U.S. patent application number 11/369910 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-25 for refrigerator.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Ha Jin Jeong, Joo Hee Song.
Application Number | 20070017245 11/369910 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37656571 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070017245 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Song; Joo Hee ; et
al. |
January 25, 2007 |
Refrigerator
Abstract
An evaporator which enables respective side surfaces of an inner
liner defining a storage compartment to be uniformly cooled to
provide uniform distribution of temperature in the storage
compartment. A refrigerator includes the evaporator positioned on
an outer surface of the inner liner to absorb heat from the inner
liner. The evaporator includes at least two side surface cooling
portions respectively positioned on at least first and second side
surfaces of the inner liner. The side surface cooling portion
positioned at a downstream side to allow refrigerant of lower
cooling capability to flow therethrough is longer than the side
surface cooling portion positioned at an upstream side to allow
refrigerant of higher cooling capability to flow therethrough. The
refrigerant cools the inner liner while flowing through the side
surface cooling portion positioned at the downstream side for a
longer period, enabling a uniform distribution of temperature in
the storage compartment.
Inventors: |
Song; Joo Hee; (Busan-City,
KR) ; Jeong; Ha Jin; (Gwangju-City, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
SUITE 700
1201 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
Suwon-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
37656571 |
Appl. No.: |
11/369910 |
Filed: |
March 8, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/443 ;
62/518 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 23/061 20130101;
F25B 39/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
062/443 ;
062/518 |
International
Class: |
F25D 11/02 20060101
F25D011/02; F25B 39/02 20060101 F25B039/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 21, 2005 |
KR |
10-2005-0066301 |
Claims
1. A refrigerator comprising: a housing defining an outer
appearance; an inner liner positioned in the housing to define a
storage compartment to store foods; and an evaporator positioned on
an outer surface of the inner liner to absorb heat from the inner
liner, wherein the evaporator comprises at least two side surface
cooling portions respectively positioned on at least first and
second side surfaces symmetrical to each other among side surfaces
of the inner liner, and wherein the side surface cooling portion
positioned at a downstream side is longer than the side surface
cooling portion positioned at an upstream side in a flow direction
of refrigerant.
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the inner liner
is opened at a front side to define the storage compartment, and
the evaporator comprises: a first side surface cooling portion
positioned on the first side surface constituting one of left and
right side surfaces of the inner liner facing each other; and a
second side surface cooling portion positioned at the downstream
side in the flow direction of refrigerant of the first side surface
cooling portion while being positioned on the second side surface
constituting the other side surface of the inner liner, the second
side surface cooling portion being longer than the first side
surface cooling portion.
3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the first side
surface cooling portion is bent to form a plurality of arrays in a
vertical direction, and positioned on an outer surface of the first
side surface, and the second side surface cooling portion is bent
to form a plurality of arrays in the vertical direction, and
positioned on an outer surface of the second side surface, the
number of arrays of the second side surface cooling portion being
more than that of the arrays of the first side surface cooling
portion.
4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprises a
drawer-type receiving container positioned in the storage
compartment to move linearly and store the foods.
5. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the evaporator
further comprises a lower surface cooling portion positioned on an
outer surface of a lower surface of the inner liner to absorb heat
from the lower surface of the inner liner, wherein the refrigerant
sequentially passes through the lower surface cooling portion, the
first side surface cooling portion, and the second side surface
cooling portion.
6. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the evaporator
further comprises a lower surface cooling portion positioned on an
outer surface of a lower surface of the inner liner to absorb heat
from the lower surface of the inner liner, such that the
refrigerant sequentially passes through the lower surface cooling
portion, the first side surface cooling portion, and the second
side surface cooling portion.
7. A refrigerator comprising: a housing defining an outer
appearance; an inner liner positioned in the housing to define a
storage compartment to store foods; and an evaporator positioned on
an outer surface of the inner liner to absorb heat from the inner
liner, wherein the evaporator comprises at least two side surface
cooling portions respectively positioned on at least two side
surfaces among side surfaces constituting the inner liner, and
wherein the side surface cooling portion positioned near an outlet
of the evaporator is longer than the side surface cooling portion
positioned near an inlet of the evaporator.
