KR20110050956A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A refrigerator is provided to discharge air on a water supply flow path by the installation of an air exhaust unit on a water supply path between an outlet of a pump and an ice maker or a dispenser. CONSTITUTION: The refrigerator comprises a water supply container, a water supply flow path, a pump(600), and an air exhaust unit(900). The water supply container is detachably provided in the refrigerator and stores water supplied to an ice maker or a dispenser. The water supply flow path connects the water supply container, the ice maker, and the dispenser. The pump is provided on the water supply flow path and pumps the water of the water supply container. The air exhaust unit is provided on the water supply flow path and discharges air inside the water supply flow path to the outside.

Description

Refrigerator {Refrigerator}

The present invention relates to a refrigerator.

In general, a refrigerator is a home appliance that allows food to be stored at a low temperature in an internal storage space that is shielded by a door. In detail, the refrigerator generates cold air through heat exchange with a refrigerant changed to a low temperature low pressure state by a refrigeration cycle, and keeps the food space fresh by keeping the storage space at a low temperature state by the cold air.

Such refrigerators are gradually becoming larger and more versatile in accordance with the change of dietary life and the trend of high quality, and refrigerators with various structures and convenience devices for the convenience of users have been released.

Representative of such a convenient device, the refrigerator is provided with an ice maker and a dispenser for making ice. The ice maker and the dispenser are for providing ice or drinking water to the user, and may be provided in the interior of the refrigerator and the door.

In general, the ice making apparatus is provided by directly filling water in an ice making tray, or by putting water in a water supply container having a capacity for one time ice making, and supplying water stored in the water supply container to the ice making tray. It includes the way.

However, in such a structure, only one serving of ice can be manufactured. If a large capacity water container is used, the water inside the water supply container freezes due to the temperature characteristics of the freezer compartment, making it impossible to continuously perform the ice making operation.

In order to solve this problem, a refrigerator has been developed to provide a water supply line directly connected to the water so that the ice making device can be continuously operated, and a water supply line is connected to the dispenser to draw out the drinking water through the dispenser. .

In addition, a refrigerator having a structure in which a water supply container for supplying water for ice making in a refrigerator is provided and water is supplied to an ice maker and a dispenser through a pump and a water supply passage has been developed.

In the refrigerator having such a structure, water inside the water supply container is completely supplied so that air may be mixed through the water supply passage when there is no water in the water supply container or when the water level is low or in an abnormal state.

When the air is mixed, there is a problem in that the ice maker does not have a constant amount of ice, and water supply failure occurs when water is drawn out through the dispenser. In addition, when air is mixed in the pump when the pump is restarted after water supply, there is a problem in that the pump is heavily loaded.

An embodiment of the present invention, the water supply passage between the output side of the pump and the ice maker or dispenser is provided with an air discharge unit for discharging the air inside the water supply passage to the outside to supply water to the ice maker or dispenser in the air mixed state It is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator that prevents it from becoming.

Refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, the water supply container which is provided detachably in the refrigerator, the water supplied to the ice maker or dispenser is stored; A water supply passage connecting the water container with the ice maker and the dispenser; A pump provided on the water supply passage to pump water of the water supply container; And an air discharge unit provided on the water supply passage connecting the ice maker or the dispenser and the pump to discharge the air in the water supply passage connected to the output side of the pump to the outside.

In addition, the air discharge unit, the input portion connected to the water supply passage on the output side of the pump; An output unit connected to a water supply passage connected to the ice maker or the dispenser; An air discharge portion communicating with the outside between the input portion and the output portion to form a passage through which air on the flow path is discharged; It is provided inside the air discharge, characterized in that it comprises an opening and closing member for selectively opening and closing the air discharge.

In addition, the opening and closing member is formed of a material or shape that can float on the water, it characterized in that the opening and closing the selectively by the vertical movement.

The discharge unit may extend in a direction crossing the output unit and the input unit, and the open end of the discharge unit may be formed upward.

In addition, a valve for selectively branching the water discharged from the pump to the ice maker or dispenser is provided on the water supply passage connected to the output side of the pump.

In addition, the air discharge unit is characterized in that provided on the water supply flow path between the pump and the valve.

In addition, the air discharge unit is partitioned into a space independent of the interior space, characterized in that provided in the machine room equipped with a compressor and a condenser.

The refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured to be provided with an air discharge unit on the water supply passage between the output side of the pump and the ice maker or dispenser so as to discharge air on the water supply passage.

