U.S. patent application number 12/513289 was filed with the patent office on 2010-01-21 for refrigerator.
This patent application is currently assigned to LG ELECTRONICS INC.. Invention is credited to Seung-Mok Lee.
Application Number | 20100011796 12/513289 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39344459 |
Filed Date | 2010-01-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100011796 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee; Seung-Mok |
January 21, 2010 |
REFRIGERATOR
Abstract
With an embodiment of the present invention, the inside of the
ice-making chamber provided in the cooling chamber door is provided
with the dewing prevention member to suppress a dewing phenomenon
generated in the outer surface of the ice-making chamber by
colliding the cold air discharged to the inside of the ice-making
chamber with the inner wall of the ice-making chamber and the cold
air guide is provided in the cold air passing hole of the
ice-making chamber to prevent the infiltration of foreign materials
in the inside of the ice-making chamber as well as to smoothly
perform the circulation of cold air in the inside of the
ice-making
Inventors: |
Lee; Seung-Mok;
(Gyeongsangnam-do, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Assignee: |
LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
39344459 |
Appl. No.: |
12/513289 |
Filed: |
November 1, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
November 1, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR2007/005486 |
371 Date: |
May 1, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/340 ; 62/407;
62/441 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 2317/0664 20130101;
F25D 2317/062 20130101; F25D 21/04 20130101; F25C 2400/10 20130101;
F25C 5/22 20180101; F25D 2323/021 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/340 ; 62/441;
62/407 |
International
Class: |
F25C 1/00 20060101
F25C001/00; F25D 13/02 20060101 F25D013/02; F25D 17/04 20060101
F25D017/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 3, 2006 |
KR |
10-2006-0108439 |
Nov 6, 2006 |
KR |
10-2006-0109047 |
Claims
1. refrigerator comprising: a main body having a freezing chamber
and a cooling chamber formed therein; a door rotatably mounted to
the front surface of the main body to open and close the cooling
chamber; an evaporator provided in one side of the main body; an
ice-making chamber mounted to the rear surface of the ice-making
chamber and having a cold air passing hole formed in one side
thereof; an ice-making assembly provided in the ice-making chamber;
a cold air duct formed in the inside of the wall of the main body
and connecting a space accomodating the evaporator and the cold air
passing hole; and one or more cold air guides mounted to any one
side or both sides of the cold air passing hole and an end of the
cold air duct, to guide the cold air flow.
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the cold air duct
comprises: a cold air supplying duct to supply the cold air cooled
in the evaporator to the ice-making chamber; and a return duct to
supply the cold air in the ice-making chamber to the evaporator,
and the cold air passing hole is provided at the ends of the cold
air supplying duct and the return duct, respectively.
3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the cold air
guide comprises: a body part formed to be the same as the shape of
the cold air passing hole or the end of the cold air duct; a
coupling part extended to the rear surface of the body part to be
coupled to the end of the end of the cold air duct or the cold air
passing hole; and guide louvers disposed at the body part with a
predetermined distance.
4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the guide louvers
are inclinedly formed in a predetermined angle.
5. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein slits for
discharging the cold air are formed between the guide louvers.
6. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the coupling part
comprise a hook extended from the body part.
7. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein an inner
circumferential surface of the end of the cold air duct is formed
with a seating surface for firmly seating the cold air guide and a
coupling groove into which the coupling part is inserted.
8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a
dewing prevention plate mounted to an upper side surface of the
ice-making chamber.
9. A refrigerator comprising: a main body having a freezing chamber
and a cooling chamber provided on an upper side of the freezing
chamber; a door rotatably mounted to the front surface of the main
body to open and close the cooling chamber; an evaporator provided
in the lower side of the main body; an ice-making chamber mounted
to the rear surface of the door and having a cold air passing hole
formed in one side thereof; a cold air duct extended along the side
wall of the main body from a space receiving the evaporator and
communicating with the cooling chamber connected at the end
thereof; and a cold air guide detachably coupled with the cold air
passing hole, wherein the cold air passing hole and the end of the
cold air duct are connected in a state where the door comprising
the ice-making chamber is closed.
10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein at least a
portion of the cold air duct is extended along the wall surface of
the cooling chamber.
11. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the cold air
duct comprises: a cold air supplying duct to supply the cold air
generated in the evaporator to the ice-making chamber; and a return
duct to return the cold air circulating in the ice-making chamber
to the evaporator.
12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the cold air
passing hole is provided in plurality, and the plurality of cold
air passing holes are connected to the end of the cold air
supplying duct and the end of the return duct, respectively; the
cold air guide is mounted to any one or all of the plurality of
cold air passing holes.
13. The refrigerator according to claim 9, further comprising a
dewing prevention plate mounted to the inside of the ice-making
chamber and positioned to a place where the cold air discharged to
the inside of the ice-making chamber through the cold air passing
hole is collided with the wall surface of the ice-making
chamber.
14. A refrigerator comprising: a main body having a freezing
chamber and a cooling chamber provided on an upper side of the
freezing chamber; a door rotatably mounted to the front surface of
the main body to open and close the cooling chamber; an evaporator
provided in one side of the main body; a ice-making chamber mounted
to the rear surface of the door and having a cold air passing hole
formed in one side thereof; a cold air duct extended along the side
wall of the main body to supply the cold air generated from the
evaporator to the ice-making chamber and connected with the cold
air passing hole in a state where the door mounted with the
ice-making chamber is closed; an ice-making assembly provided in
the ice-making chamber; and a dewing prevention member blocking the
cold air discharged from the cold air passing hole from being
directly collided with the side wall of the ice-making chamber.
15. The refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein the dewing
prevention part is mounted to the inner wall of the ice-making
chamber with which the cold air discharged from the cold air
passing hole is first collided.
16. The refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein the dewing
prevention member is mounted to an upper side of the inner wall of
the ice-making chamber.
17. The refrigerator according to claim 16, further comprising a
cold air guide mounted to the cold air passing hole so as to
discharge the cold air passing through the cold air passing hole
towards the dewing prevention member.
18. The refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein the dewing
prevention member comprises: a dewing prevention plate directly
colliding with the cold air; and a connection part coupling the
dewing prevention plate to the inner wall of the ice-making chamber
in a state where the dewing prevention plate is spaced from the
ice-making wall surface.
19. The refrigerator according to claim 18, wherein an insulation
space is formed between the dewing prevention plate and the
ice-making wall surface.
20. The refrigerator according to claim 18, wherein the ice-making
assembly is disposed in a space circulating the cold air reflected
by collision with the dewing prevention member.
21. A refrigerator comprising: a main body having a storage space
for storing foods therein; at least one storage container received
in a storage space and receiving foods; an evaporator provided in
any one side of the main body for heat-exchange between the
refrigerant and the cold air circulating the storage space; a door
selectively opening and closing the storage space; an ice-making
chamber provided in the rear surface of the door and having a cold
air passing hole on one surface thereof; a dewing prevention plate
coupled in a spaced state from the inner wall of the ice-making
chamber, the dewing preventing plate being provided in a path of
the cold air discharged from the cold air passing hole to block dew
generation on an outer surface of the ice-making chamber; an
ice-making chamber provided in the ice-making chamber; an ice
storage container storing ice made from the ice-maker; and a
transferring part dispensing the ice stored in the ice storage
container.
22. The refrigerator according to claim 21, further comprising a
cold air duct extended along the wall surface of the main body and
connected to the cold air passing hole in a state where the door
having the at least ice-making chamber is closed.
23. The refrigerator according to claim 21, wherein the dewing
prevention plate is mounted to be intersected at a predetermined
angle with the flow direction of the cold air discharged from the
cold air passing hole so that the cold air reflected by collision
with the dewing prevention plate is circulated in the ice-making
chamber.
24. The refrigerator according to claim 21, further comprising a
cold air guide mounted to the cold air passing hole and discharging
the cold air to the dewing prevention plate.
