Drawer type door and refrigerator having the same

Abstract

Disclosed is a refrigerator having a plurality of drawer-type doors installed in a transverse direction in parallel to each other. The refrigerator includes a body provided at left and right portions thereof with a plurality of storage chambers which are aligned in parallel to each other to store materials therein, and a plurality of drawer-type doors installed in the storage chambers and capable of being moved forward or backward. A step difference adjusting device is provided to adjust installation positions of the drawer-type doors to reduce a step difference between adjacent drawer-type doors.

1 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a body provided at left and right portions thereof with a plurality of storage chambers which are aligned in parallel with respect to each other to store materials therein;   a plurality of drawer-type doors installed in the storage chambers capable of moving forward or backward; and   a step difference adjusting device that adjusts installation positions of the drawer-type doors to reduce a step difference between adjacent drawer-type doors.   
   
   
       2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein each drawer-type door includes a cover that covers a front side of one of the storage chambers so as to close the storage chamber, a storage container which is opened upward to store the materials therein, and a support frame having a front end coupled with the cover so as to support the storage container installed thereon, and wherein the step difference adjusting device adjusts an installation position of the support frame coupled with the cover in upward and downward directions. 
   
   
       3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , the step difference adjusting device comprising a step difference adjusting cam, which is rotatably installed on the cover and formed in a rotational direction thereof with a plurality of cam surfaces in which distances between a rotational center of the step difference adjusting cam and the cam surfaces are different from each other, the support frame being coupled to the cover while being supported on one of the cam surfaces. 
   
   
       4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 3 , the step difference adjusting device further comprising a cam installation screw rotatably coupling the step difference adjusting cam with the cover, the cam installation screw including a head section on which a rear surface of the step difference adjusting cam is supported, a male screw section provided at another side of the head section and formed with a male screw which is screw-coupled into the cover, and a hinge section having a circular sectional shape and being provided between the head section and the male screw section so as to rotatably install the step difference adjusting cam. 
   
   
       5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein the step difference adjusting cam includes a support protrusion which extends in a forward direction to allow the step difference adjusting cam to be selectively rotated when the cam installation screw is partially released, and a rear surface of the cover includes a plurality of support holes formed in a circumferential direction and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance so as to support the support protrusion inserted into at least one of the support holes in a state in which the cam installation screw is completely screwed into the cover. 
   
   
       6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 3 , wherein the support frame comprises an installation section coupled with the cover and supported by one of the cam surfaces formed on the step difference adjusting cam, a pair of side support sections extending in a rearward direction from the installation section so as to support both sides of the storage container, and a rear support section connecting rear end portions of the side support sections to each other so as to support a rear surface of the storage container. 
   
   
       7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein the installation section includes a through hole, through which the step difference adjusting cam is inserted, and a support rib extending from a portion adjacent to the through hole and being supported on one of the cam surfaces formed on the step difference adjusting cam. 
   
   
       8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein a storage chamber rail is provided at both sides of the storage chamber to allow the drawer-type door to move in a forward direction or a backward direction, and door rails are provided in the side support sections, respectively, the door rails being installed on the storage chamber rails to move in a forward direction or a backward direction. 
   
   
       9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein the installation section includes a fixing installation part fixedly installed on one side of a rear surface of the cover, and a variable installation part installed on the other side of the rear surface of the cover, the step difference adjusting device being installed on the variable installation part to change an installation position of the variable installation part in a longitudinal direction by rotating the variable installation part about and with respect to the fixing installation part. 
   
   
       10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein the installation section is formed with a temporal assembling slot longitudinally formed in the installation section, an upper portion of the temporal assembling slot being opened to allow the cover to be temporarily assembled with the support frame. 
   
   
       11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 10 , wherein a temporal assembling screw is installed at a rear surface of the cover, a head section of the temporal assembling screw being spaced apart from the rear surface of the cover by a predetermined distance, the temporal assembling screw being coupled into the temporal assembling slot through an upper portion of the temporal assembling slot. 
   
   
       12 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein a coupling slot is formed in the installation section and a coupling screw is screw-coupled into the coupling slot, in which the coupling slot is prepared in a form of a longitudinal elongation slot. 
   
