Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11754333-B2
Application number	US-202217665936-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2022
Priority date	Mar 10, 2017
Publication date	Sep 12, 2023
Grant date	Sep 12, 2023

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a partition wall provided between first and second storage chambers and having a partition wall insulator, an evaporator case arranged in the partition wall and communicating with the first and second storage chambers, an evaporator installed inside the evaporator case, a grill cover provided on a rear side of the evaporator case and configured to accommodate a blower fan, and support guides provided in the grill cover and supporting a rear portion of the evaporator, such that an internal storage space of the refrigerator is increased, and a withdrawal distance of a drawer provided in the refrigerator is increased.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet including a first storage chamber and a second storage chamber;
a partition wall provided between the first and second storage chambers and having a heat exchange chamber;
an evaporator installed inside the heat exchange chamber;
a tray installed inside the heat exchange chamber and located adjacent to a lower side of the evaporator;
a grill cover that is provided at a side of the evaporator and that defines a space in which a fan is received, the grill cover including:
an opening through which a portion of the tray is introduced into the space of the grill cover; and
a drain pipe fluidly connected to the tray and configured to discharge fluid collected in the tray.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a first grill cover and a second grill cover that defines the space for receiving the fan,
wherein the opening includes a first opening formed in the first grill cover and a second opening formed in the second grill cover, and
wherein the tray passes through the first opening and the second opening and protrudes outward from the first grill cover.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , further comprising a coupling guide connecting the first grill cover and the second grill cover, the coupling guide being configured to surround the opening.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a discharge guide provided at the grill cover and configured to allow fluid to flow to the tray, the discharge guide being located below a fan that is provided in the grill cover.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the discharge guide includes a first discharge guide and a second discharge guide that are spaced apart from each other, the first and second discharge guides being configured to define a condensate hole, wherein the condensate hole is located above the opening of the grill cover.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein the first discharge guide and the second discharge guide extend downward and inclined, and
wherein the first discharge guide and the second discharge guide are positioned to vertically overlap each other such that an uppermost section of the first discharge guide is higher than an uppermost section of the second discharge guide.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a condensate guide provided at the grill cover and is configured to allow fluid to flow to the tray, the condensate guide being located around the fan that is provided in the grill cover.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the condensate guide includes:
a first guide extending downward and inclined from opposite sides of the grill cover and to a central portion of the grill cover; and
a second guide extending downward and inclined from opposite sides of the fan and connected to the first guide.

9. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the first grill cover and the second grill cover combine to form an outward appearance of the grill cover.

10. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet including a first storage chamber and a second storage chamber;
a partition wall provided between the first and second storage chambers;
an evaporator casing provided at the partition wall, the evaporator casing being configured to define a heat exchange chamber;
an evaporator installed inside the heat exchange chamber;
a tray located below the evaporator;
a drain pipe fluidly connected to the tray and configured to discharge fluid collected in the tray; and
a grill cover provided at a side of the evaporator, the grill cover including a first grill cover, a second grill cover and an opening through which a portion of the evaporator casing passes,
wherein the evaporator casing includes a cover guide to support a guide tab of the tray, the guide tab being connected to the drain pipe, and
wherein the cover guide has a discharge hole through which liquid flowing through the guide tab is discharged to the drain pipe.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the opening includes a first opening formed in the first grill cover and a second opening formed in the second grill cover, and
wherein a portion of the evaporator casing passes through the first opening and the second opening.

12. The refrigerator of claim 10 , further comprising a supporter provided adjacent to the grill cover and configured to support the evaporator casing.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the supporter includes a port, the port including at least one of a first port configured to suck air passing through the evaporator or the second port to discharge the air passing through the evaporator.

14. The refrigerator of claim 12 , further comprising a mounting guide that protrudes from the grill cover and is spaced apart from the supporter.

15. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the evaporator casing includes a support portion that is inserted between the mounting guide and the supporter.

16. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet including a first storage chamber and a second storage chamber;
a partition wall provided between the first and second storage chambers and having a heat exchange chamber;
an evaporator installed inside the heat exchange chamber;
a tray located below the evaporator;
a grill cover provided at a side of the evaporator; and
a blower fan received in the grill cover,
wherein the grill cover includes:
a first grill cover including a fan suction port configured to receive air passing through the evaporator and a first supply port to discharge the air passing through the blower fan to the second storage chamber;
a second grill cover having a fan seat on which the blower fan is provided, and
a third grill cover having a second supply port to discharge air flowing from the blower fan to the second storage chamber,
wherein the first grill cover and the third grill cover define a first opening through which the tray passes, and the second grill cover defines a second opening through which the tray passes, and
wherein the tray includes a first portion disposed outside the first opening, a second portion disposed between the first and second openings and a third portion disposed outside the second opening.

17. The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein the second grill cover is provided at a rear side of the first grill cover, and
wherein the blower fan is received in a space defined by the first grill cover and the second grill cover.

18. The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein the third grill cover is provided at a lower side of the first grill cover, and
wherein a first groove of the first grill cover and a second groove of the second grill cover define the first opening.

19. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet including a first storage chamber and a second storage chamber;
a partition wall provided between the first and second storage chambers and having a heat exchange chamber;
an evaporator installed inside the heat exchange chamber;
a tray installed inside the heat exchange chamber and located below the evaporator;
a grill cover provided at a side of the evaporator and including a first grill cover and a second grill cover that define a space in which a fan is received; and
a drain pipe fluidly connected to the tray and configured to discharge fluid collected in the tray,
wherein the first grill cover includes a first opening, and the second grill cover includes a second opening such that the tray passes through the first opening, extends in the space and passes through the second opening to connect to the drain pipe.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Han Junsoo
• Lee Younseok
• Kim Dongseok

Classifications

• F25D2321/1441

  inside a refrigerator · CPC title

• F25D2321/146

  characterised by the pipes or pipe connections · CPC title

• F25D2400/04

  Refrigerators with a horizontal mullion · CPC title

• F25D23/069

  Cooling space dividing partitions · CPC title

• F25D2317/0653

  through the mullion · CPC title