U.S. patent application number 13/500506 was filed with the patent office on 2012-10-11 for refrigerator.
Invention is credited to Yeon Woo Cho, Yang Gyu Kim, Youn Seok Lee, Deul Re Min.
Application Number | 20120255321 13/500506 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43857284 |
Filed Date | 2012-10-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120255321 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cho; Yeon Woo ; et
al. |
October 11, 2012 |
REFRIGERATOR
Abstract
According to the present invention, a refrigerator comprises: a
main body having a storage compartment; a refrigerating cycle
apparatus for cooling the storage compartment; a quick cooling body
which accommodates beverages inserted therein, and which has a
plurality of jet-colliding holes for jet-colliding the cooling air
in the storage compartment against the beverages; a quick cooling
air blower which enables the cooling air in the storage compartment
to flow toward the quick cooling body such that the cooling air in
the storage compartment passes through the jet-colliding holes, is
jet-collided against the beverages, and is then discharged to the
storage compartment; and a quick cooling body moving mechanism
mounted in the main body and connected to the quick cooling body to
move the quick cooling body, thereby minimizing the quick cooling
time of the beverages.
Inventors: |
Cho; Yeon Woo; (Geumchun-ku,
KR) ; Kim; Yang Gyu; (Geumchun-ku, KR) ; Lee;
Youn Seok; (Geumchun-ku, KR) ; Min; Deul Re;
(Geumchun-ku, KR) |
Family ID: |
43857284 |
Appl. No.: |
13/500506 |
Filed: |
October 7, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
October 7, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR10/06854 |
371 Date: |
June 27, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/314 ; 62/344;
62/419 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 17/065 20130101;
F25D 2400/28 20130101; F25D 2317/061 20130101; F25D 2317/0682
20130101; F25D 2317/062 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/314 ; 62/419;
62/344 |
International
Class: |
F25D 17/06 20060101
F25D017/06; F25C 5/18 20060101 F25C005/18; F28D 5/00 20060101
F28D005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 8, 2009 |
KR |
10-2009-0095673 |
Oct 8, 2009 |
KR |
10-2009-0095674 |
Oct 8, 2009 |
KR |
10-2009-0095675 |
Claims
1. A refrigerator, comprising: a main body including a storage
compartment; a refrigerating cycle apparatus for cooling the
storage compartment; a quick cooling body in which a beverage is
inserted and accommodated and a plurality of impinging-jet holes
for having the beverage impinged on and jetted to cooling air of
the storage compartment is formed; a quick cooling air blower for
moving the cooling air of the storage compartment to the quick
cooling body so that the cooling air of the storage compartment
impinged on and jetted to the beverage through the impinging-jet
holes and then discharged to the storage compartment; a quick
cooling body moving mechanism mounted on the main body, connected
to the quick cooling body, and moving the quick cooling body: an
air blower mounter positioned and installed in the main body and
having the quick cooling air blower installed therein; and a
flexible funnel member having the air blower mounter and the quick
cooling body to communicate with each other and deformed when the
quick cooling body moves.
2. (canceled)
3. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the quick
cooling bodies is connected to the flexible funnel member.
4. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the quick cooling body
moving mechanism is connected to one of the plurality of quick
cooling bodies.
5. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein: the quick cooling body is
movably connected on a lower side of the quick cooling body moving
mechanism, and the quick cooling air blower is positioned and
mounted on a lower side of the quick cooling body.
6. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the quick cooling body
moving mechanism comprises: a motor positioned and installed in the
main body, and a link fixedly connected to a shaft of the motor and
rotatably connected to the quick cooling body and for eccentrically
rotating the quick cooling body in a 3-D way when the motor is
driven.
7. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the link comprises: a shaft
coupling unit to which the shaft of the motor is connected, a quick
cooling body connection unit rotatably connected to a coupling
shaft formed in the quick cooling body, and a horizontal unit
coupling the shaft coupling unit and the quick cooling body
connection unit.
8. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising a sprayer
installed in the quick cooling body in order to vaporize a coolant
and spray the vaporized coolant to an outside of a container of the
beverage.
9. The refrigerator of claim 8, further comprising a coolant supply
hose connected to the sprayer and for supplying the coolant to the
sprayer.
10. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising a cooling air
guide for downwardly guiding air ventilated by the quick cooling
air blower.
11. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein: the main body comprises a
beverage entrance formed in front of the quick cooling body, and a
beverage door for opening and shutting the beverage entrance is
installed in the main body.
12. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising an ice storage
heat exchanger placed outside the quick cooling body, wherein the
cooling air sucked from the storage compartment to the
impinging-jet holes is cooled while passing through the ice storage
heat exchanger.
13. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the ice storage heat
exchanger has concave-convex parts formed in the cooling air
holes.
14. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the ice storage heat
exchanger comprises: a main ice storage unit spaced apart from the
quick cooling body in front and rear directions, and an auxiliary
ice storage unit inclined and disposed on a left or right side of
the main ice storage unit and spaced apart from the quick cooling
body in left and right directions.
15. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the quick cooling body
comprises: a tub body having an opening formed on a side opposite
to the ice storage heat exchanger, and a body door opening and
shutting the opening.
16. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising an ice storage
heat exchanger installed in the quick cooling body in such a way as
to come in contact with the beverage and cooled by the cooling air,
thus cooling the beverage.
17. The refrigerator of claim 16, wherein the ice storage heat
exchanger comprises: an ice storage pack containing an ice storage
material; and an ice storage pack holder placed within the quick
cooling body so that the ice storage pack is seated in the ice
storage pack holder.
18. The refrigerator of claim 16, wherein a plurality of the ice
storage heat exchangers is disposed within the quick cooling body
in a cylindrical direction so that the plurality of ice storage
heat exchangers is spaced apart from one another.
19. The refrigerator of claim 16, further comprising elastic
members placed and installed between the ice storage heat exchanger
and the quick cooling body and for elastically supporting the ice
storage heat exchanger in a direction of the beverage.
20. The refrigerator of claim 16, further comprising at least one
beverage holder installed in the quick cooling body and for
supporting the beverage.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator and, more
specifically, to a refrigerator including a quick cooling body for
quickly cooling beverages.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] In general, a refrigerator is a device for cooling storage
compartments, such as a cooling compartment and a refrigerating
compartment, using a refrigerating cycle apparatus including a
compressor, a condenser, an expansion unit, and an evaporator.
[0003] Recently, a quick cooling compartment where a subject to be
cooled is placed is additionally formed on one side of the
refrigerating compartment or the cooling compartment. Some of the
cooling air of a storage compartment is concentrated on the quick
cooling compartment, thereby quickly cooling the subject within the
quick cooling compartment.
DISCLOSURE
Technical Problem
[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a
refrigerator for quickly cooling beverages by using the impingement
jet of cooling air.
[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
refrigerator for accelerating the cooling of beverages while the
beverages are quickly cooled by cooling air.
[0006] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
refrigerator for quickly cooling beverages by using the impingement
jet of cooling air and the ice storage of an ice storage heat
exchanger.
