U.S. patent application number 17/603742 was filed with the patent office on 2022-08-04 for refrigerator and method for manufacturing same.
This patent application is currently assigned to WINIA ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is WINIA ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Sung-Ik CHANG, Kwang-Jin JOO, Chang-Min KIM, Yong-Myung KIM.
Application Number | 20220243973 17/603742 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | |
Filed Date | 2022-08-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220243973 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KIM; Chang-Min ; et
al. |
August 4, 2022 |
REFRIGERATOR AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME
Abstract
The present invention relates to a refrigerator and a method for
manufacturing same and, particularly, to a refrigerator and a
method for manufacturing same, wherein the refrigerator is
characterized by comprising: a main body including an outer case
and an inner case that is provided inside the outer case, has an
ice making chamber and a refrigerating chamber provided in an upper
portion thereof, and has a freezing chamber provided in a lower
portion thereof; a partition wall which is coupled to the inner
case to form the ice making chamber and has a heat insulating
material-accommodating space provided therein; and a space part
provided between the outer case and the inner case, wherein heat
insulating materials are injected into and integrally foamed with
the space part and the heat insulting material-accommodating space
to partition the ice making chamber as a heat insulating space
separate from the refrigerating chamber. The injection of heat
insulating materials into the space part of the main body and the
heat insulating material-accommodating space of the partition wall
can be integrated, and the foaming of the injected heat insulating
materials can also be integrated. A worker can assemble and weld an
evaporator without spatial restrictions, even in the case of a
large capacity refrigerator, and is not required to bend down at
the waist and enter the inside of a storage chamber.
Inventors: |
KIM; Chang-Min; (Gwangju,
KR) ; KIM; Yong-Myung; (Gwangju, KR) ; CHANG;
Sung-Ik; (Gwangju, KR) ; JOO; Kwang-Jin;
(Gwangju, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
WINIA ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. |
Gwangju |
|
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
WINIA ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Gwangju
KR
|
Appl. No.: |
17/603742 |
Filed: |
October 16, 2019 |
PCT Filed: |
October 16, 2019 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR2019/013561 |
371 Date: |
January 20, 2022 |
International
Class: |
F25D 11/02 20060101
F25D011/02; F25D 17/06 20060101 F25D017/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 3, 2019 |
KR |
10-2019-0109191 |
Sep 3, 2019 |
KR |
10-2019-0109207 |
Sep 3, 2019 |
KR |
10-2019-0109209 |
Sep 3, 2019 |
KR |
10-2019-0109211 |
Claims
1. A refrigerator comprising: a main body including an outer case
and an inner case provided inside the outer case, wherein an upper
part of the inner case provides an ice making compartment and a
refrigerator compartment, and a lower part of the inner case
provides a freezer compartment; a partition wall coupled to the
inner case and configured to form the ice making compartment,
wherein a thermal insulation material accommodating space is
provided inside the partition wall; and a space portion provided
between the outer case and the inner case, wherein a thermal
insulation material is injected into the space portion and the
thermal insulation material accommodating space and is integrally
foamed to partition the ice making compartment as a separate
thermal insulation space from the refrigerator compartment.
2. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising: an evaporator
provided on a rear side of the ice making compartment and
configured to supply a cold air to the ice making compartment,
wherein the evaporator is installed through an opening formed in a
rear wall of the outer case.
3. The refrigerator of claim 2, further comprising: an evaporator
case provided between the rear wall of the outer case and a rear
wall of the inner case, the evaporator case having an installation
space communicating with the opening; and a thermal insulation
cover configured to open and close the opening, wherein the
evaporator is installed in the installation space.
4. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the evaporator case is
installed on the rear side of the ice making compartment, and the
installation space communicates with the ice making
compartment.
5. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising: an ice storage
bucket that is taken into and out of the ice making compartment and
shields an open front surface of the ice making compartment,
wherein the ice storage bucket is provided with a handle.
6. The refrigerator of claim 5, wherein the ice storage bucket
includes: an ice making compartment door configured to selectively
open and close the open front surface of the ice making
compartment; and a bucket portion connected to a rear side of the
ice making compartment door, wherein the handle is formed on a
front lower part of the ice making compartment door.
7. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising: an ice storage
bucket including an ice making compartment door configured to open
and close the ice making compartment by being detachable from a
front surface of the partition wall, and a bucket portion
configured to store an ice generated by an ice maker, wherein an
ice discharge port is formed in a lower part of the partition
wall.
8. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein a detachable portion
between the partition wall and the ice making compartment door is
positioned to be spaced apart from the bucket portion at a front
side of the bucket portion.
9. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein a contact portion
protruding convexly downward is formed at an edge of a lower end of
the ice discharge port.
10. The refrigerator of claim 9, further comprising: a dispenser
installed in a door opening and closing the refrigerator
compartment, the dispenser including an ice transfer duct in which
a gasket is installed at an upper end of the ice transfer duct,
wherein the contact portion pressurizes an entire perimeter of the
gasket.
11. The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the gasket has an
inclination with a decreasing height as an upper surface goes from
a front to a rear, and wherein when the door is closed, the contact
portion is in close contact with the gasket along the
inclination.
12. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein a first bead portion is
formed on one side of an inner surface of the inner case, and a
second bead portion is formed on other side of the inner surface of
the inner case, and wherein a first concave portion matched with
the first bead portion is formed on one side of the partition wall,
and a second concave portion matched with the second bead portion
is formed on other side of the partition wall.
13. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein a first protrusion having
a first through hole is formed on one of the first bead portion and
the first concave portion, and a first inlet port into which the
first protrusion is inserted is formed on the other, and wherein a
second protrusion having a second through hole is formed on one of
the second bead portion and the second concave portion, and a
second inlet port into which the second protrusion is inserted is
formed on the other.
14. A method of manufacturing a refrigerator, the method
comprising: fixing a partition wall forming an ice making
compartment to a main body; injecting a thermal insulation material
into a space portion of the main body and injecting the thermal
insulation material into a thermal insulation material
accommodating space of the partition wall; and performing an
integral foaming process on the thermal insulation material.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: before fixing the
partition wall, matching a bead portion of the main body with a
concave portion of the partition wall.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the thermal insulation material
is injected into the thermal insulation material accommodating
space from the space portion through an inlet port formed in the
bead portion and a through hole formed in a protrusion of the
concave portion.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein after performing the integral
foaming process, the partition wall is inseparable from the main
body.
18. The refrigerator of claim 5, wherein a first bead portion is
formed on one side of an inner surface of the inner case, and a
second bead portion is formed on other side of the inner surface of
the inner case, and wherein a first concave portion matched with
the first bead portion is formed on one side of the partition wall,
and a second concave portion matched with the second bead portion
is formed on other side of the partition wall.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator. More
particularly, the present disclosure relates to a refrigerator and
a method of manufacturing the same capable of unifying the
injection of a thermal insulation material into a space portion of
a main body and a thermal insulation material accommodating space
of a partition wall and integrally foaming the injected thermal
insulation material due to the unification, and in which a worker
can assemble and weld an evaporator without space restrictions even
in a large-capacity refrigerator, and there is no need for a worker
to bend his/her back to enter a storage compartment.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] In general, a refrigerator is a home appliance for storing
food in a refrigerated or frozen state in a storage compartment
opened and closed by a door. The refrigerator generally includes a
refrigerator compartment for storing food in a refrigerated state
at a low temperature and a freezer compartment for freezing and
storing food in a frozen state.
[0003] The refrigerator may additionally include an ice making
compartment that creates and stores ice for the convenience of a
user, and a dispenser may also be provided to the refrigerator so
that the user can take the ice stored in the ice making compartment
out of the refrigerator.
[0004] Refrigerators that have been recently released have a
tendency to provide a refrigerator compartment, that is used
relatively more frequently than a freezer compartment, at an upper
part of a main body and to provide the freezer compartment, that is
used relatively less than the refrigerator compartment, at a lower
part of the main body. In particular, French door refrigerators, in
which a refrigerator compartment is opened and closed by two pivot
doors that are respectively hinged and coupled to the left and
right sides of a main body and are arranged side by side from left
to right, and a freezer compartment is opened and closed by a
drawer door slidably installed, have been recently in the
spotlight.
[0005] In such a refrigerator, a thermal insulation material is
provided on an ice making compartment wall forming a main body and
an ice making compartment, and the size of the refrigerator is
gradually increasing according to the demands of consumers. A
related art related to this is disclosed in Korean Patent No.
10-1513876 (patent document 1) and U.S. Pat. No. 7,337,620 B2
(patent document 2).
[0006] In the patent document 1, a related art refrigerator
includes a main body, a storage compartment provided inside the
main body, an ice making compartment provided inside the main body
to be partitioned from the storage compartment, an ice maker
provided inside the ice making compartment to produce ice, an ice
storage space storing the ice produced by the ice maker, an ice
bucket that can be taken into the ice making compartment or taken
out of the ice making compartment, and a locking device for locking
the ice bucket so that the ice bucket is not taken out of the ice
making compartment. The ice making compartment is partitioned from
a refrigerator compartment by an ice making compartment wall, and
the main body includes a thermal insulation material foamed between
an outer case and an inner case. The ice making compartment wall
includes a thermal insulation material.
[0007] In the patent document 2, a related art refrigerator
includes a freezer compartment that is mounted on the bottom, and a
refrigerator compartment with a door mounted at the upper and lower
parts of the refrigerator. An ice making compartment inside the
refrigerator compartment includes an inner case and an outer case.
The refrigerator compartment has a liner, and the outer case of the
ice making compartment is integrally formed inside the liner. The
related art refrigerator includes a thermal insulation material
between the inner case and the outer case, an ice maker mounted in
the inner case, a front cover that closes the ice making
compartment and can be opened and closed to access an ice storage
and the ice maker, and an evaporator that is installed at the rear
side inside the freezer compartment to cool the refrigerator
compartment and the freezer compartment.
[0008] However, the related art refrigerator has a problem in that
the thermal insulation material between the outer case and the
inner case of the main body and the thermal insulation material
included in the ice making compartment wall are separately injected
during the manufacture.
[0009] The related art refrigerator has a problem in that the
thermal insulation material injected between the outer case and the
inner case of the main body and the thermal insulation material
included in the ice making compartment wall are separately foamed
during the manufacture.
[0010] The related art refrigerator has a problem in that, when the
refrigerator is large-capacity, a worker must bend his/her back to
enter the freezer compartment to assemble or weld the
evaporator.
[0011] The related art refrigerator has a problem in that an
obstacle occurs due to space restrictions in assembling or welding
the evaporator.
[0012] The related art refrigerator has a problem in that the
worker is exposed to high intensity of fatigue because he/she has
to repeatedly perform actions such as bending his/her back.
PRIOR ART DOCUMENT
[0013] (Patent Document 0001) Korean Patent No. 10-1513876 [0014]
(Patent Document 0002) U.S. Pat. No. 7,337,620 B2
DISCLOSURE
Technical Problem
[0015] An object of the present disclosure is to address the
above-described and other problems. Another object of the present
disclosure is to provide a refrigerator and a method of
manufacturing the same capable of unifying the injection of a
thermal insulation material into a space portion of a main body and
a thermal insulation material accommodating space of a partition
wall and integrally foaming the injected thermal insulation
material due to the unification, and in which a worker can assemble
and weld an evaporator without space restrictions even in a
large-capacity refrigerator, and there is no need for a worker to
bend his/her back to enter a storage compartment.
Technical Solution
[0016] In order to achieve the above-described and other objects,
in one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a
refrigerator comprising a main body including an outer case and an
inner case provided inside the outer case, wherein an upper part of
the inner case provides an ice making compartment and a
refrigerator compartment, and a lower part of the inner case
provides a freezer compartment; a partition wall coupled to the
inner case and configured to form the ice making compartment,
wherein a thermal insulation material accommodating space is
provided inside the partition wall; and a space portion provided
between the outer case and the inner case, wherein a thermal
insulation material is injected into the space portion and the
thermal insulation material accommodating space and is integrally
foamed to partition the ice making compartment as a separate
thermal insulation space from the refrigerator compartment.
[0017] The refrigerator further comprises an evaporator provided on
a rear side of the ice making compartment and configured to supply
a cold air to the ice making compartment, and the evaporator is
installed through an opening formed in a rear wall of the outer
case.
[0018] The refrigerator further comprises an evaporator case
provided between the rear wall of the outer case and a rear wall of
the inner case, the evaporator case having an installation space
communicating with the opening; and a thermal insulation cover
configured to open and close the opening. The evaporator is
installed in the installation space.
[0019] The evaporator case is installed on the rear side of the ice
making compartment, and the installation space communicates with
the ice making compartment.
[0020] The refrigerator further comprises an ice storage bucket
that is taken into and out of the ice making compartment and
shields an open front surface of the ice making compartment. The
ice storage bucket is provided with a handle.
[0021] The ice storage bucket includes an ice making compartment
door configured to selectively open and close the open front
surface of the ice making compartment; and a bucket portion
connected to a rear side of the ice making compartment door. The
handle is formed on a front lower part of the ice making
compartment door.
[0022] The refrigerator further comprises an ice storage bucket
including an ice making compartment door configured to open and
close the ice making compartment by being detachable from a front
surface of the partition wall, and a bucket portion configured to
store an ice generated by an ice maker. An ice discharge port is
formed in a lower part of the partition wall.
[0023] A detachable portion between the partition wall and the ice
making compartment door is positioned to be spaced apart from the
bucket portion at a front side of the bucket portion.
[0024] A contact portion protruding convexly downward is formed at
an edge of a lower end of the ice discharge port.
[0025] The refrigerator further comprises a dispenser installed in
a door opening and closing the refrigerator compartment, the
dispenser including an ice transfer duct in which a gasket is
installed at an upper end of the ice transfer duct. The contact
portion pressurizes an entire perimeter of the gasket.
[0026] The gasket has an inclination with a decreasing height as an
upper surface goes from a front to a rear. When the door is closed,
the contact portion is in close contact with the gasket along the
inclination.
[0027] A first bead portion is formed on one side of an inner
surface of the inner case, and a second bead portion is formed on
other side of the inner surface of the inner case. A first concave
portion matched with the first bead portion is formed on one side
of the partition wall, and a second concave portion matched with
the second bead portion is formed on other side of the partition
wall.
[0028] A first protrusion having a first through hole is formed on
one of the first bead portion and the first concave portion, and a
first inlet port into which the first protrusion is inserted is
formed on the other. A second protrusion having a second through
hole is formed on one of the second bead portion and the second
concave portion, and a second inlet port into which the second
protrusion is inserted is formed on the other.
[0029] In another aspect of the present disclosure, there is
provided a method of manufacturing a refrigerator, the method
comprising fixing a partition wall forming an ice making
compartment to a main body; injecting a thermal insulation material
into a space portion of the main body and injecting the thermal
insulation material into a thermal insulation material
accommodating space of the partition wall; and performing an
integral foaming process on the thermal insulation material.
[0030] The method further comprises, before fixing the partition
wall, matching a bead portion of the main body with a concave
portion of the partition wall.
[0031] The thermal insulation material is injected into the thermal
insulation material accommodating space from the space portion
through an inlet port formed in the bead portion and a through hole
formed in a protrusion of the concave portion.
[0032] After performing the integral foaming process, the partition
wall is inseparable from the main body.
Advantageous Effects
[0033] A refrigerator and a method of manufacturing the same
according to the present disclosure have advantages of unifying the
injection of a thermal insulation material into a space portion of
a main body and a thermal insulation material accommodating space
of a partition wall and integrally foaming the injected thermal
insulation material due to the unification.
[0034] A refrigerator and a method of manufacturing the same
according to the present disclosure have an advantage in that a
foaming operation is easy by integrally foaming a plurality of
walls constituting an ice making compartment.
[0035] A refrigerator and a method of manufacturing the same
according to the present disclosure have an advantage in that an
ice making compartment is partitioned as a separate thermal
insulation space from a refrigerator compartment through an
integral foaming process of a thermal insulation material injected
into a space portion of a main body and a thermal insulation
material accommodating space of a partition wall.
[0036] A refrigerator and a method of manufacturing the same
according to the present disclosure have an advantage of improving
a thermal insulation capability of an ice making compartment since
a joint between a main body and a partition wall is removed by
integrally foaming a thermal insulation material injected into a
space portion of the main body and a thermal insulation material
accommodating space of the partition wall after mating a bead
portion and a concave portion.
[0037] A refrigerator and a method of manufacturing the same
according to the present disclosure have an advantage of preventing
a partition wall from being detached from a main body due to an
external force since the partition wall is inseparably fixed to the
main body by integrally foaming a thermal insulation material
injected into a space portion of the main body and a thermal
insulation material accommodating space of the partition wall.
[0038] A refrigerator and a method of manufacturing the same
according to the present disclosure have an advantage of accurately
setting an assembly position of a partition wall through a bead
portion and a concave portion.
[0039] A refrigerator and a method of manufacturing the same
according to the present disclosure have an advantage of fixing
more firmly a main body and a partition wall by integrally foaming
a thermal insulation material in a state where a protrusion is
inserted into an inlet port and attaching the foamed thermal
insulation material to the protrusion.
[0040] A refrigerator and a method of manufacturing the same
according to the present disclosure have an advantage in that a
worker can assemble and weld an evaporator without space
restrictions even in a large-capacity refrigerator.
[0041] A refrigerator and a method of manufacturing the same
according to the present disclosure have an advantage in that there
is no need for a worker to bend his/her back to enter a storage
compartment when the worker assembles and welds an evaporator.
[0042] A refrigerator and a method of manufacturing the same
according to the present disclosure have an advantage of reducing a
fatigue of a worker when the worker assembles and welds an
evaporator.
[0043] A refrigerator and a method of manufacturing the same
according to the present disclosure have an advantage of easy
maintenance of an evaporator since it is easily accessible to the
evaporator of an integrally foamed ice making compartment that
maximizes a thermal insulation effect.
[0044] A refrigerator and a method of manufacturing the same
according to the present disclosure have an advantage in that it is
very convenient to take an ice storage bucket into and out of the
refrigerator since the ice storage bucket can be taken into and out
of an ice making compartment using a handle included in the ice
storage bucket.
[0045] A refrigerator and a method of manufacturing the same
according to the present disclosure have an advantage of preventing
contamination of an ice discharge port since an ice storage bucket
can be taken into and out of the refrigerator while holding a
handle included in the ice storage bucket and thus there is no need
to touch the ice discharge port.
[0046] A refrigerator and a method of manufacturing the same
according to the present disclosure have an advantage of reducing a
sealing point since an ice discharge port is formed on a lower part
of a partition wall, and a detachable portion between an ice making
compartment door and the partition wall is spaced apart from a
space of a bucket.
[0047] A refrigerator and a method of manufacturing the same
according to the present disclosure have an advantage of
intensively pressurizing a gasket installed in an ice transfer duct
since a convex contact portion is formed at an edge of an ice
discharge port.
[0048] A refrigerator and a method of manufacturing the same
according to the present disclosure have an advantage in that a
contact portion and a gasket can be smoothly in close contact with
each other since the contact portion is in close contact with the
gasket along an inclination formed on the gasket when a door is
closed.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0049] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a refrigerator
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0050] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a
pivot door of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure is open.
[0051] FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view illustrating a pivot door
of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0052] FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view illustrating a state in
which a door pocket of FIG. 3 is separated.
[0053] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along A-A of FIG.
3.
[0054] FIG. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view illustrating a
state in which a catching member is separated in a door of a
refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0055] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a
drawer door is pulled out from an inner case of a refrigerator
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0056] FIG. 8 is an exploded rear perspective view of FIG. 7.
[0057] FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a basket of a
refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0058] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 9.
[0059] FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating that a side cover of
FIG. 9 is removed.
[0060] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along a center of a
guide roller of FIG. 9 in a front-rear direction.
[0061] FIG. 13 is a bottom perspective view of FIG. 9.
[0062] FIG. 14 is a bottom perspective view enlargedly illustrating
a portion in which an ice making compartment of a refrigerator
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is formed.
[0063] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along B-B of FIG.
14.
[0064] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along C-C of FIG.
14.
[0065] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along D-D of FIG.
14.
[0066] FIG. 18 is a bottom perspective view illustrating that
components constituting an ice making compartment of FIG. 14 are
removed.
[0067] FIG. 19 is a perspective view illustrating an outer
partition wall of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0068] FIG. 20 is a bottom perspective view illustrating an outer
partition wall of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0069] FIG. 21 is a perspective view illustrating an inner
partition wall of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0070] FIG. 22 is a bottom perspective view illustrating an inner
partition wall of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0071] FIG. 23 is a perspective view illustrating an entrance wall
of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0072] FIG. 24 is a perspective view illustrating an installation
wall of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0073] FIGS. 25 to 30 are perspective views illustrating processes
of assembling a partition wall, an entrance wall, an installation
wall, and an inner case of a refrigerator according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0074] FIG. 31 schematically illustrates an integral foaming
process of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0075] FIG. 32 schematically illustrates an integral foaming
process of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0076] FIG. 33 is a perspective view illustrating an upper part of
a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0077] FIG. 34 is a front view illustrating a state in which a
shelf of an ice making compartment of a refrigerator according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure is removed.