In addition, when all of the water in the water supply container is exhausted or the water level is low and the air is sucked in the mixed state with the water, the air may be discharged from the air discharge unit, so that only water is supplied to the ice maker and the dispenser.

Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the water supply defects generated in the ice maker and the dispenser can be expected to improve the water supply performance.

In addition, after passing through the pump, all the air is discharged so that the inside of the pump is filled with water when the pump is stopped, so that the load can be reduced upon restarting, and the pump performance and durability may be expected to be improved.

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in the drawings, and that other embodiments falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention may be easily devised by adding, .

Hereinafter, for convenience of description and understanding, a refrigerator having a side-by-side type refrigerator having a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment on both left and right sides will be described as an example.

1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a front view in which the door of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention is opened.

1 and 2, the refrigerator 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention has an outer shape formed by a cabinet 100 in which a storage space is formed, and a door 200 that opens and closes the storage space.

The cabinet 100 is formed so that the front surface is opened, the inside is partitioned left and right by the barrier to form the freezing chamber 110 and the refrigerating chamber 120, respectively. In addition, the inside of the freezer compartment 110 and the refrigerating compartment 120 is provided with a configuration for storing food, such as a plurality of shelves and drawers.

The door 200 includes a refrigerator compartment door 220 and a refrigerator compartment door 210 to shield the refrigerator compartment 120 and the freezer compartment 110, respectively, and is coupled to the cabinet 100 by a hinge 130. It is configured to be rotatable. Therefore, the refrigerating compartment 120 and the freezing compartment 110 are configured to be selectively opened and closed by the rotation of the refrigerating compartment door 220 and the freezing compartment door 210.

Door handles 230 are provided on the refrigerating compartment door 220 and the freezing compartment door 210, respectively. In addition, the refrigerating compartment door 220 may be provided with a home bar 240, and the freezing compartment door 210 may be provided with a dispenser 250 capable of extracting drinking water and / or ice.

On the other hand, the ice maker assembly 300 is provided on the rear surface of the freezer compartment door 210. The ice maker assembly 300 is to make ice from the water supplied from the water supply container 400 to be described below, it is provided on the dispenser 250.

The ice maker assembly 300 may include an ice maker 310 for freezing water to make ice, and an ice bank 320 provided below the ice maker 310 and storing iced ice. have.

The ice maker 310 is automatically supplied with water for ice making, and after the ice is made by the cold air of the freezing chamber 110, the ice maker 310 can be automatically iced to the ice bank 320 side, the general ice maker It is formed to have the same configuration as 310.

The ice iced by the ice maker 310 is stored in the ice bank 320, and the ice chute 330 connecting the ice bank 320 and the dispenser 250 when the dispenser 250 is operated. It may be supplied to the ice maker 310 through.

Meanwhile, a water supply container 400 is provided on the rear surface of the refrigerating compartment door 220. The water container 400 is for storing ice making water and / or drinking water supplied to the ice maker 310 and / or the dispenser 250, and a user can directly supply water to the water container 400. It is configured to be.

The water supply container 400 is provided to be detachably attached to the refrigerating compartment door 220, is formed in a predetermined shape to be mounted on the rear surface of the refrigerating compartment door 220, and may be designed as a dedicated container. In addition, commercially available bottled water may be used as the water supply container 400.

A plurality of baskets 224 are provided on the rear surface of the refrigerating compartment door 220, and the basket 224 is configured to be height-adjustable by detachment. And, any one of the plurality of baskets 224 is configured to support the water supply container 400 from below.

In addition, the rear surface of the refrigerating chamber door 220 is provided with a container connection portion 222 coupled to the water supply container 400. The container connection part 222 is configured to be selectively coupled to the inlet of the upper end of the water supply container 400, is integrally formed on the rear surface of the refrigerating compartment door 220, or detachably formed by a separate member.

In detail, the container connection part 222 may be formed in a structure fixed to the refrigerating compartment door 220, wherein the water supply container 400 is coupled to the container connection part 222 by the refrigerator compartment door It may be mounted on the back of the 220.

In addition, the container connection part 222 may be formed as a separate member and may be configured to be mounted on the rear surface of the refrigerating compartment door 220 after being combined with the water supply container 400.

On the other hand, the water container 400, the ice maker 310 and the dispenser 250 are connected to each other by a water supply passage 500, the water of the water container 400 is the ice maker 310 and the dispenser ( 250) can be supplied.

The water supply passage 500 is provided with the pump 600 and the valve 700. The water of the water supply container 400 may be forcibly supplied to the ice maker 310 and the dispenser 250 by the pump 600, branched by the valve 700, and the ice maker according to an operating state. Can be selectively supplied to the 310 and the dispenser 250, respectively.