Technical Solution
[0007] In order to solve the objects, a refrigerator according to
the present invention includes a main body including a storage
compartment; a refrigerating cycle apparatus for cooling the
storage compartment; a quick cooling body in which a beverage is
inserted and accommodated and a plurality of impinging-jet holes
for having the beverage impinged on and jetted to the cooling air
of the storage compartment is formed; a quick cooling air blower
for moving the cooling air of the storage compartment to the quick
cooling body so that the cooling air of the storage compartment
impinged on and jetted to the beverage through the impinging-jet
holes and then discharged to the storage compartment; and a quick
cooling body moving mechanism mounted on the main body, connected
to the quick cooling body, and moving the quick cooling body.
[0008] The refrigerator may further include an air blower mounter
positioned and installed in the main body and having the quick
cooling air blower installed therein; and a flexible funnel member
having the air blower mounter and the quick cooling body to
communicate with each other and deformed when the quick cooling
body moves.
[0009] A plurality of the quick cooling bodies may be connected to
the flexible funnel member.
[0010] The quick cooling body moving mechanism may be connected to
one of the plurality of quick cooling bodies.
[0011] The quick cooling body may be movably connected on the lower
side of the quick cooling body moving mechanism, and the quick
cooling air blower may be positioned and mounted on the lower side
of the quick cooling body.
[0012] The quick cooling body moving mechanism may include a motor
positioned and installed in the main body, and a link fixedly
connected to the shaft of the motor and rotatably connected to the
quick cooling body and for eccentrically rotating the quick cooling
body in a 3-D way when the motor is driven.
[0013] The link may include a shaft coupling unit to which the
shaft of the motor may be connected, a quick cooling body
connection unit rotatably connected to a coupling shaft formed in
the quick cooling body, and a horizontal unit coupling the shaft
coupling unit and the quick cooling body connection unit.
[0014] The refrigerator may further include a sprayer installed in
the quick cooling body in order to vaporize a coolant and spray the
vaporized coolant to the outside of the container of the
beverage.
[0015] The refrigerator may further include a coolant supply hose
connected to the sprayer and for supplying the coolant to the
sprayer.
[0016] The refrigerator may further include a cooling air guide for
downwardly guiding air ventilated by the quick cooling air
blower.
[0017] The main body may include a beverage entrance formed in
front of the quick cooling body, and a beverage door for opening
and shutting the beverage entrance may be installed in the main
body.
[0018] The refrigerator may further include an ice storage heat
exchanger placed outside the quick cooling body, wherein the
cooling air sucked from the storage compartment to the
impinging-jet holes may be cooled while passing through the ice
storage heat exchanger.
[0019] The ice storage heat exchanger may have concave-convex parts
formed in the cooling air holes.
[0020] The ice storage heat exchanger may include a main ice
storage unit spaced apart from the quick cooling body in the front
and rear directions, and an auxiliary ice storage unit inclined and
disposed on the left or right side of the main ice storage unit and
spaced apart from the quick cooling body in the left and right
directions.
[0021] The quick cooling body may include a tub body having an
opening formed on the side opposite to the ice storage heat
exchanger, and a body door opening and shutting the opening.
[0022] The refrigerator may further include an ice storage heat
exchanger installed in the quick cooling body in such a way as to
come in contact with the beverage and cooled by the cooling air,
thus cooling the beverage.
[0023] The ice storage heat exchanger may include an ice storage
pack containing an ice storage material; and an ice storage pack
holder placed within the quick cooling body so that the ice storage
pack is seated in the ice storage pack holder.
[0024] A plurality of the ice storage heat exchangers may be
disposed within the quick cooling body in a cylindrical direction
so that the plurality of ice storage heat exchangers is spaced
apart from one another.
[0025] The refrigerator may further include elastic members placed
and installed between the ice storage heat exchanger and the quick
cooling body and for elastically supporting the ice storage heat
exchanger in the direction of the beverage.
[0026] The refrigerator may further include at least one beverage
holder installed in the quick cooling body and for supporting the
beverage.
Advantageous Effects
[0027] The refrigerator constructed as described above according to
the present invention has an advantage in that a beverage can be
more quickly cooled because the cooling air of the storage
compartment impinges on the outside of a beverage through the
plurality of impinging-jet holes.
[0028] Furthermore, there are advantages in that the transfer of
heat of a beverage and the quick cooling of the beverage are
accelerated because the beverage, together with the quick cooling
body, is moved.
[0029] Furthermore, there are advantages in that when the quick
cooling body moves, the flexible funnel member is modified, thereby
enabling the quick cooling body to move and increasing the quick
cooling efficiency of a beverage.
[0030] Furthermore, there are advantages in that a plurality of
beverages can be quickly cooled at the same time and one quick
cooling body driving mechanism moves a plurality of the quick
cooling bodies at the same time.
[0031] Furthermore, there are advantages in that after a beverage
is cooled, cooling air ventilated from the quick cooling air blower
is not exchanged with the evaporator and the reentry of the cooling
air to the quick cooling body can be minimized.
[0032] Furthermore, there are advantages in that the internal
movement of a beverage can be more accelerated and a user can
easily check current quick cooling because the quick cooling body
is eccentrically rotated around the flexible funnel member in a 3-D
way.
[0033] Furthermore, there is an advantage in that the time taken to
quickly cool a beverage is reduced because a cooling fluid
vaporized by the sprayer is evaporated in the outside of the
container of the beverage.
[0034] Furthermore, there are advantages in that a deviation in the
temperature of the storage compartment when a beverage is quickly
cooled can be minimized and a deviation in the cooling time of a
beverage or the cooling degree of the beverage can be minimized
because the ice storage heat exchanger is cooled by the cooling air
of the storage compartment and then the ice storage heat exchanger
cools air sucked toward the quick cooling body when the beverage is
quickly cooled.
[0035] Furthermore, there are advantages in that a beverage is more
quickly cooled and the time taken for the quick cooling is
minimized because the heat of the beverage is absorbed by the ice
storage heat exchanger.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] FIG. 1 is a perspective view when the inside of a
refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present
invention is opened,
[0037] FIG. 2 shows a schematic construction of the refrigerator
according to the first embodiment of the present invention,
[0038] FIG. 3 is a schematic front view showing the inside of the
refrigerator according to the first embodiment of the present
invention,
[0039] FIG. 4 is a sectional view when the refrigerator according
to the first embodiment of the present invention quickly cools a
beverage,
[0040] FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a quick cooler
shown in FIGS. 1 and 4,
[0041] FIG. 6 shows a horizontal section when a quick cooling body
shown in FIG. 5 cools a beverage,
[0042] FIG. 7 shows a vertical section when the quick cooling body
shown in FIG. 5 cools a beverage,
[0043] FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of the moving operation of
the quick cooling body shown in FIG. 5,
[0044] FIG. 9 is a side view when a beverage is put into and taken
out from a quick cooler shown in FIGS. 1 and 4,
[0045] FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing the main parts of a
refrigerator according to a second embodiment of the present
invention,
[0046] FIG. 11 is a perspective view when the inside of a
refrigerator according to a third embodiment of the present
invention is opened,
[0047] FIG. 12 is a sectional view when the refrigerator according
to the third embodiment of the present invention quickly cools a
beverage,
[0048] FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of a quick cooler
shown in FIGS. 11 and 12,
[0049] FIG. 14 is a plan sectional view when a quick cooling body
shown in FIG. 13 cools a beverage,
[0050] FIG. 15 shows a partial enlarged section of the quick
cooling body and an ice storage heat exchanger shown in FIG.
