KR102520145B1 - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

The refrigerator of the present invention includes a cabinet provided with a freezing chamber; an ice maker fixed to the freezing chamber and generating spherical ice; an ice bin located below the ice maker and storing ice falling from the ice maker; and a noise prevention unit disposed between the ice maker and the ice bin to prevent a collision between the falling ice and the ice bin.

Description

Refrigerator {Refrigerator}

This specification relates to a refrigerator.

In general, a refrigerator is a home appliance that allows low-temperature storage of food in an internal storage space shielded by a door.

The refrigerator may cool the inside of the storage space using cold air, thereby storing stored food in a refrigerated or frozen state.

Usually, an ice maker for making ice is provided inside the refrigerator.

The ice maker is configured to make ice by accommodating water supplied from a water supply source or a water tank in a tray.

In addition, the ice maker is configured to separate ice from the ice tray in a heating method or a twisting method, and includes an ice bin in which the ice is stored.

In general, since there is a vertical gap between the ice maker and the ice bin, noise may occur as ice produced from the ice maker falls into the ice bin.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2020-011548, which is a prior document, discloses a refrigerator including an ice maker and an ice bin.

In the case of the refrigerator of the prior art document, an ice bin is arranged spaced apart from the ice maker in a vertical direction, and ice generated in the ice maker falls by gravity and is stored in the ice bin.

However, as spherical ice having a relatively large size is generated, noise and shock may occur due to collision between the ice and the ice bin when falling.

In particular, when the ice bin is not filled with ice, the ice directly collides with the bottom of the ice bin, and such noise and shock can spread throughout the refrigerator, which is a problem.

The present invention provides a refrigerator including an ice bin capable of preventing noise and shock when ice produced from an ice maker falls.

In addition, a refrigerator including an ice bin capable of mitigating noise and impact when ice is dropped in stages is provided.

The refrigerator of the present invention may include an ice bin including a noise prevention unit in order to prevent noise and shock from occurring due to falling ice when spherical ice formed from an ice maker is separated.

The refrigerator may include a cabinet provided with a freezer compartment; an ice maker fixed to the freezing chamber and generating spherical ice; an ice bin located below the ice maker and storing ice falling from the ice maker; and a noise prevention unit positioned between the ice maker and the ice bin to prevent a collision between the falling ice and the ice bin.

The noise prevention unit may include a cover part seated on a lower surface of the ice bin, a support part supporting the ice bin, and a connection part connecting the cover part and the support part.

The support part may be disposed below the ice bin to support the ice bin.

The ice bin may have a plurality of through holes into which the connecting parts are inserted.

A size of the support portion may be greater than a size of the through hole, and the cover portion, the support portion, and the connection portion may be integrally formed.

The noise prevention unit may be formed of a material having elasticity.

The noise prevention unit may include a horizontal portion parallel to a lower surface of the ice bin and a plurality of protrusions protruding upward and downward from the horizontal portion.

The protrusion may include a first protrusion protruding upward from the horizontal portion and a second protrusion protruding downward.

The protrusion may have a quadrangular pyramid shape, and the first protrusion and the second protrusion may be symmetrical with respect to the horizontal portion.

The horizontal portion may have a lattice shape, and the plurality of protrusions may be alternately arranged.

In another embodiment, the protrusion may have a hemispherical shape, and the protrusion may include a first protrusion protruding upward from the horizontal portion and a second protrusion protruding downward from the horizontal portion so as to be symmetrical with the first protrusion based on the horizontal portion. Including, the inner space of the first protrusion and the second protrusion can be filled.

In another embodiment, the protruding portion may have a hemispherical shape, the protruding portion may protrude upward from the horizontal portion, and an empty space may be formed inside the hemispherical protruding portion.

The ice bin may include a rear cutout formed on a rear surface and positioned at a height lower than a lowermost end of the ice maker.

According to the proposed invention, it is possible to prevent noise and shock that may occur as ice falls.

In addition, when the ice and the anti-noise unit collide, the speed and amount of impact of the falling ice can be reduced through the deformation of the anti-noise unit.

In addition, the primary impact noise generated when the ice collides with the ice bin and the secondary vibration echo transmitted to the refrigerator housing by the primary impact noise can be alleviated.

1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;
2 is a view showing a state in which the door of the refrigerator of FIG. 1 is opened;
3 is a view of the freezing chamber from which the door of the freezing chamber is removed;
4 is a view showing an ice maker installed in a freezing chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention;
5 is a perspective view of an ice bin according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along 6-6 of Figure 4;
7 is a cross-sectional view of a refrigerator according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a view showing how ice falls into an ice bin according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
9 is a view of a noise prevention unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a view of a noise prevention unit according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
11 is a view of a noise prevention unit according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail through exemplary drawings. In adding reference numerals to components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components have the same numerals as much as possible even if they are displayed on different drawings. In addition, in describing an embodiment of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function hinders understanding of the embodiment of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Also, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used to describe components of an embodiment of the present invention. These terms are only used to distinguish the component from other components, and the nature, order, or order of the corresponding component is not limited by the term. When an element is described as being “connected,” “coupled to,” or “connected” to another element, that element may be directly connected or connected to the other element, but there may be another element between the elements. It should be understood that may be "connected", "coupled" or "connected".

1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view showing a door of the refrigerator of FIG. 1 being opened.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , a refrigerator 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a cabinet 2 forming a storage space and a door opening and closing the storage space.

In detail, the cabinet 2 may form a storage space partitioned vertically by barriers, a refrigerating compartment 3 may be formed at an upper portion, and a freezing compartment 4 may be formed at a lower portion.

Storage members such as drawers, shelves, and baskets may be provided inside the refrigerating chamber 3 and the freezing chamber 4 .

The door may include a refrigerating compartment door 5 for shielding the refrigerating compartment 3 and a freezing compartment door 6 for shielding the freezing compartment 4 .

The refrigerating compartment door 5 is composed of a pair of left and right doors, and can be opened and closed by rotation. And, the freezer compartment door 6 may be configured to be drawn in and out in a drawer type.

Of course, the arrangement of the refrigerating compartment 3 and the freezing compartment 4 and the shape of the door may vary depending on the type of refrigerator, and the present invention is not limited thereto and may be applied to various types of refrigerators. For example, the freezing chamber 4 and the refrigerating chamber 3 are disposed left and right, but the freezing chamber 4 may be positioned above the refrigerating chamber 3 .

FIG. 3 is a view of the freezing compartment from which the door of the freezing compartment is removed, and FIG. 4 is a view showing an ice maker installed in the freezing compartment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

An ice maker 100 may be provided in the freezing chamber 4 . The ice maker 100 can make spherical ice by making ice from supplied water.

A user may obtain ice by opening the freezer compartment door 6 and approaching the ice bin 200 .

In addition, one or more drawers 103 forming a space for storing food may be provided in the freezing chamber 4 .

The drawer 103 may be formed in a basket shape corresponding to the width and width of the freezing chamber 4, and is moved toward the front of the refrigerator 1 using rollers and guide grooves so that the user can easily withdraw food. It can be a fetched configuration.

In addition, the drawer 103 prevents interference when the user draws the drawer 103 toward the front of the refrigerator 1 regardless of the driving of the ice maker 100. ) It may include a drawer cutout (103a) on the rear surface.

For example, the drawer cutout 103a may be formed on one side of the rear surface of the drawer 103 and may be formed corresponding to a location where the ice maker 100 is installed.

Also, the drawer cutout 103a may be formed so as not to overlap with a moving path when the full ice detection lever 110 (see FIG. 6 ) of the ice maker 100 rotates.

In detail, the height of the lower end of the drawer cutout 103a may be formed to be lower than the lower end of the ice maker 100 or the lowermost end of the operation of the full ice detecting lever 110 .

The full ice detecting lever 110 may be located at the lowest level in the process of making and separating ice from the ice maker 100 .

In detail, an upper end of the drawer 103 may be positioned higher than a lower end of the ice maker 100 . A lower end of the drawer cutout 103a may be positioned lower than a lower end of the ice maker 100 .

In addition, the lower end of the drawer cutout 103a prevents the contents or ice bin 200 inside the drawer 103 from overflowing or being discharged to the rear end of the drawer 103 ( 103) may be located at a predetermined height from the lower surface.

In addition, an ice bin 200 may be further provided below the ice maker 100 to store the ice after it is separated from the ice maker 100 .