[0078] FIG. 35 is a front view illustrating a state in which a
shelf of an ice making compartment of a refrigerator according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure is mounted on a partition
wall.
[0079] FIG. 36 is a use state diagram illustrating a process of
mounting a shelf of an ice making compartment of a refrigerator
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure on a partition
wall.
[0080] FIG. 37 is a perspective view illustrating an ice maker of a
refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0081] FIG. 38 is a separate perspective view illustrating a state
in which an ice maker of a refrigerator according to an embodiment
of the present disclosure is separated.
[0082] FIG. 39 is a perspective view illustrating an ice storage
bucket of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0083] FIG. 40 is a bottom perspective view illustrating an ice
storage bucket of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure at a rear side.
[0084] FIG. 41 is a perspective view illustrating a driver fan duct
assembly of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0085] FIG. 42 is a separate perspective view illustrating a state
in which a driver fan duct assembly of a refrigerator according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure is separated.
[0086] FIG. 43 is a separate rear perspective view of FIG. 42 at
the rear side.
[0087] FIG. 44 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along a
center of a handle provided on an ice making compartment door of a
refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0088] FIG. 45 is a separate rear perspective view illustrating a
state in which an evaporator case is separated from an outer case
and an inner case of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of
the present disclosure.
[0089] FIG. 46 is a rear perspective view illustrating a state in
which an evaporator case is mounted on an inner case of FIG.
45.
[0090] FIG. 47(a) is a perspective view illustrating an evaporator
case of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure, and FIG. 47(b) is a rear perspective view of FIG.
47(a).
[0091] FIG. 48(a) is a front view of FIG. 47(a), and FIG. 48(b) is
rear view of FIG. 47(a).
[0092] FIG. 49 is a separate rear perspective view illustrating a
state in which a thermal insulation cover of a refrigerator
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is separated
from a main body.
[0093] FIG. 50 is a separate rear perspective view illustrating a
state in which a thermal insulation cover, an evaporator assembly,
and a guide portion of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of
the present disclosure is separated from a main body.
[0094] FIG. 51 is an exploded rear perspective view illustrating an
evaporator assembly of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of
the present disclosure.
[0095] FIG. 52 is an exploded rear perspective view illustrating a
guide portion of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0096] FIG. 53 is an exploded perspective view illustrating FIG. 52
at a front side.
[0097] FIG. 54 is a horizontal cross-sectional view illustrating a
state in which a refrigerator is disassembled into an outer cover
and an inner cover by cutting a refrigerator according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure based on the center of a
thermal insulation cover.
[0098] FIG. 55 is a separate perspective view illustrating a state
in which a first packing and a second packing are separated from a
thermal insulation cover of a refrigerator according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
MODE FOR INVENTION
[0099] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the
disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
[0100] For reference, in embodiments of the present disclosure to
be described below, reference for the same structure and components
as those of a related art is made to the related art, and a
detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0101] The technical terms disclosed herein are used to merely
refer to a specific embodiment and does not intend to limit the
present disclosure. A singular expression used in embodiments can
include a plural expression as long as it does not have an
apparently different meaning in context. In the present disclosure,
terms "include" and "comprise" should be understood to be intended
to designate that illustrated features, areas, numbers, steps,
operations, components, parts and/or combinations thereof are
present and not to preclude the existence of one or more different
features, areas, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts
and/or combinations thereof, or the possibility of the addition
thereof.
[0102] When any component is described as "being connected" or
"being coupled" to other component, this should be understood to
mean that another component may exist between them, although any
component may be directly connected or coupled to the other
component.
[0103] In embodiments of the present disclosure to be described
below, all of front, back, left, right, up, and down directions are
based on directions illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0104] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, a main body 10 may be configured
to form an appearance of a refrigerator according to an embodiment
of the present disclosure. The main body 10 may be formed in a
rectangular parallelepiped box shape. The main body 10 may include
an outer case 100 and an inner case 200.
[0105] The outer case 100 may be configured to form an appearance
of the main body 10. The outer case 100 is formed in a rectangular
parallelepiped shape with an opened front and a space formed
therein.
[0106] An opening 101 may be formed at an upper end of one side of
a rear wall of the outer case 100.
[0107] The opening 101 may be a hole penetrating the rear wall of
the outer case 100 in the front-rear direction. The opening 101 may
be formed in a substantially rectangular shape.
[0108] The opening 101 is formed adjacent to an upper left edge of
the rear side wall of the outer case 100 and may allow an
evaporator assembly 1100 for supplying a cold air to an ice making
compartment 60 to be described later to be assembled and installed
at the rear side of the rear wall of the outer case 100.
[0109] The opening 101 may be formed to communicate with an
installation space 1010 of an evaporator case 1000 to be described
later disposed in front of the outer case 100.
[0110] The inner case 200 may be coupled to the outer case 100.
[0111] The inner case 200 may be combined with the outer case 100
by being accommodated and assembled in an inner space of the outer
case 100. The inner case 200 may be combined with the outer case
100 while providing a space portion 102 between the outer case 100
and the inner case 200 so that various wires can be accommodated
and a thermal insulation material 110 to be described later can be
injected and foamed.
[0112] The inner case 200 has an opened front and may include a
plurality of storage compartments provided therein. Each of the
plurality of storage compartments can be selectively shielded by a
door.
[0113] The refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
invention may be a French door refrigerator with an upper
refrigerator compartment and a lower freezer compartment. The
plurality of storage compartments may include a refrigerator
compartment 11 provided at the upper part of the inner case 200 and
a freezer compartment 12 provided at the lower part of the inner
case 200 to be disposed below the refrigerator compartment 11.
[0114] A door is installed on the front side of each of the
plurality of storage compartments, and thus the storage compartment
can be selectively opened and closed by the door.
[0115] Some of the plurality of storage compartments may be opened
and closed by a pivoting door 300. The rest of the plurality of
storage compartments may be opened and closed by a drawer door
400.
[0116] For example, the refrigerator compartment 11 disposed at the
upper part of the main body 10 may be opened and closed by the
pivoting door 300. For example, a specialized compartment 13
disposed under the refrigerator compartment 11 and the freezer
compartment 12 disposed under the specialized compartment 13 each
may be opened and closed by the drawer door 400.
[0117] A first pivoting door 310 and a second pivoting door 320 may
be respectively installed on the left and right sides of the main
body 10 and may be arranged side by side in the left-right
direction.
[0118] The first pivoting door 310 may include a first door outer
case 310a forming an appearance of the first pivoting door 310 and
a first door inner case 310b coupled to a rear end of the first
door outer case 310a.
[0119] The second pivoting door 320 may include a second door outer
case 320a forming an appearance of the second pivoting door 320 and
a second door inner case 320b coupled to a rear end of the second
door outer case 320a.
[0120] A dispenser 330 may be installed in the pivoting door
300.
[0121] The dispenser 330 may be configured to take water stored in
a water supply tank (not shown) or ice stored in the ice making
compartment 60 out of the refrigerator through an outlet port
without opening the pivoting door 300 in a state in which the
pivoting door 300 is closed. For example, the dispenser 330 may be
provided in the first pivoting door 310 installed on the left side
of the main body 10.
[0122] The dispenser 330 may include an ice transfer duct 331 that
is formed at the first pivoting door 310 in the up-down direction,
and a lower end of the ice transfer duct 331 communicates with the
outlet port. When the first pivoting door 310 is closed, an upper
end of the ice transfer duct 331 communicates with the ice making
compartment 60, and thus the outlet port of the dispenser 330 and
the ice making compartment 60 communicate with each other. Hence,
even when the first pivoting door 310 is closed, the ice stored in
the ice making compartment 60 may be taken out of the refrigerator
through the outlet port of the dispenser 330.
[0123] A gasket 332 may be installed around an upper perimeter of
the ice transfer duct 331 and may maintain airtightness between the
ice making compartment 60 and the refrigerator compartment 11 when
the ice transfer duct 331 and the ice making compartment 60
communicate with each other.
[0124] The gasket 332 may be formed such that an upper surface has
an inclination with a decreasing height as it goes from the front
to the rear.
[0125] For example, the gasket 332 may be entirely formed in an
obliquely inclined shape so that a front end of the upper surface
is positioned higher than a rear end.
[0126] The gasket 332 is formed to have an inclination with a
gradually decreasing height as it goes from the entire perimeter of
the upper surface to the outside of the center of the gasket
332.
[0127] The inclination formed in the gasket 332 may allow a smooth
contact with a contact portion 6119 to be described later when the
first pivoting door 310 is closed.
[0128] The dispenser 330 may be provided with an operation unit 333
such as a button, a lever, and the like. The user may take out the
water stored in the water supply tank (not shown) or the ice stored
in the ice making compartment 60 through the dispenser 330 by
manipulating the operation unit 333, if necessary or desired.
[0129] A sealing bar 340 may be installed at a right end of a rear
surface of the first pivoting door 310.
[0130] The sealing bar 340 may be formed such that a sealing
surface 341 is provided on one surface of a bar elongated in the
up-down direction. The sealing bar 340 may seal a separation space
between the first pivoting door 310 and the second pivoting door
320 when the first pivoting door 310 and the second pivoting door
320 are closed.
[0131] The sealing surface 341 may be made of a steel material and
may be in close contact with a magnet of a door gasket (not shown).
In addition, the sealing surface 341 itself may be formed of a
magnet.
[0132] A pair of catching protrusions 317 and 351 may be provided
on the door inner cases 310b and 320b of the pivoting door 300.
[0133] The pair of catching protrusions 317 and 351 may be provided
on the door inner cases 310b and 320b at a lower end of the
dispenser 330 of the pivoting door 300.
[0134] A left protruding wall 316 and a right protruding wall 315
that protrude rearward may be formed on both sides of the first
door inner case 310b. The pair of catching protrusions 317 and 351
may include a first catching protrusion 317 protruding to the left
from an outer left surface of the right protruding wall 315 and a
second catching protrusion 351 protruding to the right from an
outer right surface of the left protruding wall 316.
[0135] The left protruding wall 316 protrudes further to the rear
side than the right protruding wall 315. The second catching
protrusion 351 provided on the left protruding wall 316 may be
disposed more rearward than the first catching protrusion 317
provided on the right protruding wall 315.
[0136] The first catching protrusion 317 among of the pair of
catching protrusions may be formed integrally with the right
protruding wall 315 of the first door inner case 310b.
[0137] The second catching protrusion 351 among of the pair of
catching protrusions may be provided separately from the first door
inner case 310b and may be formed integrally with a catching member
350 coupled to the left protruding wall 316. The second catching
protrusion 351 may be provided to protrude to the right side of the
left protruding wall 316 through a catching protrusion
accommodation hole 318 formed in the left protruding wall 316.
Alternatively, the second catching protrusion 351 may be formed
integrally with the first door inner case 310b.
[0138] The pair of catching protrusions 317 and 351 may elongate in
the up-down direction. An upper surface of each of the pair of
catching protrusions 317 and 351 is formed to be round.
[0139] At least one of the pair of catching protrusions 317 and 351
may include a cutting groove 351a elongating in the up-down
direction. For example, the cutting groove 351a may be formed in
the second catching protrusion 351.
[0140] The cutting groove 351a may be a groove that is cut across
the front surface and the upper surface of the second catching
protrusion 351. A front side and an upper side of the cutting
groove 351a may be open.
[0141] A door pocket 360 may be installed in the rear surface of
the pivoting door 300. The door pocket 360 may be installed in the
first door inner case 310b of the first pivoting door 310.
[0142] The door pocket 360 may be configured to accommodate and
store various kinds of bottles, plastic-packed foods, frequently
used foods, and the like. The door pocket 360 may be formed in the
form of a container with a space formed therein and an open top
surface.
[0143] The door pocket 360 may be formed in a form in which one
side is bent.
[0144] For example, the door pocket 360 may include a first pocket
portion 361 elongating in the left-right direction and a second
pocket portion 362 that is bent from the right side to the front
side of the first pocket portion 361.
[0145] The door pocket 360 may be mounted at the lower end of the
dispenser 330 provided in the first pivoting door 310. The first
pocket portion 361 may be supported on the rear side of the
dispenser 330. The second pocket portion 362 may be accommodated
and mounted in a space between the dispenser 330 and the right
protruding wall 315.
[0146] A pair of pocket grooves 363 corresponding to the pair of
catching protrusions 317 and 351 may be formed on both side walls
of the door pocket 360.
[0147] The pocket grooves 363 may be fitted to the catching
protrusions 317 and 351 and allow the door pocket 360 to be mounted
on the first pivoting door 310.
[0148] The pocket grooves 363 may be a groove that is formed to be
concave in an inner horizontal direction on the left and right
walls of the door pocket 360, respectively, and has an open lower
part and a closed upper part. One pocket groove 363 may be formed
in each of the left and right walls of the door pocket 360. For
example, one pocket groove 363 may be formed on each of the left
side wall of the first pocket portion 361 and the right side wall
of the second pocket portion 362 to form a pair.
[0149] A pair of pocket grooves 363 may be fitted to correspond to
the pair of catching protrusions 317 and 351.
[0150] For example, the pocket groove 363 formed on the left wall
of the first pocket portion 361 may be fitted into the second
catching protrusion 351. The pocket groove 363 formed on the right
wall of the second pocket portion 362 may be fitted into the first
catching protrusion 317.
[0151] The pocket groove 363 may elongate in the up-down direction.
The pocket groove 363 may be formed to be rounded so that its inner
upper surface corresponds to a shape of the upper surfaces of the
catching protrusions 317 and 351.
[0152] The catching protrusions 317 and 351 may be inserted into
the pocket grooves 363 through the open lower parts of the pocket
grooves 363. The rounded upper surfaces of the catching protrusions
317 and 351 may support the rounded inner upper surfaces of the
pocket grooves 363. The front and rear surfaces of the catching
protrusions 317 and 351 may be caught on the inside front and rear
surfaces of the pocket grooves 363. Through such a coupling
structure, the door pocket 360 may be mounted on the first pivoting
door 310.
[0153] A detachment prevention portion 364 elongating in the
up-down direction may be integrally formed so that one side inside
the pocket groove 363 is inserted into the cutting groove 351a.
[0154] The rear and the lower part of the door pocket 360 can be
prevented from be detached by coupling the pocket grooves 363 and
the catching protrusions 317 and 351. In addition, the catching
protrusions 317 and 351 can be prevented from be detached from the
pocket grooves 363 due to an external impact by coupling the
detachment prevention portion 364 and the cutting groove 351a.
Hence, the door pocket 360 can be firmly fixed.
[0155] The drawer door 400 may be installed at the storage
compartment.
[0156] Referring to FIGS. 7 to 13, the drawer door 400 may be
configured to selectively open and close the opened front surface
of the storage compartment, in particular, the specialized
compartment 13 and the freezer compartment 12. The drawer door 400
may be slidably installed in the inner case 200 of the main body 10
in the front-rear direction.
[0157] The drawer door 400 may include a door portion 410 and a
basket portion 420.
[0158] A control panel 411 may be provided on an upper surface of
the door portion 410.
[0159] The control panel 411 may be a configuration that can be set
by the user to store certain goods such as vegetables, fruits,
meat, fish, drinks, and wine in the storage compartment in an
appropriate state. The control panel 411 may be provided on the
upper surface side of the door portion 410 of the drawer door 400
installed in the specialized compartment 13. The control panel 411
may be provided on the drawer door 400 installed in the freezer
compartment 12.
[0160] The control panel 411 is electrically connected to an inner
case electric wire (not shown) of the main body 10, and thus the
storage compartments can be controlled according to a setting by a
user's operation.
[0161] A first connection frame 412 may be installed in the door
portion 410.
[0162] The first connection frame 412 may be configured to connect
the door portion 410, a second connection frame 413, and a rail
assembly 46. The first connection frame 412 may be an "L"-shaped
frame. The first connection frames 412 may be respectively fastened
and fixed to both ends of a rear surface of the door portion 410 in
a symmetrical form.
[0163] The second connection frame 413 may be coupled to the first
connection frame 412.
[0164] The second connection frame 413 may be configured to provide
the basket portion 420 at the rear side of the door portion 410.
The second connection frame 413 may be formed to elongate in the
front-rear direction. The second connection frames 413 may be
respectively fastened and fixed to the rear ends of the two first
connection frames 412 of which the front ends are fixed to the door
portion 410.
[0165] A constraint groove 414 that is penetrated in the up-down
direction and is opened outward in the horizontal direction may be
formed at an upper end of a front side of the second connection
frame 413.
[0166] Through portions 415 may be present at the front side and
the rear side of the second connection frame 413, respectively. A
fixing piece 416 may be formed at an inner upper end of the through
portion 415 and may protrude downward.
[0167] The fixing piece 416 formed at the rear side of the second
connection frame 413 may be formed in a form in which a lower end
is bent to the rear side.
[0168] A connection member 430 may be coupled to the inner surface
of the second connection frame 413.
[0169] The connection member 430 may be configured to connect a
control panel electric wire (not shown) connected to the control
panel 411 and an inner case electric wire (not shown) drawn from
the outside of the inner case 200 to the inside of the specialized
compartment 13. The connection member 430 may be fitted and coupled
to the lower part of the inner surface of the second connection
frame 413 and may be fixed through screwing.
[0170] A connection line (not shown) for connecting a control panel
electric wire (not shown) and an inner case electric wire (not
shown) of the main body 10 may be provided inside the connection
member 430. Both ends of the connection line may be connected to a
first connector (not shown) and a second connector (not shown)
provided at the front and rear ends of the connection member
430.
[0171] The basket portion 420 may be provided on the rear surface
of the door portion 410.
[0172] The basket portion 420 may be a storage portion having a
storage space 420a for storing food, etc. therein. The basket
portion 420 may be formed in a box shape with an opened top
surface.
[0173] Roller grooves 424 elongating in the horizontal direction
may be formed on both side walls of the basket portion 420.
[0174] The roller grooves 424 may be respectively formed at upper
ends of front and rear walls of the basket portion 420, and may be
grooves in which guide rollers 450 fixed to a partition 440 to be
described later are accommodated.
[0175] The upper part of the basket portion 420, in which the
roller grooves 424 are formed, is of made of a separate side wall
cover 426, and may be fastened to and fixed to each of the upper
ends of the front and rear walls of the basket portion 420.
[0176] A reinforcing support portion 427 may be formed on the lower
surface of the basket portion 420.
[0177] The reinforcing support portion 427 may be configured to
support a load of food, etc. stored in the storage space 420a by
reinforcing the lower surface of the basket portion 420. Two
reinforcing support portions 427 may protrude to be spaced apart
from each other in the front-rear direction at the center of the
lower surface of the basket portion 420. The reinforcing support
portion 427 may elongate in the left-right direction.
[0178] A reinforcing member 428 may be installed in the basket
portion 420 to support a load of food, etc. stored in the storage
space 420a.
[0179] The reinforcing member 428 may be interposed and fixed
between the reinforcing support portions 427.
[0180] The partition 440 for partitioning the storage space 420a
may be provided inside the basket portion 420.
[0181] The partition 440 may be installed in the storage space 420a
to elongate in the front-rear direction. The partition 440 may be
disposed in a vertically standing shape. The partition 440 may be
formed of a transparent or opaque material.
[0182] Guide rollers 450 may be installed on one side and the other
side of the partition 440, that is, the front side and the rear
side, respectively.
[0183] The guide rollers 450 may be accommodated and guided in the
roller grooves 424 so that the partition 440 is slidable in the
storage space 420a in the left-right direction. One guide roller
450 may be installed on the upper side of the front end of the
partition 440, and one guide roller 450 may be installed on the
upper side of the rear end of the partition 440.
[0184] That is, the pair of guide rollers 450 may be fixed to the
upper parts of both ends of the partition 440 so that they are
symmetrical in the front-rear direction.
[0185] The guide roller 450 may include a roller bracket 451 and a
roller 454.
[0186] The roller bracket 451 may be fixed to intersect
perpendicularly the partition 440.
[0187] The roller 454 may be installed on the roller bracket
451.
[0188] The roller 454 may be configured to move according to the
guide of the roller groove 424 while being accommodated in the
roller groove 424.
[0189] At least one roller 454 may be installed at the lower part
of the roller bracket 451 so that it is rotatable about a vertical
axis 455. When a plurality of rollers 454 are installed, they may
be installed on the roller bracket 451 so as to be disposed along
the longitudinal direction of the roller groove 424.
[0190] In this instance, the roller 454 may be installed to contact
an inner surface of an entrance side of the roller groove 424 (an
inner rear surface of the roller groove at the front side and an
inner front surface of the roller groove at the front side).
[0191] For example, two rollers 454 may be installed on the roller
bracket 451.
