U.S. patent application number 12/752021 was filed with the patent office on 2010-10-07 for refrigerator having ice making room.
Invention is credited to Bong-jin KIM, Seong-Jae KIM, Young-Hoon YUN.
Application Number | 20100251744 12/752021 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42825049 |
Filed Date | 2010-10-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100251744 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
YUN; Young-Hoon ; et
al. |
October 7, 2010 |
REFRIGERATOR HAVING ICE MAKING ROOM
Abstract
A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a
refrigerator main body including a cooling chamber, a door for
opening or closing the cooling chamber, an ice making chamber
located at the door, a sub-chamber located at the door and spaced
from the ice making chamber, the sub-chamber being configured to
receive cool air from the cooling chamber, and a cold energy
transfer unit configured to transfer energy of cool air of the
sub-chamber to the ice making chamber.
Inventors: |
YUN; Young-Hoon; (Seoul,
KR) ; KIM; Bong-jin; (Seoul, KR) ; KIM;
Seong-Jae; (Seoul, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Family ID: |
42825049 |
Appl. No.: |
12/752021 |
Filed: |
March 31, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/340 ; 62/441;
62/449 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25C 2400/10 20130101;
F25D 2317/062 20130101; F25D 2317/061 20130101; F25D 23/04
20130101; F25D 11/025 20130101; F25D 2317/067 20130101; F25D 17/065
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/340 ; 62/449;
62/441 |
International
Class: |
F25C 1/00 20060101
F25C001/00; F25D 23/02 20060101 F25D023/02; F25D 13/04 20060101
F25D013/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 2, 2009 |
KR |
10-2009-0028532 |
Claims
1. A refrigerator, comprising: a refrigerator main body including a
cooling chamber; a door for opening or closing the cooling chamber;
an ice making chamber located at the door; a sub-chamber located at
the door and spaced from the ice making chamber, the sub-chamber
being configured to receive cool air from the cooling chamber, and
a cold energy transfer unit configured to transfer energy of cool
air of the sub-chamber to the ice making chamber.
2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the sub-chamber includes a
first inlet, the cooling chamber includes a first outlet, the first
inlet of the sub-chamber being in communication with the first
outlet of the cooling chamber when the door is closed, the first
inlet of the sub-chamber not being in communication with the first
outlet when the door is open.
3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the sub-chamber includes a
first outlet, the cooling chamber includes a first inlet, the first
outlet of the sub-chamber being in communication with the first
inlet of the cooling chamber when the door is closed, the first
outlet of the sub-chamber not being in communication with the first
inlet when the door is open.
4. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the sub-chamber includes a
first outlet, the cooling chamber includes a first inlet, the first
outlet of the sub-chamber being in communication with the first
inlet of the cooling chamber when the door is closed, the first
outlet of the sub-chamber not being in communication with the first
inlet when the door is open.
5. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the ice making chamber
includes an ice maker configured to make ice.
6. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the cold energy transfer
unit includes a heat pipe extending between the sub-chamber and the
ice making chamber.
7. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the cold energy transfer
unit includes a first cold energy transfer unit located in the
sub-chamber and a second cold energy transfer unit extending
between the sub-chamber and the ice making chamber.
8. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the second cold energy
transfer unit includes a heat pipe.
9. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the second cold energy
transfer unit includes a first heat exchanger located in the
sub-chamber, a second heat exchanger located in the ice making
chamber, and a liquid circulation path between the first heat
exchanger and the second heat exchanger.
10. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the second cold energy
transfer unit includes a pump to circulate refrigerant flowing in
the liquid circulation path.
11. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the cooling chamber
includes a refrigerating chamber, the first cold energy unit
includes an evaporator located beneath the refrigerating chamber,
the cool air produced by the evaporator being in communication with
the sub-chamber.
12. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the cooling chamber
includes a refrigerating chamber, the door is a refrigerating
chamber door for opening and closing the refrigerating chamber, and
the ice making chamber is located at the refrigerating chamber
door.
13. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the cold energy transfer
unit includes a heat pipe provided at the refrigerating chamber
door.
14. The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein the cooling chamber
includes a freezing chamber, and the refrigerator further includes
a cool air transfer passage formed in the refrigerator main body to
transfer the cool air of the freezing chamber to the
sub-chamber.
15. The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein a cool air discharge port
for discharging cool air that has passed through the sub-chamber is
formed in the freezing chamber.
16. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the heat pipe includes at
least one heat transfer fin disposed in the sub-chamber.
17. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the cold energy transfer
unit includes a secondary refrigerant circulating unit to absorb
heat from air in the ice making chamber by circulation of a
refrigerant.
18. The refrigerator of claim 17, wherein the secondary refrigerant
circulating unit includes a first heat exchanger disposed in the
ice making chamber, a second heat exchanger connected to the first
heat exchanger to circulate a refrigerant, and a pump for
circulating the refrigerant through the first and the second heat
exchangers.
19. The refrigerator of claim 18, wherein the cooling chamber
includes a freezing chamber, and the refrigerator further includes
a cool air transfer passage in the refrigerator main body for
transferring the cool air of the freezing chamber to the
refrigerating chamber door.
20. The refrigerator of claim 19, wherein the cool air transfer
passage includes the sub-chamber formed at the refrigerating
chamber door and a connecting passage for connecting the
sub-chamber with the refrigerating chamber, and the second heat
exchanger is disposed within the sub-chamber.
21. The refrigerator of claim 20, wherein a cool air discharge port
for discharging cool air that has passed through the sub-chamber is
formed in the freezing chamber.
22. The refrigerator of claim 21, wherein the cool air transfer
passage includes a fan for accelerating the flow of cool air.
23. A refrigerator, comprising: a refrigerator main body including
a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber; a door for opening
or closing the refrigerating chamber; an ice making chamber located
at the door; a sub-chamber located at the door and spaced from the
ice making chamber, the sub-chamber being configured to receive
cool air from the freezing chamber, a first cold energy transfer
unit configured to transfer energy of the cool air of the
sub-chamber using convection; and a second cold energy transfer
unit configured to transfer energy of the first cold energy
transfer unit to the ice making chamber using thermal
conduction.
24. The refrigerator of claim 23, further comprising a cool air
transfer passage in the refrigerator main body to transfer the cool
air of the freezing chamber to the sub-chamber.
25. The refrigerator of claim 24, wherein the cool air transfer
passage includes the sub-chamber formed at the refrigerating
chamber door and a connecting passage for connecting the
sub-chamber with the freezing chamber.
26. The refrigerator of claim 25, wherein the cool air transfer
passage includes a fan for accelerating the flow of cool air.
27. The refrigerator of claim 26, wherein the fan is operated only
when the ice making chamber is making ice.
28. The refrigerator of claim 23, wherein the second cold energy
transfer unit includes a heat pipe to provide thermal
conduction.
29. The refrigerator of claim 23, wherein the second cold energy
transfer unit includes a secondary refrigerant circulating unit to
provide thermal conduction via refrigerant flow.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to Korean
Application No. 10-2009-0028532, filed on Apr. 2, 2009, which is
herein expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a refrigerator having an
ice-making chamber, and more particularly, to a refrigerator having
an ice-making chamber in which the use of a cool air duct is
reduced, thereby reducing an adverse effect caused by the use of
the cool air duct.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] As is generally known, a refrigerator is a device for
refrigerating or cooling food to keep them fresh. Such a
refrigerator includes a refrigerator main body formed with a
cooling chamber therein, a plurality of doors for opening or
closing the cooling chamber, and a refrigeration cycle device for
providing cold energy to the cooling chamber.
[0006] The refrigeration cycle device is typically provided with a
vapor compression type refrigeration cycle device including a
compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a condenser for radiating
and condensing the refrigerant, an expansion apparatus for
decompressing and expanding the refrigerant, and an evaporator for
allowing the refrigerant to absorb and evaporate surrounding latent
heat.
[0007] The refrigerator may include various functions in order to
enhance user's convenience and satisfaction. As an example, the
refrigerator may include an ice making system (or device) for
making ice cubes to provide for the user.
[0008] The ice making system may be configured by including an ice
making machine for making ice cubes, and an ice bank positioned at
a lower side of the ice making system for storing ice cubes that
have been made in the ice making machine.
[0009] The ice making machine may be mounted at an inner side of
the door or mounted within a freezing chamber. Furthermore, an ice
making chamber for accommodating the ice making machine may be
formed within the door or freezing chamber.
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a refrigerator in
the related art. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the refrigerator
includes a refrigerator main body 10 formed with a refrigerating
chamber 20 and a freezing chamber 30 therein, and a refrigerating
chamber door 25 and a freezing chamber door 35 for opening or
closing the refrigerating chamber 20 and the freezing chamber 30,
respectively.
[0011] The refrigerating chamber 20 is formed at an upper region of
the refrigerator main body 10, and the refrigerating chamber door
25 for selectively opening or closing the refrigerating chamber 20
is provided at a front surface of the refrigerating chamber 20. The
refrigerator may be also provided with a plurality of refrigerating
chamber doors 25.
[0012] A dispenser 40 for taking out water or ice without opening
the refrigerating chamber door 25 may be provided at either one of
the refrigerating chamber doors 25.
[0013] An ice making chamber 50 for making ice may be formed at an
upper region of the refrigerating chamber door 25. Furthermore, an
ice making machine for making ice cubes in a predetermined shape,
and an ice bank for storing ice cubes that have been made in the
ice making machine may be provided within the ice making chamber
50.
[0014] A sidewall cool air duct 60 for providing the cool air of
the freezing chamber 30 to the ice making chamber 50 may be
provided in the refrigerator main body 10. It may be configured
with a pair of sidewall cool air ducts 60, and one of the ducts
forms a cool air supply passage 61a for moving the cool air of the
freezing chamber 30 to the ice making chamber 50, and the other one
forms a cool air return passage 61b for returning the cool air that
has passed through the ice making chamber 50.
[0015] However, according to a refrigerator having such an ice
making chamber in the related art, the sidewall cool air duct 60 is
provided in such a manner that it is buried within a sidewall of
the refrigerator main body 10 not to be seen from the outside, and
thus dewdrops may be produced on an outer surface of the
refrigerator main body 10 by cool air moving along the sidewall
cool air duct 60.
[0016] In addition, an electric heater (not shown) for preventing
dewdrops from being produced on an outer surface of the
refrigerator main body 10 by the sidewall cool air duct 60 may be
provided therein, thereby increasing the manufacturing cost, and
increasing the power consumption while operating the heater.
[0017] Furthermore, the sidewall cool air duct 60 is formed to
connect between the freezing chamber 30 formed at a lower portion
of the refrigerator main body 10 and the ice making chamber 50
formed at an upper portion of the refrigerating chamber door 25,
and thus it has a relatively long length. As a result, it may cause
the flow loss of cool air.
[0018] Moreover, in such a refrigerator in the related art, ice is
made by using cool air, and thus odor in the air may be absorbed by
the ice during the ice making process and its storage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0019] In order to solve the foregoing problem, an object of the
present invention is to provide a refrigerator having an ice making
chamber capable of removing the use of a sidewall cool air
duct.
[0020] Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to
provide a refrigerator having an ice making chamber capable of
preventing the odor of the air in the cooling chamber from
transferring to ice.
[0021] In order to accomplish the foregoing object of the present
invention, there is provided a refrigerator having an ice making
chamber including a refrigerator main body including a cooling
chamber, a door for opening or closing the cooling chamber, an ice
making chamber located at the door, a sub-chamber located at the
door and spaced from the ice making chamber, the sub-chamber being
configured to receive cool air from the cooling chamber, and a cold
energy transfer unit configured to transfer energy of cool air of
the sub-chamber to the ice making chamber.
[0022] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a refrigerator having a refrigerator main body
including a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber, a door
for opening or closing the refrigerating chamber, an ice making
chamber located at the door, a sub-chamber located at the door and
spaced from the ice making chamber, the sub-chamber being
configured to receive cool air from the freezing chamber, a first
cold energy transfer unit configured to transfer energy of the cool
air of the sub-chamber using convection, and a second cold energy
transfer unit configured to transfer energy of the first cold
energy transfer unit to the ice making chamber using thermal
conduction
[0023] Further scope of applicability of the present application
will become more apparent from the detailed description given
hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed
description and specific examples, while indicating preferred
embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration
only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and
scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the
art from the detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a
further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of
the invention and together with the description serve to explain
the principles of the invention.
[0025] In the drawings:
[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a refrigerator in
the related art;
[0027] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a refrigerator
having an ice making chamber according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0028] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the
refrigerator of FIG. 2;
[0029] FIG. 4 is cross-sectional view along the line "IV-IV" of
FIG. 3;
[0030] FIG. 5 is a view for explaining a process of transferring
cold energy to the ice making machine of FIG. 3;
[0031] FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a refrigerator
having an ice making chamber according to another embodiment of the
present invention;
[0032] FIG. 7 is a view for explaining an ice making process;
[0033] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a refrigerator
having an ice making chamber according to still another embodiment
of the present invention;
[0034] FIG. 9 is a view for explaining a process of transferring
cold energy to the ice making machine of FIG. 8;
[0035] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a refrigerator
having an ice making chamber according to still another embodiment
of the present invention; and
[0036] FIG. 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the
refrigerator of FIG. 10.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0037] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of a refrigerator having
an ice making chamber according to the present invention will be
described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0038] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a refrigerator
having an ice making chamber according to an embodiment of the
present invention, FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of
FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is cross-sectional view along the line "IV-IV" of
FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a view for explaining a process of
transferring cool air to the ice making machine of FIG. 3.
[0039] As illustrated in FIG. 2, a refrigerator having an ice
making chamber may be configured by including a refrigerator main
body 110 formed with a cooling chamber 130, doors 135, 145 for
opening or closing the cooling chamber 130, an ice making chamber
190 formed at the cooling chamber 130 or the doors 135, 145, and a
cold energy transfer unit 250 configured to transfer cold energy to
the ice making chamber 190 by thermal conduction or refrigerant.
Here, the cooling chamber 130 is commonly referred to as a freezing
chamber 141 and a refrigerating chamber 131. Consequently, it may
be possible to remove the use of a conventional sidewall cool air
duct for transferring cool air to the ice making chamber 190.
Furthermore, ice is not directly brought into contact with cool
air, and thus the user does not have to worry about the odor in the
air being transferred and absorbed into the ice.
[0040] The cooling chamber 130 may be configured with a
refrigerating chamber 131 and a freezing chamber 141, which are
formed at upper and lower regions of the refrigerator main body
110, respectively. A pair of refrigerating chamber doors 135 for
opening or closing the refrigerating chamber 131 is provided at a
front surface of the refrigerating chamber 131. The refrigerating
chamber doors 135 may be combined with each other in a concurrently
movable manner. A freezing chamber door 145 for opening or closing
the freezing chamber 141 may be provided at a front surface of the
freezing chamber 141. The freezing chamber door 145 may be
configured with a draw-type door that can be moved along a
front-and-rear direction of the freezing chamber 141.
[0041] The ice making chamber 190 may be formed at either one of
the refrigerating chamber doors 135. The ice making chamber 190 may
be formed in such a manner that a side of the ice making chamber
190 can be opened, and the ice making chamber 190 may be provided
with an ice making chamber door 195 for opening or closing an
opening of the ice making chamber 190. An ice making machine 210
for making ice (ice cubes) in a predetermined shape and an ice bank
230 for storing ice cubes that have been made in the ice making
machine 210 may be provided within the ice making chamber 190.
Here, the ice making machine 210 may be configured by including an
ice tray 211 having a plurality of cells for forming ice cubes in a
predetermined shape, and an ejector 221 for taking out ice cubes
that have been formed in the ice tray 211. The ejector 221 may be
configured by including a plurality of ejector pins protruded by
corresponding to the inside of the each of the cells respectively
at a shaft and the circumference of the shaft. When the ejector 221
rotates during the release of ice cubes, the ice cubes that have
been made within the cells are pressed by the ejector pins and then
taken out of the cells. The ice tray 211 may be formed of a metal
member to allow thermal conduction. A side of the ice tray 211 is
further provided with a plate-shaped sidewall portion 215. The
sidewall portion 215 may be formed of a metal member.
[0042] A dispenser 240 for taking ice and/or water may be provided
at a lower side of the ice bank 230. The ice bank 230 may be
configured by including an ice dispensing device (for example,
auger) (not shown) for discharging ice cubes. The ice cubes stored
in the ice bank 230 may be taken out to the dispenser 240 by the
ice dispensing device when required. As a result, the user can take
out ice cubes from the ice bank 230 without opening the
refrigerating chamber door 135.
[0043] On the other hand, the refrigerator main body 110 may be
provided with a refrigeration cycle device 150 for providing cold
energy to the freezing chamber 141 and the refrigerating chamber
131. The refrigeration cycle device 150 may be configured with a
so-called vapor compression type refrigeration cycle including a
compressor 151 for compressing a refrigerant, a condenser 161 for
radiating and condensing the refrigerant, an expansion apparatus
171 for depressing and expanding the refrigerant, and an evaporator
181 for allowing the refrigerant to absorb and evaporate
surrounding latent heat.
[0044] A machine chamber 120 may be formed at a rear region of the
refrigerator main body 110, and the compressor 151, condenser 161,
and the expansion apparatus 171 may be disposed in the machine
chamber 120. The evaporator 181 may be provided at a rear region of
the freezing chamber 141. Furthermore, the evaporator 181 may be
disposed in the freezing chamber 141 and the refrigerating chamber
131 respectively. Here, cooling fans 165, 185 for accelerating the
flow of air may be provided around the evaporator 181 and the
condenser 161 respectively, both constituting the refrigeration
cycle device 150. Hereinafter, the exemplary embodiment will be
described, for example, where the evaporator 181 is disposed at a
rear region of the freezing chamber 141, although the evaporator
181 is not limited to this location.
[0045] The cold energy transfer unit 250 is provided to transfer
cold energy that has been produced by the evaporator 181 to the ice
making chamber 190, it may be configured to transfer cold energy to
the ice making machine 210 by thermal conduction or
refrigerant.
[0046] Furthermore, the cold energy transfer unit 250 may be
configured by including a first cold energy transfer unit 260 for
transferring cold energy, more specifically, cool air, and a second
cold energy transfer unit 310 for transferring cold energy by
conduction. The second cold energy transfer unit 310 may be
configured by including a heat pipe 311. The heat pipe 311 may be
configured by including a tubular body 313, and a working fluid 314
sealed within the tubular body 313. The inside of the tubular body
313 may be configured such that the working fluid 314 can be moved
by a capillary phenomenon. For example, grooves 315 for generating
a capillary phenomenon may be formed at an inner wall surface of
the tubular body 313. Furthermore, a mesh structure (not shown) or
porous member (not shown) for generating a capillary phenomenon may
be provided within the tubular body 313. The working fluid 314 (for
example, alcohol, water, mercury, etc.) may be suitably selected
based on the used temperature range.
[0047] An end of the heat pipe 311 is disposed to absorb heat from
the air in the ice making machine 210, and the other end of the
heat pipe 311 is extended downward and disposed at a lower region
of the refrigerating chamber door 135. In other words, an end of
the heat pipe 311 disposed to be capable of exchanging heat with
the ice making machine 210 may be an evaporating unit 312a for
allowing working fluid therewithin to absorb and evaporate
surrounding heat, and the other end of the heat pipe 311 may be a
condensing unit 312b for cooling and condensing the evaporated
working fluid 314. The condensing unit 312b may be provided with a
plurality of heat transfer fins (heat transfer plates) 316 for
increasing the heat-exchanging area.
[0048] The first cold energy transfer unit 260 is provided to
transfer heat energy from the heat pipe 311 to the cool air that
has been produced by the evaporator 181, which is a second cold
energy transfer unit 310, and it may be configured by including a
sub-chamber 270 formed at the refrigerating chamber door 135, and a
connecting passage 280 for connecting the freezing chamber 141 to
the sub-sub-chamber 270. Here, the first cold energy transfer unit
260 may be defined as a "cool air transfer passage" in the aspect
of forming a passage in which the cool air of the freezing chamber
141 is transferred to the heat pipe 311.
[0049] The first cold energy transfer unit 260 may be further
provided with a duct 291 capable of concentratively ventilating
cool air at a side of the evaporator 181 to the connecting passage
280.
