Refrigerator with a thermoelectrically powered rapid freeze compartment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12055333-B2
Application number	US-202017441779-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2020
Priority date	Mar 22, 2019
Publication date	Aug 6, 2024
Grant date	Aug 6, 2024

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a separate deep-freezing space which is partitioned inside a storage space of the refrigerator. Provided is a refrigerator having a flow path which allows cold air to circulate inside a deep-freezing chamber. According to an embodiment disclosed in the present document, a flow path portion is formed on one part of the inner surface of the housing which forms the inner space of the deep-freezing chamber. The flow path portion is formed in a stepped shape on the inner surface of the housing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator, comprising:
a freezer space that defines a storage space;
a deep-freezing portion disposed in the freezer space and defining a deep-freeze space that is partitioned from the storage space;
a thermoelectric element module comprising (i) a thermoelectric module that has a heat absorbing surface and (ii) a heating surface, wherein the thermoelectric element module is configured to generate cold air;
a fan facing the heat absorbing surface of the thermoelectric module and configured to introduce the cold air into the deep-freezing portion; and
an accommodator that accommodates the fan, the accommodator protruding from an inner surface of the freezer space,
wherein the deep-freezing portion comprises:
a housing that has an opening at a front surface thereof and an opening at a rear surface thereof to receive the accommodator, and defines an inner space of the deep-freezing portion, and
a door configured to open and close the front surface of the housing,

wherein the accommodator comprises a guide disposed at one side of the accommodator and configured to guide flow of the cold air,
wherein the housing comprises a flow path defined at a portion of an inner surface of the housing and configured to flow cold air introduced into the deep-freezing portion by the fan,
wherein the flow path comprises a recessed portion recessed in the inner surface of the housing and extending along the deep-freeze space, and
wherein a width of the recessed portion is (i) decreased along a longitudinal direction of the deep-freezing portion or (ii) constant in a first section along the longitudinal direction of the deep-freezing portion and then decreased along a second section along the longitudinal direction of the deep-freezing portion.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion is recessed in an upper surface of the inner surface of the housing.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion comprises:
a plurality of vertical portions that have the width of the recessed portion, wherein the plurality of vertical portions are spaced apart from each other, and extend along the longitudinal direction of the deep-freezing portion; and
a horizontal portion connecting the vertical portions at a first side of the plurality of vertical portions.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein a second side of the plurality of vertical portions is configured to communicate with the guide, a width of the second side of the plurality of vertical portions being equal to a width of the guide.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion is inclined downward from an upper surface of the housing towards a rear surface of the housing.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein the recessed portion comprises:
a plurality of vertical portions that have the width of the recessed portion, wherein the plurality of vertical portions are spaced apart from each other, and extend along the longitudinal direction of the deep-freezing portion; and
a horizontal portion connecting the plurality of vertical portions at a first side of the vertical portion.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the recessed portion further comprises a bending portion that extends along a section wherein the width of the recessed portion decreases along the longitudinal direction of the deep-freezing portion and is disposed at a second side of the plurality of vertical portions.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the recessed portion is inclined downward towards the rear surface of the housing at the bending portion.

9. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the bending portion extends from the vertical portion towards a position corresponding to a width of the guide.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1 ,
wherein the deep-freezing portion further comprises a basket coupled to the door and configured to, based on the door opening and closing the front surface of the housing, be drawn out to an outside of the deep-freezing portion,
wherein the flow path further comprises:
a space defined between a portion of the inner surface of the housing and the basket,
wherein the recessed portion and the space are configured to flow cold air introduced into the deep-freezing portion by the fan, and
wherein the recessed portion is configured to, based on the accommodator being inserted into the opening at the rear surface, communicate with the guide.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10 ,
wherein the space is defined between a bottom surface of the inner surface of the housing and the basket, and
wherein the recessed portion is recessed in an upper surface of the inner surface of the housing and extends along the deep-freeze space.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein the recessed portion comprises:
a plurality of vertical portions having a width of the recessed portion, wherein the plurality of vertical portions are spaced apart from each other, and extend along the longitudinal direction of the deep-freezing portion;
a horizontal portion connecting the plurality of vertical portions at one side of the plurality of vertical portions; and
a bending portion that extends from a second side of the plurality of vertical portions along a direction wherein the width of the recessed portion decreases.

13. The refrigerator of claim 11 ,
wherein a height of the basket is less than a height of the housing, and
wherein the basket is coupled to an inner surface of the door and is spaced apart from each of the upper surface and a lower surface of the inner surface of the housing by a predetermined distance.

14. The refrigerator of claim 12 ,
wherein the recessed portion further comprises an inclined portion that is inclined downward from the upper surface of the housing toward the rear surface of the housing, and
wherein the inclined portion is disposed at the recessed portion along the bending portion.

15. The refrigerator of claim 10 ,
wherein the guide comprises an upper flow path that is configured to communicate with the recessed portion, and
wherein the upper flow path comprises a guide inclined portion and the guide inclined portion is inclined downward from a lower portion of the upper flow path along the flow path through which the cold air moves.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Song Seongmin
• Chu Yunsu

Classifications

• F25D2317/0655

  through the top · CPC title

• F25D25/025

  Drawers · CPC title

• F25D17/065

  with compartments at different temperatures · CPC title

• F25D11/025

  using primary and secondary refrigeration systems · CPC title

• F25D2317/061

  through special compartments · CPC title