Refrigerator

• US 9,303,913 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2011
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Ha, Kyungho
• Primary Examiner(s): Bauer, Cassey D
• Application Number:
  US13/825,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20130174598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,681 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/10 Refrigerator units
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/00 Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/065 with compartments at different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/068 Arrangements for circulating fluids through the insulating material
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/062 along the inside of doors
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/067 characterised by air ducts

Abstract

Provided is a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a cabinet defining a storage space, a heat exchange chamber defined in a side of the cabinet to receive an evaporator, an ice making compartment defined in at least one region of the storage space to define an insulation space for making ices; and a cool air duct connecting the heat exchange chamber to the ice making compartment to provide a passage for guiding a flow of cool air. The cool air duct includes a cover part defining inner and outer appearance of the cool air duct and an insulation part formed of an insulation material, the insulation part being disposed inside the cover part.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a cabinet defining a storage space;

a heat exchange chamber defined in a side of the cabinet and configured to receive an evaporator;

an ice making compartment defined in a region of the storage space and configured to define an insulation space for making ice; and

a cool air duct configured to connect the heat exchange chamber to the ice making compartment and provide a passage for guiding a flow of cool air between the heat exchange chamber and the ice making compartment,

wherein the cool air duct comprises;

a first duct member that defines a first side of the cool air duct;

a second duct member that defines a second side of the cool air duct, the second side of the cool air duct being opposite of the first side of the cool air duct;

a plurality of cool air supply passages defined inside the cool air duct;

a plurality of cool air return passages defined inside the cool air duct, the plurality of cool air return passages being isolated from the plurality of cool air supply passages; and

an insulation part that includes an insulation material,

wherein the first duct member includes;

a first cover part including;

a first outer surface part defining an outer surface of the first side of the cool air duct; and

a first inner surface part defining an opposite surface of the first outer surface part;

wherein the second duct member includes;

a second cover part including;

a second outer surface part defining an outer surface of the second side of the cool air duct; and

a second inner surface part defining an opposite surface of the second outer surface part;

wherein the insulation part is disposed between and inside of the first cover part and the second cover part,

wherein the first inner surface part of the first cover part includes;

a first plurality of recess parts; and

a first plurality of protrusion parts which are alternately arranged with the first plurality of recess parts,

wherein the second inner surface part of the second cover part includes;

a second plurality of recess parts; and

a second plurality of protrusion parts which are alternately arranged with the second plurality of recess parts,

wherein the first plurality of recess parts of the first duct member face the second plurality of recess parts of the second duct member to establish the plurality of cool air supply and return passages defined inside the cool air duct, and

wherein the first plurality of protrusion parts of the first duct member contact the second plurality of protrusion parts of the second duct member to partition the plurality of cool air supply and return passages from each other.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second duct members includes:

a supply passage inlet for supplying the cool air in the heat exchange chamber to the plurality of cool air supply passages in the cool air duct;

a supply passage outlet for discharging the cool air flowing along the plurality of cool air supply passages;

a return passage inlet for returning the cool air in the ice making compartment to the plurality of cool air return passages in the cool air duct; and

a return passage outlet for discharging the cool air along the plurality of cool air return passages.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the supply passage inlet and the return passage outlet are formed at a first end of the one of the first and second duct members, and

wherein the supply passage outlet and the return passage inlet are formed at a second end of the one of the first and second duct member.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the cabinet comprises:

an outer case defining an outer appearance of the refrigerator;

an inner case coupled to an inside of the outer case and defining the storage space; and

an insulation material filled in a space between the inner case and the outer case,

wherein the cool air duct is disposed in the space between the outer case and the inner case.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4, further comprising:

one or more first support parts protruding from the first outer surface part of the first cover part of the first duct member; and

one or more second support parts protruding from the second outer surface part of the second cover part of the second duct member,

wherein the one or more first support parts and the one or more second support parts contact at least one of the outer case and the inner case to allow the cool air duct to be spaced from the outer case and the inner case.