13,
[0051] FIG. 16 is a side view when a beverage is put into and taken
out from the quick cooler shown in FIGS. 1 and 4,
[0052] FIG. 17 is a sectional view when a refrigerator according to
a fourth embodiment of the present invention cools a beverage,
and
[0053] FIG. 18 is a vertical section when a quick cooling body
shown in FIG. 17 cools a beverage.
MODE FOR INVENTION
[0054] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail
below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0055] FIG. 1 is a perspective view when the inside of a
refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present
invention is opened, FIG. 2 shows a schematic construction of the
refrigerator according to the first embodiment of the present
invention, FIG. 3 is a schematic front view showing the inside of
the refrigerator according to the first embodiment of the present
invention, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view when the refrigerator
according to the first embodiment of the present invention quickly
cools a beverage.
[0056] The refrigerator according to the present embodiment
includes a main body 2 including storage compartments F and R, a
refrigerating cycle apparatus 10 cooling the storage compartments F
and R, and a quick cooler 20 quickly cooling a beverage by forcibly
moving the cooling air of the storage compartments F and R to the
beverage, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4.
[0057] The main body 2 may include an outer casing 3, inner casings
4 placed within the outer casing 3 and configured to form the
storage compartments F and R, and doors 5 and 6 configured to close
and shut the storage compartments F and R.
[0058] In the main body 2, an adiabetic member, such as foaming
plastic, may be placed between the outer casing 3 and the inner
casings 4, and an adiabetic member, such as foaming plastic, may be
placed within the doors 5 and 6.
[0059] The main body 2 may include a plurality of the inner casings
4 forming the cooling compartment R and the cooling compartment F.
The main body 2 may include the cooling compartment door 5 that
opens and shuts the cooling compartment R and the refrigerating
compartment door 6 that opens and shuts the refrigerating
compartment F.
[0060] The refrigerating cycle apparatus 10 may include a
compressor 11 compressing a refrigerant, a condenser 12 condensing
the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 11, an expander 13
expanding the refrigerant L condensed by the condenser 12, and an
evaporator 14 evaporating the refrigerant L expanded by the
expander 13 and cooling the storage compartments F and R.
[0061] The compressor 11 compresses a gas refrigerant of low
temperature and low pressure into a gas refrigerant of high
temperature and high pressure. The compressor 11 may be installed
in the machine room M of the main body 2 which is separately formed
from the storage compartments F and R.
[0062] The condenser 12 may be connected to the compressor 11
through a condenser inlet pipe and to the expander 13 through a
condenser exit pipe. The refrigerant introduced from the compressor
11 through the condenser inlet pipe may be condensed through the
condenser 12 and then drained out to the condenser exit pipe.
[0063] The condenser 12 may be installed at the backside of the
main body 2 so that it is externally exposed or may be installed in
the machine room M formed in the main body 2. If the condenser 12
is installed in the machine room M, a condensing fan 15 for
ventilating the external air of the main body 2 toward the
condenser 12 may be installed in the main body 2.
[0064] The expander 13 may be formed of a capillary tube or an
electronic expansion valve. The expander 13 may expand the
condensed refrigerant drained out through the condenser exit
pipe.
[0065] The evaporator 14 may be connected to the expander 13
through an evaporator inlet pipe and to the compressor 11 through
an evaporator exit pipe. The refrigerant introduced from the
expander 13 through the evaporator inlet pipe may be expanded
through the evaporator 14 and then drained out to the evaporator
exit pipe. Next, the refrigerant may flow into the compressor
11.
[0066] The evaporator 14 may be formed of an indirect cooling
evaporator in which the air of the storage compartments F and R
circulates and cools the storage compartments F and R while
circulating through the storage compartments F and R and the
evaporator 14.
[0067] The main body 2 may further include a refrigerating
compartment rear panel 15 configured to form the rear of the
refrigerating compartment F and to have a cooling air discharge
port 15a formed on an upper part and a cooling air suction port 15b
formed on an lower part, a circulation fan 16 configured to
circulate the cooling air, cooled by the evaporator 14, through the
refrigerating compartment F and the cooling compartment R, and a
partition wall 17 configured to partition the refrigerating
compartment F and the cooling compartment R and to have a cooling
air discharge passage 17a formed on an upper part and a cooling air
suction passage 17b formed on a lower part.
[0068] The cooling air discharge passage 17a may be formed so that
the upper part of the cooling compartment R and the upper side of
the evaporator 14 communicate with each other. The cooling air
suction passage 17b may be formed so that the lower part of the
cooling compartment R and the lower side of the evaporator 14
communicate with each other.
[0069] When the circulation fan 18 is driven, some of the cooling
air cooled by the evaporator 14 may be supplied to the
refrigerating compartment F through the cooling air discharge port
15a of the refrigerating compartment rear panel 15 and then flown
into the lower part of the refrigerating compartment F. Next, some
of the cooling air may cool the refrigerating compartment F and
flow into the evaporator 14 through the cooling air suction port
15b of the refrigerating compartment rear panel 15.
[0070] Furthermore, the remainder of the cooling air cooled by the
evaporator 14 may be supplied to the cooling compartment R through
the cooling air discharge passage 17a formed in the partition wall
17 and then flown into the lower part of the cooling compartment R.
Next, the remainder of the cooling air may cool the cooling
compartment R and then flow into the evaporator 14 through the
cooling air suction passage 17b of the partition wall 17.
[0071] The quick cooler 20 is installed in one of the inside of the
refrigerating compartment F, the refrigerating compartment door 5,
the inside of the cooling compartment R, and the cooling
compartment door 6, and it quickly cools a beverage C by forcibly
moving cooling air toward the beverage C.
[0072] It is preferred that the quick cooler 20 be installed in the
inside of the refrigerating compartment F or the refrigerating
compartment door 5 in order to quickly cool the beverage C. It is
preferred that the quick cooler 20 be installed in the
refrigerating compartment door 5 in order to maximize the capacity
of the refrigerating compartment F.
[0073] The beverage C may be put into and taken out from the
refrigerator according to the present embodiment by opening the
refrigerating compartment door 5. A beverage entrance 18 through
which the beverage may be put into and taken out and a beverage
door 19 through which the beverage can be put into and taken out
(hereinafter referred to as a beverage door), for opening and
shutting the beverage entrance 18, may be installed in the
refrigerating compartment door 5.
[0074] An example which the quick cooler 20 is installed in the
refrigerating compartment door 5, the beverage entrance 18 is
formed in front of the quick cooler 20 in the refrigerating
compartment door 5, and the beverage door 19 is rotatably installed
in the refrigerating compartment door 5 is described below.
[0075] The quick cooler 20 includes a quick cooling body 30 that
has the beverage C inserted and accommodated therein and
impinging-jet holes for impinging-jet the cooling air of the
storage compartment F against the beverage C formed therein and a
quick cooling air blower 40 that moves the cooling air of the
storage compartment F toward the quick cooling body 30 so that the
cooling air of the storage compartment F impinges on and jets out
to the beverage C through the impinging-jet holes and it is then
drained out to the storage compartment F again.
[0076] Here, a plurality of the impinging-jet holes is a plurality
of cooling air suction holes for sucking the cooling air outside
the quick cooling body 30 into the inside of the quick cooling body
30 and is spaced apart from one another.
