WO2009072773A2

WO2009072773A2 - Refrigerator

Info

Publication number: WO2009072773A2
Application number: PCT/KR2008/006943
Authority: WO
Inventors: Seong Jae Kim; Yong Su Kim; Chang Ho Seo; Nam Gi Lee; Dong Hoon Lee
Original assignee: Lg Electronics Inc.
Priority date: 2007-12-07
Filing date: 2008-11-25
Publication date: 2009-06-11
Also published as: KR20090059660A; WO2009072773A3

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a freezing chamber in a door. The refrigerator includes a case having a door which can be opened/closed, a refrigerating chamber provided on an inside of the case, a freezing chamber provided in a rear of the door, a freezing chamber door for opening/closing the freezing chamber, and a duct for suppling cold air to the freezing chamber, permitting convenient storage in and taking out food of the freezing chamber owing to a large width of the freezing chamber.

Description

REFRIGERATOR

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to refrigerators, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a refrigerator having a plurality of storage chambers provided at various positions for storing things at temperatures different from one another. Background Art

[2] In general, the refrigerator has a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber for cold storage of the food in the refrigerating chamber at a lower temperature or frozen storage of the food in the freezing chamber at a sub-zero temperature. In order to supply cold air to the chambers of the refrigerator, a compressor, an expansion valve, and an evaporator are operated according to the refrigerating cycle, and cold air generated during the refrigerating cycle is supplied to the chambers.

[3] The cold air at the sub-zero temperature generated during a process refrigerant is vaporized at the evaporator is supplied to the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber, to cool down the food in the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber, for storage of the food longer than storage of the food at a room temperature.

[4] Depending on structures of the refrigerators, i.e., a state of partition of the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber, there are refrigerators of a top mount-type, in which the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber are partitioned in an upper/ lower direction, refrigerators of a bottom freezer type, in which the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber are partitioned in an upper/lower direction, and refrigerators of a side by side-type, in which the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber are partitioned in a left/right direction. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[5] However, in a related art side-by side type refrigerator, since the freezing chamber is provided in a half of a width of the refrigerator and the refrigerating chamber is provided in a rest half of the refrigerator, to make a width of the freezing chamber smaller than the entire width of the refrigerator, there has been difficulty in storage of food having a great width, such as pizza, therein.

[6] Also, in the related art top-mount type or the bottom- freezer type refrigerators, in order to take out food placed in an inner side of the freezing chamber, it is required to take out food placed in an outer side at first. Therefore, since it is required to keep the freezing chamber door opened for a long time period, leading the cold air leaked to an outside of the freezing chamber, the food stored in the freezing chamber can be decomposed, easily. Technical Solution

[7] To solve the problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator having a freezing chamber with a great width.

[8] Another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator having a freezing chamber food stored therein can be taken out easily.

[9] To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a refrigerator includes a case having a door which can be opened/closed, a refrigerating chamber provided on an inside of the case, a freezing chamber provided in a rear of the door, a freezing chamber door for opening/closing the freezing chamber, and a duct for supplying cold air to the freezing chamber.

[10] The duct includes a cold air supply duct for supplying the cold air from an evaporator to the freezing chamber, and

[11] a cold air return duct for returning the cold air returned from the freezing chamber to the evaporator.

[12] The duct is mounted buried in a side portion of the case.

[13] The cold air supply duct includes a cold air outlet at one end for discharging the cold air therethrough, and the cold air return duct includes a cold air inlet at one end for drawing the cold air therethrough.

[14] The door includes a first connection hole through which the cold air is introduced to the freezing chamber, and a second connection hole through which the air is discharged.

[15] When the door closes the case, the refrigerator is devised such that the cold air outlet and the first connection hole are in communication, and the cold air inlet hole and the second connection hole are in communication.

[16] The refrigerator further includes sealing members mounted to circumferential surfaces of the first communication hole and the second communication hole respectively for preventing the cold air from leaking in a case the cold air outlet and the first communication hole are made to be in communication, and the cold air inlet and the second communication hole are made to be in communication.

[17] The first communication hole has a size the same with or greater than a size of the cold air outlet. [18] The second communication hole has a size the same with or greater than a size of the cold air inlet.

[19] The duct includes a damper for controlling an extent of opening of the duct.

[20] The door includes partitions for separating the freezing chamber into a plurality of freezing chambers and isolating the plurality of freezing chambers from one another.

