U.S. patent application number 12/805272 was filed with the patent office on 2011-03-31 for refrigerator.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Young Jin Cho, Sang Geun Choi, Jae Seung Lee.
Application Number | 20110072843 12/805272 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43305105 |
Filed Date | 2011-03-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110072843 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cho; Young Jin ; et
al. |
March 31, 2011 |
Refrigerator
Abstract
A refrigerator including a first inner case defining a freezing
compartment and a second inner case defining a refrigerating
compartment. The first inner case and the second inner case are
formed with rupture portions upon injection molding of the first
and second inner cases. The rupture portions may be cut away to
communicate the first inner case and the second inner case with
each other, enabling use of the inner cases having a common
configuration.
Inventors: |
Cho; Young Jin; (Gwangju-si,
KR) ; Choi; Sang Geun; (Gwangju-si, KR) ; Lee;
Jae Seung; (Gwangju-si, KR) |
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
Suwon-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
43305105 |
Appl. No.: |
12/805272 |
Filed: |
July 21, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/407 ;
62/441 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 2400/06 20130101;
F25D 17/065 20130101; F25D 23/066 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/407 ;
62/441 |
International
Class: |
F25D 17/04 20060101
F25D017/04; F25D 11/02 20060101 F25D011/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 30, 2009 |
KR |
10-2009-93133 |
Claims
1. A refrigerator comprising: a first inner case to define a
freezing compartment; and a second inner case to define a
refrigerating compartment, wherein the first inner case and the
second inner case are formed via injection molding and are provided
respectively with rupture portions, the rupture portions being cut
away to communicate the first and second inner cases with each
other.
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first inner
case includes a seating portion indented from a rear surface
thereof, so that a first cooler to cool the freezing compartment is
installed in the seating portion.
3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the second inner
case includes a guide arranged in a lower region thereof, so that a
second cooler to cool the refrigerating compartment is installed to
the guide.
4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the guide is
integrally formed with the second inner case.
5. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the rupture
portions of the first inner case are located at upper and lower
locations of a sidewall of the seating portion.
6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the rupture
portions of the second inner case are located at a sidewall of the
second inner case at positions corresponding to the rupture
portions of the first inner case.
7. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the guide
includes a pair of ribs protruding from opposite sides of a rear
surface of the second inner case.
8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first and
second inner cases communicate with each other as the rupture
portions are cut away, and the first inner case is provided with a
first cooler to adjust temperatures of the freezing compartment and
the refrigerating compartment.
9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising first
and second coolers provided respectively in the first and second
inner cases to adjust temperatures of the freezing compartment and
the refrigerating compartment, wherein the rupture portions are
kept without cutting away.
10. A refrigerator comprising first and second inner cases to
define separate storage compartments, an outer case coupled to the
first and second inner cases to enclose the first and second inner
cases and defining an outer appearance of the refrigerator, and a
door to open or close the storage compartments, wherein the first
and second inner cases are provided with rupture portions, the
rupture portions being cut away to communicate the first and second
inner cases with each other when the storage compartments are
cooled using a single cooler, but being kept without cutting away
when the separate storage compartments are cooled respectively
using separate coolers.
11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein the rupture
portions are formed upon injection molding of the first and second
inner cases.
12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the rupture
portions are cut away to communicate the first and second inner
cases with each other, and the first inner case is provided with a
first cooler to cool the separate storage compartments.
13. The refrigerator according to claim 12, further comprising a
freezing-compartment cold-air duct having a cold air discharge hole
through which cold air generated from the first cooler is
discharged, the freezing-compartment cold-air duct being configured
to cover the first cooler.
14. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the rupture
portions are kept without cutting away, and first and second
coolers are provided to cool the separate storage compartments
respectively.
15. The refrigerator according to claim 14, further comprising; a
freezing-compartment cold-air duct to cover the first cooler
provided in the first inner case; and a refrigerating-compartment
cold-air duct to cover the second cooler provided in the second
inner case.
16. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein the rupture
portions are defined by tear lines in the first and second inner
cases.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 2009-0093133, filed on Sep. 30, 2009 in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] Embodiments relate to an inner case of a refrigerator
defining a storage compartment therein.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Generally, refrigerators are devised to keep food fresh at a
low temperature by supplying low-temperature cold air into a
storage compartment in which the food is stored. A refrigerator
includes a refrigerating compartment to keep food at a temperature
slightly above freezing, and a freezing compartment to keep food at
a freezing temperature or less.
[0006] Refrigerators may be classified into single cooler type
refrigerators, and dual cooler type refrigerators. In a single
cooler type refrigerator, a single cooler is mounted in a freezing
compartment, so that temperatures of the freezing compartment and a
refrigerating compartment are controlled as cold air in the
freezing compartment is introduced into the refrigerating
compartment. In a dual cooler type refrigerator, coolers are
mounted individually in a freezing compartment and a refrigerating
compartment, so that temperatures of the freezing compartment and
the refrigerating compartment are controlled independently.
[0007] According to whether a refrigerator is the single cooler
type or dual cooler type, a refrigerator body may be configured
such that a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment
thereof are defined by respective inner cases, and these inner
cases have been conventionally fabricated using separate molds.
SUMMARY
[0008] Therefore, it is an aspect to provide a refrigerator having
an inner case having a common configuration regardless of whether
the refrigerator is of single cooler type or dual cooler type.
[0009] Additional aspects 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.
[0010] In accordance with one aspect, a refrigerator includes a
first inner case to define a freezing compartment, and a second
inner case to define a refrigerating compartment, wherein the first
inner case and the second inner case are formed via injection
molding and are provided respectively with rupture portions, the
rupture portions being cut away to communicate the first and second
inner cases with each other.
[0011] The first inner case may include a seating portion indented
from a rear surface thereof, so that a first cooler to cool the
freezing compartment is installed in the seating portion.
[0012] The second inner case may include a guide arranged in a
lower region thereof, so that a second cooler to cool the
refrigerating compartment is installed to the guide.
[0013] The guide may be integrally formed with the second inner
case.
[0014] The rupture portions of the first inner case may be located
at upper and lower locations of a sidewall of the seating
portion.
[0015] The rupture portions of the second inner case may be located
at a sidewall of the second inner case at positions corresponding
to the rupture portions of the first inner case.
[0016] The guide may include a pair of ribs protruding from
opposite sides of a rear surface of the second inner case.
[0017] The first and second inner cases may communicate with each
other as the rupture portions are cut away, and the first inner
case may be provided with a first cooler to adjust temperatures of
the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment.
[0018] The refrigerator may further include first and second
coolers provided respectively in the first and second inner cases
to adjust temperatures of the freezing compartment and the
refrigerating compartment, wherein the rupture portions are kept
without cutting away.
[0019] In accordance with another aspect, a refrigerator includes
first and second inner cases to define separate storage
compartments, an outer case coupled to the first and second inner
cases to enclose the first and second inner cases and defining an
outer appearance of the refrigerator, and a door to open or close
the storage compartments, wherein the first and second inner cases
are provided with rupture portions, the rupture portions being cut
away to communicate the first and second inner cases with each
other when the storage compartments are cooled using a single
cooler, but being kept without cutting away when the separate
storage compartments are cooled respectively using separate
coolers.
[0020] The rupture portions may be formed upon injection molding of
the first and second inner cases.
[0021] The rupture portions may be cut away to communicate the
first and second inner cases with each other, and the first inner
case may be provided with a first cooler to cool the separate
storage compartments.
[0022] The refrigerator may further include a freezing-compartment
cold-air duct having a cold air discharge hole through which cold
air generated from the first cooler is discharged, the
freezing-compartment cold-air duct being configured to cover the
first cooler.
[0023] The rupture portions may be kept without cutting away, and
first and second coolers may be provided to cool the separate
storage compartments respectively.