[0077] The quick cooling air blower 40 increases the cooling speed
of the cooling air by moving the cooling air into the inside of the
quick cooling body 30 (i.e., a target area) at the fast speed of
impinging-jet. The quick cooling air blower 40 may be installed to
communicate with the quick cooling body 30.
[0078] The quick cooler 20 may further include a quick cooling body
moving mechanism 50 mounted on the main body 2, connected to the
quick cooling body 30, and configured to move the quick cooling
body 30.
[0079] The quick cooler 20 may be moved in the state in which the
quick cooling air blower 40 and the quick cooling body moving
mechanism 50 are positioned in the main body 2 (particularly, the
refrigerating compartment door 5) and the quick cooling body 30 is
placed between the quick cooling air blower 40 and the quick
cooling body moving mechanism 50.
[0080] The quick cooling air blower 40 may be placed on the upper
side of the quick cooling body 30 and configured to induce the
cooling air on the lower side in such as a way as to pull the
cooling air up to the upper side. The quick cooling air blower 40
may be placed on the lower side of the quick cooling body 30 and
configured to induce the cooling air on the upper side in such as a
way as to pull the cooling air down to the lower side.
[0081] When the quick cooling air blower 40 of the quick cooler 20
moves the cooling air upwardly, the cooling air whose temperature
is raised when the quick cooling body 30 cools the beverage C may
flow into the quick cooling body 30 again, thereby deteriorating
the quick cooling performance of the beverage C. It is thus
preferred that the quick cooling air blower 40 be installed on the
lower side of the quick cooling body 30, thus moving the cooling
air downwardly.
[0082] If the quick cooling air blower 40 of the quick cooler 20 is
placed on the lower side of the quick cooling body 30, it is
preferred that the quick cooling body moving mechanism 50 be
connected to the upper side of the quick cooling body 30, thus
rotating the quick cooling body 30 on the upper side of the quick
cooling body 30.
[0083] Hereinafter, it is described that the quick cooling body 30
is connected to the cooling body moving mechanism 50 so that the
quick cooling body 30 is movable on the lower side of the quick
cooling body moving mechanism 50 and the quick cooling air blower
40 is mounted on the lower side of the quick cooling body 30.
[0084] The refrigerator according to the present embodiment may
further include an input unit 60 for enabling a user, etc. to input
temperature of the storage compartment or to input a beverage quick
cooling command and a control unit 70 for controlling the
refrigerator in response to the input to the input unit 60 and for
driving the quick cooling air blower 40 and the quick cooling body
moving mechanism 50 when the beverage quick cooling command is
received through the input unit 60, as shown in FIG. 2.
[0085] The control unit 70 may control the compressor 11, the
condensing fan 15, the circulation fan 16, and so on based on the
desired temperature of the storage compartment and the current
temperature of the storage compartment when the desired temperature
of the storage compartment is inputted through the input unit 60
and may control the quick cooling air blower 40 and the quick
cooling body moving mechanism 50 in response to the beverage quick
cooling command inputted through the input unit 60.
[0086] FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the quick cooler
shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, FIG. 6 shows a horizontal section when the
quick cooling body shown in FIG. 5 cools the beverage, FIG. 7 shows
a vertical section when the quick cooling body shown in FIG. 5
cools the beverage, and FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of the
moving operation of the quick cooling body shown in FIG. 5.
[0087] The quick cooling body 30 accommodates and supports the
beverage C when the beverage C is quickly cooled, and it may be
formed in a tub body shape having a space formed therein as shown
in FIGS. 5 and 6.
[0088] The plurality of impinging-jet holes 32 may be formed in the
entire circumferential portion of the quick cooling body 30 in a
cylindrical direction and up and down directions with them spaced
from one another. The cooling air impinges on the beverage C around
the circumferential portion of the beverage C in a 3-D way.
[0089] The quick cooling body 30 may be formed so that the
impinging-jet holes 32 are directed toward the center of the space
of the quick cooling body 30.
[0090] The quick cooling body 30 may have a top surface opened so
that the cooling air is sucked through not only the circumferential
portion, but also the top surface. The quick cooling body 30 may
have the top surface shut so that the suction of the cooling air
through the circumferential portion is concentrated.
[0091] The quick cooling body 30 may have a bottom surface opened
so that the cooling air impinging on the beverage C flows into the
quick cooling air blower 40 or may have a cooling air discharge
port formed in the bottom surface.
[0092] One quick cooling body 30 or a plurality of the quick
cooling bodies 35 and 36 may be provided in the refrigerator.
[0093] The quick cooling body 30 may be formed to have a size in
which a plurality of beverages is received and thus one quick
cooling body 30 may be installed in the refrigerator. The quick
cooling body 30 may be formed to have a size in which one beverage
is received and thus the plurality of quick cooling body 35 and 36
may be installed in the refrigerator.
[0094] If a gap T between the beverage C placed within the quick
cooling body 30 and the impinging-jet holes 32 is great, the
impinging-jet effect of the cooling air sucked by the quick cooling
body 30 may be weak. It is thus preferred that the gap T between
the quick cooling body 30 and the beverage C be formed in a size
capable of sufficiently forming impinging-jet.
[0095] It is preferred that the quick cooling body 30 include the
plurality of quick cooling bodies 35 and 36 in order to quickly
cool a large number of beverages and also produce a sufficient
impinging-jet effect and the quick cooling body 30 be formed in a
size capable of forming impinging-jet between the quick cooling
body 30 and the beverage C.
[0096] If the quick cooling body 30 is installed in plural numbers,
the plurality of quick cooling bodies 35 and 36 may be connected to
a flexible funnel member 90.
[0097] Hereinafter, it is described that the quick cooling body 30
includes the left and right quick cooling bodies 35 and 36 disposed
on the left and right sides.
[0098] The quick cooling air blower 40 includes a fixed pressure
fan and a fan motor for rotating the fixed pressure fan.
[0099] One quick cooling air blower 40 may move cooling air to the
plurality of quick cooling bodies 35 and 36, and a plurality of
quick cooling air blowers 42 and 44 may move cooling air to the
plurality of quick cooling bodies 35 and 36.
[0100] Hereinafter, it is described that the quick cooling air
blower 40 includes the left and right quick cooling air blowers 42
and 44 disposed on the left and right sides.
[0101] The quick cooling body moving mechanism 50 rotates the quick
cooling body 30 in a 3-D way for the 3-D movement of the beverage C
(i.e., the subject of quick cooling), and it may be connected to
one of the plurality of quick cooling bodies 35 and 36.
[0102] The quick cooling body moving mechanism 50 may include a
motor 52 positioned in and fixed to the main body 2 and a link 54
fixed and connected to the shaft 53 of the motor 52, rotatably
connected to the quick cooling body 30, and configured to
eccentrically rotate the quick cooling body 30 in a 3-D way when
the motor 52 is rotated.
[0103] An upper installation plate 55 may be installed in the main
body 2 (particularly, in the rear of the refrigerating compartment
door 5) so that it is protruded toward the storage compartment F. A
motor bracket 56 for surrounding the left, right, and lower sides
of the motor 52 may be installed in the upper installation plate
55.
[0104] The motor 52 may be installed in the motor bracket 56, and
the shaft 53 may be installed in a shaft through hole formed in the
lower plate unit of the motor bracket 56 so that the shaft 53
penetrate the shaft through hole.
[0105] The motor 52 may include forward and backward motors capable
of rotating the link 54 in the forward and backward directions.