[21] The door further includes connection ducts for making the plurality of the connection ducts to be in communication.

[22] The cold air circulates through the evaporator, the connection duct, and the cold air return duct in succession.

[23] The duct iurther includes a plurality of cold air supply ducts for supplying the cold air to the plurality of freezing chambers respectively, and a plurality of cold air return ducts for returning the cold air from the freezing chambers to the evaporator respectively.

[24] The plurality of the freezing chambers include at least one ice making chamber for making ice.

[25] The door includes a metal plate placed in an inside the freezing chamber for making distribution of an inside temperature of the freezing chamber uniform.

[26] The door includes an insulating material mounted therein.

[27] In another aspect of the present invention, a refrigerator includes a case having a first storage chamber for storing things at a preset range of temperatures, a door rotatably mounted to the case for opening/closing the case, the door having a second storage chamber for storing things at a preset range of temperature different from the range of temperature of the first storage chamber, and a duct mounted to the case for guiding cold air to circulate between an evaporator mounted in the case and the second storage chamber.

[28] The duct includes a cold air supply duct for supplying the cold air from an evaporator to the second storage chamber, and a cold air return duct for returning the cold air returned from the second storage chamber to the evaporator.

[29] The cold air supply duct and the cold air return duct are mounted to a side of the case for guiding the cold air to the second storage chamber and the evaporator, the cold air supply duct has one end having a cold air outlet for discharging the cold air from the evaporator to the second storage chamber, and the cold air return duct has one end having a cold air inlet for drawing the cold air from the second storage chamber to the evaporator.

[30] The refrigerator further includes a first communication hole and a second com- munication hole formed in a wall of the second storage chamber arranged to communication with the cold air outlet and cold air inlet, respectively. [31] The refrigerator further includes a damper mounted in the duct for selective opening/ closing of the cold air flowing through the duct and controlling a flow of the cold air. [32] The second storage chamber is divided into a plurality of storage spaces, and partitions are provided between the plurality of storage spaces for partitioning the plurality of storage spaces. [33] The refrigerator further includes connection ducts for making the plurality of the storage spaces to be in communication. [34] The cold air supply ducts and the cold air return ducts are provided as many as a number of the storage spaces for supplying the cold air to the plurality of the storage spaces and returning the cold air from the plurality of the storage spaces.

Advantageous Effects

[35] The present invention has following advantageous effects.

[36] Since a capacity of the freezing chamber can be made larger even if the refrigerator of the present invention is provided with the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber within the refrigerator, a large amount of food can be stored in the freezing chamber. [37] The food can be taken out of the freezing chamber conveniently, and since kinds of the food stored in the freezing chamber can be known easily, unnecessary opening of the freezing chamber door can be prevented.

Brief Description of the Drawings [38] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a refrigerator in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. [39] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a refrigerator in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, having doors thereof removed therefrom. [40] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a refrigerator in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, having doors thereof opened. [41] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a refrigerator in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, having doors thereof opened. [42] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a refrigerator in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention, having doors thereof opened. [43] FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of a refrigerator in FIG. 5, having doors thereof mounted thereto.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

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

[45] For convenience's sake, a refrigerator will be described, focused on a refrigerator in which the doors are rotated and opened in a left side or a right side. Of course, the present invention is also applicable to a refrigerator in which the doors are rotated and opened in an upper side or a lower side. That is, the present invention is applicable to the related art refrigerators of side-side type, bottom-freezer type, and top-mount type.

[46] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a refrigerator in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The refrigerator in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1.

[47] Referring to FIG. 1 , the refrigerator includes a case which forms an exterior thereof, doors 10 and 20 for opening/closing an opened front of the case 30. The doors 10 and 20 are a door 10 for opening a right side of the case 30, and a door for opening a left side of the case 30.

[48] Each of the doors 10 or 20 has a handle, and one end rotatably mounted to the case

30. By holding the handle 10 or 20 and rotating the door 10 or 20, the user can open the case 30.

[49] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a refrigerator in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, having the doors 10 and 20 and inside components, such as shelves thereof removed therefrom. The refrigerator in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

[50] Referring to FIG. 2, provided inside of the case 30, there is a first storage chamber for storage of things, for an example, a refrigerating chamber 32 for storage of things at a temperature higher than zero. Food required for cold storage is stored in the refrigerating chamber 32. Since the refrigerating chamber 32 has a width similar to a width of the case 30, the refrigerating chamber 32 enables easy storage of food having a great width.

[51] As can be seen in drawing hereafter, the refrigerating chamber 32 may have shelves and a vegetable chamber to place the food therein or therein for storage of various kinds of food. That is, the refrigerating chamber 32 is partitioned into individual spaces. In general, the vegetable chamber is provided on a lower side of the re- frigerating chamber 32, with a vegetable box (not shown) of a slidable drawer type which can be pushed in/pulled out of the refrigerator, for enclosed storage of vegetable therein for maintaining freshness.

[52] In the meantime, in a rear side of a lower side of the case 30, there is a machinery room (not shown). The machinery room has a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, and an expansion valve mounted thereto for supplying cold air to the refrigerating chamber 32 and the freezing chamber. Because the machinery room has various components mounted thereto, to make the machinery room heavy, it is preferable that the machinery room is provided to a lower side of the refrigerator in view of stability of the refrigerator.

[53] Provided to a left side and a right side of the case 30, there are ducts 40 and 50. It is preferable that the ducts 40 and 50 are invisible even if the doors 10 and 20 are opened. Otherwise, elegance of the refrigerator 32 can be harmed. The ducts 40 and 50 transmit cold air to a second storage chamber which will be described in detail in FIG. 3. for an example, the freezing chamber 12 or 22 which can store food at a subzero temperature.

[54] However, in this instance, the first storage chamber is not limited to the second storage chamber, or the second storage chamber is not limited to the second storage chamber, but the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber may correspond to the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber in the other way around. Only what is required is that the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber can store food at temperatures different from each other.

[55] For convenience's sake, in the following description, the first storage chamber is the refrigerating chamber 32 and the second storage chamber is the freezing chamber 12, or 22.

[56] The duct 40 and 50 includes a cold air supply duct 40 for supplying the cold air from the evaporator to the freezing chamber 12 or 22, and a cold air return duct 50 for returning the cold air recovered from the freezing chamber 12 or 22 to the evaporator. The cold air supply duct 40 and the cold air return duct are tubes having inside spaces for passing of the cold air.

[57] There are dampers 44 and 54 for adjusting opening extents of the cold air supply duct

40 and the cold air return duct 50, respectively. That is, if the damper 44 or 54 is opened, the cold air passes through the cold air supply duct 40 or the cold air return duct 50, and if the damper 44 or 54 is closed, the cold air can not pass through the cold air supply duct 40 or the cold air return duct 50. In the meantime, the dampers 44 and 54 may have driving units (not shown), i.e., motors or the like, mounted thereto for automatic opening/closing of the dampers 44 and 54.

[58] The cold air supply duct 40 at one end thereof receives the cold air from the evaporator. The cold air supply duct 40 at the other end thereof has a cold air outlet 42 for discharging the cold air from the evaporator.

[59] The cold air return duct 50 at one end thereof is connected to the machinery room for returning the cold air to the evaporator. The cold air return duct 50 at the other end thereof has a cold air inlet 52 for recovering the cold air from the freezing chamber 12 and 22.

[60] The cold air outlet 42 and the cold air inlet 52 may have polygonal or circular cross sections. The cold air outlet 42 and the cold air inlet 52 may have rubber packings, or the like, mounted to outer circumferential surfaces thereof, respectively.

[61] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a refrigerator in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, having doors thereof opened. The refrigerator in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

[62] Referring to FIG. 3, in a rear of each of the doors 10 and 20, the freezing chamber 12 or 22 is provided. That is, in the rear of the left side door 20, the freezing chamber 22 is provided, and in a rear of the right side door 20, the freezing chamber 12 is provided.

[63] The freezing chamber 22 is mounted to the rear of the door 20 projected therefrom, has a hexahedral shape substantially, and is isolated from the refrigerating chamber 32 in the case 30. Because the refrigerating chamber 32 has a temperature different from the freezing chamber 22.

[64] The door 20 at one side thereof has a first communication hole 24 for being in communication with the cold air outlet 42 if the door 20 is closed. That is, if the door 20 is closed, the cold air outlet 42 is brought into contact with the first communication hole 24, such that the cold air is supplied to the freezing chamber 22.

[65] In the meantime, the first communication hole 24 may be a size greater than or equal to the cold air outlet 42. The first communication hole 24 has a sealing member on an outer circumferential surface for preventing the cold air from leaking when the cold air passes through the cold air outlet 42 at the time the first communication hole 24 is brought into direct contact with the cold air outlet 42.

[66] The second communication hole 26 may be a size greater than or equal to the cold air inlet 42. The second communication hole 26 also has a sealing member on an outer cir- cumferential surface for preventing the cold air from leaking when the cold air passes through the cold air inlet 52 at the time the second communication hole 26 is brought into direct contact with the cold air inlet 52.

[67] It is preferable that the sealing members mounted around the first and second communication holes 24 and 26 are rubber packing members.

[68] In the meantime, the right side door 10 has the freezing chamber 12 provided to the rear. Alike the left side door 20, the right side door 10 has the first communication hole 14 and the second communication hole 16 formed therein.

[69] In a case the right side door 10 is closed, the first communication hole 14 is in communication with the cold air outlet 42, and the second communication hole 26 is in communication with the cold air inlet 52, for circulating the cold air through the freezing chamber 12. Since a configuration, elements and a cold air flow of the freezing chamber 12 is identical to a configuration, elements, a cold air flow of the freezing chamber 22, detailed description of the freezing chamber 12 will be omitted for convenience's sake.

[70] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a refrigerator in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, having doors 10 and 20 thereof opened. Since a configuration and elements c£ the right side door 10 in the second embodiment is identical to the configuration and the elements of the right side door 10 in the first embodiment, detailed description of configuration and the elements of the right side door 10 will be omitted.

[71] The refrigerator in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

[72] The freezing chamber in the door 20 is divided into a plurality of storage spaces, such as a plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72, and has a partition 82 for separating the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72.

[73] If the partition 82 separates the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72 perfectly, storage temperatures of the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72 can be made different from each other, enabling to store various kinds of food, separately.

[74] The partition has a heat insulating material placed therein for enabling the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72 to be maintained at low temperatures.

[75] In the meantime, the partition 82 has a connection duct 80 mounted therein for making the plurality of the freezing chambers 62 and 72 to be in communication.

[76] Through the connection duct 80, the cold air can flow between the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72. According to the second embodiment, a separate duct for suppling the cold air to the freezing chamber 72 mounted on the lower side is not required, and a separate duct for returning the cold air to the freezing chamber 62 mounted on the upper side is not required.

[77] Accordingly, a number of ducts to be mounted in the case 30 can be reduced, enabling to make total capacity of the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chambers greater for a refrigerator having the same capacity, allowing storing a larger quantity of food.

[78] The cold air being supplied to the upper side freezing chamber 62 through the cold air outlet 42 is supplied to the lower side freezing chamber 72 after passing through the connection duct 80. Then, the cold air returns to the evaporator through the cold air outlet 76.

[79] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a refrigerator in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention, having doors thereof opened. The refrigerator in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

[80] Referring to FIG. 5, different from the second embodiment, the third embodiment does not include the connection duct which connects the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72.

[81] That is, since the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72 are made not to be in communication, no cold air is shared by the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72. In this case, the plurality of the freezing chambers 62 and 72 can be used in purposes different from each other. For an example, the upper freezing chamber 62 may be used as an ice making chamber and the lower freezing chamber 72 may be used as a freezing chamber for storing frozen food.

[82] The case 30 has a cold air supply duct (not shown) for supplying the cold air to the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72, and a cold air returning duct (not shown) for returning the cold air from the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72 to the evaporator.

[83] In the meantime, the cold air supply duct has cold air outlets 42 and 56, and the cold air returning duct has cold air inlets 48 and 52.

[84] The door 20 has first communication holes 64 and 74 for being in communication with the cold air outlets 42 and 56 and second communication holes 66 and 76 for being in communication with the cold air inlets 48 and 52 when the door 20 is closed.

[85] Of course, the first communication holes 64 and 74, the second communication holes

66 and 76, the cold air outlets 42 and 56, and the cold air inlet 48 and 52 may have rubber packings mounted to outer circumferential surfaces thereof respectively.

[86] The rubber packings prevent air from leaking between the first communication holes

64 and 74 and the cold air outlets 42 and 56 and between the second communication holes 66 and 76 and the cold air inlets 48 and 52 when the door 20 is closed, for smooth supply of the cold air to the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72.

[87] FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of a refrigerator in FIG. 5, having a freezing chamber door thereof mounted thereto. The refrigerator will be described with reference to FIG. 6.

[88] Referring to FIG. 6, mounted to the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72, there are freezing chamber doors 90 for opening the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72 respectively. The freezing chamber door 90 has one rotatably mounted edge and a handle 92. By holding the handle 92 and rotating the freezing chamber door 90, the user can open the freezing chamber 62 or 72.

[89] In the meantime, a metal plate (not shown) may be placed in the plurality of the freezing chambers 62 and 72 such that a temperature distribution of an inside of each of the freezing chambers 62 and 72 is uniform. This is because the metal plate has in general heat conductivity higher than air.

[90] The heat conductivity is a heat flow across a surface per unit area per unit time, divided by the negative of the rate of change of temperature with distance in a direction perpendicular to the surface. The air has heat conductivity of 0.0234, the water has heat conductivity of 0.6, and aluminum 238, copper 397, silver 427 and so on. Thus, since the air has the heat conductivity lower than metal, if the metal plate is placed in each of the plurality of the freezing chambers 62 and 72, distribution of the temperature in each of the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72 can be made uniform, which can improve freezing efficiency of the food in the freezing chamber 62 and 72.

[91] In the meantime, it is possible to bury vacuum insulation panels VIP in the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72. Heat transfers from a high temperature part to a low temperature part through conduction, convection, and radiation. However, since the vacuum is a state of no air, no heat transfer takes place by means of conduction or convection through the air, making the vacuum insulation panel being an insulting material which has a good heat transfer shielding performance. For an example, in general, an inside of walls of a vacuum bottle which requires a high insulating performance is in a vacuum state.

[92] Most of the insulating material used for the related art refrigerator is polyurethane foam. However, since Freon gas is used as a foaming agent in production of the polyurethane foam, the use of the polyurethane foam as the insulating material has a hazard of chloride gas which damages the ozone layer. Moreover, if the polyurethane foam is used for a long time period, the Freon is diluted, and instead, air infiltrates into the polyurethane foam, making the heat insulating performance poorer by about 30%. In order to solve the problem in which reduction of use of the Freon gas is required for conservation of environment in the iuture, it is preferable that the vacuum insulating panel VIP is used.

[93] Of course, not the vacuum insulating panel, but a high efficiency insulating material may be used. If, not the lower efficiency insulating material, but the high efficiency material is used, enabling that the freezing chambers maintain a high insulating effect even if thickness of the insulating material is thin, a storage capacity of the freezing chamber can be made greater than before. Of course, the vacuum insulating panel, or the high efficiency insulating material can be applied, not only to the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72, but also to the refrigerating chamber, for making a storage capacity greater than before.

[94] Besides, at least one of the plurality of the freezing chambers 62 and 72 may be an ice making chamber for making ice. Different from the freezing chamber, a main purpose of the ice making chamber is to provide ice, rather than storage of food.

[95] A transparent portion 94 may be mounted to the freezing chamber door 90. The transparent portion 94 may be a transparent glass plate, or a plastic plate. The transparent portion 94 enables to see kinds of the food in the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72 even if the freezing chamber 90 is not opened. In the meantime, the transparent portion 94 may have a shape of a plate of transparent material of which inside is maintained at vacuum.

[96] The operation of the refrigerator of the present invention will be described.

[97] The refrigerator in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The cold air having a temperature dropped as the air passes through the evaporator is introduced to the cold air supply duct 40. In a case the damper 44 mounted to the cold air supply duct 40 is opened, the cold air is discharged to the cold air outlet 42 through the cold air supply duct 40.

[98] In a case the door 20 is closed, the cold air from the cold air outlet 42 is introduced to the freezing chamber 22 through the first communication hole 24. If the door 20 is opened, the cold air from the cold air outlet 42 can not be introduced to the first com- munication hole 24, directly.

[99] The cold air introduced to the freezing chamber 22 moves downward, to cool down the temperature of the freezing chamber 22, to cool down the food in the freezing chamber, subsequently.

[100] Then, the air flows out of the freezing chamber 22 through the second communication hole 26. In a case the door 20 is closed, the cold air from the second communication hole 26 is introduced to the cold air inlet 52, and therefrom returns to the evaporator through the cold air return duct 50.

[101] In a case the door 20 is opened, the cold air from the freezing chamber 22 can not return to the cold air return duct 50 directly, because the second communication hole 26 and the cold air inlet 52 are not connected, directly.

[102] In the meantime, the refrigerating chamber 32 has the cold air supplied thereto from a cold air supply structure in a rear side of the inside of the case 30, for cooling down the food in the refrigerating chamber 32.

