Abstract:
A refrigerator with a rack capable of dividing a storage compartment of the refrigerator in different division configurations. Guide rails are installed on the inner sidewalls of the storage compartment. The rack includes a plate member and support parts having a plurality of seating portions disposed in different heights from the plate member. Based on a preferred height of the plate member, a user can select a seating portion of the support parts to couple the rack to the guide rails. Further, the support parts are configured to couple the rack to the guide rail with the plate member facing down as well as facing up.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is based on and claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2016-0067373, filed on May 31, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference for all purposes. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to refrigerators. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    A refrigerator is an appliance used for storing food or other times at low temperature, e.g., in a frozen state or refrigerated. The inside of the refrigerator is cooled by circulating cold air that can be continuously generated through a heat exchange process by using a refrigerant. During operation, the refrigerant goes through repetitive cycles of compression, condensation, expansion and evaporation in a heat exchanger. 
         [0004]    Typically the storage space in the refrigerator is divided into a refrigeration compartment and a freezer. A refrigeration compartment or a freezer may be divided into a plurality of rooms by a rack. 
         [0005]    Conventionally, a rack in a refrigerator is inserted into guide rails protruding from the inner sidewalls of the refrigeration compartment or the freezer. In this configuration, the dimensions of the divided rooms are unfortunately limited by the predetermined height of the guide rails. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a rack structure operable to be mounted to a refrigerator in various positions and accordingly to divide a storage compartment of the refrigerator into various configurations. Thus, the rack structure enables easy adjustment of spatial division of a storage compartment. 
         [0007]    The present disclosure provides the refrigerator comprising: a main body including a storage compartment; guide rails protruding toward each other from inner sidewalls of the storage compartment; and a rack seated on the guide rails and configured to partition the storage compartment into a plurality of regions, wherein the rack is provided with at least one support part for enabling the rack to sit on the guide rails at different heights. 
         [0008]    Further, the rack includes a plate member configured to partition the storage compartment into a plurality of regions and support parts disposed at opposite lateral ends of the plate member and operable to be seated on the guide rails. 
         [0009]    Further, each of the support parts includes a first seating portion coupled to the plate member and a second seating portion disposed on a lower surface of the first seating portion. 
         [0010]    Further, the second seating portion includes an extension wall portion extending from a lower surface of the first seating portion and a bent portion bent outward from an end of the extension wall portion in a direction parallel to the first seating portion. 
         [0011]    Further, each of the first seating portion and the second seating portion includes a seating projection, and each of the guide rails includes a recess formed on an upper surface of each of the guide rails and inwardly depressed in a shape that corresponds to a contour of the seating projection so that the seating projection can be inserted into and coupled to the recess. 
         [0012]    Further, the seating projection includes a first seating projection protruding from a lower surface of the first seating portion, a second seating projection protruding from an upper surface of the bent portion of the second seating portion, and a third seating projection protruding from a lower surface of the second seating portion. 
         [0013]    Further, the first seating projection, the second seating projection and the third seating projection are formed in the same or similar shape. 
         [0014]    Further, one of the first seating projection, the second seating projection and the third seating projection is selectively inserted into the recess. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of an exemplary refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a front view illustrating the configuration of the exemplary refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view illustrating an exemplary coupling mechanism between a rack and guide rails according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of the exemplary rack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is another perspective view illustrating the configuration of the rack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a front view illustrating the configuration of the exemplary rack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a side view illustrating the configuration of the exemplary rack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0022]      FIGS. 8A to 8C  are front views illustrating different exemplary mechanisms of coupling a rack to a refrigerator according to embodiments of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. 
         [0024]    One or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which one or more exemplary embodiments of the disclosure can be easily determined by those skilled in the art. As those skilled in the art will realize, the described exemplary embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure, which is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein. 
         [0025]    It is noted that the drawings are schematic and are not necessarily illustrated to scale. Relative sizes and proportions of parts in the drawings may be exaggerated or reduced in size, and a predetermined size is merely exemplary and not limiting. The same reference numerals designate the same structures, elements, or parts illustrated in two or more drawings in order to exhibit similar characteristics. 
         [0026]    The exemplary drawings of the present disclosure illustrate ideal exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure in more detail. As a result, various modifications of the drawings are expected. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to a specific form of the illustrated region, and for example, may include modification of form due to manufacturing. 
         [0027]    Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of an exemplary refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 2  is a front view illustrating the configuration of the exemplary refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view illustrating an exemplary coupling mechanism between a rack and guide rails according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the refrigerator  1  according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a main body  110  defining an outer body of the refrigerator. The main body includes a storage compartment S, and a door  120  rotatably mounted to the main body  110  and configured to seal the storage compartment S. 
         [0030]    In this regard, the refrigerator  1  according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be of any type that is well known in the art, such as a top-mount-type refrigerator, a bottom-freeze-type refrigerator, and etc. 
         [0031]    The storage compartment S may be disposed in the main body  110  of the refrigerator  1 . The storage compartment S may be divided into a plurality of storage regions, e.g., by a rack  200 . 
         [0032]    The rack  200  may sit on guide rails  130  that protrude horizontally from the inner sidewalls of the storage compartment S. As shown, the rack  200  may divide the storage compartment S into a lower region and an upper region. 
         [0033]    The rack  200  can be inserted along the guide rails  130  by a user. After installation, the rack is seated on the upper surfaces of the guide rails  130 . 
         [0034]    Hereinafter, the configuration of the exemplary rack in the refrigerator  1  according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is described with reference to  FIGS. 4 to 7 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of the exemplary rack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 5  is another perspective view illustrating the configuration of the rack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 6  is a front view illustrating the configuration of the exemplary rack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 7  is a side view illustrating the configuration of the exemplary rack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         [0036]    Referring further to  FIGS. 4 to 7 , the rack  200  divides the storage compartment S of the refrigerator  1  into a plurality of storage regions. The rack  200  may include a plate member  210  and support parts  220 . 
         [0037]    After being installed, the plate member  210  horizontally extends across the storage compartment S and generally divides the storage compartment S into an upper region and a lower region. The plate member  210  may be manufactured by, for example, injection-molding a resin material. 
         [0038]    The support parts  220  may be affixed to the plate member  210 . The support parts  220  can sit on the guide rails  130  protruding from the inner sidewalls of the storage compartment S. The support parts  220  may be disposed at the opposite lateral ends of the plate member  210 . 
         [0039]    Each of the support parts  220  may include a first seating portion  221  and a second seating portion  222  of different height positions. The first seating portion  221  and the second seating portion  222  may have seating projections  223 . 
         [0040]    The first seating portion  221  may be coupled to each of the opposite lateral ends of the plate member  210 . A first seating projection  223   a  may be disposed on the lower surface of the first seating portion  221  and protrude downward in a thickness direction (vertically). A recess  131  may be disposed on the upper surface of each of the guide rails  130 . The recess  131  is depressed inward and has a shape conformal to the shape of the first seating projection  223   a . Thus, during installation, the first seating portion  221  may slide along each of the guide rails  130  and eventually sit on the upper surface of each of the guide rails  130 . 
         [0041]    When the first seating portion  221  sits on the upper surface of each of the guide rails  130 , the first seating projection  223   a  may be in a state of being inserted into the recess  131 . The term “thickness direction” used herein may refer to an up-down (vertical) direction in  FIG. 2 . With the first seating projection  223   a  being inserted and fit into the recess  131 , undesired movement of the rack  200  can be reduced or completely prevented. 
         [0042]    The second seating portion  222  may be disposed on the lower surface of the first seating portion  221 . The second seating portion  222  may protrude downward along the thickness direction from the lower surface of the first seating portion  221 . The second seating portion  222  may be integrally manufactured with the first seating portion  221 , e.g., may be simultaneously injection-molded with the first seating portion  221 . Alternatively, the second seating portion  222  may be manufactured as a separate component from the first seating portion  221 . The second seating portion  222  may be affixed to the first seating portion  221  in any suitable manner that is well known in the art, such as bonding, mechanical coupling and the like. 
         [0043]    The second seating portion  222  may extend from the lower surface of the first seating portion  221 . For example, the second seating portion  222  may include an extension wall portion  222   a  extending downward along the thickness direction from the lower surface of the first seating portion  221 . The second seating portion  222  may also include a bent portion  222   b  bent outward from a lower end of the extension wall portion  222   a  in parallel with the first seating portion  221 . 