[0106] The link 54 may include a shaft coupling unit 57 connected
to the shaft 53 of the motor 52, a quick cooling body connection
unit 58 rotatably connected to the coupling shaft 37 formed in the
quick cooling body 30, and a horizontal unit 59 configured to
connect the shaft coupling unit 57 and the quick cooling body
connection unit 58.
[0107] The shaft coupling unit 57 may be formed on one side of the
left and right sides of the link 54, and the quick cooling body
connection unit 58 may be formed on the other side of the left and
right sides of the link 54.
[0108] When the shaft 53 of the motor 52 is rotated, the quick
cooling body connection unit 58 of the link 54 may rotate the quick
cooling body 30 along a circular track.
[0109] The quick cooler 20 may further include an air blower
mounter 80 positioned in and fixed to the main body 2 and
configured to have the quick cooling air blower 40 installed
therein and the flexible funnel member 90 configured to have the
air blower mounter 80 and the quick cooling body 30 communicate
with each other and deformed when the quick cooling body 30
moves.
[0110] Cooling air within the quick cooling body 30 may be sucked
by the quick cooling air blower 40 through the flexible funnel
member 90 and the air blower mounter 80.
[0111] A lower installation plate 81 may be installed in the rear
of the main body 2 (particularly, the refrigerating compartment
door 5) so that it is protruded toward the storage compartment F,
and the air blower mounter 80 may be installed to penetrate the
lower installation plate 81.
[0112] The top of the air blower mounter 80 may penetrate a through
hole formed in the lower installation plate 81, and a fastening
unit, such as a screw or a hook, may be mounted on the lower
installation plate 81.
[0113] The air blower mounter 80 may include a left mounter unit 82
where the left quick cooling air blower 42 of the plurality of
quick cooling air blowers 42 and 44 is installed and a right
mounter unit 84 where the right quick cooling air blower 44 of the
plurality of quick cooling air blowers 42 and 44 is installed.
[0114] The flexible funnel member 90 may be connected to the air
blower mounter 80 so that the flexible funnel member 90
communicates with the air blower mounter 80. The air blower mounter
80 may further include a suction port 86 for sucking cooling air
passing through the flexible funnel member 90.
[0115] The air blower mounter 80 may be formed so that the suction
port 86, the left mounter unit 82, and the right mounter unit 84
communicate with one another. The suction port 86 may be protruded
upwardly from the air blower mounter 80. The left mounter unit 82
may be formed on the left side under the air blower mounter 80, and
the right mounter unit 82 may be formed on the right side under the
air blower mounter 80.
[0116] The flexible funnel member 90 is bent or expanded or
contracts when the quick cooling body 30 moves, thus maintaining
the communication state of the quick cooling body 30 and the quick
cooling air blower 40. The flexible funnel member 90 may form the
sucking passage of the quick cooling air blower 40.
[0117] The flexible funnel member 90 may have a top connected to
the quick cooling body 30 and a bottom connected to the air blower
mounter 80.
[0118] The flexible funnel member 90 may include a left flexible
funnel member connected to the left quick cooling body 35 and a
right flexible funnel member connected to the right quick cooling
body 36 or may include one flexible funnel member in which the left
quick cooling body 35 and the right quick cooling body 36 are
coupled.
[0119] Hereinafter, it is described that the flexible funnel member
90 is one flexible funnel member having a top connected to the left
quick cooling body 35 and the right quick cooling body 36 and
having a bottom communicate with the suction port 86 of the air
blower mounter 80.
[0120] The flexible funnel member 90 may be formed of an elastic
member so that it can be bent when the quick cooling body 30 moves,
or the flexible funnel member 90 may include a wrinkle hose unit so
that it is partially expanded and contracted when the quick cooling
body 30 moves.
[0121] The refrigerator according to the present embodiment may
further include a sprayer 100 installed in the quick cooling body
30 in order to vaporize a coolant (e.g., water) and spray the
coolant to the outside of the container of the beverage C and a
coolant supply hose 102 connected to the sprayer 100 and configured
to supply the coolant to the sprayer 100.
[0122] The sprayer 100 supplies a cooling fluid W vaporized in a
mist particle, such as vapor, to the outside of the container of
the beverage C. The cooling fluid W sprayed from the sprayer 100 is
evaporated in the outside of the container of the beverage C, with
the result that the cooling speed of the beverage C may be
increased by latent heat.
[0123] The sprayer 100 may be installed over the quick cooling body
30 so that the vaporized cooling fluid is uniformly sprinkled over
the outside of the container of the beverage C while dropping in
the direction of gravity.
[0124] A coolant control valve (not shown) for controlling the
supply and suspension of the coolant to the coolant supply hose 102
in response to the quick cooling command through the input unit 60
may be installed in the coolant supply hose 102.
[0125] FIG. 9 is a side view when a beverage is put into and taken
out from the quick cooler shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.
[0126] The quick cooling body 30 may include a tub body 38
configured to have an opening 38a through which the beverage C is
put into and taken out formed therein and a body door 39 installed
in the tub body 38 and configured to open and shut the opening
38a.
[0127] The opening 38a may be formed in front, particularly, in the
upper front part of the tub body 38.
[0128] The opening 38a may be formed in part of the circumferential
portion of the tub body 38, and the opening 38a may be formed in
part of the circumferential portion and part of the top of the tub
body 38. It is preferred that the opening 38a be formed in part of
the circumferential portion and part of the top of the tub body 38
with consideration taken of convenience that the beverage C is put
into and taken out.
[0129] The body door 39 may be rotatably installed in the tub body
38. The body door 39 may be slidably installed in the cylindrical
direction or the up and down directions of the tub body 38. The
body door 39 may be installed in the tub body 38 so that the body
door 39 can be attached to or detached from the tub body 38.
[0130] The impinging-jet holes 32 may be formed in the tub body 38
of the quick cooling body 30, and the impinging-jet holes 32 may be
formed in the body door 39.
[0131] The operation of the refrigerator constructed as described
above according to the present invention is described below.
[0132] First, when a user, etc. opens the beverage door 19, puts
his hand into the beverage entrance 18, and then opens the body
door 39, the opening 38a of the quick cooling body 30 is opened.
When the user puts the beverage C into the opening 38a and shuts
the body door 39, the beverage C is accommodated in the quick
cooling body 30.
[0133] When a user, etc. shuts the beverage door 19 and inputs the
quick cooling command through the input unit 60, the control unit
70 drives the fan motor of the quick cooling air blower 40 and
drives the motor of the quick cooling body moving mechanism 50.
[0134] When the fan motor of the quick cooling air blower 40 is
driven, suction is generated within the flexible funnel member 90
and the quick cooling body 30 and around the quick cooling body 30,
and cooling air around the quick cooling body 30 is quickly sucked
through the impinging-jet holes 32 of the quick cooling body 30.
Next, the cooling air cools the beverage C while impinges on the
outside of the container of the beverage C within the quick cooling
body 30.
[0135] The cooling air that has impinged on and jetted to the
outside of the container of the beverage C as described above cools
the container of the beverage C again while passing through the gap
between the beverage C and the quick cooling body 30. After the
cooling air sequentially passing through the flexible funnel member
90 and the air blower mounter 90, the cooling air is sucked by the
quick cooling air blower 40 and then downwardly ventilated by the
quick cooling air blower 40.