8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the inner liner
is opened at a front side to define the storage compartment, and
the evaporator comprises a first side surface cooling portion
positioned on one of left and right side surfaces of the inner
liner facing each other, and a second side surface cooling portion
positioned on the other side surface of the inner liner to receive
the refrigerant from the first side surface cooling portion, the
second side surface cooling portion being longer than the first
side surface cooling portion.
9. An evaporator positioned on an outer surface of an inner liner
to absorb heat from the inner liner, the inner liner comprising a
plurality of side surfaces to define a storage compartment, the
evaporator comprising: at least two side surface cooling portions
respectively positioned on at least two side surfaces among the
side surfaces constituting the inner liner, wherein the side
surface cooling portion positioned at a downstream side is longer
than the side surface cooling portion positioned at an upstream
side in a flow direction of refrigerant.
10. A refrigerator having an inner liner defining a storage
compartment thereof, the refrigerator comprising: an evaporator
positioned on an outer surface of the inner liner to absorb heat
from the inner liner, and comprising side surface cooling portions
positioned along opposite sides of the inner liner and a lower
surface of the evaporator, wherein refrigerant sequentially flows
through the side surface cooling portion on the lower surface, and
the side surface cooling portion on each of the opposite sides to
uniformly cool the inner liner, and the side surface cooling
portions on the opposite sides have substantially a same cooling
capability.
11. A refrigerator having an inner liner defining a storage
compartment thereof, the refrigerator comprising: an evaporator
positioned on an outer surface of the inner liner to absorb heat
from the inner liner, and comprising side surface cooling portions
positioned along opposite sides of the inner liner and a lower
surface of the evaporator, wherein refrigerant sequentially flows
through the side surface cooling portion on each of the opposite
sides, and the side surface cooling portion on the lower surface to
uniformly cool the inner liner, and the side surface cooling
portions on the opposite sides have substantially a same cooling
capability.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 10-2005-0066301, filed on Jul. 21, 2005 in the
Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a refrigerator. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a refrigerator which
enables opposite sides of an inner liner defining a storage
compartment to be uniformly cooled.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Generally, a conventional refrigerator is an electrical
appliance used to preserve various foods in a fresh state for a
long period of time by maintaining a storage compartment storing
the foods at low temperatures.
[0006] For example, a kimchi refrigerator disclosed in Korean
Patent Laid-open Publication No. 10-2000-54515 includes a storage
compartment adapted to open forwardly when storing foods, such as
kimchi and the like, and a drawer-shaped receiving container
positioned in the storage compartment to move linearly therein.
[0007] A conventional refrigerator includes a compressor to
compress refrigerant at a high temperature and a high pressure, a
condenser to cool and condense the refrigerant, an expansion unit
to expand the refrigerant while reducing the pressure of the
refrigerant, an evaporator to evaporate the refrigerant and absorb
heat from the refrigerant, and the like, which constitute a cooling
cycle. In the conventional refrigerator, when the refrigerant
passes through the evaporator, it absorbs heat from an inner liner
defining the storage compartment to cool an interior of the storage
compartment.
[0008] Among the components of the cooling cycle, the evaporator
includes a circular pipe shape. The evaporator further includes
first and second side surface cooling portions positioned in close
contact with opposite side surfaces of the inner liner which
constitute left and right sides of the storage compartment. With
the first and second side surface cooling portions, the refrigerant
sequentially cools the opposite side surfaces of the inner liner
while sequentially flowing through the first and second side
surface cooling portions, so that both sides of the storage
compartment are cooled. The first and second side surface cooling
portions are symmetrical to each other to have a substantially
identical length, and are disposed on the opposite side surfaces of
the inner liner, respectively.
[0009] Meanwhile, since the refrigerant absorbs heat from the inner
liner and is evaporated while passing through the evaporator,
cooling capability of the refrigerant is gradually lowered as it
moves from an inlet of the evaporator positioned near the expansion
unit to an outlet of the evaporator positioned near the compressor.