[0192] One of the two rollers 454 may be rotatably installed on the
lower left side of the roller bracket 451. The other one of the two
rollers 454 may be rotatably installed on the lower right side of
the roller bracket 451. The two rollers 454 may be spaced apart
from each other in the left-right direction.
[0193] When the guide roller 450 fixed to the partition 440 is
accommodated in the roller groove 424, the two rollers 454 may
contact the inner surface of the entrance side of the roller groove
424. Further, when the user applies a force to the partition 440 in
this state, the two rollers 454 may ride on the inner surface of
the entrance side of the roller groove 424 according to a direction
of the applied force and may move inside the roller groove 424 in
the left-right direction.
[0194] Even if the force applied to the partition 440 by the user
is biased or strongly applied to either side of the partition 440,
the roller 454 of the guide roller 450 that is rotatable about the
vertical axis 455 may slide very easily inside the storage space
420a of the basket portion 420 without distortion, since the
rolling surface always maintains a state of contacting the inner
surface of the entrance side of the roller groove 424.
[0195] Both ends of the rear side of the drawer door 400 may be
respectively connected to both side walls of the main body 10 by a
rail assembly 46.
[0196] The rail assembly 46 may be configured to slidably connect
the drawer door 400 to the inner case 200 of the main body 10 so
that the drawer door 400 can be drawn into and drawn out of the
storage compartment, and to support the drawer door 400.
[0197] The rail assembly 46 may include a door rail 480 fixed to
the drawer door 400, a fixed rail 460 fixed to the inner case 200
of the main body 10, and a connection rail 470 connecting the door
rail 480 to the fixed rail 460.
[0198] A first bead portion 210 may be formed on one side of an
inner surface of the inner case 200, and a second bead portion 220
may be formed on other side of the inner surface of the inner case
200.
[0199] Referring to FIGS. 14 to 30, the first bead portion 210 may
be formed to convexly protrude downward from the inner surface of
the upper wall of the inner case 200, and at the same time, to
extend forward from the inner surface of the rear wall of the inner
case 200. The second bead portion 220 may be formed to convexly
protrude from the inner surface of the left wall of the inner case
200 to the right, and at the same time, to extend forward from the
inner surface of the rear wall of the inner case 200 to the front
side.
[0200] In this case, each of the first bead portion 210 and the
second bead portion 220 may be formed integrally at the inner case
200. The first bead portion 210 may be formed to have a longer
length than the second bead portion 220.
[0201] The first bead portion 210 and the second bead portion 220
may have a convex shape when viewed from the inside of the inner
case 200, but may have a concave shape when viewed from the outside
of the inner case 200.
[0202] That is, the first bead portion 210 and the second bead
portion 220 may have a shape of protruding convexly with respect to
the inner surface of the inner case 200 and being recessed
concavely with respect to the outer surface of the inner case
200.
[0203] A front end of the first bead portion 210 may be inclined in
an upward direction. A front end of the second bead portion 220 may
be inclined in a left direction.
[0204] In addition, a first stepped portion 211 may be formed on
the right side of the first bead portion 210 to support a stepped
portion 6132 to be described later. A second step portion 221 is
formed on the lower part of the second bead portion 220 to support
a left end of a first lower plate 611 of an outer partition wall
610 to be described later.
[0205] The first bead portion 210 may form a part of a thermal
insulation wall on the right side of the ice making compartment 60
together with a right part of a partition wall 600 to be described
later forming the ice making compartment 60. The second bead
portion 220 may form a part of a thermal insulation wall below the
ice making compartment 60 together with a lower part of the
partition wall 600 to be described later forming the ice making
compartment 60.
[0206] The partition wall 600 may be installed at an upper corner
of one side of the inner case 200.
[0207] A first concave portion 6131 matched with the first bead
portion 210 may be formed on one side of the partition wall 600,
and a second concave portion 6241 matched with the second bead
portion 220 may be formed on other side of the partition wall
600.
[0208] The partition wall 600 may be a wall that is coupled to an
upper corner of the left side of the inner case 200 to serve as a
right thermal insulation wall and a lower thermal insulation wall
for forming the ice making compartment 60. In the partition wall
600, the first concave portion 6131 formed at an upper right side
may be matched and coupled with the first bead portion 210 of the
inner case 200. In the partition wall 600, the second concave
portion 6241 formed at the lower left end may be matched and
coupled with the second bead portion 220 of the inner case 200. The
partition wall 600 may form the ice making compartment 60 therein
through the above-described coupling.
[0209] That is, the partition wall 600 may be configured to
partition the ice making compartment 60 as a thermal insulation
space separate from the refrigerator compartment 11. The partition
wall 600 may serve as an ice making compartment case surrounding
the ice making compartment 60 together with the upper wall and the
left wall of the inner case 200.
[0210] A thermal insulation material accommodating space 601 may be
provided inside the partition wall 600.
[0211] The thermal insulation material 110 may be injected and
integrally foamed into at least a part of the space portion 102
between the outer case 100 and the inner case 200 and the thermal
insulation material accommodating space 601 of the partition wall
600. This is described later.
[0212] In addition, when forming the ice making compartment 60 by
the partition wall 600, an entrance wall 630 and an installation
wall 640 may be further provided in addition to the partition wall
600. This is described later.
[0213] The partition wall 600 may include the outer partition wall
610 and an inner partition wall 620 coupled to the inside of the
outer partition wall 610.
[0214] The outer partition wall 610 may be configured to form an
appearance of the ice making compartment 60. The outer partition
wall 610 may include a first lower plate 611, a first side plate
612 extending upward over an entire right end of the first lower
plate 611, a first coupling plate 613 extending to the left over a
part of an upper end of the first side plate 612, a first front
plate 614 that has a rectangular shape and is formed such that a
lower end and a right end of the first front plate 614 are
respectively formed integrally at an entire front end of the first
lower plate 611 and an entire front end of the first side plate
612, and a first rear plate 615 formed integrally over rear ends of
the first lower plate 611, the first side plate 612, and the first
coupling plate 613.
[0215] The first lower plate 611 may be configured to form the
bottom of the outer partition wall 610. The first lower plate 611
may elongate in the front-rear direction.
[0216] A left end of the first lower plate 611 may be recessed to
the right from the rear end to one front side so that it
corresponds to the shape of the second bead portion 220. The left
end of the first lower plate 611 may be supported by the second
step portion 221 when the inner case 200 and the partition wall 600
are coupled.
[0217] The first lower plate 611 may include an inclination plate
6111 having an inclination with a gradually decreasing height as
its front side goes from the front to the rear. The first lower
plate 611 may further include a horizontal plate 6112 formed as the
rear side of the inclination plate 6111.
[0218] An ice discharge port 6113 penetrated in the up-down
direction may be formed on the front side of the first lower plate
611, i.e., the inclination plate 6111 to be spaced apart from a
front surface of the first front plate 614 to be described
later.
[0219] The ice discharge port 6113 may be a hole through which ice
generated by an ice maker 700 to be described later and stored in
an ice storage bucket 800 is discharged. The ice discharge port
6113 may be provided at the lower part of the partition wall 600 to
be spaced apart from the rear side of an ice making compartment
door 810 to be described later.
[0220] As the ice discharge port 6113 is provided at the lower part
of the partition wall 600, a joint between the ice making
compartment door 810 and the partition wall 600, i.e., a detachable
portion for opening and closing between the ice making compartment
door 810 and the partition wall 600 is positioned to be spaced
apart from the ice discharge port 6113 at the front side of the ice
discharge port 6113. Hence, a loss of cool air on the movement path
of ice stored in the ice storage bucket 800 can be minimized.
[0221] A contact portion 6119 convexly protruding downward may be
formed at an edge of a lower end of the ice discharge port
6113.
[0222] The contact portion 6119 may be formed on the lower surface
of the partition wall 600, i.e., on a lower surface of the
inclination plate 6111 of the first lower plate 611. The contact
portion 6119 may be formed in a ring shape along the edge of the
lower end of the ice discharge port 6113.
[0223] The contact portion 6119 may be inclined to have an
inclination with a decreasing height as it goes from the front to
the rear.
[0224] The contact portion 6119 may be a portion that is in close
contact with the gasket 332 provided at the upper end of the ice
transfer duct 331 formed in the dispenser 330. The contact portion
6119 may allow the pressure to be intensively applied to gasket
332.
[0225] The contact portion 6119 may smoothly pressurize the entire
perimeter of the upper end of the gasket 332 along the inclination
formed in the gasket 332 when the first pivoting door 310 closes
the main body 10, and at the same time, may be in close contact
with the entire perimeter of the upper end of the gasket 332,
thereby maintaining airtightness between the ice making compartment
60 and the refrigerator compartment 11.
[0226] In addition, due to the inclination of the gasket 332, the
gasket 332 can be prevented from being twisted or pushed without
adding a separate lubricating material to the gasket 332.
[0227] A first protruding jaw 6114 may be formed on the upper
surface of the first lower plate 611, more specifically, on the
upper surface of the horizontal plate 6112 and may protrude upward
to have a ""-shape when viewed from the plan. A flange 6115 bending
outward along an edge of the first protruding jaw 6114 may be
formed at an upper end of the first protruding jaw 6114.
[0228] The first protruding jaw 6114 and the flange 6115 may be
positioned inside the front, rear, and left edges of the first
lower plate 611.
[0229] A first fastening portion 6116 may be integrally formed on
the left side of the flange 6115.
[0230] The first fastening portion 6116 may be formed for the
coupling between the outer partition wall 610, the inner partition
wall 620, and the installation wall 640 to be described later.
[0231] In this embodiment, three first fastening portions 6116 may
be formed to be spaced apart from each other in the front-rear
direction.
[0232] A second fastening portion 6117 may be formed on the lower
surface of the first lower plate 611.
[0233] A shelf holder 616 may be fastened to the second fastening
portion 6117.
[0234] A clearance space 6162 may be formed between the shelf
holder 616 and the first lower plate 611. In the clearance space
6162, adjacent ice making compartment shelves 250 may be mounted by
being fitted and coupled in a standing state. Hence, a high-height
good can be accommodated on a left shelf 230 disposed below the ice
making compartment shelf 250.
[0235] The first coupling plate 613 may be integrally formed at the
upper end of the first side plate 612.
[0236] The first coupling plate 613 may be formed to elongate in
the front-rear direction. The first coupling plate 613 may be
formed to extend from the upper end of the first side plate 612 to
the left and may face the first lower plate 611.
[0237] A left-right width of the first coupling plate 613 may be
less than a left-right width of the first lower plate 611. A length
in the front-rear direction of the first coupling plate 613 may be
less than a length in the front-rear direction of each of the first
lower plate 611 and the first side plate 612.
[0238] That is, the first coupling plate 613 may be formed to have
the length in the front-rear direction substantially similar to
that of the horizontal plate 6112 of the first lower plate 611. The
front end of the first coupling plate 613 may be spaced apart from
the first front plate 614 to be described later.
[0239] The first concave portion 6131 matched with the first bead
portion 210 of the inner case 200 may be formed on the right side
of the first coupling plate 613.
[0240] The first concave portion 6131 may be formed in a downward
concave shape on the right side of the first coupling plate 613 so
that the first bead portion 210 can be accommodated and matched,
and may be elongate in the front-rear direction.
[0241] When the first concave portion 6131 couples the partition
wall 600 to the inner case 200, the first concave portion 6131
allows the partition wall 600 to be assembled to a correct position
through the match with the first bead portion 210.
[0242] A front end of the first concave portion 6131 may protrude
upward with respect to the first concave portion 6131.
[0243] The stepped portion 6132 may be formed at a right end of the
first concave portion 6131.
[0244] The stepped portion 6132 may be a portion in which the upper
end of the first side plate 612 protrudes upward with respect to
the first concave portion 6131. When the inner case 200 and the
partition wall 600 are coupled, the stepped portion 6132 may be
supported by the first stepped portion 211.
[0245] A plurality of insertion protrusions 6133 and a plurality of
fourth insertion holes 6134 may be formed in the first coupling
plate 613.
[0246] The insertion protrusion 6133 may be integrally formed on
the left side of the upper surface of the first coupling plate 613.
The insertion protrusion 6133 may be formed to protrude upward.
[0247] A third fastening hole 6135 may be formed in the right side
of the first coupling plate 613, i.e., the first concave portion
6131.
[0248] The first front plate 614 may be integrally formed at the
front end of the first lower plate 611 and the first side plate
612.
[0249] The first front plate 614 may be formed in a rectangular
shape when viewed from the front. The lower end and the right end
of the first front plate 614 may be integrally formed at the front
end of the first lower plate 611 and the front end of the first
side plate 612, respectively.
[0250] In this instance, the first front plate 614 is spaced apart
from the first coupling plate (613).
[0251] The first front plate 614 may include a first opening 6141
penetrated in the front-rear direction so that the ice storage
bucket 800 to be described later can be drawn into or drawn out of
the ice making compartment 60.
[0252] The first opening 6141 communicates with a second opening
6301 of the entrance wall 630 to be described later, and thus the
front of the ice making compartment 60 is opened.
[0253] Protrusion pieces 6142 protruding to the rear may be formed
at the upper end and the left end of the first front plate 614,
respectively. A first fitting hole 6143 penetrated in the up-down
direction may be formed in the protruding piece 6142.
[0254] A fastening piece 6144 may be formed on the rear surface of
the lower left side of the first front plate 614.
[0255] The first rear plate 615 may be formed integrally at the
rear ends of the first lower plate 611, the first side plate 612,
and the first coupling plate 613.
[0256] The first rear plate 615 may be formed in an "L"-shape when
viewed from the rear. The lower end, the right end, and the upper
end of the first rear plate 615 may be integrally formed at the
rear ends of the first lower plate 611, the first side plate 612,
and the first coupling plate 613, respectively.
[0257] A bent plate 6122 extending from the first side plate 612 to
the left may be formed at the lower part of the first coupling
plate 613.
[0258] A left end of the bent plate 6122 may be bent downward. The
left end of the bent plate 6122 may protrude less to the left with
respect to the first side plate 612 than the left end of the first
coupling plate 613.
[0259] A first fitting groove 6123 may be formed between the first
coupling plate 613 and the bent plate 6122.
[0260] The first fitting groove 6123 is formed over the front side,
the left side, and the rear side between the first coupling plate
613 and the bending plate 6122, and the front side, the left side,
and the rear side of the first fitting groove 6123 are opened.
[0261] In addition, a second fitting groove 6118 may be formed
between the first lower plate 611 and the flange 6115.
[0262] The second fitting groove 6118 is formed over the front
side, the left side, and the rear side between the first lower
plate 611 and the flange 6115, and the front side, the left side,
and the rear side of the second fitting groove 6118 are opened.
[0263] A first fitting portion 623 and a second fitting portion 625
of the inner partition wall 620 to be described later may be fitted
into the first fitting groove 6123 and the second fitting groove
6118.
[0264] A first sealing member 618 may be provided on the first
lower plate 611, the first side plate 612, and the first coupling
plate 613.
[0265] The first sealing member 618 is disposed to surround the
front upper surface of the first lower plate 611, the front left
surface of the first side plate 612, and the lower surface of the
front end of the first coupling plate 613. When the inner partition
wall 620 to be described later and the entrance wall 630 to be
described later are coupled to the outer partition wall 610, an
outer edge of a second front plate 626 of the inner partition wall
620 and an outer edge of a rear edge plate 633 of the entrance wall
630 may be in close contact with the first sealing member 618.
[0266] The first sealing member 618 may be made of a sponge and may
be attached to the first lower plate 611, the first side plate 612,
and the first coupling plate 613.
[0267] The first sealing member 618 may be interposed between the
outer partition wall 610 and the inner partition wall 620 and
between the outer partition wall 610 and the entrance wall 630 to
seal a joint between the front of the outer partition wall 610, the
front end of the inner partition wall 620, and the rear end of the
entrance wall 630.
[0268] A second sealing member 619 may be provided on the first
side plate 612.
[0269] The second sealing member 619 may be disposed on the left
side of the rear end of the first side plate 612 to elongate in the
up-down direction. When the inner partition wall 620 is coupled to
the outer partition wall 610, a right end of a second rear plate
627 of the inner partition wall 620 may be attached to the second
sealing member 619.
[0270] The second sealing member 619 may be made of a sponge in the
same manner as the first sealing member 618 and may be attached to
the first side plate 612.
[0271] The second sealing member 619 may be interposed between the
outer partition wall 610 and the inner partition wall 620 to seal a
joint between the rear end of the outer partition wall 610 and the
rear end of the inner partition wall 620.
[0272] The inner partition wall 620 may be coupled to the outer
partition wall 610 thus configured.
[0273] The inner partition wall 620 may be coupled to the outer
partition wall 610 so that the thermal insulation material
accommodating space 601, into which the thermal insulation material
110 injected into the space portion 102 from the outside of the
main body 10 can be injected, is provided between the inner
partition wall 620 and the outer partition wall 610.
[0274] The inner partition wall 620 may be coupled to the inside of
the outer partition wall 610 and may be configured to form the
lower inner surface and the right inner surface of the ice making
compartment 60. The inner partition wall 620 may include a second
lower plate 621, a second side plate 622 extending upward over an
entire right end of the second lower plate 621, a first fitting
portion 623 formed at an upper end of the second side plate 622, a
second coupling plate 624 extending downward over an entire left
end of the second lower plate 621, a second fitting portion 625
extending to the right over an entire lower end of the second
coupling plate 624, a second front plate 626 integrally formed at
front ends of the second lower plate 621, the second side plate
622, the first fitting portion 623, the second coupling plate 624,
and the second fitting portion 625, and a second rear plate 627
integrally formed at rear ends of the second lower plate 621, the
second side plate 622, the first fitting portion 623, the second
coupling plate 624, and the second fitting portion 625.
[0275] The second lower plate 621 may be configured to form an
inner bottom of the ice making compartment 60 and may be formed to
elongate in the front-rear direction. Fourth fastening portions
6211 may be formed on the left and right sides of the rear end of
the second lower plate 621, respectively.
[0276] The two fourth fastening portions 6211 may be fastened to
the evaporator case 1000 to be described later.
[0277] The second side plate 622 may be integrally formed at the
right end of the second lower plate 621.
[0278] The second side plate 622 may be formed to elongate in the
front-rear direction. The second side plate 622 may have a
vertically standing shape by extending upward from the right end of
the second lower plate 621.
[0279] An upper central portion of the second side plate 622 may
elongate in the front-rear direction and protrude to the left.
[0280] A fifth fastening portion 6221 and a first ice maker support
portion 6222 may be formed on the left side of the upper end of the
second side plate 622, i.e., on the left side of a protruding
portion of the second side plate 622.
[0281] The first ice maker support portion 6222 may be configured
to support one side of the ice maker 700 to be described later. The
two first ice maker support portions 6222 may be spaced apart from
each other in the front-rear direction.
[0282] A sixth fastening portion 6223 may be formed at the rear end
of the second side plate 622.
[0283] The sixth fastening portion 6223 may be configured to fasten
the evaporator case 1000 to be described later along with the
fourth fastening portion 6211. The sixth fastening portion 6223 may
be positioned directly on the fourth fastening portion 6211 formed
at the right rear end of the second lower plate 621.
[0284] The first fitting portion 623 may be integrally formed at
the upper end of the second side plate 622.
[0285] The first fitting portion 623 may be formed to extend to the
right from the top of the protruding portion of the second side
plate 622. A right central portion of the first fitting portion 623
elongates and is cut in the front-rear direction, and is penetrated
in the up-down direction and at the same time is opened to the
right.
[0286] Uncut front and rear portions of the first fitting portion
623 may protrude more to the right than the second side plate
622.
[0287] The first fitting portion 623 may be formed such that the
front end is higher than the rear. The first fitting portion 623
may be formed such that the rear is more concave downward than the
front end. The first fitting portion 623 may be coupled
correspondingly to the first concave portion 6131 when coupled to
the outer partition wall 610.
[0288] The second coupling plate 624 may be integrally formed at
the left end of the second lower plate 621.
[0289] The second coupling plate 624 may be formed to elongate in
the front-rear direction. The second coupling plate 624 may be
formed to extend downward from the left end of the second lower
plate 621.
[0290] The second concave portion 6241 matched with the second bead
portion 220 of the inner case 200 may be formed on the second
coupling plate 624.
[0291] The second concave portion 6241 may be formed in a concave
shape to the right at the second coupling plate 624 so that the
second bead portion 220 can be accommodated and matched. The second
concave portion 6241 may be formed to elongate in the front-rear
direction.
[0292] When the second concave portion 6241 couples the partition
wall 600 to the inner case 200 together with the first concave
portion 6131, the second concave portion 6241 allows the partition
wall 600 to be assembled to a correct position through the match
with the second bead portion 220.
[0293] The second concave portion 6241 may be formed such that the
end surface at the front is inclined from right to left at it goes
from the rear side to the front side, so as to correspond to the
second bead portion 220. Hence, the second concave portion 6241 can
be easily matched with the second bead portion 220.
