KR20130048527A - A refrigerator comprising a vacuum space - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A refrigerator with a vacuum space unit is provided to suppress heat transfer between an inner case and an outer case by forming a vacuum space unit between the inner case and the outer case. CONSTITUTION: A refrigerator comprises a main body. The main body comprises an inner case(110), an outer case(120), a vacuum space unit(130), a first support plate(160), and a plurality of spacers(150). A storage space is formed in the inside of the inner case. The outer case accommodates the inner case and is arranged to be separated from the inner case in a predetermined interval. The vacuum space unit is equipped between the inner case and the outer case and performs heat insulation effect between the inner case and the outer case by maintaining a vacuum condition. The first support plate is equipped to one surface among the facing surfaces of the inner case and the outer case. The spacer is fixed to the first support plate and maintains a gap between the inner case and the outer case.

Description

A refrigerator comprises a vacuum space

The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a vacuum space, and more particularly, to a refrigerator capable of improving a heat insulation function of a refrigerator by forming a vacuum space between an outer case and an inner case constituting a main body.

A refrigerator is an electric product that can store or store refrigerated products by keeping a temperature of a storage room at an image or below zero temperature using a refrigerant cycle.

The general configuration of the refrigerator includes a main body in which a storage space for storing a storage is formed, and a door disposed in the main body so as to be rotatable or slide-movable to open and close the storage space.

The main body includes an inner case in which a storage space is formed and an outer case in which the inner case is accommodated, and an insulating material is disposed between the inner case and the outer case.

It is suppressed that the temperature in a storage space is influenced by the external temperature by this heat insulating material.

The urethane foam is used a lot as the heat insulating material, the liquid urethane is injected into the space between the inner case and the outer case and foamed.

However, in order to realize the insulation effect using the insulation material, the thickness of the insulation material must be secured to some extent, which means that the insulation material becomes thicker, and naturally, the wall thickness between the inner case and the outer case becomes thicker, so that the size of the refrigerator It becomes bigger.

However, in recent years, the trend toward the compactness of the refrigerator has emerged, and the necessity of a structure capable of reducing the external size while increasing the volume of the internal storage space has emerged.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, the object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of increasing the thermal insulation and compactness of the external volume by forming a vacuum space between the inner case and the outer case. have.

In addition, while a vacuum space is formed between the inner case and the outer case to provide a refrigerator having a support structure that can maintain the gap between the inner case and the outer case is not deformed by an external impact.

The refrigerator having a vacuum space unit of the present invention for achieving the above object comprises a main body having a storage space that can accommodate a predetermined storage, the main body, the inner case is formed with the storage space inward Wow; An outer case accommodating the inner case and spaced apart from the inner case by a predetermined distance; A vacuum space portion provided between the inner case and the outer case, the inside of which is sealed and maintained in a vacuum state to perform a heat insulating action between the inner case and the outer case; A first support plate provided on any one surface of the inner case and the outer case facing each other; It is characterized in that it comprises a plurality of spacers fixed to the first support plate to support to maintain a gap between the inner case and the outer case.

The main body may further include a second support plate provided on any other surface of the inner case and the outer case facing each other and disposed to face the first support plate.

Preferably, the second support plate includes a plurality of grooves formed to insert end portions of the plurality of spaces on inner surfaces thereof.

It is preferable that the plurality of spacers are arranged in a plurality of rows vertically and horizontally.

End portions of the plurality of spacers are preferably in the form of convex curved surfaces.

It is preferable that the plurality of grooves of the second support plate have a concave curved shape corresponding to the shape of the plurality of spacers.

Preferably, the spacer, the first support plate, and the second support plate are made of any one of metal, ceramic, and reinforced plastic.

In addition, the main body, preferably at least one side of the outer surface of the first support plate and the inner surface of the second support plate further comprises a metal coating for blocking radiant heat transfer.

In addition, a plurality of perforations may be formed in the first support plate between the plurality of spacers inside the edge thereof.

The first support plate may include a perforated portion formed at an edge portion, a portion surrounded by a plurality of spacers disposed along the edge portion, and a plurality of first portions connecting the plurality of spacers in a first direction at the perforated portion. It may include a rib and a plurality of second ribs which connect the plurality of spacers in a second direction in the perforation portion and intersect the plurality of first ribs.