Thus, when passing through an upstream side of the evaporator, the
refrigerant has excellent cooling capability in comparison to when
passing through a downstream side of the evaporator.
[0010] Thus, when passing through the first side surface cooling
portion positioned at the upstream side of the second side surface
cooling portion, the refrigerant has excellent cooling capability
in comparison to when passing through the second side surface
cooling portion, so that non-uniform cooling is performed between
one side of the inner liner cooled by the first side surface
cooling portion and the other side of the inner liner cooled by the
second side surface cooling portion, resulting in non-uniform
distribution of temperature in the storage compartment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to
provide an evaporator which enables respective side surfaces of an
inner liner defining a storage compartment to be uniformly cooled
to provide uniform distribution of temperature in the storage
compartment, and a refrigerator including the same.
[0012] Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will
be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part,
will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by
practice of the invention.
[0013] These and/or other aspects of the present invention are
achieved by providing a refrigerator including a housing defining
an outer appearance, an inner liner positioned in the housing to
define a storage compartment to store foods, and an evaporator
positioned on an outer surface of the inner liner to absorb heat
from the inner liner, the evaporator includes at least two side
surface cooling portions, respectively positioned on at least first
and second side surfaces symmetrical to each other among side
surfaces of the inner liner, and the side surface cooling portion
positioned at a downstream side is longer than the side surface
cooling portion positioned at an upstream side in a flow direction
of refrigerant.
[0014] The inner liner is opened at a front side thereof to define
the storage compartment, and the evaporator includes a first side
surface cooling portion positioned on the first side surface
constituting one of left and right side surfaces of the inner liner
facing each other, and a second side surface cooling portion
positioned at the downstream side in the flow direction of
refrigerant of the first side surface cooling portion while being
positioned on the second side surface constituting the other side
surface of the inner liner, the second side surface cooling portion
being longer than the first side surface cooling portion.
[0015] The first side surface cooling portion is bent to form a
plurality of arrays in a vertical direction, and positioned on an
outer surface of the first side surface, and the second side
surface cooling portion is bent to form a plurality of arrays in
the vertical direction, and positioned on an outer surface of the
second side surface, the number of arrays of the second side
surface cooling portion being more than that of the arrays of the
first side surface cooling portion.
[0016] The refrigerator further includes a drawer-type receiving
container positioned in the storage compartment to move linearly
and store the foods.
[0017] The evaporator further includes a lower surface cooling
portion positioned on an outer surface of a lower surface of the
inner liner to absorb heat from the lower surface of the inner
liner such that the refrigerant sequentially passes through the
lower surface cooling portion, the first side surface cooling
portion, and the second side surface cooling portion.
[0018] The evaporator further includes a lower surface cooling
portion positioned on an outer surface of a lower surface of the
inner liner to absorb heat from the lower surface of the inner
liner such that the refrigerant sequentially passes through the
first side surface cooling portion, the lower surface cooling
portion, and the second side surface cooling portion, such that the
first and second side surface cooling portions have substantially a
same cooling capability.
[0019] It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a
refrigerator including a housing defining an outer appearance, an
inner liner positioned in the housing to define a storage
compartment to store foods, and an evaporator positioned on an
outer surface of the inner liner to absorb heat from the inner
liner, the evaporator includes at least two side surface cooling
portions respectively positioned on at least two side surfaces
among side surfaces constituting the inner liner, and the side
surface cooling portion positioned near an outlet of the evaporator
is longer than the side surface cooling portion positioned near an
inlet of the evaporator.
[0020] The inner liner is opened at a front side to define the
storage compartment, and the evaporator includes a first side
surface cooling portion positioned on one of left and right side
surfaces of the inner liner facing each other, and a second side
surface cooling portion positioned on the other side surface of the
inner liner to receive the refrigerant from the first side surface
cooling portion, the second side surface cooling portion being
longer than the first side surface cooling portion.