The pump 600 and the valve 700 may be disposed in a machine room (not shown) provided at a rear corner of the lower portion of the cabinet 100, and if necessary, the lower surface of the cabinet 100 or the refrigerating chamber door 220. Or may be provided on one side of the refrigerating chamber 120.

The water supply passage 500 is a suction channel 510 inside the water supply container 400, a pump input channel 520 connected to an input side 610 of the pump 600, and the output side 620 of the pump. Pump output passage 530 connected to the valve 700, the ice maker side flow path 540 connected to the ice maker 310 in the valve 700, the valve 700 is connected to the dispenser 250 The dispenser side flow path 550 may be configured.

The suction passage 510 is for sucking water inside the water supply container 400, and extends to an inner lower portion of the water supply container 400 when the water supply container 400 is mounted on the container connection part 222. It is formed to be.

In addition, the suction flow path 510 is provided inside the container connection part 222, and when the container connection part 222 is detached, it is selectively provided with the water supply path 500 provided inside the refrigerating compartment door 220. It can be configured to be connected. And, if necessary, the container connecting portion 222 may be further formed with a separate connection pipe that can be selectively connected to the suction passage 510 and the water supply passage 500 inside the refrigerating chamber door 220.

On the other hand, the pump input passage 520 is connected to the suction passage 510 in the refrigerator door 200, and extends to the input side 610 of the pump 600 to be described below. In this case, when the pump 600 is provided at one side of the cabinet 100, the pump input flow path 520 may be guided from the refrigerating compartment door 220 to the cabinet 100 through the hinge 130. have.

In addition, the pump output passage 530 connects the pump 600 and the valve 700 to the output side 620 of the pump 600 to be described below and the input side 710 of the valve 700 to be described below. ) To guide the water discharged from the pump 600 toward the valve 700.

The ice maker side flow path 540 and the dispenser side flow path 550 are independent flow paths connected to the valve 700, respectively, from one side of the valve 700 to the ice maker 310 and the dispenser 250. Each branched and extended.

Each of the ice maker side flow path 540 and the dispenser side flow path 550 may be guided through the hinge 130 at the side of the freezer compartment door 210, and the pipe 700 may be formed in one tube form from the valve 700. After passing through the hinge 130 may be branched to extend to the ice maker 310 and the dispenser 250, respectively.

3 is a partial perspective view of a combination of a pump, a valve, and an air discharge unit of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the pump 600 and the valve 700 are combined in an assembly form by the mounting member 800, and the cabinet 100 or the door 200 by the mounting member 800. Can be fixedly mounted on one side of the. In addition, a water supply passage 500 is connected to the pump 600 and the valve 700 so that the water of the water supply container 400 may be supplied to the ice maker 310 and the dispenser 250.

In detail, the pump input channel 520 is connected to an input side 610 of the pump 600 into which the water of the water supply container 400 is sucked, and the pump input channel 520 is connected to the suction channel 510. It may be connected so that the water of the water supply container 400 may be sucked into the pump 600 when the pump 600 is driven.

The pump output flow path 530 connects the output side 620 of the pump 600 and the valve input side 710 through which water is sucked into the valve 700, and the valve 700 and the pump 600. Are communicated with each other to allow water discharged from the pump 600 to be supplied to the valve 700.

Meanwhile, the valve 700 has a first output side 720 connected to the ice maker side flow path 540 for supplying water to the ice maker 310 and a dispenser side flow path for supplying water to the dispenser 250. Second output side 730 connected to the 550 may be formed respectively.

That is, the water introduced into the valve 700 may be selectively branched inside the valve 700 according to a control signal and supplied to the ice maker 310 or the dispenser 250.

On the other hand, on the pump output passage 530 connecting the valve 700 and the pump 600 is provided with an air discharge unit 900 for discharging the air existing on the water supply passage 500 to the outside. .

The air discharge unit 900 may be provided between the pump output side 620 and the valve input side 710 to discharge the air mixed with air or water passing through the air discharge unit 900 to the outside. It is configured to be.

The air discharge unit 900 is generally formed in an approximately "T" shape, and a flow path through which water and air can flow is formed therein. The air discharge unit 900 includes an input unit 910 through which water is introduced from the pump 600, an output unit 920 through which water introduced from the input unit 910 is discharged, and the air discharge unit ( It may be configured as an air discharge unit 930 for discharging the internal air of the 900.

4 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the air discharge unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the input unit 910 and the output unit 920 of the air discharge unit 900 are configured to be connected to both sides of the water supply passage 500. That is, ends of the input unit 910 and the output unit 920 may be formed to be open, and may be formed as a structure of a general pipe fitting to be fixed after the end of the water supply passage 500 is inserted.

In addition, the input unit 910 is connected to the water supply passage 500 connected to the pump output side 620, and the output unit 920 is connected to the water supply passage 500 connected to the valve input side 710. . Of course, when the valve 700 is not provided, the water supply passage 500 connected to the output unit 920 and the ice maker 310 or the dispenser 250 may be connected to each other.

The input unit 910 and the output unit 920 may be formed on the same extension line, and the water flowing through the input unit 910 may be discharged through the output unit 920.

Meanwhile, the air outlet 930 is formed between the input unit 910 and the output unit 920. The air discharge unit 930 extends between the input unit 910 and the output unit 920, and a flow path inside the air discharge unit 930 is a flow path between the input unit 910 and the output unit 920. And intersect with and communicate with each other.

The air discharge unit 930 may extend outwardly between the input unit 910 and the output unit 920, and the open end of the air discharge unit 930 may be disposed upward. In addition, the air discharge unit 900 may be installed inside the machine room so as to discharge air to the outside through the air discharge unit 930.

Of course, the air discharge unit 900 may be provided at a position other than the machine room if the opened end of the air discharge unit 930 may be located at the outer side, and the air discharge unit 900 may be provided. It may be arranged in the interior, and a separate flow path connected to the air outlet 930 may be configured to extend to the outside.

On the other hand, the inside of the air discharge unit 930 is provided with an opening and closing member 940 for selectively opening and closing the flow path inside the air discharge unit 930. The opening / closing member 940 opens the flow path of the air discharge part 930 when air is introduced into the air discharge part 930 to discharge air through the air discharge part 930, and discharges the air when water is introduced. The water is discharged to the air discharge part 930 by closing the flow path of the part 930.

In detail, the opening and closing member 940 is formed in a ball shape, and may be formed of a resin material such as ABS, and formed of a material that can float on water to move upward when contacted with the water to discharge the air outlet 930. The open portion of the shield may be shielded, and may be positioned at the bottom of the air discharge portion 930 so as to discharge air to the open portion of the air discharge portion 930.

Of course, the opening and closing member 940 may be configured to be moved upward when the water is structurally introduced even if not formed of a material floating in water, such as is formed in a hollow structure as needed.

On the other hand, the inner diameter of the air discharge portion 930 is formed larger than the diameter of the opening and closing member 940, the upper portion of the air discharge portion 930 at the top of the opening and closing member 940 when the air discharge portion ( A stepped or inclined shield 932 may be formed to shield the exit of 930.

In addition, the opening and closing member 940 supports the opening and closing member 940 when the opening and closing member 940 is located at the lower portion of the air discharge portion 930 so that the opening and closing member 940 is inside the air discharge portion 930. A support 934 may be further formed to be positioned at.

The support part 934 is formed in a net shape or a plate shape to support the opening and closing member 940 not to move downwards, while communicating with a flow path between the input part 910 and the output part 920 is water or It may be configured to allow air to be introduced.

Therefore, the water introduced into the input unit 910 and discharged into the output unit 920 and the air mixed in the water may be introduced into the air discharge unit 930, and inside the air discharge unit 930. The air discharge portion 930 is selectively opened and closed by the vertical movement of the opening and closing member 940 to allow the discharge of air.

Hereinafter, the water supply operation of the refrigerator according to the present invention having the configuration as described above will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

5 and 6 are cross-sectional views schematically showing the state of the air discharge unit when the water supply of the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 to 6, in order to use ice-making water and drinking water, water is filled in the water supply container 400, and the container connection part 222 and the water supply container 400 are combined, and then the water supply container 400 is used. Is to be mounted on the back of the refrigerating compartment door 220. The water container 400 may be a bottled water bottle, in which case it is coupled to the container connection portion 222 by opening the commercially available bottled water without a separate water supply process.

By the combination of the water supply container 400 and the container connecting portion 222, the suction flow path 510 is located inside the water supply container 400 to suck the water inside the water supply container 400, The suction flow path 510 is connected to the pump input flow path 520 by the container connection part 222 so that water can be supplied to the ice maker 310 and the dispenser 250.

In this state, when the water supply signal is transmitted to the ice maker 310 for ice making, or when the operation to take out drinking water through the dispenser 250 is performed, the pump 600 is driven.

The water in the water supply container 400 is sucked through the suction channel 510 by the driving of the pump 600, and is sucked into the pump 600 through the pump input channel 520.

In addition, the water discharged from the pump 600 through the pump output passage 530 is supplied to the valve 700 through the air discharge unit 900. When the water supplied to the valve 700 is commanded to the ice making water supply signal, the first output side 720 of the valve 700 is opened and the ice maker 310 through the ice maker side flow path 540. Supplied by.

In addition, when a supply signal for drawing drinking water is commanded, the second output side 620 is opened and supplied to the dispenser 250 through the dispenser side flow path 550 to be externally taken out.

On the other hand, when the water is introduced into the input unit 910 through the pump 600 by the driving of the pump 600 is filled with water inside the air discharge unit 900, the air discharge as shown in FIG. The unit 930 is closed.

In detail, when air is not mixed in the water flowing through the input unit 910 of the air discharge unit 900 and discharged to the output unit 920, the water flowing into the input unit 910 is the air. It may be introduced into the discharge unit 930, the opening and closing member 940 is moved upward by the water flowing into the air discharge unit 930.

When the opening and closing member 940 is completely moved upward, the opening and closing member 940 is in contact with the shielding portion 932 to block the flow path of the air discharge portion 930, the air discharge portion The water flowing into the water 930 may not be discharged to the outside and may be supplied to the valve 700 through the output unit 920.

On the other hand, when the air level is sucked by the driving of the pump 600 due to low water level or abnormal operation in the water supply container 400, or when the water and air is sucked in a mixed state, as shown in FIG. The unit 930 is opened to allow the discharge of air.

In detail, when air is mixed into the water sucked into the air discharge unit 900 through the pump 600, the air mixed with the water flows toward the output unit 920. Pass (930).

At this time, when the air passes to the air discharge unit 930 side, the opening and closing member 940 is maintained in the state seated on the support 934 by the weight of its own, the inside of the air discharge unit 930 The passage will remain open.

That is, the air inside the air discharge unit 900 may be discharged to the outside through the air discharge unit 930, and only water in which air is not mixed may be discharged to the output unit 920. Accordingly, water from which air is removed may be supplied to the valve 700, and water may be supplied to the ice maker 310 and the dispenser 250.

Of course, even when water is not sucked while driving the pump 600, only the air is sucked by the opening / closing member 940, so that the air discharge part 930 is kept open so that the air is discharged.

As such, air such as air bubbles contained in the water passing through the air discharge unit 900 is discharged through the air discharge unit 930 to allow the valve 700 and the water supply after the air discharge unit 900. Only water is filled on the flow path 500, and when the pump 600 is stopped, the remaining water on the water supply flow path 500 may be introduced into the pump 600 so that the pump 600 is restarted. The pump 600 is operable at a relatively low load state.

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

2 is a front view of an open door of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a partial perspective view of a combination of a pump, a valve, and an air discharge unit of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the air discharge unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

5 and 6 are cross-sectional views schematically showing the state of the air discharge unit when the water supply of the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (7)

A water supply container detachably provided in the refrigerator and storing water supplied to an ice maker or a dispenser; A water supply passage connecting the water container with the ice maker and the dispenser; A pump provided on the water supply passage to pump water of the water supply container; And an air discharge unit provided on the water supply passage connecting the ice maker or the dispenser and the pump to discharge air in the water supply passage connected to the output side of the pump to the outside. The method of claim 1, The air exhaust unit, An input unit connected to the water supply passage on the output side of the pump; An output unit connected to a water supply passage connected to the ice maker or the dispenser; An air discharge portion communicating with the outside between the input portion and the output portion to form a passage through which air on the flow path is discharged; The refrigerator provided on the inside of the air discharge portion, characterized in that it comprises an opening and closing member for selectively opening and closing the air discharge portion. The method of claim 2, The opening and closing member is formed of a material or shape that can float on the water, characterized in that the refrigerator selectively opens and closes the discharge portion by vertical movement. The method of claim 2, And the discharge part extends in a direction crossing the output part and the input part, and the open end of the discharge part is formed upward. The method of claim 1, And a valve for selectively branching the water discharged from the pump to the ice maker or the dispenser on the water supply passage connected to the output side of the pump. The method of claim 5, And the air discharge unit is provided on a water supply passage between the pump and the valve. The method of claim 1, The air discharge unit is partitioned into a space independent from the interior space, the refrigerator characterized in that it is provided in a machine room equipped with a compressor and a condenser.

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