[0136] When the motor 52 of the quick cooling body moving mechanism
50 is driven, the link 54 rotates the quick cooling body 30 in the
state in which the shaft 53 of the motor 52 and the coupling shaft
37 of the quick cooling body 30 are eccentrically coupled. The
quick cooling body 30 rotates while drawing a circular track in the
state in which the bottom of the quick cooling body 30 is connected
to the flexible funnel member 90.
[0137] When the quick cooling body 30 is rotated, part of the
flexible funnel member 90 is bent, thus helping the quick cooling
body 30 to be rotated around the bottom of the flexible funnel
member 90 in an approximately inclined state.
[0138] When the quick cooling body 30 is rotated as described
above, the beverage C is moved along with the quick cooling body
30, so that liquid stored goods within the beverage C are actively
moved and the transfer of heat of the beverage C is further
accelerated.
[0139] If a set time elapses after a user, etc. inputs the quick
cooling command through the input unit 60 or when a user, etc.
inputs a quick cooling stop command through the input unit 60, the
control unit 90 stops the motor 52 of the quick cooling body moving
mechanism 50 and stops the quick cooling air blower 40.
[0140] When a user, etc. opens the beverage door 19, puts his hand
into the beverage entrance 18, opens the body door 39, and takes
out the quickly cooled beverage C from the inside of the quick
cooling body 30, the user, etc. may drink the beverage C quickly
cooled by the impingement jet and the cooling air and the movement
of the beverage.
[0141] FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing the main parts of a
refrigerator according to a second embodiment of the present
invention.
[0142] The refrigerator according to the present embodiment may
include a cooling air guide 92 for downwardly guiding air
ventilated by the quick cooling air blower 40, as shown in FIG. 10.
The other elements and operation of the refrigerator other than the
cooling air guide 92 are identical with or similar to those of the
first embodiment of the present invention, and a detailed
description thereof is omitted.
[0143] The cooling air guide 92 may prevent the cooling air,
downwardly ventilated by the quick cooling air blower 40, from
being introduced from the inside of the storage compartment F into
the quick cooling body 30.
[0144] The cooling air guide 92 may be formed to surround part of
the circumference of the quick cooling air blower 40 and may be
formed higher than the quick cooling air blower 40.
[0145] That is, if the cooling air guide 92 does not exist, some Y
of the cooling air downwardly ventilated by the quick cooling air
blower 40 may be raised around the quick cooling body 30 owing to
the suction of the quick cooling air blower 40 and then introduced
into the quick cooling body 30 again.
[0146] If the cooling air guide 92 exists, however, cooling air X
downwardly ventilated by the quick cooling air blower 40 does not
rise around the quick cooling body 30 because it is blocked by the
cooling air guide 92. Next, the cooling air X may be sucked into
the evaporator 14 by the suction of the circulation fan 16 through
the cooling air guide 92.
[0147] FIG. 11 is a perspective view when the inside of a
refrigerator according to a third embodiment of the present
invention is opened, and FIG. 12 is a sectional view when the
refrigerator according to the third embodiment of the present
invention quickly cools a beverage.
[0148] The refrigerator according to the present embodiment further
includes an ice storage heat exchanger 22 for further cooling air
that has been cooled by the cooling air of a storage compartment F
and then forcibly moved toward a beverage. The other elements and
operation of the refrigerator other than the ice storage heat
exchanger 22 are identical with or similar to those of the first
embodiment or the second embodiment of the present invention, and a
detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0149] The ice storage heat exchanger 22 cools cooling air sucked
toward the impinging-jet holes 32 of the quick cooling body 30 in
the storage compartment F before the cooling air is sucked into the
quick cooling body 30. The ice storage heat exchanger 22 may be
placed outside the quick cooling body 30.
[0150] The ice storage heat exchanger 22 may be installed to face
part of the quick cooling body 30. A plurality of cooling air holes
24 for cooling air sucked toward the impinging-jet holes 32 when
the cooling air passes through the cooling air holes 24 may be
formed in the ice storage heat exchanger 22.
[0151] The ice storage heat exchanger 22 may be disposed to
surround the entire outside of the circumference of the quick
cooling body 30. It is however preferred that the ice storage heat
exchanger 22 be installed to face part of the quick cooling body 30
because the ice storage heat exchanger 22 may hinder the entrance
and exit of the beverage C when the beverage C is put into and
taken out from the quick cooling body 30.
[0152] The ice storage heat exchanger 22 may be installed near the
circumference of the quick cooling body 30 without the cooling air
holes 24 so that cooling air is brought into a surface contact with
the ice storage heat exchanger 20 and is then sucked by the quick
cooling body 30. It is however preferred that the ice storage heat
exchanger 22 be placed to block the movement path of the cooling
air in order to increase heat transfer efficiency and to forcibly
move the cooling air to the cooling air holes 24.
[0153] Part of the ice storage heat exchanger 22 may be disposed to
come in a surface contact with the outside of the quick cooling
body 30. It is however preferred that the ice storage heat
exchanger 22 be spaced apart from the quick cooling body 30 because
the ice storage heat exchanger 22 accumulates cooling force and
then cools cooling air sucked toward the quick cooling body 30 when
a beverage is quick cooled.
[0154] FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of the quick cooler
shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, FIG. 14 is a plan sectional view when the
quick cooling body shown in FIG. 13 cools a beverage, and FIG. 15
shows a partial enlarged section of the quick cooling body and the
ice storage heat exchanger shown in FIG. 13.
[0155] The ice storage heat exchanger 22 may include a main ice
storage unit 25 spaced from the quick cooling body 30 in the front
and rear directions and an auxiliary ice storage unit 26, 27
inclined and disposed on the left or right side of the main ice
storage unit 27 and spaced apart from the quick cooling body in the
left and right directions.
[0156] The main ice storage unit 25 may be installed and placed in
the rear of the quick cooling body 30.
[0157] The auxiliary ice storage 26, 27 may include a left
auxiliary ice storage unit 26 disposed from the flank of the left
end of the main ice storage unit 25 to the flank of the left of the
quick cooling body 30 and a right auxiliary ice storage unit 27
disposed from the flank of the right end of the main ice storage
unit 25 to the flank of the right of the quick cooling body 30.
[0158] That is, the ice storage heat exchanger 22 may be disposed
to surround the left, rear, and right of the quick cooling body
30.
[0159] The ice storage heat exchanger 22 may include bags 28 having
flexibility and ice storage materials 29 contained in the bags
28.
[0160] The cooling air holes 24 of the ice storage heat exchanger
22 may be opened in the direction of the quick cooling body 30.
[0161] In the ice storage heat exchanger 22, the cooling air holes
24 formed in the main ice storage unit 25 may be opened and formed
in the front and rear directions, the cooling air holes 24 formed
in the left ice storage unit 26 may be opened and formed in a front
right direction, and the cooling air holes 24 formed in the right
ice storage unit 27 may be opened and formed in a left front
direction.
[0162] The main ice storage unit 25 may be formed in the rear of
the plurality of quick cooling bodies 35 and 36.
[0163] The main ice storage unit 25 may have a left and right width
equal to or greater than the sum of the diameters of the quick
cooling bodies 35 and 36. The number of cooling air holes 24 formed
in the main ice storage unit 25 may be greater than the number of
cooling air holes 24 formed in the auxiliary ice storage units 26
and 27 so that more cooling air passes through the main ice storage
unit 25.
