US20230384004A1

US20230384004A1 - Concave-convex evaporator

Info

Publication number: US20230384004A1
Application number: US18/201,147
Authority: US
Inventors: Moo Hyun KIM
Original assignee: Starion Sungchull Co Ltd
Current assignee: Starion Sungchull Co Ltd
Priority date: 2022-05-27
Filing date: 2023-05-23
Publication date: 2023-11-30
Also published as: EP4283234A1

Abstract

In order to improve cooling efficiency, the present disclosure provides a concave-convex evaporator including a first plate bent in a concave-convex shape in which a peak part and a valley part extending in a longitudinal direction are repeatedly alternately formed in a transverse direction, a second plate bent in a concave-convex shape of which one surface is repeatedly alternately formed to face one surface of the first plate, and a spacer part provided between the first plate and the second plate to maintain a separation interval so that a refrigerant flow path is formed.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2022-65081 and 10-2022-65086 filed on May 27, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to a concave-convex evaporator, and more particularly, to a concave-convex evaporator having improved cooling efficiency.

2. Discussion of Related Art

In general, cooling devices are devices which each include a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator and in which external heat is absorbed using a refrigerant and thus cooling is performed. Here, the cooling devices are applied to various apparatuses such as ice makers, refrigerators, and air conditioners.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a general cooling device.
Referring to FIG. 1 , the cooling device 1 is configured such that a refrigerant is discharged from a compressor 2, sequentially passes through a condenser 3, an expansion valve 4, and an evaporator 5, and then returns to the compressor 2.
In this case, the refrigerant is compressed at a high temperature and a high pressure in a gaseous state in the compressor 2 and is then discharged to the condenser 3. Further, as the refrigerant passes through the condenser 3, the refrigerant exchanges heat with a surrounding heat source to lower a temperature and a pressure thereof and thus is phase-changed into a liquid state. Next, while passing through the expansion valve 4 in the liquid state, the refrigerant becomes a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant by adiabatic expansion (throttling action). Further, while passing through the evaporator 5, the refrigerant absorbs the external heat and cools an external heat source. In this case, the refrigerant is phase-changed back into a gaseous state because the temperature thereof increases through the heat exchange with the external heat source, and the refrigerant phase-changed into a gaseous state is introduced into the compressor 2, then is compressed, and becomes a high-temperature and high-pressure gas.
Meanwhile, the ice maker is a device that produces ice cubes using the cooling device. In the ice maker according to the related art, a refrigerant pipe through which the refrigerant flows is provided in a base plate, and as water is supplied to a pocket provided on one side of the base plate and is frozen, ice is produced. In this case, in the ice maker according to the related, art, the base plate, the refrigerant pipe, and the pocket are made of a copper material having excellent thermal conductivity and are mutually welded and integrated.
However, in the ice maker according to the related art, verdigris is generated due to corrosion during a welding process of the components, and such verdigris is attached to a surface of the ice, resulting in a serious safety problem that is harmful to a human body. Further, a weight of the device itself increases due to a weight of the copper. Accordingly, it is difficult to handle the ice maker during transportation and installation, and an equipment price thereof increases.
To solve this problem, molten plating can be performed on a surface of each of the components, but even in the case of the plating, the plated layer may be delaminated from each of the components during long-term use. Moreover, when each of the components is made of a synthetic resin such as a plastic instead of the copper material, ice-making ability is reduced due to low thermal conductivity. Accordingly, an ice-making time increases and economic feasibility decreases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The prevent disclosure provides a concave-convex evaporator including a first plate bent in a concave-convex shape in which a peak part and a valley part extending in a longitudinal direction are repeatedly alternately formed in a transverse direction, a second plate bent in a concave-convex shape of which one surface is repeatedly alternately formed to face one surface of the first plate, and a spacer part provided between the first plate and the second plate to maintain a separation interval so that a refrigerant flow path is formed.
The present disclosure provides a concave-convex evaporator including a first plate bent in a concave-convex shape in which a peak part and a valley part extending in a longitudinal direction are repeatedly alternately formed in a transverse direction, a second plate bent in a concave-convex shape of which one surface is repeatedly alternately formed to face one surface of the first plate, and a partition jig which is disposed in at least one of the first plate and the second plate and in which a plurality of partition walls inserted into a cooling space formed along each concave portion of the concave-convex shape are arranged so that an ice generating groove is partitioned in the cooling space, wherein a spacer part is integrally formed in at least one of the first plate and the second plate so that a separation distance for forming a refrigerant flow path is maintained between the first plate and the second plate, and the spacer part includes a first partition wall part extending from one side to the other end with a flow path interval therebetween along the peak part, a second partition wall part extending from the other side to one end with the flow path interval therebetween along the valley part, and an edge partition wall part which is stepped and bent along an edge of at least one of the first plate and the second plate and in which an inlet and an outlet of the refrigerant flow path are formed at both ends thereof, and a bonding part is provided such that a bonding agent bonds and seals between at least one of the first plate and the second plate and a surface of the spacer part that face each other.
The present disclosure provides a concave-convex evaporator including a first plate bent in a concave-convex shape in which a peak part and a valley part extending in a longitudinal direction are repeatedly alternately formed in a transverse direction, a second plate bent in a concave-convex shape of which one surface is repeatedly alternately formed to face one surface of the first plate, a spacer part including a first partition wall part that is stacked between the peak parts and extends from one side to the other end with a flow path interval therebetween, a second partition wall part that is stacked between the valley parts and extends from the other side to one end with the flow path interval therebetween, and an edge partition wall part provided along an outer edge between the first plate and the second plate, so that a separation distance for forming a refrigerant flow path between the first plate and the second plate is maintained, an inlet and an outlet of the refrigerant flow path being formed at both ends thereof, a bonding part provided such that a bonding agent bonds and seals between the first plate and the second plate and surfaces of the spacer part that face each other, and a partition jig which is disposed in at least one of the first plate and the second plate and in which a plurality of partition walls inserted into a cooling space formed along each concave portion of the concave-convex shape are arranged so that an ice generating groove is partitioned in the cooling space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by describing exemplary embodiments thereof in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a general cooling device;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a concave-convex evaporator according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a plan view in which an inside of the convex-concave evaporator according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is projected;

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the convex-concave evaporator according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a first modification of the convex-concave evaporator according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a second modification of the convex-concave evaporator according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a third modification of the convex-concave evaporator according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a concave-convex evaporator according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating the convex-concave evaporator according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the convex-concave evaporator along line A-B of FIG. 9 ;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the convex-concave evaporator along line C-D of FIG. 9 ;

FIG. 12 is a transverse cross-sectional view illustrating the convex-concave evaporator according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a concave-convex evaporator according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the convex-concave evaporator according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a concave-convex evaporator according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a reinforcement frame side of the concave-convex evaporator according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a concave-convex evaporator according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Meanwhile, hereinafter, it may be understood that a peak part includes a first peak part and a second peak part, a valley part includes a first valley part and a second valley part, and a connection part includes a first connection part and a second connection part. It may be understood that the first peak part, the first valley part, and the first connection part constitute a first plate, and the second peak part, the second valley part, and the second connection part constitute a second plate.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a concave-convex evaporator according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 3 is a plan view in which an inside of the convex-concave evaporator according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is projected.
Referring to FIG. 2 , a concave-convex evaporator 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first plate 10 and a second plate 20.
The first plate 10 may include a first peak part 11 and a first valley part 12 extending in a longitudinal direction. The first peak part 11 and the first valley part 12 may be repeatedly alternately arranged forward and rearward in a transverse direction of the first plate 10. Further, ends of the first peak part 11 and the first valley part 12 may be connected through a first connection part 13. Therefore, the first plate 10 may be formed in a concave-convex shape in which the first peak part 11 protrudes forward and the first valley part 12 retreats rearward.
The second plate 20 may include a second peak part 21 and a second valley part 22 extending in the longitudinal direction. The second peak part 21 and the second valley part 22 may be repeatedly alternately arranged forward and rearward in a transverse direction of the second plate 20. Further, ends of the second peak part 21 and the second valley part 22 may be connected through a second connection part 23. Therefore, the second plate 20 may be formed in a concave-convex shape in which the second peak part 21 protrudes forward and the second valley part 22 retreats rearward.
In this case, one surface of the second plate 20 may face one surface of the first plate 10. That is, the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 are formed in a concave-convex shape in which the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 substantially correspond to each other and are stacked in a front-rear direction.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 , a spacer part 30 may be integrally bent in at least one of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20. The spacer part 30 may be pressed on at least one of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 and protrude toward a facing surface. Thus, when the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 are stacked, the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 may be spaced apart from each other by a protruding thickness of the spacer part 30. Further, a refrigerant flow path 40 may be formed between the first plate 10 and the second plate 20.
A bonding part 39 (see FIG. 4 ) may be provided between at least one of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 and a surface of the spacer part 30 that face each other. It may be understood that the bonding part 39 (see FIG. 4 ) is a layer formed by drying and curing a bonding agent, and the bonding agent may be applied between at least one of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 and the surface of the spacer part 30 that face each other. Thus, a gap between at least one of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 and the surface of the spacer part 30 that face each other may be sealed through the bonding part 39 (see FIG. 4 ).
In this way, according to the present disclosure, the spacer part 30 is integrally bent on one of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 simply through press working. Further, when the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 are bonded, the refrigerant flow path 40 may be formed. Thus, since a process of coupling or fixing a separate pipe member to the evaporator is not required, production economy can be significantly improved through material reduction and process minimization. In addition, since the refrigerant flow path 40 is substantially integrally formed between the first plate 10 and the second plate 20, cooling efficiency through heat exchange can be significantly improved.
The bonding agent may be provided as an epoxy-based structural adhesive. The epoxy-based structural adhesive has excellent chemical resistance and excellent weather resistance, high shear strength and high peeling strength, and a low shrinkage rate. Thus, a problem according to the related art that corrosion and rusting occur at a welded portion when metal members are fixed can be solved.
A Henkel Loctite's structural adhesive or anaerobic adhesive may be used as the bonding agent. For example, Loctite EA3980 and EA9432NA of Henkel Loctite Co., and the like as a kind of the epoxy-based structural adhesive may be used as the bonding agent, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
Here, after the spacer part 30 is first pressed, the bonding agent may be applied to contact surfaces of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20, and thus the contact surfaces may be attached through pressing. Alternatively, after the bonding agent is applied between the first plate 10 and the second plate 20, the spacer part 30 may be integrally bent through the press working.
Meanwhile, the spacer part 30 may include a first partition wall part 31 and a second partition wall part 32.
In detail, the first partition wall part 31 is bent to protrude from at least one of the first peak part 11 and the second peak part 21 toward a facing surface. The first partition wall part 31 may extend in a longitudinal direction of the peak parts 11 and 21. In this case, one side of the first partition wall part 31 may be spaced a flow path interval from outer sides of the peak parts 11 and 21, and the other side thereof may extend to the other ends of the peak parts 11 and 21.
Further, the second partition wall part 32 is bent to protrude from at least one of the first valley part 12 and the second valley part 22 toward a facing surface. The second partition wall part 32 may extend in a longitudinal direction of the valley parts 12 and 22. In this case, the other side of the second partition wall part 32 may be spaced a flow path interval from outer sides of the valley parts 12 and 22, and one end thereof may extend to one ends of the valley parts 12 and 22.
Further, a gap between the first partition wall part 31 and a surface that face each other and a gap between the second partition wall part 32 and a surface that face each other may be sealed through the bonding part 39 (see FIG. 4 ). Meanwhile, the outer sides of the peak parts 11 and 21 and the outer sides of the valley parts 12 and 22 may be understood as transverse partition wall portions 33 c and 33 d, which will be described below.
The refrigerant flow path 40 may include a transverse flow path 42 corresponding to a separation distance formed between one side of the first partition wall part 31 and the other side of the second partition wall part 32. Further, the refrigerant flow path 40 may include a vertical flow path 41 for connecting ends of the transverse flow path 42 formed to be vertically offset between the first plate 10 and the second plate 20. The vertical flow path 41 may be formed along the connection parts 13 and 23 for connecting the peak parts 11 and 21 and the valley parts 12 and 22. That is, the refrigerant flow path 40 may be sealed and partitioned through the first partition wall part 31 and the second partition wall part 32 and thus may be formed in a serpentine-shaped flow path as illustrated in the drawings.
In addition, the spacer part 30 may include an edge partition wall part 33.
In detail, the edge partition wall part 33 may be bent and stepped along an edge of at least one of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20. The edge partition wall part 33 may be bent at the same time as the first partition wall part 31 and the second partition wall part 32. That is, the first partition wall part 31, the second partition wall part 32, and the edge partition wall part 33 may be stepped and press-bent at a thickness that is equal to that of at least one of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20.
The edge partition wall part 33 may be integrally bent in a picture frame shape in the edge of at least one of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20. In this case, an inlet 35 and an outlet 36 of the refrigerant flow path 40 may be formed at both ends of the edge partition wall part 33. The inlet 35 and the outlet 36 are connected to an inlet connection pipe 43 and an outlet connection pipe 44. A gap between the inlet 35 and the inlet connection pipe 43 and a gap between the outlet 36 and the outlet connection pipe 44 may be sealed through the bonding part 39 (see FIG. 4 ).
In detail, the edge partition wall part 33 may include the pair of transverse partition wall portions 33 c and 33 d connected along a transverse edge of at least one of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 and a pair of vertical partition wall portions 33 a and 33 b for connecting both ends of the pair of transverse partition wall portions 33 c and 33 d in a longitudinal direction thereof. The pair of transverse partition wall portions 33 c and 33 d may be bent to correspond to a concave-convex shape of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20.
In this case, the one transverse partition wall portion 33 d may be integrally connected to the other end of the first partition wall part 31, and the other transverse partition wall portion 33 c may be integrally connected to the one end of the second partition wall part 32. Thus, an outer edge side of the refrigerant flow path 40 may be sealed through the pair of transverse partition wall portions 33 c and 33 d and the pair of vertical partition wall portions 33 a and 33 b, and a flow path for the refrigerant may be partitioned through the first partition wall part 31 and the second partition wall part 32.
Further, the inlet 35 and the outlet 36 are press-bent in the vertical partition wall portions 33 a and 33 b to communicate with the refrigerant flow path 40. Therefore, the inlet 35 and the outlet 36 to which the inlet connection pipe 43 and the outlet connection pipe 44 are connected may be integrally formed in at least one of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20. In this case, the drawing illustrates that the inlet 35 and the outlet 36 are formed symmetrically to both sides, but in some cases, the inlet 35 and the outlet 36 may be formed in a diagonal direction. In addition, the inlet 35 and the outlet 36 may be formed on the same edge of at least one of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20, and this modification belongs to the present disclosure.
In this case, the pair of vertical partition wall portions 33 a and 33 b may extend by a length that is different from those of the first partition wall part 31 and the second partition wall part 32. Alternatively, the pair of vertical partition wall portions 33 a and 33 b may be formed by cutting the first partition wall part 31 or the second partition wall part 32 in a lengthwise direction thereof. That is, the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 may be formed in a concave-convex shape in which the peak parts 11 and 21 and the valley parts 12 and 22 are consecutively alternately formed in a transverse direction and may be cut in a preset area.
For example, the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 may be cut along a longitudinal dividing line along which the first partition wall part 31 or the second partition wall part 32 is divided. Thus, the divided first partition wall part 31 or the divided second partition wall part 32 may function as the vertical partition wall portions 33 a and 33 b. Further, the transverse flow path 42 open to the outside by cutting the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 may function as the inlet 35 and the outlet 36.
In this case, an end 43 a of the inlet connection pipe 43 and an end 44 a of the outlet connection pipe 44 may be compressed so that an end width thereof is shape-matched with and corresponds to an end width of the transverse flow path 42. Further, the bonding agent is filled and cured in a gap between the end 43 a of the inlet connection pipe 43 and the transverse flow path 42 at one end and a gap between the end 44 a of the outlet connection pipe 44 and the transverse flow path 42 at the other end, and thus the refrigerant flow path 40 may be sealed.
Through this structure, in the concave-convex evaporator 100, the refrigerant flow path 40 may be continuously connected to a circulation flow path for the cooling device. Thus, the refrigerant may flow into the refrigerant flow path 40 through the inlet connection pipe 43, may be phase-changed through heat exchange with an external heat source, and then may flow out through the outlet connection pipe 44.
Here, the inlet 35 and the outlet 36 have an end width value corresponding to a thickness at which the spacer part 30 is stepped and bent on at least one of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20. Further, the end 43 a of the inlet connection pipe 43 and the end 44 a of the outlet connection pipe 44 may be shape-matched with the inlet 35 and the outlet 36, respectively. For example, as illustrated in the drawings, the end 43 a of the inlet connection pipe 43 and the end 44 a of the outlet connection pipe 44 may be compressed to correspond to rectangular shapes of the inlet 35 and the outlet 36.