25. A refrigerator comprising: a main body having a storage space
for storing foods therein; at least one storage container
accomodated in a storage space and receiving foods; an evaporator
provided in any one side of the main body and heat-exchange cold
air circulating the storage space and refrigerant; a door
selectively opening and closing the storage space; an ice-making
chamber provided to a rear surface of the door and having a cold
air passing hole on one surface thereof; a cold air guide mounted
to the cold air passing hole and blocking a portion of the cold air
passing hole to block the inside of the ice-making chamber from
being completely exposed or to reduce the infiltrating phenomenon
of foreign materials through the cold air passing hole; an
ice-making chamber provided in the ice-making chamber; an ice
storage container storing ice made from the ice-making chamber; and
a transferring part dispensing the ice stored in the ice storage
container.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This document relates to a refrigerator.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Generally, a refrigerator is partitioned into a cooling
chamber for freshly storing foods and a freezing chamber for
storing foods in a freezing state. And, a side by side type, a top
mount type, and a bottom freezer type is divided according to a
position of the cooling chamber and the freezing chamber.
[0003] In detail, the side by side type refrigerator is a structure
wherein a cooling chamber and a freezing chamber stand side by side
at both sides. The top mount type refrigerator is a structure
wherein the freezing chamber is provided in an upper side of the
cooling chamber. The bottom freezer type refrigerator is a
structure wherein the freezing chamber is provided in a lower side
of the cooling chamber.
[0004] Recently, the demand for the bottom freezer type
refrigerator wherein the freezing chamber is provided in the lower
side and the cooling chamber is provided in the upper side has been
significantly grown.
[0005] The bottom freezer type refrigerator is formed of a
structure that can be drawn in and out forward and backward since
the door of the cooling chamber is provided in a two door type and
the freezing chamber is provided in a drawer type. And, the
freezing chamber may be provided with a freezing chamber drawer
capable of receiving frozen foods and a separate storage box may be
provided on the upper side of the freezing chamber drawer. Both the
storage box and the drawer are provided to be able to be drawn in
and out frontward and backward by a rail.
[0006] Meanwhile, the bottom freezer type refrigerator has a
feature that an ice-maker is positioned at a cooling chamber side.
In other words, the ice-maker may be installed in the inside of the
cooling chamber or may be formed in an inner side of the cooling
chamber door. In the case where the ice-maker is mounted to the
rear surface of the cooling chamber door, a cold air flow path to
supply cold air passing through an evaporator mounted to the rear
surface of the freezing chamber to the ice-maker should be formed.
As one of such methods, there is a method that connects a space
accomodating the evaporator and the ice-maker mounted to the door
by forming a cold air duct in the inside of a side wall of a
refrigerator main body. In this case, the cold air duct extended
from the space accomodating the evaporator is extended upward along
the side wall of the refrigerator main body and the cold air outlet
is positioned at the upper side of the side wall of the cooling
chamber. And, the side surface of the ice-maker mounted to the rear
surface of the cooling chamber door is formed with a cold air
inlet. With such a structure, if the cooling chamber door is
closed, the cold air inlet formed in the ice-maker and the cold air
outlet formed in the side wall of the cooling chamber are
conformed. Then, the cold air discharged from the cold air duct is
supplied to the ice-maker.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0007] As above, in the case of the bottom freezer type of
refrigerator wherein the ice-maker is mounted to the cooling
chamber door, if the cooling chamber door is opened, the cold air
outlet formed on the side wall of the cooling chamber and the cold
air inlet formed on the side surface of the ice-maker is exposed to
the outside as it is. Therefore, foreign materials such dust, etc.,
are infiltrated through the cold air outlet and the cold air inlet.
As a result, when the cooling chamber door is closed, a problem
that the flow of cold air is interrupted by the foreing materials
occurs.
[0008] Also, in the case where the cold air inlet is formed of only
a hole without having a separate cold air guide apparatus, the cold
air discharged from the cold air outlet is discharged in a
straight. As a result, a problem the circulation of cold air is not
smoothly made in the inside of the ice-maker occurs.
[0009] Meanwhile, the cold air flowed in the cold air inlet of the
ice-maker through the cold air outlet is discharged upward
according to the extension direction characteristic of the cold air
duct. Therefore, the cold air flowed in the ice-maker from the cold
air inlet is collide with an upper wall of the ice-maker and then
circulated into a lower side thereof. Therefore, the upper wall
with which the cola air is collided is excessively cooled and a
dewing phenomenon occurs at a surface contacting to external air by
means of a temperature difference with the outside.
