    a plurality of guide grooves formed in each of both side surfaces of a refrigerator storage space at the same interval as the guide protrusions,    wherein the guide protrusions of the front shelf and the rear shelf are guided along the guide grooves, respectively;    each of the guide grooves includes a plurality of front guide grooves and a plurality of rear guide grooves;    each of the front guide grooves comprising an upper end portion in which the guide protrusion of the front shelf is seated and supported, a lower end portion in which the guide protrusion of the front shelf is seated and supported, the lower end portion being in front of the upper end portion, and a connecting portion formed to connect the upper end portion and the lower end portion; and    each of the rear guide grooves comprising an upper end portion in which the guide protrusion of the rear shelf is seated and supported, a lower end portion in which the guide protrusion of the rear shelf is seated and supported, the lower end portion being in rear of the upper end portion, and a connecting portion formed to connect the upper end portion and the lower end portion.    
   
   
       13 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein a pair of the guide protrusions are formed on each of both the side surfaces of each of the front and rear shelves, and a pair of the front guide grooves and a pair of the rear guide grooves are formed in each of both the side surfaces of the refrigerator storage space.  
   
   
       14 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the guide protrusions are formed on each of both the side surfaces of the front and rear shelves at slightly front portions of middle and rear end portions of the shelves.  
   
   
       15 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the connecting means includes a plate shaped link for pivotably connecting the guide protrusion formed on a rearmost portion of the front shelf and the guide protrusion formed on a foremost portion of the front shelf to each other.  
   
   
       16 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the upper end portion of the front guide groove and the lower end portion of the rear guide groove are formed at the same height.  
   
   
       17 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the link has a length corresponding to an interval between the lower end portion of the front guide groove formed at a rearmost position among the front guide grooves and the upper end portion of the rear guide groove formed at a foremost position among the rear guide grooves.  
   
   
       18 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein a handle is formed on a front end of the front shelf to allow a user to easily pull out the front shelf forward.  
   
   
       19 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the handle is formed to be inclined downward.  
   
   
       20 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the upper end portion of the guide groove is formed slightly downward more than a front portion of the upper end portion.  
   
   
       21 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the upper end portion of the guide groove is formed partially horizontal together with a front portion of the upper end portion.  
   
   
       22 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the guide protrusion is elastically supported outward by a spring on each of both the side surfaces of the height adjustable shelf.  
   
   
       23 . The refrigerator as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein a roller is installed on an outside surface of the guide protrusion, the roller being in rolling contact with an interior of the guide groove.