KR20060039169A - Cold air circulating structure for refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cold air circulation structure of a refrigerator in which a cooling action is performed while cooling air around an evaporator is discharged into a refrigerator as the fan is operated. Particularly, most of the cold air is discharged into the refrigerator, and a portion of the cold air is relatively high temperature. Since a separate flow path is configured to be discharged once more into the air close to the door maintaining the state, the internal temperature can be maintained relatively uniform and cooling performance can be improved.

Refrigerator, freezer, refrigerating chamber, cold air circulation passage, auxiliary cold air circulation passage, evaporator

Description

Cold air circulation structure of refrigerator {COLD AIR CIRCULATING STRUCTURE FOR REFRIGERATOR}             

1 is a side cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator according to the prior art,

2 is a side sectional view showing a refrigerator according to the present invention;

3 is a plan sectional view taken along the line X-X of FIG.

4 is a front view of the refrigerator main body of the refrigerator according to the present invention;

5 is a perspective view showing a cold air circulation structure of a refrigerator according to the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols on main parts of the drawings>

52: refrigerator body 52a: outer case

52b: Inner case with freezer compartment 52c: Inner case with cold compartment

52h: Cold air circulation groove 52h ': Auxiliary cold circulation groove

60a: freezer compartment evaporator 60b: cold compartment side evaporator

60c: refrigerator compartment side evaporator extension 70: duct

70h: cold air distribution hole 72: insulation

74: auxiliary duct 74h: auxiliary cold air distribution hole

80: blower

The present invention relates to a cold air circulation structure of a refrigerator in which a cooling action is performed while cooling air around an evaporator is discharged into a refrigerator as the fan is operated. Particularly, most of the cold air is discharged into the refrigerator, and a portion of the cold air is relatively high temperature. The present invention relates to a cold air circulation structure of a refrigerator capable of maintaining a relatively uniform internal temperature and improving cooling performance, because a separate flow path is configured to be discharged once more into a refrigerator close to a door maintaining a state.

Generally, a refrigerator is divided into a direct cooling method and an indirect cooling method according to a cooling method. A direct cooling refrigerator is configured such that an evaporator is installed on the inner wall of a freezer compartment and a refrigerating compartment. And the refrigerator while cooling the refrigerator compartment, the refrigerator of the indirect cooling method is configured such that the evaporator is installed on the inner wall of the freezer compartment and at the same time the fan is installed on the cold air circulation flow path, the cold air generated around the evaporator is forced by the fan and the freezer compartment And the refrigerating compartment is cooled.

1 is a side sectional view showing a refrigerator according to the prior art.

Conventional refrigerators are cooled by direct cooling as shown in FIG. 1, while the front surface of the refrigerator main body 2 is opened, and a freezer compartment F and a refrigerating chamber R are formed at upper and lower sides thereof. A freezing compartment door 4a and a refrigerating compartment door 4b are installed on the front of the refrigerator main body 2 so as to be openable and closed, and a refrigeration cycle including evaporators 10a and 10b is built into the inside of the refrigerator main body 2. It is configured, the evaporator (10a, 10b) is installed to be in close contact with the inner wall of the freezer compartment (F) and the refrigerator compartment (R) to directly cool the air in the freezer compartment (F) and the refrigerating compartment (R), then the cold air is a natural convection To maintain the cooling action.

Here, the refrigerator main body 2 is formed so that the heat insulating material 12 is foam-molded between the outer case 2a forming the exterior and the inner cases 2b and 2c therein, and the freezer compartment inner case 2b. And the evaporators 10a and 10b are respectively in contact with the inner side of the refrigerating chamber side 2c.

Next, the evaporators 10a and 10b each include a freezer compartment side evaporator 10a and a refrigerator compartment side evaporator 10b which are in contact with the freezer compartment inner case 2b and the refrigerating compartment side inner case 2c, respectively. The freezer compartment side evaporator (10a) is configured to be larger than the refrigerator compartment side evaporator (10b), the evaporator (10a, 10b) is a compressor (6), the condenser by the refrigerant pipe so that the refrigerant can be circulated (8), connected with a capillary tube (not shown) to form a refrigeration cycle.

Of course, the drain pipe 14 is installed at the lower side of the refrigerating chamber R so that the frost generated on the surface of the inner case 2c of the refrigerating chamber is melted or guides to the outside even when condensate flows down. The drain pan 16 is installed to collect the condensate collected along the side.

In addition, one side of the evaporator (10a, 10b) is equipped with a temperature sensor (not shown) to measure the freezer compartment temperature and the refrigerator compartment temperature at the same time the control unit (not shown) is mounted on one side of the refrigerator main body 2 of the temperature sensor The operation of the compressor 6 is adjusted by comparing the measured value with a preset input value.

Accordingly, as the compressor 6 is operated, refrigerant is compressed, condensed, expanded, and evaporated while passing through the compressor 6, the condenser 8, the capillary tube, and the evaporators 10a and 10b, and the evaporators 10a and 10b. The low-temperature low-pressure refrigerant gas passing through the heat exchange action with the air in the freezing chamber (F) and the refrigerating chamber (R) to generate cold air, such cold air by natural convection, the freezing chamber (F) and the refrigerating chamber (R). Cooling).

However, the conventional refrigerator cannot maintain uniformly the temperature inside the refrigerating chamber R having a relatively large capacity compared to the freezer compartment F because the cold air is simply circulated by natural convection, and compared to the freezer compartment door 4a. 4b) is opened and closed relatively more, and since cold air discharged to the freezer compartment F and the refrigerator compartment R flows to the freezer compartment door 4a and the refrigerator compartment door 4b, the refrigerator compartment door 4b side is different from the refrigerator compartment. In comparison, there is a problem in that the cooling performance is lowered by maintaining a relatively high temperature.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems of the prior art, the cold air circulation structure of the refrigerator that can maintain the temperature in the high temperature by allowing the cold air is directly injected into the interior and the door as well as forced air blowing The purpose is to provide.

The cold air circulation structure of the refrigerator according to the present invention for solving the above problems is that the refrigerator body and the front of the refrigerator body and the front opening is foamed and molded between the inner case and the outer case so that the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment can be formed therein, the refrigerator A freezer door and a refrigerating compartment door which are installed to be opened and closed at the front of the main body, an evaporator which is built in contact with one surface of the inner case of the freezer compartment and / or the refrigerating compartment, and built in one side of the refrigerator main body so as to be connected to the inside of the refrigerator main body A refrigeration cycle for cooling through the heat exchange action with the refrigerant on the evaporator side, and a cold air circulation for distributing the cold air heat-exchanged with the evaporator to the refrigerating chamber through a suction port formed on one side of the inner case of the refrigerating compartment and a plurality of cold air distribution holes. One side of the inner case of the flow path and the refrigerator compartment An auxiliary cold air circulation path installed to be connected to the cold air circulation path to distribute the cold air exchanged with the evaporator to the refrigerating chamber door through a plurality of auxiliary cold air distribution holes formed at an end thereof, and installed at a suction port side of the cold air circulation path; And a blower for blowing air circulated in the refrigerating chamber along the cold air circulation passage and the auxiliary cold air circulation passage.

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

Figure 2 is a side sectional view showing a refrigerator according to the present invention, Figure 3 is a plan sectional view along the line XX of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a front view showing the refrigerator body in the refrigerator according to the invention, Figure 5 It is a perspective view showing a cold air circulation structure of a refrigerator according to the present invention.

In the refrigerator according to the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the refrigerator main body 52 in which the heat insulating material 62 is foam-molded between the outer case 52a forming the exterior and the inner cases 52b and 52c therein. The refrigerator compartment (R) and the freezer compartment (F) are formed in the upper and lower sides of the inside, and the freezer compartment door (54a) and the refrigerating compartment door (54b) is installed on the front of the refrigerator body 52 to be opened and closed, and the freezer compartment inner Evaporators 60a and 60b are installed to closely contact the case 52b and the inner case 52c of the refrigerating chamber, and a refrigeration cycle except the evaporators 60a and 60b is built in one side of the refrigerator body 52.

In particular, the freezing chamber (F) is configured to cool by the indirect cooling method in which cold air is convection naturally, while in the refrigerating chamber (R) is configured to perform the cooling operation by an indirect cooling method in which cold air is forcedly blown, the refrigerating chamber (R) In addition to forming a cold air circulation path (A) so that most of the cold air is uniformly discharged inside the refrigerating chamber (R), the auxiliary cold air so that a portion of the cold air can also be discharged to the refrigerating chamber (R) close to the refrigerating chamber door (54b). The circulation passage B is configured to be formed.

In detail, the refrigerator body 52 is foam-molded with the heat insulating material 62 in a state in which various components are embedded between the outer case 52a and the inner cases 52b and 52c forming the exterior, and the inner case ( The predetermined freezing chamber F and the refrigerating chamber R are formed inside 52b and 52c.

At this time, the one side facing the refrigerating chamber door 54b in the refrigerating chamber side inner case 52c has a rectangular cold air circulation groove 52h extending in the vertical direction so that a separate cold air circulation passage A may be formed. It is formed, and '??' so as to communicate with the cold air circulation groove (52h) to form a separate auxiliary cold air circulation path (B) on both sides of the inner side of the refrigerator compartment side inner case (52c) Auxiliary cold air circulation groove 52h 'is formed.

Next, the evaporator (60a, 60b) is configured so that the two plates formed with the refrigerant pipe grooves overlap each other, the freezer compartment side evaporator (60a) and the refrigerating chamber side evaporator which are separately installed in the freezer compartment (F) and the refrigerator compartment (R) side. 60b, the freezing compartment side evaporator 60a and the refrigerating compartment side evaporator 60b are installed to be connected to each other so that the refrigerant can flow therebetween.

Here, the freezer compartment side evaporator (60a) can not only put food or the like inside the freezer compartment (F), but also is built into the shelf (55a) partitioning the storage space to directly cool the freezer compartment (F), while the cold storage Actual evaporator (60b) is built to be in close contact with the inner wall of the inner case (52c) of the refrigerating compartment, it is preferable that the refrigerating compartment side evaporator (60b) is installed to be in close contact only to the inner wall of the cold air circulation groove (52h) of the refrigerating compartment.

In this case, the refrigerating chamber side evaporator 60b further includes a refrigerating chamber side evaporator extension part 60c formed to extend on both sides, and the refrigerating chamber side evaporator extension part 60c is also the freezer compartment side evaporator 60a and the refrigerating chamber side evaporator. It is configured to be connected to 60b and the refrigerant can be circulated with each other.

Of course, the evaporators 60a and 60b are configured to be connected to expansion means (not shown), such as a compressor 56, a condenser 58, a capillary tube, or an electronic expansion valve, so that the refrigerant is circulated to configure a refrigeration cycle.

At this time, one side of the evaporator (60a, 60b) is configured to have a temperature sensor (not shown), each temperature sensor is configured to be connected to each other and the control unit 64 for controlling the operation of the various components are input from the temperature sensor The controller 64 controls the operation of the compressor 56 according to the temperature signal.

Next, the cold air circulation path (A) is made of a plate-shaped duct 70 mounted on the cold air circulation groove (52h) and the cold air circulation groove (52h), the duct 70 is a refrigerating chamber at the top Intake ports (not shown) for sucking air circulated through (R) and a plurality of cold air distribution holes 70h through which cold air is discharged at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction are formed on both sides of the lower portion of the refrigerating chamber R. Cold air is injected toward the lower side, and the air inlet of the duct 70 is provided with a blower 80 for forcibly blowing cold air is also connected to the control unit 64 and its operation is controlled.

At this time, since the duct 70 is mounted in the cold air circulation groove 52h, even if a shelf 55b for placing food or the like in the refrigerating chamber R is not interfered with each other, the duct 70 does not interfere with the duct 70. Since the front surface of the duct 70 is formed in the same plane as the inner wall of the refrigerating chamber side inner case 52c in a state where it is mounted in the cold air circulation groove 52h, the internal volume of the refrigerating chamber is reduced as compared with the conventional direct refrigeration refrigerator. Can be prevented.

In addition, since the insulating material 72 having a predetermined thickness is attached to the rear surface of the duct 70, the duct may be formed even if frost or condensed water forms on the surface of the cold air circulation groove 52h provided with the refrigerating chamber side evaporator 60b. In addition to being covered by 70, the frost and condensed water are not formed on the outer surface of the duct 70 which is in contact with the refrigerating chamber R side by an adiabatic action so that hygienic cooling is achieved.

In addition, a drain pipe (not shown) is installed at the lower end of the duct 70 so that the frost formed on the surface of the cold air circulation groove 52h may be guided to the outside, and condensed water may be provided at the end of the drain pipe. A drain pan (not shown) is collected, and the drain pan is preferably installed to be drawn out to the outside.

On the other hand, the blower 80 is a blowing fan 82 for blowing the cold air circulated in the refrigerating chamber (R) toward the cold air circulation passage (A), a motor 84 for driving the same, and the blowing fan 82 And a fan housing 86 in which a motor 84 is embedded, and the fan housing 86 is installed to be mounted on the inlet side of the duct 70, and the motor 84 is connected to the control unit 64. Connected and its operation is regulated.

At this time, the blower fan 82 is preferably applied to the axial flow fan for blowing cold air in the axial direction, the cold air circulation passage formed by the fan housing 86 and the duct 70 and the cold air circulation groove (52h) (A) is formed to allow cold air to be guided.

Next, the auxiliary cold air circulation passage B includes an auxiliary duct 74 mounted in the auxiliary cold air circulation groove 52h 'and the auxiliary cold air circulation groove 52h', and the auxiliary duct 74 The upper and lower ends are configured such that a pair of auxiliary cold air distribution holes 74h are formed.

Here, the auxiliary cold air flow path (B) is preferably formed on both sides around the cold air circulation path (A), a pair is formed, it is formed long in the horizontal direction from the cold air circulation path (A) in the cold room A connection flow path B1 for guiding the door 54b and an injection path B2 connected to the door 54b to inject cold air toward the refrigerating chamber door 54b, the diameter of which is the cold air circulation path ( Smaller than A) is configured to allow a portion of the cold air to be guided, and a pair of auxiliary cold air distribution holes 74h are formed in the auxiliary duct 74 on the injection passage so that a portion of the cold air can be injected. It is preferable.

Of course, the connection passage B1 extends on one side of the inner case 52c of the refrigerating compartment and the inner case 52c of the refrigerating compartment so as to be connected to the cold air circulation passage A. The injection flow path B2 is formed only at both sides of the inner case 52c of the refrigerating compartment.

At this time, the auxiliary duct 74 is integrally formed with the duct 70 so that the duct 70 is fitted into the cold air circulation groove 52h and the auxiliary duct 74 is the auxiliary cold air circulation groove. 52h ', but the auxiliary duct 74 is configured to form the same plane as the inner case 52c of the refrigerating compartment in a state in which the auxiliary duct 74 is also mounted in the auxiliary cold air circulation groove 52h'. The internal volume of the refrigerating compartment can be prevented from being reduced compared to the refrigerating compartment.

Particularly, even if cold air heat-exchanged with the refrigerating chamber side evaporator 60b in the cold air circulation passage A is guided along the auxiliary cold air circulation passage B and discharged to the refrigerating chamber R on the refrigerating chamber door 54b side, In order to allow the cool air to be injected as it is, the refrigerating chamber-side evaporator extension part 60c is installed in the cold air circulation passage A in a position close to the auxiliary cold air circulation passage B, or in the auxiliary cold air circulation passage B. It is installed in a part of the connection flow path B1.

Specifically, the refrigerating chamber side evaporator extension portion 63b is installed to be in close contact with an inner wall of the cold air circulation groove 52h at a position close to the auxiliary cold air circulation groove 52h ', or the auxiliary cold air circulation groove 52h. It is preferable to be installed to be in close contact with the inner wall.

Next, the controller controls the operation of the compressor 56 and the motor 84 as well as other components, wherein the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is input from the outside of the refrigeration set temperature (Tf ₀ ) and the refrigerating set temperature When (Tr ₀ ) is input, the operation of each component is controlled to reach the determined refrigeration set temperature range and the refrigerated set temperature range accordingly.

As described above, the cold air circulation path A and the auxiliary cold air circulation path B and the blower 80 may be configured to be installed in the refrigerating chamber R, but may also be configured to be installed in the freezing chamber F.

Looking at the operation of the present invention configured as described above are as follows.

First, the controller 64 compares the actual freezer compartment temperature Tf and the refrigerating compartment temperature Tr with a pre-input freezer set temperature Tf ₀ and a refrigerated set temperature Tr ₀ , and accordingly the compressor 56. And the operation of not only the motor 84 but also other components, wherein the actual freezer temperature Tf and the refrigerator temperature Tr are pre-input of the freezing set temperature Tf ₀ and the cold set temperature Tr ₀ . If higher, the compressor 56 and motor 84 are adjusted to operate.

At this time, when the compressor 56 is operated, the refrigerant circulates while being compressed, condensed, expanded, and evaporated along the compressor 56, the condenser 58, the capillary tube or the electronic expansion valve, and the evaporators 60a and 60b. The air in the freezer compartment F and the refrigerating compartment R is in direct contact with the evaporators 60a and 60b to perform heat exchange with the low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant to generate cold air in the refrigerator.

Specifically, in the freezing compartment (F), the cooling operation is performed while the cold air generated through heat exchange with the freezing compartment side evaporator (60a) is naturally convection.

In addition, in the refrigerating chamber (R), as the blower fan (82) is operated by the motor (84), the air in the refrigerating chamber (R) is sucked into the cold air circulation passage (A) and the auxiliary cold air circulation passage (B). While forced to blow along, the air is cooled through a heat exchange action with the refrigerating chamber-side evaporator 60b while flowing along the cold air circulation passage (A).

Most of the generated cold air flows along the cold air circulation passage A and is discharged into the refrigerating chamber R through a plurality of cold air distribution holes 70h, and at the same time, a part of the cold air is the cold air circulation passage ( It flows along the connection flow path B1 and the injection flow path B2 connected to A) and is discharged toward the refrigerating chamber door 54b through a pair of auxiliary cold air distribution holes 70h formed at the end thereof.

At this time, the air is cooled through a heat exchange action with the refrigerating chamber side heat exchanger 60b while passing through the cold air circulation path A, and then a portion of the cold air is connected to the cold air circulation path A via a connection path B1 and The temperature may increase due to the flow resistance while flowing along the injection passage B2, but is further cooled by additional heat exchange with the refrigerating chamber side heat exchanger extension 60c while passing through the connection passage B1. Cold air in a low temperature state is also injected to the refrigerating chamber (R) close to the refrigerating chamber door (54b).

Therefore, in the refrigerating chamber (R), cold air is injected from one surface of the inner case (52c) of the refrigerating compartment facing the refrigerating chamber door (54b) along the cold air circulation passage (A) as well as the auxiliary cold air circulation passage (B). Since cold air is injected from both sides of the refrigerating chamber (R) adjacent to the refrigerating chamber door (54b) along the), it is possible to uniformly maintain the temperature inside the refrigerating chamber (R) by uniformly injecting cold air in various places As the refrigerating compartment door 54b is opened and closed, even if there is a heat intrusion in a position close to the refrigerating compartment door 54b, cold air may be directly injected to reduce the temperature deviation and the other position of the refrigerating compartment R.

In the above, the present invention has been described in detail based on the embodiments of the present invention and the accompanying drawings. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited by the above embodiments and drawings, and the scope of the present invention will be limited only by the contents described in the claims below.

The cold air circulation structure of the refrigerator according to the present invention constituted as described above has a cold air circulation passage and an auxiliary cold air circulation passage in the refrigerator so as to directly blow cold air to the inside and the door of the refrigerator while the blower is installed in the refrigerator to force cold air. Since the cold air is forcedly blown in the air, the cold air is evenly sprayed even in the air close to the inside and the door of the air, so that the temperature in the air can be maintained uniformly, and the predetermined cooling performance can be guaranteed. There is an advantage to fresh storage.

Claims (6)

Insulation material is foamed between the inner case and the outer case so that the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment may be formed therein, and a refrigerator body having an open front surface; A freezer compartment door and a refrigerating compartment door which are installed to be opened and closed at the front of the refrigerator body; An evaporator embedded in contact with one surface of an inner case of the freezing compartment and / or a refrigerating compartment, and a refrigerating cycle which is built in one side of the refrigerator main body so as to be connected thereto and cools the air inside the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment through heat exchange with the refrigerant in the evaporator side; A cold air circulation passage installed on one surface of the inner case of the refrigerating compartment and distributing cold air heat-exchanged with the evaporator to the refrigerating compartment through a suction port and a plurality of cold air distribution holes formed at one side thereof; An auxiliary cold air circulation path installed on one side of the inner case of the refrigerating compartment to distribute the cold air exchanged with the evaporator to the refrigerating chamber door through a plurality of auxiliary cold air distribution holes formed at an end thereof; And a blower installed at an inlet side of the cold air circulation passage to blow air circulated in the refrigerating compartment along the cold air circulation passage and the auxiliary cold air circulation passage. The method of claim 1, The cold air circulation passage is provided with a cold air circulation groove formed on one surface of the inner case of the refrigerating compartment and the cold air circulation groove, and an inlet is formed at an upper end thereof, and a plurality of cold air distribution holes are disposed at a predetermined interval in the upper and lower directions thereof. Cold air circulation structure of the refrigerator, characterized in that consisting of ducts formed. The method of claim 2, The auxiliary cold air circulation passage is horizontally installed on one side of the inner case of the refrigerating compartment and is connected to the connecting passage for guiding cold air to the refrigerating compartment door side, and to the inner case one side of the refrigerating compartment adjacent to the refrigerating compartment door. And a pair of cold air distribution holes formed at an upper / lower end and installed in the vertical direction as much as possible so that the cold air circulation structure of the refrigerator is made of an injection oil path for injecting cold air from the refrigerating chamber door. The method of claim 3, wherein The auxiliary cold air circulation flow path is provided to be connected to the duct in the auxiliary cold air circulation groove formed on the inner case of the refrigerating compartment and connected to the cold air circulation groove on one side of the refrigerating compartment and the duct. A cold air circulation structure of a refrigerator, characterized in that the auxiliary duct is formed of a pair of auxiliary cold air distribution holes. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, An evaporator extension portion further formed to extend from the evaporator, wherein the evaporator extension portion is built in the inner case of the inner case of the refrigerating chamber in which the cold air circulation passage is in contact with the auxiliary cold air circulation passage. . The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, And an evaporator extension portion formed to extend partially from the evaporator, wherein the evaporator extension portion is built in one side of an inner case of the refrigerating chamber to which the auxiliary cold air circulation passage is contacted.

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