Engaging assembly, drawer and refrigerator having the same

A drawer, configured to be received in a cabinet and movable out from or into the cabinet, wherein the drawer comprises a slide rail mechanism, the slide rail mechanism comprises a slide rail assembly and an engaging assembly, the engaging assembly comprises a gear configured to engage with a side of the drawer and a rack configured to engage with a cabinet, the rack comprises a tooth surface enabling the gear to travel along the tooth surface, and the rack comprises a main rack and an extension rack;

• when the drawer is in a closed state, the tooth surface has a first travel length;
• when the drawer is in an opening process, the extension rack moves onto a travel path of the gear so that the tooth surface has a second travel length;
• when the drawer is in a closing process, the extension rack returns, and the first travel length is shorter than the second travel length;
• the main rack comprises a first end portion and a second end portion which are arranged opposite to each other, a direction from the first end portion to the second end portion is a direction in which the drawer is opened, a receiving space is disposed in a region adjacent to the second end portion, and the extension rack is movably disposed in the receiving space;
• when the drawer is in the opening process, the extension rack moves in the receiving space so that the extension rack protrudes beyond the second end portion in a direction away from the first end portion;
• the main rack comprises a main tooth surface, the extension rack has an extension tooth surface, and when the drawer is in the opening process, the extension rack moves in the receiving space so that the extension tooth surface and the main tooth surface are spliced into a continuous tooth surface;
• the receiving space comprises a bottom portion away from the main tooth surface and a top portion adjacent to the main tooth surface;
• when the drawer is in the closed state, the extension rack is located between the bottom portion and the top portion;
• when the drawer is in the opening process, the extension rack moves close to the top surface so that the extension tooth surface and the main tooth surface are spliced into the continuous tooth surface;
• the slide rail assembly has an upper rail, a middle rail and a lower rail that are slidingly fitted to each other, the lower rail is configured to be connected to the cabinet, the middle rail is movably connected to the upper rail and the lower rail, the upper rail is configured to be connected to a side of the drawer, the gear is connected to the upper rail, and the rack is configured to be connected to a selective one of the cabinet and the lower rail.

A refrigerator, wherein the refrigerator comprises a drawer and a cabinet for receiving the drawer therein, wherein:

• the drawer comprises a slide rail mechanism, the slide rail mechanism comprises a slide rail assembly and an engaging assembly, the engaging assembly comprises a gear configured to engage with a side of the drawer and a rack configured to engage with a cabinet, the rack comprises a tooth surface enabling the gear to travel along the tooth surface, and the rack comprises a main rack and an extension rack;
• when the drawer is in a closed state, the tooth surface has a first travel length;
• when the drawer is in an opening process, the extension rack moves onto a travel path of the gear so that the tooth surface has a second travel length;
• when the drawer is in a closing process, the extension rack returns, and the first travel length is shorter than the second travel length;
• the main rack comprises a first end portion and a second end portion which are arranged opposite to each other, a direction from the first end portion to the second end portion is a direction in which the drawer is opened, a receiving space is disposed in a region adjacent to the second end portion, and the extension rack is movably disposed in the receiving space;
• when the drawer is in the opening process, the extension rack moves in the receiving space so that the extension rack protrudes beyond the second end portion in a direction away from the first end portion;
• the main rack comprises a main tooth surface, the extension rack has an extension tooth surface, and when the drawer is in the opening process, the extension rack moves in the receiving space so that the extension tooth surface and the main tooth surface are spliced into a continuous tooth surface;
• the receiving space comprises a bottom portion away from the main tooth surface and a top portion adjacent to the main tooth surface;
• when the drawer is in the closed state, the extension rack is located between the bottom portion and the top portion;
• when the drawer is in the opening process, the extension rack moves close to the top surface so that the extension tooth surface and the main tooth surface are spliced into the continuous tooth surface;
• the slide rail assembly has an upper rail, a middle rail and a lower rail that are slidingly fitted to each other, the lower rail is configured to be connected to the cabinet, the middle rail is movably connected to the upper rail and the lower rail, the upper rail is configured to be connected to a side of the drawer, the gear is connected to the upper rail, and the rack is configured to be connected to a selective one of the cabinet and the lower rail.