Refrigerator including door open module

Abstract

The refrigerator according to the present invention includes the multi-stage rack-and-pinion assembly including at least three gear racks that are sequentially retracted and extended in the front-rear direction, thereby securing the sufficient extension distance of the drawer assembly even within the narrow storage compartment of the refrigerator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet including one or more storage compartments;   a drawer assembly configured to open and close a front surface of the storage compartment; and   a door open module which is disposed in the storage compartment and opens the drawer assembly,   wherein the door open module includes:   a multi-stage rack-and-pinion assembly including a plurality of gear racks configured to retract and extend in a first direction; and   a gear assembly configured to transmit a driving force of a driving unit to the rack-and-pinion assembly, and   the gear assembly is disposed at one side of the rack-and-pinion assembly corresponding to a second direction intersecting the first direction.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the gear assembly includes a contact gear that meshes with the rack-and-pinion assembly, and
 the contact gear meshes with one side of the rack-and-pinion assembly.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the contact gear is positioned in a central region of the rack-and-pinion assembly in the front-rear direction. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of gear racks include a first gear rack, a second gear rack, and a third gear rack,
 the first gear rack is positioned closest to the contact gear, and   the third gear rack is positioned farthest from the contact gear.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , wherein the first gear rack includes a first pinion gear whose one side meshes with the second gear rack,
 the second gear rack includes a second pinion gear whose one side and the other side mesh with the first gear rack and the third gear rack, respectively, and   the first pinion gear and the second pinion gear are positioned to be biased to one side of the rack-and-pinion assembly adjacent to the contact gear.   
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein the door open module further includes a support gear rack meshed with the other side of the first pinion gear, and
 the support gear rack is positioned in front of the contact gear.   
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein the first pinion gear and the second pinion gear are positioned in front of the contact gear. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein the first pinion gear and the second pinion gear are disposed to overlap each other in the second direction. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the contact gear is positioned on the same layer as the first pinion gear and the second pinion gear in the vertical direction. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein the contact gear, the first pinion gear, and the second pinion gear are disposed to overlap each other in the second direction. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein the contact gear is disposed on a different layer from the first pinion gear in a vertical direction, and
 at least a portion of the contact gear is positioned on the same layer as the second pinion gear in the vertical direction.   
     
     
         12 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet including one or more storage compartments;   a drawer assembly configured to open and close a front surface of the storage compartment; and   a door open module which is disposed in the storage compartment and opens the drawer assembly,   wherein the door open module includes a multi-stage rack-and-pinion assembly including a first gear rack, a second gear rack, and a third gear rack that retracts and extends in a front-rear direction,   the first gear rack includes a first pinion gear meshed with one side surface of the second gear rack, and   the second gear rack includes a second pinion gear meshed with one side surface of the first gear rack and one side surface of the third gear rack.   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 12 , wherein the door open module includes:
 a driving unit;   a contact gear configured to transmit a driving force of the driving unit to the rack-and-pinion assembly; and   a support gear rack meshed with the first pinion gear, and   the contact gear meshes with one side surface of the first gear rack.   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein a maximum extension distance increases in the order of the first gear rack, the second gear rack, and the third gear rack. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein a length of the rack-and-pinion assembly in the first direction corresponds to the sum of:
 a first distance (A) between a rear end of the first gear rack and a center of the contact gear in a state in which the gear racks are fully extended;   a second distance (B) between the center of the contact gear and a center of the first pinion gear in a state in which the gear racks are not extended;   a third distance (C) between a front end of the support gear rack and the center of the first pinion gear in a state in which the gear racks are fully extended; and   a distance (L 2 ) that is twice a maximum movable distance (L) of the first gear rack.   
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 15 , wherein the maximum movable distance (L) of the first gear rack is equal to a first extension distance (S 1 ) of the first gear rack. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 16 , wherein, when front ends of the first gear rack, the second gear rack, and the third gear rack coincide in a state in which the rack-and-pinion assembly is not driven,
 in the state in which the gear racks are fully extended, a second extension distance (S 2 ) of the second gear rack, which is extended farther than the front end of the first gear rack, is equal to the first extension distance (S 1 ).   
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 17 , wherein, in the state in which the gear racks are fully extended, a third extension distance (S 3 ) of the third gear rack, which is extended farther than the front end of the second gear rack, is equal to the first extension distance (S 1 ). 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 16 , wherein, in a state in which the rack-and-pinion assembly is not driven, a front end of the first gear rack and a front end of the second gear rack are positioned behind a front end of the third gear rack. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein, in a state in which the rack-and-pinion assembly is not driven, the contact gear is positioned in a center region of the first gear rack in a front-rear direction.