Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11629893-B2
Application number	US-202016908332-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2020
Priority date	Jun 1, 2017
Publication date	Apr 18, 2023
Grant date	Apr 18, 2023

Abstract

Provided is a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a main body defining a storage space, a cryogenic freezing compartment provided in the storage space, and a thermoelectric module assembly disposed at one side of the cryogenic freezing compartment so that the cryogenic freezing compartment is cooled to a temperature less than that of the storage space. The cryogenic freezing compartment includes a cryogenic case into which an insulation material is filled to be thermally insulated from the storage space and in which a cryogenic freezing space is defined, a case door opening and closing the cryogenic case, and a rail assembly connecting the cryogenic case to the case door and extending and contracted in multi-stages to allow the case door to be slid to be inserted and withdrawn. The rail assembly is mounted on the cryogenic case outside the cryogenic freezing space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a main body that defines a storage space;
a cryogenic freezing compartment located in the storage space and configured to maintain a temperature that is less than a temperature of the storage space; and
a thermoelectric module assembly located at a side of the cryogenic freezing compartment and configured to cool the cryogenic freezing compartment,
wherein the cryogenic freezing compartment comprises:
a cryogenic case that includes an insulation material configured to insulate the cryogenic freezing compartment from the storage space, the cryogenic case defining a cryogenic freezing space,
a case door configured to open and close at least a portion of the cryogenic case,
a rail assembly located outside of the cryogenic freezing space and configured to connect the case door to the cryogenic case, the rail assembly being configured to extend from and retract to the cryogenic case to cause the case door to withdraw from and insert into the cryogenic case,
a cryogenic accommodation member configured to receive food items, and
a support frame coupled to a rear surface of the case door, the support frame comprising a support plate that is configured to support the cryogenic accommodation member, and

wherein the support frame and the cryogenic accommodation member are configured to:
withdraw from the cryogenic freezing space based on the case door being opened, and
insert into the cryogenic freezing space based on the case door being closed.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the cryogenic freezing compartment further comprises a rail mounting part located at a bottom surface of the cryogenic case and coupled to the rail assembly.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the cryogenic freezing compartment further comprises:
a rail cover that is coupled to the rear surface of the case door, that is configured to cover the rail assembly, and that is configured to move relative to the rail assembly; and
a cover guide part defined at the bottom surface of the cryogenic case and configured to receive the rail cover based on insertion and withdrawal of the case door with respect to the cryogenic case.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein the rail cover comprises:
a cover part that extends along the bottom surface of the cryogenic case; and
a cover fixing part that extends upward from a front end of the cover part and that is coupled to an inside of the case door.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the cover part comprises:
a coupling surface coupled to the rail assembly and configured to move together with the rail assembly based on extension and retraction of the rail assembly with respect to the cryogenic case;
a side cover surface that is bent from an outer end of the coupling surface toward the rail assembly and that covers an outer portion of the rail assembly; and
a guide surface that is bent from an inner end of the coupling surface toward the cover guide part and that is configured to guide movement of the rail cover in the cover guide part.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the support frame comprises
a pair of frame fixing parts that are coupled to the rear surface of the case door and that extend in a vertical direction with respect to a bottom surface of the cryogenic case.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the cryogenic freezing compartment further comprises a spacer that is located at a rear end of the support frame between a side surface of the support frame and an inner surface of the cryogenic freezing compartment, that is configured to contact the inner surface of the cryogenic freezing compartment, and that is configured to guide the support frame to insert into and withdraw from the cryogenic freezing compartment.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein the spacer comprises a plastic material configured to reduce abrasion and friction between the spacer and the inner surface of the cryogenic freezing compartment.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein the spacer comprises:
a side part configured to contact the inner surface of the cryogenic freezing compartment; and
a bottom part that is bent from a lower end of the side part and that is configured to contact a bottom surface of the cryogenic freezing compartment.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9 , wherein the spacer further comprises:
an insertion fixing part that is located at an upper end of the side part of the spacer and that inserts into the support frame; and
a bent part that extends upward from the bottom part of the spacer and that receives an end of the support frame.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the cryogenic freezing compartment further comprises a pair of spacers that face inner surfaces of the cryogenic freezing compartment, each spacer being configured to contact one of lower ends of the inner surfaces of the cryogenic freezing compartment, and
wherein the support frame is configured to insert into and withdraw from the cryogenic freezing compartment based on the pair of spacers maintaining contact with the lower ends of the inner surfaces of the cryogenic freezing compartment.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the cryogenic freezing compartment further comprises a cryogenic gasket located at the rear surface of the case door and configured to contact a front surface of the cryogenic case.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 12 , wherein the cryogenic gasket comprises:
a gasket mounting part coupled to the rear surface of the case door; and
a sealing part that protrudes rearward from the gasket mounting part and that is configured to contact the front surface of the cryogenic case.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein the cryogenic gasket further comprises an insulation member disposed in at least a portion of an inner space of the sealing part and configured to insulate the cryogenic freezing compartment from the storage space, the insulation member comprising an elastic material.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein the cryogenic case defines an opening at the front surface of the cryogenic case,
wherein the case door comprises a case protrusion that protrudes from the rear surface of the case door toward the cryogenic case and that is configured to insert into the opening defined at the front surface of the cryogenic case, and
wherein the cryogenic gasket is disposed around a circumference of the case protrusion.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 15 , wherein the sealing part of the cryogenic gasket defines a gasket opening that is oriented toward the case protrusion.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the rail assembly comprises a plurality of rails configured to extend and retract in multiple stages based on relative movement of the plurality of rails.

18. The refrigerator according to claim 17 , wherein the plurality of rails comprise:
a first rail coupled to the cryogenic case; and
a second rail coupled to the case door and configured to move relative to the first rail.

19. The refrigerator according to claim 18 , wherein the plurality of rails further comprise a third rail that is located between the first rail and the second rail and that is configured to move relative to the first rail and the second rail, the third rail including a plurality of rollers.

20. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the suppor

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Park Yoomin
• Son Jinho
• Song Hozin

Classifications

• F25B21/02 Primary

  using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect · CPC title

• F25D25/025

  Drawers · CPC title

• F25D23/006

  for mounting refrigerating machinery components · CPC title

• F25D23/067

  Supporting elements · CPC title

• F25D11/025 Primary

  using primary and secondary refrigeration systems · CPC title