Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9328951-B2
Application number	US-201314048911-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2013
Priority date	Apr 1, 2013
Publication date	May 3, 2016
Grant date	May 3, 2016

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a main body with a first storage compartment; a first evaporation compartment provided within the main body in order to cool the first storage compartment; and a first evaporator provided in the first evaporation compartment. The refrigerator further includes a second storage compartment independently provided in the first storage compartment including a case forming an insulation space so as to maintain a temperature lower than the first storage compartment and a drawer to insert into and remove from the case; a second evaporation compartment, independent from the first evaporation compartment, formed in the second storage compartment; and a second evaporator provided in the second evaporation compartment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator, comprising:
a main body having a first storage compartment;
a first evaporation compartment provided within the main body in order to cool the first storage compartment;
a first evaporator provided in the first evaporation compartment;
a second storage compartment independently provided in the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment including:
a case forming an insulation space so as to maintain a temperature lower than the first storage compartment; and
a drawer to be received in or withdrawn from the insulation space and including a storage box and a door formed on a front surface of the storage box;

a second evaporation compartment, independent from the first evaporation compartment, formed in the second storage compartment;
a second evaporator provided in the second evaporation compartment;
a cool air guide partitioning the case into the second evaporation compartment and a storage space to receive the drawer, the cool air guide having a cool air outlet and a cool air inlet;
a cooling fan installed in the cool air inlet to take cool air of the storage space into the second evaporation compartment; and
a heat exchange plate provided in the second evaporation compartment, the heat exchange plate configured to partition the second evaporation compartment into a first cool air passage and a second cool air passage, the first cool air passage being defined at a front of the heat exchange plate and the second cool air passage being defined at a rear portion of the heat exchange plate,
wherein the heat exchange plate includes:
a cool air inflow hole formed at one side thereof; and
a cool air outflow hole formed at an other side thereof,

wherein the second evaporator is a meandering coolant pipe and is disposed on a rear surface of the heat exchange plate to be exposed in the second cool air passage,
wherein the cool air in the storage space is configured to be discharged by the cooling fan,
wherein a portion of the cool air discharged by the cooling fan is introduced in the first cool air passage through the cool air inlet of the cool air guide to indirectly heat exchange with the second evaporator through a front surface of the heat exchange plate, and flows into the storage space through the cool air outlet of the cool air guide, and
wherein an other portion of the cool air is introduced through the cool air inflow hole of the heat exchange plate to directly heat exchange with the second evaporator, and flows into the first cool air passage through the cool air outflow hole of the heat exchange plate.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising:
a drain hose disposed on a bottom of the case,
wherein one end of the drain hose is in communication with the second evaporation compartment and an other end is in communication with the first evaporation compartment.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , further comprising:
a damper provided in the drain hose and selectively opening and closing the drain hose.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the first evaporation compartment is defined behind a freezing compartment.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the first evaporation compartment is defined behind a refrigerating compartment.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the first evaporation compartment is provided at one side of the main body.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein a front open surface of the case is shielded by the door of the drawer.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the first evaporator comprises a main evaporator.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the second evaporator comprises a deep freezing evaporator.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the first storage compartment includes a freezing compartment.

11. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the second storage compartment includes a deep freezing compartment.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics
• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Shin Jaehoon
• Sul Heayoun
• Seo Changho
• Park Yongjoo

Classifications

• F25D11/022 Primary

  with two or more evaporators · CPC title

• F25D25/025

  Drawers · CPC title

• F25D2317/061

  through special compartments · CPC title

• F25D17/065

  with compartments at different temperatures · CPC title

• F25D19/00 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting of refrigeration units with respect to devices {or objects to be refrigerated, e.g. infrared detectors} · CPC title