Abstract:
The present invention relates to a door-basket structure adapted to be inserted in a refrigerator, including a basket body installed slidably in a fore and aft direction at a rear surface of a door and having an upper surface in the form of a rack horizontally extended, the basket body adapted to store foodstuffs therein, a basket cover pivotably installed at an upper portion of the basket body so as to selectively open and close the interior of the basket body, the basket cover having a lower surface in the form of a pinion. The rack is adapted to interlock continuously with the pinion at every moment to allow the basket cover to be opened and closed in cooperation with movement of the basket body.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This is a Continuation of pending U.S. application Ser. No. 11/204,173, filed on Aug. 16, 2005, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Application No. 10-2004-0075782 filed in the Republic of Korea on Sep. 22, 2004, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a door-basket structure of a refrigerator, which is installed on a rear surface of a refrigerator door and used as a space for storing foodstuffs. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    Generally, a refrigerator comprises a freezing chamber for storing an icemaker container and frozen foodstuffs at a predetermined temperature, and a refrigerating chamber for accommodating objects to be refrigerated. The refrigerator includes therein a refrigeration cycle unit operated according to a refrigeration cycle of compression, condensation, expansion and evaporation, so that the refrigerator can keep its interiors to be in a freezing state and a refrigerating state since heat is absorbed by an evaporator installed in a circulation circuit of the refrigeration cycle unit. 
         [0006]    A conventional refrigerator generally has a refrigerating chamber, and a freezing chamber installed above the refrigerating chamber. However, among large-sized refrigerators with large capacity, a side-by-side type refrigerator of which a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber are installed at the right and left sides to store a lot of foodstuffs has been recently popularized. 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional side-by-side type refrigerator. 
         [0008]    As shown in the figure, the conventional refrigerator comprises a main body  10  in which a storage space  12  for accommodating and storing foodstuffs is formed. The storage space  12  generally consists of a freezing chamber for storing foodstuffs in a frozen state and a refrigerating chamber for storing foodstuffs in a refrigerated state. That is, the interior of the main body  10  is divided into right and left sides by a partition wall  14  vertically formed within the main body  10 , so that the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber are defined, respectively. 
         [0009]    Doors  16  are provided at a front face of the storage space  12  so as to selectively open and close the respective interiors of the storage space  12 . A display  18  is formed on a front surface of one of the doors  16 . The display  18  is a portion that displays conditions of the storage space  12  or allows a user to control the conditions of the storage space  12 . 
         [0010]    Door-baskets  20  for accommodating foodstuffs are provided on rear surfaces of the doors  16 . The plurality of door-baskets  20  are provided to be vertically spaced apart by predetermined distances from one another, and foodstuffs are put and stored in the door-baskets  20 . In the meantime, among the door-baskets  20 , a door-basket  20 ′ formed at the uppermost end of the door  16  is further provided with a basket cover  20 ′ a.    
         [0011]    However, the prior art has the following problems. That is, since the door-basket  20 ′ formed at the uppermost end of the door  16  is provided with the basket cover  20 ′ a , the basket cover  20 ′ a  should be opened to allow a user to take out foodstuffs accommodated in the door-basket  20 ′ or to put foodstuffs therein. 
         [0012]    However, since the basket cover  20 ′ a  is installed at the uppermost end of the door  16 , it is difficult for a user to open such a basket cover  20 ′ a . Furthermore, it is more difficult for a short user to do so. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    Accordingly, the present invention is conceived to solve the aforementioned problems in the prior art. An object of the present invention is to provide a door-basket structure of a refrigerator, wherein a basket cover is automatically opened when a basket body is drawn out. 
         [0014]    According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the object, there is provided a door-basket structure of a refrigerator, comprising: a basket body that is installed slidably in a fore and aft direction at a rear surface of a door and accommodates and stores foodstuffs therein; a basket cover pivotably installed at an upper portion of the basket body so as to selectively open and close the interior of the basket body; and an interlocking means for allowing the basket cover to be opened and closed in cooperation with the basket body. 
         [0015]    The interlocking means may comprise a rack portion and a pinion portion formed on the basket body and the basket cover to have complementary shapes, wherein the rack portion and the pinion portion are engaged with each other. 
