KR100229481B1 - Refrigerator having air distribution apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a cooling chamber, comprising: a cold air duct provided on a side wall of the cooling chamber to guide the flow of cold air and having a cold air discharge port opened toward the cooling chamber; A rotating shaft rotatably provided with a vertical axis behind the cold air discharge port; Left and right distribution blades on the vertical plate coupled to the rotating shaft and having a plurality of working projections protruding horizontally in at least one side edge in the longitudinal direction; A plurality of vertically distributing wings engaged with the working protrusions and having a working part having a rising / lowering profile in the rotational direction of the working protrusions to move up and down when the left and right distributing blades rotate; It characterized in that it comprises a drive motor for rotating the left and right distribution wings. Thereby, the combined cold air distribution in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction in the cooling chamber can be achieved, and the combined centralized cooling can be achieved in a specific area if necessary, so that the inside of the cooling chamber is maintained at a uniform temperature distribution. And, the vortex is removed around the cold air discharge port, it is possible to effectively distribute the cold air by the cold air distribution device with improved operating performance.

Description

Refrigerator with cold air distributor

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator having a cold air distribution device capable of uniformly supplying cold air in a cooling chamber for storing food.

A general refrigerator has a main body having a pair of cooling chambers divided into a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment partitioned by an intermediate partition, and a freezer compartment door and a refrigerator compartment door for opening and closing each cooling compartment. In the main body, a refrigeration system consisting of a compressor, a condenser (not shown), a freezer compartment evaporator and a refrigerator compartment evaporator is installed. The cold air generated in each evaporator flows along the cold air duct formed on the rear surface of the cooling chamber, and is supplied to each cooling chamber through the cold air discharge port provided in the cold air duct by blowing the blower fan.

However, in the conventional refrigerator, there is a region in which cold air discharged through the cold air discharge port is provided intensively and a relatively small area is provided. Accordingly, the temperature deviation in the cooling chamber is intensified, thereby preventing uniform cooling. There is this. Therefore, a refrigerator that performs a so-called three-dimensional cooling method has been proposed that improves this problem. The three-dimensional cooling method of the refrigerator provides a plurality of cold air discharge outlets on the rear wall and both side walls of the cooling chamber, respectively, so as to achieve intensive cooling air supply in a specific direction as needed, so that the cooling chamber can be uniformly cooled. One is a fridge.

By the way, in such a three-dimensional cooling method refrigerator, too, since the cold air is discharged in a predetermined direction through the cold air discharge port, a four-segment section in which no cold air is supplied is formed in the corner region, and in particular, the side wall of each cooling chamber Since the cold air duct must be provided, there is a problem that the food accommodation space is reduced, and the manufacturing cost is increased due to the increase of parts and manufacturing process. These problems are becoming a real problem in the refrigerator which is gradually increasing in size, and accordingly, in recent years, a refrigerator having a cold air distribution device that can maintain a uniform temperature distribution by eliminating four sections in the cooling chamber has been proposed.

A refrigerator having such a cold air distribution device is proposed in PCT application WO 95/27278 by the applicant of the present invention. 8 to 10 is a view of a refrigerator having a conventional cold air distribution device. In the following, a refrigerator having a conventional cold air distribution device which can be seen in the drawings will be described with reference to the PCT application WO 95/27278 disclosed above.

In the refrigerator 101 having a conventional cold air distribution device, a pair of cooling chambers divided into a freezing chamber 2 and a refrigerating chamber 3 by an intermediate partition 5 in a substantially rectangular main body is provided. Opening / closing doors 6 and 7 are provided on the front openings 2 and 3, respectively. In the main body, a refrigeration system including a compressor 11, a condenser and a freezer compartment evaporator 12a and a refrigerator compartment evaporator 12b (not shown) is installed. The cold air generated in each of the evaporators 12a and 12b is supplied to each cooling chamber by the freezing chamber fan 13a or the refrigerating chamber fan 13b.

On the other hand, in the rear wall of the refrigerating chamber 3, a cold air duct 15 is provided in which cold air from the refrigerating chamber evaporator 12b is blown by the refrigerating chamber fan 13b and flows therein. The cold air distribution device 110 is installed in the vertical direction. On the rear wall surface of the refrigerating chamber 3, a cold air discharge port 16 through which cold air from the cold air duct 15 is discharged to the refrigerating room 3 is formed, and the cold air distribution device 110 guides the supplied cold air to the cold air discharge port. It supplies to the refrigerating compartment 3 through 16. At the rear of the cold air duct 15, a circulation duct 17 connecting the refrigerating chamber 3 and the refrigerator compartment evaporator 12b is formed to be isolated from the cold air duct 15. The cold air which cooled the refrigerator compartment 3 returns to the refrigerator compartment evaporator 12b via this circulation duct 17. As shown in FIG.

The cold air distribution device 110 includes a rotation shaft 121, a plurality of cold air distribution blades 111, and a drive motor 131 for rotating the rotation shaft 121. The rotating shaft 121 is rotatably installed on the rear side of the refrigerating chamber 3, and the rotating shaft 121 of the driving motor 131 is coupled to the upper portion of the rotating shaft 121. The cold air distribution blades 111 are formed in a plate-shaped body curved in a wave shape with respect to the plane including the axis of the rotation shaft 121, and are spaced apart from each other to correspond to each of the cold air discharge ports 16 along the rotation shaft 121. It is. At the upper and lower ends of each cold air distributing wing 111, a pair of end plates 113 formed of an upper plate 113a and a lower plate 113b is formed, and an intermediate plate is formed between the upper plate 113a and the lower plate 113b. 115 is provided to divide the cold air distribution blade 111 into the first blade portion 117 and the second blade portion 119. Each wing portion 117, 119 is bent to form an S-shaped cross section, and each wing portion 117, 119 of each cold air distribution wing 111 is bent in the opposite direction to each other.

In the refrigerator 101 having the conventional cold air distribution device 110 having such a configuration, when the driving motor 131 rotates the rotary shaft 121 at a low speed, the cold air supplied along the cold air duct 15 is cold air distribution wing 111. The direction of the flow path is changed by the curved plate surface of the shells, and spreads in the refrigerating chamber from side to side and is discharged. On the other hand, when intensive cooling is necessary for a specific site, the rotating shaft 121 is stopped in accordance with the direction of the cold air distribution blade 111 so that cold air is concentrated discharged toward the site. By such a cold air distribution device 110, it becomes possible to realize uniform cooling and concentrated cooling in the refrigerating chamber 3.

By the way, in the conventional refrigerator 101 having such a cold air distribution device 110, although the cold air from the cold air duct can be distributed in the horizontal direction, it cannot be distributed in the vertical direction, so that the entire refrigerating chamber 23 is uniformly cooled. There is a limit to keeping it. In the conventional cold air distribution device, vortices may be formed around the cold air discharge port 16 by cold air flowing along the wings 117 and 119 having a gentle S-shaped cross section, and the vortices are cold air distribution. Since it acts as a load on the smooth operation of the device 110, it does not achieve uniform cold distribution in the cooling chamber.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cold air distribution device capable of distributing cold air in the cooling chamber not only in the horizontal direction but also in the vertical direction in consideration of these problems in the related art, thereby maintaining the inside of the cooling chamber in a uniform cooling state as a whole. To provide a refrigerator.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator having a cold air distribution device capable of achieving a combined cold air distribution in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction in a refrigerating compartment, and achieving a combined intensive cooling in a specific area if necessary. .

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator having a cold air distribution device, in which no vortex is generated around the cold air discharge port, thereby operating more efficiently to effectively distribute cold air.

1 is a front view of a refrigerator having a cold air distribution device according to the present invention;

2 is a side cross-sectional view of FIG.

3 is an exploded perspective view of a cold air distribution device according to the present invention;

4 is a perspective view of the upper and lower distribution wings,

5 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the assembled state of FIG.

6 and 7 are side cross-sectional views of the assembled state of Fig. 3, respectively, showing an operating state of the cold air distribution device;

8 is a side cross-sectional view of a refrigerator having a conventional cold air distribution device,

9 is a partially enlarged side cross-sectional view of FIG. 8;

10 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional cold air distribution device.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

2,3 Cooling chamber 5: Intermediate bulkhead

6,7: Door 12a, 12b: Evaporator

13a, 13b: Blowing fan 15: Cold air duct

16a, 16b, 16c: cold air outlet 20: duct housing

21: duct member 28, 45: flange portion

30: cold air distribution device 31: left and right distribution wings

32: wing portion 33: rotation axis

35: drive motor 37: connecting plate

39: action protrusion 51: vertical distribution wing

53: pivot pin 57: front edge

58: rear edge 59: cutout

60: working part

According to the present invention, a refrigerator having a cooling chamber, comprising: a cold air duct provided on a side wall of the cooling chamber to guide the flow of cold air and having a cold air discharge opening opened toward the cooling chamber; A rotating shaft rotatably provided with a vertical axis behind the cold air discharge port; Left and right distribution blades on the vertical plate coupled to the rotating shaft and having a plurality of working projections protruding horizontally in at least one side edge in the longitudinal direction; A plurality of vertically distributing wings engaged with the working protrusions and having a working part having a rising / lowering profile in the rotational direction of the working protrusions to move up and down when the left and right distributing blades rotate; It is achieved by a refrigerator comprising a drive motor for rotating the left and right distribution wings.

Here, the vertically distributed wing, the front edge on the partial arc; Rotating shafts each protruding from both side ends of the front edge in both directions; A rear edge connecting the rotating shafts on both sides; It is advantageous to include a cutout that forms a pivoting space of the left and right distribution blades in the central region of the rear edge.

In addition, it is more effective that the acting portion is a working rib provided along the longitudinal edge of the cutout of the vertically distributing blade, and it is preferable that a pair of connecting plates facing each other are provided at the upper and lower ends of the horizontally distributing blade.

In addition, it is preferable to further include a grill in which the opening surface of the cold air discharge port is partitioned in the horizontal direction and the rear edge portion of the vertically distributed blade is inserted.

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

1 is a front view of a refrigerator having a refrigerator having a cold air distribution device, and FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of FIG. As described with reference to Fig. 8, the refrigerator 1 having the present cold air distribution device is a pair of the refrigerator compartment 2 and the refrigerating compartment 3 divided by the intermediate partition 5 in a substantially rectangular body. Cooling chambers are provided, and opening / closing doors 6 and 7 are provided on the opening fronts of the respective cooling chambers 2 and 3, respectively.

The refrigerator compartment 3 is provided with a plurality of shelves 8 for placing food to partition the refrigerator compartment 3 into a plurality of food storage areas in the vertical direction. In the upper side of the refrigerating chamber 3, a special refrigerating chamber 18 for storing food suitable for a specific temperature range is formed, and the lower side of the refrigerating chamber 3 is provided with a vegetable chamber 19 for storing vegetables. In the main body 4, a compressor 11, a condenser, a freezer compartment evaporator 12a, and a refrigerator compartment evaporator 12b, which are not shown, are installed to perform a refrigeration cycle, and cold air is generated in each of the evaporators 12a and 12b. A freezer compartment fan 13a and a refrigerating compartment fan 13b are installed above the evaporators 12a and 12b to forcibly blow cold air generated in each of the evaporators 12a and 12b to the freezer compartment 2 or the refrigerator compartment 3.

On the rear wall surface of the refrigerating chamber 3, a duct housing 20 is provided which forms a cold air duct 15 that provides a flow path of cold air from the evaporator 12b. The duct housing 20 forms a cold air duct 15 to guide the cold air insulated, the front plate 23 attached to the front surface of the duct member 21, and the duct member 21. Seal plate 25 is bonded to the back of the, and the front plate 23 is composed of a partial cylindrical duct cover 40 is installed in a form surrounding the cold air distribution device (30). The duct cover 40 and the duct member 21 are coupled at a predetermined distance, and forms a cold air duct 15 for guiding the flow of cold air therebetween. The duct cover 40 is provided with cold air outlets 16 opened toward the refrigerating chamber 3 at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction thereof.

On the other hand, the cold air distribution device 30 is provided in the cold air duct 15. The cold air blown into the cold air duct 15 by the refrigerating chamber fan 13b is supplied into the refrigerating chamber 3 through the cold air distribution device 30, and at this time, the cold air distribution device 30 operating as described below in detail is Evenly distribute the cold air to the fridge. At the rear of the cold air duct 15, a circulation duct 17 connecting the refrigerating chamber 3 and the refrigerator compartment evaporator 12b is formed to be isolated from the cold air duct 15. The cold air which cooled the refrigerator compartment 3 returns to the refrigerator compartment evaporator 12b through this circulation duct 15. As shown in FIG.

3 is an exploded perspective view of the cold air distribution device according to the present invention, Figure 4 is a partially enlarged view of the assembled state of FIG. As can be seen in these figures, the duct cover 27 is provided with three cold air outlets 16a, 16b, 16c along the vertical direction, which correspond to three storage zones provided in the vertical direction in the refrigerating chamber, respectively. The cold air distributor 30 is vertically rotatable in the vertical air distributing blade 51 having an axis parallel to the cold air discharge port 16 in the horizontal direction, and in the rear side cold air duct of the vertical air discharging wing 51. It has a left-right distribution blade 31 which interacts with the up-down distribution blade 51, and the drive motor 35 which rotates the left-right distribution blade 31. As shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, each of the cold air discharging ports 16a, 16b, and 16c is provided with three vertically distributing blades 51, and the opening 46 of the cold air discharging ports 16a, 16b, and 16c divides them into upper and lower layers. ) Is installed.

As shown in FIG. 5, the vertically distributing wing 51 has a front arc 57 on a partial arc, a pivot shaft 53 extending laterally from both ends of the front edge 57, and both sides. It has the rear edge 58 which connects the rotation shaft 53. As shown in FIG. The rear edge 58 is projected to the rear with respect to the axis to form a gentle curve, and the central region is cut in the same arc shape as the front edge 57 to form a rotating space of the left and right distribution wings 31. Both side pivot shafts 53 rotate rearwardly along a pair of flange portions 45 extending rearwardly along both longitudinal edges of the cold air discharge ports 16a, 16b, and 16c on the rear surface of the duct cover 27 to face each other. It is possible to install. Rotating shaft holes 47 are provided at both sides of the flange portion 45 at predetermined intervals, and the vertically distributing blades 51 in which both rotating shafts 53 are rotatably accommodated in the rotating shaft holes 47 are rotated. The coaxial 53 is rotatable up and down in an axis. The up-and-down distributing blade 51 rotatably installed in front of the cold air discharge ports 16a, 16b, and 16c has its front edge 57 supported by the grille 46 to prevent downward rotation due to its own weight.

On the other hand, the left-right distribution blade 31 has the rotating shaft 33 and the wing | blade part 32 formed in the axial direction of this rotating shaft 33 at predetermined intervals. The wing part 32 is formed coaxially with the rotating shaft 33, and the connecting plate 37 of the disk shape is attached to the upper-lower edge so that mutually may face. One edge of each of the edges of the wing portion 32 is provided with a plurality of working protrusions 39 protruding from the plate surface at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction thereof. In this embodiment, three of these working protrusions 39 are provided so as to correspond to the vertically distributing wings 51. Each of these working protrusions 39 comes into contact with the lower surface of the vertically distributing blade 51, that is, the edge of the cutout 59, when the left and right distributing blades 31 rotate. In response to this, the lower surface of the upper and lower distribution blades 51 is provided with an action part 60 that acts with the action protrusion 39. The acting portion 50 is simply composed of a working rib projecting to be bent downward along the longitudinal edge of the cutout 59, whereby the actuating protrusion 39 rotates in contact with the working rib 60. The vertical dispensing blade 51 is rotatable in the vertical direction.

On the other hand, the drive shaft 36 of the drive motor 35 is coupled to the upper end of the rotary shaft 33 of the left and right distribution wings 31, the lower end of the rotary shaft hole 29 provided in the lower flange 28 of the duct cover 27 Is rotatably received. The drive motor 35 is housed in a motor case (not shown) at the top of the front plate 23 and installed. Such drive motor 35, it is preferable to use a stepping motor capable of forward and reverse rotation and control the stop angle position.

6 and 7 are side cross-sectional views of the assembled state of FIG. 3, showing an operating state of the cold air distribution device according to the present invention. The drive motor 35 rotates the left and right distribution blades 360 ° in accordance with a control signal of a controller (not shown). The rotating left / right distributing blade 31 comes into contact with the working rib 60 of the vertical distributing blade 51 in the rotation plane of the working protrusion 39 formed along the longitudinal direction of the edge thereof. That is, when the actuating protrusions 39 which preferentially contact the inlet side rear edge 57 of the vertically distributing wing 51 gradually move toward the top of the working rib 60, the vertically distributing wing 51 rotates upward. When moving downwards from the top to the other edge, it rotates downward to its original state. While the working protrusions 39 and the working ribs 60 interact with each other, as shown in FIG. 7, the rotational position of the vertically distributing wing 51 is gradually changed, and thus the cold air duct 15 The cold air from the furnace is evenly distributed and fed into the fridge.

Then, when the action projections 39 of the left and right distribution wings 31 are continuously rotated and mutual contact with the working ribs 60 of the upper and lower distribution wings 51 is released, the upper and lower distribution blades 51 have their front edges 57. ) Is supported on the upper portion of the grill 46 which partitions the front surface of the cold air discharge ports 16a, 16b, 16c in the horizontal direction. Accordingly, each vertically distributing blade 51 is prevented from being rotated downward by its own weight to maintain a horizontal state, and the contact protrusions 39 of the horizontally distributing wings 31 which rotate continuously can be contacted. By the combined operation of the left and right distribution blades 31 and the vertical distribution blades 51, the overall temperature distribution state can be maintained in the refrigerating chamber.

On the other hand, in the refrigerating chamber, temperature sensing sensors 19a and 19b are provided in plural places. These sensors 19a and 19b sense the temperature in the refrigerating compartment and generate a detection signal to the control unit. The control unit applying the detection signal determines whether or not a temperature deviation occurs in the refrigerating compartment. Therefore, when the temperature deviation becomes more than a predetermined value, the control signal is output to the drive motor 45, and the upper and lower distributing blade 51 and the left and right distributing blade 31 are stopped to rotate so that cold air can be concentrated in the corresponding area. Let's do it. At this time, the cold air from the cold air duct 15 can be concentrated-cooled in the local area of the refrigerating chamber by the combined action of the upper, lower, left and right cold air distribution wings.

On the other hand, in the above-described and illustrated embodiments, the action projections 39 are formed at one edge of the wing portion 32 of the left and right distribution wings 31, but the action protrusions at both edges of the wing portion 32 are described. 39 may also be formed. Then, when the left and right distribution blades 31 rotate, both working protrusions 39 are in contact with the working ribs 60 of the vertically distributed blade 51 in sequence. At this time, since the rear edge portions 58 on both sides with the cutout portion 59 of the vertically distributed blade 51 extend toward the predetermined rear side with respect to the axis, the action projection 39 on one side is the rear edge portion at the exit side. Before leaving (58), the other side working protrusion 39 supports the inlet side rear edge (58). Accordingly, excessive downward rotation of the vertically distributing wing 51 is restricted. Such a configuration can achieve the same object and effect as described above.

Further, in the above-described and illustrated embodiments, the above-described upper and lower distribution blades 51 and the actuating ribs 60 are formed on the upper and lower distribution blades 51, but the upper and lower distribution blades 51 have a predetermined thickness. When the upper and lower plate surfaces of both side ends of the rear edge 58 is adjacent to each other and the center portion is spaced a predetermined distance, the rear edge 58 can act as the acting rib 60 itself.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to achieve a combined cold air distribution in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction in the cooling chamber through the vertically distributing wings and the left and right distributing wings, and to achieve the combined centralized cooling in a specific area if necessary. It is possible to provide a refrigerator having a cold air distribution device in which the cooling chamber is maintained at a uniform temperature distribution. Then, the vortex is removed around the cold air discharge port generated in the refrigerator having the conventional cold air distribution device, so that the cold air distribution device can operate more efficiently, thereby effectively distributing the cold air in the cooling chamber.

Claims (5)

In the refrigerator having a cooling chamber, A cold air duct provided on a side wall of the cooling chamber to guide the flow of cold air and having a cold air discharge port opened toward the cooling chamber; A rotating shaft rotatably provided with a vertical axis behind the cold air discharge port; Left and right distribution blades on the vertical plate coupled to the rotating shaft and having a plurality of working projections protruding horizontally in at least one side edge in the longitudinal direction; A plurality of vertically distributing wings engaged with the working protrusions and having a working part having a rising / lowering profile in the rotational direction of the working protrusions to move up and down when the left and right distributing blades rotate; Refrigerator comprising a drive motor for rotating the left and right distribution wings. The method of claim 1, The upper and lower distribution wings, A front edge on the partial arc; Rotating shafts each protruding from both side ends of the front edge in both directions; A rear edge connecting the rotating shafts on both sides; And a cutout forming a pivoting space of the left and right distributing blades in a central region of the rear edge portion. The method of claim 1, The operating unit is a refrigerator, characterized in that the operating rib provided along the longitudinal edge of the cutout of the vertical distribution blade. The method of claim 2, Refrigerators, characterized in that the pair of connecting plates facing each other are installed at the upper and lower ends of the left and right distribution wings. The method according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, And a grill in which the opening surface of the cold air discharge port is partitioned in a horizontal direction and the rear edge portion of the vertically distributed blade is inserted into the grill.

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