[0050] A lower end portion of the heat pipe 311, that is, a
condensing unit 312b, is disposed at a lower region of the
refrigerating chamber door 135 to transfer heat energy to the cool
air in the sub-chamber. An inlet portion 272 and an outlet portion
273 for flowing in and out cool air are formed at a side of the
sub-sub-to chamber 270. The inlet portion 272 and the outlet
portion 273 may be configured so as to be passed through within a
protruding portion 271 protruded from the refrigerating chamber
door 135.
[0051] A partition wall 142 is formed between the refrigerating
chamber 131 and the freezing chamber 141, and a connecting passage
280 may be formed in order to form a moving path of cool air for
connecting the freezing chamber 141 with the sub-sub-chamber 270.
Here, it is shown a case in which the duct 291 is disposed at a
ceiling of the freezing chamber 141, but it may be configured so as
to be disposed with the partition wall 142.
[0052] The connecting passage 280 may be configured by including a
cool air outflow passage 282 for providing cool air to the
sub-sub-chamber 270, and a cool air inflow passage 283 for
returning cool air that has passed the sub-sub-chamber 270. An end
of the cool air outflow passage 282 may be connected to an
outflow-side end of the duct 291, and the other end thereof may be
connected to an inlet portion 272 of the connecting passage 280. An
end of the cool air inflow passage 283 of the connecting passage
280 may be connected to the outlet portion 273 of the
sub-sub-chamber 270, and the other end of the cool air inflow
passage 283 may be disposed at a ceiling of the freezing chamber
141. Here, the other end of the cool air inflow passage 283, that
is, a ceiling-side end of the freezing chamber 141 may be defined
as a "cool air discharge port" in the aspect of discharging cool
air to the freezing chamber 141. As a result, cool air that has
passed through the sub-sub-chamber 270 may be directly discharged
to the freezing chamber 141.
[0053] An end of the cool air outflow passage 282 of the connecting
passage 280 and an end of the cool air inflow passage 283, as
illustrated in FIG. 4, are formed at the ground surface of the
refrigerating chamber 131. A gasket 293 for preventing cool air
from being leaked may be provided between the inlet portion 272 of
the sub-sub-chamber 270 and an end of the cool air outflow passage
282 of the connecting passage 280, and between the outlet portion
273 and an end of the cool air inflow passage 283. In this
embodiment, it is shown a case in which the gasket 293 is provided
in the inlet portion 272 and the outlet portion 273. Here, the
first cold energy transfer unit 260 (or cool air transfer passage)
may be further provided with a ventilation fan (not shown) for
accelerating the flow of cool air. As a result, a relatively
low-capacity ventilation fan is driven to move cool air to the
sub-chamber 270 and thus the operating frequency (time) of a
cooling fan 185 at a side of the relatively high-capacity
evaporator 181 is decreased, thereby reducing the power
consumption.
[0054] Cool air that has been produced by the evaporator 181 is
moved to the connecting passage 280 through the duct 291. The cool
air that has moved to the connecting passage 280, more specifically
to the cool air outflow passage 282, is flowed into the sub-chamber
270 through the inlet portion 272. The cool air that has been
flowed into the sub-chamber 270 is brought into contact with the
condensing unit 312b of the heat pipe 311 and heat is exchanged,
and then flowed again into the connecting passage 280, more
specifically the cool air inflow passage 283, through the outlet
portion 273. The cool air that has flowed into the cool air inflow
passage 283 is discharged to the freezing chamber 141.
[0055] On the other hand, working fluid 314 that has been cooled
down in the condensing unit 312b of the heat pipe 311 is condensed,
and the condensed working fluid 314 is moved to an upper end of the
heat pipe 311, e.g., the evaporating unit 312a, along an inner wall
surface of the tubular body 313, e.g., the grooves 315, by a
capillary phenomenon. The working fluid 314 that has been moved to
the evaporating unit 312a absorbs and evaporates surrounding heat,
more specifically, heat from the ice making machine 210. As a
result, water within each cell of the ice making machine 210 is
frozen into ice cubes. Ice cubes are made by repeating a process in
which the evaporated working fluid 314 is again moved to the
condensing unit 312b to be condensed, and again moved to the
evaporating unit 312a to be evaporated. On the other hand, ice
cubes that have been made in the ice making machine 210 may be
stored within the ice bank 230 through a process of releasing ice
cubes, and taken out to the dispenser 240 when required.
[0056] Hereinafter, another embodiment of the present invention
will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.
[0057] FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a refrigerator
having an ice making chamber according to another embodiment of the
present invention, and FIG. 7 is a view for explaining an ice
making process. Hereinafter, for the sake of convenience of
explanation, in the drawings, the same or similar portions to those
in the foregoing configuration are designated with the same numeral
references, and their redundant description will be omitted.
[0058] As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, a refrigerator having an
ice making chamber may be configured by including a refrigerator
main body 110 formed with a refrigerating chamber 131 and a
freezing chamber 141, a refrigerating chamber door 135 and a
freezing chamber door 145 for opening or closing the refrigerating
chamber 131 and the freezing chamber 141 respectively, an ice
making chamber 190 formed at the refrigerating chamber door 135,
and a cold energy transfer unit 250 for transferring cold energy to
the ice making chamber 190 by thermal conduction or
refrigerant.
