Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11293685-B2
Application number	US-201916534256-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2019
Priority date	Mar 10, 2017
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a partition wall provided between first and second storage chambers and having a partition wall insulator, an evaporator case arranged in the partition wall and communicating with the first and second storage chambers, an evaporator installed inside the evaporator case, a grill cover provided on a rear side of the evaporator case and configured to accommodate a blower fan, and support guides provided in the grill cover and supporting a rear portion of the evaporator, such that an internal storage space of the refrigerator is increased, and a withdrawal distance of a drawer provided in the refrigerator is increased.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet including a first storage chamber and a second storage chamber;
a partition wall provided between the first and second storage chambers, the partition wall being configured to vertically separate the first and second storage chambers;
an evaporator casing provided at the partition wall and including a first cover and a second cover provided at a lower side of the first cover, the first and the second covers being configured to define a heat exchange chamber;
an evaporator installed inside the heat exchange chamber;
a grill cover provided at a rear side of the evaporator, the grill cover being configured to support a rear portion of the evaporator;
a blower fan received in the grill cover;
a hook provided between the first cover and the second cover, the hook being coupled to the first cover and configured to support a front portion of the evaporator,
wherein the hook includes
a pipe support configured to support at least one of the refrigerant pipes, and
a cover coupler that extends upward from the pipe support and is configured to be coupled to the first case.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the evaporator includes refrigerant pipes and a plurality of fins coupled to the refrigerant pipes, and wherein the hook is configured to support the refrigerant pipes.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant pipes include:
at least one linear pipe to which the fins are coupled; and
at least one bent pipe that extends from an end of the linear pipe and connects to adjacent parallel refrigerant pipes.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the hook is provided beneath the at least one bent pipe.

5. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the pipe support includes a plurality of pipe supports provided at both sides of the cover coupler, and wherein the plurality of pipe supports support a plurality of bent pipes.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the first cover includes a hook coupler to which the cover coupler is coupled, and wherein the cover coupler protrudes from a lower surface of the first cover.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the first cover includes a first upper cover in which a recess is formed, and wherein the hook coupler is provided at the recess.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the evaporator includes:
a first heat exchanger inclined from a central portion of the evaporator toward a first lateral side of the refrigerator; and
a second heat exchanger inclined from the central portion of the evaporator toward a second lateral side of the refrigerator opposite the first lateral side.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein the recess is formed at a center of the first upper cover, and wherein the first upper cover is inclined upward from the recess to the first and the second lateral sides of the refrigerator.

10. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the first cover further includes a front cover provided in front of the evaporator and side covers extending rearward from opposite sides of the front cover, wherein the first upper cover connects tops of the side covers to each other.

11. The refrigerator of claim 7 , further comprising a first holder provided at a front part of the evaporator and configured to support the refrigerant pipes, wherein the first holder includes through-holes through which portions of the refrigerant pipes pass.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein the hook contacts the portions of the refrigerant pipes that protrude through the first holder.

13. The refrigerator of claim 2 , further comprising at least one support guide provided in the grill cover and configured to support the refrigerant pipes.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein the grill cover includes a first grill cover, and wherein the first grill cover includes:
a fan suction port configured to suck cold air passing through the evaporator and guide the cold air to the blower fan; and
at least one first supply port provided adjacent to the fan suction port and configured to discharge the air passing through the blower fan to the second storage chamber.

15. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the at least one support guide includes a plurality of support guides provided on opposite sides of the fan suction port.

16. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the grill cover further includes a second grill cover coupled to a rear portion of the first grill cover, and wherein the second grill cover includes:
a fan seat on which the blower fan is seated; and
a coupling guide provided adjacent to the fan seat, the coupling guide being configured to protrude forward from a front portion of the second grill cover to support a rear portion of the first grill cover.

17. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the grill cover further includes a third grill cover coupled to a lower side of the first grill cover, and wherein the third grill cover includes a second supply port configured to discharge cold air passing through the blower fan to the second storage chamber.

18. The refrigerator of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the first grill cover and the third grill cover includes a first cover inserting portion into which the second cover is inserted, and wherein the first cover inserting portion includes a first recess recessed upward from a lower edge of the first grill cover and a second recess recessed downward from an upper edge of the third grill cover.

19. The refrigerator of claim 11 , further including a second holder coupled to a rear portion of the evaporator, wherein the at least one support guide includes a first pipe support that supports a bent portion of the refrigerant pipes which protrude from the second holder.

20. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet including a first storage chamber and a second storage chamber;
a partition wall provided between the first and second storage chambers, the partition wall being configured to vertically separate the first and second storage chambers;
an evaporator casing provided at the partition wall and including a first cover and a second cover provided at a lower side of the first cover, the first and the second covers being configured to define a heat exchange chamber;
an evaporator installed inside the heat exchange chamber, the evaporator including a first refrigerant pipe and a second refrigerant pipe spaced apart from the each other;
a grill cover provided at a rear side of the evaporator, the grill cover being configured to support a rear portion of the evaporator;
a blower fan received in the grill cover; and
a hook provided between the first cover and the second cover and configured to support a front portion of the evaporator,
wherein the hook includes
a first portion provided between the first and the second refrigerant pipes, and
a second portion extending from the first portion and coupled to the first cover.

21. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet including a first storage chamber and a second storage chamber;
a partition wall provided between the first and second storage chambers, the partition wall being configured to vertically separate the first and second storage chambers;
an evaporator casing provided at the partition wall and including a first cover and a second cover provided at a lower side of the first cover, the first and the second covers being configured to define a heat exchange chamber;
an evaporator installed inside the heat exchange chamber, the evaporator including refrigera

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Han Junsoo
• Lee Younseok
• Kim Dongseok

Classifications

• F25D2321/1441

  inside a refrigerator · CPC title

• F25D2321/146

  characterised by the pipes or pipe connections · CPC title

• F25D2400/04

  Refrigerators with a horizontal mullion · CPC title

• F25D23/069

  Cooling space dividing partitions · CPC title

• F25D2317/0653

  through the mullion · CPC title