[0024] The refrigerator may further include a freezing-compartment
cold-air duct to cover the first cooler provided in the first inner
case, and a refrigerating-compartment cold-air duct to cover the
second cooler provided in the second inner case.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] These and/or other aspects will become apparent and more
readily appreciated from the following description of the
embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of
which:
[0026] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a
schematic configuration of a refrigerator according to an
embodiment;
[0027] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a first inner case
defining a freezing compartment of the refrigerator according to
the embodiment;
[0028] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a second inner
case defining a refrigerating compartment of the refrigerator
according to the embodiment;
[0029] FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the interior of a
refrigerator using a single cooler according to an embodiment;
and
[0030] FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the interior of a
refrigerator using two coolers according to an embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031] Reference will now be made in detail to a refrigerator
according to the embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in
the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to
like elements throughout.
[0032] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a
schematic configuration of a refrigerator according to an
embodiment, FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a first inner
case defining a freezing compartment of the refrigerator according
to the embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a
second inner case defining a refrigerating compartment of the
refrigerator according to the embodiment.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator according to the
embodiment includes an outer case 10, inner cases 20 and 30, and a
pair of doors 40. The outer case 10 contains a pair of separate
accommodation spaces with an intermediate partition interposed
therebetween. The inner cases 20 and 30 are configured to be
inserted into the respective accommodation spaces of the outer case
10 and are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined
distance. The pair of doors 40 serves to open or close storage
compartments 21 and 31 respectively. The storage compartments 21
and 31 may include a freezing compartment 21 and a refrigerating
compartment 31.
[0034] The outer case 10 defines an outer experience of the
refrigerator, and may be formed by bending a metal panel. The outer
case 10 may take the form of a box having an open front
surface.
[0035] The inner cases 20 and 30 may include a first inner case 20
and a second inner case 30, each of which is injection molded using
a synthetic resin, such as plastic. The first case 20 defines an
inner wall of the freezing compartment 21 and the second case 30
defines an inner wall of the refrigerating compartment 31.
[0036] An insulating wall may be provided between the outer case 10
and the inner cases 20 and 30 via injection molding of urethane
liquid foam. In addition, an intermediate partition may be formed
between the first inner case 20 and the second inner case 30, which
are arranged parallel to each other, via injection molding of
urethane liquid foam.
[0037] The first inner case 20 and the second inner case 30 may be
integrally or separately formed via injection molding.
[0038] Each of the first and second inner cases 20 and 30 may
include a box-shaped inner case body 22 having a front opening and
a flange 24 protruding outward from a rim of the front opening of
the inner case body 22.
[0039] The inner case body 22 may define the inner wall of each
storage compartment 21 or 31 of the refrigerator, and the flange 24
may come into contact with a front rim of the outer case 10.
[0040] The flange 24 may be formed, along a rim of the inner case
body 22, with a hot pipe installation groove 25. The installation
groove 25 is indented rearward from a surface of the flange 24, so
that a hot pipe (not shown) to prevent generation of dew at the
flange 24 is fitted into the installation groove 25.
[0041] The doors 40 may be rotatably coupled to one side of the
outer case 10 to open or close the freezing compartment 21 and the
refrigerating compartment 31 defined by the first inner case 20 and
the second inner case 30 respectively.
[0042] Although the first inner case 20 and the second inner case
30 may be separately injection molded according to a method to
control temperatures of the storage compartments 21 and 31, i.e.
according to whether the refrigerator uses a single cooler or two
coolers to adjust temperatures of the storage compartments 21 and
31, in the present embodiment, the inner cases 20 and 30 may have a
common configuration regardless of the number of coolers used to
cool the storage compartments 21 and 31.
[0043] Specifically, if the freezing compartment 21 and the
refrigerating compartment 31 are cooled by use of a single cooler,
the first and second inner cases 20 and 30 may have configurations
for circulation of cold air. If the freezing compartment 21 and the
refrigerating compartment 31 are cooled by use of two coolers, the
first and second inner cases 20 and 30 may have independent
spaces.