[0021] It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide
an evaporator positioned on an outer side of an inner liner
including a plurality of side surfaces to define a storage
compartment, and to absorb heat from the inner liner, the
evaporator includes at least two side surface cooling portions
respectively positioned on at least two side surfaces among the
side surfaces constituting the inner liner, and the side surface
cooling portion positioned at a downstream side is longer than the
side surface cooling portion positioned at an upstream side in a
flow direction of refrigerant.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the
following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings of which:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a refrigerator in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the inner
construction of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating installation of an
evaporator in the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1; and
[0026] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating installation of an
evaporator in a refrigerator in accordance with another embodiment
of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of
the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the
like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below to
explain the present invention while referring to the figures.
[0028] In FIG. 1, a refrigerator according to the present invention
comprises a housing 10 defining an outer appearance of the
refrigerator, and an inner liner 11 which is positioned in the
housing 10 and is opened at a front side thereof to define a
storage compartment 11a to store foods such as kimchi. A space
between the housing 10 and the inner liner 11 is filled with a foam
resin for thermal insulation. In this embodiment, two inner liners
11 are positioned at upper and lower portions of the housing 10 to
define two storage compartments 11a at upper and lower portions of
the housing 10.
[0029] Each of the storage compartments 11a comprises a drawer-type
receiving container 20 to move linearly therein and receive the
foods. The drawer-type receiving container 20 comprises a cover 21
to close an open part of the storage compartment, and a receiving
part 22 equipped to a rear side of the cover 21 and comprising an
enclosure shape opened at an upper portion to receive the foods.
The receiving container 20 comprises guide rails 23 respectively
provided on opposite sides thereof such that the receiving
container 20 linearly moves in each storage compartment 11a.
[0030] In FIG. 2, in order to preserve the foods at lower
temperatures in the storage compartment 11a, the refrigerator
further comprises a compressor 30 to compress refrigerant at a high
temperature and a high pressure, a condenser 40 to cool and
condense the refrigerator discharged from the compressor 30, an
expansion unit 50, such as a capillary pipe, to expand the
refrigerant discharged from the condenser 40 while reducing the
pressure of the refrigerant, and an evaporator 60 to evaporate the
refrigerant discharged from the expansion unit 50 and absorb heat
from the inner liner 11, and the like, which constitute a cooling
cycle. The inner liner comprises a metallic material of excellent
thermal conductivity to allow easy absorption of heat via the
evaporator 60.
[0031] Among the components of the cooling cycle, the evaporator 60
is embodied by a circular pipe as shown in FIG. 3, and is
positioned on an outer surface of the inner liner 11 to absorb heat
from the inner liner 11. The evaporator 60 comprises a lower
surface cooling portion 61 positioned under a lower surface of the
inner liner 11 to absorb heat from the lower surface of the inner
liner 11, and first and second side surface cooling portions 62a
and 62b respectively positioned on outer surfaces of left and right
side surfaces corresponding to left and right sides of the inner
liner 11 while facing each other.
[0032] In this embodiment, the first side surface cooling portion
62a is positioned on an outer surface of a first side surface
constituting the left side of the inner liner 11, and the second
side surface cooling portion 62b is positioned on an outer surface
of a second side surface constituting the right side of the inner
liner 11. The refrigerant discharged from the expansion unit is
delivered to the compressor 30 after sequentially cooling the lower
surface, the first surface and the second surface of the inner
liner 11 while sequentially passing through the lower surface
cooling portion 61, the first side surface cooling portion 62a, and
the second side surface cooling portion 62b, such that the first
side surface cooling portion 62a and the second side surface
cooling portion 62b have a same cooling capability.
[0033] Thus, the first side surface cooling portion 62a is
positioned near an inlet of the evaporator 60 to which the
refrigerant is delivered from the expansion unit 50, and the second
side surface cooling portion 62b is positioned near an outlet of
the evaporator 60 through which the refrigerant is delivered to the
compressor 30, so that the first side surface cooling portion 62a
is positioned at an upstream side in a flow direction of the
refrigerant in the second side surface cooling portion 62b.
