KR100694263B1 - Indirect cooling structure of storage receptacle for refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

An indirect cooling structure for a storage box in a refrigerator is provided to surround a box housing receiving storage boxes with a chilled air path for indirectly cooling food in the storage boxes by circulation of chilled air, thereby preventing evaporation of moisture from foodstuffs and preventing excessive or weak cooling. An indirect cooling structure for a storage box in a refrigerator includes a box housing(40) having a mounting space(40S) for mounting one or more storage boxes such as a vegetable box(60). A path(50P) is defined by outer surface of the box housing and inner surface of a path casing(50), and surrounds an outer surface of the box housing. Chilled air is supplied from a chilled air supply hole(36) of a refrigerating compartment(33) and discharged to a chilled air discharge hole(38) thereof along the path, while indirectly cooling food received in the receiving boxes during the circulation.

Description

Indirect cooling structure of storage receptacle for refrigerator

1 is a front view showing the internal structure of a refrigerator according to the prior art.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the internal structure of a refrigerator provided with a preferred embodiment of the indirect cooling structure of the storage box for a refrigerator according to the present invention.

Figure 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the refrigerator provided with the embodiment shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

30: main body 31: freezer

33: refrigerator 35: barrier

36: cold air supply port 37: damper

38: cold air outlet 39: guide rail

40: box housing 40S: mounting space

41: guide rib 43: guide rail

50: Euro casing 50P: Euro

51: cold air outlet 53: cold air outlet

55: partition plate 57: insulation

60: vegetable box 60S: storage space

61: handle groove 63: guide rib

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly to a refrigerator storage box indirect cooling structure for supplying cold air to the storage box of the refrigerator.

1 shows the internal structure of a refrigerator according to the prior art.

As shown in the figure, a predetermined storage space in which food is stored is provided in the refrigerator body 10. The storage space of the main body 10 is partitioned from side to side to form a freezing chamber 11 and a refrigerating chamber 13. In addition, the main body 10 includes a freezing compartment door 11a and a refrigerating compartment door 13a to selectively open and close the freezing compartment 11 and the refrigerating compartment 13. The freezing chamber door 11a and the refrigerating chamber door 13a are respectively installed on one side of the main body 10 so that the tip is rotated forward and backward of the main body 10 with respect to one end thereof.

On the other hand, a plurality of door baskets 15 are provided on the rear surfaces of the freezing chamber door 11a and the refrigerating chamber door 13a. The door basket 15 is for storing food. The door basket 15 is provided on the rear surface of the freezing chamber door 11a and the refrigerating chamber door 13a to be spaced up and down by a predetermined interval.

In addition, a plurality of shelves 17 are installed in the freezing chamber 11 and the refrigerating chamber 13. The shelf 17 is detachably installed in the freezer compartment 11 and the refrigerating compartment 13 to partition the freezer compartment 11 and the refrigerating compartment 13 up and down. The food is seated on the upper surface of the shelf 17.

In addition, a plurality of vegetable boxes 19 are installed in the lower portion of the refrigerating chamber 13 to be withdrawn. The inside of the vegetable box 19 is provided with a predetermined storage space for storing food, for example, vegetables or fruits. The storage space of the vegetable box 19 is generally open at the top, and is shielded by the bottom surface of the vegetable box located on the bottom of one of the shelves 17 or above.

Next, the process of cold air circulation inside the refrigerator, that is, inside the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment, will be described.

First, cold air is formed by heat exchange with a refrigerant flowing through an evaporator (not shown) provided in the main body 10 corresponding to the rear of the freezing chamber 11. Such cold air is supplied to the freezing compartment 11 and the refrigerating compartment 13 through a cold air supply port (not shown) respectively provided on the freezing compartment 11 and the refrigerating compartment 13.

On the other hand, the cold air supplied to the freezing chamber 11 and the refrigerating chamber 13 circulates inside the freezing chamber 11 and the refrigerating chamber 13 to freeze or refrigerate the stored food. The cold air that freezes or refrigerates the food stored in the freezing compartment 11 and the refrigerating compartment 13 flows toward the evaporator through a cold air return hole (not shown) provided in the lower part of the freezing compartment 11 and the refrigerating compartment 13. As a result, circulation of cold air is performed inside the refrigerator.

However, the refrigerator according to the related art has the following problems.

As described above, the storage space of the vegetable box 19 is shielded by the bottom of any one of the shelves 17 or the bottom of the vegetable box located directly above, but is not completely sealed. Therefore, since the cold air circulating in the refrigerating compartment 13 is transferred to the storage space of the vegetable box 19 and comes into contact with foods such as vegetables or fruits stored therein, the food is stored in the storage space of the vegetable box 19. There is a fear that the smell of other foods stored in the refrigerating chamber 13 may double or the moisture of the food may evaporate and dry.

The present invention is to solve such a conventional problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide a storage box indirect cooling structure for a refrigerator configured to be stored more fresh food stored in the storage box.

According to a feature of the present invention for achieving the above object, the present invention is provided in the refrigerating chamber, the box housing is provided with a mounting space therein one or more storage boxes; A flow path provided to surround the outer surface of the box housing, the air being circulated through the cold air supplying from the cold air supply port formed in the refrigerating compartment and being discharged to the cold air discharging port formed in the refrigerating chamber to indirectly cool the food stored in the storage box; It is configured to include.

The box housing is formed in a hexahedral shape with the front opening, and the flow path is formed by the upper and lower sides of the box housing and the outer front end portions of the box housing and the inner surface of the flow path casing surrounding the box housing.

The upper and lower surfaces of the box housing corresponding to the inside of the flow path may further include an insulating material for preventing freezing due to cold air circulating inside the flow path.

On both sides of the outer side of the box housing corresponding to the rear of the euro casing, guide ribs sliding along guide rails extending longitudinally on both sides of the refrigerating chamber are provided, respectively, and both sides of the box housing are provided in and out of the housing. A plurality of guide rails for guiding are provided long in the front and rear to be spaced apart by a predetermined interval up and down.

The cold air circulating in the flow path is formed in the flow path casing and flows into the cold air inlet communicating with the cold air supply port, and is formed in the flow path casing and discharged into the cold air outlet communicating with the cold air discharge port.

A partition plate may be provided in the passage casing to partition the cold air flowing into the cold air inlet and circulating the flow path and the cold air discharged to the cold air outlet.

The cold air supply port is selectively opened and closed only by a damper when the internal temperature of the storage box is less than or equal to a predetermined value.

According to the present invention, there is an advantage that the food stored in the interior of the storage box can be stored more fresh.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a storage box indirect cooling structure for a refrigerator according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 and 3 show the internal configuration of the refrigerator provided with a preferred embodiment of the storage box indirect cooling structure for the refrigerator according to the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, a storage space is provided in the refrigerator body 30. Such a storage space is composed of a freezer compartment 31 and a refrigerating compartment 33 which are partitioned from side to side by a barrier 35 provided in the main body 30. The freezing chamber 31 and the refrigerating chamber 33 have a cold air supply port (not shown) to which cold air heat exchanged from an evaporator (not shown) is supplied, and a cold air return hole for flowing cold air circulated therein to the evaporator (not shown). H) are each provided.

The barrier 35 is provided with a cold air supply port 36. The cold air supply port 36 serves as a passage through which cold air circulating in the freezing compartment 31 is supplied to a flow path 50P to be described below. In the illustrated embodiment, the cold air supply port 36 is formed in a rectangular shape, but the shape of the cold air supply port 36 is not limited thereto.

In addition, a damper 37 is provided in the barrier 35 corresponding to the cold air supply port 36. The damper 37 is composed of a baffle that is rotatably installed, and a drive motor for rotating the baffle. Since the structure of the damper 37 is well known, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The damper 37 selectively opens and closes the cold air supply port 36 according to a temperature inside the storage space 60S of the vegetable box 60 to be described below, which is sensed by a temperature sensor (not shown). Do it. That is, the damper 37 opens the cold air supply port 36 only when the temperature inside the storage space 60S of the vegetable box 60 is greater than or equal to a predetermined value.

In addition, the cold air discharge port 38 is formed on one side of the barrier 35 corresponding to the lower side of the cold air supply port 36. The cold air discharge port 38 serves as an outlet through which cold air circulated through the flow path 50P is discharged to the freezing chamber 31. The cold air discharge port 38 is formed below the cold air supply port 36 to be positioned on the same vertical line as the cold air supply port 36.

A plurality of guide rails 39 are provided on both side surfaces of the refrigerating chamber 33. The guide rail 39 of the refrigerating compartment 33 is for guiding the withdrawal of the box housing 40 to be described below. The guide rails 39 of the refrigerating chamber 33 are provided long on the front and rear sides of the refrigerating chamber 33 so as to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval vertically. At this time, the front ends of the guide rails 39 of the refrigerating compartment 33 are respectively spaced apart rearward by a predetermined distance from the front end of the refrigerating compartment 33.

On the other hand, the box housing 40 is installed in the lower portion of the refrigerating chamber 33 to be retractable. The box housing 40 is formed in a hexahedral shape in which the front surface is opened. In addition, a mounting space 40S is provided inside the box housing 40. In the mounting space 40S of the box housing 40, the vegetable box 60 is installed to be withdrawn.

A plurality of guide ribs 41 are provided on both outer sides of the box housing 40, respectively. The guide ribs 41 of the box housing 40 are provided long in front and rear so as to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval vertically and corresponding to the guide rails 39 of the refrigerating chamber 33. The guide ribs 41 of the box housing 40 respectively move forward and backward along the guide rails 39 of the refrigerating chamber 33. In this case, the front ends of the guide ribs 41 of the box housing 40 are respectively spaced rearward by a predetermined length at both front ends of the box housing 40.

In addition, a plurality of guide rails 43 are provided at both inner sides of the box housing 40 corresponding to both sides of the mounting space 40S of the box housing 40. The guide rails 43 of the box housing 40 may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval up and down corresponding to the guide rails 39 of the refrigerating compartment 33 and the guide ribs 41 of the box housing 40. It is provided long.

As described above, the guide rails 39 of the refrigerating compartment 33 and the guide ribs 41 and the guide rails 43 of the box housing 40 are provided at heights corresponding to each other. That is, the guide rails 39 of the refrigerating compartment 33 and the guide ribs 41 and the guide rails 43 of the box housing 40 are respectively provided at heights corresponding to each other, thereby not changing the standard of the conventional vegetable box. It becomes usable without.

The upper and lower sides of the box housing 40 and the outer side front ends of the box housing 40 are provided with a flow casing 50. The flow casing 50 is provided so as to surround the upper and lower surfaces of the box housing 40 and the outer side of both sides of the box housing 40 so as to have an overall U-shape shape. The flow casing 50 may be fixed to the upper and lower surfaces of the box housing 40 and the outer front ends of the box housing 40 by a configuration such as a fixing protrusion or a fixing hook and a fixing groove, or an adhesive.

The left and right widths of the flow path casing 50 provided on both side surfaces of the box housing 40 may be determined corresponding to the left and right widths of the guide rails 39 of the refrigerating chamber 33. This is to minimize dead space formed between the refrigerating chamber 33 and the box housing 40.

In addition, a flow path 50P is formed by the upper and lower surfaces of the box housing 40, the outer front end portions of both sides, and the inner surface of the flow path casing 50. Cold air for indirectly cooling the food stored in the storage space 60S of the vegetable box 60 is flowed inside the flow path 50P.

As shown in FIG. 3, the flow casing 50 adjacent to the barrier 35 is provided with a cold air inlet 51 and a cold air outlet 53, respectively. The cold air inlet 51 communicates with the cold air supply port 36, and the cold air outlet 53 communicates with the cold air outlet 38. The cold air inlet 51 serves as an inlet zone through which cold air supplied through the cold air supply port 36 flows into the flow path 50P. The cold air outlet 53 serves as an outlet through which the cold air circulated through the flow path 50P is discharged to the freezing chamber 31 through the cold air discharge port 38.

In addition, a partition plate 55 is provided on an inner side surface of the passage casing 50 corresponding to the cold air inlet 51 and the cold air outlet 53. The partition plate 55 serves to partition the cold air flowing into the cold air inlet 51 and circulating the flow path 50P and the cold air discharged to the cold air outlet 53 by circulating the flow path 50P. The partition plate 55 is provided horizontally in the passage casing 50, and a front end thereof is positioned adjacent to an outer side of one side of the box housing 40.

In addition, a heat insulating material 57 is provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the box housing 40 and on both side outer front ends, that is, the flow path 50P. The heat insulator 57 is for preventing freezing from occurring on the upper and lower surfaces of the box housing 40 and the outer front end portions of the box housing 40 or the inner surfaces of the flow path casing 50 by the cold air flowing in the flow path 50P. will be.

Meanwhile, a plurality of vegetable boxes 60 are installed in the mounting space 40S of the box housing 40 so as to be able to withdraw. Inside the vegetable box 60 is provided with a storage space (60S) for receiving food. And the front of the front of the vegetable box 60 is formed with a handle groove 61 for the user to hold by hand.

In addition, guide ribs 63 are provided at upper ends of both sides of the vegetable box 60. The guide rib 63 of the vegetable box 60 guides the vegetable box 60 to slide in and out of the mounting space 40S of the box housing 40 by sliding along the guide rail 43 of the box housing 40. It plays a role.

Hereinafter will be described in more detail the operation of the preferred embodiment of the storage box indirect cooling structure for a refrigerator according to the present invention configured as described above.

First, the box housing 40 is mounted in the refrigerating chamber 33. At this time, the guide ribs 41 of the box housing 40 slide along the guide rails 39 of the refrigerating chamber 33, thereby being mounted to the refrigerating chamber 33 of the box housing 40. As described above, in the state in which the box housing 40 is mounted in the refrigerating compartment 33, the flow casing 50 is adjacent to both side surfaces and the bottom surface of the refrigerating compartment 33.

And a plurality of vegetable boxes 60 are mounted in the mounting space 40S of the box housing 40. The vegetable box 60 is mounted in the mounting space 40S of the box housing 40 by sliding the guide ribs 63 provided in each of the vegetable boxes 60 along the guide rails 43 of the box housing 40. .

Meanwhile, when the vegetable box 60 is mounted in the mounting space 40S of the box housing 40, the temperature inside the storage space 60S of the vegetable box 60 is sensed by a temperature sensor. At this time, if the temperature inside the storage space (60S) of the vegetable box 60 is detected by the temperature sensor below a predetermined value, the cold air supply port 36 is opened by the damper (37). Therefore, as shown by the arrow shown in Figure 3, the cold air in the freezer compartment 31 is transmitted to the flow path (50P) through the cold air supply port 36 and the cold air inlet 51.

The cold air delivered to the flow path 50P indirectly cools the food stored in the storage space 60S of the vegetable box 60 while circulating the inside of the flow path 50P. In addition, the cold air which indirectly cools the food stored in the storage space 60S of the vegetable box 60 while circulating inside the flow path 50P is connected to the freezing chamber 31 through the cold air outlet 53 and the cold air outlet 38. Is discharged to the inside of the

At this time, the cool air flowing into the inside of the flow path 50P through the cold air inlet 51 and the cold air discharged to the cold air outlet 53 are partitioned so as not to be mixed with each other by the partition plate 55. do. In addition, the phenomenon in which freezing occurs in the upper and lower surfaces of the box housing 40 corresponding to the inside of the flow path 50P and the outer side front end portions of the box housing 40 by cold air circulating in the flow path 50P is prevented by the heat insulating material 57. .

Meanwhile, when the temperature inside the storage space 60S of the vegetable box 60 detected by the temperature sensor is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the cold air supply port 36 is shielded by the damper 37. Therefore, since the cold air of the freezing chamber 31 is no longer supplied to the flow path 50P, the phenomenon in which the food stored in the storage space 60S of the vegetable box 60 is overcooled is prevented.

Within the scope of the basic technical spirit of the present invention as well as many other modifications are possible to those skilled in the art, the scope of the present invention should be interpreted based on the appended claims. .

According to the indirect cooling structure of the storage box for a refrigerator according to the present invention configured as described above, the food stored in the storage box mounted in the mounting space of the box housing is indirectly cooled by the cold air flowing in the flow path provided in the flow path casing. Therefore, the odor of other foods stored in the refrigerating chamber or the evaporation of moisture of the food is prevented from being stored in the storage box, and the phenomenon of weak cooling or overcooling is prevented. It can be stored for a long time.

Claims (7)

A box housing installed in the refrigerating compartment so as to be retractable and provided with a mounting space therein for one or more storage boxes; A flow path provided to surround the outer surface of the box housing, the air being circulated through the cold air supplying from the cold air supply port formed in the refrigerating compartment and being discharged to the cold air discharging port formed in the refrigerating chamber to indirectly cool the food stored in the storage box; Indirect cooling structure for a storage box configured to include a. The method of claim 1, The box housing is formed in a hexahedral shape the front is opened, The flow path is an indirect cooling structure for a refrigerator storage box, characterized in that the upper and lower sides of the box housing and the outer front end portion and the inner side of the flow path casing surrounding the box housing. The method of claim 2, The upper and lower sides of the box housing corresponding to the inside of the flow path and the outer front end portions of both sides of the box housing further comprises a heat insulating material for preventing freezing caused by cold air circulating inside the flow path. The method of claim 3, wherein Guide ribs that slide along the guide rails extending longitudinally in front and rear on both sides of the refrigerating chamber, respectively, are provided on both outer sides of the box housing corresponding to the rear of the euro casing. Both sides of the box housing inside the refrigerator storage box indirect cooling structure, characterized in that a plurality of guide rails for guiding the entrance and exit of the storage box is provided long in the front and rear spaced apart by a predetermined interval up and down. The method of claim 4, wherein The cold air circulating in the flow path is formed in the flow path casing and flows into the cold air inlet communicating with the cold air supply port, and is formed in the flow path casing and discharged to the cold air outlet in communication with the cold air discharge port. . The method of claim 5, The inside of the flow casing is a refrigerator compartment storage box indirect cooling structure characterized in that the partition plate for partitioning the cold air flowing into the cold air inlet and circulated through the flow path and discharged to the cold air outlet. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The cold air supply port is indirect cooling structure for a refrigerator, characterized in that the door is selectively opened and closed only by a damper when the internal temperature of the storage box is lower than a predetermined value.

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