[0044] For this, at the stage of injection molding of the first and
second inner cases 20 and 30, the first and second inner cases 20
and 30 may be provided with rupture portions 27 and 37 that are
adapted to be cut away so as to communicate the first and second
inner cases 20 and 30 with each other.
[0045] The rupture portions 27 and 37 include first rupture
portions 27 formed at the first inner case 20 and second rupture
portions 37 formed at the second inner case 30.
[0046] The rupture portions 27 and 37 may be defined by tear lines,
to assure easy punching during the injection molding of the inner
cases 20 and 30.
[0047] Referring to FIG. 2, the first inner case 20 defining the
freezing compartment 21 may be formed with a seating portion 23
indented outward from a rear surface thereof, to assure easy
installation of a first cooler 71 (see FIG. 4) and a cold air duct
50 (see FIG. 4), the first cooler 71 and the cold air duct 50 being
provided to cool the freezing compartment 21. The first rupture
portions 27 may be formed at a sidewall of the seating portion 23
and may be cut away via punching.
[0048] The first rupture portions 27 are provided at upper and
lower locations of the sidewall of the seating portion 23 of the
first inner case 20, and function as cold air circulating holes to
circulate interior cold air of the freezing compartment 21 and the
refrigerating compartment 31 when they are cut away from the inner
case 20.
[0049] More specifically, an upper one of the first rupture
portions 27 may function as a cold air supply hole to supply
interior cold air of the freezing compartment 21 into the
refrigerating compartment 31 when it is cut away, and a lower one
of the first rupture portions 27 may function as a cold air
recovery hole to return the interior cold air of the refrigerating
compartment 31 to the first cooler 71 when it is cut away.
[0050] Referring to FIG. 3, the second rupture portions 37 defining
the refrigerating compartment 31 may be provided at a sidewall of
the second inner case 30 at positions corresponding to the first
rupture portions 27 of the first inner case 20.
[0051] Specifically, the second rupture portions 37 are provided at
positions opposite the upper and lower first rupture portions 27.
Once the second rupture portions 37 are cut away, the first and
second inner cases 20 and 30 communicate with each other through
the first and second rupture portions 27.
[0052] An upper one of the second rupture portions 37 may function
as a cold air inlet hole to introduce interior cold air of the
freezing compartment 21 into the refrigerating compartment 31 when
it is cut away, and a lower one of the second rupture portions 37
may function as a cold air outlet hole to discharge the cold air
from the refrigerating compartment 31 into the freezing compartment
21 when it is cut away.
[0053] The second inner case 20 may be formed at a lower position
of a rear surface thereof with guides 33, to which a second cooler
73 (see FIG. 5) may be selectively mounted.
[0054] The guides 33 may be formed of ribs protruding from opposite
sides of the second inner case 30. The guides 33 may be integrally
formed with the second inner case 30, or may be separately
prefabricated and then, coupled to the second inner case 30.
[0055] More specifically, when the freezing compartment 21 and the
refrigerating compartment 31 are cooled by use of a single cooler,
the first cooler 71 is installed only in the seating portion 23 of
the first inner case 30. On the other hand, when the freezing
compartment 21 and the refrigerating compartment 31 are cooled by
use of two coolers, the first cooler 71 is installed in the seating
portion 23 of the first inner case 30, and the second cooler 73 is
mounted to the guides 23 of the second inner case 30.
[0056] With the above described configuration in which the first
inner case 20 and the second inner case 30 are formed via injection
molding, in the case where the freezing compartment 21 and the
refrigerating compartment 31 are cooled by use of a single cooler,
the first and second rupture portions 27 and 37 are cut away to
communicate the freezing compartment 21 and the refrigerating
compartment 31 with each other. On the other hand, in the case
where the freezing compartment 21 and the refrigerating compartment
31 are independently cooled by use of two coolers, it may be
unnecessary to cut away the first and second rupture portions 27
and 37, allowing use of the first and second inner cases 20 and 30
having a common configuration.