Here, the first support plate may further include a plurality of reinforcing ribs connecting the plurality of spacers between the first rib and the second rib.

According to the refrigerator of the present invention described above, a vacuum space portion is formed between the inner case and the outer case, which is not a normal heat insulating material, and the vacuum space portion makes a heat insulating effect of suppressing heat transfer between the inner case and the outer case.

Since the thermal insulation effect in the vacuum state is remarkably superior to the thermal insulation effect by the conventional thermal insulator, the refrigerator according to the present invention has the advantage that the thermal insulation is superior to the conventional refrigerator.

On the other hand, in the case of the vacuum space portion, the insulation is maintained as long as the vacuum state is maintained regardless of its thickness (gap between the inner case and the outer case). An increase in thickness leads to an increase in the size of the refrigerator.

Therefore, the refrigerator according to the present invention can reduce the size of the outer case portion while maintaining the same storage space as compared with the conventional refrigerator, thereby contributing to the compactness of the refrigerator.

In addition, according to the refrigerator of the present invention, while the vacuum space is formed between the inner case and the outer case, the inner case and the outer case can maintain the gap without being deformed by an external impact.

By providing a structure that can easily assemble the inner case and the outer case and the support parts therebetween to form the vacuum space, workability is improved.

1 is a perspective view showing an example of a refrigerator according to the present invention.
2 is a partially cutaway perspective view illustrating an inner case and an outer case and supporting parts therebetween in the refrigerator according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating assembling the first support plate and the spacer and the second support plate in FIG. 2.
4 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the first support plate, the spacer, and the second support plate are assembled in FIG. 3.
5 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the first support plate.
6 is a perspective view showing still another embodiment of the first support plate.

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

1 shows an example of a refrigerator according to the present invention. Figure 2 is a partial cutaway perspective view showing the inner case and the outer case and supporting parts therebetween in the refrigerator according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator according to the present invention includes a main body 1 in which a storage compartment is formed, a first door 4 rotatably provided on the left side of the main body 1, and the main body 1. It includes a second door (5) rotatably provided on the right side of the.

Here, the first door 4 opens and closes the freezing compartment in the storage compartment, and the second door 5 functions to open and close the refrigerating compartment in the storage compartment, but the present invention is not limited to the refrigerator having such a structure.

That is, the refrigerator of FIG. 1 is a so-called side-by-side type refrigerator in which a freezer compartment is disposed on the left side and a refrigerating compartment is disposed on the right side. However, the refrigerator of the present invention is any type of a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment. It can be applied to the refrigerator. In addition, in addition to the refrigerator or a freezer compartment and a freezer compartment provided with only a refrigerating compartment or a freezing compartment, the present invention may be applied to a refrigerator further comprising a separate cooling compartment.

Looking at the structure of the main body (1), the inner case 110 and the storage space is formed inside; An outer case 120 accommodated in the inner case and spaced apart from the inner case by a predetermined distance; A vacuum space portion 130 provided between the inner case and the outer case, the inside of which is sealed and maintained in a vacuum state to perform a heat insulating action between the inner case and the outer case; A first support plate 160 provided on any one surface of the inner case 110 and the outer case 120 facing each other; A plurality of spacers 150 are fixedly disposed on the first support plate to support a gap between the inner case 110 and the outer case 120.

The outer case 120 and the inner case 110 are disposed to be spaced apart from each other, a separate heat insulating material is not disposed in this space, it is maintained only in a vacuum to perform the heat insulating action.

That is, the vacuum case 130 is formed between the outer case 120 and the inner case 110, so that the medium mediating heat transfer between the inner case 110 and the outer case 120 is removed. Keep it.

As a result, heat of hot air outside the outer case 120 may be prevented from being transferred to the inner case 110 and the inside thereof.

A plurality of spacers to maintain the gap between the inner case 110 and the outer case 120 in order to maintain the shape of the vacuum space 130 between the inner case 110 and the outer case 120 (spacer) 150 is disposed. The plurality of spacers 150 are arranged to support a plurality of spacers 150 so as to maintain a gap between the inner case 110 and the outer case 120.

The plurality of spacers 150 are to be fixed between the inner case 110 and the outer case 120, a structure for fixing the plurality of spacers 150 is the first support plate 160 Is placed on.

The first support plate 160 may be provided to be in contact with any one surface of the inner case 110 and the outer case 120 facing each other.

In FIG. 2, the first support plate 160 is disposed to contact the outer surface of the inner case 110, but the first support plate 160 may be disposed to contact the inner surface of the outer case 120.

The main body 1 further includes a second support plate 170 provided on any other surface of the inner case 110 and the outer case 120 facing each other and disposed to face the first support plate. desirable.

In the embodiment of Figure 2, the second support plate 170 is disposed to contact the inner surface of the outer case 120, the plurality of spacers 150 is fixed to the first support plate 160 is first The first supporting plate 160 and the second supporting plate 170 are maintained to maintain a gap.

Since the first support plate 160 is in contact with the outer surface of the inner case 110, and the second support plate 170 is in contact with the inner surface of the outer case 120, the plurality of spacers 150 As a result, to maintain the gap between the inner case 110 and the outer case 120.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the second support plate 170 is disposed to be spaced apart from the first support plate 160 by a predetermined distance, but as shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of spacers 150 are integrally fixed. Only the first supporting plate 160 disposed may be provided between the inner case 110 and the outer case 120.

When the second support plate 170 is absent, the end portions of the plurality of spacers 150 may be disposed to directly contact the inner surface of the outer case 120.

Meanwhile, FIG. 1 illustrates the inner case 110, the outer case 120, and the spacer 150 in a state where the first support plate 160 and the second support plate 170 are omitted for convenience.

Returning to the case where the second support plate 170 is also provided, the second support plate 170 includes a plurality of grooves 175 formed to insert end portions of the plurality of spaces 150 on the inner surface thereof. desirable.

The plurality of grooves 175 formed on the second support plate 170 may be disposed on the spacers 150 when the second support plate 170 is poked in the plurality of spaces 150 formed integrally with the first support plate 160. Ensure that the relative position relative to

Since the inner case 110 and the outer case 120 forming the main body 1 should form a vacuum space 130 therebetween, for example, an inner case forming one side of the main body 1 ( 110 and the outer case 120 should be formed integrally with each other to have a size corresponding to the size of one side.

On the other hand, the first support plate 160 and the second support plate 170 produces a unit having a predetermined size smaller than the inner case 110 and the outer case 120 and then the first support plate 160 and the first Two support plates 170 may be assembled by assembling a plurality of sets assembled by arranging the spacers 150 therebetween and inserted between the inner case 110 and the outer case 120.

Of course, the first support plate 160 and the second support plate 170 may be manufactured and assembled to the same size as the inner case 110 and the outer case 120.

2 shows only a part of the stack structure in order to show the assembly structure between the inner case 110 and the outer case 120 as described above.

Next, the structure and assembly method of the first support plate, the spacer and the second support plate will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

3 is a perspective view illustrating the assembling of the first support plate and the spacer and the second support plate, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the assembled state of the first support plate and the spacer and the second support plate.

As shown, the plurality of spacers 150 are preferably arranged in a plurality of rows in the vertical and horizontal directions.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the plurality of spacers 150 integrally formed and arranged on the first support plate 160 are arranged in rows in the vertical direction and the left and right directions.

Since the plurality of spacers 150 are arranged in a plurality of rows, not only the design and the manufacturing of the molding are easy, but also the assembling work is easy, and the strength to withstand the vacuum pressure or external impact in the vacuum space 130 after assembly is increased. Can be larger.

In addition, end portions of the plurality of spacers 150 may have convex curved shapes.

As shown in the enlarged circle of FIG. 4, the end of each spacer 150 is formed in the groove 175 formed in the second support plate 170 during assembly by forming the end of the spacer 150 in a convex curved shape. The assembly can be much easier because it is easily seated.

In addition, the plurality of grooves 175 of the second support plate 170 may have a concave curved shape corresponding to the shape of the plurality of spacers 150.

Since the plurality of grooves 175 of the second support plate 170 are formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the plurality of spacers 150, the positioning of the second support plate 170 is easy after assembling and the second support plate 170 is not removed after assembly. It can be fixed so as not to move in a direction parallel to the surface.

The spacer 150, the first support plate 160, and the second support plate 170 may be made of any one of metal, ceramic, and reinforced plastic.

The spacer 150 is provided in the vacuum space 130 between the inner case 110 and the outer case 120, and the first support plate 160 and the second support plate 170 are the inner case 110. And contact with the outer case 120, respectively.

