WO2008120894A2

WO2008120894A2 - Door seal for a refrigerator

Info

Publication number: WO2008120894A2
Application number: PCT/KR2008/001701
Authority: WO
Inventors: Moo Yeon Lee; Sun Yong Choi; Jong Jin Park
Original assignee: Lg Electronics Inc.
Priority date: 2007-04-03
Filing date: 2008-03-27
Publication date: 2008-10-09
Also published as: KR20080089924A; WO2008120894A3

Abstract

A refrigerator including an expansion part (61) provided at a gasket, such that the expansion part (61 ) extend toward the side of a front part, for expanding the tight contact area between the front part and the gasket is disclosed. According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce heat introduced into a storage chamber, thereby reducing power consumption due to the increase of heat insulation load.

Description

REFRIGERATOR

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator that is capable of reducing heat introduced into storage chambers, such as a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment. Background Art

[2] Generally, a refrigerator is an apparatus including a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment to store and keep food. The refrigerating compartment is maintained at a temperature of approximately 3 to 4 ⁰C to keep food fresh for a long time. The freezing compartment is maintained at a sub-zero temperature to keep food in a frozen state.

[3] FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a conventional refrigerator, and FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1.

[4] As shown in FIG. 1, a refrigerator 101 is constructed in a structure in which a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment (hereinafter, referred to as storage chambers) are usually closed by doors 112 and 114. In a state in which the doors 112 and 114 are closed, it is required for the storage chambers 140 to be kept sealed such that cool air does not leak from the storage chambers 140 to the outside.

[5] To this end, as shown in FIG. 2, gaskets 150 are mounted at the insides of the respective doors 112 and 114 for sealing gaps between the doors 112 and 114 and the storage chambers 140. When the doors 112 and 114 are closed, the gaskets 150 are coupled to a front plate 130, which is coupled to a refrigerator body 110, such that the gaskets 150 come into tight contact with the front plate 130.

[6] In each gasket 150 is mounted a magnet 155 for assisting the corresponding gasket

150 to be easily coupled to the front plate 130. The front plate 130 is made of a metal material.

[7] A condensation phenomenon occurs on the front plate 130. In other words, the front plate 130 becomes wet with dew due to the temperature difference between the storage chambers 140 and the outside. In order to prevent the occurrence of the condensation phenomenon, hot lines 120 are mounted between inner cases 115 of the refrigerator body 110 and the front plate 130.

[8] The hot lines 120 generate heat and transmit the generated heat to the front plate

130 for evaporating the dew on the front plate 130 to prevent the condensation on the front plate 130.

[9] Meanwhile, when the front plate 130 comes into contact with the gaskets 150 to seal the storage chambers 140, gaps are generated at the contact internees between the front plate 130 and the gaskets 150, if the contact interfaces are not flat or the magnetic force of the magnets mounted in the respective gaskets 150 weakens. As a result, cool air may leak from the storage chambers 140 to the outside, or heat may be introduced from the outside into the storage chambers 140, through the gaps at the contact interfaces.

[10] Also, heat generated from the hot lines 120 may be introduced into the storage chambers 140 through the front plate 130 or the inner cases 115, as indicated by arrows.

[11] The refrigerator is not supplied with power, such that the refrigerator is operated, at need, but is kept supplied with power to supply cool air to food in the storage chambers 140. Consequently, when heat is introduced into the storage chambers 140, as mentioned above, food refrigerating and freezing efficiencies decrease, and, in addition, the service life of the refrigerator decreases due to the increase of power consumption.

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[12] An object of the present invention devised to solve the problem lies on a refrigerator that is capable of reducing the leakage of cool air to the outside or the introduction of heat into storage chambers. Technical Solution

[13] The object of the present invention can be achieved by providing a refrigerator including a refrigerator body having a front part, a gasket mounted at a door such that the gasket is maintained in tight contact with the front part, and an expansion part provided at the gasket, such that the expansion part extend toward the side of the front part, for expanding the tight contact area between the front part and the gasket.

[14] Preferably, the gasket farther includes a magnet mounted in the gasket for providing a tight contact force to the front part and an air damper provided in the gasket for increasing the tight contact force to the front part.

[15] Preferably, the refrigerator further includes a door-side rib extending from the gasket such that the door-side rib is maintained in tight contact with the door.

[16] Preferably, the refrigerator fiirther includes a front part-side rib extending from the gasket such that the front part-side rib is maintained in tight contact with the front part.

[17] In another aspect cf the present invention, provided herein is a refrigerator including a refrigerator body having a front part, a gasket mounted at a door such that the gasket is maintained in tight contact with the front part, a magnet mounted in the gasket for providing a tight contact force to the front part, and an air damper provided in the gasket for increasing the tight contact force to the front part.