[0034] The construction as described above is advantageous in terms
of preservation of the foods for a long period of time in that the
interior of the storage compartment 11a comprises an uniform
distribution of temperature. Thus, in the refrigerant of the
present invention, the second side surface cooling portion 62b is
longer than the first side surface cooling portion 62a in order to
ensure that the left and right sides of the inner liner 11 are
uniformly cooled. As a result, a time taken for the refrigerant to
cool the second side surface of the inner liner 11 while passing
through the second side surface cooling portion 62b is longer than
that of the refrigerant to cool the first side surface of the inner
liner 11 while passing through the first side surface cooling
portion 62a.
[0035] In this embodiment, the first side surface cooling portion
62a is bent to form two arrays in a vertical direction, and is
positioned in contact with the outer surface of the first side
surface, and the second side surface cooling portion 62b is bent to
form three arrays in the vertical direction, and is positioned in
contact with the outer surface of the second side surface. Thus,
the second side surface cooling portion 62b formed by the three
arrays is longer than the first side surface cooling portion 62a
formed by the two arrays.
[0036] While flowing through the evaporator 60, the refrigerant
absorbs the heat from the inner liner 11, and is gradually lowered
in cooling capability. Since the refrigerant flowing at the
upstream side has excellent cooling capability in comparison to the
refrigerant flowing at the downstream side in the flow direction of
the refrigerant, the refrigerant passing through the first side
surface cooling portion 62a positioned at the upstream side in the
flow direction of the refrigerant in the second side surface
cooling portion 62b has excellent cooling capability in comparison
to the refrigerant passing through the second side surface cooling
portion 62b.
[0037] With the structure as described above in which the second
side surface cooling portion 62b is longer than the first side
surface cooling portion 62a, the refrigerant passing through the
first side surface cooling portion 62a has excellent cooling
capability, and enables the first side surface of the inner liner
11a to be cooled in a shorter time. In addition, the refrigerant
passing through the second side surface cooling portion 62b has
lower cooling capability, and causes the second side surface of the
inner liner 11a to be cooled in a longer time. As a result, the
first and second side surface cooling portions 62a and 62b have
similar cooling capability, so that the first and second side
surfaces of the inner liner 11 can be cooled to a similar level,
maintaining a uniform distribution of temperature in the storage
compartment.
[0038] Although the first side surface cooling portion 62a is bent
to form the two arrays and the second side surface cooling portion
62b is bent to form the three arrays in this embodiment, it should
be noted that the present invention is not limited to this
structure. Namely, the object of the present invention can be
accomplished by bending the second side surface cooling portion 62b
to form any number of arrays such that the number of arrays
constituting the second side surface cooling portion 62b is more
than that of arrays constituting the first side surface cooling
portion 62a.
[0039] In addition, although the refrigerant sequentially flows
through the lower surface cooling portion 61, the first side
surface cooling portion 62a, and the second side surface cooling
portion 62b in this embodiment, it should be noted that the present
invention is not limited to this structure. As shown in FIG. 4, the
evaporator 70 may have the structure to allow the refrigerant to
sequentially flow through the first side surface cooling portion
72a, the lower surface cooling portion 71, and the second side
surface cooling portion 72b.
[0040] As apparent from the above description, in the refrigerator
according to the present invention, a side surface cooling portion
positioned at a downstream side in the flow direction of the
refrigerant to allow the refrigerant of a lower cooling capability
to pass therethrough is longer than another side surface cooling
portion positioned at an upstream side in the flow direction to
allow the refrigerant of a higher cooling capability to pass
therethrough. Thus, the refrigerant cools the inner liner while
flowing through the side surface cooling portion positioned at the
downstream side for a long period of time, so that the two side
surface cooling portions respectively positioned at the upstream
and downstream sides have similar cooling capability, thereby
enabling a uniform distribution of temperature in the storage
compartment.
[0041] Although a few embodiments of the present invention have
been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled
in the art that changes may be made in this embodiment without
departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the
scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *