Multifunctional storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12338569-B2
Application number	US-202017784600-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2020
Priority date	Dec 12, 2019
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

A multi-functional storage system includes a storage compartment, a circulation flow path positioned at the rear of the storage compartment, and including an inlet end and an outlet end each communicating with the storage compartment, through which circulating air flows, and a flow path inlet for introducing the circulating air into the circulation flow path, the flow path inlet being positioned between the storage compartment and the circulation flow path and in communication with the inlet end of the circulation flow path.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A multi-functional storage system, comprising:
a storage compartment;
a circulation flow path positioned at the rear of the storage compartment, and including an inlet end and an outlet end each communicating with the storage compartment, through which circulating air flows; and
a flow path inlet for introducing the circulating air into the circulation flow path, the flow path inlet being positioned between the storage compartment and the circulation flow path and in communication with the inlet end of the circulation flow path, wherein the circulation flow path is formed to extend upward, and
wherein the flow path inlet is a space formed between a rear surface of the storage compartment and a front surface of the circulation flow path and including at least a portion tapered upward,
wherein the flow path inlet is formed in a shape corresponding to shapes of the rear surface of the storage compartment and the front surface of the circulation flow path, and
a horizontal cross-sectional area of an upper portion is formed to be smaller than a horizontal cross-sectional area of a lower portion,
wherein the circulation flow path includes a plurality of fans communicating with the flow path inlet, the plurality of fans including:
a first fan communicating with the lower portion of the flow path inlet; and
a second fan communicating with the upper portion of the flow path inlet, and
the first fan and the second fan are configured to suck in the circulating air introduced into the flow path inlet in a horizontal direction and supply it onto the circulation flow path,
wherein the rear surface of the storage compartment includes an inclined portion including a portion facing the second fan and configured to be inclined toward the front surface of the circulation flow path, and
the flow path inlet is formed so as to be decreased in cross-sectional area by the inclined portion in the horizontal direction toward the upper side,
wherein an inclination angle of the inclined portion toward the circulation flow path varies according to an output of each of the first fan and the second fan.

2. The multi-functional storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the circulation flow path includes a plurality of fans communicating with the flow path inlet, the plurality of fans being arranged at different heights from each other, and arranged in a mutually diagonal direction.

3. The multi-functional storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the inclined portion is configured to be inclined toward the front surface of the circulation flow path, and also inclined in a diagonal direction to correspond to the first fan and the second fan arranged in the mutually diagonal direction.

4. The multi-functional storage system according to claim 1 , further comprising a humidifying unit having one end communicating with the flow path inlet and the other end communicating with the lower portion of the storage compartment, wherein
the humidifying unit includes a flow path formed such that the circulating air flows sequentially through the storage compartment, the humidifying unit, and the flow path inlet, and
the humidified air formed as passing through the humidifying unit is introduced into the flow path inlet.

5. The multi-functional storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the circulation flow path includes a plurality of fans communicating with the flow path inlet,
the plurality of fans include first to N-th fans, and each of the first to N-th fans is formed to discharge air to first to N-th positions in the space inside the storage compartment, and
outputs of the first to N-th fans are each independently controlled.

6. The multi-functional storage system according to claim 5 , wherein the plurality of fans are configured to discharge air upwardly onto the circulation flow path, and each of the first to N-th fans is provided at different positions with respect to a plane.

7. The multi-functional storage system according to claim 6 , further comprising a guide flow path partition wall extending on the circulation flow path and dividing the circulation flow path such that the circulating air introduced by each of the plurality of fans is divided and flows, wherein
an extension length of the guide flow path partition wall on the circulation flow path is determined according to the outputs and positions of the plurality of fans.

8. The multi-functional storage system according to claim 7 , wherein the plurality of fans include a first fan and a second fan provided at different heights on the circulation flow path,
and each of the first fan and the second fan is in communication with each of divided portions on the circulation flow path divided by the guide flow path partition wall to discharge air to a first position and a second position in the space inside the storage compartment, respectively.

9. The multi-functional storage system according to claim 8 , wherein the multi-functional storage system has a dusting mode wherein the outputs of the first fan and the second fan are set differently and varied, and it is repeated that the output of one of the first fan and the second fan is set higher than the other output and then set lower than the other output.

10. The multi-functional storage system according to claim 8 , wherein the multi-functional storage system has a decontaminating mode wherein any one of the first fan and the second fan is set to have a higher output than the other.

11. The multi-functional storage system according to claim 8 , wherein the multi-functional storage system has a dewrinkling mode wherein the outputs of the first fan and the second fan are each set to be the same.

12. The multi-functional storage system according to claim 8 , wherein the guide flow path partition wall includes a variable partition wall that is formed as a part of the guide flow path partition wall and is relatively rotatable with respect to the guide flow path partition wall about the rotation shaft, and
the guide flow path partition wall closes any one of the divided portions of the circulation flow path by relative rotation of the variable partition wall with respect to the guide flow path partition wall.

13. The multi-functional storage system according to claim 12 , wherein the multi-functional storage system has:
a decontaminating mode wherein the variable partition wall closes any one of the divided portions of the circulation flow path, and the output of the fan positioned opposite to the divided portion closed by the variable partition wall is increased; and
a dusting mode wherein the variable partition wall alternately closes any one of the divided portions of the circulation flow path, and it is repeated that the output of the fan positioned opposite to the divided portion closed by the variable partition wall is increased, and the output of the fan positioned in the divided portion is decreased.

14. The multi-functional storage system according to claim 1 , further comprising a heating unit installed in the circulation flow path and configured to heat the passing air.

15. The multi-functional storage system according to claim 1 , wherein
the inlet end of the circulation flow path is in communication with a lower portion of the storage compartment through a humidifying unit,
the outlet end of the circulation flow path is in communication with an upper portion of the storage compartment through a variable flow path module,
a portion of the humidifying unit is positioned in the lower portion of the storage compartment,
a portion of the variable flow path module is positioned ab

Assignees

• Coway Co Ltd

Inventors

• Seo Young Ju
• Kang Sang Woo
• Lee Hyun Hee

Classifications

• F24H3/02

  with forced circulation · CPC title

• F24F11/0001 Primary

  for ventilation (F24F11/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F24F7/007

  with forced flow (using ducting systems F24F7/06) · CPC title

• F24F6/00

  Air-humidification {, e.g. cooling by humidification} · CPC title

• D06F73/02

  having one or more treatment chambers · CPC title