KR100621238B1 - Damper in refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

The damper structure of the refrigerator according to the present invention comprises a cold air passage connecting the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment; And a door which is formed inside the cold air flow passage, is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the cold air flow passage direction inside the cold air flow passage, and the cold air flow passage is blocked or opened by a sliding operation.

According to the present invention can reduce the size of the control box, it is possible to obtain the advantage that the internal capacity of the refrigerator is advantageous. In addition, reliability is improved on the operation of the damper. In addition, there is an advantage that the damper can be stably operated and supported by the air resistance generated by the flow of air flowing through the cold air flow path. In addition, by allowing the damper to operate in a narrow space, the shape of the connecting flow path can be formed as intended, and furthermore, since the structure of the refrigerator can be changed according to the intention of the user, there is an advantage of increasing consumer satisfaction.

Refrigerator, Euro, Damper

Description

Damper structure of refrigerator {Damper in refrigerator}

1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator to which the idea of the present invention is applied;

2 is a cross-sectional view of II ′ of FIG. 1.

3 and 4 are cross-sectional views taken along the line II-II ′ of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 illustrates a state in which the damper is closed, and FIG. 4 illustrates a state in which the damper is open.

5 is a perspective view of a refrigerator for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

11 first cold air flow path 13 damper 14 blowing fan

22: damper accommodation space

The present invention relates to a damper of a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a damper structure of a refrigerator for opening or closing the cold air supplied to the refrigerating compartment and / or the freezing compartment from the inside of the refrigerator, or controlling the amount of supplied cold air. More specifically, the present invention relates to a damper structure of a refrigerator to selectively block the cold air flow passage supplied from the freezer compartment to the refrigerating compartment.

A refrigerator in a general sense is a home appliance which is divided into a freezer compartment and a refrigerating compartment so that food is kept cold at a low temperature in the refrigerating compartment, or food is frozen in a freezing state during freezing. In order to supply the cool air into the refrigerator, the refrigeration cycle of the compressor, the condenser, the expansion valve, and the evaporator is operated, and the cool air generated during the operation of the refrigeration cycle is supplied into the refrigerator.

In addition, according to the structure of the refrigerator, the refrigerator is roughly divided into a top mount type in which the freezer compartment F and the refrigerator compartment R are divided up and down according to a state in which the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment are partitioned, and a refrigerator compartment. Bottom Freezer-Type with (R) and Freezer compartment (F) partitioned up and down, Side by Side type with Freezer (F) and Refrigerator compartment (R) partitioned left and right -Type).

It will be described how the cold air is supplied into the refrigerator in the above-described refrigerator. First, sub-zero cold air generated during the process of evaporating cold air from the evaporator is supplied to the freezing compartment to freeze food in the freezing compartment. The cold air in which the freezing operation is performed in the freezing compartment is supplied to the refrigerating compartment via a predetermined flow path. In this way, a predetermined connection channel is formed to connect the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment to supply cold air from the freezer compartment to the refrigerating compartment, and the connection passage is blocked or opened by a damper.

The damper structure applied conventionally is demonstrated in detail. The conventional damper structure is provided with a plate-shaped blocking film to allow the connection flow path to be entirely blocked, and a hinge provided at one side of the blocking film to allow the blocking film to rotate about the connection flow path. By this structure, the blocking film rotates about the hinge, so that the connection channel can be blocked or opened.

However, in the conventional damper, the plate-shaped barrier film must be rotated about the hinge. Therefore, since the connecting flow path must be opened along the path through which the blocking film passes, it is obstructive in installing the connecting flow path, so that the structure of the refrigerator cannot be changed according to the user's intention, and the size of the refrigerator increases. There is this.

In addition, while air flows through the connection channel, since a resistance force is generated in the blocking film by the flow of air, a large amount of power is required to operate the blocking film. And since the operation | movement of a blocking film is not free by the flow of air mentioned above, there exists a high possibility that a blocking film may malfunction.

The present invention is proposed to improve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to propose a damper structure of a refrigerator in which reliability is improved in operation of the damper.

In addition, an object of the present invention is to propose a damper structure of a refrigerator in which the damper can be stably operated by the flow of air generated during operation of the refrigerator.

In addition, by allowing the damper to operate in a narrow space, it is possible to form the shape of the connecting flow path as desired, and furthermore, to propose a damper structure of the refrigerator which can change the structure of the refrigerator as the user intends and reduce the size of the refrigerator. The purpose.

The damper structure of the refrigerator according to the present invention for achieving the above object is a cold air passage connecting the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment; And a door which is formed inside the cold air flow passage, is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the cold air flow passage direction inside the cold air flow passage, and the cold air flow passage is blocked or opened by a sliding operation.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a damper structure of a refrigerator includes: a cold air flow path formed inside the refrigerator, through which cold air flows; A door in which the cold air flow path is blocked or opened by the translational motion of the cold air flow path; A rack connected to the door; And a pinion engaged with the rack to apply rotational force to the rack.

By the damper structure of the refrigerator as proposed, it is possible to obtain an effect of improving the operational reliability of the damper. In addition, since the damper and the cold air flow path may not influence each other independently, the degree of freedom of the structure of the refrigerator may be increased, which may be conveniently used by the user, and the high internal volume of the refrigerator may be secured.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings propose a specific embodiment of the present invention. However, the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented, and those skilled in the art who understand the spirit of the present invention easily suggest other embodiments by adding, changing, and deleting components within the scope of the same idea. You can do it. However, such modified embodiments will be within the scope of the present invention.

1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator to which the idea of the present invention is applied.

Referring to FIG. 1, a refrigerator 1 according to the present invention is partitioned into a refrigerator compartment 6 and a freezer compartment 5, and an inner case 3, an out case 2, and a heat insulating material 4 are defined at partitioned boundaries. The inner compartment is protected by a blocking member made of. Then, at the interval between the refrigerating chamber 6 and the freezing chamber 5, both spaces are insulated by the intermediate wall 7. The intermediate wall 7 is blocked from heat exchange between the two spaces by the inner case 3 and the heat insulating material 4. In addition, the freezer compartment 5 and the refrigerating compartment 6 are formed by the freezer compartment door 8 to block the open front of the freezer compartment 5 and the refrigerating compartment door 9 to block the open front of the refrigerating compartment 6. It can be selectively opened or shielded.

Meanwhile, a first cold air passage 11 is formed to allow cold air to flow into the refrigerating compartment 6 from the freezing compartment 5, and a second to allow cold air to flow into the freezing compartment 5 from the refrigerating compartment 6. The cold air flow passage 12 is formed. The first cold air passage 11 is placed inside the rear wall 10 to insulate the rear of the refrigerator, and the second cold air passage 12 is formed through the blocking wall 7. Referring to the operation of the flow path structure, the cold air of the freezing chamber 5 flows into the refrigerating chamber 6 through the first cold air passage 11, and the refrigerating chamber 6 through the second cold air passage 12. Let cool air flow into the freezer compartment (5). Of course, the cold air flowing through the inside of the first cold air flow path 11 is naturally colder than the cold air flowing through the inside of the second cold air flow path 12.

In addition, the first cold air passage 11 includes a damper 13 to selectively shield the cold air flowing inside the first cold air passage 11, and a freezing chamber 5 through the first cold air passage 11. Blower fan 14 for forcibly introducing cold air into the refrigerating chamber 6, and a damper accommodation space 22 for allowing the damper 13 to be received in the rear wall 10 during the operation of the damper 13. This is further formed. As a feature of the invention, the damper 13 is driven in such a way that the plate-shaped door is opened and closed.

In addition, although not shown, a machine room is provided at the lower side of the rear wall 10, and a compressor, a condenser, an expander, and an evaporator are disposed inside and outside the machine room to circulate the refrigerant. In addition, since cold air is generated by the evaporator and delivered to the freezing chamber, detailed descriptions are omitted since it is known by a number of conventionally known documents.

The operation of the flow path structure described above will be briefly described. The damper 13 is opened when cold air needs to flow into the refrigerating chamber 6 from the freezing chamber 5. In addition, cold air flows through the first cold air passage 11 opened by the damper 13. Since the volume of the air introduced into the refrigerating compartment 6 through the first cold air passage 11 is introduced into the freezing compartment 5 from the refrigerating compartment 6 through the second cold air passage 12, it may operate normally. Can be. The position at which the first cold air passage 11 and the second cold air passage 12 are formed is not limited to the position as illustrated, and may be formed at any position connecting the refrigerator compartment 6 and the freezer compartment 5. However, the first cold air flow passage 11 may be formed on the rear wall 10 due to factors such as the installation of the driving unit.

In this case, since the damper 13 is formed in a sliding shape, the damper 13 does not occupy the internal space of the first cold air flow passage 11 during the operation of the damper 13. In addition, since the damper can be supported by the damper accommodating space 22 also with respect to the resistance of the flow of air applied to the damper 13, the operational reliability of the damper is improved. Furthermore, since the operation direction of the damper 13 is perpendicular to the operation direction of the first cold air flow passage 11, the driving force of the damper is not increased by the flow resistance of cold air during the operation of the damper 13. .

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of II ′ of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, a first cold air flow passage 11 is formed in the rear wall 10, and air is introduced into the refrigerating chamber 6 from the freezing chamber 5 through the first cold air flow passage 11. In addition, a blower fan 14 is formed inside the first cold air passage 11 so that an appropriate amount of air flows inside the first cold air passage 11.

In addition, a damper structure is formed in the first cold air passage 11. In detail, a damper 13 for selectively shielding the cold air flow path, a rack 18 coupled to the damper 13, a pinion 17 engaged with the rack 18, and the pinion 17. It includes a drive motor 16 to be rotated, and at least the drive motor 16 is accommodated therein, in addition to the control box 15 is mounted a control component necessary for the operation of the refrigerator.

Briefly describing the operation of the damper structure, the rotational motion of the drive motor 16 leads to the rotation of the pinion 17, the rack 18 is engaged with the pinion 17 when the pinion 17 is rotated. This is translated. In addition, the rack 18 pushes the damper 13 so that the first cold air passage 11 is shielded or opened. Since the damper 13 is translated in an inclined direction with respect to the flow direction of air flowing through the inside of the first cold air passage 11, the space constraint required in the cold air passage during the operation of the damper 13 is limited. none. More preferably, by operating the damper 13 in the vertical direction relative to the air flow direction of the cold air flow path 11, the operational reliability of the damper 13 can be improved.

An operation state of the damper 13 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken along the line II-II 'of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 shows a state in which the damper is closed, and FIG. 4 shows a state in which the damper is open.

3 and 4, the damper 13 includes a first door 21 moving to the left and a second door 24 moving to the right. In addition, predetermined guide rails 23 are formed at upper and lower ends of the doors 21 and 24 to guide the pushing and pulling operations of the doors 21 and 24. Therefore, the doors 21 and 24 can be stably translated from side to side in a guided state by the guide rails 23.

The manner in which the doors 21 and 24 move will be described in detail.

At the upper end of the door, racks 181 and 182 fixed to the door are formed integrally with the door or as separate parts, and pinions 17 to which the racks 181 and 182 are engaged are formed. Since the pinion 17 is placed at the center of the pair of racks 181 and 182 facing each other, the racks 181 and 182 move in opposite directions as long as the pinion 17 is rotated so that the door 21 (24) is opened.

On the other hand, in the state in which the doors 21 and 25 are opened, the doors 21 and 24 are inserted into the door accommodation space 22 to support their positions, and in the closed state, the doors 21 and 24 are inserted into the door accommodation space 22. Since at least a portion of the 21) 24 can be locked and its position can be fixed, the position of the door is supported when the door 21 or 24 is closed or opened. Of course, when the doors 21 and 24 are opened, since the first cold air flow passage 11 is opened between the open spaces of both doors, the cold air can flow. In addition, the damper 13 may be accommodated in the heat insulating material 4 of the refrigerator to stably support its position.

As described, the damper according to the present invention is blocked or opened by the flow of cold air by the door which is translated in a direction inclined in a predetermined direction with respect to the flow path of the cold air in the cold air flow passage structure of the refrigerator. Therefore, the operation of the door is not disturbed by the resistance of the air during the operation of the damper. In addition, since there is no space required along the path of the damper in the internal space of the cold air flow path for the operation of the doors 21 and 24, there is an advantage that the formation of the cold air flow path 11 becomes more free. In addition, since the space of the control box 15 is reduced, there is an advantage that can increase the internal volume of the high.

5 is a perspective view of a refrigerator for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, a first cold air flow passage 41 through which cold air flows from the freezing chamber 5 into the refrigerating chamber 6 is formed in the middle wall 7, and on the contrary, the second cold air flow passage 44 is formed in the refrigerator. It is provided in the rear wall part 10. Of course, the damper 42 and the blower fan 43 may also be formed on the intermediate wall 7 in a manner similar to the position where the first cold air flow passage 41 is formed.

In addition, the structure of the damper 42 and the blowing fan 43 is the same as or similar to the original embodiment, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The damper structure as described above can be easily changed and applied to not only the side by side type refrigerator but also other types of refrigerators.

In addition, although the door is described as being a flat plate in the present invention, a gently curved curve may be applied. However, such a case is not preferable because the door receiving space can be so large.

According to the present invention, the reliability is improved on the operation of the damper, and the size of the control box is reduced, so that a high internal volume of the refrigerator can be secured.

In addition, there is an advantage that the damper can be stably operated and supported by the air resistance generated by the flow of air flowing through the cold air flow path.

In addition, by allowing the damper to operate in a narrow space, the shape of the connecting flow path can be formed as intended, and furthermore, since the structure of the refrigerator can be changed according to the intention of the user, there is an advantage of increasing consumer satisfaction.

In addition, since the cold air flow path does not need to be large, a high internal volume of the refrigerator can be ensured.

Claims (10)

A cold air passage accommodated in the rear wall of the refrigerator and connecting the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment; And And a door formed inside the cold air flow passage, the door being inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the cold air flow direction inside the cold air flow passage to block or open the cold air flow passage by a sliding operation. The method of claim 1, The cold air flow passage is a damper structure of a refrigerator, which is a flow path through which air flows from the freezing compartment to the refrigerating compartment. The method of claim 1, The damper structure of the refrigerator comprising a blower fan formed in the cold air flow path to allow the cool air to flow smoothly. delete The method of claim 1, Damper structure of the refrigerator, which contains another cold air path connecting the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment. The method of claim 1, A rack formed at one side of the door; A damper structure of a refrigerator including a pinion engaged with the rack and applying a rotational force to the rack. The method of claim 1, The door is a pair, a pair of racks formed on one side of the door and the damper structure of the refrigerator in which the door is translated by a pinion engaged with the rack. A cold air flow path formed in a partition wall of the refrigerator that divides the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment, in which cold air flows; A door in which the cold air flow path is blocked or opened by the translational motion of the cold air flow path; A rack connected to the door; And A damper structure of a refrigerator including a pinion engaged with the rack and applying a rotational force to the rack. The method of claim 8, When the door is open, the damper structure of a refrigerator including a door receiving space formed in the interior of the heat insulator to accommodate the door. The method of claim 8, The door is a damper structure of the plate-shaped refrigerator.

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