[0164] The ice storage heat exchanger 22 may be formed so that the
cooling air holes 24 are downwardly inclined in the direction of
the quick cooling body 30.
[0165] It is preferred that the cooling air and the electric heat
time and electric heat area of the ice storage heat exchanger 22 be
determined depending on the length of the cooling air holes 24 in a
direction along which cooling air flows and the length of the
cooling air holes 24 be lengthily formed to the highest degree. It
is preferred that the ice storage heat exchanger 22 be inclined and
formed toward the upper front side or the lower front side.
[0166] It is preferred that the cooling air holes 24 of the ice
storage heat exchanger 22 be downwardly inclined and formed toward
the lower front side by taking the flow of cooling air within the
storage compartment R into consideration.
[0167] The cooling air efficiency and the electric heat efficiency
of the ice storage heat exchanger 22 are increased depending on the
electric heat area in the direction along which cooling air flows
and whether an eddy has been formed within the cooling air holes
24. Concave-convex parts 24a and 24b may be formed in each of the
cooling air holes 24 of the ice storage heat exchanger 22.
[0168] The concave-convex parts 24a and 24b may include a
projecting part 24a protruded in a direction orthogonal to the
direction along which cooling air flows and a depression part 24b
depressed in the direction orthogonal to the direction along which
cooling air flows near the projecting part 24a.
[0169] It is preferred that a plurality of the concave-convex parts
24a and 24b be formed in the length direction of the cooling air
holes 24 and a plurality of the concave-convex parts 24a and 24b be
formed in the cylindrical direction of the cooling air holes 24.
The cooling air is subject to electric heat because an eddy is
generated by the concave-convex parts 24a and 24b when the cooling
air passes through the cooling air holes 24. An electric heat
effect is increased as much as the electric heat area widened by
the concave-convex parts 24a and 24b.
[0170] FIG. 16 is a side view when a beverage is put into and taken
out from the quick cooler shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.
[0171] The quick cooling body 30 may include a tub body 38
configured to have an opening 38a through which a beverage C can be
put into and taken out formed therein and a body door 39 installed
in the tub body 38 and configured to open and shut the opening 38a,
as in the first embodiment of the present invention. The opening
38a of the tub body 38 may be formed on the opposite side to the
ice storage heat exchanger 22.
[0172] It is preferred that the opening 38a be formed in the front
part of the tub body 38 because the ice storage heat exchanger 22
is formed in the rear and on the left and right sides of the quick
cooling body 30.
[0173] In the refrigerator according to the present embodiment,
cooling air cooled by the evaporator 14 when the compressor 11 and
the circulation fan 16 are driven is supplied to the upper part of
the refrigerating compartment F, so that the cooling air cools the
refrigerating compartment F while dropping downwardly. Some of the
cooling air comes into contact with the ice storage heat exchanger
22, thus cooling the ice storage heat exchanger 22.
[0174] The cooling force of the ice storage heat exchanger 22 is
gradually accumulated. After a lapse of time, the cooling air no
longer cools the ice storage heat exchanger 22, and the ice storage
heat exchanger 22 maintains a cooled state.
[0175] When the quick cooling air blower 40 is driven, sucking
force is generated within the flexible funnel member 90 and the
quick cooling body 30 and around the quick cooling body 30 and the
ice storage heat exchanger 22. Cooling air around the ice storage
heat exchanger 22 passes through the cooling air holes 24.
[0176] Cooling air in the rear of the main ice storage unit 25 is
cooled by the main ice storage unit 25 while passing through the
cooling air holes 24 of the main ice storage unit 25, cooling air
on the left side of the left ice storage unit 26 is cooled by the
left ice storage unit 26 while passing through the cooling air
holes 24 of the left ice storage unit 26, and cooling air on the
right side of the right ice storage unit 27 is cooled by the right
ice storage unit 27 while passing through the cooling air holes 24
of the right ice storage unit 27.
[0177] When the cooling air is cooled as described above, the
cooling air is cooled at a lower temperature than cooling air when
the ice storage heat exchanger 22 is not disposed. The cooling air
cooled by the ice storage heat exchanger 22 passes through the
impinging-jet holes 32 of the quick cooling body 30 and cools the
beverage C while impinging on the outside of the container of the
beverage C within the quick cooling body 30.
[0178] The cooling air that has impinged on the outside of the
container of the beverage C as described above cools the container
of the beverage C again while passing through the gap between the
beverage C and the quick cooling body 30 and then sequentially
passes through the flexible funnel member 90 and the air blower
mounter 90. Next, the cooling air is sucked by the quick cooling
air blower 40 and then downwardly ventilated by the quick cooling
air blower 40.
[0179] In the refrigerator according to the present embodiment,
some of the cooling force of the refrigerating compartment F is
stored in the ice storage heat exchanger 22 and is then used to
quickly cool a beverage when the beverage is quickly cooled.
Accordingly, the quick cooling time of a beverage can be reduced
and a deviation the temperature within the refrigerating
compartment F can be minimized, as compared with the case where the
ice storage heat exchanger 22 is not installed.
[0180] FIG. 17 is a sectional view when a refrigerator according to
a fourth embodiment of the present invention quickly cools a
beverage, and FIG. 18 is a vertical section when a quick cooling
body shown in FIG. 17 cools a beverage.
[0181] The refrigerator according to the present embodiment may
further include an ice storage heat exchanger 106 for cooling a
beverage C in a contact manner by coming into contact with the
beverage C when the beverage C is inputted to the quick cooling
body 30. The other elements and operation of the refrigerator other
than the ice storage heat exchanger 106 are identical with or
similar to those of the first to third embodiments of the present
invention, and a detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0182] The ice storage heat exchanger 106 may be disposed in the
quick cooling body 30 so that the ice storage heat exchanger 106 is
cooled by the cooling air of the storage compartment F and then
brought in contact with the beverage C.
[0183] The ice storage heat exchanger 106 is installed within the
quick cooling body 30 and is cooled by cooling air introduced into
the quick cooling body 30. Next, the ice storage heat exchanger 106
may cool the beverage C.
[0184] The ice storage heat exchanger 106 is disposed so that it is
partially exposed outside the quick cooling body 30. The ice
storage heat exchanger 106 is cooled by cooling air outside the
quick cooling body 30 and cooling air within the quick cooling body
30, and then the ice storage heat exchanger 106 may cool the
beverage C.
[0185] If the ice storage heat exchanger 106 is cooled by the
cooling air within the quick cooling body 30, the ice storage heat
exchanger 106 is placed within the quick cooling body 30. If the
ice storage heat exchanger 106 is cooled by the cooling air within
the quick cooling body 30 and the cooling air outside the quick
cooling body 30, the ice storage heat exchanger 106 is installed to
penetrate the quick cooling body 30 or part of the ice storage heat
exchanger 106 is exposed to the outside of the quick cooling body
30.
[0186] Hereinafter, it is described that the ice storage heat
exchanger 106 is installed within the quick cooling body 30. Here,
the ice storage heat exchanger 106 may be installed along with the
ice storage heat exchanger 22 of the third embodiment of the
present invention. In this case, the ice storage heat exchanger 106
installed within the quick cooling body 30 may be an inner ice
storage heat exchanger, and the ice storage heat exchanger 22 of
the third embodiment of the present invention may be an outer ice
storage heat exchanger.