Therefore, heat transfer from the outside of the outer case 120 to the inside of the inner case 110 should be minimized, and external heat may be conducted through the second support plate 170, the spacer 150, and the first support plate 160. Can be.

Thus, the spacer 150, the first support plate 160, and the second support plate 170, which are provided to contact between the inner case 110 and the outer case 120, are each made of a low thermal conductivity metal, ceramic, or the like. , Preferably made of any one of reinforced plastics.

Among them, it is preferable to manufacture the spacer and the like made of a material having low thermal conductivity and excellent strength, and therefore, it may be more preferable to manufacture the ceramic or reinforced plastic rather than the metal having excellent strength but relatively high thermal conductivity.

On the other hand, the main body 1 may further include a metal coating for blocking radiant heat transfer on at least one side of the outer surface of the first support plate 160 and the inner surface of the second support plate 170.

Although not shown in the drawing, the metal coating part is a metal coating on at least one side of the outer surface of the first support plate 160 and the inner surface of the second support plate 170, the inner case 110 and the outer case ( 120) minimizes heat transfer by radiation.

Since metal has excellent properties of blocking radiant heat transfer, it is generally coated with metal to minimize radiant heat transfer despite having a relatively large thermal conductivity.

In order to minimize radiant heat transfer, the metal coating part may be provided on both the outer surface of the first support plate 160 and the inner surface of the second support plate 170.

Hereinafter, two other embodiments of the first support plate will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

First, FIG. 5 illustrates a first support plate 260 in which a plurality of spacers 150 are integrally formed and disposed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

The first support plate 160 according to the first embodiment in the present embodiment is different from the first support plate 260 is a plurality of perforations 262 between the plurality of spacers 150 to the inner side of the edge Is formed.

The reason why the plurality of perforations 262 are formed on the first support plate 260 is that the atom is minute on the surface of the first support plate 260 by the vacuum pressure in the first support plate 260 in the vacuum space 130. Or to prevent outgassing of the molecules.

In other words, by reducing the surface area of the first support plate 260 to reduce the material itself that outgassing can occur.

Of course, by forming a plurality of perforations 262 in the first support plate 260 can not only reduce the material cost for forming the first support plate, but also reduce the weight thereof.

As shown in FIG. 5, since the plurality of spacers 150 are arranged in a plurality of rows in up, down, left, and right directions, the plurality of perforations 262 may have four vertices adjacent to four spacers 150. It consists of a rectangular shape positioned to

Of course, the shape of the perforated portion 262 is not limited to this rectangular shape, it may be formed in other shapes such as hexagonal, octagonal or elliptical.

However, the plurality of perforations 262 may have sufficient strength to support the spacers 150 by the first support plate 160 without interfering with the positions where the plurality of spacers 150 are disposed. Will have to form.

The plurality of perforations 262 formed on the first support plate 160 are arranged inside the edge portion 261 of the first support plate 160.

A first rib 263 connecting the two spacers 150 in the horizontal direction and a second rib 264 connecting the two spacers 150 in the vertical direction are formed between the plurality of holes 262. have.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the plurality of spacers 150 are disposed at a point where the first rib 263 and the second rib 264 intersect or two ribs intersect the edge portion 261. desirable.

The edge portion 261 of the first support plate 160 may be formed to have a width larger than that of the first rib 263 and the second rib 264.

This is because the edge portion 261 is a portion that provides the basic strength while forming the entire skeleton of the first support plate 160.

In addition, a plurality of perforations may be formed in the second support plate 170 illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, similarly to the first support plate 260 illustrated in FIG. 5.

In this case, it is preferable that the second support plate 170 has the same shape as the first support plate 260. Of course, the plurality of grooves 175 described above may be formed in the second support plate 170.

Finally, FIG. 6 illustrates a first support plate 360 in which a plurality of spacers 150 are integrally formed and disposed according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

The difference from the first support plate 260 according to the second embodiment in the present embodiment is that the first support plate 360 is formed in the perforation part 362 surrounded by the plurality of ribs 363 and 364. It further includes a reinforcing rib 365 connecting two or more spacers 150.

That is, in the third embodiment, the first support plate 360 includes a perforation part 362 formed at a portion surrounded by an edge portion 361, a plurality of spacers 150 disposed along the edge portion, and the cloth. In the study, a plurality of first ribs 363 connecting the plurality of spacers in a first direction, and a plurality of first ribs connecting the plurality of spacers in a second direction and intersecting the plurality of first ribs in the perforation part Including a second rib (364), may further include a plurality of reinforcing ribs 365 for connecting the plurality of spacers between the first rib and the second rib.

For convenience, in the third embodiment, the perforation part 362 is a rectangle formed in a portion surrounded by the plurality of spacers 150 disposed along the edge part 361, unlike the perforation part 262 in the second embodiment. As a part, the part is defined as a rectangular part formed by a virtual outline except for the ribs 363, 364, and 365.

However, as a result, it will be understood that the first support plate 360 of the third embodiment has the same shape as the first support plate 260 of the second embodiment except for the reinforcing ribs 365.

The reinforcing rib 365 may be formed to connect two spacers disposed in a diagonal direction among the plurality of spacers 150. Thus, the two reinforcing ribs 365 are formed to intersect with each other at the intermediate portion.

In addition, if the plurality of spacers 150 are configured to reinforce the strength of the first support plate 360 formed integrally, the spacers 150 are connected in a direction parallel to the first rib 363 or the second rib 364. Of course, it can be made in other forms.

Since the first support plate 160, 260, 360 and the second support plate 170 have any shape, the first support plate 160, 260, 360 and the second support plate 170 may be integrally formed at a time within a mold formed in a predetermined shape.

According to the refrigerator according to the present invention, an operation of assembling a plurality of spacers into a vacuum space portion between an inner case and an outer case is very easy, and may have a structure capable of sufficiently enduring vacuum pressure.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited only to this specific embodiment, and those skilled in the art are appropriately within the scope described in the claims of the present invention. Changes will be possible.

1: Body
4, 5: door
110: inner case (first embodiment)
120: outer case
130: vacuum space part
150: Spacer
160: first support plate
170: second support plate
175: home
260: inner case (second embodiment)
261: edge
262: perforation
360: inner case (third embodiment)
361: edge portion
362: perforation
363: first rib
364: second rib
365: reinforcing ribs

Claims (11)

Including a body having a storage space that can accommodate a predetermined storage,
The main body includes:
An inner case in which the storage space is formed;
An outer case accommodating the inner case and spaced apart from the inner case by a predetermined distance;
A vacuum space portion provided between the inner case and the outer case, the inside of which is sealed and maintained in a vacuum state to perform a heat insulating action between the inner case and the outer case;
A first support plate provided on any one surface of the inner case and the outer case facing each other;
And a plurality of spacers fixedly disposed on the first support plate to support a gap between the inner case and the outer case. The method of claim 1,
The main body includes:
And a second support plate provided on any other surface of the inner case and the outer case facing each other, the second support plate being disposed to face the first support plate. The method of claim 2,
The second support plate is a refrigerator, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of grooves formed to be inserted into the end of the plurality of spaces on the inner surface. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The plurality of spacers are arranged in a plurality of rows arranged up and down and left and right. 5. The method of claim 4,
An end portion of the plurality of spacers is characterized in that the convex curved surface. The method of claim 5,
The plurality of grooves of the second support plate is a refrigerator, characterized in that the concave curved shape corresponding to the shape of the plurality of spacers. 5. The method of claim 4,
And the spacer, the first support plate and the second support plate are made of any one of metal, ceramic, and reinforced plastic. The method of claim 1,
The main body includes:
At least one side of the outer surface of the first support plate and the inner surface of the second support plate further comprises a metal coating for blocking radiant heat transfer. 5. The method of claim 4,
The first support plate is a refrigerator, characterized in that a plurality of perforations formed between the plurality of spacers to the inner side of the edge. 5. The method of claim 4,
The first support plate,
Edge,
A perforated portion formed at a portion surrounded by a plurality of spacers disposed along the edge portion;
A plurality of first ribs connecting the plurality of spacers in a first direction in the perforation part;
And a plurality of second ribs connecting the plurality of spacers in a second direction in the perforation part and intersecting the plurality of first ribs. The method of claim 10,
The first support plate,
The refrigerator further comprises a plurality of reinforcing ribs connecting the plurality of spacers between the first rib and the second rib.

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