Technical Solution
[0010] The present invention proposes to solve the above problems.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator
so as to prevent an infiltration phenomenon of foreign materials to
a cold air outlet formed in a side wall of a cooling chamber when
the cooling chamber door is opened and a cold air inlet formed in
an ice-maker.
[0011] Also, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
refrigerator capable of increasing an ice-making effect by allowing
a user to control a discharge direction of cold air absorbed in the
cold air inlet.
[0012] Also, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
refrigerator capable of blocking an occurrence of dewing phenomenon
at an outer side wall of an ice-maker with which the cold air
absorbed in a cold air inlet is collided.
[0013] In order to accomplish the objects as above, there is
provided a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
invention comprising: a main body having a freezing chamber and a
cooling chamber formed therein; a door rotatably mounted to the
front surface of the main body to open and close the cooling
chamber; an evaporator provided in one side of the main body; an
ice-making chamber mounted to the rear surface of the ice-making
chamber and having a cold air passing hole formed in one side
thereof; an ice-making assembly provided in the ice-making chamber;
a cold air duct formed in the inside of the wall of the main body
and connecting a space accomodating the evaporator and the cold air
passing hole; and one or more cold air guides mounted to any one
side or both sides of the cold air passing hole and an end of the
cold air duct, to guide the cold air flow.
[0014] There is provided a refrigerator according to another
embodiment of the present invention comprising: a main body having
a freezing chamber and a cooling chamber provided on an upper side
of the freezing chamber; a door rotatably mounted to the front
surface of the main body to open and close the cooling chamber; an
evaporator provided in the lower side of the main body; an
ice-making chamber mounted to the rear surface of the door and
having a cold air passing hole formed in one side thereof; a cold
air duct extended along the side wall of the main body from a space
receiving the evaporator and communicating with the cooling chamber
connected at the end thereof; and a cold air guide detachably
coupled with the cold air passing hole, wherein the cold air
passing hole and the end of the cold air duct are connected in a
state where the door comprising the ice-making chamber is
closed.
[0015] There is provided a refrigerator according to another
embodiment of the present invention comprising: a main body having
a freezing chamber and a cooling chamber provided on an upper side
of the freezing chamber; a door rotatably mounted to the front
surface of the main body to open and close the cooling chamber; an
evaporator provided in one side of the main body; a ice-making
chamber mounted to the rear surface of the door and having a cold
air passing hole formed in one side thereof; a cold air duct
extended along the side wall of the main body to supply the cold
air generated from the evaporator to the ice-making chamber and
connected with the cold air passing hole in a state where the door
mounted with the ice-making chamber is closed; an ice-making
assembly provided in the ice-making chamber; and a dewing
prevention member blocking the cold air discharged from the cold
air passing hole from being directly collided with the side wall of
the ice-making chamber.
[0016] There is provided a refrigerator according to another
embodiment of the present invention comprising: a main body having
a storage space for storing foods therein; at least one storage
container received in a storage space and receiving foods; an
evaporator provided in any one side of the main body for
heat-exchange between the refrigerant and the cold air circulating
the storage space; a door selectively opening and closing the
storage space; an ice-making chamber provided in the rear surface
of the door and having a cold air passing hole on one surface
thereof; a dewing prevention plate coupled in a spaced state from
the inner wall of the ice-making chamber, the dewing preventing
plate being provided in a path of the cold air discharged from the
cold air passing hole to block dew generation on an outer surface
of the ice-making chamber; an ice-making chamber provided in the
ice-making chamber; an ice storage container storing ice made from
the ice-maker; and a transferring part dispensing the ice stored in
the ice storage container.
[0017] There is provided a refrigerator according to another
embodiment of the present invention comprising: a main body having
a storage space for storing foods therein; at least one storage
container accomodated in a storage space and receiving foods; an
evaporator provided in any one side of the main body and
heat-exchange cold air circulating the storage space and
refrigerant; a door selectively opening and closing the storage
space; an ice-making chamber provided to a rear surface of the door
and having a cold air passing hole on one surface thereof; a cold
air guide mounted to the cold air passing hole and blocking a
portion of the cold air passing hole to block the inside of the
ice-making chamber from being completely exposed or to reduce the
infiltrating phenomenon of foreign materials through the cold air
passing hole; an ice-making chamber provided in the ice-making
chamber; an ice storage container storing ice made from the
ice-making chamber; and a transferring part dispensing the ice
stored in the ice storage container.
Advantageous Effects
[0018] With a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the
present invention constituted as above, a cold air inlet formed in
an ice-maker is partially covered so that the inside of the
ice-maker is not exposed.
[0019] Also, the infiltration of foreign materials inside an
ice-maker by a cover mounted to an cold air inlet is blocked.
Furthermore, a problem of an interruption of a cold air flow due to
foreign materials is solved.
[0020] Also, a direction of a cold air louver of a cover mounted to
an cold air inlet can be controlled to guide the cold air to a user
desired position, making it possible to increase an ice-making
effect of a ice-making chamber.
[0021] Also, a cold air to an inside of an ice-maker is first
collided with a dewing preventiong member so that a dewing
phenomenon does not occur at the upper wall surface of the
ice-maker. In other words, since the temperature difference of the
inner side and outer side of the upper wall surface is not large,
the dewing phenomenon does not occur at the upper wall surface
thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a refrigerator according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an inner constitution
of the refrigerator;
[0024] FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view showing an inner
structure of an ice-making chamber according to an embodiment of
the present invention:
[0025] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the ice-making
chamber.
[0026] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the shape and
mount structure of a cold air guide according to an embodiment of
the present invention; and
[0027] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I' of
FIG. 5.
MODE FOR THE INVENTION
[0028] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention
will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Also, a bottom freezer type refrigerator will be described as an
example for explaining the embodiments of the present
invention.
[0029] FIG. 1 is a front vies showing a refrigerator according to
an embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 2 is a perspective
view showing an inner constitution of the refrigerator;
[0030] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a bottom freezer type
refrigerator 40 according to the embodiment of the present
invention comprises: a main body 42 having a freezing chamber 41
and a cooling chamber 43 formed therein; a cooling chamber door 45
rotatably mounted to the front surface of the main body 42 to open
and close the cooling chamber 41; a freezing chamber door 51 drawn
in and out forward and backward to selectively open and close the
freezing chamber 43; an ice-making chamber 60 mounted to the rear
surface of the ice-making chamber door 45; and a freezing chamber
drawer 53 mounted to the rear surface of the freezing chamber door
51.
[0031] In detail, the cooling chamber 41 is positioned at the upper
side of the cold chamber 43 and the cooling chamber door 45 is
provided in both side surfaces of the front surface of the main
body 42, respectively. And, an evaporator 55 is mounted to the rear
surface of the freezing chamber 43 to generate cold air to be
heat-exchanged with refrigerant. And, the side portion of the main
body 42 is provided with a cold air duct 56 supplying the cold air
generated from the evaporator 55 to the ice-making chamber 60 and a
return duct 57 returning the cold air circulating in the ice-making
chamber 60 to the evaporator 55. And, a cold air supplying fan (not
shown) for supplying the cold air is provided near the evaporator.
And, the cold air supplying duct 56 and the return duct 57 passes
through the inside of an insulating layer forming the main body 42.
Accordingly, the heat-exchange between the external air and the
cold air passing through the ducts 56 and 57 is exchanged. And, the
end of the cold air supplying duct 56 is formed with an cold air
outlet 58 and the end of the return duct 57 is formed with a cold
air inlet 59 in which the cold air discharged from the ice-making
chamber 60 flows.
[0032] Meanwhile, any one side front surface of the cooling chamber
door 45 is provided with a dispenser 47 dispensing purified water
and water and a controller 49 having a display and control buttons
displaying the temperature inside the cooling chamber 41 and the
freezing chamber 43 and the operating state of the refrigerator.
And, the dispenser 47 is formed in the cooling chamber door 45 to
which the ice-making chamber is mounted, making it possible to
maximally shorten an ice dispensing path. And, the ice-making
chamber 60 is positioned at the cooling chamber door 45, making it
possible to allow a user to conveniently take out ice without
bending his body for dispensing the ice.
