Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator in which a support connecting both rear ends of a rail assembly to each other is provided to maintain a state in which the rail assembly is perpendicular to a support. Thus, when a slidable door is closed, it may reduce the likelihood of a gap between the door and a cabinet from occurring so that the door is closely attached to the cabinet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a main body defining a storage space;   a sliding door disposed at the storage space and configured to slide away from and toward the storage space to open and close the storage space;   a pair of rail assemblies that are configured to guide sliding of the sliding door and that include a first rail assembly disposed at a first side of the main body and a second rail assembly disposed at a second side of the main body that is opposite of the first side of the main body, a front end of the first rail assembly being connected to the sliding door and a front end of the second rail assembly being connected to the sliding door; and   a support connecting a rear end of the first rail assembly to a rear end of the second rail assembly, the rear end of the first rail assembly being opposite of the front end of the first rail assembly and the rear end of the second rail assembly being opposite of the front end of the second rail assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 :
 wherein the first rail assembly comprises:
 a first rail unit that extends in multiple stages; and 
 a first rail connector mounted on the first rail unit, the first rail connector being connected to a first side of a back surface of the sliding door; and 
   wherein the second rail assembly comprises:
 a second rail unit that extends in multiple stages; and 
 a second rail connector mounted on the second rail unit, the second rail connector being connected to a second side of the back surface of the sliding door. 
   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein a front end of the first rail unit is connected to a first end of a frame disposed on the sliding door and a front end of the second rail unit is connected to a second end of the frame disposed on the sliding door, the second end of the frame being opposite of the first end of the frame. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , further comprising a frame that connects the first rail unit to the second rail unit and that is disposed on a back surface of the sliding door,
 wherein the frame, the first and second rail units, and the support are coupled to each other to define a square frame shape.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , further comprising a first support mounting part on which the support is mounted on a rear end of the first rail connector and a second support mounting part on which the support is mounted on a rear end of the second rail connector. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein the first support mounting part comprises a first insertion hole in which a first insertion end protruding from the support is inserted and the second support mounting part comprises a second insertion hole in which a second insertion end protruding from the support is inserted. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , further comprising a first bent part that is disposed at the first insertion end, that is bent downward, and that receives a screw passing through the first support mounting part and a second bent part that is disposed at the second insertion end, that is bent downward, and that receives a screw passing through the second support mounting part. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein the support is fixed and mounted to the first rail connector by a screw coupled to pass through the first support mounting part and the support is fixed and mounted to the second rail connector by a screw coupled to pass through the second support mounting part. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a first stabilizing member mounting part disposed on the first rail connector;   a second stabilizing member mounting part disposed on the second rail connector; and   a stabilizing member configured to reduce shaking of the sliding door when the sliding door is withdrawn, a first end of the stabilizing member being connected to the first stabilizing member mounting part and a second end of the stabilizing member being connected to the second stabilizing member mounting part.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 9 , wherein the stabilizing member comprises a first pinion rotatably fixed to the first stabilizing member mounting part, a second pinion rotatably fixed to the second stabilizing member mounting part, and a shaft connecting the first pinion to the second pinion. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 10 , wherein the first stabilizing member mounting part has a mounting hole in which the first pinion is rotatably mounted and the second stabilizing member mounting part has a mounting hole in which the second pinion is rotatably mounted. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator according to  claim 10 , wherein a first shaft insertion part configured to receive a first end of the shaft extends inward from the first pinion and a second shaft insertion part configured to receive a second end of the shaft extends inward from the second pinion,
 wherein the first shaft insertion part is disposed so that the shaft is horizontally shaken in a state where the first end of the shaft is received in the first shaft insertion part,   wherein the second shaft insertion part is disposed so that the shaft is horizontally shaken in a state where the second end of the shaft is received in the second shaft insertion part, and   when the shaft is mounted, the shaft is inserted first into the first shaft insertion part of the first pinion, and then is inserted into the second shaft insertion part of the second pinion and is fixed.   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein a basket configured to receive one or more food items is seated on the first rail connector and the second rail connector. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a first withdrawal rail that is part of the first rail unit and that is withdrawn when the first rail unit is withdrawn;   a second withdrawal rail that is part of the second rail unit and that is withdrawn when the second rail unit is withdrawn;   a first fixing part that is disposed on the first rail connector, that extends downward from the first rail connector, and that inserts downward from an upper side into a side of the first withdrawal rail; and   a second fixing part that is disposed on the second rail connector, that extends downward from the second rail connector, and that inserts downward from an upper side into a side of the second withdrawal rail.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the first rail assembly further comprises a first rail holder on which the first rail unit is mounted, the first rail holder being fixed to a first inner wall of the storage space; and
 wherein the second rail assembly further comprises a second rail holder on which the second rail unit is mounted, the second rail holder being fixed to a second inner wall of the storage space.   
     
     
         16 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a refrigerating compartment;   a freezing compartment;   a barrier that separates the refrigerating compartment from the freezing compartment;   a sliding door disposed at the freezing compartment and configured to slide away from and toward the freezing compartment to open and close the freezing compartment;   a frame disposed on a back surface of the sliding door that faces the freezing compartment;   a first rail assembly disposed at a first side of the freezing compartment, a front end of the first rail assembly being connected to a first end of the frame disposed on the back surface of the sliding door;   a second rail assembly disposed at a second side of the freezing compartment that is opposite of the first side of the freezing compartment, a front end of the second rail assembly being connected to a second end of the frame disposed on the back surface of the sliding door that is opposite of the first end of the frame; and   a support that connects a rear end of the first rail assembly to a rear end of the second rail assembly, the rear end of the first rail assembly being opposite of the front end of the first rail assembly and the rear end of the second rail assembly being opposite of the front end of the second rail assembly,   wherein the frame, the first rail assembly, the second rail assembly, and the support are coupled to each other to define a square frame shape.   
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator according to  claim 16 :
 wherein the first rail assembly comprises:
 a first rail unit that extends in multiple stages; and 
 a first rail connector mounted on the first rail unit, the first rail connector being connected to the first end of the frame; and 
   wherein the second rail assembly comprises:
 a second rail unit that extends in multiple stages; and 
 a second rail connector mounted on the second rail unit, the second rail connector being connected to the second end of the frame. 
   
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a first stabilizing member mounting part disposed on the first rail assembly;   a second stabilizing member mounting part disposed on the second rail assembly; and   a stabilizing member configured to reduce shaking of the sliding door when the sliding door is withdrawn, a first end of the stabilizing member being connected to the first stabilizing member mounting part and a second end of the stabilizing member being connected to the second stabilizing member mounting part.   
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator according to  claim 18 , wherein the stabilizing member comprises a first pinion rotatably fixed to the first stabilizing member mounting part, a second pinion rotatably fixed to the second stabilizing member mounting part, and a shaft connecting the first pinion to the second pinion. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator according to  claim 19 , wherein the first stabilizing member mounting part has a mounting hole in which the first pinion is rotatably mounted and the second stabilizing member mounting part has a mounting hole in which the second pinion is rotatably mounted.