[0059] The refrigerating chamber 131 and the freezing chamber 141
within the refrigerator main body 110 may be formed to be
vertically partitioned by a portioning wall 142. A pair of
refrigerating chamber doors 135 may be provided in a concurrently
movable manner at a front surface of the refrigerating chamber 131,
and a freezing chamber door 145 for opening or closing the freezing
chamber 141 is while being slid along a front-and-rear direction of
the freezing chamber 141 may be provided in the freezing chamber
141.
[0060] The ice making chamber 190 may be formed at either one of
the refrigerating chamber doors 135. The ice making chamber 190 may
be provided with an opening, and further include an ice making
chamber door 195 for opening or closing an opening of the ice
making chamber 190.
[0061] An ice making machine 210 for making ice may be provided
within the ice making chamber 190, and an ice bank 230 for storing
ice cubes that have been made in the ice making machine 210 may be
provided at a lower side of the ice making chamber 190.
[0062] The evaporator 181 may be disposed at a rear region of the
freezing chamber 141, and a cooling fan 185 may be provided at a
side of the 181 to accelerate the flow of cool air.
[0063] The cold energy transfer unit 350 may be configured to
transfer heat energy from the air in the ice making chamber 190 to
the cool air of the freezing chamber 141 using a refrigerant. Here,
the refrigerant of the cold energy transfer unit 350 may be
referred to as a "secondary refrigerant" to distinguish from a
"primary refrigerant" of the refrigeration cycle.
[0064] The cold energy transfer unit 350 may be configured by
including a secondary refrigerant circulating unit (or device) 351
for exchanging heat while circulating the secondary
refrigerant.
[0065] The secondary refrigerant circulating unit 351 may be
configured by including a first heat exchanger 353 and a second
heat exchanger 354, disposed to be apart from each other for
exchanging heat with the secondary refrigerant and connected to
each other by a refrigerant pipe 355 for circulating the secondary
refrigerant, a pump 356 disposed between the first heat exchanger
353 and the second heat exchanger 354 for pumping the secondary
refrigerant. Either one of the first heat exchanger 353 and the
second heat exchanger 354 is disposed at the ice making machine 210
to be capable of exchanging heat, and the other one is disposed to
be capable of radiating heat energy. In this embodiment, it will be
described as an example, a case in which the first heat exchanger
353 is disposed to be capable of exchanging heat at a rear side of
the sidewall portion 215 of the ice making machine 210.
[0066] The cold energy transfer unit 350 may be configured by
further including a cool air transfer passage 361 for transferring
cool air that has been produced by the evaporator 181 to the second
heat exchanger 354.
[0067] The cool air transfer passage 361 may be configured by
including a sub-chamber 270 formed at the refrigerating chamber
door 135, and a connecting passage 280 for connecting the freezing
chamber 141 with the sub-chamber 270 to move cold energy, that is,
cool air.
[0068] The sub-chamber 270 may be formed at a lower region of the
refrigerating chamber door 135, and the second heat exchanger 354
of the secondary refrigerant circulating unit 351 may be disposed
within the sub-chamber 270. As a result, cool air that has been
produced by the evaporator 181 may be transferred to the secondary
refrigerant circulating unit 351. The sub-chamber 270 may be
provided with an inlet portion 272 and an outlet portion 273 for
flowing in and out cool air.
[0069] The connecting passage 280 may be formed at a partition wall
142 that partitions the refrigerating chamber 131 and the freezing
chamber 141.
[0070] The cool air transfer passage may be configured by further
including a duct 291 for concentratively moving cool air that has
be produced by the evaporator 181 to the connecting passage
280.
[0071] According to the foregoing configuration, cool air that has
been produced by the evaporator 181 is moved along the duct 291 of
the cool air transfer passage 361, and moved into the sub-chamber
270 through the connecting passage 280 and the inlet portion 272.
The cool air that has been heat-exchanged with the second heat
exchanger 354 within the sub-chamber 270 is discharged into the
freezing chamber 141 through the outlet portion 273 and the
connecting passage 280.
[0072] The secondary refrigerant that has been heat-exchanged and
cooled down in the second heat exchanger 354 is pumped by the pump
356 and moved to the first heat exchanger 353. The refrigerant that
has been moved to the first heat exchanger 353 cools down the ice
making machine 210 while exchanging heat with the ice making
machine 210. As a result, water of the ice making machine 210 is
frozen and made into ice cubes in a predetermined shape. Ice cubes
are made by repeating a process in which the refrigerant that has
cooled down the ice making machine 210 is again moved to the second
heat exchanger 354 to be cooled down and condensed, and then pumped
by the pump 356 to be moved to first heat exchanger 353. Ice cubes
that have been made in the ice making machine 210 may be stored
within the ice bank 230, and then taken out through the dispenser
240 that is formed at the refrigerating chamber door 135 when
required.
[0073] Hereinafter, still another embodiment of the present
invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.
[0074] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a refrigerator
having an ice making chamber according to still another embodiment
of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a view for explaining a
process of transferring cool air to the ice making machine of FIG.
8. As illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, a refrigerator having an ice
making chamber may be configured by including a refrigerator main
body 110 formed with a refrigerating chamber 131 and a freezing
chamber 141, a refrigerating chamber door 135 and a freezing
chamber door 145 for opening or closing the refrigerating chamber
131 and the freezing chamber 141 respectively, an ice making
chamber 190 formed at the refrigerating chamber door 135, and a
cold energy transfer unit 400 for transferring cold energy to the
ice making chamber 190 by thermal conduction or refrigerant.
[0075] The refrigerating chamber 131 and the freezing chamber 141
are formed at upper and lower regions of the refrigerator main body
110, respectively, and a refrigerating chamber door 135 and a
freezing chamber door 145 are provided at the refrigerating chamber
131 and the freezing chamber 141, respectively.
[0076] The ice making chamber 190 may be formed at either one of
the refrigerating chamber doors 135, and an ice making machine 210
for making ice cubes in a predetermined shape may be provided
within the ice making chamber 190. An ice bank 230 for storing ice
cubes that have been made in the ice making machine 210 may be
provided at a lower side of the ice making chamber 190. A dispenser
240 for taking out ice cubes without opening the refrigerating
chamber door 135 may be provided at a lower side of the ice bank
230.
[0077] The cold energy transfer unit 400 may be configured to
transfer cold energy by thermal conduction or refrigerant. For
example, the cold energy transfer unit 400 may be configured by
including a heat pipe 311 or a secondary refrigerant circulating
unit 351. For this exemplary embodiment, it will be described as an
example, where the cold energy transfer unit 400 is configured to
include the heat pipe 311.
[0078] The cold energy transfer unit 400 may be configured by
further including a cool air transfer passage 410 for transferring
the heat energy from the heat pipe 311 to the cool air of the
freezing chamber 141. The cool air transfer passage 410 may be
configured by including a sub-chamber 270 formed at the
refrigerating chamber door 135, and a connecting passage 280 for
connecting the freezing chamber 141 with the sub-chamber 270. The
lower end of the heat pipe 311 may be disposed in a
heat-exchangeable manner within the sub-chamber 270. The lower end
of the heat pipe 311, e.g., the condensing unit 312b, may be
provided with a plurality of heat transfer fins 316 for increasing
the heat-exchanging area.
[0079] The connecting passage 280 may be configured by including a
cool air outflow passage 282 for moving the cool air of the
freezing chamber 141 to the sub-chamber 270, and a cool air inflow
passage 283 for returning cool air that has passed the sub-chamber
270 to the freezing chamber 141.
[0080] Each side of the cool air outflow passage 282 and the cool
air inflow passage 283 is disposed at the ground surface of the
refrigerating chamber 131. The cool air outflow passage 282 and the
cool air inflow passage 283 are connected to the inlet portion 272
and the outlet portion 273 of the sub-chamber 270 respectively,
when the refrigerating chamber door 135 is closed.
[0081] The cool air transfer passage may be further provided with a
ventilation fan 420 for ventilating cool air to the sub-chamber
270. As a result, the driving frequency and time of a relatively
high-capacity cooling fan 185 disposed at a side of the evaporator
181 can be decreased, thereby reducing the power consumption, as
well as reducing vibration and/or noise generated when driven. The
ventilation fan 420 may be disposed at the cool air outflow passage
282.
[0082] According to such a configuration, during an ice making
process, when the rotation of the ventilation fan 420 starts, the
cool air of the freezing chamber 141 is passed through the inlet
portion 272 of the sub-chamber 270 via the connecting passage 280,
more specifically the cool air outflow passage 282, and flowed into
the sub-chamber 270. Cool air that has been flowed into the
sub-chamber 270 is brought into contact with the condensing unit
312b of the heat pipe 311 and heat is exchanged, and then flowed
into the cool air inflow passage 283 of the connecting passage 280
through the outlet portion 273. Cool air that has flowed into the
cool air inflow passage 283 is discharged to the freezing chamber
141. Working fluid 314 within the condensing unit 312b of the heat
pipe 311 is cooled down and condensed, and then moved to the
evaporating unit 312a disposed at an upper side thereof by a
capillary phenomenon. The working fluid 314 that has been moved to
the evaporating unit 312a repeats a process in which it is
heat-exchanged (absorbed) with the ice making machine 210 and
evaporated, and then moved to a side of the condensing unit
312b.
[0083] Hereinafter, still another embodiment of the present
invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. FIG.
10 is a perspective view illustrating a refrigerator having an ice
making chamber according to still another embodiment of the present
invention, and FIG. 11 is a lateral cross-sectional view of FIG.
10. As illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, a refrigerator having an ice
making chamber may be configured by including a refrigerator main
body 110 formed with a cooling chamber 130, doors 135, 145 for
opening or closing the cooling chamber 130, an ice making chamber
430 formed at the cooling chamber 130 or the doors 135, 145, and a
cold energy transfer unit 450 for transferring cold energy to the
ice making chamber 430 by thermal conduction or refrigerant.
[0084] The refrigerating chamber 131 and the freezing chamber 141
are formed at upper and lower regions of the refrigerator main body
110, respectively, and a refrigerating chamber door 135 and a
freezing chamber door 145 are provided at the refrigerating chamber
131 and the freezing chamber 141, respectively.
[0085] An evaporator 181 may be provided at a rear region of the
freezing chamber 141. A cooling fan 185 for accelerating the flow
of cool air may be provided at a side of the evaporator 181.