In this case, contact surfaces of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 except for the refrigerant flow path 40 are sealed through the bonding part 39 (see FIG. 4 ). Accordingly, in the concave-convex evaporator 100, the refrigerant flow path 40 may be accurately formed between the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 without a separate welding process. Therefore, even while the concave-convex evaporator 100 can be easily manufactured, corrosion due to welding can be prevented, and thus durability can be improved, and a lifetime can increase significantly.
Further, the refrigerant flow path 40 may protrude as the partition wall part 31 and 32 are integrally press-bent in the peak parts 11 and 21 and the valley parts 12 and 22 and may be formed between the connection parts 13 and 23 by a simple method of attaching and fixing the same using the bonding agent. Therefore, in a manufacturing process of the concave-convex evaporator 100, a process that requires a high skill and is dangerous, such as welding, is omitted, and thus manufacturing convenience and productivity can be remarkably improved. Further, since problems such as thermal deformation, corrosion, and rusting of an outer surface of the metal material due to the welding are fundamentally resolved, the degree of completion and durability of the concave-convex evaporator 100 can be remarkably improved.
FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the convex-concave evaporator according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a first modification of the convex-concave evaporator according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a second modification of the convex-concave evaporator according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. Further, FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a third modification of the convex-concave evaporator according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. In this case, in the modifications illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7 , since the basic configuration except for the first partition wall part 231, 331, and 431 and the second partition wall part 232, 332, and 432 is the same as first embodiment, a detailed description of the same configuration will be omitted.
Referring to FIG. 4 , a gap between the connection parts 13 and 23 may be inclined in a form extending from the valley parts 12 and 22 toward the peak parts 11 and 21. That is, the connection parts 13 and 23 may be formed in a form in which an inner space becomes larger from the valley parts 12 and 22 toward the peak parts 11 and 21. In this case, the inclination of the connection parts 13 and 23 may be understood as a state in which the connection parts 13 and 23 are inclined with respect to the peak parts 11 and 21 and the valley parts 12 and 22.
In detail, the first connection part 13 and the second connection part 23 may be provided in a form in which the first connection part 13 and the second connection part 23 extend forward from both ends of the first valley part 12 and the second valley part 22 and an internal interval therebetween becomes larger toward the first peak part 11 and the second peak part 21. Therefore, cooling spaces in which a front side of the first valley part 12 and a rear side of the second peak part 21 are open may be alternately formed in the concave-convex evaporator 100. That is, the cooling space may be understood as a space formed along a concave portion of the concave-convex shape formed by bending the first plate 10 and the second plate 20.
In this case, the refrigerant flow path 40 may be formed such that a constant cross section thereof perpendicular to a flow direction of the refrigerant is maintained.
In detail, a separation distance e1 between the peak parts 11 and 21 formed in the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 may be maintained through the first partition wall part 31. Further, a separation distance e2 between the valley parts 12 and 22 formed in the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 may be maintained through the second partition wall part 32. Here, as the peak parts 11 and 21 and the valley parts 12 and 22 are spaced apart from each other through the first partition wall part 31 and the second partition wall part 32, a separation distance e3 between the connection parts 13 and 23 may be maintained. Thus, the refrigerant flow path may face the entire areas of the connection parts 13 and 23. Therefore, an area in which the heat is exchanged between the refrigerant and the external heat source significantly increases, and thus cooling efficiency can be remarkably improved.
In addition, as the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 are formed in the concave-convex shape, a surface area facing the outside increases compared to one area, and thus the cooling efficiency and energy efficiency can be further improved.
Further, in the refrigerant flow path 40, the first plate 10 and the second plate are spaced a thickness of the spacer part 30 (see FIG. 3 ) from each other. Thus, the refrigerant flow path 40 may be formed such that a constant cross-sectional area perpendicular to the flow direction of the refrigerant is maintained. Therefore, a constant movement speed and flow rate of the refrigerant are maintained, and thus the refrigerant can be stably and uniformly phase-changed.
In this case, the first partition wall part 31 may be bent in the first peak part 11 and the second peak part 21. In detail, the first partition wall part 31 may include a first protrusion 31 a integrally bent in the first peak part 11 and a second protrusion 31 b integrally bent in the second peak part 21. The first protrusion 31 a and the second protrusion 31 b may protrude by thicknesses corresponding to each other in a facing direction.
Further, the second partition wall part 32 may be bent in the first valley part 12 and the second valley part 22. The second partition wall part 32 may include a third protrusion 32 a integrally bent in the first valley part 12 and a fourth protrusion 32 b integrally bent in the second valley part 22. The third protrusion 32 a and the fourth protrusion 32 b may protrude by thicknesses corresponding to each other in a facing direction.
The bonding part 39 may be provided on surfaces facing the first protrusion 31 a and the second protrusion 31 b and on surfaces facing the third protrusion 32 a and the fourth protrusion 32 b. Therefore, the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 are attached and fixed through the bonding part 39, and at the same time, the facing surfaces are spaced apart from each other through the first partition wall part 31 and the second partition wall part 32. Thus, the refrigerant flow path 40 may be formed.
Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 5 , the first partition wall part 231 may include a fifth protrusion 231 a integrally bent in the first peak part 211. The fifth protrusion 231 a may protrude toward the second peak part 221. Further, the second partition wall part 232 may include a sixth protrusion 232 a integrally bent in the first valley part 212. The sixth protrusion 232 a may protrude toward the second valley part 222. That is, the fifth protrusion 231 a may be substantially provided as the first partition wall part 231, and the sixth protrusion 232 a may be substantially provided as the second partition wall part 232.
The first plate 210 and the second plate 220 may be attached and fixed to each other as the bonding part 239 is provided between facing surfaces of the first partition wall part 231 and the second peak part 221 and facing surfaces of the second partition wall part 232 and the second valley part 222. That is, in the concave-convex evaporator 200, the first partition wall part 231 and the second partition wall part 232 may be integrally bent only in the first plate 210.
Alternatively, referring to FIG. 6 , the first partition wall part 331 may include a seventh protrusion 331 b integrally bent in the second peak part 321. The seventh protrusion 331 b may protrude toward the first peak part 311. Further, the second partition wall part 332 may include an eighth protrusion 332 b integrally bent in the second valley part 322. The eighth protrusion 332 b may protrude toward the first valley part 312. That is, the seventh protrusion 331 b may be substantially provided as the first partition wall part 331, and the eighth protrusion 332 b may be substantially provided as the second partition wall part 332.
The first plate 310 and the second plate 320 may be attached and fixed to each other as the bonding part 339 is provided between facing surfaces of the first partition wall part 331 and the first peak part 311 and facing surfaces of the second partition wall part 332 and the first valley part 312. That is, in the concave-convex evaporator 300, the first partition wall part 331 and the second partition wall part 332 may be integrally bent only in the second plate 320.
That is, the first partition wall parts 31, 231, and 331 may integrally protrude from at least one of the first peak parts 11, 211, and 311 and the second peak parts 21, 221, and 321. Further, the second partition wall parts 32, 232, and 332 may integrally protrude from at least one of the first valley parts 21, 221, and 321 and the second valley parts 22, 222, and 322.
In this case, the first partition wall parts 31, 231, and 331 and the second partition wall parts 32, 232, and 332 may be bent to protrude by the same thickness. Further, the edge partition wall part 33 (see FIG. 3 ) may be bent to protrude by the same thickness as the first partition wall parts 31, 231, and 331 and the second partition wall parts 32, 232, and 332. That is, the spacer part 30 (see FIG. 3 ) may be stepped and integrally bent at the same thickness in at least one of the first plates 210, and 310 and the second plates 20, 220, and 320. Therefore, the refrigerant flow path 40 may be formed such that a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the flow direction of the refrigerant, that is, the constant separation distances e1, e2, and e3 are maintained.
In addition, referring to FIG. 7 , auxiliary concave- convex portions 431 c, 431 d, 432 c, and 432 d may be further formed in the first partition wall part 431 and the second partition wall part 432.
In detail, the auxiliary concave- convex portions 431 c, 431 d, 432 c, and 432 d may be formed on facing surfaces of a ninth protrusion 431 a and a tenth protrusion 431 b of the first partition wall part 431 and facing surfaces of a 11^th protrusion 432 a and a 12^th protrusion 432 b of the second partition wall part 432. Thus, an area in which the bonding agent is applied to and in contact with each other may increase through the auxiliary concave- convex portions 431 c, 431 d, 432 c, and 432 d. Therefore, a bonding strength between the first plate 410 and the second plate 420 is significantly improved, and thus the durability of the concave-convex evaporator 400 can be further improved.
FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a concave-convex evaporator according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. Further, FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating the convex-concave evaporator according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the convex-concave evaporator along line A-B of FIG. 9 , and FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the convex-concave evaporator along line C-D of FIG. 9 . Further, FIG. 12 is a transverse cross-sectional view illustrating the convex-concave evaporator according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. In the present embodiment, since the basic configuration except for a reinforcement frame 50 and a partition jig 60 is the same as the first embodiment described above, a detailed description of the same configuration will be omitted. Further, although cross-sectional views of the concave-convex evaporator 100A are horizontally illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 12 , it may be understood that the concave-convex evaporator 100A is substantially vertically arranged and used.
Referring to FIGS. 8 to 10 , the concave-convex evaporator 100A may further include the reinforcement frame 50. The reinforcement frame 50 may include an insertion groove 51 and a communication hole 52.
In detail, the reinforcement frame 50 extends to correspond to longitudinal lengths of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20, and the insertion groove 51 is formed in one surface of the reinforcement frame 50 in a lengthwise direction. In this case, the insertion groove 51 is a portion in which both end edges overlapping the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 are simultaneously fixedly fitted. Thus, the shape of the insertion groove 51 may be formed in a shape corresponding to shapes of both ends overlapping the first plate 10 and the second plate 20.
The communication hole 52 may be formed to pass through the reinforcement frame 50. Thus, when both end edges of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 are simultaneously fixedly fitted in the insertion groove 51, the communication hole 52 may be disposed to communicate with the inlet 35 or the outlet 36.
Both end edges of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 are simultaneously fixedly engaged through the reinforcement frame 50. Further, in a state in which the end 43 a of the inlet connection pipe 43 and the end 44 a of the outlet connection pipe 44 are inserted into the inlet 35 and the outlet 36, both end edges of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 may be fixedly engaged through the reinforcement frame 50. Thus, both end edges of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 may be fixed in close contact with each other.
In addition, in a state in which the inlet connection pipe 43 and the outlet connection pipe 44 are inserted into the inlet 35 and the outlet 36, when both ends of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 are pressed after being fitted in the reinforcement frame 50, a fixing force therebetween can be further improved.
In this case, the reinforcement frame 50 may further include an auxiliary frame 53. The auxiliary frame 53 may be provided to connect both ends of the reinforcement frame 50 and overlapping grooves for reinforcing and overlapping corners of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 may be further formed in the auxiliary frame 53. The auxiliary frame 53 may be coupled to the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 to support a gap between the insertion groove 51 and the edge partition wall part 33 formed as the spacer part 30 is integrally bent.
The reinforcement frame 50 may be coupled to the auxiliary frame 53 and provided in a picture frame shape. Therefore, the first plate 10 and the second plate may be provided to be surrounded by the reinforcement frame 50 and the auxiliary frame 53.
In this way, according to the present disclosure, since components are firmly coupled in close contact with each other through an adhesive force of the bonding part 39 (see FIG. 4 ) and a pressing force of the reinforcement frame 50, the evaporator is easily manufactured, and thus the productivity can be improved, and the durability can be remarkably improved.
Meanwhile, referring to FIGS. 8 to 12 , the concave-convex evaporator 100A may further include the partition jig 60. The partition jig 60 may be provided outside at least one of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 and includes a plurality of opening holes 61 and a plurality of partition walls 62. The concave-convex evaporator 100A may be coupled to the partition jig 60 to function as an ice maker. That is, an interior of the cooling space may be partitioned through the partition jig 60 and thus may be formed as an ice accommodation groove 63.
In detail, the partition jig 60 is formed in a plate shape corresponding to areas of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20, and the plurality of opening holes 61 are arranged to be open along the cooling space. Further, the partition wall 62 may extend to an inside of the cooling space to cross and partition the cooling space. The partition wall 62 may be integrally bent downward from one side of an edge of the opening hole 61. The partition wall 62 may be formed such that an end thereof is in contact with an outer surface of the first valley part 12 or an outer surface of the second valley part 22 (see FIG. 4 ) and side portions thereof are in contact with outer surfaces of the pair of first connection parts 13 or the pair of second connection parts 23 (see FIG. 4 ) facing each other.
The cooling space is partitioned through the partition wall 62 to form the ice accommodation groove 63, and water is supplied to the ice accommodation groove 63. Further, when the ice maker is driven, the water supplied to the ice accommodation groove 63 is cooled and thus ice cubes may be formed.
Here, according to the present disclosure, the cooling spaces may be alternately formed on the front and rear surfaces of the concave-convex evaporator 100A, and the partition jigs 60 may be arranged on the front and rear surfaces of the concave-convex evaporator 100A. Therefore, generation of ice may be simultaneously induced on the front and rear surfaces of the concave-convex evaporator 100A, and thus ice-making efficiency and energy efficiency can be remarkably improved.
Further, the refrigerant flow path 40 is entirely formed between the first connection part 13 and the second connection part 23 (see FIG. 4 ). Thus, an area in which heat is exchanged with the external heat source increases, and thus the generation of ice can be quickly induced.
In this case, the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 may be made of a metal material having excellent corrosion resistance and excellent thermal conductivity, and furthermore, the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 may be made of a stainless steel material. Thus, corrosion of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 due to contact with the refrigerant or the water is prevented, and thus a lifetime thereof can remarkably increase. Further, since the stainless steel does not require a separate plating or coating process, problems such as corrosion of products due to delamination of a plating or coating layer and contamination of ice due to peeled fragments can be fundamentally eliminated. Of course, in some cases, the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 may be made of an aluminum material.
FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a concave-convex evaporator according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 14 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the convex-concave evaporator according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure. In the present embodiment, since the basic configuration except for a spacer part 530 is the same as the first embodiment described above, a detailed description of the same configuration will be omitted.
Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14 , a concave-convex evaporator 500 according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure may include the first plate 510, the second plate 520, and the spacer part 530. In this case, the first peak part 511, the first valley part 512, and the first connection part 513 constituting the first plate 510 correspond to the first peak part 11, the first valley part 12, and the first connection part 13 of the first plate 10 (see FIG. 2 ) according to the first embodiment. Further, the second peak part 521, the second valley part 522, and the second connection part 523 constituting the second plate 520 correspond to the second peak part 21, the second valley part 22, and the second connection part 23 of the second plate 20 (see FIG. 2 ) according to the first embodiment. Thus, a detailed description of the first plate 510 and the second plate 520 according to the present embodiment will be omitted.
The spacer part 530 may be stacked between the first plate 510 and the second plate 520. When the spacer part 530 is stacked between the first plate 510 and the second plate 520, the first plate 510 and the second plate 520 may be spaced a thickness of the spacer part 530 from each other. Further, a space formed as the first plate 510 and the second plate 520 are spaced apart from each other may function as the refrigerant flow path 540. That is, the spacer part 530 may maintain the separation distances e1, e2, and e3 so that the refrigerant flow path 540 is formed between the first plate 510 and the second plate 520.
Here, the spacer part 530 may include a first partition wall part 531 and a second partition wall part 532. Further, like the first plate 510 and the second plate 520, the spacer part 530 may be made of a metal material having excellent corrosion resistance and excellent thermal conductivity, and the spacer part 530 may be made of a stainless steel material.
In detail, the first partition wall part 531 may be disposed between the peak parts 511 and 521 and extend in the longitudinal direction along the peak parts 511 and 521. In this case, one side of the first partition wall part 531 may be spaced a flow path interval from outer sides of the first peak part 511 and the second peak part 521, and the other end thereof may extend up to the other ends of the first peak part 511 and the second peak part 521.
In detail, the second partition wall part 532 may be disposed between the valley parts 512 and 522 and extend in the longitudinal direction along the valley parts 512 and 522. The other side of the second partition wall part 532 may be spaced a flow path interval from outer sides of the first valley part 512 and the second valley part 522, and one end thereof may extend up to one ends of the first valley part 512 and the second valley part 522.
The first partition wall part 531 and the second partition wall part 532 may be sealed through the bonding part 539 formed on facing surfaces of the first plate 510 and the second plate 520.
The refrigerant flow path 540 may include a transverse flow path corresponding to a flow path interval formed between one side of the first partition wall part 531 and the other side of the second partition wall part 532. Further, the refrigerant flow path 540 may include a vertical flow path connecting ends of the transverse flow path formed to be vertically offset between the first plate 510 and the second plate 520. The vertical flow path may be formed along the connection parts 513 and 523.