         [0016]    The rack portion may be formed integrally with an upper end portion of the basket body, and the pinion portion may be formed integrally with a side surface of the basket cover. 
         [0017]    The interlocking means may forcibly open the basket cover when the basket body is drawn out forward (rearward of the door). 
         [0018]    According to the present invention thus constructed, there is an advantage in that it is easy to take out foodstuffs from the door-basket or to accommodate foodstuffs therein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a conventional side-by-side type refrigerator; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing an inner configuration of a refrigerator in which a door-basket structure according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is employed; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a side view showing a configuration of the door-basket structure of a refrigerator according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a side view showing a state where a basket cover of the door-basket structure according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is opened. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0024]    Hereinafter, a door-basket structure of a refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  shows the interior of a refrigerator in which the door-basket structure of a refrigerator according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is employed; and  FIGS. 3 and 4  show a side face of the door-basket structure of a refrigerator according to the present invention. 
         [0026]    Referring to the figures, a barrier  42  partitions a storage space of a refrigerator body  40  into a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber in a side-by-side relationship. In general, the freezing chamber  43  is positioned on the left side and the refrigerating chamber  45  is positioned on the right side. In addition to a case where the freezing and refrigerating chambers  43  and  45  are positioned side by side on the left and right sides, respectively, as shown in the figure, the freezing and refrigerating chambers  43  and  45  may be provided on upper and lower sides. 
         [0027]    In the meantime, an additional vegetable chamber  47  is provided at a lower portion of the refrigerating chamber  45 , and shelves  48  on which stored goods are seated are installed to the respective freezing and refrigerating chambers  43  and  45 . The plurality of shelves  48  are installed to be spaced apart by predetermined distances from one another according to the size of the storage space, thereby partitioning the storage space to store a lot of goods therein. 
         [0028]    There are provided doors  50  for covering and selectively opening and closing the interior of the refrigerator, i.e., the storage space. The doors  50  of the refrigerator are installed at a front face of the refrigerator body  40 . The doors  50  are divided into a freezing chamber door  50 ′ for opening and closing the freezing chamber  43 , and a refrigerating chamber door  50 ″ for opening and closing the refrigerating chamber  45 . 
         [0029]    Door-baskets  52  for storing goods therein are provided on rear surfaces of the doors  50 . That is, the plurality of door-baskets  52  for accommodating foodstuffs therein are provided to be vertically spaced apart by predetermined distances from one another on the rear surfaces of the doors  50 . 
         [0030]    The refrigerating chamber door  50 ″ is equipped with a home-bar  54  that can easily accommodate goods to be stored therein. The home-bar  54  is generally provided at an upper portion of the refrigerator so that a user can take out the goods stored therein without bending the user&#39;s body. 
         [0031]    In the meantime, a door-basket  52 ′ positioned at the uppermost end of the refrigerating chamber door  50 ″ comprises a basket body  60  and a basket cover  62 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The basket cover  62  is opened and closed in cooperation with the basket body  60  through an interlocking means  70 . That is, the basket cover  62  is opened when the basket body  60  is drawn out forward (i.e., rearward of the door). 
         [0032]    More specifically, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the basket body  60  is formed in a hexahedral shape with an open top face, and slidably installed at the rear surface of the refrigerating chamber door  50 ″. That is, guide protrusions  64  are formed on side surfaces of the basket body  60 , and sliding guides  66  in which the guide protrusions  64  are accommodated are formed in the rear surface of the refrigerating chamber door  50 ″. Foodstuffs F such as milk products are received and stored in the basket body  60 . 
         [0033]    A rack portion  72  is formed at an upper end of each of side surfaces of the basket body  60 . In general, a rack is a straight bar on which teeth are formed. The rack is engaged with a pinion that is a kind of small-sized gear, thereby transmitting a rotational motion to a linear motion. 
         [0034]    It is preferred that the rack portion  72  be formed only at the upper end of the basket body  60 . The rack portion  72  constitutes the interlocking means  70  for pivoting the basket cover  62 , together with a pinion portion  74  to be described below. 
