Patent ID: 8376481

Claim:
A refrigerator comprising: a main body forming at least one storage space; a door configured to selectively close the storage space; a handle disposed at the door and configured to enable a user to extend and retract the door; rails at left and right sides of an inner wall of the storage space, the rails being extendable in multiple steps for allowing the door to be drawn in and out by sliding; a pair of pinions rotatably disposed at the rails, respectively; a rack disposed under the rails for guiding a movement of the pinions; an alignment part extending from a front end portion of the rack so that when the rails are maximally extended, a gear coupling between the rack and the pinions are released at the alignment part; a first restriction part inwardly protruded at a side of one of the rails; a second restriction part outwardly protruded at a side of the other one of the rails and being configured to restrict movement of the rails when the rails are extended to a position that causes interference between the first restriction part and the second restriction part; and an elastic member disposed at the second restriction part, the elastic member configured to be elastically deformed by the first restriction part when the rails are maximally extended and the pinions are placed at the alignment part, wherein when the user pulls the handle to maximally extend the rails, the elastic member is deformed and the pinions are placed at the alignment part, and wherein when the user releases the handle at a point of maximum extension of the rails, the elastic member applies a resilient force to retract the rails such that the pair of pinions simultaneously engage teeth of the rack and the door is automatically aligned, wherein the elastic member protrudes from the second restriction part and makes contact with the first restriction part when the pinions partially overlap both the rack and the alignment part; wherein, when the rails are further extended to a maximally extended position, the elastic member is compressed to a maximally compressed state and the pinions are placed at the alignment part where they are disengaged from the rack and freely rotatable; and wherein, when a force applied to pull the door to the maximally extended position is removed, the rails are pushed back by resilient force of the elastic member and engage with the teeth of the rack.