Refrigerator with a thermoelectrically powered rapid freeze comparment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12422180-B2
Application number	US-202418754463-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2024
Priority date	Mar 22, 2019
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

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

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator, comprising:
a freezer space defining a storage space; and
a deep-freezing portion disposed in the freezer space and defining a deep-freeze space that is partitioned from the storage space thereof;
a thermoelectric element module comprising a thermoelectric module having a heat absorbing surface and a heating surface and configured to generate cold air introduced into the deep-freezing portion;
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 configured to accommodate the fan and that protrudes from an inner surface of the freezer space,
wherein the deep-freezing portion comprises:
housing having an opening at a front surface thereof and an opening at a rear surface thereof to receive the accommodator, and defining an inner space of the deep-freezing portion,
a door configured to open and close the front surface of the housing, and
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, and
wherein the flow path has a recess shape in the inner surface of the housing and expands the deep-freeze space.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the flow path is concaved upward from the portion of an upper surface of the housing.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the flow path comprises:
a plurality of vertical portions having a width of the flow path, that are spaced apart from each other, and extend in a 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 the width of the flow path is decreased along the longitudinal direction of the deep-freezing portion or is maintained constantly in a certain section along the longitudinal direction of the deep-freezing portion and then is decreased.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein a second side of the plurality of vertical portions communicates with the guide and a width of the second side of the plurality of vertical portions is the same as the guide.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the flow path is inclined downward from an upper surface of the housing to a rear surface of the housing.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the flow path comprises:
a plurality of vertical portions having a width of the flow path, wherein the plurality of vertical portions are spaced apart from each other, and extend in a 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.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the flow path further comprises a bending portion that extends in a direction of decreasing the width of the flow path at a second side of the plurality of vertical portions.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein the flow path has inclination at the bending portion.

10. The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein the bending portion extends from the vertical portions to a position corresponding to a width of the guide.

11. The refrigerator of claim 1 ,
wherein the deep-freezing portion further comprises a basket coupled to the door and drawn out to an outside of the deep-freezing portion as the door opens and closes the front surface of the housing,
wherein the flow path comprises:
a first flow path defining a step recessed from a portion of the inner surface of the housing,
a second flow path defined in a space between the portion of the inner surface of the housing and the basket,
wherein the first flow path and the second flow path flow cold air introduced into the deep-freezing portion by the fan, and
wherein the first flow path communicates with the guide when the accommodator is inserted into the opening.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11 ,
wherein the first flow path is defined at a portion of an upper surface of the housing,
wherein the second flow path is defined in a space between a bottom surface of the housing and the basket, and
wherein the first flow path has a recess shape and is concaved upward from the portion of the upper surface of the housing to expand the deep-freeze space.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the first flow path comprises:
a plurality of vertical portions having a width of the first flow path, wherein the plurality of vertical portions are spaced apart from each other, and extend in a longitudinal direction of the deep-freezing portion;
a horizontal portion connecting the vertical portions at a first side of the vertical portions; and
a bending portion that extends from a second side of the vertical portions in a direction of decreasing the width of the first flow path.

14. The refrigerator of claim 12 ,
wherein a height of the basket is smaller than a height of the housing, and
wherein the basket is coupled to an inner surface of the door at a position spaced apart from each of the upper surface and a lower surface of the housing by a predetermined distance.

15. The refrigerator of claim 13 ,
wherein the first flow path further comprises an inclined portion that is inclined downward from a portion of the upper surface of the housing toward a rear surface of the housing, and
wherein the inclined portion is disposed in the first flow path along the bending portion.

16. The refrigerator of claim 11 ,
wherein the guide comprises an upper flow path that communicates with the first flow path, and
wherein the upper flow path has a guide inclined portion and the guide inclined portion is inclined downward from a lower surface of the upper flow path along a path through which the cold air moves.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Song Seongmin
• Chu Yunsu

Classifications

• F25D25/025

  Drawers · CPC title

• F25D17/065

  with compartments at different temperatures · CPC title

• F25D11/025

  using primary and secondary refrigeration systems · CPC title

• F25D2317/0655

  through the top · CPC title

• F25D2317/061

  through special compartments · CPC title