Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10718552-B2
Application number	US-201815959671-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2018
Priority date	Jun 1, 2017
Publication date	Jul 21, 2020
Grant date	Jul 21, 2020

Abstract

Provided is a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a main body defining a storage space, a cryogenic freezing compartment provided in the storage space, and a thermoelectric module assembly disposed at one side of the cryogenic freezing compartment so that the cryogenic freezing compartment is cooled to a temperature less than that of the storage space. The cryogenic freezing compartment includes a cryogenic case into which an insulation material is filled to be thermally insulated from the storage space and in which a cryogenic freezing space is defined, a case door opening and closing the cryogenic case, and a rail assembly connecting the cryogenic case to the case door and extending and contracted in multi-stages to allow the case door to be slid to be inserted and withdrawn. The rail assembly is mounted on the cryogenic case outside the cryogenic freezing space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a main body that defines a storage space;
a cryogenic freezing compartment located in the storage space and configured to maintain a temperature that is less than a temperature of the storage space; and
a thermoelectric module assembly located at a side of the cryogenic freezing compartment and configured to cool the cryogenic freezing compartment,
wherein the cryogenic freezing compartment comprises:
a cryogenic case that includes an insulation material configured to insulate the cryogenic freezing compartment from the storage space, the cryogenic case defining a cryogenic freezing space,
a case door configured to open and close at least a portion of the cryogenic case,
a rail assembly including one or more rails located at the cryogenic case outside of the cryogenic freezing space and configured to connect the case door to the cryogenic case, the rail assembly being configured to extend from and retract to the cryogenic case to cause the case door to withdraw from and insert to the cryogenic case, respectively,
a rail mounting recess defined at a bottom surface of the cryogenic case and configured to couple to the rail assembly,
a rail cover that is coupled to a rear surface of the case door, that is configured to cover the rail assembly, and that is configured to move relative to the rail assembly, and
a cover guide part defined at the bottom surface of the cryogenic case and configured to receive the rail cover based on insertion and withdrawal of the case door with respect to the cryogenic case.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the rail cover comprises:
a cover part that extends from a lower end of the rear surface of the case door to a front surface of the cryogenic case; and
a cover fixing part that extends upward from a front end of the cover part and that is configured to couple to an inside of the case door.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the cover part comprises:
a coupling surface configured to couple to the rail assembly and to move together with the rail assembly based on extension and retraction of the rail assembly with respect to the cryogenic case;
a side cover surface that is bent from an outer end of the coupling surface toward the rail assembly and that covers an outer portion of the rail assembly; and
a guide surface that is bent from an inner end of the coupling surface toward the cover guide part and that is configured to guide movement of the rail cover in the cover guide part.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the cryogenic freezing compartment further comprises a support frame configured to receive food and located at a rear surface of the case door, and
wherein the support frame is configured to, based on the case door being opened and closed, withdraw from and insert into the cryogenic freezing space within the cryogenic case, respectively.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the support frame comprises:
a pair of frame fixing parts that are configured to couple to the rear surface of the case door and that extend in a vertical direction with respect to a bottom surface of the cryogenic case; and
a support plate that extends rearward from lower ends of the pair of frame fixing parts, that is configured to support food, and that is located vertically above the rail assembly.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the cryogenic freezing compartment further comprises a cryogenic accommodation member that is configured to receive food, that is located on the support plate, and that is configured to withdraw outside of the cryogenic case based on the case door being opened.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the cryogenic freezing compartment further comprises a spacer that is located at a rear end of the support frame between a side surface of the support frame and an inner surface of the cryogenic freezing compartment, that is configured to contact the inner surface of the cryogenic freezing compartment, and that is configured to guide the support frame to insert into and withdraw from the cryogenic freezing compartment.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein the spacer comprises a plastic material configured to reduce abrasion and friction between the spacer and the inner surface of the cryogenic freezing compartment.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein the spacer comprises a pair of spacers that face inner surfaces of the cryogenic freezing compartment, each spacer being configured to contact a lower end of a respective inner surface of the cryogenic freezing compartment, and
wherein the support frame is configured to insert into and withdraw from the cryogenic freezing compartment based on each spacer maintaining contact with the lower end of the respective inner surface of the cryogenic freezing compartment.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein the spacer comprises:
a side part configured to contact the inner surface of the cryogenic freezing compartment; and
a bottom part that is bent from a lower end of the side part and that is configured to contact a bottom surface of the cryogenic freezing compartment.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 10 , wherein the spacer further comprises:
an insertion fixing part that is located at an upper end of the side part of the spacer and that is configured to insert to the support frame; and
a bent part that extends upward from the bottom part of the spacer and that is configured to receive an end of the support frame.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the cryogenic freezing compartment further comprises a cryogenic gasket located at a circumference of a rear surface of the case door and configured to contact a front surface of the cryogenic case, and
wherein the cryogenic gasket comprises:
a first part configured to couple to the rear surface of the case door, and
a second part that protrudes rearward from the first part and that is configured to contact the front surface of the cryogenic case, the second part surrounding an empty inner space within the cryogenic gasket.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 12 , wherein the cryogenic gasket further comprises an insulation member disposed in at least a portion of the inner space of the second part of the cryogenic gasket, the insulation member comprising an elastic material configured to insulate the cryogenic freezing compartment from the storage space.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 12 , wherein the cryogenic case defines an opening at the front surface of the cryogenic case,
wherein the case door includes a case protrusion that protrudes from the rear surface of the case door toward the cryogenic case and that is configured to insert into the opening defined at the front surface of the cryogenic case, and
wherein the cryogenic gasket is disposed around a circumference of the case protrusion.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 14 , wherein the second part of the cryogenic gasket defines a gasket opening that faces toward the case protrusion.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the rail assembly comprises a plurality of rails and is configured to extend or retract in multiple stages based on relative movement of the plurality of rails.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 16 , wherein the plurality of rails comprise:
a first rail coupled to the cryogenic case; and
a second rail coupled to the case door and configured to move relative to the first rail.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Park Yoomin
• Son Jinho
• Song Hozin

Classifications

• F25D11/04

  specially adapted for storing deep-frozen articles (F25D11/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F25D25/025

  Drawers · CPC title

• F25D23/12

  Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove · CPC title

• F25D23/08

  Parts formed wholly or mainly of plastics materials · CPC title

• F25D23/028

  Details · CPC title