[0294] A seventh fastening portion 6242 and a fifth insertion hole
6243 may be formed in the second concave portion 6241.
[0295] The second fitting portion 625 may be integrally formed at
the lower end of the second coupling plate 624.
[0296] The second fitting portion 625 may be formed to extend to
the right from the lower end of the second coupling plate 624. A
right central portion of the second fitting part 625 elongates and
is cut in the front-rear direction, and is penetrated in the
up-down direction and at the same time is opened to the right.
[0297] Uncut front and rear portions of the second fitting portion
625 may protrude more to the right than the second side plate
622.
[0298] In addition, the right ends of the uncut front and rear
portions of the second fitting portion 625 may be positioned on the
same vertical line as the right ends of the uncut front and rear
portions of the first fitting portion 623.
[0299] The second front plate 626 may be integrally formed at the
front ends of the second lower plate 621, the second side plate
622, the first fitting portion 623, the second coupling plate 624,
and the second fitting portion 625. The second rear plate 627 may
be integrally formed at the rear ends of the second lower plate
621, the second side plate 622, the first fitting portion 623, the
second coupling plate 624, and the second fitting portion 625.
[0300] The outer partition wall 610 and the inner partition wall
620 may be coupled to form the partition wall 600 while providing
the thermal insulation material accommodating space 601 therein.
The partition wall 600 may be fastened to the inner case 200 to
form the ice making compartment 60 such that the first concave
portion 6131 is fitted to and matched with the first bead portion
210, and the second concave portion 6241 is fitted to and matched
with the second bead portion 220.
[0301] A first protrusion 6136 having a first through hole 6136a
may be formed on one of the first bead portion 210 and the first
concave portion 6131, and a first inlet port 210a into which the
first protrusion 6136 is inserted may be formed on the other. A
second protrusion 6244 having a second through hole 6244a may be
formed on one of the second bead portion 220 and the second concave
portion 6241, and a second inlet port 220a into which the second
protrusion 6244 is inserted may be formed on the other.
[0302] For example, the first inlet port 210a may be formed in the
first bead portion 210, and the second inlet port 220a may be
formed in the second bead portion 220. The first protrusion 6136
may be formed in the first concave portion 6131, and the second
protrusion 6244 may be formed in the second concave portion
6241.
[0303] The first inlet port 210a may be formed in the first bead
portion 210.
[0304] The first inlet port 210a may be a rectangular hole
penetrating vertically the first bead portion 210. Two first inlet
ports 210a may be positioned to be spaced apart from each other at
the front and rear. The number of first inlet ports 210a may vary,
if necessary.
[0305] The first inlet port 210a is disposed between the space
portion 102 between the upper wall of the outer case 100 and the
upper wall of the inner case 200 and the thermal insulation
material accommodating space 601 of the partition wall 600 to
communicate the space portion 102 and the thermal insulation
material accommodating space 601.
[0306] The second inlet port 220a may be formed in the second bead
portion 220.
[0307] The second inlet port 220a may be a rectangular hole
penetrating horizontally the second bead portion 220. Two second
inlet ports 220a may be positioned to be spaced apart from each
other at the front and rear. The number of second inlet ports 220a
may vary in the same manner as the first inlet port 210a, if
necessary.
[0308] The second inlet port 220a is disposed between the space
portion 102 between the left wall of the outer case 100 and the
left wall of the inner case 200 and the thermal insulation material
accommodating space 601 of the partition wall 600 to communicate
the space portion 102 and the thermal insulation material
accommodating space 601.
[0309] The first protrusion 6136 inserted into the first inlet port
210a may be integrally formed in the first concave portion
6131.
[0310] The first protrusion 6136 may be formed to protrude upward
from the first concave portion 6131. The two first protrusions 6136
may be formed to be spaced apart back and forth to correspond to
the number of first inlet ports 210a. The number of first
protrusions 6136 may change in response to changes in the number of
first inlet ports 210a.
[0311] Two first ribs 6137 that is spaced apart side to side may be
integrally formed on the front surface of the first protrusion 6136
to reinforce the first protrusion 6136.
[0312] A first through hole 6136a penetrating vertically may be
formed inside the first protrusion 6136.
[0313] The first through hole 6136a may communicate with the
internal space of the partition wall 600, that is, the thermal
insulation material accommodating space 601 between the first side
plate 612 and the second side plate 622.
[0314] The first through hole 6136a may serve to communicate the
space portion 102 between the upper wall of the outer case 100 and
the upper wall of the inner case 200 with the thermal insulation
material accommodating space 601 between the first side plate 612
and the second side plate 622 of the partition wall 600, in the
same manner as the first inlet port 210a.
[0315] When the first bead portion 210 and the first concave
portion 6131 are matched, the respective first protrusions 6136 may
be inserted into the corresponding first inlet ports 210a. The
space portion 102 between the upper wall of the outer case 100 and
the upper wall of the inner case 200 may communicate with the
thermal insulation material accommodating space 601 between the
first side plate 612 and the second side plate 622 through the
first inlet port 210a and the first through hole 6136a.
[0316] The second protrusion 6244 inserted into the second inlet
port 220a may be integrally formed in the second concave portion
6241.
[0317] The second protrusion 6244 may be formed to protrude to the
left from the second concave portion 6241. The two second
protrusions 6244 may be formed to be spaced apart back and forth to
correspond to the number of second inlet ports 220a. The number of
second protrusions 6244 may change in response to changes in the
number of second inlet ports 220a.
[0318] Two second ribs 6245 that is spaced apart up and down may be
integrally formed on the front surface of the second protrusion
6244 to reinforce the second protrusion 6244.
[0319] A second through hole 6244a penetrating horizontally may be
formed inside the second protrusion 6244.
[0320] The second through hole 6244a may communicate with the
internal space of the partition wall 600, that is, the thermal
insulation material accommodating space 601 between the first lower
plate 611 and the second lower plate 621.
[0321] The second through hole 6244a may serve to communicate the
space portion 102 between the left wall of the outer case 100 and
the left wall of the inner case 200 with the thermal insulation
material accommodating space 601 between the first lower plate 611
and the second lower plate 621 of the partition wall 600, in the
same manner as the second inlet port 220a.
[0322] When the second bead portion 220 and the second concave
portion 6241 are matched, the respective second protrusions 6244
may be inserted into the corresponding second inlet ports 220a. The
space portion 102 between the left wall of the outer case 100 and
the left wall of the inner case 200 may communicate with the
thermal insulation material accommodating space 601 between the
first lower plate 611 and the second lower plate 621 through the
second inlet port 220a and the second through hole 6244a.
[0323] A first coupling hole 212 may be formed in the first bead
portion 210.
[0324] The first coupling hole 212 may be a hole formed to pass
through the first bead portion 210 in the up-down direction. A
total of four first coupling holes 212 may be formed in the first
bead portion 210 for fastening between the inner case 200 and the
partition wall 600. The first coupling holes 212 may be disposed
one at a time on the front and rear sides of each first inlet port
210a.
[0325] A second coupling hole 222 may be formed in the second bead
portion 220.
[0326] The second coupling hole 222 may be a hole formed to pass
through the second bead portion 220 in the left-right direction. A
total of four second coupling holes 222 may be formed in the second
bead portion 220 for fastening between the inner case 200, the
partition wall 600, and the installation wall 640 to be described
later. The second coupling holes 222 may be disposed one at a time
on the front and rear sides of each second inlet port 220a.
[0327] A third coupling hole 213 may be formed in the upper wall of
the inner case 200.
[0328] The third coupling hole 213 may be a hole formed to
penetrate in the up-down direction. One third coupling hole 213 may
be provided in the upper wall of the inner case 200 so that it is
positioned on the front side of the first bead portion 210 for
fastening between the inner case 200, the entrance wall 630 to be
described later, and an installation wall to be described
later.
[0329] A fourth coupling hole 223 may be formed in the left wall of
the inner case 200.
[0330] The fourth coupling hole 223 may be a hole formed to
penetrate in the left-right direction. Two fourth coupling hole 223
may be positioned to be vertically spaced apart on the upper left
wall of the inner case 200 for fastening between the inner case
200, the entrance wall 630 to be described later, and an
installation wall to be described later.
[0331] A first ice making water inlet hole 214 may be formed in a
rear left portion of the upper wall of the inner case 200.
[0332] The first ice making water inlet hole 214 may be formed to
pass through the upper wall of the inner case 200 in the up-down
direction to allow an ice making water supplied from the water
supply tank (not shown) to flow into the ice maker 700 to be
described later.
[0333] A harness housing installation hole 224 may be formed in the
left wall of the inner case 200.
[0334] The harness housing installation hole 224 may be a hole in
which a harness housing 205 is mounted. It may be formed on the
rear side of the fourth coupling hole 223.
[0335] The entrance wall 630 may be coupled to the front portion of
the partition wall 600.
[0336] The entrance wall 630 may be configured to form an entrance
portion of the ice making compartment 60. The entrance wall 630 may
be formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole. The
inlet wall 630 may have a second opening 6301 that passe through
the central portion in the front-rear direction.
[0337] The entrance wall 630 may be coupled between the first front
plate 614 of the outer partition wall 610 and the second front
plate 626 of the inner partition wall 620.
[0338] The entrance wall 630 may include a peripheral plate 631, a
front edge plate 632 formed at a front end of the peripheral plate
631, and a rear edge plate 633 formed at a rear end of the
peripheral plate 631.
[0339] The peripheral plate 631 may be formed in a rectangular
parallelepiped box shape that is penetrated in the front-rear
direction as a whole.
[0340] The peripheral plate 631 may be formed in a stepped shape in
which a front peripheral surface protrudes outward.
[0341] A first connection plate 6311 connecting a rear surface of
the front edge plate 632 and a front surface of the rear edge plate
633 may be integrally formed on an upper surface of an upper wall
of the peripheral plate 631. A second connection plate 6312
connecting an upper end of the front edge plate 632 and an upper
end of the rear edge plate 633 may be integrally formed at an upper
end of the first connection plate 6311.
[0342] The first connection plate 6311 may be formed in a
vertically standing state on an upper surface of the upper part of
the peripheral plate 631. The second connection plate 6312 may be
formed to extend to the right from the upper end of the first
connection plate 6311.
[0343] The second connection plate 6312 may be spaced apart from
the upper part of the peripheral plate 631 in the up-down
direction.
[0344] A first fitting piece 6313 may be formed at a front end of
the upper surface of the second connection plate 6312. A second
fitting piece 6314 may be formed at a front end of a left outer
surface of the peripheral plate 631.
[0345] A third fitting piece 6315 may be formed in the center of
the upper surface of the second connection plate 6312. A fourth
fastening hole 6318 may be formed on the left side of the third
fitting piece 6315.
[0346] An eighth fastening portion 6316 may be formed on the upper
surface of the second connection plate 6312. A ninth fastening part
6317 may be formed on the left surface of the left side of the
peripheral plate 631.
[0347] An ice guide portion 6319 protruding downward may be formed
on the lower surface of the lower side of the peripheral plate
631.
[0348] A lower end of the ice guide portion 6319 may be formed to
have the same inclination as the inclination plate 6111 of the
first lower plate 611.
[0349] As the inside of the ice guide portion 6319 is penetrated in
the up-down direction, an upper end of the ice guide portion 6319
may communicate with the second opening 6301, and a lower end of
the ice guide portion 6319 may communicate with the ice discharge
port 6113.
[0350] When the entrance wall 630 is coupled to the partition wall
600, the lower end of the ice guide portion 6319 may be inserted
into the ice discharge port 6113 of the partition wall 600.
[0351] The front edge plate 632 may be integrally formed at the
front end of the peripheral plate 631.
[0352] The front edge plate 632 may be formed to extend outward
along the perimeter of the front end of the peripheral plate 631
from the front end of the peripheral plate 631.
[0353] The front edge plate 632 may be formed in a shape bent
outward with respect to the peripheral plate 631.
[0354] A magnet accommodating groove 6321 may be formed on the
front surface of the front edge plate 632.
[0355] The magnet accommodating groove 6321 may be a groove formed
concavely from the front side to the rear side of the front edge
plate 632. A magnet may be provided inside the magnet accommodating
groove 6321.
[0356] When the entrance wall 630 is coupled to the partition wall
600, the front border plate 632 may be in close contact with and
fixed to the rear surface of the first front plate 614 of the
partition wall 600 while having a magnet (not shown) in the magnet
accommodating groove 6321.
[0357] The magnet included in the magnet accommodating groove 6321
may allow the ice making compartment door 810 of the ice storage
bucket 800 to be easily attached to the first front plate 614 by
attraction with a magnet included in the ice making compartment
door 810 of the ice storage bucket 800 to be described later.
[0358] The rear edge plate 633 may be integrally formed at the rear
end of the peripheral plate 631.
[0359] The rear edge plate 633 may be formed to extend outward
along the perimeter of the rear end of the peripheral plate 631
from the rear end of the peripheral plate 631.
[0360] The rear edge plate 633 may be formed in a shape bent
outward with respect to the peripheral plate 631.
[0361] A thermal insulation material insertion space 6302 may be
formed between the front edge plate 632 and the rear edge plate
633.
[0362] The thermal insulation material insertion space 6302 may be
a space into which an entrance wall thermal insulation material 634
for thermal insulation of the front side of the ice making
compartment 60 is inserted before the entrance wall 630 is coupled
to the installation wall 640 to be described later. The thermal
insulation material insertion space 6302 may be formed along an
outer peripheral surface of the peripheral plate 631.
[0363] The entrance wall thermal insulation material 634 may be
inserted into the thermal insulation material insertion space 6302
so as to cover the entire outer peripheral surface of the
peripheral plate 631.
[0364] When the first fitting piece 6313 of the entrance wall 630
is inserted into the first fitting hole 6143 of the partition wall
600 and the entrance wall 630 is fixed to the partition wall 600,
the front surface of the front edge plate 632 and the rear surface
of the rear edge plate 633 may be in close contact with and fixed
to the rear surface of the first front plate 614 and the front
surface of the second front plate 626, respectively.
[0365] The installation wall 640 may be coupled to the partition
wall 600 and the entrance wall 630 coupled to each other.
[0366] The installation wall 640 may be a configuration for
installation of harnesses connected to various drivers, guides for
the draw in and out of the ice storage bucket 800, and installation
of the ice maker 700. The installation wall 640 may be fastened and
coupled to the inner surface of the upper wall and the inner
surface of the left wall of the inner case 200 while being coupled
to the partition wall 600.
[0367] One side of the installation wall 640 may be disposed to
cover one side of the partition wall 600 and one side of the
entrance wall 630. The other side of the installation wall 640 may
be disposed to cover the other side of the partition wall 600 and
the other side of the entrance wall 630.
[0368] The installation wall 640 may include an upper installation
plate 641 coupled to the inner surface of the upper wall of the
inner case 200, and a side installation plate 643 extending
downward from a left end of the upper installation plate 641.
[0369] The upper installation plate 641 may be a plate elongating
in the front-rear direction. The upper installation plate 641 may
be installed to cover the first coupling plate 613 of the partition
wall 600 and cover the upper part of the entrance wall 630.
[0370] In this case, the first concave portion 6131 of the
partition wall 600 may not be covered by the upper installation
plate 641.
[0371] A protruding plate 642 protruding to the right may be
integrally formed at a front right end of the upper installation
plate 641.
[0372] A second fitting hole 6421 having a rectangular shape
penetrated in the up-down direction may be formed in the center of
the protruding plate 642. A sixth insertion hole 6422 may be formed
at the front left side of the second fitting hole 6421.
[0373] The second fitting hole 6421 may have a configuration in
which the third fitting piece 6315 of the inlet wall 630 coupled to
the partition wall 600 is fitted. The second fitting hole 6421 may
serve to accurately set a fastening position of the installation
wall 640 before the installation wall 640 is fastened to the
partition wall 600 and the entrance wall 630.
[0374] A seventh insertion hole 6411 may have a configuration in
which the insertion protrusion 6133 of the partition wall 600 is
inserted from the lower side to the upper side. The seventh
insertion hole 6411 may perform the same function as the second
fitting hole 6421.
[0375] A second ice making water inlet hole 6413 may be formed in
the rear left portion of the upper installation plate 641.
[0376] The second ice making water inlet hole 6413 may be formed to
pass through the upper installation plate 641 in the up-down
direction so as to communicate with the first ice making water
inlet hole 214 and may allow an ice making water supplied from the
water supply tank (not shown) to flow into the ice maker 700 to be
described later.
[0377] An ice maker mounting groove 6414 may be formed on the front
side of the upper installation plate 641.
[0378] The ice maker mounting groove 6414 may have a component in
which an elastic piece 713 included in the ice maker 700 is
inserted and mounted when the ice maker 700 to be described later
is installed in the ice making compartment 60.
[0379] The side installation plate 643 may be integrally formed at
the left end of the upper installation plate 641.
[0380] The side installation plate 643 may be a plate elongating in
the front-rear direction. The side installation plate 643 may
extend downward from the left end of the upper installation plate
641.
[0381] The side installation plate 643 may be installed to cover
the second coupling plate 624 of the partition wall 600 and to
cover the left side of the entrance wall 630 at the same time.
[0382] The side installation plate 643 includes the second concave
portion 6241 of the partition wall 600 and may be disposed to cover
the entire second coupling plate 624.
[0383] An intervening portion 6431 may be formed at the lower end
of the side installation plate 643.
[0384] The intervening portion 6431 may be interposed between the
second bead portion 220 and the second concave portion 6241 when
the second bead portion 220 and the second concave portion 6241 are
matched. The intervening portion 6431 may be concave when viewed
from the left side. The intervening portion 6431 may be convex when
viewed from the right side. The left side of the intervening
portion 6431 may be matched with the second bead portion 220, and
at the same time, the right side of the intervening portion 6431
may be matched with the second concave portion 6241.
[0385] The intervening portion 6431 may include an intervening hole
6431a having the same shape as the second inlet port 220a of the
inner case 200. Two intervening holes 6431a may be spaced apart
from each other in the front-rear direction to correspond to the
second inlet ports 220a.
[0386] The intervening portion 6431 may include a ninth insertion
hole 6432 and a tenth insertion hole 6433.
[0387] An eleventh insertion hole 6434 may be formed at the lower
front end of the side installation plate 643.
[0388] A twelfth insertion hole 6435 may be formed in the side
installation plate 643 to be disposed on the upper rear side of the
eleventh insertion hole 6434.
[0389] A second ice maker support portion (not shown) may be formed
in an upper central portion of the side installation plate 643.
[0390] The second ice maker support portion (not shown) may be
configured to support other side of the ice maker 700 to be
described later. The two second ice maker support portion (not
shown) may be formed to protrude from the right side of the side
installation plate 643 to the right and may be spaced apart from
each other in the front-rear direction.
[0391] A harness installation hole 6437 may be formed in the
central portion of the side installation plate 643.
[0392] The harness installation hole 6437 may be a hole for
installing a harness of the respective components in the ice making
compartment 60 that requires the electrical connection.
[0393] A harness cover 644 may be provided in the harness
installation hole 6437.
[0394] The harness cover 644 may serve to close the harness
installation hole 6437, and at the same time guide the forward and
backward sliding movement of the ice storage bucket 800 that is
drawn into and drawn out of the ice making compartment 60.
[0395] One side of the harness cover 644 may be supported by
hanging on the left side of the side installation plate 643 behind
the harness installation hole 6437, and the other side of the
harness cover 644 may be fixed to the installation wall 640 by
being fastened to the right side of the side installation plate 643
in front of the harness installation hole 6437.
[0396] The installation wall 640 may be coupled to the inner case
200 while being coupled to the partition wall 600 and the entrance
wall 630 to form the ice making compartment 60. The partition wall
600, the entrance wall 630, and the installation wall 640 that are
coupled to each other may be provided with the third sealing member
650 before being coupled to the inner case 200, and then may be
coupled to the inner case 200.
[0397] The third sealing member 650 may be disposed over the upper
surface of the installation wall 640, the upper surface of the
partition wall 600, the rear surface of the partition wall 600, and
the left side of the installation wall 640.
[0398] The third sealing member 650 may be made of a sponge and may
be provided in a state in which it is attached to the partition
wall 600 and the installation wall 640.
[0399] The third sealing member 650 may be disposed in a state of
being interposed between the partition wall 600 and the inner case
200 and between the installation wall 640 and the inner case 200
and may be in close contact with an upper wall inner surface, a
rear wall inner surface, and a left wall inner surface in the inner
case 200. Hence, the third sealing member 650 can serve to seal a
joint between the partition wall 600, the installation wall 640,
and the inner case 200 that are coupled to each other.
[0400] In addition, the third sealing member 650 may be disposed in
a state of being interposed between the partition wall 600 and the
inner case 200 and between the installation wall 640 and the inner
case 200 while surrounding the first protrusion 6136 and the second
protrusion 6244, and may perform the sealing operation. Therefore,
the third sealing member 650 can prevent the thermal insulation
material 110, that is injected into the space portion 102 from the
outside of the main body 10 and then is injected into the thermal
insulation material accommodating space 601 through the first
through hole 6136a of the first protrusion 6136 and the second
through hole 6244a of the second protrusion 6244, from leaking.
