Refrigerator

A refrigerator comprising:

• a cabinet having an opening to access a storage chamber provided within the cabinet;
• a drawer including a front panel and a storage bin coupled to a rear of the front panel, the drawer being coupled to the cabinet such that drawer moves between a first position in which the front panel closes the opening of the cabinet and the storage bin is received in the storage chamber, and a second position in which the front panel is spaced away from the opening of the cabinet and at least a portion of the storage bin is positioned outside of the storage chamber;
• at least first and second pinions positioned at a lower surface of the storage chamber;
• a driving motor to supply a driving force for rotation of the first and second pinions;
• and
• at least two rack gear assemblies positioned at a lower surface of the storage chamber, and to operate based on rotations of the first and second pinions so that the drawer moves between the first position and the second position,
• wherein the first rack gear assembly includes:
• a first rack having a first rack gear to engage with gear teeth of the first pinion;
• and
• an idle gear provided at the first rack to engage with the gear teeth of the first pinion, and the idle gear to allow the first pinion to idle,
• wherein lower ends of teeth of the idle gear are lower than a lower end of gear teeth of the first rack gear,
• wherein two gear teeth of the idle gear includes a first gear tooth and a second gear tooth, wherein the first gear tooth is closer to the first rack gear than the second gear tooth, and
• wherein a distance between the first gear tooth and the first rack gear is configured to be greater than a pitch of two of the gear teeth of the first rack gear,
• wherein the first rack includes a first seating step provided at an upper side of the idle gear, and a first elastic member for up and down movement is provided between the first seating step and the idle gear,
• wherein the first elastic member for up and down movement is positioned at a portion of an upper surface of the idle gear, the portion being positioned in the upper side of the idle gear between the two gear teeth of the idle gear for the idle gear to be able to be prevented from being turned front to back when the first pinion is rotated.