[18] Preferably, the refrigerator fiirther includes a door-side rib extending from the gasket such that the door-side rib is maintained in tight contact with the door.

[19] Preferably, the refrigerator farther includes a front part-side rib extending from the gasket such that the front part-side rib is maintained in tight contact with the front part.

[20] In another aspect of the present invention, provided herein is a refrigerator including a refrigerator body having a front part, a gasket mounted at a door such that the gasket is maintained in tight contact with the front part, and a door-side rib extending from the gasket such that the door-side rib is maintained in tight contact with the door.

[21] Preferably, the refrigerator fiirther includes a front part-side rib extending from the gasket such that the front part-side rib is maintained in tight contact with the front part.

[22] In a fiirther aspect of the present invention, provided herein is a refrigerator including a refrigerator body having a front part, a gasket mounted at a door such that the gasket is maintained in tight contact with the front part, and a front part-side rib extending from the gasket such that the front part-side rib is maintained in tight contact with the front part. Advantageous Effects

[23] The refrigerator according to the present invention, having the above-described characteristics, has the effect of reducing the leakage of cool air from the storage chambers to the outside or the introduction of heat into the storage chambers, thereby preventing the increase of power consumption and improving refrigerating and freezing efficiencies. Brief Description of the Drawings

[24] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a fiirther understanding of the invention, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention.

[25] In the drawings:

[26] FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a conventional refrigerator. [27] FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1.

[28] FTG. 3 is a plan sectional view illustrating a hot line region according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[29] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view illustrating a gasket of FIG. 3.

Mode for the Invention

[30] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[31] As shown in FIG. 3, a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a refrigerator body 10 having storage chambers 40 defined therein and doors 12 and 14 for opening and closing the storage chambers 40.

[32] The storage chambers 40 may include a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment. The doors 12 and 14 are hingedly mounted at one side of the refrigerator body 10 for opening and closing the respective storage chambers 40.

[33] The refrigerator body 10 has inner cases 15 defining the storage chambers 40, an outer case (not shown) constituting the outer surface of the refrigerator body, and a front part exposed to the outside when the doors 12 and 14 are opened.

[34] The inner cases 15 constitute walls of the storage chambers 40. When the number of the storage chambers 40 is two as in this embodiment, left- and right-side inner cases 15 may extend to the front part of the refrigerator body in such a manner that the left- and right-side inner cases 15 are symmetric to each other.

[35] Here, the front part means the front of the refrigerator body 10. Consequently, the front part may include fronts of the inner cases 15 to partition the storage chambers 40, for example the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment, and a front plate 30.

[36] Also, the front part may mean fronts constituted by the inner cases 15 and the outer case and the front plate 30. Of course, the front part may be included in all refrigerators having one or more storage chambers.

[37] A plurality of doors 12 and 14 may be mounted at the refrigerator body for opening and closing the respective storage chambers 40. Gaskets 50 are mounted at the insides of the respective doors 12 and 14. The gaskets 50 are coupled to the front plate 30, such that the gaskets 50 come into tight contact with the front plate 30, to prevent the leakage of cool air from the storage chambers 40 to the outside.

[38] Each gasket 50 includes a magnet 55 mounted therein. The gaskets 50 come into contact with the front plate 30, by virtue of the magnets 55, to seal the gaps between the storage chambers 40 and the outside. Each gasket 50 further includes a plurality of air pockets 51 and 52 containing air therein in a sealed state.

[39] The air pockets 51 and 52 prevent the transmission of external heat into the storage chambers 40, and, at the same time, absorb shocks generated by the contact between the doors 12 and 14 and the front plate 30 to prevent damage to the doors 12 and 14 and the front plate 30.

[40] Between the fronts of the inner cases 15 and the front plate 30 may be mounted hot lines 20. The hot lines 20 serve to prevent the front plate 30 from becoming wet with dew.

[41] The hot lines 20 may be constituted by a refrigerant pipe connected between a compressor (not shown) and a condenser (not shown). That is, refrigerant, passing through the compressor, is changed into a high-temperature and high-pressure state, and therefore, the hot lines 20 transmit heat to the front plate 30 to prevent the condensation on the front plate 30.

[42] The refrigerant pipe, passing through the hot lines 20, is known to usually have an average temperature of 38 ⁰C. As long as the hot lines 20 are used to prevent the front plate 30 from becoming wet with dew, the hot lines 20 are not limited to the above- mentioned refrigerant pipe, but heaters having heat wires may be used as the hot lines 20.

[43] The front plate 30 constitutes the front part of the refrigerator body. When the doors

12 and 14 are closed, the front plate 30 comes into contact with the gaskets 50. Consequently, the front plate 30 may be made of a metal material such that the magnets 55 mounted in the gaskets 50 of the doors 12 and 14 are tightly coupled to the front plate 30.

[44] Meanwhile, each gasket 50 fiirther includes an expansion part 61, an air damper 63, a door-side rib 65, and a front part-side rib 67.

[45] As shown in FIG. 4, the expansion part 61 is formed at each gasket 50, such that the expansion part 61 extends toward the side of the front part, for expanding the tight contact area between the front part and each gasket 50. In other words, the expansion part 61 expands the tight contact area between the inner case 15, constituting the side of the front part, and the front plate 30, and each gasket 50.

[46] If the contact interlaces between the front part and the gaskets 50, for example the surfaces of the gaskets 50 at which the magnets, are mounted are not flat, or the magnetic force of the magnets mounted in the gaskets 50 weakens, with the result that gaps are generated at the contact interlaces, the leakage of cool air from the storage chamber 40 to the outside or the introduction of heat from the outside into the storage chambers 40 is prevented by the expansion parts 61, which expand the tight contact area between the front part and the gaskets 50.

[47] Also, it is possible for the air pocket 52 to contain much more air by the expansion part 61. Consequently, the introduction of heat from the outside into the storage chambers 40 through the gaskets 50 or the leakage of cool air from the storage chamber 40 to the outside is prevented by the air contained in the air pockets 52.

[48] The expansion parts 61 may protrude from the doors 12 and 14 such that the expansion parts 61 are formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the inner cases 15 and the front plate 30 which come into contact with each other such that the inner cases 15 and the front plate 30 are tightly coupled to the front part. Also, the expansion parts 61 may be formed to entirely surround the side of the front plate 30.

[49] When the expansion parts 61 surround the side of the front plate 30, to which heat is transmitted from the hot lines 20, cool air in the storage chambers 40 may be stabilized.

[50] The cool air in the storage chambers 40 circulates in a forced convection manner.

At this time, the expansion parts 61 prevent the direct contact between the cool air, circulating in the forced convection manner, in the storage chambers 40 and the heat transmitted to the front plate 30, thereby more stably maintaining the cool air in the storage chambers 40.

[51] The air damper 63 is provided in each gasket 50 to increase the tight contact area between the front part and each gasket 50. As described above, the magnets 55 are mounted in the respective gaskets 50. The magnets 55 come into tight contact with the front plate 30, by virtue of a magnetic force of the magnets 55, to seal the gaps of the storage chambers 40.

[52] The air damper 63 increases the tight contact force of the corresponding magnet 55.

[53] The air damper 63 may be formed adjacent to the magnet 55 mounted in each gasket 50 such that the air damper 63 is configured in the shape of a chamber having a space defined therein. The air damper 63 may contain air in a sealed state. By the air contained in the air damper 63 in the sealed state, the air damper 63 may be maintained in a specific shape, for example in a rectangular shape as shown in FlG. 4.

[54] In the conventional art, when the contact interfaces between the front plate 30 and the gaskets 50 are not flat or the magnetic force of the magnets 55 mounted in the respective gaskets 50 weakens, gaps are generated at the contact interfaces, with the result that cool air leaks from the storage chambers 40 to the outside, or heat is introduced from the outside into the storage chambers 40, through the gaps. [55] The air dampers 63 are formed adjacent to the corresponding magnets 55 to reinforce the contact interfaces such that the contact interfaces are maintained flat. Consequently, the air dampers 63 prevent the decrease of the contact interlaces due to the weakening of the magnetic force of the magnets 55.

[56] Also, since the air dampers 63 are maintained in contact with the front part, the air dampers 63, heat transmitted through the gaps between the front plate 30 and the contact interfaces stays in the chambers, and therefore, the air dampers 63 serve to prevent the transmission of the heat transmitted from the front part into the storage chambers 40 through the air pockets 52 of the respective gaskets 50.

[57] The shape of the air dampers 63 is not limited to a rectangle as in this embodiment.

Also, a plurality of air dampers 63 may be formed at each gasket 50.

[58] The door-side ribs 65 extend from the respective gaskets 50 by a predetermined length such that the door-side ribs 65 are maintained in tight contact with the respective doors 12 and 14. Specifically, one end of the door-side rib 65 is connected to the corresponding gasket 50, and the other end of the door-side rib 65 is in tight contact with the corresponding door 12 or 14.

[59] Consequently, the door-side ribs 65 constitute heat transmission channels between the gaskets 50 and the doors 12 and 14. Furthermore, the door-side ribs 65 serve as antennas to transmit heat from the gasket 50 to the doors 12 and 14.

[60] For example, when gaps are generated between the gaskets 50 and the front part, with the result that heat is introduced into the storage chambers 40 through the gaskets 50, the door-side ribs 65 transmit the heat from the gaskets 50 to the doors 12 and 14.

[61] In this way, the heat transmitted to the gaskets 50 moves to the doors 12 and 14 through the door-side ribs 65. Consequently, the door-side ribs 65 prevent direct introduction of the heat from the gaskets 50 to the storage chambers 40.

[62] Here, the doors 12 and 14 are made of a thermally unconductive material, such as plastic. Consequently, when heat is transmitted from the gaskets 50 to the doors 12 and 14 through the door-side ribs 65, the heat is gradually cooled and disappears.

[63] Also, the door-side ribs 65 seal the gaps between the gaskets 50 and the doors 12 and 14. Consequently, the door-side ribs 65 serve to prevent the leakage of cool air from the storage chambers to the outside through the gaskets 50.

[64] The front part-side ribs 67 extend from the respective gaskets 50 such that the front part-side rib 67 is maintained in tight contact with the front part. In this embodiment, the front part-side ribs 67 have a predetermined length sufficient to be in tight contact with the front plate 30. The front part-side ribs 67 extend along the contact interfaces cf the gaskets 50.

[65] The front part-side ribs 67 expand the contact interfaces between the gaskets 50 and the front plate 30, i.e., the tight contact areas between the gaskets 50 and the front plate 30, for preventing the leakage of cool air from the storage chambers 40 to the outside through the gaps at the contact interfaces or the introduction cf heat from the outside into the storage chambers 40 through the gaps of the gaskets 50.

[66] Also, the front part-side ribs 67 serve as antennas to discharge heat, transmitted from the hot lines 20 to the front plate 30, to the outside. Consequently, the front part- side ribs 67 reduce the introduction of heat, transmitted from the hot lines 20 to the front plate 30, into the storage chambers 40.

[67] As described above, the leakage of cool air from the storage chambers 40 to the outside or the introduction of heat from the outside into the storage chambers 40 is prevented by the expansion parts 61, the air dampers 63, the door-side ribs 65, and the front part-side ribs 67.

[68] All of the expansion parts 61, the air dampers 63, the door-side ribs 65, and the front part-side ribs 67 may be formed at the respective gaskets 50. Alternatively, some of the expansion parts 61, the air dampers 63, the door-side ribs 65, and the front part- side ribs 67 may be selectively formed at the respective gaskets 50.

[69] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Industrial Applicability

[70] The refrigerator according to the present invention is capable of reducing the leakage of cool air from the storage chambers to the outside or the introduction of heat into the storage chambers, thereby preventing the increase of power consumption and improving refrigerating and freezing efficiencies. Consequently, the present invention is applicable to the manufacture of a refrigerator.

Claims

[ 1 ] A refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator body having a front part; a gasket mounted at a door such that the gasket is maintained in tight contact with the front part; and an expansion part provided at the gasket, such that the expansion part extend toward the side of the front part, for expanding the tight contact area between the front part and the gasket. [2] The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the gasket fiirther includes a magnet mounted in the gasket for providing a tight contact force to the front part; and an air damper provided in the gasket for increasing the tight contact force to the front part. [3] The refrigerator according to claim 1, fiirther comprising: a door-side rib extending from the gasket such that the door-side rib is maintained in tight contact with the door. [4] The refrigerator according to claim 1, fiirther comprising: a front part-side rib extending from the gasket such that the front part-side rib is maintained in tight contact with the front part. [5] A refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator body having a front part; a gasket mounted at a door such that the gasket is maintained in tight contact with the front part; a magnet mounted in the gasket for providing a tight contact force to the front part; and an air damper provided in the gasket for increasing the tight contact force to the front part. [6] The refrigerator according to claim 5, fiirther comprising: a door-side rib extending from the gasket such that the door-side rib is maintained in tight contact with the door. [7] The refrigerator according to claim 5, fiirther comprising: a front part-side rib extending from the gasket such that the front part-side rib is maintained in tight contact with the front part. [8] A refrigerator comprising: a refrigerator body having a front part; a gasket mounted at a door such that the gasket is maintained in tight contact with the front part; and a door-side rib extending from the gasket such that the door-side rib is maintained in tight contact with the door. [9] The refrigerator according to claim 5, further comprising: a front part-side rib extending from the gasket such that the front part-side rib is maintained in tight contact with the front part. [10] A refrigerator comprising : a refrigerator body having a front part; a gasket mounted at a door such that the gasket is maintained in tight contact with the front part; and a front part-side rib extending from the gasket such that the front part-side rib is maintained in tight contact with the front part.