At this time, a gap inevitably exists between the space where ice is produced in the ice maker 100 and the bottom of the ice bin 200, so that when the ice is separated and the ice bin 200 falls, noise is reduced. can happen

In particular, in the case of the ice maker 100 of the present invention, it is possible to produce spherical ice that is larger in size than general ice, and accordingly, such a noise problem may have a great influence on a consumer's purchase.

In addition, as the ice collides with the ice bin 200, a phenomenon in which the ice is broken due to an impact may occur, and a problem in which pieces of ice may stick to the ice bin 200 may also occur.

Accordingly, in order to prevent noise and shock caused by falling ice, the ice bin 200 may include a noise prevention unit.

5 is a perspective view of an ice bean according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4 .

Hereinafter, the configuration of the ice bin 200 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 .

The ice bin 200 may include a body 210 formed in a basket shape with an open top.

In detail, when the ice bin 200 is installed in a refrigerator, the main body 210 includes a front surface 211 exposed to a user, a rear surface 212 parallel to the front surface 211 and spaced apart toward the rear, and A side surface 213 connecting the front surface 211 and the rear surface 212 may be included.

In addition, a bottom surface 214 connecting all of the front surface 211 , the rear surface 212 , and the side surface 213 may be included, and ice may be seated by the bottom surface 214 .

For example, the front surface 211 may have a configuration in which an upper end is inclined forward, and the front-back and left-right widths of the upper part may be larger than the front-back and left-right widths of the lower part.

That is, the size of the bottom surface 214 may be smaller than the size of the open upper surface formed by the front surface 211 , the rear surface 212 and the side surface 213 .

In addition, the ice bin 200 may have a size sufficient to store the ice formed in the ice maker 100 and may have a height sufficient to prevent the ice from being discharged to the outside.

The ice bin 200 has a rear surface 212 to prevent interference with the ice maker 100 coupled to the housing 101 when the user withdraws the ice bin 200 to obtain ice. ) may further include a rear cutout 212a.

Also, the back cutout 212a may be formed so as not to overlap with a moving path when the full ice detection lever 110 of the ice maker 100 rotates.

In detail, the height of the lower end of the back cutout 212a may be lower than the lower end of the ice maker 100 or the lowermost end of the full ice detection lever 110 .

In addition, the rear cutout 212a may be formed on the rear surface of the ice bin 200, and the lower end of the rear cutout 200a is formed in the ice maker 100 to prevent ice from being discharged to the outside. It can be higher than the ice level or similar to the ice level.

Also, both sides of the rear cutout 212a may be formed at the same height as the front portion of the ice bin 200 .

That is, the back cut is made to prevent ice formed in the ice maker 100 from overflowing to the outside and to prevent separation so that the ice bin 200 can exist at a corresponding position at the lower end of the ice maker 100. The left and right lengths of the portion 212a may be smaller than the left and right lengths of the front surface 211 having the same height.

In addition, the ice bin 200 may be seated by the drawer 103 inside the freezing chamber 4 .

For example, the ice bin 200 is located on one side of the drawer 103, and the ice maker 100 is accommodated in a separate housing 101 at the top of the ice bin 200, and the freezing compartment (4) Can be mounted inside.

A rib (not shown) may be provided in the ice bin 200 to prevent movement of the ice bin 200 while the ice bin 200 is seated in the drawer 103 .

In addition, the fact that the upper part of the ice bin 200 is positioned higher than the lower part of the ice maker 100 may serve to prevent the ice bin 200 from being separated so that it is located at the lower end of the ice maker 100. there is.

Meanwhile, the ice bin 200 may further include a noise prevention unit 220 on a bottom surface 214 to prevent noise.

In detail, the noise prevention unit 220 may cover at least one side of the upper side or the lower side of the bottom surface 214 to alleviate noise and shock generated as ice falls.

In detail, as the ice falls into the ice bin 200, firstly, there is a first impact noise generated when the ice and the ice bin 200 directly collide, and secondarily, the impact of the ice bin 200 causes ice There is a secondary vibration sound that spreads throughout the refrigerator through the housing 101 in contact with the bin 200.

Both the first impact noise and the second vibration echo can be alleviated through the noise prevention unit 220 .

In addition, the noise prevention unit 220 may be made of a material having elasticity, and may be made of, for example, a single string of materials such as rubber, silicon, or TPE.

For example, the noise prevention unit 220 may be seated on the upper side of the bottom surface 214 . Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the first impact noise directly generated when the ice falls.

In addition, as another example, the noise prevention unit 220 is located on the lower side of the bottom surface 214, and after the ice collides with the ice bin 200, the housing 101 in contact with the ice bin 200 vibrates. It is possible to prevent the secondary vibration echo through which the shock is transmitted.

However, when the noise prevention unit 220 is located only on the upper or lower side of the bottom surface 214, in order to prevent the first impact noise and the second vibration echo, the noise prevention unit according to the embodiment of the present invention ( 220) is mainly explained.

The noise prevention unit 220 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may cover the upper side of the lower surface 214 of the ice bin 200 and support the ice bin 200 .

For example, the noise prevention unit 220 may include a cover unit 221 disposed above the lower surface 214 of the ice bin 200 .

In addition, a support part 222 supporting the ice bin 200 may be included at a lower side of the ice bin 200, and a connection part 223 connecting the cover part 221 and the support part 222 may be provided. can include

In detail, a through hole 214a into which the connection part 223 is inserted may be provided at the bottom of the ice bin 200 .

The through hole 214a may be disposed adjacent to a vertex of the bottom surface 214 to stably support the ice bin 200, and through the through hole 214a, the cover part 221, The connection part 223 and the support part 222 may be integrally formed.

Also, the size of the through hole 214a may correspond to the size of the connection part 223, and the size of the support part 222 may be larger than the size of the connection part 223. Through this, separation of the noise prevention unit 220 and the ice bin 200 may be prevented.

In addition, the support part 222 may more stably support the ice bin 200 by forming a curved lower side of the support part.

In addition, both the first impact noise and the second vibration echo can be prevented by the integrally formed noise prevention unit 220 .

Hereinafter, a noise prevention unit according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. A description of the same configuration as that of the noise prevention unit 220 according to the first embodiment is omitted.

7 is a cross-sectional view of a refrigerator according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a view showing ice falling into an ice bin according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. It is a drawing of the noise prevention unit according to the embodiment.

7 to 9 , the noise prevention unit 230 according to the second embodiment of the present invention may cover the upper side of the lower surface 214 of the ice bin 200, and may be caused by falling ice. shape may change.

For example, the noise prevention unit 230 may include a curve, and the curve may be deformed by falling of the ice.

In detail, the noise prevention unit 230 may include a horizontal portion 231 disposed parallel to the bottom surface 214 and protrusions 232 and 233 protruding from the horizontal portion 231 .

For example, the protrusions 232 and 233 may include a first protrusion 232 protruding upward from the horizontal portion 231 and a second protrusion 233 protruding downward.

The protrusions 232 and 233 may have a quadrangular pyramid shape, and the first protrusion 232 includes a first vertex 232a protruding upward from the horizontal portion 231 and the first vertex 232a. It includes an inclined surface 232b having an inclination connecting the horizontal portion 231, and the second protrusion 233 includes a second vertex 233a protruding downward from the horizontal portion 231 and the second protrusion 233a. An inclined surface 233b having an inclination connecting the vertex 233a and the horizontal portion 231 may be included.

That is, the protrusions 232 and 233 may protrude vertically from the horizontal portion 231 in a quadrangular pyramid shape.

In addition, the protrusions 232 and 233 may be vertically symmetrical with respect to the horizontal portion 231 .

That is, when the first protrusion 232 protrudes upward from the horizontal portion 231, the second protrusion 233 may also be formed downward.

In addition, the protrusions 232 and 233 may be formed in plurality from the horizontal portion 231 and may be formed at intersections.

That is, when the noise prevention unit 230 is viewed from the top, it may include a lattice pattern, the first protrusions 232 are disposed at intersections in the lattice pattern, and the first protrusions 232 protrude. The second protrusion 233 may protrude to the lower side of the lattice.

The second protrusion 233 may contact the upper side of the bottom surface 214 .

In addition, the thickness t1 of the horizontal portion 231 is equal to or equal to the distance t2 from the horizontal portion 231 to the first vertex 232a or the distance t3 to the second vertex 233a. can be big

In detail, a first distance t2 from the upper side of the horizontal portion 231 to the first vertex 232a and a second distance t3 from the lower side of the horizontal portion 231 to the second vertex 233b ) may be the same, and the first distance t2 and the second distance t3 may be smaller than or equal to the thickness t1 of the horizontal portion 231 .

For example, when the first distance t2 and the second distance t3 are smaller than the thickness t1 of the horizontal portion 231, the effect of reducing noise and impact may be greater.

Further, with reference to FIG. 8 , deformation of the noise prevention unit 230 when ice falls will be described.

When the ice falls, the ice may first contact the first protrusion 232 . If the ice continues to fall, the first protrusion 232 may begin to be crushed by the weight of the ice.

In particular, the lowest point of the ice may be in contact with the first vertex 232a of the first protrusion 232, and the deformation of the noise prevention part 230 may start from the first vertex 232a.

Initially, deformation starts at one of the first protrusions 232, and as the ice continues to fall, deformation of protrusions around the first protrusion 232 may start.

In addition, the second protrusion 233 may also undergo sequential deformation in the same manner as the first protrusion 232 .

Due to the deformation of the protrusions 232 and 233, noise and shock generated when the ice falls may be prevented.

In addition, in the case of the noise prevention unit 230 according to the second embodiment, the noise prevention unit 230 is located only on the upper side of the bottom surface 241 of the ice bin, but the noise prevention unit 230 has an embossed shape. As the impact is absorbed, not only the first impact noise but also the second vibration echo can be alleviated.

That is, through deformation of the protrusions 232 and 233, the falling speed of the ice may be reduced, and the amount of impact caused by the collision between the ice and the ice bin 200 may be reduced.

10 is a view of a noise prevention unit according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 10 , the noise prevention unit 240 may include a horizontal portion 241 and protrusions 242 and 243 similar to the second embodiment.

At this time, the protrusions 242 and 243 may have a hemispherical shape.

That is, the protrusions 242 and 243 may symmetrically protrude upward and downward with respect to the horizontal portion 241 . In addition, the protrusions 242 and 243 may have a filled shape.

In detail, the protrusions 242 and 243 may include a first protrusion 242 protruding upward with respect to the horizontal portion 241 and a second protrusion 243 protruding downward. The protrusion 242 and the second protrusion 243 may be symmetrical with respect to the horizontal portion 241.

11 is a view of a noise prevention unit according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 11 , the noise prevention unit 250 may also include a horizontal portion 251 and a protruding portion 252 in the same manner as in the second embodiment.

The protrusion 252 may have a hemispherical shape, and the inside of the protrusion 252 may include an empty space 254 .

In detail, the protrusion 252 may be formed only on the outer surface of the hemisphere, and may have a semicircular arc shape in cross section.

Accordingly, in the noise prevention part 250, the contact part 253 contacting the ice bin 200 may include a plurality of holes.

That is, in the noise prevention part 250, the contact part 253 excluding the plurality of holes formed by the space 254 may contact the upper side of the bottom surface 214 of the ice bin 200.

Also according to the fourth embodiment, the protruding portion 252 is deformed by the falling ice, so that shock and noise caused by the falling ice can be reduced.

Claims (15)

A cabinet equipped with a freezer compartment;
an ice maker fixed to the freezing chamber and generating spherical ice;
an ice bin located below the ice maker and storing ice falling from the ice maker; and
A noise prevention unit positioned between the ice maker and the ice bin to prevent a collision between the falling ice and the ice bin,
The noise suppression unit
A cover part disposed above the bottom surface of the ice bin, a support part supporting the ice bin in contact with the bottom surface on which the ice bin is seated, and a connection part connecting the cover part and the support part. Refrigerator included. delete delete According to claim 1,
The ice bin has a plurality of through holes into which the connecting portion is inserted. According to claim 4,
The size of the support part is larger than the size of the through hole. According to claim 1,
A refrigerator in which the cover part, the support part, and the connection part are integrally formed. According to claim 1,
The noise prevention part is formed of a material having elasticity. delete delete delete delete delete delete delete According to claim 1,
The ice bin includes a rear cutout formed on a rear surface and positioned at a height lower than a lowermost end of the ice maker.

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