[0401] A method of manufacturing the ice making compartment by
assembling the inner case 200, the outer partition wall 610, the
inner partition wall 620, the entrance wall 630, and the
installation wall 640 may be as follows.
[0402] Referring to FIGS. 25 to 30, the partition wall 600 may be
provided by temporarily fixing the outer partition wall 610 and the
inner partition wall 620 to each other.
[0403] In this instance, a partition wall thermal insulation
material 602, the first sealing member 618, and the second sealing
member 619 may be provided by being previously attached to the
outer partition wall 610 before temporarily fixing the outer
partition wall 610 and the inner partition wall 620. Afterwards,
the first fitting portion 623 of the inner partition wall 620 may
be fitted into the first fitting groove 6123 of the outer partition
wall 610. The second fitting portion 625 of the inner partition
wall 620 may be fitted into the second fitting groove 6118 of the
outer partition wall 610. The fifth fastening portion 6221 of the
inner partition wall 620 may be fitted into the fourth insertion
hole 6134 of the outer partition wall 610. The right side of the
fifth insertion hole 6243 of the inner partition wall 620 may be in
close contact with the left side of the first fastening portion
6116 of the outer partition wall 610. As described above, the
partition wall 600 may be formed in a state in which before the
outer partition wall 610 and the inner partition wall 620 are
temporarily fixed.
[0404] Next, the entrance wall thermal insulation material 634 may
be provided on the entrance wall 630. The entrance wall 630 with
the entrance wall thermal insulation material 634 may be
temporarily fixed to the outer partition wall 610 and the inner
partition wall 620 that are temporarily fixed to each other.
[0405] In this instance, the entrance wall thermal insulation
material 634 may be inserted into the thermal insulation material
insertion space 6302 formed in the entrance wall 630 along the
outer peripheral surface of the entrance wall 630. Thereafter, the
first fitting piece 6313 of the entrance wall 630 may be fitted
into the first fitting hole 6143 formed at the upper side of the
first front plate 614 of the outer partition wall 610. The second
fitting piece 6314 of the entrance wall 630 may be fitted into the
first fitting hole 6143 formed on the left side of the first front
plate 614 of the outer partition wall 610. In this way, the
entrance wall 630 can be temporarily fixed to the front side of the
partition wall 600.
[0406] Next, the installation wall 640 may be temporarily fixed to
the outer partition wall 610, the inner partition wall 620, and the
entrance wall 630 that are temporarily fixed to each other.
[0407] In this instance, the seventh insertion hole 6411 of the
installation wall 640 may be fitted into the insertion protrusion
6133 of the outer partition wall 610. The tenth insertion hole 6433
of the installation wall 640 may be fitted into the seventh
fastening portion 6242 of the inner partition wall 620. The sixth
insertion hole 6422 of the installation wall 640 may be fitted into
the eighth fastening portion 6316 of the entrance wall 630. The
second fitting hole 6421 of the installation wall 640 may be fitted
into the third fitting piece 6315 of the entrance wall 630. The
twelfth insertion hole 6435 of the installation wall 640 may be
fitted into the ninth fastening portion 6317 of the entrance wall
630. In this way, the installation wall 640 can be temporarily
fixed to the outer partition wall 610, the inner partition wall
620, and the entrance wall 630 that are temporarily fixed to each
other.
[0408] Next, the outer partition wall 610, the inner partition wall
620, the entrance wall 630, and the installation wall 640 that are
temporarily fixed to each other can be fastened and fixed using a
fastening member.
[0409] In this instance, a fastening member may be inserted into
the ninth insertion hole 6432 of the installation wall 640 and
fastened to the first fastening portion 6116 of the outer partition
wall 610 through the fifth insertion hole 6243 of the inner
partition wall 620. A fastening member may be inserted into an
eighth insertion hole 6412 of the installation wall 640 and
fastened to the fifth fastening portion 6221 of the inner partition
wall 620 inserted into the fourth insertion hole 6134 of the outer
partition wall 610 and the fourth fastening hole 6318 of the
entrance wall 630. A fastening member may be inserted into the
eleventh insertion hole 6434 of the installation wall 640 and
fastened to the fastening piece 6144 of the outer partition wall
610. In this way, the outer partition wall 610, the inner partition
wall 620, the entrance wall 630, and the installation wall 640 that
are temporarily fixed to each other can be fixed to each other.
[0410] The outer partition wall 610, the inner partition wall 620,
the entrance wall 630, and the installation wall 640 fixed to each
other in this way may be provided in an opened rectangular
parallelepiped shape in the front-rear direction as a whole.
[0411] Next, the first concave portion 6131 of the partition wall
600 may be disposed by being matched with the first bead portion
210 of the inner case 200 of the main body 10, and the intervening
portion 6431 of the installation wall 640 and the second concave
portion 6241 of the partition wall 600 may be disposed by being
matched with the first bead portion 210 of the inner case 200,
thereby setting the exact assembly position. And then, the outer
partition wall 610, the inner partition wall 620, the entrance wall
630, and the installation wall 640 fixed to each other may be
fastened and fixed to the inner case 200 by means of the fastening
members.
[0412] In this instance, the third sealing member 650 may be
interposed between the inner case 200 and the partition wall 600
and between the inner case 200 and the installation wall 640. A
fastening member may be inserted into the first coupling hole 212
of the inner case 200 and fastened to the third coupling hole 6135
of the outer partition wall 610. A fastening member may be inserted
into the second coupling hole 222 of the inner case 200 and
fastened to the seventh fastening portion 6242 of the inner
partition wall 620 through the tenth insertion hole 6433 of the
installation wall 640. A fastening member may be inserted into the
third coupling hole 213 of the inner case 200 and fastened to the
eighth fastening portion 6316 of the inlet wall 630 through the
sixth insertion hole 6422 of the installation wall 640. A fastening
member may be inserted into the fourth coupling hole 223 of the
inner case 200 and fastened to the ninth fastening portion 6317 of
the inlet wall 630 through the twelfth insertion hole 6435 of the
installation wall 640. In this way, the outer partition wall 610,
the inner partition wall 620, the entrance wall 630, and the
installation wall 640 fixed to each other can be fastened and fixed
to the inner case 200.
[0413] As described above, the first bead portion 210 and the first
concave portion 6131 may be fixed to the inner case 200 while they
are matched with each other, and the second bead portion 220 and
the second concave portion 6241 may be fixed to the inner case 200
while they are matched with each other. The intervening portion
6431 may be interposed between the second bead portion 220 and the
second concave portion 6241 and may be fixed to the inner case 200
while it is matched with the second bead portion 220 and the second
concave portion 6241.
[0414] Next, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 31, the thermal
insulation material 110 may be injected into the space portion 102
between the outer case 100 and the inner case 200.
[0415] In this instance, the thermal insulation material 110 may be
supplied from the outside of the main body 10 and injected into the
space portion 102. The thermal insulation material 110 injected
into the space portion 102 may flow in the space portion 102.
[0416] Next, as illustrated in (c) of FIG. 31, the thermal
insulation material 110 flowing in the space portion 102 may be
injected into the thermal insulation material accommodating space
601 of the partition wall 600 through the first inlet port 210a and
the first through hole 6136a and may be injected into the thermal
insulation material accommodating space 601 of the partition wall
600 through the second inlet port 220a and the second through hole
6244a.
[0417] Next, an integral foaming process of the thermal insulation
material 110 is performed, and thus the thermal insulation material
110 may expand and harden.
[0418] In this instance, the thermal insulation material 110 may be
integrally foamed into the space portion 102 and the thermal
insulation material accommodating space 601 and may serve to
integrally fix the main body 10 and the partition wall 600. After
integrally foaming the thermal insulation material 110, the
partition wall 600 may be inseparable from the main body 10.
[0419] Through the above-described process, the partition wall 600,
the entrance wall 630, and the installation wall 640 may be
fastened and fixed to the inner case 200 by means of the fastening
members. The partition wall 600, the entrance wall 630, and the
installation wall 640 that are fixed and installed to the inner
case 200 as described above may form the ice making compartment 60
partitioned as a thermal insulation space separate from the
refrigerator compartment 11 at the upper left corner of the inner
case 200.
[0420] As illustrated in FIGS. 31 and 32, the thermal insulation
material 110 may be injected and integrally foamed between the
outer case 100 and the inner case 200 and at least a portion of the
partition wall 600.
[0421] The thermal insulation material 110 may be injected into the
space portion 102 of the main body 10 from the outside of the main
body 10, i.e., the space portion 102 between the outer case 100 and
the inner case 200. The thermal insulation material 110 injected
into the space portion 102 may flow through the space portion 102
and may be injected into at least a portion of the thermal
insulation material accommodating space 601 inside the partition
wall 600. Then, the thermal insulation material 110 injected into
the space portion 102 and the thermal insulation material
accommodating space 601 may be integrally foamed.
[0422] As described above, the partition wall 600 may be assembled
to the inner case 200 by the fastening members so that the first
concave portion 6131 and the second concave portion 6241 are
respectively matched with the first bead portion 210 and the second
bead portion 220.
[0423] The first protrusion 6136 and the second protrusion 6244 may
inserted into the first inlet port 210a and the second inlet port
220a, respectively.
[0424] In such a state, the thermal insulation material 110, that
is a liquid foaming liquid such as urethane, may be injected into
the space portion 102 of the main body 10 from the outside of the
main body 10 for the thermal insulation between the inside (e.g.,
the ice making compartment, the refrigerator compartment, the
freezer compartment, and the specialized compartment) of the inner
case 200 and the outside (e.g., the outside of the main body) of
the outer case 100.
[0425] In this way, the thermal insulation material 110 injected
into the space portion 102 of the main body 10 may flow along the
space portion 102 and may be injected into the thermal insulation
material accommodating space 601 between the first side plate 612
and the second side plate 622 through the first inlet port 210a and
the first through hole 6136a. Further, the thermal insulation
material 110 may be injected into the thermal insulation material
accommodating space 601 between the first lower plate 611 and the
second lower plate 621 through the second inlet port 220a and the
second through hole 6244a, and thus may be injected into at least a
portion of the thermal insulation material accommodating space 601
of the partition wall 600.
[0426] In such a state, as the thermal insulation material 110 is
integrally foamed and expands, the thermal insulation material 110
may integrally harden and fill from the space portion 102 between
the outer case 100 and the inner case 200 to at least a part of the
thermal insulation material accommodating space 601 of the
partition wall 600. Hence, the partition wall 600 may be in an
integral state that is inseparable from the main body 10, so that
the ice making compartment 60 can be partitioned into a thermal
insulation space separate from the refrigerator compartment 11.
[0427] Referring to FIG. 31, the partition wall thermal insulation
material 602 may be previously inserted into a portion of the
thermal insulation material accommodating space 601 of the
partition wall 600 before the thermal insulation material 110 is
injected. For example, the partition wall thermal insulation
material 602 may be previously inserted before the outer partition
wall 610 and the inner partition wall 620 are coupled.
[0428] The partition wall thermal insulation material 602 may be
inserted while leaving a predetermined space, in which the thermal
insulation material 110 is to be injected in the thermal insulation
material accommodating space 601, empty. For example, the partition
wall thermal insulation material 602 may be provided including the
lower right corner of the partition wall 600 in the thermal
insulation material accommodating space 601.
[0429] As illustrated in (a) of FIG. 31, before the partition wall
600 is fastened to the inner case 200, the partition wall thermal
insulation material 602 may be previously inserted into the thermal
insulation material accommodating space 601, so that the partition
wall 600 includes a first blank area 601a that communicates with
the first through hole 6136a in a state of emptying a portion of
the upper end between the first side plate 612 and the second side
plate 622 in the thermal insulation material accommodating space
601, and a second blank area 601b that communicates with the second
through hole 6244a in a state of emptying a portion of the left end
between the first lower plate 611 and the second lower plate 621 in
the thermal insulation material accommodating space 601.
[0430] That is, the partition wall 600 may include the first blank
area 601a and the second blank area 601b that are spaces in which
the partition wall thermal insulation material 602 is not present
in the thermal insulation material accommodating space 601.
[0431] Next, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 31, the partition wall
600 may be fastened to the inner case 200 while including the
partition wall thermal insulation material 602 therein. In a state
in which the partition wall 600 is fastened to the inner case 200,
the thermal insulation material 110 may be injected into the space
portion 102 of the main body 10 from the outside of the main body
10. The thermal insulation material 110 injected into the space
portion 102 may flow through the space portion 102.
[0432] Next, as illustrated in (c) of FIG. 31, the thermal
insulation material 110 injected into the space portion 102 of the
main body 10 may flow through the space portion 102 and may be
injected into the first blank area 601a through the first through
hole 6136a of the first protrusion 6136 inserted into the first
inlet port 210a. As illustrated in (c) of FIG. 31, the thermal
insulation material 110 injected into the space portion 102 of the
main body 10 may flow through the space portion 102 and may be
injected into the second blank area 601b through the second through
hole 6244a of the second protrusion 6244 inserted into the second
inlet port 220a.
[0433] Next, by integrally foaming the thermal insulation material
110 injected into the space portion 102, the first blank area 601a,
and the second blank area 601b, the partition wall thermal
insulation material 602 can be provided in the thermal insulation
material accommodating space 601, and the thermal insulation
material 110 can also be integrally provided in the space portion
102 and the thermal insulation material accommodating space
601.
[0434] Referring to FIG. 32, the thermal insulation material
accommodating space 601 of the partition wall 600 may be completely
filled with only the thermal insulation material 110 injected into
the space portion 102 from the outside of the main body 10 without
the partition wall thermal insulation material 602 that has been
previously inserted.
[0435] As illustrated in (a) of FIG. 32, the partition wall 600
before being fastened to the inner case 200 may be in a state in
which the thermal insulation material accommodating space 601 is
all empty.
[0436] That is, the thermal insulation material accommodating space
601 may be an empty space in which the partition wall thermal
insulation material 602 is not present.
[0437] Next, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 32, the partition wall
600 may be fastened to the inner case 200. In this state, the
thermal insulation material 110 may be injected into the space
portion 102 of the main body 10 from the outside of the main body
10 and flow.
[0438] Next, as illustrated in (c) of FIG. 32, the thermal
insulation material 110 injected into the space portion 102 of the
main body 10 may flow through the space portion 102 and may be
injected into the thermal insulation material accommodating space
601 through the first through hole 6136a of the first protrusion
6136 inserted into the first inlet port 210a and through the second
through hole 6244a of the second protrusion 6244 inserted into the
second inlet port 220a. Hence, the thermal insulation material
accommodating space 601 can be filled with the thermal insulation
material 110.
[0439] In this instance, considering that the thermal insulation
material 110 injected into the thermal insulation material
accommodating space 601 is foamed later, the thermal insulation
material 110 expanded after foaming may be injected in an
appropriate amount only enough to fill all the thermal insulation
material accommodating space 601.
[0440] Afterwards, the thermal insulation material 110 injected
into the space portion 102 and the thermal insulation material
accommodating space 601 is integrally foamed, and thus the thermal
insulation material 110 can be integrally provided in all the space
portion 102 and the thermal insulation material accommodating space
601.
[0441] The shelves 230, 240 and 250 may be provided inside the
storage compartment.
[0442] Referring to FIGS. 33 to 36, for example, the shelves 230,
240 and 250 may be provided in the refrigerator compartment 11 of
the storage compartment. A plurality of shelves 230, 240 and 250
may be provided inside the refrigerator compartment 11.
[0443] A left bracket holder 202, a central bracket holder 203, and
a right bracket holder 204 may be provided at each of left, central
and right portions of the inner rear surface of the main body 10.
The shelves 230, 240 and 250 may be provided with a hanger bracket
that is coupled and hung thereto and may be fixedly installed.
[0444] These shelves 230, 240 and 250 may include, for example, a
left shelf 230, a right shelf 240, and an ice making compartment
shelf 250 adjacent to the ice making compartment 60.
[0445] One of the ice making compartment shelf 250 may be mounted
on a shelf support piece 617 installed on the right side of the
partition wall 600, and the other side thereof may be mounted on
the central bracket holder 203 and provided on the left side of the
refrigerator compartment 11 inside the main body 10.
[0446] The mounting and mounting structure of the ice making
compartment shelf 250 are described in detail below.
[0447] More specifically, the ice making compartment shelf 250 may
include a first hanger bracket 251 at a left end, and a second
hanger bracket 252 at a right end.
[0448] When the ice making compartment shelf 250 is used, it may be
horizontally mounted on the side of the ice making compartment 60
by the first hanger bracket 251 and the second hanger bracket 252.
In addition, in the case of removing the ice making compartment
shelf 250, the ice making compartment shelf 250 may be mounted in a
standing state by detaching the ice making compartment shelf 250
and fitting and coupling the first hanger bracket 251 to the
clearance space 6162 of a shelf holder 616 provided at the lower
surface of the ice making compartment 60. Hence, it is possible to
form a space capable of storing a bottle, etc. with a high height
in the upper part of the left shelf 230 positioned under the ice
making compartment shelf 250.
[0449] The ice maker 700 and the ice storage bucket 800 may be
provided in the ice making compartment 60.
[0450] Referring to FIGS. 14 to 17, FIG. 37, FIG. 38, and FIG. 44,
the ice maker 700 may be configured to generate ice. The ice maker
700 may be installed on the ice making compartment 60.
[0451] The ice maker 700 may include an upper housing 710, a
driving device 720, an ice making mold 730, an ejector 740, a
guider 750, a deicing heater (not shown), and a lower housing
760.
[0452] The upper housing 710 may be installed on the upper part
inside the ice making compartment 60 such that a first mounting
piece 711 and a second mounting piece (not shown) are provided and
are placed on the first ice maker support portion 6222 and the
second ice maker support portion (not shown) of the inner partition
wall 620.
[0453] The elastic piece 713 may be formed at a front end of the
upper housing 710.
[0454] The elastic piece 713 may be formed in the form of a hook
protruding upward in the center of the front end of the upper
housing 710.
[0455] The elastic piece 713 may be fitted into the ice maker
mounting groove 6414 of the installation wall 640 when the ice
maker 700 is installed in the ice making compartment 60, so that
the ice maker 700 is fixed to the inside of the ice making
compartment 60.
[0456] An ice making water guide portion 714 may be formed on the
upper rear side of the upper housing 710.
[0457] The driving device 720 and the ice making mold 730
integrally formed with each other may be provided at a lower part
of the upper housing 710. A front portion of the upper housing 710
may be coupled to the driving device 720, and a rear portion may be
hook-coupled to the ice making mold 730.
[0458] The driving device 720 may be a device provided with
components required to drive the ejector 740 to be described later
and control the deicing heater (not shown) to be described
later.
[0459] The ice making mold 730 may be configured to receive ice
making water from a water supply tank (not shown) through the ice
making water guide portion 714 and generate ice of a predetermined
shape. The ice making mold 730 includes a plurality of unit molds
731 each having a space concave downward.
[0460] The ejector 740 may be installed between the driving device
720 and a rear end of the ice making mold 730.
[0461] The ejector 740 may be configured to release ice generated
in each unit mold 731 of the ice making mold 730. A front end of
the ejector 740 may be coupled to the driving device 720, and a
rear end may be rotatably coupled to the rear end of the ice making
mold 730, so that the ejector 740 can receive a rotational force
through the driving device 720.
[0462] The ejector 740 includes an ejector shaft 741 and a
plurality of ejector pins 742 that are formed on the ejector shaft
741 and correspond to the unit molds 731.
[0463] The ejector shaft 741 may be a shaft that is formed to
elongate in the front-rear direction to be disposed in the upper
center of the ice making mold 730 and rotates according to the
operation of the driving device 720. A front end of the ejector
shaft 741 may be rotatably coupled to the driving device 720, and a
rear end may be rotatably coupled to a rear wall of the ice making
mold 730.
[0464] When the ejector shaft 741 rotates clockwise, the ejector
pin 742 may rotate clockwise together with the ejector shaft 741,
and push the ice generated in the unit mold 731 from the unit mold
731 to separate the ice.
[0465] The guider 750 may be installed on the right side of the ice
making mold 730.
[0466] The guider 750 may be coupled to the ice making mold 730 by
fitting the lower right wall of the ice guider 750 into the upper
right wall of the ice making mold 730.
[0467] The guider 750 may include an inclination guide portion 751
that protrudes obliquely from the upper end of the right wall to
the upper left portion. The guider 750 may include a plurality of
inclination guide portions 751 that are disposed to be spaced apart
from each other along the right wall in the front-rear
direction.
[0468] A separation distance between the two inclination guide
portions 751 closest to each other is less than a front-rear width
of the ice generated in the unit mold 731, and thus the ice cannot
get out between the two inclined guides 751 closest to each
other.
[0469] Each inclination guide portion 751 is disposed between the
ejector pins 742 and does not overlap each ejector pin 742. That
is, the inclination guide portion 751 may be disposed so that it
does not interfere with the rotational operation of the ejector pin
742.