[0086] A dispenser 240 for taking out ice cubes to the outside
without opening the refrigerating chamber door 135 may be provided
at either one of the refrigerating chamber doors 135.
[0087] An ice making chamber 430 may be formed at an upper region
within the refrigerating chamber 131. The ice making chamber 430
may be configured by including a case 431 for forming an ice making
chamber 430 therein to be partitioned from the refrigerating
chamber 131, and an ice making chamber door 435 for opening or
closing an opening disposed at a front surface of the case 431. As
a result, the inside of the ice making chamber 430 is partitioned
from the inside of the refrigerating chamber 131, thereby
preventing the odor of the air in the cooling chamber from
transferring to ice.
[0088] An ice making machine 440 for making ice in a predetermined
shape may be provided within the ice making chamber 430. An ice
bank 460 for storing ice that has been made in the ice making
machine 440 may be provided at a lower side of the ice making
machine 440 within the ice making chamber 430.
[0089] The cold energy transfer unit 450 may be configured by
including a heat pipe 311 for transferring cool air by
conduction.
[0090] An end of the heat pipe 311 may be connected (disposed) to
the evaporator 181 in a heat-exchangeable manner, and the other end
of the heat pipe 311 may be connected to the ice making machine 440
of the refrigerating chamber 131 in a heat-exchangeable manner. In
other words, the condensing unit 312b of the heat pipe 311 is
connected to the evaporator 181, and the evaporating unit 312a of
the heat pipe 311 is connected to the ice making machine 440. Heat
energy may be transferred directly from the ice making machine 440
to the cool air produced by the evaporator 181. As a result, during
an ice making process, water and/or ice within the ice making
chamber 430 is not brought into contact with outside air, thereby
preventing the odor from being transferred and soaked into ice
cubes. Here, the heat pipe 311 may be configured to be disposed at
an inner wall of the freezing chamber 141 and the refrigerating
chamber 131, more specifically at an inner side of the inner case
112b. In other words, prior to a process of forming the
refrigerator main body 110, the heat pipe 311 is disposed at an
inner side of the inner case 112b and outer case 112a, and a
foaming material 112c is foamed, and as a result, it may be
configured to be buried between the inner case 112b and the foaming
material 112c. Here, both ends of the heat pipe 311, that is, the
evaporating unit 312a and/or the condensing unit 312b, may be
disposed to be exposed to a side of the ice making machine 440 and
the evaporator 181 to perform a heat exchanging process.
[0091] Furthermore, the heat pipe 311 may be disposed at an outer
side of the inner case 112b, that is, a side of the freezing
chamber 141 and the refrigerating chamber 131, and then an outer
wall of the heat pipe 311 may be finished with an insulating
material.
[0092] According to such a configuration, working fluid 314 in the
condensing unit 312b of the heat pipe 311 is cooled down and
condensed by the evaporator 181, and then moved to the evaporating
unit 312a by a capillary phenomenon. The working fluid 314 that has
been moved to the evaporating unit 312a absorbs and evaporates heat
in the ice making machine 440, and the ice making machine 440 is
cooled down to form ice. An ice making process is performed by
repeating a process in which the working fluid 314 that has been
evaporated in the evaporating unit 312a is moved to the condensing
unit 312b and then cooled down and condensed, and moved to the
evaporating unit 312a again to be evaporated. Ice cubes that have
been made and then separated (released) in the ice making machine
440 may be stored within the ice bank 460 at a lower side thereof,
and taken out to the outside through the dispenser 240 that is
formed at the refrigerating chamber door 135.
[0093] In the foregoing embodiments associated with FIGS. 10 and
11, it is described as an example a case in which an evaporator is
provided in the freezing chamber, but the evaporator may be
provided in the refrigerating chamber. In this case, a heat pipe
may be provided in such a manner that it is connected to the
evaporator provided in the refrigerating chamber, and as a result,
the length of a cold energy transfer unit, e.g., heat pipe, can be
shortened and the configuration can be made simpler.
[0094] As describe above, according to an embodiment of the present
invention, it is possible to remove the use of a sidewall cool air
duct, thereby removing an adverse effect caused by the use of the
sidewall cool air duct. In other words, dew drops are not produced
on an outer surface of the refrigerator main body, thereby reducing
the flow loss of cool air. In addition, a heater is not
additionally provided, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost
caused by the manufacture and installation of a heater as well as
decreasing the power consumption caused by the use of a heater.
[0095] Furthermore, during an ice making process, cool air is not
directly brought into contact with water, thereby preventing the
odor in the air from transferring to ice.
[0096] Moreover, the cool air transfer section by the air can be
reduced, thereby reducing the flow loss of air.
[0097] As described above, preferred embodiments of the present
invention are illustrated and described herein with reference to
the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention can be
implemented in various embodiments without departing from the
spirit of the invention, and thus the foregoing embodiments should
not be limited to the content of the detailed description.
[0098] Furthermore, the foregoing embodiments should be broadly
construed within the scope of the technical spirit defined by the
appended claims even though they are not specifically disclosed in
the detailed description herein. Moreover, all changes and
modifications within the technical scope of the claims and the
equivalent scope thereof should be construed to be included in the
appended claims.
* * * * *