[0033] Also, the ice-making chamber 60 comprises: a housing
projected on the cooling chamber door 45 to form a cold air chamber
612; and an ice-making chamber cover 62 rotatably mounted to the
housing to selectively block the cold air chamber 612. And, the
side surface of the housing 61 is formed with a cold air passing
hole 70. In detail, the cold air passing hole 70 comprises a cold
air inlet 71 connected to the cold air outlet 58 formed in the cold
air supplying duct 56 and a cold air outlet 73 connected to the
cold air inlet 59 formed in the return duct 57. The cold air inlet
71 and the cold air outlet 73 are formed in a surface contacting
the side surface wall of the cooling chamber 41 when the cooling
chamber door 45 is closed. Accordingly, in a state where the
cooling chamber door 45 is closed, the cold air duct 56 and the
return duct 57 are connected to the ice-making chamber 60. And, at
least any one of the cold air inlet 71 and the cold air outlet 57
is detachably mounted with the cold air guide 90. The cold air
guide 70 performs a function of filtering foreign materials
included in the cold air flowed in the ice-making chamber 612, a
functing of blocking the inside of the ice-making chamber 612 when
the cooling chamber door 45 is opened, and a function of guiding a
discharge direction of the cold air passing throught the cold air
inlet 71 or the cold air outlet 73. In other words, it guides the
cold air flowed in through the cold air inlet 71 to be jetted
toward the ceiling of the ice-making chamber 162 or guides the cold
air discharged through the cold air outlet 73 to be outlet in
parallel with an extension direction of the return duct 87. And,
the cold air guide 90 may be of course mounted to the cold air
outlet 58 and the cold air inlet 59 formed in the wall surface of
the cooling chamber 41. The shape and mount structure of the cold
air guide 90 will be described below with reference to the
following figures.
[0034] Meanwhile, the housing 61 is a portion of a door liner
forming the rear surface of the cooling chamber door 45 or can be
provided as a separate case.
[0035] The concrete inner constitution of the ice-making chamber 60
will be described below with reference to the following
figures.
[0036] FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view showing an inner
structure of an ice-making chamber according to an embodiment of
the present invention and FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of
the ice-making chamber.
[0037] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the ice-making chamber 60
according to an embodiment of the present invention is formed of
the housing 61 and the ice-making door 62 as described above.
[0038] In detail, the inside of the housing 61 is formed with the
cold air chamber 612 in which the cold air for making ice is
circulated. And, the inside of the housing 61 is mounted with an
ice-making assembly 80. The ice-making assembly 80 comprises an
ice-maker 83 making the ice and an ice bank 85 storing the made
ice.
[0039] Also, the bottom of the housing 61 is formed with a
dispensing hole 611 for dispensing the ice stored in the ice bank
85. And, the rear surface wall of the housing 61 is vertically
mounted with a support plate 81 for supporting the ice-making
assembly 80. And, the lower end of the support plate 81 is formed
with a seating part 811 that is horizontally bent. The seating part
811 is fixed to the bottom surface of the cold air chamber 612 by
means of a coupling member such as a screw. In other words, the
support plate 81 is fixed to the cold air chamber 612 by means of
the seating part 811. one surface of the seating part 811 is formed
with a through hole 812 corresponding to a position of the
dispensing hole 611.
[0040] Meanwhile, the upper portion of the support plate 81 is
mounted with the ice-maker 83 and the ice-maker 83 performs a
function of manufacturing the ice using water supplied from the
external. The lower portion of the support plate 81 is mounted with
the ice bank 85 and the ice bank 85 performs a function of
temporarily storing the ice made by means of the ice-maker 83 and
then dispensing it to the outside. The ice-maker 83 and the ice
bank 85 are mounted to the support plate 81 so that they can be
constituted by one module.
[0041] In detail, the ice bank 85 comprises a storage container 851
storing the ice made by means of the ice maker 83 and a
transferring part 852 dispensing the ice stored in the storage
container 851 to the dispensing hole 611. The transferring part 852
is provided in the storage container 851 and may comprise an auger
transferring the stored ice to the dispensing hole 611 and a
pulverizer pluverizing the ice. And, the front surface of the
storage container 851 is provided with a storage cover 853. The
storage cover 853 can be selectively opened in the storage
container 851.