[0470] The inclination guide portion 751 may serve to guide so that
ice separated from the unit mold 731 can fall into a bucket portion
830 of the ice storage bucket 800 disposed below the ice maker 700
by a clockwise rotation of the ejector pin 742.
[0471] The deicing heater (not shown) may be provided below the ice
making mold 730.
[0472] The deicing heater (not shown) may be installed along a
lower edge of the ice making mold 730 and may serve to heat the ice
making mold 730 so that the ice frozen in the ice making mold 730
can be easily separated from the ice making mold 730.
[0473] The lower housing 760 may be coupled to a lower part of the
ice making mold 730.
[0474] The lower housing 760 may be configured to form the lower
part of the ice maker 700. The lower housing 760 may be coupled to
the lower part of the ice making mold 730 by hook coupling.
[0475] A cold air inlet duct 762 may be formed at a rear end of the
lower housing 760.
[0476] The cold air inlet duct 762 may include a cold air inlet
passage 762a therein. The cold air inlet duct 762 may be formed in
a shape with a gradually decreasing up-down width as it goes from
the rear side to the front side.
[0477] In this instance, an upper part of the cold air inlet duct
762 may be formed to be inclined upward as it goes from the front
to the rear. A lower part of the cold air inlet duct 762 may be
formed in a flat shape.
[0478] The cold air inlet duct 762 may be configured to receive a
cold air discharged through a cold air discharge duct 930 to be
described later into the cold air inlet passage 762a and transfer
the cold air to a cold air flow path 764 of the lower housing
760.
[0479] On an upper surface of a lower plate of the lower housing
760, that is, on a bottom surface inside the lower housing 760, two
blocking walls 763 spaced apart from each other in the left-right
direction may protrude upward. The cold air flow path 764 may be
provided between both the blocking walls 763.
[0480] Both the blocking walls 763 may be formed inside both the
side walls of the lower housing 760 to be spaced apart from both
the side walls of the lower housing 760.
[0481] Upon the operation of the deicing heater (not shown) that is
disposed on the upper portion between the left wall and the left
blocking wall 763 of the lower housing 760 and on the upper portion
between the right wall and the right blocking wall 763 of the lower
housing 760, the blocking wall 763 may serve to block the heat of
the deicing heater (not shown) from being transferred to the cold
air flow path 764.
[0482] The cold air flow path 764 is formed between the blocking
walls 763 on both sides inside the lower housing 760 and may be a
flow path that allows the cold air introduced through the cold air
inlet duct 762 to flow from the rear side to the front side. The
cold air flow path 764 may be disposed under the ice making mold
730 and freeze ice making water supplied to the ice making mold 730
to generate ice.
[0483] The cold air flow path 764 can prevent the cold air from
being directly sprayed to the ice making water supplied to the ice
making mold 730 by guiding the flow of cold air between the lower
surface of the ice making mold 730 and the inner bottom surface of
the cold air flow path 764. Hence, the quality of ice generated in
the ice making mold 730 can be improved.
[0484] A flow blocking portion 765 with a uneven shape may be
formed on the inner bottom surface of the cold air flow path
764.
[0485] The flow blocking unit 765 may delay the flow of cold air in
the cold air flow path 764 by generating a vortex in the flow of
cold air flowing in the cold air flow path 764. Hence, the flow
blocking unit 765 can allow the cold air to stay in the lower part
of the ice making mold 730, and as a result, the ice making water
supplied to the ice making mold 730 may be rapidly frozen.
[0486] A cold air outlet port 766 may be formed at the front end of
the lower plate of the lower housing 760.
[0487] The cold air outlet port 766 may be formed at the front end
of the inner bottom surface of the cold air flow path 764 and may
serve to discharge the cold air flowing from the rear side to the
front side of the cold air flow path 764 to the lower side and to
guide the cool air to the ice storage bucket 800 disposed below the
ice maker 700.
[0488] The ice storage bucket 800 may be installed below the ice
making compartment 60.
[0489] Referring to FIGS. 14 to 17, FIG. 39, FIG. 40, and FIG. 44,
the ice storage bucket 800 may be configured to store ice generated
by the ice maker 700. The ice storage bucket 800 may be disposed
below the ice maker 700 and installed to be draw into and draw out
of the ice making compartment 60.
[0490] The ice storage bucket 800 may include the ice making
compartment door 810, an ice crushing portion 820, the bucket
portion 830, and an auger 840.
[0491] The ice making compartment door 810 may be configured to
selectively open and close the open front surface of the ice making
compartment 60 by being detachable from the front surface of the
partition wall 600.
[0492] When the ice storage bucket 800 is drawn out of the ice
making compartment 60, the ice making compartment door 810 may be
spaced apart from the front surface of the partition wall 600 to
open the front surface of the ice making compartment 60. When the
ice storage bucket 800 is completely drawn into the ice making
compartment 60, the ice making compartment door 810 may be in close
contact with the front surface of the partition wall 600 to close
the front surface of the ice making compartment 60.
[0493] A handle 811 that the user can grip may be provided in the
ice storage bucket 800.
[0494] More specifically, the handle 811 may be fixed to the lower
part of the front surface of the ice making compartment door 810.
When the user takes the ice storage bucket 800 into and out of the
ice making compartment 60, the user may use the handle 811 to
easily pull or push the ice storage bucket 800.
[0495] The related art had a problem in that it is unsanitary and
inconvenient because it is necessary to pull or push the ice
storage bucket by inserting a hand into an ice discharge port
formed on the lower surface of the ice storage bucket in order to
take into and out the ice storage bucket.
[0496] However, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, since
the handle 811 is formed on the ice making compartment door 810,
there is no problem that the ice discharge port 6113 is
contaminated, and it is easy and simple to take into and out the
ice storage bucket 800.
[0497] A rectangular ice making compartment door gasket 812 for
maintaining airtightness of the ice making compartment 60 may be
provided on the rear surface of the ice making compartment door
810.
[0498] The ice making compartment door gasket 812 may be installed
on the rear surface of the ice making compartment door 810 in the
form of surrounding an outer peripheral surface of a front end of
the ice crushing portion 820 and may be in close contact with the
outer peripheral surface of the ice crushing portion 820.
[0499] When the ice making compartment door 810 closes the front
surface of the ice making compartment 60, the ice making
compartment door gasket 812 may be in close contact with the inner
peripheral surface of the stepped first opening 6141 of the
partition wall 600 and allow the ice making compartment 60 to
maintain the airtightness.
[0500] A rectangular ice making compartment door sealing member 813
for maintaining airtightness of the ice making compartment 60 may
be further provided on the rear surface of the ice making
compartment door 810.
[0501] The ice making compartment door sealing member 813 may be
installed on the rear surface of the ice making compartment door
810 in a shape surrounding the outer peripheral surface of the
front end of the ice making compartment door gasket 812. One side
of the ice making compartment door sealing member 813 may be cut
off.
[0502] An ice making compartment door thermal insulation material
814 may be provided inside the ice making compartment door 810.
[0503] The ice making compartment door thermal insulation material
814 may be inserted into the ice making compartment door 810 to
insulate the ice making compartment 60 from the outside of the ice
making compartment 60.
[0504] A magnet (not shown) may be provided inside upper and lower
sides of the left end and inside upper and lower sides of the right
end of the ice making compartment door 810. When the ice making
compartment door 810 closes the front surface of the ice making
compartment 60, the front surface of the ice making compartment
door 810 may be easily attached to the front surface of the first
front plate 614 of the partition wall 600 through interaction with
a magnet (not shown) provided at the entrance wall 630.
[0505] The ice crushing portion 820 may be coupled to the rear
surface of the ice making compartment door 810.
[0506] The ice crushing portion 820 may be configured to crush and
discharge ice according to a user's selection. The ice crushing
portion 820 may be installed on the rear surface of the ice making
compartment door 810 to protrude rearward. The ice crushing portion
820 has an open lower portion to communicate with the ice discharge
port 6113.
[0507] The ice crushing portion 820 may be disposed between the ice
making compartment door 810 and the bucket portion 830 to connect
the ice making compartment door 810 and the bucket unit 830.
[0508] The ice crushing portion 820 may include a crusher 821, a
support member 822, and an operating shaft 823.
[0509] The bucket portion 830 may be a container in which ice
generated by the ice maker 700 is stored. The bucket portion 830
may be provided with an auger 840 for transferring the internal ice
to the ice discharge port 6113. The auger 840 may be operated by a
second driver 912 to be described later to transport ice. The
crusher 821 may be interlocked with the auger 840.
[0510] That is, the ice may be transferred to the ice discharge
port 6113 by the rotation of the auger 840 and may be taken out by
the rotation of the crusher 821. In this instance, depending on
whether the support member 822 provided in the ice discharge port
6113 is supported, the original ice or the crushed ice may be taken
out by the dispenser 330.
[0511] Sliding ribs 832 elongating in the front-rear direction may
be formed on the left and right sides of the lower surface of the
bucket portion 830, respectively.
[0512] The sliding ribs 832 may slide backward and forward along
the bottom surface of the ice making compartment 60 when the ice
storage bucket 800 is drawn into and drawn out of the ice making
compartment 60, thereby stably assisting in drawing into and out
the ice storage bucket 800.
[0513] The ice making compartment door 810, the ice crushing
portion 820, the bucket portion 830, and the auger 840 are coupled
to each other as described above, and move together according to
the opening and closing of the ice making compartment door 810.
Therefore, it may be possible to draw the ice storage bucket 800
into and out of the ice making compartment 60 as a whole.
[0514] A driver fan duct assembly 900 may be provided on the rear
side of the ice storage bucket 800.
[0515] Referring to FIGS. 41 to 44, the driver fan duct assembly
900 may be provided by modularizing a driver assembly 910 that
provides a driving force to the ice storage bucket 800 to operate
the operating shaft 823 and the auger 840 of the ice storage bucket
800, a fan assembly 920 that is disposed between the ice storage
bucket 800 and the evaporator assembly 1100 to be described later
and circulates the cold air provided by the evaporator assembly
1100 through a cold air intake port 1002 and a cold air discharge
port 1001 of the evaporator case 1000 to be described later, and
the cold air discharge duct 930 that receives the cold air
discharged through the cold air discharge port 1001 of the
evaporator case 1000 to be described later and guides the cold air
to the ice maker 700.
[0516] The driver fan duct assembly 900 may be modularized such
that the fan assembly 920 is coupled to a rear of the driver
assembly 910, and the cold air discharge duct 930 is coupled to an
upper part of the driver assembly 910.
[0517] The driver assembly 910 may include a first driver 911, a
second driver 912, and a driver housing 913.
[0518] The driver housing 913 may be configured to form an
appearance of the driver assembly 910. The driver housing 913
includes a first driver accommodating portion 913a that is formed
on its front side and has an opened lower surface, and a second
driver accommodating portion 913b integrally formed at a rear end
of the first driver accommodating portion 913a.
[0519] A quadrangular first coupling flange 9101 may be formed at
the rear of the second driver accommodating portion 913b of the
driver housing 913, and a rectangular second coupling flange 9102
may be formed at the upper part.
[0520] Two first detachable holes 9131 may be formed on each of
both sides of a rear end of the second driver accommodating portion
913b, more specifically, the left and right sides of the first
coupling flange 9101.
[0521] In addition, two first detachable protrusions 9132 may be
formed on each of both sides of an upper end of the second driver
accommodating portion 913b, more specifically, the left and right
sides of the second coupling flange 9102.
[0522] The number of first detachable holes 9131 and the number of
first detachable protrusions 9132 may be changed, if necessary.
[0523] The first detachable hole 9131 can be fitted and coupled to
a second detachable protrusion 9213 of the fan assembly 920 to be
described later, and thus the fan assembly 920 can be detachably
coupled to the driver housing 913.
[0524] The first detachable protrusion 9132 can be fitted and
coupled to a second detachable hole 932 of the cold air discharge
duct 930 to be described later, and thus the cold air discharge
duct 930 can be detachably coupled to the driver housing 913.
[0525] The second driver accommodating portion 913b of the driver
housing 913 may include a plurality of first cold air flow slits
9133 formed on the lower front side, and may have an opened rear
side. Fitting plates 9134 having second cold air flow slits 9135
may be fitted and coupled to both inner walls of the opened rear
side of the second driver accommodating portion 913b.
[0526] The first cold air flow slit 9133 may be a hole that allows
the cold air from the ice storage bucket 800 to be introduced into
the driver housing 913 when the fan assembly 920 to be described
later operates. The second cold air flow slit 9135 may be a hole
that allows the cold air introduced into the driver housing 913 to
be sucked into the fan assembly 920.
[0527] The first driver 911 may be installed at one side of the
driver housing 913.
[0528] The first driver 911 may be installed at the front of the
driver housing 913.
[0529] The first driver 911 may be comprised of a solenoid valve
that is movable in the up-down direction, and may be accommodated
and installed in the first driver accommodating portion 913a
protruding to the front right side of the driver housing 913. The
first driver 911 may serve to operate the operating shaft 823 and
the support member 822 for supporting the ice when crushing the
ice.
[0530] The second driver 912 may be installed at other side of the
driver housing 913.
[0531] The second driver 912 may be installed at the rear side of
the first driver 911.
[0532] The second driver 912 may be comprised of a motor providing
a rotational force, and may be accommodated and installed inside
the second driver accommodating portion 913b integrally formed at a
rear end of the first driver accommodating portion 913a. The second
driver 912 may serve to operate the auger 840 for transferring ice
stored in an ice storage space 831 of the bucket portion 830 and
the crusher 821 for crushing the ice.
[0533] The fan assembly 920 may be installed at one side of the
driver housing 913.
[0534] The fan assembly 920 may be detachably assembled to the rear
end of the driver housing 913. The fan assembly 920 may be disposed
between the ice making compartment 60 and the evaporator case 1000.
The fan assembly 920 may be implemented as a centrifugal fan.
[0535] The fan assembly 920 may include a fan housing 921, an
impeller 922, and a rotation motor (not shown).
[0536] The fan housing 921 may be configured to form an appearance
of the fan assembly 920. The fan housing 921 may be integrally
provided with a cold air intake duct 9211 in its front center. The
fan housing 921 may be integrally provided with a cold air exhaust
duct 9212 at its rear lower part.
[0537] The cold air intake duct 9211 is provided with a cold air
intake passage 9211a communicating with the ice making compartment
60 therein. When the fan assembly 920 operates, the cold air intake
duct 9211 may be configured to suck the cold air at the lower front
side of the ice making compartment 60, i.e., at from the ice
storage bucket 800 through the first cold air flow slit 9133 and
the second cold air flow slit 9135
[0538] In addition, the cold air exhaust duct 9212 is provided with
a cold air exhaust passage 9212a communicating with the
installation space 1010 of the evaporator case 1000 to be described
later. The cold air exhaust duct 9212 may be configured to
discharge the cold air sucked through the cold air intake passage
9211a to the cold air intake port 1002 of the evaporator case
1000.
[0539] Since the fan assembly 920 according to the present
disclosure can integrally configure the cold air intake duct 9211
and the cold air exhaust duct 9212 by only the fan housing 921
itself, there is an advantage in that a separate duct does not need
to be provided in the fan housing 921.
[0540] The lower surface of the fan housing 921 may be formed to be
inclined upward as it goes from the front to the rear.
[0541] A scroll-shaped space may be provided inside the fan housing
921. The scroll-shaped space inside the fan housing 921 may be
formed between the cold air intake duct 9211 and the cold air
exhaust duct 9212 and communicate with them.
[0542] A rectangular third coupling flange 9201 may be formed at
the front of the fan housing 921 of the fan assembly 920.
[0543] When the fan assembly 920 is coupled to the driver assembly
910, the third coupling flange 9201 may be inserted into and
coupled to the first coupling flange 9101 while its outer
peripheral surface is close contact with an inner peripheral
surface of the first coupling flange 9101. Hence, a loss of the
cold air flowing inside the driver assembly 910 and the fan
assembly 920 can be prevented by improving the airtightness of the
coupled portion.
[0544] The first coupling flange 9101 and the third coupling flange
9201 may be fitted and closely attached to each other. The first
coupling flange 9101 and the third coupling flange 9201 may be
hook-coupled and detachably coupled.
[0545] Two second detachable protrusions 9213 may be formed at each
of both sides of the front end of the fan housing 921, i.e., at
each of the left and right sides of the third coupling flange
9201.
[0546] The number of second detachable protrusions 9213 may be
changed, if necessary or desired. The second detachable protrusion
9213 may be fitted and coupled to the first detachable hole 9131 of
the driver housing 913, and hence the first coupling flange 9101
and the third coupling flange 9201 may be fitted and fixed while
being close contact with each other.
[0547] In addition, as the second detachable protrusion 9213 is
fit-coupled to or released from the first detachable hole 9131 of
the driver housing 913, the fan housing 921 may be detached from
the driver housing 913.
[0548] A first sealing material 9214 and the first sealing material
9214 made of a sponge material may be attached to an edge of the
lower surface of the cold air exhaust duct 9212 of the fan housing
921.
[0549] When the fan assembly 920 is accommodated in a fan
accommodating portion 1020 to be described later, the first sealing
material 9214 may be closely attached to an inner lower surface of
the fan accommodating portion 1020 to seal a lower joint between
the fan assembly 920 and the fan accommodating portion 1020.
[0550] A wire guide portion 9216 for guiding wires electrically
connected to a rotation motor (not shown) may be provided on the
rear surface of the fan housing 921.
[0551] The impeller 922 may be installed inside the fan housing
921.
[0552] The impeller 922 may be rotatably installed in the
scroll-shaped space of the fan housing 921. The impeller 922
rotates by the rotation motor (not shown).
[0553] When the impeller 922 rotates by the rotation motor (not
shown), the impeller 922 may suck the cold air from the ice storage
bucket 800 through the cold air intake passage 9211a of the cold
air intake duct 9211, and then discharge the cold air to the cold
air intake port 1002 of the evaporator case 1000 to be described
later through the cold air exhaust passage 9212a of the cold air
exhaust duct 9212.
[0554] The impeller 922 may serve to circulate the cold air
provided by the evaporator assembly 1100 between the ice making
compartment 60 and the evaporator case 1000 through the suction and
discharge of the cold air as described above.
[0555] A cold air discharge duct 930 may be installed on the other
side of the driver housing 913.
[0556] The cold air discharge duct 930 may be configured to receive
the cold air discharged from the cold air discharge port 1001 of
the evaporator case 1000 to be described later and guide the cold
air to the cold air inlet duct 762 of the ice maker 700. The cold
air discharge duct 930 may be detachably assembled at the upper end
of the drive housing 913. The cold air discharge duct 930 may be
disposed between the ice maker 700 and the evaporator case
1000.
[0557] The front end of the cold air discharge duct 930 may be
close contact with a rear end of the cold air inlet duct 762 of the
ice maker 700, and a rear end of the cold air discharge duct 930
may be close contact with an edge of the cold air discharge port
1001 of the evaporator case 1000.
[0558] The cold air discharge duct 930 may be provided with a cold
air discharge passage 931 therein. The cold air discharge duct 930
may be formed in a shape with a gradually decreasing up-down width
as it goes from the rear side to the front side. Hence, the cold
air discharge passage 931 inside the cold air discharge duct 930
may also be formed in a shape with a gradually decreasing up-down
width as it goes from the rear side to the front side.
[0559] An upper part of the cold air discharge duct 930 may be
formed to be inclined upward as it goes from the front to the
rear.
[0560] A second sealing material 933 made of a sponge material may
be attached to an edge of a rear surface of the cold air discharge
duct 930 to seal a joint between the cold air discharge duct 930
and the evaporator case 1000 to be described later.
[0561] A quadrangular fourth coupling flange 9301 may be formed at
the lower part of the cold air discharge duct 930.
[0562] When the cold air discharge duct 930 is coupled to the
driver assembly 910, the fourth coupling flange 9301 may be fitted
into and coupled to the second coupling flange 9102 while its inner
peripheral surface is closely attached to an outer peripheral
surface of the second coupling flange 9102.
[0563] Two second detachable holes 932 may be formed at each of
both sides of the lower end of the cold air discharge duct 930,
i.e., at each of the left and right sides of the fourth coupling
flange 9301.
[0564] The number of second detachable holes 932 may be changed, if
necessary or desired. The first detachable protrusion 9132 of the
driver housing 913 may be fitted and coupled to the second
detachable hole 932, and hence the second coupling flange 9102 and
the fourth coupling flange 9301 may be fitted and fixed while being
close contact with each other.
[0565] In addition, as the first detachable protrusion 9132 of the
driver housing 913 is fit-coupled to or released from the second
detachable hole 932, the cold air discharge duct 930 may be
detached from the driver housing 913.
[0566] The second coupling flange 9102 and the fourth coupling
flange 9301 may be fitted to and close contact with each other. The
second coupling flange 9102 and the fourth coupling flange 9301 may
be hook-coupled and detachably coupled.
