Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11029074-B2
Application number	US-201916588401-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2019
Priority date	Dec 11, 2015
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed is a refrigerator including a cabinet, a storage compartment provided in the cabinet to form a single space in which a storage item is stored, a single door for opening or closing the space formed by the storage compartment, a first cold air supply duct and a second cold air supply duct provided respectively on left and right sides of the single storage compartment, the first cold air supply duct and the second cold air supply duct supplying different amounts of cold air, and a storage unit for being pushed into or pulled from the storage compartment in a front-and-rear direction along with the door.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet; a storage compartment that is provided in the cabinet and that defines a space configured to receive a storage item; a door configured to open and close the space defined by the storage compartment; a first cold air supply duct and a second cold air supply duct provided respectively on left and right sides of the storage compartment, the first cold air supply duct and the second cold air supply duct being configured to supply different amounts of cold air; and a storage unit configured to be pushed into or pulled from the storage compartment in a front-and-rear direction along with the door, the storage unit including a first storage unit provided on the left side, and a second storage unit provided on the right side; a temperature sensor that is configured to measure a temperature inside of the storage compartment; and a controller configured to, based on measurement of the temperature sensor, maintain the first storage unit and the second storage unit at different temperatures, wherein the first cold air supply duct and the second cold air supply duct are connected to a duct unit, and configured to receive cold air from the duct unit; and wherein the duct unit is provided with a first damper and a second damper, which selectively open or close the first cold air supply duct and the second cold air supply duct respectively.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the storage compartment defines therein the space, to which the cold air supplied from the first cold air supply duct and the second cold air supply duct moves.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an insulator located between the first storage unit and the second storage unit for separating the first storage unit and the second storage unit from each other,
wherein the insulator has a greater thickness than a thickness of a wall of the first storage unit or the second storage unit.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein the storage compartment includes an insulating partition located below the insulator.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the insulating partition includes a roller for supporting a bottom of the insulator so that the insulator is movable.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , further comprising a housing for accommodating the insulating partition,
wherein the housing includes a rib protruding from an outer circumferential surface thereof.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6 , wherein the insulator includes a rib that extends downward.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the door and the first storage unit define a first space therebetween so that the cold air discharged from the first cold air supply duct passes through the first space.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the door and the second storage unit define a second space therebetween so that the cold air discharged from the second cold air supply duct passes through the second space.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the first storage unit and the second storage unit are located so as to be spaced apart from a bottom surface of the storage compartment.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a first heater located below the first storage unit,
wherein, when the first heater is operated, the second cold air supply duct supplies a greater amount of cold air than an amount of cold air supplied when the first heater is not operated.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a second heater located below the second storage unit,
wherein, when the second heater is operated, the first cold air supply duct supplies a greater amount of cold air than an amount of cold air supplied when the second heater is not operated.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first heater located below the first storage unit; and
a second heater located below the second storage unit,
wherein, when a difference between set temperatures of the first storage unit and the second storage unit is increased, an operation factor of the first heater or the second heater that is operated is increased compared to a case where the set temperatures of the first storage unit and the second storage unit are the same.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein, when a difference between set temperatures of the first storage unit and the second storage unit is increased, a greater amount of cold air is supplied compared to a case where the set temperatures of the first storage unit and the second storage unit are the same.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a refrigerating compartment provided in the cabinet at an upper side of the storage compartment so as to be isolated from the storage compartment; and
a freezing compartment provided in the cabinet at a lower side of the storage compartment so as to be isolated from the storage compartment.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 15 , wherein the duct unit is configured to supply cold air to the first cold air supply duct, the second cold air supply duct, and the refrigerating compartment.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 15 , wherein the first storage unit is controlled so as to be maintained at a temperature equal to or above zero degrees, and the second storage unit is controlled so as to be maintained at a temperature equal to or below zero degrees.

18. The refrigerator according to claim 15 , wherein the first storage unit is controlled so as to be maintained at a temperature similar to a control temperature of the refrigerating compartment, and the second storage unit is controlled so as to be maintained at a temperature similar to a control temperature of the freezing compartment.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Han Tackwon
• Han Junsoo

Classifications

• F25D2700/121

  of particular compartments · CPC title

• F25D2317/061

  through special compartments · CPC title

• F25D23/069

  Cooling space dividing partitions · CPC title

• F25D2317/067

  characterised by air ducts · CPC title

• F25D25/025

  Drawers · CPC title