Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11300348-B2
Application number	US-202016922497-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2020
Priority date	Jan 4, 2017
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a storage space, a freezing chamber defining an insulating space configured to maintain a chamber temperature independent from the storage space, an evaporator in the storage space, a grille panel assembly that defines an evaporator space configured to accommodate the evaporator and at least a portion of the storage space, a thermoelectric element assembly including a thermoelectric element, a heat sink, and a cold sink to cool the freezing chamber to a temperature less than the temperature of the storage space, a module accommodation portion located at a side of the grille panel assembly, a defrost water guide that communicates with the module accommodation portion and the evaporator space and that is configured to discharge defrost water generated during a defrost operation of the freezing chamber, and a defrost heater located in the module accommodation portion and configured to melt ice during the defrost operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a main body defining a storage space;
a freezing chamber defining an insulating space configured to maintain a chamber temperature that is less than a temperature of the storage space;
an evaporator configured to cool the storage space;
a grille panel assembly that defines an evaporator space that accommodates the evaporator and at least a portion of the storage space;
a thermoelectric element assembly that is located at a side of the freezing chamber, the thermoelectric element assembly comprising a thermoelectric element, a heat sink, and a cold sink that is configured to cool the freezing chamber to the chamber temperature;
a module accommodation portion that is located at the grille panel assembly and that accommodates at least a portion of the thermoelectric element assembly; and
a defrost water guide that is coupled to a rear side of the grille panel assembly and that extends from the module accommodation portion toward the evaporator space,
wherein the grille panel assembly comprises:
a grille panel that defines a rear wall of the storage space, the grille panel defining an inlet port and a discharge port that are configured to pass air, and
a shroud that defines a wall surface of the evaporator space, that is coupled to the grille panel, and that is spaced apart from the grille panel to define a flow path configured to pass air,

wherein the grille panel comprises a guide mounting portion that is recessed from a rear surface of the grille panel and that is configured to mount the defrost water guide,
wherein a rear end of the defrost water guide is flush with the rear surface of the grille panel based on the defrost water guide being mounted on the guide mounting portion,
wherein the grille panel further comprises a mounting restraining protrusion that protrudes from a side surface of the guide mounting portion, and
wherein the defrost water guide defines a guide restraining groove that is recessed from a side surface of the defrost water guide and that is configured to receive the mounting restraining protrusion.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the defrost water guide is located vertically below the cold sink and configured to discharge defrost water during a defrost operation of the cold sink.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the defrost water guide defines an opening at a rear surface of the defrost water guide, and
wherein the shroud covers the opening of the defrost water guide to define a flow path configured to guide defrost water to the evaporator space.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the defrost water guide defines an opening at a rear surface of the defrost water guide, and
wherein the shroud is configured to, based on coupling to the grille panel, cover the opening defined at the rear surface of the defrost water guide.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a vertical length of the defrost water guide is greater than a vertical length of the guide mounting portion.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the defrost water guide further defines a locking opening in the guide restraining groove, the locking opening being configured to couple to the mounting restraining protrusion.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a bottom surface of the module accommodation portion is inclined toward the defrost water guide, and
wherein the defrost water guide is configured to connect to the bottom surface of the module accommodation portion.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein the bottom surface of the module accommodation portion comprises:
a first inclined surface that is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane and that extends in a front-rear direction from a front end of the module accommodation portion to a center of the module accommodation portion;
a second inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane and that extends in a left-right direction from a left end of the module accommodation portion to the center of the module accommodation portion; and
a third inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane and that extends from a right end of the module accommodation portion to the center of the module accommodation portion.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the defrost water guide extends from the module accommodation portion to the evaporator space through the shroud.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9 , wherein the shroud defines a through-hole that receives at least a portion of the defrost water guide and that is configured to limit movement of the defrost water guide relative to the shroud, and
wherein the defrost water guide comprises a lower protrusion that passes through the through-hole.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 9 , wherein the defrost water guide comprises:
an extension portion that extends from the module accommodation portion in a downward direction and that is configured to guide defrost water in the downward direction; and
a rounded portion that is curved from an end of the extension portion toward the evaporator and that is configured to guide defrost water to the evaporator, and
wherein the rounded portion is located outside of the shroud.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the defrost water guide comprises a lower restraining protrusion that protrudes from the side surface of the defrost water guide and that is disposed vertically below the guide restraining groove.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 12 , wherein the shroud defines a through-hole that receives at a lower portion of the defrost water guide and that is configured to limit movement of the defrost water guide relative to the shroud, and
wherein the lower restraining protrusion is disposed outside of the through-hole.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein the lower portion of the defrost water guide is inclined or curved with respect to the rear surface of the grille panel and extends toward the evaporator.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a defrost heater that extends along a bottom surface of the module accommodation portion.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 15 , wherein the defrost heater is received inside of the defrost water guide and extends vertically from the bottom surface of the module accommodation portion toward the evaporator space.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 15 , wherein the shroud defines a through-hole that receives a lower portion of the defrost water guide and that is configured to limit movement of the defrost water guide relative to the shroud, and
wherein the defrost heater extends along the defrost water guide and passes through the through-hole.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Park Yoomin
• Son Jinho
• Eom Changwon
• Yi Myeongha

Classifications

• F25B21/04 Primary

  reversible · CPC title

• F25D2323/021

  French doors · CPC title

• F25D2317/061

  through special compartments · CPC title

• F25D19/04

  with more than one refrigeration unit · CPC title

• F25D11/02 Primary

  with cooling compartments at different temperatures · CPC title