[0567] The driver assembly 910, the fan assembly 920, and the cold
air discharge duct 930 described above may be assembled by being
fitted and coupled to each other to provide the driver fan duct
assembly 900 as one assembly. Hence, the driver assembly 910, the
fan assembly 920, and the cold air discharge duct 930 are
modularized into one assembly without the need to be individually
installed in the ice making compartment 60 to form the driver fan
duct assembly 900, and can be installed in the ice making
compartment 60 through one installation process.
[0568] The driver assembly 910, the fan assembly 920, and the cold
air discharge duct 930 constituting the driver fan duct assembly
900 may be fastened by a separate fastening member in addition to
fitting-coupling.
[0569] The evaporator case and the configurations related to this
are described below with reference to FIGS. 44 to 55.
[0570] Referring to FIGS. 44 to 55, the inner case 200 may be
provided with a mounting portion 260.
[0571] The mounting portion 260 may be a recessed space formed
concavely inwardly over the upper wall, the rear wall, and the left
wall of the inner case 200. The mounting portion 260 may be formed
immediately behind the ice making compartment 60.
[0572] That is, the mounting portion 260 may be a space formed by
recessing concavely inwardly a rear left corner of the upper part
of the inner case 200.
[0573] The mounting portion 260 may be a space in which the
evaporator case 1000 to be described later is accommodated and
mounted. A communication hole 261a penetrated in the front-rear
direction may be formed on an inner front surface of the mounting
portion 260.
[0574] A first mounting surface 261, a second mounting surface 262,
and a separation surface 263 may be formed inside the mounting
portion 260.
[0575] The first mounting surface 261 may be the inner front
surface of the mounting portion 260. The second mounting surface
262 may be an inner right side of the mounting portion 260. The
separation surface 263 may be an inner bottom surface of the
mounting portion 260.
[0576] The above-described communication hole 261a may be formed in
the first mounting surface 261. The separation surface 263 may have
an inclination with a gradually decreasing height as it goes from
the front to the rear.
[0577] The harness housing 205 for processing various harnesses may
be mounted in the harness housing installation hole 224 provided on
the side of the inner case 200 on the front side of the mounting
portion 260.
[0578] The harness housing 205 may be fitted and mounted in the
harness housing installation hole 224 to completely cover the
harness housing installation hole 224.
[0579] The evaporator case 1000 may be provided between the rear
wall of the outer case 100 and the rear wall of the inner case
200.
[0580] The evaporator case 1000 may be configured to accommodate
the evaporator assembly 1100 installed through the opening 101
formed in the rear wall of the outer case 100. The evaporator
assembly 1100 may be installed between the rear wall of the outer
case 100 and the rear wall of the inner case 200 through the
evaporator case 1000. The evaporator assembly 1100 may be installed
to be disposed on the rear side of the ice making compartment
60.
[0581] The evaporator case 1000 may be mounted such that the front
portion is accommodated in the mounting portion 260 formed on the
rear wall of the inner case 200. A rear end of the evaporator case
1000 may be fastened to the inner surface of the rear wall of the
outer case 100, and thus the evaporator case 1000 may be coupled to
the main body 10.
[0582] The evaporator case 1000 is described in more detail
below.
[0583] The evaporator case 1000 may be entirely formed in a shape
similar to a rectangular box. An up-down height of the evaporator
case 1000 may be less than an up-down height of the mounting
portion 260.
[0584] A first mounting flange 1003 protruding toward the front
side may be formed to elongate in the left-right direction at a
front upper end of the evaporator case 1000. A second mounting
flange 1004 protruding toward the front side may be formed to
elongate in the up-down direction at a front left end of the
evaporator case 1000. A third mounting flange 1005 protruding
toward the right side may be formed to elongate in the front-rear
direction at a right top end of the evaporator case 1000. A fourth
mounting flange 1006 protruding toward the right side may be formed
to elongate in the up-down direction at the center of the right
side of the evaporator case 1000. Each of the first mounting flange
1003, the second mounting flange 1004, the third mounting flange
1005, and the fourth mounting flange 1006 may be supported on the
outer surface of the inner case 200.
[0585] More specifically, the first mounting flange 1003, the
second mounting flange 1004, the third mounting flange 1005, and
the fourth mounting flange 1006 may be formed integrally with each
other, and at the same time may be provided integrally with the
evaporator case 1000. The second mounting flange 1004 may be
provided at a left end of the first mounting flange 1003 provided
at the front upper end of the evaporator case 1000 in a downward
bending shape with respect to the first mounting flange 1003. The
third mounting flange 1005 may be provided at a right end of the
first mounting flange 1003 provided at the front upper end of the
evaporator case 1000 in a rearward bending shape with respect to
the first mounting flange 1003. The fourth mounting flange 1006 may
be provided at a rear end of the third mounting flange 1005 in
downward bending shape with respect to the third mounting flange
1005.
[0586] When the evaporator case 1000 is accommodated and mounted in
the mounting portion 260, the first mounting flange 1003 may be
supported in close contact with the outer surface of the upper wall
of the inner case 200 while covering an upper edge of a first
mounting surface 261 of the mounting portion 260. The second
mounting flange 1004 may be supported in close contact with the
outer surface of the left wall of the inner case 200 while covering
a left edge of the first mounting surface 261 of the mounting
portion 260. The third mounting flange 1005 may be supported in
close contact with the outer surface of the upper wall of the inner
case 200 while covering an upper edge of a second mounting surface
262 of the mounting portion 260. The fourth mounting flange 1006
may be supported in close contact with the outer surface of the
rear wall of the inner case 200 while covering a rear edge of the
second mounting surface 262 of the mounting portion 260. Through
this, the evaporator case 1000 may be accommodated and mounted in
the mounting portion 260.
[0587] In this instance, the front surface of the evaporator case
1000 may be in close contact with the first mounting surface 261.
The right surface of the evaporator case 1000 may be in close
contact with the second mounting surface 262.
[0588] A lower end of the evaporator case 1000 may be spaced apart
from the separation surface 263 of the mounting portion 260. A
drain member 1101 may be coupled to the lower end of the evaporator
case 1000.
[0589] A first bead corresponding portion 1003a may be formed on
the first mounting flange 1003 of the evaporator case 1000. A
second bead corresponding portion 1004a may be formed on the second
mounting flange 1004 of the evaporator case 1000.
[0590] When the evaporator case 1000 is mounted on the mounting
portion 260, the first bead corresponding portion 1003a may be
fitted and mounted in the first bead portion 210 formed on the
upper wall of the inner case 200. When the evaporator case 1000 is
mounted on the mounting portion 260, the second bead corresponding
portion 1004a may be fitted and mounted in the second bead portion
220 formed on the left wall of the inner case 200. Through this,
the evaporator case 1000 can be mounted more firmly.
[0591] As described above, the evaporator case 1000 mounted on the
mounting portion 260 of the inner case 200 may be fastened to the
fourth fastening portion 6211 and the sixth fastening portion 6223
formed on the partition wall 600 by a fastening member inserted
through a first screw insertion hole 1007 formed in the front
surface of the evaporator case 1000, and thus may be fixed to the
inner case 200 and the partition wall 600.
[0592] A grid rib 1008 may be formed on a left outer peripheral
surface of the evaporator case 1000.
[0593] A support flange 1030 extending in a peripheral outward
direction may be formed at a rear edge of the evaporator case
1000.
[0594] The support flange 1030 may be configured so that the outer
case 100 can be in close contact with the rear end of the
evaporator case 1000 mounted on the inner case 200. A rear surface
of the support flange 1030 may be in close contact with the inner
surface of the rear wall of the outer case 100.
[0595] Through this, the evaporator case 1000 may be disposed and
fixed between the inner case 200 and the outer case 100.
[0596] A cover fastening portion 1031 may be formed on the support
flange 1030.
[0597] The plurality of cover fastening portions 1031 may be formed
along the perimeter of the support flange 1030. The cover fastening
portion 1031 may be provided so that a fastening member can be
fastened from the rear side to the front side.
[0598] For example, the three cover fastening portions 1031 may be
formed on each of the upper part, the lower part, the left side,
and the right side of the support flange 1030. The outer case 100
and a thermal insulation cover 1300 to be described later may be
fixed to the evaporator case 1000 through the cover fastening
portions 1031.
[0599] An outer pressing portion 1032 may be formed on the inner
peripheral surface of the support flange 1030 to protrude to the
rear of the support flange 1030.
[0600] The outer pressing portion 1032 may be formed to protrude
rearward over the entire inner peripheral surface of the support
flange 1030. When the thermal insulation cover 1300 to be described
later is fastened and fixed to the evaporator case 1000, the outer
pressing portion 1032 may press a second packing 1340 to be
described later to maintain more reliably the airtightness inside
the evaporator case 1000.
[0601] The outer pressing portion 1032 may be positioned so as to
be inserted into the opening 101 of the outer case 100 from the
front side to the rear side and protrude to the rear side of the
opening 101.
[0602] A stepped surface 1040 may be formed on the inner peripheral
surface of the evaporator case 1000.
[0603] The stepped surface 1040 may be a surface formed in a shape
bent inward from the inner peripheral surface of the evaporator
case 1000. The stepped surface 1040 may be formed on the entire
inner peripheral surface of the evaporator case 1000.
[0604] The stepped surface 1040 may be formed to be stepped inward
with respect to the support flange 1030.
[0605] An inner pressing portion 1041 may be formed on the stepped
surface 1040.
[0606] The inner pressing portion 1041 may be formed to protrude
rearward over the entire perimeter of an inner edge of the stepped
surface 1040. When the thermal insulation cover 1300 to be
described later is fastened and fixed to the evaporator case 1000,
the inner pressing portion 1041 may press a first packing 1330 to
maintain more reliably the airtightness inside the evaporator case
1000.
[0607] The evaporator case 1000 may include an installation space
1010 and a fan accommodation portion 1020.
[0608] The installation space 1010 may be a space in which the
evaporator assembly 1100 and a guide portion 1200 to be described
later are installed. The installation space 1010 may be provided
inside the evaporator case 1000.
[0609] The installation space 1010 may have an opened rear surface.
A rear opening of the installation space 1010 may be formed in the
same shape as the opening 101 of the outer case 100. The
installation space 1010 may be positioned directly in front of the
opening 101 and communicate with the opening 101.
[0610] A drain hole 1012 may be formed in a lower surface inside
the installation space 1010. The drain member 1101 may be inserted
into the drain hole 1012. A protrusion (not shown) may be formed on
the drain member 1101, and the drain member 1101 may be fixed and
mounted to the drain hole 1012 by being fitted into a hole (not
shown) formed in an inner peripheral surface of the drain hole
1012.
[0611] The drain member 1101 may serve to guide defrost water
generated by melting the frost formed on the evaporator assembly
1100 by an operation of a defrost heater 1120 to the lower
side.
[0612] A convex portion 1013 may be formed at the center of the
front side inside the installation space 1010 due to the fan
accommodating portion 1020 to be described later that is concavely
formed from the front side to the rear side.
[0613] The left side of the convex portion 1013 may be integrally
attached to a left inner surface of the installation space 1010.
The right side of the convex portion 1013 may be spaced apart from
a right inner surface of the installation space 1010.
[0614] A workspace 1014 is provided between the right side of the
convex portion 1013 and the right inner surface of the installation
space 1010, and thus an operation such as welding of an evaporator
1110 installed inside the installation space 1010 can be easily
performed.
[0615] A guide fastening portion 1011 may be formed in the convex
portion 1013.
[0616] The guide fastening portion 1011 may be configured to fasten
and fix a guide portion 1200 to be described later to the
evaporator case 1000.
[0617] The guide portion 1200 to be described later may be
accommodated and installed in the inner front side of the
installation space 1010. The evaporator assembly 1100 to be
described later may be accommodated and installed in the inner rear
side of the installation space 1010.
[0618] The guide portion 1200 may be assembled in the front portion
of the installation space 1010 to guide a flow of the cold air,
that is sucked into the installation space 1010 from the ice making
compartment 60 through the cold air intake port 1002 to be
described later, to the lower end of the evaporator assembly 1100.
The evaporator assembly 1100 for providing the cool air to the ice
making compartment 60 through heat exchange by a refrigeration
cycle may be installed on the rear side of the installation space
1010, i.e., on the rear side of the guide portion 1200.
[0619] The evaporator assembly 1100 is installed in the
installation space 1010 through the opening 101 formed in the rear
wall of the outer case 100, and thus the user can very easily
assemble and install the evaporator assembly 1100 in the
installation space 1010 without obstacles such as spatial
constraints. Accordingly, maintenance of the evaporator assembly
1100 may be very easy.
[0620] The evaporator assembly 1100 and the guide portion 1200
installed in the installation space 1010 will be described in more
detail later.
[0621] The cold air discharge port 1001 and the cold air intake
port 1002 that communicate with the ice making compartment 60
through the communication hole 261a formed in the first mounting
surface 261 may be formed on the front side of the evaporator case
1000. The fan assembly 920 may be provided on the cold air intake
port 1002.
[0622] The cold air discharge port 1001 may be formed to pass
through the front upper portion of the evaporator case 1000 in the
front-rear direction to communicate the installation space 1010
with the ice making compartment 60. The cold air intake port 1002
may be formed to pass through the inclined surface of the front
center portion of the evaporator case 1000, i.e., an inclined lower
surface inside the fan accommodating portion 1020 to be described
later in the up-down direction to communicate the installation
space 1010 with the ice making compartment 60.
[0623] The cold air discharge port 1001 may be connected to the
cold air discharge duct 930 and may be configured to allow the cold
air heat-exchanged by the evaporator assembly 1100 of the
installation space 1010 to flow to the ice maker 700 installed in
the upper part of the ice making compartment 60. The cold air
intake port 1002 may be connected to the cold air exhaust duct 9212
and may be configured to allow the cold air that has passed through
the ice maker 700 and the ice storage bucket 800 to flow into the
installation space 1010 of the evaporator case 1000.
[0624] In this instance, the cold air sucked into the installation
space 1010 through the cold air intake port 1002 may be guided to
the lower side from the vicinity of the central portion of the
installation space 1010 according to the guide of the guide portion
1200 to be described later, and may flow from the lower end to the
upper end of the evaporator assembly 1100.
[0625] The fan accommodating portion 1020 that is recessed to the
rear side may be formed in the front center portion of the
evaporator case 1000.
[0626] The cold air intake port 1002 may be formed in the inclined
lower surface inside the fan accommodating portion 1020. The fan
accommodating portion 1020 may communicate with the cold air intake
port 1002.
[0627] The fan assembly 920 may be installed in the fan
accommodating portion 1020 so that the fan assembly 920 for
circulating the cold air provided by the heat exchange of the
evaporator assembly 1100 is disposed on the cold air intake port
1002, more specifically, directly on the cold air intake port
1002.
[0628] The cold air exhaust duct 9212 of the fan assembly 920 may
be in close contact with the upper end of the cold air intake port
1002, and thus the cold air exhaust passage 9212a and the cold air
intake port 1002 may airtightly communicate with each other.
[0629] Since the evaporator case 1000 includes both the
installation space 1010 in which the evaporator assembly 1100 is
installed and the fan accommodating portion 1020 in which the fan
assembly 920 is installed, there are advantages in that it is very
easy to assembly the evaporator assembly 1100 and the fan assembly
920, and the respective components can be arranged compactly.
[0630] A heating means 1050 may be installed in the evaporator case
1000.
[0631] The heating means 1050 may be configured to prevent water
droplets from forming on the peripheral surfaces of the outer case
100, the thermal insulation cover 1300, and the evaporator case
1000 due to a dew condensation phenomenon. The heating means 1050
may surround the outer peripheral surface of the rear side of the
evaporator case 1000.
[0632] The heating means 1050 may include a heating wire 1051 and
an adhesive member 1052.
[0633] The heating wire 1051 may be electrically connected to an
external power source and configured to generate heat. The heating
wire 1051 may be disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the
rear side of the evaporator case 1000.
[0634] The heating wire 1051 may be provided along the outer
peripheral surface of the rear side of the evaporator case 1000 so
that it is positioned on the front side of the cover fastening
portion 1031.
[0635] The heating wire 1051 may be provided to surround the outer
peripheral surface of the evaporator case 1000 so that two wire
lines are spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction.
The heating wire 1051 may consist of one wire line or three or more
wire lines, if necessary.
[0636] The heating wire 1051 provided on the outer peripheral
surface of the evaporator case 1000 may be fixed to the outer
peripheral surface of the evaporator case 1000 by the adhesive
member 1052.
[0637] The adhesive member 1052 may be configured to fix the
heating wire 1051 so as to prevent the heating wire 1051 from being
detached from the outer peripheral surface of the evaporator case
1000.
[0638] The adhesive member 1052 may be a tape attached to the outer
peripheral surface of the evaporator case 1000 while covering the
heating wire 1051.
[0639] In order to remove water droplets condensed on the outer
case 100, the thermal insulation cover 1300, and the evaporator
case 1000 or prevent water droplets from forming on the outer case
100, the thermal insulation cover 1300, and the evaporator case
1000, the heating means 1050 configured as above may operate at all
times to generate heat, or may periodically operate according to
the user's setting to generate heat, or may sense water droplets
condensed on the outer case 100, the thermal insulation cover 1300,
and the evaporator case 1000 and automatically operate according to
a result of sensing to generate heat.
[0640] The evaporator assembly 1100 may be accommodated and
installed in the evaporator case 1000.
[0641] The evaporator assembly 1100 may be configured to provide
the cold air to the ice making compartment 60.
[0642] The evaporator assembly 1100 may be accommodated on the rear
side of the installation space 1010 of the evaporator case 1000.
Before the evaporator assembly 1100 is accommodated in the
installation space 1010, the guide portion 1200 to be described
later may be previously accommodated and installed in the
installation space 1010.
[0643] The evaporator assembly 1100 may generate cold air in the
installation space 1010 and discharge the cold air to the cold air
discharge port 1001 formed in the evaporator case 1000.
[0644] The evaporator assembly 1100 may include the evaporator
1110, the defrost heater 1120, fins 1130, and a first conductive
plate 1140.
[0645] The evaporator 1110 may be a core component of the
evaporator assembly 1100. The evaporator 1110 may be assembled and
installed in the installation space 1010.
[0646] The evaporator 1110 may be configured to form a
refrigeration cycle in association with a compressor (not shown), a
condenser (not shown), and an expansion means (not shown). Through
this refrigerating cycle, the evaporator 1110 may exchange heat
between an inner refrigerant and the air around the evaporator 1110
in the installation space 1010 of the evaporator case 1000 to
generate cold air.
[0647] The defrost heater 1120 may be disposed adjacent to the
evaporator 1110.
[0648] The defrost heater 1120 may be disposed on the front side
and the rear side of the evaporator 1110. The evaporator 1110 may
be disposed to be inserted between the front portion and the rear
portion of the defrost heater 1120.
[0649] The defrost heater 1120 may be configured to melt frost
formed in the evaporator 1110 and flow it as defrost water.
[0650] The defrost heater 1120 may receive electric power from an
external power source to generate heat. This heat may be applied to
the evaporator 1110 and may melt the frost formed in the evaporator
1110 to thereby remove the frost formed in the evaporator 1110.
[0651] As above, the evaporator 1110 and the defrost heater 1120
may be fitted into the fins 1130 and coupled to each other.
[0652] The fins 1130 may be configured to improve a heat exchange
performance of the evaporator 1110. The plurality of fins 1130 may
be provided to be spaced apart from each other in the left-right
direction.
[0653] Clip portions 1131 may be formed on the outermost fins of
the plurality of fins 1130, i.e., the fins 1130 disposed on the
leftmost and rightmost sides.
[0654] The clip portion 1131 may be coupled and fixed to the first
conductive plate 1140.
[0655] The first conductive plate 1140 may be configured to conduct
heat generated in the defrost heater 1120 when the defrost heater
1120 operates, and evenly apply the heat to the evaporator 1110. It
is preferable that the first conductive plate 1140 is made of a
metal material with good thermal conductivity.
[0656] A clip accommodating surface 1141 concavely recessed toward
the front side may be formed on a rear surface of the first
conductive plate 1140.
[0657] Two clip accommodating surfaces 1141 may be formed on each
of the left and right sides of the first conductive plate 1140 in a
symmetrical form in the left-right direction.
[0658] Each clip accommodating surface 1141 may include a thin clip
hole 1142 formed to elongate in the up-down direction.
[0659] The clip hole 1142 may be formed at a right end of each of
the two clip accommodating surfaces 1141 disposed on the left side,
and may be formed at a left end of each of the two clip
accommodating surfaces 1141 disposed on the right side. Thus, the
clip holes 1142 may correspond to the clip portions 1131 formed at
the fins 1130.
[0660] Each corresponding clip portion 1131 may be inserted and
fixed to each clip hole 1142.
[0661] The cold air generated by the evaporator 1110 of the
evaporator assembly 1100 may have a flow circulated by the
operation of the fan assembly 920.