         [0044]    The extension wall portion  222   a  may serve as a spacer between the first seating portion  221  and the bent portion  222   b  of the second seating portion  222  in the thickness direction. The bent portion  222   b  may be formed by bending the end portion of the extension wall portion  222   a . The end of the bent portion  222   b  and the end of the first seating portion  221  may be aligned along the thickness direction. In other words, the longitudinal distance from the end of the first seating portion  221  at one side of the plate member  210  to the first seating portion  221  provided at the other end of the plate member  210  may equal the longitudinal distance from the end of the bent portion  222   b  disposed at one side of the plate member  210  to the bent portion  222   b  disposed at the other side of the plate member  210 . The term “longitudinal” used herein may refer to the left-right direction in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0045]    Seating projections  223  may be disposed in the bent portion  222   b . For example, a second seating projection  223   b  may be disposed on the upper surface of the bent portion  222   b  and a third seating projection  223   c  may be disposed on the lower surface of the bent portion  222   b . In this case, the second seating projection  223   b  and the third seating projection  223   c  may have substantially the same shape. The first seating projection  223   a , the second seating projection  223   b  and the third seating projection  223   c  may be aligned along the thickness direction. 
         [0046]    The second seating portion  222  may sit on each of the guide rails  130 . For example, the bent portion  222   b  of the second seating portion  222  may sit on the upper surface of each of the guide rails  130 . In this case, the recess  131  may be disposed in each of the guide rails  130 . When the bent portion  222   b  sits on each of the guide rails  130 , the second seating projection  223   b  or the third seating projection  223   c  may fit in the recess  131 . 
         [0047]    As described above, the rack  200  according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes the first seating portion  221  and the second seating portion  222 . It can advantageously partition the storage compartment S into a plurality of regions in various partition configurations using one rack  200 . Hereinafter, different examples in which the rack  200  is coupled to the refrigerator  1  according to one embodiment of the present disclosure are described with reference to  FIGS. 8A to 8C . 
         [0048]    Referring first to  FIG. 8A , the first seating portion  221  may sit on each of the guide rails  130 . Moved by a user, the first seating portion  221  may slide along each of the guide rails  130  and may then sit on each of the guide rails  130 . The first seating projection  223   a  disposed on the lower surface of the first seating portion  221  may fit in the recess  131  of each of the guide rails  130 . In the example illustrated in  FIG. 8A , the storage compartment S can be divided into an upper space and a lower space of similar sizes. 
         [0049]    Referring to  FIG. 8B , the second seating portion  222  may sit on each of the guide rails  130 . During installation, the second seating portion  222  may slide along each of the guide rails  130  and may eventually sit on each of the guide rails  130 . In this case, the third seating projection  223   c  disposed on the lower surface of the bent portion  222   b  of the second seating portion  222  may be inserted into and fit in the recess  131  of each of the guide rails  130 . As a result, the plate member  210  of the rack  200  may be positioned higher within the storage compartment S by the height of the extension wall portion  222   a  than when the first seating portion  221  sits on each of the guide rails  130 . 
         [0050]    Referring to  FIG. 8C , the second seating portion  222  may sit on each of the guide rails  130 . In the example illustrated in  FIG. 8C , the rack  200  may be placed upside down. That is, the example illustrated in  FIG. 8C  is similar to the example illustrated in  FIG. 8B  in that the second seating portion  222  sits on each of the guide rails  130 . However, the example illustrated in  FIG. 8C  differs from the example illustrated in  FIG. 8B  in that the rack  200  is mounted in an inverted state. In other words, in the example illustrated in  FIG. 8C , the second seating projection  223   b  disposed on the upper surface of the bent portion  222   b  of the second seating portion  222  may be inserted into and fit in the recess  131  of each of the guide rails  130 . Thus, the plate member  210  of the rack  200  may be positioned lower within the storage compartment S by the height of the extension wall portion  222   a  than when the first seating portion  221  sits on each of the guide rails  130 . 
         [0051]    As described above, in the refrigerator  1 , one of the first to third seating projections  223   a ,  223   b  and  223   c  may be selected for coupling to the recess  131  of each of the guide rails  130 . The storage compartment S may be partitioned into a plurality of spaces with different sizes depending on which of the seating projections  223  is coupled. 
         [0052]    In the refrigerator  1 , the rack  200  includes the support parts  220  that each includes the first seating portion  221  and the second seating portion  222  with different heights. The storage compartment S can be divided into different spatial configurations according to various needs of users. 
         [0053]    From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. The exemplary embodiments disclosed in the specification of the present disclosure do not limit the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure will be interpreted by the claims below, and it will be construed that all techniques within the scope equivalent thereto belong to the scope of the present disclosure.