         [0035]    The basket cover  62  is installed above the basket body  60  and pivots on cover hinges h formed at upper end portions of the basket cover  62  and then selectively opens and closes the interior of the basket body  60 . The basket cover  62  is preferably formed of a transparent material so as to easily recognize foodstuffs in the basket body  60 . The pinion portion  74  is formed integrally with each of side surfaces of the basket cover  62 . 
         [0036]    The pinion portion  74  comprises a gear with teeth corresponding to those of the rack portion  72  of the basket body  60  to be engaged therewith and is formed at a rear end portion of the bottom of the side surface of the basket cover  62 . The pinion portion  74  is formed in an arc shape at the rear end portion of the basket cover  62  and engaged with the rack portion  72  of the basket body  60 . 
         [0037]    The pinion portion  74  serves to convert a linear motion of the rack portion  72  into a rotational motion of the pinion portion  74 . Therefore, when the basket body  60  is caused to linearly move in a fore and aft direction, the basket cover  62  rotates and thus opens and closes the interior of the basket body  60 . 
         [0038]    Next, the operation of the aforementioned door-basket structure of a refrigerator will be described. 
         [0039]    In the refrigerator constructed as above, foodstuffs are accommodated and stored in the freezing and refrigerating chambers  43  and  45 , and a user puts in or takes out foodstuffs after opening the door  50 . 
         [0040]    In the meantime, the door-baskets  52  are further provided on the rear surfaces of the doors  50 , so that the user can easily accommodate foodstuffs therein. Particularly, the door-basket  52 ′ at the uppermost end of the refrigerating chamber door  50 ″ is provided with the basket cover  62 . The basket cover  62  is opened through an operation for drawing the basket body  60  forward (i.e., rearward of the door). 
         [0041]    More specifically, referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , when the user holds and draws a front end portion of the basket body  60  with his/her hand in a state where the basket body  60  has been mounted on the rear surface of the refrigerating chamber door  50 ″ as shown in  FIG. 3 , the basket body  60  is drawn out forward (i.e., rearward of the door, or to the right side in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). At this time, the guide protrusions  64  of the basket body  60  are guided in the sliding guides  66  and then the basket body  60  moves to the right side (see  FIG. 4 ). 
         [0042]    When the basket body  60  is drawn out forward, the pinion portion  74  rotates since the rack portion  72  and the pinion portion  74  are engaged with each other. Since the pinion portion  74  and the basket cover  62  are formed integrally with each other, the rotation of the pinion portion  74  causes the basket cover  62  to pivot on the cover hinges h (counterclockwise in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). 
         [0043]    After the basket body  60  is completely drawn out, the basket cover  62  is also fully opened. This state is shown in  FIG. 4 . If the basket cover  62  is opened as above, the user can take out the foodstuffs F stored in the basket body  60  or accommodate the foodstuffs F therein. 
         [0044]    On the other hand, when the basket body  60  is pushed rearward (i.e., to the left side in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ), the guide protrusions  64  moves to the left side while being guided within the sliding guides  66  (see  FIG. 3 ). Thus, the basket body  60  slides into the refrigerating chamber door  50 ″. 
         [0045]    At this time, the pinion portion  74  and the basket cover  62  rotate clockwise (in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). Therefore, when the basket body  60  fully enters the refrigerating chamber door  50 ″, the basket cover  62  is completely closed as shown in  FIG. 3 . As described above, in the present invention, the basket cover  62  is opened and closed in cooperation with the movement of the basket body  60 . 
         [0046]    According to the door-basket structure of a refrigerator of the present invention described above, there is provided the interlocking means comprising the pinion and rack portions, so that the basket cover pivots in cooperation with the movement of the basket body. Therefore, since the movement of the basket body causes the basket cover to be automatically opened and closed, there is an advantage in that it is easy to accommodate and take out foodstuffs. 
         [0047]    That is, since the basket cover of the door-basket provided at a relatively high position is automatically opened and closed without a user&#39;s additional opening or closing operation, there is an advantage in that convenience in the use of a refrigerator is improved. 
         [0048]    The scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described and illustrated above. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes can be made thereto within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0049]    For example, although the interlocking means  70  for pivoting the basket cover  62  has been illustrated by way of example as comprising the rack and pinion portions  72  and  74  in the embodiment, the interlocking means  70  may comprise other elements rather than the rack and pinion portions  72  and  74 .