KR20020065109A - Refrigerator for kimchi - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A kimchi refrigerator is provided to conveniently discharge condensed water and sewage in a storage compartment. CONSTITUTION: A refrigerator includes a drain outlet formed on a bottom of a storage compartment(9); at least one drain opening formed on a lower circumferential area of a main body(1) and fluidically connecting a machine room(10) with an outside; a drain pipe(40) placed in the machine room and having one end connected with the drain outlet and the other end extended through the drain opening to the outside; and a drain opening and closing device(50) installed on the drain opening.

Description

Kimchi Refrigerator {REFRIGERATOR FOR KIMCHI}

The present invention relates to a kimchi refrigerator, and more particularly to a kimchi refrigerator having an improved drain structure.

As shown in FIG. 7, a conventional kimchi refrigerator includes a main body 101 having an outer appearance and an upper storage compartment 120 formed therein, and a storage compartment 120 installed above the main body 101. It has a door 103 for rotating and opening the door opening.

The main body 101 includes a tubular outer casing 111 forming an outer appearance, and an inner casing 113 formed in the outer casing 111 with a foam material filling interval therebetween to form a storage chamber 120. In the inner lower region of the outer casing 111, a mechanical chamber 130 is isolated from the storage chamber 120.

In the machine room 130, equipment parts such as a compressor 131 for compressing a refrigerant at high temperature and high pressure are accommodated. In the foam filling space formed between the outer casing 111 and the inner casing 113, an evaporator 121 and a compressor for cooling the temperature inside the storage chamber 120 using the refrigerant compressed from the compressor 131. A condenser (not shown) for receiving the compressed refrigerant from 131 and condensing it into a liquid phase, and a heater 133 for generating heat to raise the internal temperature in the storage chamber 120 are provided.

With such a configuration, when the operation of the device is started, a cooling device such as a compressor 131 and a condenser (not shown) is operated to cool the inside of the storage chamber 120, thereby maintaining the freshness of the storage contained in the storage chamber 120. Alternatively, the heating device such as the heater 133 operates to maintain the inside of the storage chamber 120 at a predetermined ripening temperature, thereby aging the stored matter such as kimchi.

By the way, in the conventional kimchi refrigerator, although condensed water is inevitably generated in the storage chamber 120 by the operation of the cooling device and the heat generating device, there is a problem that such condensed water cannot be discharged effectively. In addition, there is a problem that can not easily discharge the sewage, such as kimchi liquid leaked from the storage container accommodated in the storage chamber 120 and the washing water used for cleaning the storage chamber 120.

In order to solve this problem, as shown in Figure 8, to provide the sump 135 in the machine room 130, and to form a drain in the bottom of the storage chamber 120, the sump of the machine chamber 130 in the drain Kimchi refrigerator has been developed to connect the drain hose 137 toward the 135 to discharge the condensed water and sewage in the storage compartment 120.

However, in the conventional kimchi refrigerator, in order to empty the sump container 135, the kimchi refrigerator main body 101 is spaced apart from the installation wall, and then the sump container 135 is opened in the machine room 130 with the machine room cover 139 open. There is an inconvenience to withdraw from. And, when selecting the installation space of the kimchi refrigerator should consider the opening of the machine room cover (139) for the extraction of the sump (135). As a result, there is a problem in that the Kimchi refrigerator installation space is restricted.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a kimchi refrigerator that can easily discharge condensed water and sewage in a storage room without being limited by an installation space.

1 is a rear perspective view of a kimchi refrigerator according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an internal perspective view of Figure 1,

3 is an exploded perspective view of the drain tube of the storage compartment bottom region of FIG. 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the opening and closing guide installation area of Figure 2,

5 and 6 are cross-sectional view showing the operation of the opening and closing guide of Figure 4,

7 and 8 is a cross-sectional view of the conventional kimchi refrigerator,

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

1: body 9: storage room

10: machine room 31: drain hole

33: plug 35: branch pipe

40: drain pipe 41: rotating pipe

43: drain hose 45: external connector

50: drain opening and closing device 51: guide bracket

53: opening and closing guide 55: external connection pipe

According to the present invention, in the kimchi refrigerator having a main body, at least one storage chamber formed in the inner upper region of the main body, and a machine chamber formed in the inner lower region of the main body to be isolated from the storage chamber, A drain port is formed at a bottom of the storage chamber, and at least one drain opening communicating with the outside of the machine chamber is formed at a lower circumferential region of the main body; A drain pipe having one end connected to the drain opening and the other end extending outward through the drain opening in the machine room; The drain opening is achieved by the kimchi refrigerator, characterized in that the drain opening and closing device is provided.

Here, the storage chamber is provided in a pair insulated from each other in the main body, the drain pipe preferably has a branch pipe branched to the drain port of each of the storage chamber.

The drain pipe includes: a rotation pipe rotatably coupled to the branch pipe, and a soft drain hose having one end connected to the rotation pipe and the other end extending inclined downward toward the drain opening; It is effective to include an external connection pipe coupled to the extended end of the drain hose detachable to one region of the drain opening. At this time, the drain hose is preferably a bellows pipe.

On the other hand, the drain opening and closing device, the frame-shaped guide bracket coupled to the main body to form the drain opening; A c-shaped opening and closing guide having a bent portion axially coupled to an inner lower portion of the guide bracket to pivotally open and close the drain opening; It is more effective to have an external connection tube provided to cross both side walls of the opening and closing guide to be exposed and blocked to the outside during the opening and closing rotation of the opening and closing guide, and detachably connected to the external connecting tube of the drain pipe.

At this time, it is preferable that any one of the external connection pipe and the external connection pipe is formed with a hook, and the other is formed with a hook groove for elastically engaging and releasing the hook.

A guide lock for locking and releasing the closed state of the opening and closing guide with a locking protrusion provided on any one of the opening and closing guide and the guide bracket, and a locking jaw provided on the other side when the closing protrusion is closed. It is effective to include more wealth.

At this time, it is more preferred that the guide locking portion further comprises a pressing spring for elastically pressing the opening and closing guide in the opening direction.

In addition, it is effective to further include a plug for opening and closing the drain.

On the other hand, the drain opening is preferably provided on both sides of the main body.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a rear perspective view of the kimchi refrigerator according to the present invention, Figure 2 is an internal perspective view of FIG. As shown in these drawings, the kimchi refrigerator according to the present invention includes a main body 1 in which upper and lower storage chambers 9 and a machine chamber 10 are formed, and a storage chamber 9 installed above the main body 1. It has a door 3 for opening and closing the door opening of ().

The main body 1 has an outer casing 5 having a substantially rectangular cylindrical shape forming an outer appearance, and an inner casing 7 which is accommodated with a foam material filling interval in the outer casing 5 to form a pair of left and right storage chambers 9. ) In the inner lower region of the outer casing 5, a mechanical chamber 10 separated from the storage chamber 9 is formed.

The foam filling space formed between the outer casing 5 and the inner casing 7 includes an evaporator (not shown) and a condenser (not shown) for cooling the temperature inside the storage compartment 9, and generates heat to generate the storage compartment. (9) A heater (not shown) for raising the internal temperature is provided. In the machine room 10, machine parts such as a compressor (not shown) are accommodated.

Meanwhile, drains 31 for discharging condensed water and sewage are formed at the bottom of each storage chamber 9, and drains for guiding condensed water and sewage discharged from the drain 31 to the outside in the machine room 10. The tube 40 is provided. Drain openings 61 communicating with the outside and the machine room 10 are formed at both lower portions of the main body 1, respectively, and drain opening and closing devices 50 for opening and closing the respective drain openings 61 are provided.

Each drain 31 is opened and closed by a plug 33 inside the storage compartment 9, as shown in an enlarged perspective view in FIG. The plug 33 has a plug cap 36 having a plug handle 38 formed at an upper end thereof, and an opening and closing plug 37 coupled to the plug cap 36 and inserted into the drain port 31. The opening and closing stopper 37 is preferably made of urethane foam so as not to form and freeze in the drain opening 31 due to the low temperature of the storage compartment 9 and the relatively high temperature difference of the machine compartment 10.

The drain pipe 40 includes a branch pipe 35 connected to the drain port 31 of each storage chamber, a rotation pipe 41 coupled to the branch pipe 35 so as to be relatively rotatable, and an extended end of the rotation pipe 41. It has a drain hose 43 connected to the, and an external connection pipe 45 coupled to the extension end of the drain hose 43.

The branch pipe 35 has an almost U-shape in which both upper ends thereof are connected to the drain holes 31 of the respective storage chambers 9 and extend downward, and are branched and then extended downward. Rotating support ribs 39 are formed along the outer circumferential surface of the lower end of the branch pipe 35 so as to allow the rotation pipe to be rotated relative to each other.

Rotating pipe 41 is the upper end region is coupled to the lower end of the branch pipe 35 in the same axial direction, the extension section is formed to be inclined downward at a predetermined angle toward the drain opening and closing device (50). On the inner circumferential surface of the upper end of the rotating tube 41, a locking rib 49 is formed along the inner circumferential surface so as to be relatively rotatable to the rotating support rib 39 of the branch pipe 35.

The drain hose 43 is provided as a soft bellows pipe that is freely bent in various shapes, and one end thereof is connected to an extended end region of the rotating tube 41.

And, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, the external connection pipe 45 is connected to the other end of the drain hose 43. Hooks 47 are formed on both sides of the outer circumferential surface of the connection pipe 45 for coupling with the external connection pipe 55 to be described later.

On the other hand, both the drain opening and closing device 50, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 to 6, respectively, a guide bracket for forming a drain opening 61 penetrated toward the machine room 10 from the plate surface of the main body (1) (51), opening and closing guide (53) for opening and closing the drain opening (61), and an external connection pipe (55) formed integrally with the opening and closing guide (53).

The guide bracket 51 has a rectangular frame shape, and shaft coupling holes 62 are formed at both sides of the lower region to engage the pivot shaft 67 for pivotally supporting the opening and closing guide 53.

The opening and closing guide 53 has a closed side wall surface 63 and an open side wall surface 64 which are bent in a N-shape, and both sides of the bent portion are rotatably coupled to the guide bracket 51 so as to be rotatable. Is formed. The shaft through hole 66 is formed in the shaft coupling portion 65 so that the pivot shaft 67 passing through the shaft coupling hole 62 of the guide bracket 51 is engaged. As a result, the opening and closing guide 53 rotates the drain opening 61 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

In addition, a guide locking portion 71 is provided on the closed side wall surface 63 of the opening / closing guide 53 so as to be able to be caught and disengaged in one region of the guide bracket 51. The guide locking portion 71 is formed on the guide bracket 51 so that the locking protrusion 73 protruding toward the guide bracket 51 and the locking protrusion 73 elastically engage when the opening and closing guide 53 is closed. It has a locking jaw 72 and a handle 75 for elastically flowing the locking projection 73. As a result, when the user presses the handle 75 in the direction of “A” of FIG. 5, the locking protrusion 73 is spaced apart from the locking step 72 to release the locking.

In addition, both ends of the rotating shaft 67 for supporting the opening and closing guide 53 is coupled to the pressing spring 68 is fixed to the opening and closing guide 53 and the guide bracket 51, respectively. The pressurizing spring 68 is compressed in the state where the opening and closing guide 53 blocks the drain opening 61 as shown in FIG. 5, and then elastically expands and releases the opening and closing guide when the guide locking portion 71 is released. 53), as shown in FIG. Here, the pressure spring 68 may be provided as a torsion spring as shown in the figure, it can be used a variety of springs, such as coil spring and leaf spring.

The external connection pipe 55 is provided to cross the closed side wall surface 63 and the open side wall surface 64 of the opening and closing guide 53. The outer connecting pipe 55 is opened and closed in a state where the opening and closing guide 53 is opened, and the opening and closing guide 53 so that the rear end thereof faces the machine room 10 through the open side wall 64 and the front end thereof faces the outside of the body 1. It is formed integrally with. In addition, a pair of hook grooves 57 are formed at both sides of the rear end of the external connection pipe 55 so that the hook 47 formed in the connection pipe 45 of the drain pipe 40 can be engaged.

By such a configuration, the user can open and close the drain on the side where the condensed water and sewage can be easily discharged from the drain opening and closing device 50 provided on both sides of the main body 1 according to the conditions of the installation space when the kimchi refrigerator main body 1 is installed. Rotate the rotating tube 41 of the drain tube 40 toward the apparatus 50 to connect the external connecting tube 45 to the external connecting tube 55 of the drain opening and closing apparatus 50, and then the kimchi refrigerator main body 1 to be connected. It is installed in a predetermined installation space.

When the condensed water generated in the storage compartment 9 or the sewage generated during the cleaning of the storage compartment 9 is discharged while using the kimchi refrigerator installed as described above, first, the kimchi refrigerator is provided in the opening and closing guide 53 on the side to which the drain pipe 40 is connected. The guide locking part 71 is unlocked. Then, the opening and closing guide 53 is rotated open by the expansion force of the pressure spring 68, as shown in Figure 6, the external connection pipe 55 connected to the drain pipe 40 is exposed to the outside.

Then, when the plug 33 blocking the drain port 31 of the storage compartment 9 is pulled out and the drain outlet 31 is opened, the condensed water and sewage in the storage compartment 9 are discharged from the drain 31 and the branch pipe 35. After passing through the drain pipe 40 and the external connection pipe 55 is easily discharged to the outside.

After the condensed water and the sewage in the storage chamber 9 are discharged, the kimchi is closed while the opening and closing guide 53 is closed while the drain port 31 at the bottom of the storage chamber 9 is blocked by the plug 33. Use a refrigerator.

On the other hand, when changing the installation position of the kimchi refrigerator for reasons of moving, etc., the external connecting pipe 45 of the drain pipe 40 is separated from the external connecting pipe 55 with the machine room cover 79 open. Then, by connecting the external connection pipe 45 of the drain pipe 40 to the external connection pipe 55 of the appropriate other drain opening and closing device 50, the drain direction can be easily changed.

In this way, a drain hole is formed at the bottom of the storage chamber, and a plurality of drain openings are formed in the lower circumferential region of the main body to communicate with the machine room and the outside. By providing a drain pipe extending to the outside through, the kimchi refrigerator is provided that can easily discharge the condensed water and sewage generated in the storage compartment without being limited by the installation space.

As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a kimchi refrigerator that can easily discharge condensed water and sewage in the storage compartment without being limited by the installation space.

Claims (10)

In the Kimchi refrigerator having a main body, at least one storage chamber formed in the inner upper region of the main body, and a machine chamber formed in the inner lower region of the main body to be isolated from the storage chamber, A drain opening is formed at a bottom of the storage chamber, and at least one drain opening communicating with the outside of the machine chamber is formed at a lower circumferential region of the main body; A drain pipe having one end connected to the drain opening and the other end extending outward through the drain opening in the machine room; Kimchi refrigerator, characterized in that the drain opening is installed in the drain opening. The method of claim 1, The storage compartment is provided in a pair insulated from each other in the main body, the drain pipe is characterized in that the kimchi refrigerator having a branch pipe branched to the drain port of each of the storage compartment. The method of claim 2, The drain pipe, A rotating tube rotatably coupled to the branch pipe, A soft drain hose having one end connected to the rotating tube and the other end extending inclined downward toward the drain opening; Kimchi refrigerator characterized in that it comprises an external connection pipe coupled to the extended end of the drain hose detachable to one area of the drain opening. The method of claim 3, Kimchi refrigerator, characterized in that the drain hose is a bellows pipe. The method of claim 1, The drain opening and closing device, A guide bracket coupled to the main body to form the drain opening; A c-shaped opening and closing guide having a bent portion axially coupled to an inner lower portion of the guide bracket to pivotally open and close the drain opening; Kimchi provided to cross both side walls of the opening and closing guide is exposed and blocked to the outside during the opening and closing rotation of the opening and closing guide, characterized in that it has an external connection tube detachably connected to the external connection tube of the drain pipe Refrigerator. The method of claim 5, The hook is formed in any one of the external connection pipe and the external connection pipe, the other Kimchi refrigerator, characterized in that the hook groove is formed that the hook is elastically engaged and released. The method of claim 5, A locking protrusion provided at any one of the opening and closing guide and the guide bracket, and a guide locking portion provided at the other to lock and unlock the closed state of the opening and closing guide with a locking jaw that the locking protrusion is caught when the opening and closing guide is closed. Kimchi refrigerator characterized in that it comprises. The method of claim 7, wherein Kimchi refrigerator characterized in that it further comprises a pressing spring for elastically pressing the opening and closing guide in the opening direction when the guide lock is unlocked. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Kimchi refrigerator further comprises a plug for opening and closing the drain. The method of claim 1, The drain opening is kimchi refrigerator, characterized in that provided on both sides of the main body.