   
       13 . A drawer-type door installed in one of a plurality of storage chambers aligned at left and right locations in parallel with respect to each other to store materials therein, and movable in a forward direction or a backward direction in the storage chambers, the drawer-type door comprising:
 a cover covering a front side of one of the storage chambers to open and close the storage chamber;   a storage container opening in an upward direction to store materials therein, a support frame having a front end coupled with the cover to support the storage container installed thereon, and   a step difference adjusting device adjusting an installation position of the support frame coupled with the cover in upward and downward directions to reduce a step difference between adjacent drawer-type doors.   
   
   
       14 . The drawer-type door as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the step difference adjusting device includes a step difference adjusting cam rotatably installed on the cover and formed in a rotational direction thereof with a plurality of cam surfaces in which distances between a rotational center of the step difference adjusting cam and the cam surfaces are different from each other, and a cam installation screw rotatably coupling the step difference adjusting cam with the cover, and
 wherein the support frame is coupled to the cover while being supported on one of the cam surfaces formed on the step difference adjusting cam.   
   
   
       15 . The drawer-type door as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the cam installation screw includes a head section on which a rear surface of the step difference adjusting cam is supported when the cam installation screw is coupled with the step difference adjusting cam, a male screw section provided at an other side of the head section and formed with a male screw which is screw-coupled into the cover, and a hinge section having a circular sectional shape and being provided between the head section and the male screw section to rotatably install the step difference adjusting cam. 
   
   
       16 . The drawer-type door as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the step difference adjusting cam is provided with a support protrusion which extends in a forward direction from a side surface of the step difference adjusting cam to allow the step difference adjusting cam to be selectively rotated only when the cam installation screw is partially released, and a plurality of support holes are formed at a rear surface of the cover in a circumferential direction and are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance to support the support protrusion when the support protrusion is inserted into one of the support holes. 
   
   
       17 . The drawer-type door as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the support frame includes an installation section coupled with the cover and supported by one of the cam surfaces formed on the step difference adjusting cam, a pair of side support sections extending in a rearward direction from the installation section to support both sides of the storage container, and a rear support section connecting rear end portions of the side support sections to each other to support a rear surface of the storage container. 
   
   
       18 . The drawer-type door as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the installation section includes a through hole through which the step difference adjusting cam is inserted, and a support rib extending from a portion adjacent to the through hole and being supported on one of the cam surfaces formed in the step difference adjusting cam. 
   
   
       19 . The drawer-type door as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the installation section includes a fixing installation section fixedly installed on one side of the rear surface of the cover, and a variable installation section installed on the other side of the rear surface of the cover, the step difference adjusting device being installed on the variable installation section to change an installation position of the variable installation section in a longitudinal direction by rotating the variable installation part about and with respect to the fixing installation part. 
   
   
       20 . The drawer-type door as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the installation section is formed with a temporal assembling slot longitudinally formed in the installation section and an upper portion of the temporal assembling slot is opened to allow the cover to be temporarily assembled with the support frame, and a temporal assembling screw is installed at the rear surface of the cover, a head section of the temporal assembling screw being spaced apart from the rear surface of the cover by a predetermined distance, and being coupled into the temporal assembling slot through the upper portion of the temporal assembling slot. 
   
   
       21 . The drawer-type door as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein a coupling slot is formed in the installation section and a coupling screw is screw-coupled into the coupling slot, the coupling slot being formed as a longitudinal elongation hole. 
   
   
       22 . A drawer-type door installed in one of a plurality of storage chambers holding a storage container, the drawer-type door comprising:
 a cover covering a front side of one of the storage chambers;   a support frame coupled with the cover to support the storage container; and   a step difference adjusting device adjusting an installation position of the support frame and concurrently adjusting the height of the cover.   
   
   
       23 . The drawer-type door according to  claim 22 , wherein the step difference adjusting device includes a cam having a plurality of cam surfaces. 
   
   
       24 . The drawer-type door according to  claim 23 , wherein at least two of the cam surfaces vary in length such that the height of the cover can be increased or decreased according to the rotation of the cam onto a specific one of the cam surfaces with respect to the support frame.