[0187] The ice storage heat exchanger 106 may be installed to face
part of the quick cooling body 30.
[0188] The ice storage heat exchanger 106 may be disposed in the
entire circumference of the inside of the quick cooling body 30.
However, the ice storage heat exchanger 106 may be installed to
face part of the quick cooling body 30 in order to form the suction
passage of cooling air because the ice storage heat exchanger 106
may hinder the entry and exit of the cooling air when the cooling
air is sucked into the quick cooling body 30.
[0189] The ice storage heat exchanger 106 may be installed so that
it is placed between the beverage C and the quick cooling body 30
when the beverage C is inputted. A plurality of the ice storage
heat exchangers 106 may be installed in the cylindrical direction
of the quick cooling body 30 so that the ice storage heat
exchangers 106 are spaced apart from one another.
[0190] That is, in the quick cooler 20, cooling air inputted to the
impinging-jet holes 32 of the quick cooling body 30 may cool the
ice storage heat exchangers 106, and the cooling air may be then
supplied to the beverage C through a gap between the plurality of
ice storage heat exchangers 106.
[0191] Each of the ice storage heat exchangers 106 may include an
ice storage pack 108 configured to contain an ice storage material
and an ice storage pack holder 110 placed within the quick cooling
body 30 so that the ice storage pack 108 is seated in the ice
storage pack 108.
[0192] The ice storage heat exchanger 106 may transfer the heat of
the beverage C to the ice storage pack 108 in the state in which
the entire ice storage pack 108 is inserted into the ice storage
pack holder 110 and the ice storage pack holder 110 is placed
between the beverage C and the ice storage pack 108.
[0193] Only part of the ice storage pack 108 of the ice storage
heat exchanger 106 may be inserted into the ice storage pack holder
110, and the remainder of the ice storage pack 108 may come in
contact with the beverage C over the ice storage pack holder 110.
In this case, the heat of a part of the beverage C, coming in
contact with the ice storage pack holder 110, may be transferred to
the ice storage pack 108 through the ice storage pack holder 110,
and the heat of a part of the beverage C, coming in contact with
the ice storage pack 108, may be directly transferred to the ice
storage pack 108.
[0194] The quick cooler 20 may further include elastic members 120
placed between the ice storage heat exchangers 106 and the quick
cooling body 30 and configured to elastically support the ice
storage heat exchangers 106 in the direction of the beverage.
[0195] When the size of the beverage C is large, the elastic
members 120 are compressed by the ice storage heat exchangers 106
in order to help the beverage C having a large size to be inputted.
When the size of the beverage C is small, the elastic members 120
pressurize the ice storage heat exchangers 106 in the direction of
the beverage C using elastic force in order to help the ice storage
heat exchangers 106 to come in contact with the beverage C having a
small size.
[0196] The elastic members 120 may be formed of leaf springs and
may be formed of coil springs. The elastic members 120 may be fixed
to at least one of the ice storage heat exchangers 106 and the
quick cooling body 30.
[0197] If the elastic members 120 are fixed to the ice storage heat
exchanger 106, the elastic members 120 may be fixed to the ice
storage pack holder 110.
[0198] Meanwhile, the quick cooler 20 may further include at least
one beverage holder 130 installed in the quick cooling body 30 and
configured to support the beverage C.
[0199] The beverage holder 130 may be formed of a leaf spring
having an upper part connected to the quick cooling body 30 and a
lower part formed of a free end.
[0200] A plurality of the beverage holders 130 may be disposed in
the cylindrical direction of the quick cooling body 30 so that the
beverage holders 130 are spaced apart from one another.
[0201] A plurality of the beverage holders 130 may be installed so
that the beverage holders 130 are placed between the ice storage
heat exchangers 106.
[0202] It is preferred that the beverage holder 130 be made of
material having high electric heat performance (particularly, metal
material) so that the beverage holder 130 may support the beverage
C and may also cool the beverage C after being cooled by cooling
air.
[0203] That is, when the beverage C is inputted to the quick
cooling body 30, the beverage C may alternately come in contact
with the ice storage heat exchangers 106 and the beverage holders
130 in the cylindrical direction.
[0204] In the refrigerator according to the present embodiment,
when a user, etc. inserts the beverage C into the quick cooling
body 30, part of the circumferential surface of the beverage C
comes in a surface contact with the ice storage heat exchangers
106, and thus the beverage C is brought in contact with and
supported by the plurality of beverage holders 130.
[0205] The beverage C pushes the ice storage heat exchangers 106 in
its radial direction depending on its size. If the size
(particularly, diameter) of the beverage C is large, the ice
storage heat exchangers 106 are brought in a surface contact with
the beverage C while greatly compressing the elastic members 120.
If the size (particularly, diameter) of the beverage C is small,
the ice storage heat exchangers 106 are brought in a surface
contact with the beverage C while less compressing the elastic
members 120.
[0206] When the fan motor of the quick cooling air blower 40 is
driven, suction is generated within the flexible funnel member 90
and the quick cooling body 30 and around the quick cooling body 30.
Cooling air around the quick cooling body 30 is quickly sucked
through the impinging-jet holes 32 of the quick cooling body
30.
[0207] The cooling air sucked into the quick cooling body 30 cools
the plurality of ice storage heat exchangers 106 while passing
through the ice storage heat exchangers 106 and also cools the
beverage C while impinging on the outside of the container of the
beverage C.
[0208] The cooling air that has impinged on the outside of the
container of the beverage C as described above cools the container
of the beverage C again while passing through the gap between the
beverage C and the quick cooling body 30. At this time, the ice
storage heat exchangers 106 cool the beverage C with it being
brought in a surface contact with the beverage C, and thus the
beverage C is quickly cooled by the cooling action resulting from
the impingement jet of the cooling air and by the suction action of
the heat of the beverage C into the ice storage heat exchanger 106
which are generated at the same time.
[0209] The cooling air that has cooled the beverage C as described
above sequentially passes through the flexible funnel member 90 and
the air blower mounter 90. Next, the cooling air is sucked into the
quick cooling air blower 40 and then downwardly ventilated by the
quick cooling air blower 40.
[0210] That is, the beverage C is quickly cooled by both the
impingement jet of the cooling air and the ice storage effect of
the ice storage heat exchanger 100.
[0211] When the quick cooling air blower 40 is stopped, the amount
of the cooling air flown into the quick cooling body 30, from the
cooling air of the storage compartment F, is reduced, but some of
the cooling air is sucked into the impinging-jet holes 32 of the
quick cooling body 30 as the circulation fan 16 is driven, thus
cooling the ice storage heat exchanger 106. Next, the cooling air
sucked into the impinging-jet holes 32 is discharged to the storage
compartment R through the quick cooling air blower 40. The ice
storage heat exchanger 106 is ready to quickly cool the beverage C
at the time of subsequent quick cooling.
[0212] Meanwhile, when a user, etc. takes the quickly cooled
beverage C from the inside of the quick cooling body 30, the user
may drink the beverage C that has been quickly cooled by the
impingement jet of the cooling air and the ice storage of the ice
storage heat exchanger 100.
[0213] Meanwhile, the present invention is not limited to the above
embodiments, and the subject of cooling, such as ices or meat,
other than beverages may be put into the quick cooler 20 and then
quickly cooled. It is to be noted that the present invention may be
implemented in various ways within a technical scope to which the
present invention falls.
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