Under counter type refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11624543-B2
Application number	US-202016992905-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2020
Priority date	Aug 26, 2019
Publication date	Apr 11, 2023
Grant date	Apr 11, 2023

Abstract

A under counter refrigerator includes a main body defining at least one of a first and second storage compartments, an evaporator to generate cool air to be supplied to the at least one of the first and second storage compartments, and a machine room provided at a lower portion of the main body to define an installation space in which a compressor and a condenser are provided. The machine room includes a suction portion provided in front of the main body to suction outside air into the machine room, a discharge portion provided in front of the main body to discharge the suctioned air in the machine room, a guide wall to separate the installation space into a first space in which the condenser is installed, and a second space in which the compressor is installed. A condensation fan is installed at the guide wall, the condenser is provided in a front portion of the first space, a defrosting water tray is provided at a rear of the condenser, and the condensation fan is disposed on one side of the defrost water tray.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An under counter refrigerator, capable of being installed in at least one or more storage spaces of a plurality of storage spaces in a kitchen furniture having a first width (W 1 ) in a left and right direction, which is greater than a second width (W 2 ) in a front and rear direction or a third width (W 3 ) in a vertical direction, and the plurality of storage spaces arranged in the left and right direction, the under counter refrigerator comprising:
a main body defining at least one of a first and second storage compartments;
an evaporator to generate cool air to be supplied to the at least one of the first and second storage compartments; and
a machine room provided at a lower portion of the main body to define an installation space in which a compressor and a condenser are provided,
wherein the machine room comprises:
a suction portion provided in front of the main body to suction outside air into the machine room;
a discharge portion provided in front of the main body to discharge the suctioned air from the machine room;
a guide wall to separate the installation space into a first space in which the condenser is installed, and a second space in which the compressor is installed;
a condensation fan installed at the guide wall,

wherein the condenser is provided in a front portion of the first space, and a defrosting water tray is provided at a rear of the condenser, and wherein the condensation fan is disposed on one side of the defrost water tray,
wherein the guide wall comprises:
a first part extending linearly in the front and rear direction; and
a second part extending to be inclined or rounded towards the rear from the first part so that a left and right width of the first space is defined to decrease towards a rear side of the machine room.

2. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the machine room comprises a lower plate and side plates disposed at both sides of the lower plate,
the installation space is defined by the lower plate and the side plates, and
the guide wall protrudes upward from the lower plate between the side plates and extends backward from a front portion of the machine room.

3. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the guide wall extends to the rear from a front portion of the lower plate and is connected to the condensation fan, to partition the first and second spaces in the left and right direction, and
the first space defines a rear space of the suction portion, and the second space defines a rear space of the discharge portion.

4. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the machine room further comprises an upper plate defining a bottom surface of the main body,
the upper plate comprises a first upper plate disposed above the condensation fan and a second upper plate disposed above the compressor, and
the first and second upper plates are disposed at heights different from each other,
a dryer is disposed at a position lower than the first upper plate and higher than a center of the condensation fan and extends in a horizontal direction.

5. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the machine room comprises:
an inclined plate extending to be downwardly inclined forward from the first and second upper plates; and
a front plate extending forward from the inclined plate.

6. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the defrosting water tray is placed on an upper portion of the lower plate to store defrosting water; and
a tray pipe is provided in the defrosting water tray and through which a refrigerant compressed in the compressor flows.

7. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the condensation fan is provided at a rear side of the guide wall, and a valve is provided in a rear portion of the first space, and
the compressor, the condensation fan and the valve are aligned in the left and right direction.

8. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein a first center (Co) of the compressor in the vertical direction and a second center (C 1 ) of the condensation fan in the vertical direction are at a same height.

9. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the machine room further comprises a control box installed in the second space, and
the control box is disposed in front of the compressor such that the suctioned air passes through the control box to cool the control box and then be discharged from a front side of the machine room through the discharge portion.

10. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the main body comprises an inner case defining inner walls of the at least one of the first and second storage compartments, an outer case defining an outer appearance, and an insulator provided between the inner case and the outer case,
a wall condenser through which a refrigerant condensed in the condenser flows is embedded in the insulator, and
the wall condenser comprises a portion disposed in a sidewall of the main body.

11. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 10 , wherein the wall condenser comprises:
a first condensation portion provided at a front surface of the main body; and
second and third condensation portions provided at both sides of the first condensation portion to extend to be bent in the vertical direction.

12. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a suction passage of the condensation fan, which is defined in the first space; and
a discharge passage of the condensation fan, which is defined in the second space,
wherein the condensation fan is disposed to be inclined with respect to the suction passage or the discharge passage.

13. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 12 , wherein the machine room comprises a front surface and a rear surface, and
the suction passage and the discharge passage are defined from the front surface towards the rear surface.

14. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein an extension line perpendicular to an axial line of the condensation fan is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the rear surface.

15. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 14 , wherein the predetermined angle is in a range of about 35° to about 55°.

16. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a lighting provided inside the main body; and
a proximity sensor to sense a user's access of the under counter type refrigerator,
wherein a turn-on operation of the lighting is performed based on the sensing through the proximity sensor.

17. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a door provided to be openable in front of the main body and a drawer provided to be withdrawable from the front of the main body, and
a touch sensor,
wherein the door and the drawer are movable by manipulation of the touch sensor.

18. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a shelf provided inside the main body, and
a touch sensor,
wherein the shelf is provided to be withdrawable by manipulation of the touch sensor.

19. The under counter refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second storage compartments comprises a convertible storage compartment in which food is stored in a frozen or refrigerated state.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Sanggyun
• Lee Younseok
• Kim Dongseok
• Dong Yongwon
• Lee Chungseob

Classifications

• F25D13/04 Primary

  the compartments being at different temperatures · CPC title

• F25D29/005

  Mounting of control devices · CPC title

• F25D2500/02

  Geometry problems · CPC title

• F25D23/003 Primary

  for cooling refrigerating machinery · CPC title

• F25D17/045

  Air flow control arrangements · CPC title