Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11448454-B2
Application number	US-202016885593-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2020
Priority date	Sep 29, 2016
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

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 first chamber, and a second chamber arranged below the first chamber;
a partition wall provided between the first chamber and the second chamber;
an evaporator case provided at the partition wall;
an evaporator installed inside of the evaporator case, the evaporator including a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, and a fan suction passage formed between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger to allow cold air passing through the first and second heat exchangers to flow through the fan suction passage;
a tray provided below the evaporator to collect defrosting fluid, wherein the tray comprises:
a first portion provided below the first heat exchanger;
a second portion provided below the second heat exchanger; and
a third portion provided between the first portion and the second portion, the third portion including a plate that defines a recess formed below the fan suction passage and wherein the plate is configured to collect the defrosting fluid from the first portion and the second portion.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further including:
a grill cover arranged on a rear side of the evaporator case and having a fan seat; and
a blowing fan mounted to the fan seat, wherein the third portion is inclined downward at a first angle toward the grill cover.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein a first width of a rear end of the third portion is less than a second width of a front end of the third portion.

4. The refrigerator of claim 2 , further comprising a drain pipe provided at a rear side of the tray and configured to discharge fluid collected in the tray to a machine room of the refrigerator, wherein the tray further includes a tray guide inserted into the drain pipe and inclined downward from the third portion to a rear of the refrigerator.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the tray guide includes:
a first tray guide that extends rearward from the third portion and is inclined downward at a second angle toward the rear of the refrigerator; and
a second tray guide that extends rearward from the first tray guide and is inclined downward at a third angle toward the rear of the refrigerator, and wherein the second angle is greater than the first angle and the third angle.

6. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the evaporator case includes a cover provided below the tray, wherein the cover includes a cover guide that supports a lower side of the tray guide, and wherein the tray guide and at least a portion 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 the tray guide and configured to allow the defrosting fluid to flow from the tray guide to the drain pipe.

8. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the machine room, in which a compressor is installed, is provided below the second chamber, and wherein the drain pipe extends downward and communicates with the machine room.

9. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the grill cover includes a cover insertion hole into which the tray is inserted, and wherein the refrigerator further includes a condensed fluid guide that protrudes from a surface of the grill cover and is configured to allow the condensed fluid generated around the fan suction port to flow downward.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger is inclined at a first inclined angle relative to the partition wall in a first direction, and wherein the second heat exchanger is inclined at a second inclined angle relative to the partition wall in a second direction opposed to the first direction.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the tray includes a first inclined surface adjacent to a bottom of the first heat exchanger, and wherein the second portion of the tray includes a second inclined surface adjacent to a bottom of the second heat exchanger.

12. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the third portion of the tray includes:
a third inclined surface defining a central portion of the tray;
a fourth inclined surface that extends from the first inclined surface toward the third inclined surface; and
a fifth inclined surface that extends from the second inclined surface toward the third inclined surface.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein an angle of the fourth inclined surface is larger than an angle of the first inclined surface and an angle of the fifth inclined surface is larger than an angle of the second inclined surface with respect to a horizontal direction.

14. A refrigerator, comprising:
a cabinet including a first chamber, and a second chamber arranged below the first chamber;
a partition wall provided between the first chamber and the second chamber;
an evaporator case provided at the partition wall;
an evaporator installed inside of the evaporator case, the evaporator including a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, and a fan suction passage formed between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger to allow cold air passing through the first and second heat exchangers to flow through the fan suction passage;
a tray provided below the evaporator to collect defrosting fluid, wherein the tray comprises:
a first portion provided below the first heat exchanger;
a second portion provided below the second heat exchanger; and
a third portion provided between the first portion and the second portion, the third portion including a recess formed below the fan suction passage; and
a grill cover arranged on a rear side of the evaporator case, wherein the third portion is inclined downward at a first angle toward the grill cover, and wherein a first width of a rear end of the third portion is less than a second width of a front end of the third portion.

15. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the tray further comprises a tray guide, and wherein the tray guide includes:
a first tray guide that extends rearward from the third portion and is inclined downward at a second angle toward the rear of the refrigerator; and
a second tray guide that extends rearward from the first tray guide and is inclined downward at a third angle toward the rear of the refrigerator.

16. A refrigerator, comprising:
a cabinet including a first chamber, and a second chamber arranged below the first chamber;
a partition wall provided between the first chamber and the second chamber;
an evaporator case provided at the partition wall;
an evaporator installed inside of the evaporator case, the evaporator including a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, and a fan suction passage formed between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger to allow cold air passing through the first and second heat exchangers to flow through the fan suction passage;
a tray provided below the evaporator to collect defrosting fluid, wherein the tray comprises:
a first portion provided below the first heat exchanger;
a second portion provided below the second heat exchanger; and
a third portion provided between the first portion and the second portion and below the fan suction passage, wherein the first heat exchanger is inclined at a first inclined angle relative to the partition wall in a first direction, wherein the second heat exchanger is inclined at a second inclined angle relative to the partition wall in a second direction opposed to the first direction, wherein the first portion of the tray includes a first inclined surface adjacent to a bottom of the first heat exchanger, and wherein the se

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• F25D21/14 Primary

  Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays · CPC title

• F25D23/006

  for mounting refrigerating machinery components · CPC title

• F25D11/02 Primary

  with cooling compartments at different temperatures · CPC title

• F25D2321/142

  characterised by droplet guides · CPC title

• F25B39/02

  Evaporators · CPC title