Entrance refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11448456-B2
Application number	US-202016798843-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2020
Priority date	Feb 25, 2019
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

In an entrance refrigerator, when a living organism such as a companion animal is detected in a storage compartment, a drain port provided at the bottom of the storage compartment is opened, such that air outside the storage compartment flows into the storage compartment through the drain port.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An entrance refrigerator, comprising:
a cabinet configured to extend through a door or a wall, the cabinet including a storage compartment therein for storing goods, the cabinet having a drain hole provided at a bottom of the storage compartment;
a housing located at a lower side of the cabinet;
an outdoor side door coupled to an outdoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment;
an indoor side door coupled to an indoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment;
a cold air supplier configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment, at least a portion of the cold air supplier extending through a bottom of the cabinet;
a drain port extending from a bottom side of the cabinet and communicating with the drain hole, the drain port having an air hole at a side surface thereof;
an actuator provided to selectively open or close the opening in the drain port; and
a controller configured to:
control an operation of the cold air supplier; and
control actuation of the actuator,

wherein the actuator comprises:
a plunger configured to perform a linear reciprocating motion to selectively open or close the air hole; and
a driver configured to provide a driving force to the plunger to perform the linear reciprocating motion,

wherein the entrance refrigerator further comprises a drain box located below the cabinet to store condensed water discharged through the drain port,
wherein the drain box includes a port receiver protruding upward from a bottom surface of the drain box,
wherein an upper end of the port receiver includes a recessed portion in which the condense water is filled, and
wherein a lower end of the drain port is disposed in the recessed portion.

2. The entrance refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the driver comprises a solenoid.

3. The entrance refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a motion sensor located within the storage compartment.

4. The entrance refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a carbon dioxide sensor located within the storage compartment.

5. The entrance refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the cold air supplier comprises:
a thermoelectric module at least partially located within a through-hole provided in the bottom of the cabinet;
a heat absorption fan located above the thermoelectric module to provide a flow of air within the storage compartment; and
a heat dissipation fan located below the thermoelectric module to provide a flow of air within the housing,
wherein the thermoelectric module comprises:
a thermoelectric element having a heat absorbing surface and a heat generating surface;
a cold sink in contact with the heat absorbing surface, the cold sink configured to be exposed to air in the storage compartment to exchange heat with the air in the storage compartment; and
a heat sink in contact with the heat generating surface, the heat sink configured to be exposed to air in the housing to exchange heat with the air in the housing.

6. An entrance refrigerator, comprising:
a cabinet configured to extend through a door or a wall, the cabinet including a storage compartment therein for storing goods, the cabinet having a drain hole provided at a bottom of the storage compartment;
a housing located at a lower side of the cabinet;
an outdoor side door coupled to an outdoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment;
an indoor side door coupled to an indoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment;
a cold air supplier configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment, at least a portion of the cold air supplier extending through a bottom of the cabinet;
a drain port extending from a bottom side of the cabinet and communicating with the drain hole, the drain port having an opening therein;
an actuator provided to selectively open or close the opening in the drain port; and
a controller configured to:
control an operation of the cold air supplier; and
control actuation of the actuator,

wherein the opening is a condensed water discharge port provided at a lower end of the drain port, and
wherein the entrance refrigerator further comprises a drain cover rotatably provided at the lower end of the drain port to selectively open or close the condensed water discharge port.

7. The entrance refrigerator according to claim 6 , wherein the drain cover comprises:
a shielding plate configured to close the condensed water discharge port; and
a hinge shaft rotatably connecting one end portion of the shielding plate to the drain port.

8. The entrance refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein the shielding plate is rotated about the hinge shaft by the actuator, and
wherein the condensed water discharge port is opened when the shielding plate is separated from the lower end of the drain port.

9. The entrance refrigerator according to claim 8 , further comprising a torsion spring configured to provide an elastic restoring force to bias the shielding plate toward a closed position of the condensed water discharge port.

10. The entrance refrigerator according to claim 9 , further comprising a drain box located below the cabinet to store condensed water discharged through the drain port,
wherein the actuator and the drain port are accommodated in the drain box.

11. An entrance refrigerator, comprising:
a cabinet configured to extend through a door or a wall, the cabinet including a storage compartment therein for storing goods, the cabinet having a drain hole provided at a bottom of the storage compartment;
a housing located at a lower side of the cabinet;
an outdoor side door coupled to an outdoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment;
an indoor side door coupled to an indoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment;
a cold air supplier configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment, at least a portion of the cold air supplier extending through a bottom of the cabinet;
a drain port extending from a bottom side of the cabinet and communicating with the drain hole, the drain port having an opening therein;
an actuator provided to selectively open or close the opening in the drain port;
a controller configured to:
control an operation of the cold air supplier; and
control actuation of the actuator; and

a motion sensor located within the storage compartment,
wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive a signal detecting a motion of a living organism within the storage compartment from the motion sensor; and
control the actuator to open the opening in the drain port when motion is detected by the motion sensor.

12. An entrance refrigerator, comprising:
a cabinet configured to extend through a door or a wall, the cabinet including a storage compartment therein for storing goods, the cabinet having a drain hole provided at a bottom of the storage compartment;
a housing located at a lower side of the cabinet;
an outdoor side door coupled to an outdoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment;
an indoor side door coupled to an indoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment;
a cold air supplier configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment, at least a portion of the cold air supplier extending through a bottom of the cabinet;
a drain port extending from a bottom side of the cabinet and communicating with the drain hole, the drain port having an opening therein;
an actuator provided to selectively open or close the opening in the drain port;
a controller configured to:
control an operation of the

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Oh Minkyu
• Yeo Insun
• Choi Kyukwan
• Yun Yezo
• Lee Deukwon
• Kim Minseok
• Lee Wonjin

Classifications

• F25D23/028

  Details · CPC title

• F25D21/14 Primary

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

• F25D29/00

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F25D2317/04

  Treating air flowing to refrigeration compartments · CPC title

• F25D23/10 Primary

  Arrangements for mounting in particular locations, e.g. for built-in type, for corner type · CPC title