Refrigerator with height adjustable shelf

Abstract

A height adjustable shelf for a refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a shelf with a pair of guide protrusions formed on opposite side surfaces thereof, and a plurality of guide grooves formed in opposite side surfaces of a refrigerator storage space, at a same interval as the guide protrusions such that the guide protrusions move along the guide grooves. Each of the guide grooves includes an upper end portion, a lower end portion, and a connection portion that connects the upper and lower end portions. Movement of the guide protrusions between the upper end portions and the lower end portions allows a height of the shelf to be adjusted.

1 . An adjustable shelf assembly for a refrigerator, comprising: 
 a storage surface provided in a storage space of a refrigerator, the storage surface comprising a front shelf portion and a rear shelf portion positioned adjacent to each other;    a plurality of guide protrusions formed on two opposite ends of each of the front shelf portion and the rear shelf portion; and    a plurality of guide grooves formed in two opposite interior surfaces of the storage space and configured to receive the plurality of guide protrusions therein, wherein each of the plurality of guide grooves comprises: 
 an upper end portion configured to receive and to support a corresponding guide protrusion;  
 a lower end portion configured to receive and to support the corresponding guide protrusion; and  
 a connecting portion extending between the upper end portion and the lower end portion, wherein the plurality of guide protrusions are configured to move along the plurality of guide grooves so as to adjust a position of the storage surface.  
   
   
   
       2 . The shelf assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the front shelf portion and the rear shelf portion form a substantially horizontal, planar surface when each of the plurality of guide protrusions is positioned in the upper end portion of its respective guide groove, or when each of the plurality of guide protrusions is positioned in the lower end portion of its respective guide groove.  
   
   
       3 . The shelf assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of guide protrusions comprises two pairs of front guide protrusions provided on outer edges of the front shelf portion of the storage surface, and two pairs of rear guide protrusions provided on outer edges of the rear shelf portion of the storage surface.  
   
   
       4 . The shelf assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of guide grooves comprises two pairs of front guide grooves formed provided on the two opposite interior surfaces of the storage space in positions corresponding to the two pairs of front guide protrusions, and two pairs of rear guide grooves formed provided on the two opposite interior surfaces of the storage space in positions corresponding to the two pairs of rear guide protrusions.  
   
   
       5 . The shelf assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising at least one link which extends between the front and rear guide protrusions so as to couple the front and rear shelf portions such that movement of one of the front or rear shelf portions causes a corresponding movement in the other of the front or rear shelf portion.  
   
   
       6 . The shelf assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the two pairs of front guide grooves each comprise: 
 a first front guide groove; and    a second front guide groove positioned lower than and to the rear of the first front guide groove, wherein the first and second front guide grooves each comprise:    a lower end portion configured to receive and support a corresponding guide protrusion;    an upper end portion provided above and to the rear of the lower end portion and configured to receive and support a corresponding guide protrusion; and    a connecting portion extending therebetween.    
   
   
       7 . The shelf assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the two pairs of rear guide grooves each comprise: 
 a first rear guide groove; and    a second rear guide groove positioned above and to the rear of the first rear guide groove, wherein the first and second rear guide grooves each comprise:    an upper end portion configured to receive and support a corresponding guide protrusion;    a lower end portion provided below and to the rear of the upper end portion and configured to receive and support a corresponding guide protrusion; and    a connecting portion extending therebetween.    
   
   
       8 . The shelf assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the front and rear shelf portions are positioned adjacent to one another so as to form a substantially horizontal coplanar surface when each of the front guide protrusions are positioned in the upper end portions of their respective front guide grooves, and each of the rear guide protrusions are positioned in the lower end portions of their respective rear guide grooves.  
   
   
       9 . The shelf assembly of  claim 8 , wherein, when each of the front guide protrusions are positioned in the lower end portions of their respective front guide grooves, and each of the rear guide protrusions are positioned in the upper end portions of their respective rear guide grooves, the front and rear shelf portions form two non-coploanar surfaces.  
   
   
       10 . A refrigerator comprising the shelf assembly of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       11 . A refrigerator with an adjustable shelf, comprising: 
 a plate positioned in a storage space of the refrigerator;    a plurality of protrusions extending from opposite side edges of the plate;    a plurality of guide grooves formed in opposite interior side surfaces of the storage space, wherein the plurality of guide grooves are configured to receive the plurality of protrusions therein so as to guide the protrusions along the guide grooves and adjust a position of the plate within the storage space.    
   
   
       12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of guide grooves comprises: 
 an upper end portion;    a lower end portion positioned beneath the upper end portion;    a horizontal portion extending from a front end of the lower end portion;    a first connecting portion extending at a downward incline from the upper end portion to a rear end of the horizontal portion; and    a second connecting portion extending at a downward incline from the upper end portion to a front end of the horizontal portion.    
   
   
       13 . The refrigerator of  claim 12 , wherein the lower end portion and the upper end portion of each of the plurality of guide grooves falls within the same vertical plane.