The bonding part 539 may be provided between the first plate 510 and the second plate 520 and surfaces of the spacer part 530 that face each other. Thus, gaps between the first plate 510 and the second plate 520 and the surfaces of the spacer part 530 that face each other may be sealed through the bonding part 539. The bonding agent is the same as the bonding agent according to the first embodiment, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
In this way, according to the present disclosure, when the spacer part 530 is stacked and bonded between the first plate 510 and the second plate 520, the refrigerant flow path 540 may be formed between the first plate 510 and the second plate 520.
Further, the edge partition wall part 533 may include a pair of transverse partition wall portions 533 c and 533 d connected along a transverse edge between the first plate 510 and the second plate 520 and a pair of vertical partition wall portions 533 a and 533 b for connecting both ends of the pair of transverse partition wall portions 533 c and 533 d in a longitudinal direction thereof. The pair of transverse partition wall portions 533 c and 533 d may be formed to correspond to a concave-convex shape extending between the first peak part 511 and the second peak part 521, between the first connection part 513 and the second connection part 523, and between the first valley part 512 and the second valley part 522.
In this case, the one transverse partition wall portion 533 d may be integrally connected to the other end of the first partition wall part 531, and the other transverse partition wall portion 533 c may be integrally connected to the one end of the second partition wall part 532. Thus, an outer edge side of the refrigerant flow path 540 may be sealed through the pair of transverse partition wall portions 533 c and 533 d and the pair of vertical partition wall portions 533 a and 533 b, and a flow path for the refrigerant may be partitioned through the first partition wall part 531 and the second partition wall part 532.
Further, the inlet 535 and the outlet 536 may be formed at portions at which the vertical partition wall portions 533 a and 533 b and the transverse partition wall portions 533 c and 533 d are spaced apart from each other. The inlet 535 and the outlet 536 may be open to communicate with the refrigerant flow path 540.
The end 43 a of the inlet connection pipe 43 and the end 44 a of the outlet connection pipe 44 may be shape-matched with the inlet 535 and the outlet 536. Further, a gap between the end 43 a of the inlet connection pipe 43 and the inlet 535 and a gap between the end 44 a of the outlet connection pipe 44 and the outlet 536 are sealed through the bonding part 539. That is, gaps between the first plate 510 and the second plate 520 and the surfaces of the spacer part that face each other may be entirely sealed through the bonding part 539.
In this way, the first plate 510, the second plate 520, and the spacer part 530 are each provided in a simple form that is pressed into the concave-convex shape and is cut to correspond to an outer edge. Thus, a structure of a molding device or bending device for forming each plate material is simplified, and thus the production economy can be remarkably improved through a reduction in the equipment cost.
FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a concave-convex evaporator according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a reinforcement frame side of the concave-convex evaporator according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. In this case, in the present embodiment, since the basic configurations of the first plate 510, the second plate 520, and the spacer part 530 are the same as those according to the third embodiment, a detailed description of the same configuration will be omitted.
Referring to FIGS. 15 to 16 , the concave-convex evaporator 500A may further include the reinforcement frame 50 and the partition jig 60. Since a basic configuration and coupling relationship of the reinforcement frame 50 and the partition jig 60 correspond to that of the reinforcement frame 50 and the partition jig according to the second embodiment, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
Meanwhile, in the present embodiment, the insertion groove 51 may be formed in a shape corresponding to shapes of both ends at which the first plate 510, the second plate 520, and the spacer part 530 (see FIG. 13 ) overlap each other. Thus, both end edges of the first plate 510, the second plate 520, and the spacer part 530 (see FIG. 13 ) may be fixedly attached in close contact with each other. Further, when both end edges at which the first plate 510, the second plate 520, and the spacer part 530 (see FIG. 13 ) overlap each other are simultaneously fixedly fitted in the insertion groove 51, the communication hole 52 may be disposed to communicate with the inlet 535 or the outlet 536.
In this case, the reinforcement frame 50 may further include the auxiliary frame 53. The auxiliary frame 53 may connect both ends of the reinforcement frame 50. Corners at which the first plate 510, the second plate 520, and the spacer part 530 (see FIG. 13 ) overlap each other may be reinforced and overlap each other through an overlapping groove formed in the auxiliary frame 53.
Thus, the reinforcement frame 50 may be provided in a picture frame shape through the auxiliary frame 53. Therefore, the first plate 510, the second plate 520, and the spacer part 530 may be provided to be surrounded by the reinforcement frame 50 and the auxiliary frame 53.
The concave-convex evaporator according to the present disclosure provides the following effects.
First, even when a separate pipe member is not provided, a refrigerant flow path is integrally formed through a spacer part provided between a first plate and a second plate bent in a concave-convex shape in which a peak part and a valley part are repeatedly alternated in a front-rear direction. Thus, productivity and economic feasibility can be significantly improved through a reduction in a material cost and simplification of a manufacturing process.
Second, the first plate and the second plate are formed in a concave-convex shape, and thus an area in which heat is exchanged between a refrigerant and an external heat source as compared to the same area increases significantly. When the evaporator is applied to an ice maker, an ice accommodation groove in which generation of ice cubes is induced may be simultaneously formed in front and rear surfaces thereof. Thus, ice-making efficiency and energy efficiency can be remarkably improved.
Third, since surfaces facing each other between metal members are attached and sealed through a bonding agent, problems such as thermal deformation, corrosion, and rusting due to welding are fundamentally resolved, and thus the degree of completion of a product and safety against harmful substances can be significantly improved.
As described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described respective embodiments, modifications could be made by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from the scope of the present disclosure claimed by the appended claims, and the modifications belong to the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A concave-convex evaporator comprising:

a first plate bent in a concave-convex shape in which a peak part and a valley part extending in a longitudinal direction are repeatedly alternately formed in a transverse direction;

a second plate bent in a concave-convex shape of which one surface is repeatedly alternately formed to face one surface of the first plate; and

a spacer part provided between the first plate and the second plate to maintain a separation interval so that a refrigerant flow path is formed.

2. The concave-convex evaporator of claim 1, wherein the spacer part is integrally bent so that at least one of the first plate and the second plate is pressed and thus protrudes toward a facing surface.

3. The concave-convex evaporator of claim 2, wherein a bonding part is provided such that a bonding agent bonds and seals between at least one of the first plate and the second plate and a surface of the spacer part that face each other.

4. The concave-convex evaporator of claim 2, wherein the spacer part includes:

a first partition wall part extending from one side to the other end with a flow path interval therebetween along the peak part; and

a second partition wall part extending from the other side to one end with the flow path interval therebetween along the valley part.

5. The concave-convex evaporator of claim 2, wherein the spacer part includes an edge partition wall part that is stepped and bent along an edge of at least one of the first plate and the second plate and has an inlet and an outlet of the refrigerant flow path formed at both ends thereof,

wherein ends of an inlet connection pipe and an outlet connection pipe connected to the refrigerant flow path are provided in shapes corresponding to shapes of the inlet and the outlet.

6. The concave-convex evaporator of claim 5, further comprising a reinforcement frame in which both ends of the first plate and the second plate are fixedly fitted at the same time and which has an insertion groove in which a communication hole communicating with the inlet and the outlet is open.

7. The concave-convex evaporator of claim 1, wherein the spacer part is stacked between the first plate and the second plate.

8. The concave-convex evaporator of claim 7, wherein the spacer includes:

a first partition wall part that is stacked between the peak parts and extends from one side to the other end with a flow path interval therebetween; and

a second partition wall part that is stacked between the valley parts and extends from the other side to one end with the flow path interval therebetween.

9. The concave-convex evaporator of claim 8, wherein a bonding part is provided such that a bonding agent bonds and seals between the first plate and the second plate and surfaces of the spacer part that face each other.

10. The concave-convex evaporator of claim 8, wherein the spacer part includes:

an edge partition wall part including a pair of transverse partition wall parts provided along an outer edge between the first plate and the second plate and connecting the other end of the first partition wall part and one end of the second partition wall part in a transverse direction and a pair of vertical partition wall parts connecting both ends of the pair of transverse partition wall parts;

an inlet and an outlet of the refrigerant flow path are formed in the edge partition wall part; and

ends of an inlet connection pipe and an outlet connection pipe connected to the inlet and the outlet are provided in shapes corresponding to shapes of the inlet and the outlet.

11. The concave-convex evaporator of claim 10, further comprising a reinforcement frame having an insertion groove having a shape corresponding to shapes of both ends of the first plate, the second plate, and the spacer part overlapping each other.

12. The concave-convex evaporator of claim 1, wherein the refrigerant flow path is formed such that a constant cross-sectional area perpendicular to a flow direction of a refrigerant is maintained.

13. The concave-convex evaporator of claim 1, wherein a gap between a pair of connection parts for connecting the peak part and the valley part is inclined in a form that gradually increases from the valley part to the peak part.

14. The concave-convex evaporator of claim 1, further comprising a partition jig including a plurality of opening holes open such that a cooling space communicates with an outside and a partition wall connected to one side of an edge of each of the opening holes and inserted into the cooling space so that the partition jig is disposed on at least one of the first plate and the second plate and an ice generating groove is partitioned in the cooling space formed along each concave portion of the concave-convex shape.

15. A concave-convex evaporator comprising:

a partition jig which is disposed in at least one of the first plate and the second plate and in which a plurality of partition walls inserted into a cooling space formed along each concave portion of the concave-convex shape are arranged so that an ice generating groove is partitioned in the cooling space,

wherein a spacer part is integrally formed in at least one of the first plate and the second plate so that a separation distance for forming a refrigerant flow path is maintained between the first plate and the second plate, and the spacer part includes a first partition wall part extending from one side to the other end with a flow path interval therebetween along the peak part, a second partition wall part extending from the other side to one end with the flow path interval therebetween along the valley part, and an edge partition wall part which is stepped and bent along an edge of at least one of the first plate and the second plate and in which an inlet and an outlet of the refrigerant flow path are formed at both ends thereof, and

a bonding part is provided such that a bonding agent bonds and seals between at least one of the first plate and the second plate and a surface of the spacer part that face each other.

16. A concave-convex evaporator comprising:

a second plate bent in a concave-convex shape of which one surface is repeatedly alternately formed to face one surface of the first plate;

a spacer part including a first partition wall part that is stacked between the peak parts and extends from one side to the other end with a flow path interval therebetween, a second partition wall part that is stacked between the valley parts and extends from the other side to one end with the flow path interval therebetween, and an edge partition wall part provided along an outer edge between the first plate and the second plate so that a separation distance for forming a refrigerant flow path between the first plate and the second plate is maintained, an inlet and an outlet of the refrigerant flow path being formed at both ends thereof;

a bonding part provided such that a bonding agent bonds and seals between the first plate and the second plate and surfaces of the spacer part that face each other; and

a partition jig which is disposed in at least one of the first plate and the second plate and in which a plurality of partition walls inserted into a cooling space formed along each concave portion of the concave-convex shape are arranged so that an ice generating groove is partitioned in the cooling space.