[0057] FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the interior of a
refrigerator using a single cooler according to an embodiment.
[0058] As shown in FIG. 4, in the case of a refrigerator in which
temperatures of the freezing compartment 21 and the refrigerating
compartment 31 are adjusted using the single cooler 71, the first
and second rupture portions 27 and 37 of the first and second inner
cases 20 and 30 may be cut away to communicate the first and second
inner cases 20 and 30 with each other, prior to mounting the first
and second inner cases 20 and 30 into the refrigerator.
[0059] Specifically, the first cooler 71 is located in a lower
region of the first inner case 20 defining the freezing compartment
21, and is covered with the freezing-compartment cold-air duct
50.
[0060] The freezing-compartment cold-air duct 50 may be provided,
e.g., with the first cooler 71 to generate cold air, a flow path
(not shown) along which cold air generated from the first cooler 71
moves, and a blowing fan (not shown) to blow the cold air generated
from the first cooler 71 to cold air discharge holes 51.
[0061] The cold air generated from the first cooler 71 is delivered
through the freezing-compartment cold-air duct 50 to the upper
first rupture portion 27 that has been cut away. After the cold air
is introduced into a refrigerating-compartment cold-air duct 60
through the upper second rupture portion 37 that has been cut away
to correspond to the upper first rupture portion 27, the cold air
may be discharged into the refrigerating compartment 31 through
cold air discharge holes 61.
[0062] The cold air, which has been used to cool the refrigerating
compartment 31, may be returned to the first cooler 71 through the
lower first rupture portion 27 of the first inner case 20 that has
been cut away to correspond to the lower second rupture portion 37
of the second inner case 30.
[0063] In the present embodiment, instead of mounting the second
cooler 73 to the guides 33 of the second inner case 30, a drawer
type storage container 75 may be slidably coupled to the guides 33
so as to be pulled out or pushed into the second inner case 30.
[0064] In FIG. 4, reference numeral 78 represents shelves of the
storage compartments 21 and 31, to support food thereon.
[0065] FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the interior of a
refrigerator using two coolers according to an embodiment.
[0066] As shown in FIG. 5, in the case of a refrigerator in which
temperatures of the freezing compartment 21 and the refrigerating
compartment 31 are adjusted using the two coolers 71 and 73, the
first and second inner cases 20 and 30 are mounted into the first
and second inner cases 20 and 30 without cutting away the first and
second rupture portions 27 and 37.
[0067] The first cooler 71 may be located in a lower region of the
first inner case 20 defining the freezing compartment 21, and the
second cooler 73 may be supported by the guides 33 in a lower
region of the second inner case 30.
[0068] The first and second inner cases 20 and 30 may be provided
with the freezing-compartment cold-air duct 50 and the
refrigerating-compartment cold-air duct 60, which cover front
surfaces of the first and second coolers 71 and 73
respectively.
[0069] The freezing-compartment cold-air duct 50 and the
refrigerating-compartment cold-air duct 60 may be provided
respectively with flow paths (not shown) along which cold air
moves, and blowing fans (not shown) to blow the cold air to the
cold air discharge holes 51 and 61 of the cold air ducts 50 and
60.
[0070] With the above described configuration, temperature of the
freezing compartment 21 and the refrigerating compartment 31 may be
adjusted via operation of the first and second coolers 71 and 73
that are provided respectively in independent spaces.
[0071] Accordingly, with use of the rupture portions 27 and 37
according to the embodiment, the first and second inner cases 20
and 30 may have a common configuration without a separate
configuration change regardless of whether the refrigerator
includes a single cooler or two coolers.
[0072] That is, it may be unnecessary to prepare separate molds to
form different inner cases by injection molding according to
whether a refrigerator includes a single cooler or two coolers,
resulting in remarkable reduction in manufacturing costs.
[0073] As apparent from the above description, a refrigerator
according to the embodiment includes an inner case having a common
configuration regardless of whether the refrigerator is of single
cooler type or dual cooler type.
[0074] Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it
would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may
be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles
and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the
claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *