KR101639442B1 - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, which improves the shape and mounting structure of a water tank in which water supplied to an ice maker or a water dispenser is stored, thereby facilitating the detachment operation of the water tank, Is improved.

Refrigerator, bottom freezer, water tank

Description

Refrigerator {Refrigerator}

The present invention relates to a refrigerator.

Generally, a refrigerator is a household appliance that stores food at a low temperature by air at a low temperature.

Recently, there has been an increasing demand for a bottom freezer-type refrigerator in which a refrigerating compartment is provided on the upper side and a freezing compartment is provided on the lower side. In the case of such a bottom freezer type refrigerator, an ice maker for making ice and a water dispenser structure for drinking water are provided in the door. In the conventional bottom freezer type refrigerator, a water tank for temporarily storing water to be supplied to the ice maker and the water dispenser is mounted on the refrigerator compartment door. A water tank accommodating groove is formed in a lower side of the rear surface of the refrigerator compartment door, and the water tank is provided in a form in which the water supply hose is curled a plurality of times.

In the case of such a conventional water tank structure, the water tank in which the water supply hose is wound has a relatively large volume, while the amount of water to be stored is relatively small. In addition, since the water supply hose must be rolled into the water tank accommodating groove, the manufacturing process of the refrigerator becomes longer and productivity is lowered.

In addition, when the supply of the ice-making water is interrupted, there is a problem that water remaining in the ice-making water supply hose is frozen.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a water supply tank structure capable of storing as much water as possible in a limited space.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a water supply tank structure that can be easily mounted in a water supply tank storage space by improving the shape of a water supply tank.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a water supply tank structure capable of preventing water from being left in a water supply hose after the water supply is stopped to return to a water supply tank, thereby preventing the freezing phenomenon in the hose.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator comprising: a main body having a storage chamber; A door connected to the main body and opening / closing the storage chamber, the tank housing being formed at a predetermined depth below the backside; A tank cover having one side end rounded in a hemispherical shape and the other end opened, a hemispherical tank cover coupled to an opening of the tank body, and a hemispherical rounding sheet formed at one end of the tank body, And a water tank installed in the tank housing, the water tank including an outflow port formed in a tank cover corresponding to the opposite side of the water intake port, the water intake port being formed on the longitudinal center axis of the water tank And the water outlet port is formed at one point of the tank cover higher than the water inlet port.

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The refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above has the following effects.

First, since the water supply tank is provided in a cylindrical shape having a predetermined volume, the volume of the water supply tank is reduced.

Secondly, since the water supply tank is provided not in the form of a rolled hose but in a cylindrical shape, the amount of water to be stored is relatively increased compared with the conventional one.

Third, the fastening means according to the embodiment of the present invention, which is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the water supply tank, is capable of attaching / detaching the water supply tank by a simple operation, thereby contributing to productivity improvement.

Fourth, since the water supply tank has a tubular shape having a cross-sectional area larger than that of the water supply hose, a space can be formed in the tank when the water supply is stopped. Therefore, the remaining amount of water remaining in the water supply hose after returning to the water supply tank can be returned to the water supply tank, thereby eliminating the phenomenon of freezing in the hose.

Hereinafter, a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 is an external perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1, a refrigerator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body 11 having a refrigerating chamber 111 and a freezing chamber formed therein, A refrigerating chamber door 12 for opening and closing the refrigerating chamber 111, and a freezing chamber door for opening and closing the freezing chamber.

In detail, the freezing chamber may be formed as a single space below the refrigerating chamber 111, and may be divided into a plurality of spaces by separate dividing members depending on products. A storage box can be accommodated in the freezing compartment so that the storage box can be drawn out forward. In more detail, a drawer is provided in the freezing chamber, and the drawer includes a door selectively shielding a front opening of the freezing chamber, a door frame extending rearward from a rear surface of the door, a storage box seated in the door frame, And a rail member for allowing the door to slide in the front-rear direction.

In addition, the freezer compartment may be divided into a plurality of spaces in the up-down direction or the left-right direction by a separate partition member. In the figure, the freezer compartment is divided into upper and lower portions, and each space is shown to be shielded by a door. Any one of the freezer compartment spaces divided by the partition member may be used as a switching chamber. The door for opening and closing the freezing compartment may include a switching compartment door 13 and a freezing compartment door 14.

Meanwhile, a plurality of shelves and baskets may be provided in the refrigerating chamber 111. As shown in the figure, the front opening of the refrigerating chamber 111 can be opened and closed by a pair of refrigerating chamber doors 12. The pair of refrigerating chamber doors 12 may be rotatably connected to the left and right edges of the main body 11. [

One or more door baskets 15 may be mounted on the outer surface of the ice making chamber 20, and an ice making chamber 20 for ice making may be provided on the rear surface of the ice making chamber door 12. [ . The cold air inlet 123 and the cold air outlet 124 may be formed on the side surface of the ice making chamber 20, more specifically, the side surface contacting the inner surface of the refrigerating chamber 111. When the refrigerator compartment door 12 is closed, cold air inlets and cold air outlets are formed on the side of the refrigerating compartment 111 where the cold air inlet 123 and the cold air outlet 124 are in contact with each other. A cool air supply duct and a cool air return duct for connecting an evaporation chamber (not shown) are formed in the side surface of the refrigerating chamber 111.

One or more door baskets 15 may be provided on the rear surface of the refrigerating chamber door 12 corresponding to the lower side of the ice making chamber 20. A water storage unit 30 of a predetermined size is provided at a lower rear portion of the refrigerator compartment door 12.

Meanwhile, a dispenser (not shown) for taking out drinking water and extracting ice may be formed on the front surface of the refrigerating chamber door 12, in particular, on the front surface of the refrigerating chamber door 12 on the side where the ice making chamber 20 is formed. A water supply hose 41 extends from the rear of the main body 11 and extends into the refrigerator compartment door 12 through a hinge connecting the refrigerator compartment door 12 and the main body 11. The water supply hose 41 extending into the refrigerator compartment door 12 is connected to an ice maker (not shown) provided in the ice making chamber 20 through the water storage unit 30, Respectively. The water supply channel will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

2 is an enlarged rear perspective view of a refrigerator compartment door according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2, the refrigerator compartment door 12 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes an outer case 121 of a metal plate material forming a front outer appearance, a door liner 122 coupled to the back of the outer case 121, And a heat insulating material (not shown) filled between the outer case 121 and the door liner 122.

In detail, a filler 16 for preventing leakage of cold air may be mounted on the side surface of the door liner 122, specifically, a side surface corresponding to a surface facing each other when a pair of refrigerating chamber doors are closed. When the refrigerator compartment door 12 is opened, the filler 16 is brought into close contact with the side surface of the door liner 122 as shown in the figure. On the other hand, when the refrigerator compartment door 12 is closed, the refrigerant compartment is rotated by 90 degrees to shield the boundary portion with the opposite refrigerator compartment door, thereby preventing the refrigerant from leaking into the clearance between the refrigerating compartment doors.

2, the water storage unit 30 is located at the lower end of the rear surface of the refrigerating chamber door 12 and covers the water tank (described later) and the valve (described later) And a shield (31).

In detail, the shield 31 is detachably coupled to a rear surface of the refrigerator compartment door 12, and a locking protrusion 311 protrudes from an upper end of the shield 31. A latching rib 151 extends at a lower end of the door basket 15 detachably mounted on the rear surface of the refrigerator compartment door 12 in the upper chamber of the water storage unit 30. [ The latching protrusion 311 is positioned behind the latching rib 151. That is, the latching rib 151 is located between the door liner 122 and the latching protrusion 311 so that the door basket 15 is inadvertently separated from the rear surface of the door 12 prevent.

Hereinafter, the structure of the water storage unit 30 will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of a refrigerator door showing a state in which a shield of a water storage unit according to an embodiment of the present invention is removed, and FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which a water tank constituting a water storage unit is separated.

3 and 4, the water storage unit 30 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the shield 31; A tank housing 123 which is shielded by the shield 31 and which is recessed at a predetermined depth at the bottom of the rear surface of the refrigerator compartment door 12; A water tank 32 installed at one side of the inside of the tank housing 123 and storing water supplied through the water supply hose 41; And a branch valve (40) for dividing the water discharged from the water tank (32) into a dispenser and an ice maker.

In detail, the tank housing 123 is formed with a lower portion of the door liner 122 being recessed toward the outer case 121 by a predetermined depth. The tank housing 123 has an inner wall formed with a through hole 125 through which the hose extending from the water supply hose 41 and the branch valve 40 passes. A shield fastening protrusion 124 is formed on a sidewall of the tank housing 123 so as to be fitted in a groove formed in a side surface of the shield 31 to prevent any disassembly of the shield 31. The branch valve (40) is accommodated in one side space of the tank housing (123), and the water tank (32) is installed in the other side space.

In detail, the water tank 32 may be formed of a tubular body having a predetermined volume. In this embodiment, an empty hollow cylindrical body is shown. However, it goes without saying that a polygonal tubular shape is also applicable. More specifically, the water tank 32 includes a tubular tank body 321 having a water inlet port 323 formed at one side thereof and an opening at the other side thereof, and a tank cover 321 for shielding a portion of the tank body 321, (322). An outflow port 324 is formed at one side of the tank cover 322. The portion where the tank body 321 and the tank cover 322 are coupled is overlapped by a predetermined width, and the overlapped portion is joined by the fusion process. It is possible to prevent water from leaking through the connection portion between the tank body 321 and the tank cover 322 through the fusion process.

The inlet port 323 is formed on the longitudinal center axis of the tank body 321, and the outlet port 324 is formed at a position offset from the center axis toward the edge. When the water tank 32 is mounted to the tank housing 123, the water outlet port 324 is installed at a position higher than the water inlet port 323. The water tank 32 is installed such that the water outlet port 324 and the water outlet port 324 are formed at a higher position than the water inlet port 323 in any case, .

The water inlet hose 42 is connected to the water inlet port 323 and the water outlet hose 42 is connected to the water outlet port 324. The outlet hose (42) is connected to the inlet side of the branch valve (40). An ice maker hose 44 connected to the ice maker and a dispenser hose 43 connected to the water dispenser are connected to the outlet of the branch valve 40, respectively. The ice maker hose 44 and the dispenser hose 43 pass through the through hole 125 and are guided by a water dispenser and an ice maker along the space between the door liner 122 and the outer case 121 .

On the other hand, a pair of mounting ribs 325 having predetermined elasticity are extended on the outer peripheral surface of the water tank 32. In particular, the mounting ribs 325 may extend in the same direction at mutually opposed locations. A hose supporter 326 through which the outgoing hose 42 passes is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the water tank 32. The hose supporter 326 does not swing the outgoing hose 42 so that the outflow hose 324 is prevented from being twisted or twisted at the connection portion of the outflow port 324. [ The mounting ribs 325 and the hose supporter 326 may be formed anywhere in the tank body 321 or the tank cover 322 of the water tank 32 and may be integrally formed with the water tank 32 It can be injection-molded. The mounting ribs 325 may extend in a direction intersecting the longitudinal centerline of the water tank 32.

The process of mounting and separating the water tank 32 having the above-described structure will be described.

First, the assembler connects the end of the water supply hose 41 to the water intake port 323 and connects one end of the water hose 41 to the water outflow port 324. The other end of the outlet hose 41 is connected to the inlet of the branch valve 40 and the one ends of the dispenser hose 43 and the ice maker hose 44 are connected to the outlets formed in the branch valve 40 Respectively.

After this process is completed, the assembler inserts the water tank into the tank housing 123 by horizontally laying it. At this time, the end of the mounting rib 325 is inserted to the rear wall surface of the tank housing 123. Any one of the mounting ribs 325 may be in close contact with the upper wall of the tank housing 123 and the other with the lower wall of the tank housing 123. The water tank 32 is mounted in a state in which the water outlet port 324 is positioned higher than the water inlet port 323. When the outflow port 324 is located at a relatively higher level than the outflow port 323, a slight air layer may be formed around the outflow port. Then, the supply of water to the water dispenser or the ice maker is stopped, and the water left in the hose can flow back to the water tank 32. The branch valve (40) is a solenoid valve, and is not closed immediately when a valve closing signal is inputted. Therefore, even if the water supply is interrupted due to the occurrence of the water supply interruption signal, a time delay occurs until the outlet of the branch valve 40 is completely closed. At least a part of the water inside the dispenser hose 43 or the ice maker hose 44 drops due to its own weight and the water in the water tank 32 is discharged through the branch valve 40. Therefore, . As a result, a phenomenon in which water in the hose is freezing at the end of the ice maker hose 44 can be alleviated. Since the ice maker hose 44 is connected to the ice-making chamber, the discharge end region of the hose tends to be freezing. Therefore, as in the embodiment according to the present invention, when the water tank is formed into a tubular shape having a predetermined volume, rather than a plurality of rounded hose bundles, the above-described additional effect can be obtained.

In this state, when the assembler pushes the water tank 32 deeper, the ends of the mounting ribs 325 are bent in a direction in which they approach each other. The mounting ribs 325 are brought into close contact with the upper and lower walls of the water tank 32 by elastic restoring force while being bent to generate a frictional force. The water tank 32 is stably fixed to the inside of the tank housing 123 by the frictional force. Here, the mounting ribs 325 are not in contact with the upper and lower walls of the tank housing 123 or fit into a specific portion thereof, but merely maintain contact with each other. That is, due to the resilient restoring force of the mounting ribs 325, the tank housing 123 is kept in tight contact with the tank housing 123. Therefore, since the coagulant merely pulls the water tank 32 with a force larger than the frictional force, it is not necessary to use a separate extension for mounting and dismounting the water tank 32. However, if it is desired to stably fix the water tank 32, the ends of the mounting ribs 325 are formed into hooks, and grooves corresponding to the end portions of the hooks are formed on the inner wall of the tank housing 123 Of course.

As described above, since the water tank is formed in a cylindrical shape having a predetermined size, space utilization of the inside of the tank housing 123 is enhanced, and the water tank can be easily attached and detached.

Hereinafter, a water supply channel disposed inside a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of an outer case of a refrigerator door according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5, the door 12 of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention includes an outer case 121 having a front outer appearance and a door liner 121 coupled to the rear of the outer case 121, (Not shown). A space between the outer case 121 and the door liner 122 is filled with a heat insulating material such as polyurethane foam.

In detail, the outer case 121 is made of a metal plate, and the upper panel 126 of a plastic material is mounted on the upper case. A hinge is mounted on the upper edge of the outer case 121, and the inside of the hinge is hollow. The water supply hose 41 extends downward along the back surface of the outer case 12 through the hinge as shown in FIG. The end of the water supply hose 41 is connected to the inlet port of the water tank 32 through the through hole 125 of the tank housing 123 formed in the door liner 122 at the lower end of the out- (Not shown). In the drawing, area A is the area where the tank housing 123 of the door liner 122 is placed. The ice maker hose 44 and the dispenser hose 43 extending upward from the outlet of the branch valve 40 extend upward along the back surface of the outer case 121.

A receptacle R for supporting the ice maker control board and a holder 50 for supporting a water feed cock 441 for discharging water by the ice maker are disposed on the back side of the outer case 121. The holder 50 is fixed to the upper panel 126 and a vacuum insulator panel is formed on the back surface of the outer case 121 in a region corresponding to the front portion of the ice- The heat insulating panel 80 can be attached. The heat insulating panel 80 is interposed between the outer case 121 and the holder 50. The dispenser housing 70, which is recessed to receive the container when the drinking water is taken out and the ice is taken out, may be mounted on the back surface of the outer case 121. An ice chute 71 for guiding the ice produced in the ice making chamber 20 to the outside of the refrigerator compartment door 12 may be mounted on the upper end of the dispenser housing 70. A water tap for taking out the drinking water is formed in front of the ice chute 71.

In the refrigerator having such a structure, the dispenser hose 43 extends upward and extends toward the water faucet, and the ice maker hose 44 extends further upward than the dispenser hose 43, .

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view showing a rear surface of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of a machine room of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 and 7, the water supply hose 41 extends along the back surface of the main body 11 of the refrigerator 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

In detail, the water supply hose 41 extends to the upper corner of the rear surface of the main body 11. This is because a filter (not shown) for purifying the supplied water is mounted on the upper corner of the refrigerating chamber 111. The water supply hose 41 is connected to the filter through the back surface of the main body 11 and extends outward from the filter through the back surface of the main body 11. [ The water supply hose 41 exposed to the outside of the main body 11 is inserted back into the main body 11 and extends forward along the heat insulating layer of the main body 11. [ And extends to the back surface of the outer case 121 of the refrigerator compartment door 12 through the hinge of the refrigerator compartment door 12.

A hose fixing body 45 is attached to a rear surface of the main body 11. The hose fixing body 45 includes a water supply hose 41 portion extending upward along the back surface of the main body 11, And surrounds the hose portion penetrating from the filter to the outside. The hose fixing body 45 keeps the water supply hose 41 in close contact with the rear surface of the main body 11. [

7, a flow rate sensor S for sensing the amount of water supplied through the water supply hose 41 may be disposed in the machine room 112 of the main body 11. As shown in FIG.

In detail, the hose extending from the water supply source is connected to the water connection portion 61 formed in the water supply valve assembly 60. Here, a water supply pump is installed between the water supply source and the water supply valve assembly 60, and the water supply pump can also be placed inside the machine room 112. The water supply valve assembly 60 includes a water supply valve 62. The flow sensor (S) is mounted on the outlet side of the water supply valve (62). The inlet end of the water supply hose 41 is connected to the outlet side of the flow sensor S. The flow sensor S may be a flowmeter that senses the number of rotations of the impeller per minute and measures the flow rate.

With this configuration, when the flow rate is detected by the flow rate sensor S and the water supplied to the ice maker in the ice making chamber 20 reaches a set amount or a water supply stop signal is generated from the water dispenser The water supply valve assembly 60 is operated. That is, when the water supply valve 62 is closed, the operation of the water supply pump is stopped.

1 is an external perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a rear perspective view enlarging a refrigerator compartment door according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a rear perspective view of a refrigerator compartment door showing a state in which a shield of a water storage unit is removed according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a view showing a state in which a water tank constituting a water storage unit is separated;

FIG. 5 is a rear view of an outer case of a refrigerator door according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view showing a rear surface of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

7 is a partial perspective view of a machine room of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (13)

A main body having a storage chamber; A door connected to the main body and opening / closing the storage chamber, the tank housing being formed at a predetermined depth below the backside; And A tank cover having one side end rounded in a hemispherical shape and opened at the other end, a hemispherical tank cover coupled to an opening of the tank body, an inlet port formed at one end of the tank body in a hemispheric shape, And a water tank mounted on the inside of the tank housing, the water tank including an outflow port formed in a tank cover opposite to the water intake port, Wherein the water intake port is formed on the longitudinal center axis of the water tank, Wherein the water outlet port is formed at one point of the tank cover higher than the water inlet port. The method according to claim 1, A valve provided in a flow path connected to the water outlet port, accommodated in the tank housing and having a plurality of outlets formed on one side thereof, An ice maker flow path connected to any one of the plurality of outlets and extending toward the ice maker, And a dispenser flow path connected to the other of the plurality of outlets and extending toward the water dispenser. delete delete The method according to claim 1, A shield which shields the tank housing and has at least one latching protrusion protruded from its upper end, Further comprising a door basket mounted on a rear surface of the door corresponding to an upper side of the tank housing and having at least one latching rib protruded at a lower end thereof, Wherein the locking rib and the locking protrusion interfere with each other when the shield and the door basket are mounted. The method according to claim 1, Further comprising a flow rate sensor installed at a certain point in the water supply channel connected to the water inlet port and sensing an amount of water to be supplied, Wherein the flow sensor comprises a flow meter. delete delete The method according to claim 1, Wherein a pair of mounting ribs which are hooked on an inner surface of the tank housing are extended on an outer circumferential surface of any one of the tank body and the tank cover. 10. The method of claim 9, The pair of mounting ribs The elastic ribs extending in mutually opposed positions, And extends in a direction intersecting the longitudinal center axis of the water tank. 10. The method of claim 9, Wherein when the water tank is inserted into the tank housing, the pair of mounting ribs are bent in a state of being closely attached to the tank housing, so that a frictional force of a size corresponding to the restoring force of the mounting rib acts. 10. The method of claim 9, A hook is formed at each end of the pair of mounting ribs, Wherein a groove is formed in an inner side surface of the tank housing to receive the hook. The method according to claim 1, And a hose supporter protruding from the outer circumferential surface of the water tank to hold the hose connected to the water tank.

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