[0662] The cold air generated by the evaporator 1110 may be
discharged from the upper end of the evaporator 1110 through the
cold air discharge port 1001 via a discharge guide passage 1213 of
the guide portion 1200 to be described later.
[0663] The cold air discharged through the cold air discharge port
1001 may be guided to the cold air discharge passage 931 and
introduced into the cold air inlet passage 762a.
[0664] The cold air introduced into the cold air inlet passage 762a
may flow from the rear to the front of the cold air flow path 764
under the ice making mold 730 so that ice is generated in the ice
maker 700, and then may flow out downward through the cold air
outlet port 766.
[0665] The cold air flowing downward through the cold air outlet
port 766 may flow toward the rear of the bucket portion 830 via the
ice crushing portion 820 and the front of the bucket portion
830.
[0666] The cold air flowing toward the rear of the bucket portion
830 may be introduced into the lower part inside the driver housing
913 through the first cold air flow slit 9133. The cold air
introduced into the lower part inside the driver housing 913 may
flow out of the driver housing 913 through the second cold air flow
slit 9135.
[0667] The cold air flowing out through the second cold air flow
slit 9135 may be sucked into the cold air intake passage 9211a. The
cold air sucked into the cold air intake passage 9211a may be
discharged through the cold air exhaust passage 9212a.
[0668] The cold air discharged through the cold air exhaust passage
9212a may be sucked into intake guide passages 1212 and 1222 of the
guide portion 1200 to be described later through the cold air
intake port 1002, and may be guided to the lower end of the
evaporator 1100 installed inside the installation space 1010
according to the guide of the intake guide passages 1212 and
1222.
[0669] The cold air guided to the lower end of the evaporator 1100
passes upward through the evaporator 1110 and flows to the upper
end of the evaporator 1110, and thus the cold air circulation can
be entirely performed.
[0670] The guide portion 1200 may be accommodated and installed in
the evaporator case 1000.
[0671] The guide portion 1200 may be configured to guide a flow of
cold air between the ice making compartment 60 and the installation
space 1010 of the evaporator case 1000.
[0672] The guide portion 1200 may be accommodated in the front side
of the installation space 1010 of the evaporator case 1000 and may
be disposed in front of the evaporator assembly 1100. The guide
portion 1200 may be previously accommodated and installed in the
installation space 1010 before the evaporator assembly 1100 is
accommodated in the installation space 1010.
[0673] The convex portion 1013 in the installation space 1010 may
be inserted into a concave portion formed in the front center of
the guide portion 1200. The overall shape of the front side of the
installation space 1010 may correspond to the overall shape of the
guide portion 1200.
[0674] The discharge guide passage 1213 may be formed in the guide
portion 1200 to guide the cold air generated by the evaporator 1110
in the installation space 1010 to the ice making compartment 60.
The intake guide passages 1212 and 1222 may be formed in the guide
portion 1200 to guide the cool air sucked by the fan assembly 920
from the ice making compartment 60 to the inside of the
installation space 1010.
[0675] The guide portion 1200 is described in detail below.
[0676] The guide portion 1200 may include a first guide body 1210,
a second guide body 1220, and a second conductive plate 1230.
[0677] The first guide body 1210 may be configured to form the
upper portion and the rear portion of the guide portion 1200.
[0678] A first space blocking wall 1211 may be formed in the right
center portion of the first guide body 1210 and fitted in the
workspace 1014 provided in the installation space 1010 to fill the
workspace 1014.
[0679] The discharge guide passage 1213 penetrated in the
front-rear direction may be provided on an upper portion of the
first guide body 1210.
[0680] The discharge guide passage 1213 may be interposed between
the rear portion of the installation space 1010, i.e., the space,
in which the evaporator assembly 1100 is installed in the
installation space 1010, and the cold air discharge port 1001, and
may communicate with them.
[0681] A front end of the discharge guide passage 1213 may
communicate with the cold air discharge port 1001, and a rear end
of the discharge guide passage 1213 may be positioned in front of
the upper end of the evaporator 1110.
[0682] A front edge of the discharge guide passage 1213 may be in
close contact with a rear edge of the cold air discharge port 1001,
and thus the discharge guide passage 1213 and the cold air
discharge port 1001 may airtightly communication with each other. A
rear end of the discharge guide passage 1213 may be positioned
adjacent to the upper end of the evaporator 1110, and the cool air
that flows from the lower side to the upper side of the
installation space 1010 and passes through the evaporator 1110 may
be introduced into the discharge guide passage 1213.
[0683] A lower portion of the first guide body 1210 may be provided
with the first intake guide passage 1212 having an open front
surface, an open upper surface, an open lower surface, and a
partially open rear lower portion.
[0684] The first intake guide passage 1212 may constitute the
intake guide passages 1212 and 1222 together with the second intake
guide passage 1222 to be described later.
[0685] A fastening insertion hole 1214 may be formed on the front
center right side of the first guide body 1210, and the guide
fastening portion 1011 formed in the evaporator case 1000 may be
inserted into the fastening insertion hole 1214.
[0686] A fastening member inserted through a second screw insertion
hole 1232 of the second conductive plate 1230 to be described later
may be fastened to the guide fastening portion 1011 inserted into
the fastening insertion hole 1214, and thus the guide portion 1200
may be fixed to the evaporator case 1000.
[0687] The convex portion 1013 in the installation space 1010 may
be accommodated in the central portion of the first guide body
1210.
[0688] The second guide body 1220 may be disposed below the first
guide body 1210.
[0689] The second guide body 1220 may be matched with the lower
portion of the first guide body 1210 to constitute the guide
portion 1200. The first guide body 1210 and the second guide body
1220 may be matched and accommodated in the front side of the
installation space 1010.
[0690] The second guide body 1220 may be sandwiched between the
convex portion 1013 and the inner lower surface of the installation
space 1010.
[0691] A second space blocking wall 1221 may be formed in the right
upper portion of the second guide body 1220 and may be fitted in
the workspace 1014 provided in the installation space 1010 together
with the first space blocking wall 1211 to fill the workspace
1014.
[0692] The second intake guide passage 1222 having an open upper
surface and an open rear surface may be formed in the rear of the
second guide body 1220.
[0693] As the first guide body 1210 and the second guide body 1220
are matched and coupled, the second intake guide passage 1222 is
coupled to the first intake guide passage 1212 to constitute the
intake guide passages 1212 and 1222.
[0694] When the first guide body 1210 and the second guide body
1220 are matched, the open front surface of the first intake guide
passage 1212 may be closed by the front portion of the second guide
body 1220, and the open rear surface of the second intake guide
passage 1222 may be closed by the rear portion of the first guide
body 1210 except a portion of the lower part of the open rear
surface.
[0695] Through this, the intake guide passages 1212 and 1222 may be
provided as a passage that is formed to elongate in the up-down
direction, and has an open upper surface and a partially open rear
lower part.
[0696] The intake guide passages 1212 and 1222 may be a passage
having an inclination with a decreasing height as it goes from the
front to the rear.
[0697] The intake guide passages 1212 and 1222 may be interposed
between the rear portion of the installation space 1010, i.e., the
space, in which the evaporator assembly 1100 is installed in the
installation space 1010, and the cold air intake port 1002, and may
communicate with them.
[0698] Upper ends of the intake guide passages 1212 and 1222 may
communicate with the cold air intake port 1002, and lower ends may
be positioned in front of the lower end of the evaporator 1110.
[0699] Upper edges of the intake guide passages 1212 and 1222 may
be in close contact with a lower edge of the cold air intake port
1002, and thus the intake guide passages 1212 and 1222 and the cold
air intake port 1002 may airtightly communication with each other.
Lower rear end of the intake guide passages 1212 and 1222 may be
positioned adjacent to the lower end of the evaporator 1110, and
the intake guide passages 1212 and 1222 may guide so that the cool
air introduced into the installation space 1010 passes through the
lower end of the evaporator 1110 installed in the installation
space 1010 and flows to the upper side.
[0700] That is, even if the ice making compartment 60 and the cold
air intake port 1002 are positioned higher than the lower end of
the evaporator 1110, the cold air can be guided to the lower end of
the evaporator 1110 through the intake guide passages 1212 and
1222.
[0701] The first guide portion 1200 and the second guide portion
1200 may be made of a Styrofoam material. Hence, the guide portion
1200 may serve to guide the cold air and at the same time serve as
a thermal insulation wall between the refrigerator compartment 11
and the ice making compartment 60 and the installation space
1010.
[0702] The guide portion 1200 may individually include the first
guide body 1210 and the second guide body 1220. When foreign
substances are introduced into the intake guide passages 1212 and
1222 or cleaning in the intake guide passages 1212 and 1222 are
required, the matched first and second guide bodies 1210 and 1220
may be separated from each other and may easily maintain the first
intake guide passage 1212 and the second intake guide passage
1222.
[0703] The second conductive plate 1230 may be coupled to the rear
surface of the first guide body 1210 matched to the second guide
body 1220.
[0704] The second conductive plate 1230 may be configured to
conduct heat generated in the defrost heater 1120 when the defrost
heater 1120 operates, and evenly apply the heat to the evaporator
1110, in the same manner as the first conductive plate 1140. It is
preferable that the second conductive plate 1230 is made of a metal
material with good thermal conductivity.
[0705] The second conductive plate 1230 may be provided in the form
of covering from the rear center portion to the lower end of the
first guide body 1210. The second conductive plate 1230 may be
provided in the form in which a portion of the right side is bent
forward to cover a portion of the right side of the first guide
body 1210.
[0706] A plurality of cold air intake slits 1231 communicating with
the rear lower ends of the intake guide passages 1212 and 1222 may
be formed at the lower end of the second conductive plate 1230, and
the cold air guided through the intake guide passages 1212 and 1222
may be guided to the lower end of the evaporator 1110 via the cold
air intake slits 1231.
[0707] The first guide body 1210, the second guide body 1220, and
the second conductive plate 1230 may be attached and fixed to each
other as their upper center portions and lower center portions are
surrounded by a separate adhesive tape 1240. Hence, the matched
state of the first guide body 1210 and the second guide body 1220
and a state of covering the rear surface of the first guide body
1210 with the second conductive plate 1230 can be maintained, and
thus the guide portion 1200 can be entirely formed.
[0708] The adhesive tape 1240 may be attached to the guide portion
1200 before the guide portion 1200 is accommodated in the
installation space 1010.
[0709] The second screw insertion hole 1232 may be formed on the
right side of the second conductive plate 1230 and may be
penetrated in the front-rear direction.
[0710] As described above, as a fastening member inserted through
the second screw insertion hole 1232 is fastened to the guide
fastening portion 1011 of the evaporator case 1000 inserted into
the fastening insertion hole 1214 of the first guide body 1210, the
second conductive plate 1230 can be fixed to the first guide body
1210, the second guide body 1220, and the evaporator case 1000.
[0711] The thermal insulation cover 1300 matched to the rear of the
installation space 1010 may be installed in the opening 101 of the
outer case 100.
[0712] The thermal insulation cover 1300 may be fastened and
coupled to the rear wall of the outer case 100 and the evaporator
case 1000 by means of the fastening member, in order to seal the
opening 101 of the outer case 100 and the installation space 1010
from the outside of the main body 10.
[0713] More specifically, after the fastening member inserted
through a third screw insertion hole 1324b to be described later is
inserted into a cover fastening hole 101a formed in the outer case
100 along the edge of the opening 101, the thermal insulation cover
1300 may be fastened and fixed to the cover fastening portion 1031
of the evaporator case 1000 in a state in which the outer pressing
portion 1032 is fitted to the opening 101.
[0714] The plurality of third screw insertion holes 1324b, the
plurality of cover fastening holes 101a, and the plurality of cover
fastening portions 1031 may be provided so that they correspond to
each other.
[0715] The thermal insulation cover 1300 is mounted on or removed
from the rear wall of the outer case 100, and thus the opening 101
and the installation space 1010 can be opened and closed.
[0716] The thermal insulation cover 1300 may include an outer cover
1310 and an inner cover 1320 coupled to the outer cover 1310.
[0717] The outer cover 1310 may include an outer cover body 1311
having a side wall protruding forward along the edge at the rear
portion of the same shape as the opening 101 and an open rear
surface of the installation space 1010, and an outer cover flange
1312 protruding to the outside of an outer peripheral surface along
the outer peripheral surface of a rear end of the outer cover body
1311.
[0718] A third packing 1350 may be inserted into a side wall of the
outer cover body 1311. A compulsory fitting groove 1311a may be
provided on an inner peripheral surface of the side wall of the
outer cover body 1311. The outer cover flange 1312 may have a
protrusion accommodating groove 1312a recessed toward the rear
side.
[0719] The third packing 1350 may be fitted to the entire perimeter
of the side wall of the outer cover body 1311. The plurality of
compulsory fitting grooves 1311a may be formed to be spaced apart
from each other along the inner peripheral surface of the side wall
of the outer cover body 1311. The protrusion accommodating groove
1312a may be formed over the entire perimeter of the outer cover
flange 1312, and the front side of the protrusion accommodating
groove 1312a may be opened.
[0720] The inner cover 1320 may be coupled to the outer cover
1310.
[0721] The inner cover 1320 may include an inner cover body 1321
having a side wall protruding rearward along the edge at the front
portion of the same shape as the opening 101 and the open rear
surface of the installation space 1010, and an inner cover flange
1324 that protrudes to the outside of an outer peripheral surface
along the outer peripheral surface of a rear end of the inner cover
body 1321 and is formed to be stepped with respect to a front
surface of the inner cover body 1321.
[0722] A packing groove 1321a having an open front side may be
formed at a front edge of the inner cover body 1321 along the front
edge of the inner cover body 1321. A first packing 1330 having an
empty space therein may be inserted into the packing groove
1321a.
[0723] A portion of the first packing 1330 may protrude toward the
front side outside the packing groove 1321a. The first packing 1330
may be pressed by the inner pressing portion 1041 when the thermal
insulation cover 1300 is coupled to the rear wall of the outer case
100, and may be compressed on both peripheral surfaces inside the
packing groove 1321a and the inner rear surface of the packing
groove 1321a.
[0724] In this instance, the first packing 1330 seals between the
stepped surface 1040 of the evaporator case 1000 and a front end of
an outer peripheral wall of the packing groove 1321a, and thus can
maintain airtightness between the installation space 1010 and the
outside of the main body 10.
[0725] A compulsory fitting projection 1322 for the fixing with the
outer cover 1310 may be formed in the rear of an inner peripheral
surface of the inner cover body 1321. A packing insertion rib 1323
may be formed on the inner peripheral surface of the inner cover
body 1321 on the front side of the compulsory fitting projection
1322.
[0726] The plurality of compulsory fitting projections 1322 and the
plurality of packing insertion ribs 1323 may be formed to be spaced
apart from each other along the inner peripheral surface of the
inner cover body 1321. A packing fitting portion 1323a having an
open rear side may be formed at a rear end of the packing insertion
rib 1323.
[0727] The compulsory fitting projection 1322 may be provided to
correspond to the compulsory fitting groove 1311a. The compulsory
fitting projection 1322 may be inserted into the compulsory fitting
groove 1311a, and the outer cover 1310 and the inner cover 1320 may
be fitted and coupled to each other to configure the thermal
insulation cover 1300.
[0728] In this instance, the third packing 1350 fitted to the side
wall of the outer cover body 1311 may be pushed by the compulsory
fitting projection 1322 and may be partially inserted into the
compulsory fitting groove 1311a together with the compulsory
fitting projection 1322. A front portion of the third packing 1350
fitted to the side wall of the outer cover body 1311 may be fitted
into a packing fitting portion 1323a together with the side wall of
the outer cover body 1311.
[0729] A packing adhesion groove 1324a that is recessed toward the
rear side and has an open front surface may be formed on the inner
side of the front perimeter of the inner cover flange 1324. The
second packing 1340 may be inserted into contact with the rear
outer peripheral surface of the thermal insulation cover 1300,
i.e., the rear outer peripheral surface of the side wall of the
inner cover body 1321.
[0730] The packing adhesion groove 1324a may be formed over the
entire perimeter of the front surface of the inner cover flange
1324. A portion of the second packing 1340 fitted to the side wall
of the inner cover body 1321, i.e., an outer perimeter of a rear
surface of the second packing 1340 may be in close contact with the
front surface of the inner cover flange 1324. A remaining portion
of the second packing 1340 fitted to the side wall of the inner
cover body 1321, i.e., an inner perimeter of the rear surface of
the second packing 1340 may be disposed to cover the open front
surface of the packing adhesion groove 1324a.
[0731] When the thermal insulation cover 1300 is coupled to the
rear wall of the outer case 100, the second packing 1340 may be
compressed by the inner cover flange 1324 and the rear wall of the
outer case 100 and at the same time pressed by the outer pressing
portion 1032, and thus may be forcibly inserted into the packing
adhesion groove 1324a. Through this, the second packing 1340 can
doubly maintain airtightness between the installation space 1010
and the outside of the main body 10 together with the first packing
1330.
[0732] The inner cover flange 1324 may include the third screw
insertion hole 1324b penetrated in the front-rear direction.
[0733] The third screw insertion hole 1324b may be a hole for
fixing the thermal insulation cover 1300 to the outer case 100 and
the evaporator case 1000. The plurality of third screw insertion
holes 1324b may be formed to be spaced apart from each other along
the perimeter of the inner cover flange 1324. The third screw
insertion hole 1324b may be provided on the outside of the packing
adhesion groove 1324a.
[0734] In a state in which the thermal insulation cover 1300 is
matched to the installation space 1010 through the opening 101, a
fastening member may be inserted into the third screw insertion
hole 1324b. The fastening member inserted into the third screw
insertion hole 1324b is fastened to the cover fastening portion
1031 of the evaporator case 1000 via the cover fastening hole 101a
of the outer case 100, and thus the thermal insulation cover 1300,
the outer case 100, and the evaporator case 1000 can be firmly
fixed to each other.
[0735] The rear surface of the inner cover flange 1324 may be
provided with cover handles 1325 that protrude to the rear side and
are formed symmetrically at both ends with respect to the center of
the thermal insulation cover 1300.
[0736] For example, the cover handles 1325 includes a cover handle
disposed on the lower left side of the rear surface of the inner
cover flange 1324 which is the lower left side of the rear surface
of the thermal insulation cover 1300, and a cover handle disposed
on the upper right side of the rear surface of the inner cover
flange 1324 which is the upper right side of the rear surface of
the thermal insulation cover 1300. Hence, when the user opens and
closes the thermal insulation cover 1300, the user can easily open
and close the thermal insulation cover 1300 while holding the cover
handles 1325.
[0737] A cover thermal insulation material 1301 is provided inside
the thermal insulation cover 1300, i.e., in the space between the
outer cover 1310 and the inner cover 1320 coupled to each other,
and can perform more effectively the thermal insulation between the
installation space 1010 of the evaporator case 1000 and the outside
of the main body 10.
[0738] A cover protrusion 1326 extending to the rear side may be
formed over the entire perimeter of a rear end edge of a side wall
of the inner cover body 1321.
[0739] The cover protrusion 1326 may be inserted into the
protrusion accommodating groove 1312a when the outer cover 1310 and
the inner cover 1320 are coupled, and may facilitate the coupling
between the outer cover 1310 and the inner cover 1320.
[0740] A space blocking part 1327 may be formed on the front right
side of the thermal insulation cover 1300.
[0741] The space blocking part 1327 may be formed in a shape
protruding from the front right side of the inner cover body 1321
to the front side. The space blocking part 1327 may be inserted
into the right part of the installation space 1010, which is a
remaining portion other than a portion of the installation space
1010 in which the guide portion 1200 and the evaporator assembly
1100 are installed, and may fill an unnecessary space, thereby
preventing the cold air from circulating in the unnecessary
space.
[0742] The thermal insulation cover 1300 configured as above is
doubly sealed to the evaporator case 1000 through the first packing
1330 and the second packing 1340, and can maintain more reliably
the airtightness of the opening 101 for the outside of the main
body 10 and the installation space 1010.
[0743] An embodiment of the present disclosure has been described
using that the partition wall 600 forming the ice making
compartment 60 and the evaporator assembly 1100 installed in the
evaporator case 1000 are applied to an upper left edge of the main
body 10, as an example. However, conversely, they may be applied to
an upper right edge of the main body 10, if necessary or
desired.
[0744] Although the embodiments have been described with reference
to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, numerous other
modifications and embodiments may be devised by those skilled in
the art that will fall within the scope of the principles of the
present disclosure. In particular, various variations and
modifications are possible in the component parts and/or
arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the
scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In
addition to variations and modifications in the component parts
and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to
those skilled in the art.
DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
TABLE-US-00001 [0745] 10: main body 46: rail assembly 60: ice
making compartment 100: outer case 200: inner case 300: pivoting
door 400: drawer door 600: partition wall 700: ice maker 800: ice
storage bucket 900: driver fan duct assembly 1000: evaporator case
1100: evaporator assembly 1200: guide portion 1300: thermal
insulation cover
* * * * *