[0042] Meanwhile, the ceiling portion of the cold air chamber 612,
in detail, the inner side upper of the housing 61 is provided with
a dewing prevention part 100. The dewing prevention part 100 is
provided to prevent dewing from being generated on the upper
surface of the outside of the ice-making chamber 60. Therefore, the
dewing prevention part 100 may be provided in a position where the
cold air inlet through the cold air inlet 71 formed in the side
surface of the housing 61 flows in the cold air chamber 612 and is
first collided therewith.
[0043] In detail, the dewing prevention part 110 comprises a dewing
prevention plate 100 formed in a plate shape and a connection part
103 extended in a predetermined length on the upper surface of the
dewing prevention plate 101. The end of the connection part 103 may
be mounted to the upper surface of the inside of the housing 61.
Therefore, the dewing prevention plate 101 is mounted to be spaced
at a predetermined distance from the ceiling of the cold air
chamber 612 by means of the connecting part 103.
[0044] The connecting part 103 may be fixed to the ceiling of the
cold air chamber 612 by means of the fixing member such as the
screw. Therefore, the cold air inlet through the cold air inlet 71
is directly contacted to the dewing preventing plate 101 and plays
a role of an insulation by mean of the cold air in the dewing
prevention space formed between the dewing prevention plate 101 and
the ceiling of the cold air chamber 612 so that the dewing
phenomenon does not occur at the upper surface of the outside of
the ice-making chamber 60.
[0045] In the state where the ice-making assembly 80 is mounted to
the support plate 81 in one module, it is installed at the cold air
chamber 612 together with the dewing prevention part 100. In
particular, the dewing prevention part 100 is positioned right
above the ice-maker 82 so that the cold air colliding with the
dewing prevention part 100 may be directly reflected to the
ice-maker 83. Then, the time that the ice-maker makes ice can be
shortened.
[0046] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the shape and
mount structure of a cold air guide according to an embodiment of
the present invention and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken
along line I-I' of FIG. 5.
[0047] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the cold air guide 90 according
to an embodiment of the present invention may be formed in the same
shape as the shape of the cold air inlet 71 or the cold air outlet
73.
[0048] Hereinafter, the cold air guide 90 mounted to the cold air
inlet 71 will be described as an embodiment. The description
explained below is likewise applied to the cold air guide 90
mounted to the cold air outlet 73.
[0049] an inner circumferential surface of the cold air inlet 71 is
formed with a seating end 711 for firmly seating the cold air guide
90. And, the seating end 711 is formed with one or more coupling
hole 712. The coupling part 99 as will be described below is
inserted into to the coupling hole 712. The plurality of coupling
holes 712 may be formed in the seating end 711.
[0050] The cold air guide 90 comprises a body part 91 formed to be
corresponded to the shape of the cold air inlet 71, the coupling
part 99 extended to the rear surface edge of the body part 91, and
a plurality of guide louvers 95 formed in a predetermined distance
in the body part 91.
[0051] In detail, the guide louber 95 is inclinedly formed to
outlet the cold air discharged from the ice-making chamber 612
through the cold air inlet 71 to the upper side. And, the guide
louver 95 of the cold air guide 90 mounted to the cold air outlet
71 may be inclinedly formed to a direction conforming to the
circulating direction of the cold air shown by an arrow in FIG. 4.
Also, it may be inclinedly formed to a direction conforming to the
extension direction of the return duct 57. The inclined direction
of the guide louver 95 may be properly determined by considering
the extension direction of the return duct 57 and the circulation
of the cold air. And, the plurality of guide louvers 95 are formed
in a state where they are spaced at a predetermined distance. In
other words, slits 97 for discharging the cold air are formed
between the guide louvers 95.
[0052] Also, the coupling part 99 is inserted and coupled into and
to the coupling hole 712. In detail, the coupling part may be
provided in a hook form. In other words, the coupling part is
safely inserted and fixed in the coupling hole 712, making it
possible to prevent a phenomenon that the cold air guide 90 is
spontaneously decoupled by means of the pressure of the outlet cold
air.
[0053] Meanwhile, the structure that the ice-making chamber
comprising the cold air guide and the dewing prevention part are
mounted to the cooling chamber door of the bottom freezer type
refrigerator is not limited. For example, the cooling chamber may
be applied to the top mount type refrigerator or the side by side
type refrigerator and may be of course applied to the cooling
chamber door as well as the freezing chamber door.
* * * * *