Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10739059-B2
Application number	US-201916451930-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2019
Priority date	Sep 29, 2016
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

A refrigerator includes an evaporator inclined in a left-right direction and a defrosting water tray provided below the evaporator to collect defrosting water, and having inclined surfaces corresponding to a shape of the evaporator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet including a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber arranged below the refrigerating chamber;
a partition wall provided between the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber;
an evaporator case arranged in the freezing chamber and located on a lower surface of the partition wall;
an evaporator provided inside the evaporator case, the evaporator including a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, and a fan suction passage formed between the first and second heat exchangers to allow cold air passing through the first and second heat exchangers to flow through the fan suction passage;
a defrosting water tray provided below the evaporator to collect defrosting water, the defrosting water tray having a recess defining a central portion of the defrosting water tray and formed below the fan suction passage;
a grill cover arranged on a rear side of the evaporator case and in which a fan is mounted, the grill cover including:
a first grill cover including a fan suction port into which the cold air passing through the evaporator is introduced and a supplying port through which the cold air passing through the fan is discharged; and
a second grill cover provided at a rear side of the first grill cover and including a fan seat on which the fan is provided,
a drain pipe provided adjacent to the evaporator and configured to discharge water collected in the recess of the defrosting water tray, wherein the first grill cover is formed with a first cover insertion hole and the second grill cover is formed with a second cover insertion hole, and wherein the defrosting water tray passes through the first and second cover insertion holes and is connected with the drain pipe.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the recess is declined from a front to a rear of the refrigerator by a first angle.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the defrosting water tray includes a tray guide that is inserted into the drain pipe and is declined from the recess to the rear of the refrigerator.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the tray guide includes:
a first tray guide extending from the recess at a second angle toward a rear of the refrigerator; and
a second tray guide extending from the first tray guide at a third angle toward a rear of the refrigerator.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the third angle is larger than the first angle and smaller than the second angle.

6. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the evaporator case includes a cover provided below the defrosting water tray, the cover having a cover guide that supports a lower side of the tray guide, and wherein the tray guide and at least part of the cover guide are inserted into the drain pipe.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the cover guide includes a discharge hole formed at an end of the tray guide and configured to allow the defrosting water to flow from the tray guide to the drain pipe.

8. The refrigerator of claim 6 , further comprising:
a tray insulator arranged below the defrosting water tray; and
a heater provided between the tray insulator and the defrosting water tray.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1 ,
wherein at least a portion of the defrosting water tray is arranged below the blowing fan.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further including:
a condensed water guide that protrudes from a surface of the first grill cover and is configured to allow the condensed water generated around the fan suction port to flow downward.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the condensed water guide is connected to the first cover insertion hole.

12. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the defrosting water tray includes a first inclined surface corresponding to the first heat exchanger and a second inclined surface corresponding to the second heat exchanger.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the defrosting water tray further includes a third inclined surface inclined from the recess to the first inclined surface.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein the defrosting water tray further includes a fourth inclined surface inclined from the recess to the second inclined surface.

15. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein an angle of the third inclined surface is larger than an angle of the first inclined surface and an angle of the fourth inclined surface is larger than an angle of the second inclined surface with respect to a horizontal.

16. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the defrosting water tray is symmetrical with respect to the recess.

17. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein a width of the recess converges toward a rear of the refrigerator.

18. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the evaporator case further includes inlet guides formed on opposite sides of the evaporator case and configured to introduce cold air in the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber, and wherein the cold air introduced through the inlet guides passes through the first and second heat exchangers.

19. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a machine room formed below the freezing chamber and in which a compressor is installed, wherein the drain pipe extends downward and communicates with the machine room.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Han Junsoo
• Kim Dongseok
• Byun Kangsoo
• Lee Younseok

Classifications

• F25D2321/1441

  inside a refrigerator · CPC title

• F25D2317/0664

  from the side · CPC title

• F25D2321/142

  characterised by droplet guides · CPC title

• F25D2317/0681

  Details thereof · CPC title

• F25D2317/067

  characterised by air ducts · CPC title