[103] The freezing chambers 12 in the right side door 10 has the cold air supplied thereto and discharged therefrom in a mode identical to the freezing chamber 22 in the left side door 20. That is, the freezing chambers 12 in the right side door 10 has the cold air circulated therethrough and cools down the food stored therein in modes identical to the freezing chamber 22 in the left side door 20.

[104] The refrigerator in accordance with the second preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4, focusing on differences thereof from the refrigerator in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[105] If the door 20 is closed, the cold air from the cold air outlet 42 of the cold air supply duct is introduced to the freezing chamber 62 through the first communication hole 64, and cools down the food in the freezing chamber 62. In the meantime, the cold air supplied to the freezing chamber 62 is introduced to the freezing chamber 72 under the freezing chamber 62 through the connection duct 80, and cools down the food in the freezing chamber 72. Then, the cold air is introduced from the freezing chamber 72 to the cold air inlet 52 through the second communication hole 76.

[106] The cold air introduced through the cold air inlet 52 thus returns to the evaporator through the cold air return duct. Then, the cold air is cooled down at the evaporator, and supplied to the freezing chamber, for cooling down the food in the freezing chamber.

[107] The refrigerator in accordance with the third preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 5, focusing on differences thereof from the refrigerator in accordance with the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[108] Since the refrigerator of the third embodiment has no connection ducts different from the refrigerator of the second embodiment, the plurality of the freezing chambers 62 and 72 have the cold air supply ducts and the cold air return ducts provided thereto, respectively.

[109] The cold air is introduced to the plurality of the freezing chambers 62 and 72 and cools down the food stored therein. Then, the cold air returns to the evaporator through the cold air return duct. Thus, the cold air is circulated in a form the cold air is cooled down at the evaporator again.

[110] Since the individual supply of the cold air to the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72 enables individual control of the temperatures of the plurality of freezing chambers 62 and 72, various kinds of food can be stored in the refrigerator by storing food of kinds different from one another in each of the freezing chambers 62 and 72.

[Ill] 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.

Claims

[1] A refrigerator comprising: a case having a door which can be opened/closed; a refrigerating chamber provided on an inside of the case; a freezing chamber provided in a rear of the door; a freezing chamber door for opening/closing the freezing chamber; and a duct for supplying cold air to the freezing chamber.

[2] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the duct includes; a cold air supply duct for supplying the cold air from an evaporator to the freezing chamber, and a cold air return duct for returning the cold air returned from the freezing chamber to the evaporator.

[3] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the duct is mounted buried in a side portion of the case.

[4] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cold air supply duct includes a cold air outlet at one end for discharging the cold air therethrough, and the cold air return duct includes a cold air inlet at one end for drawing the cold air therethrough.

[5] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 4, wherein the door includes a first connection hole through which the cold air is introduced to the freezing chamber, and a second connection hole through which the air is discharged.

[6] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 5, wherein, when the door closes the case, the refrigerator is devised such that the cold air outlet and the first connection hole are in communication, and the cold air inlet hole and the second connection hole are in communication.

[7] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 6, further comprising sealing members mounted to circumferential surfaces of the first communication hole and the second communication hole respectively for preventing the cold air from leaking in a case the cold air outlet and the first communication hole are made to be in communication, and the cold air inlet and the second communication hole are made to be in communication.

[8] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first communication hole has a size the same with or greater than a size of the cold air outlet.

[9] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second communication hole has a size the same with or greater than a size of the cold air inlet.

[10] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the duct includes a damper for controlling an extent of opening of the duct.

[11] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the door includes partitions for separating the freezing chamber into a plurality of freezing chambers and isolating the plurality of freezing chambers from one another.

[12] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 11, wherein the door fiirther includes connection ducts for making the plurality of the connection ducts to be in communication.

[13] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 12, wherein the cold air circulates through the evaporator, the connection duct, and the cold air return duct in succession.

[14] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 11, wherein the duct fiirther includes a plurality of cold air supply ducts for supplying the cold air to the plurality of freezing chambers respectively, and a plurality of cold air return ducts for returning the cold air from the freezing chambers to the evaporator respectively.

[15] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 11, wherein the plurality of the freezing chambers include at least one ice making chamber for making ice.

[16] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1. wherein the door includes a metal plate placed in an inside the freezing chamber for making distribution of an inside temperature of the freezing chamber uniform.

[17] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the door includes an insulating material mounted therein.

[18] A refrigerator comprising; a case having a first storage chamber for storing things at a preset range of temperatures; a door rotatably mounted to the case for opening/closing the case, the door having a second storage chamber for storing things at a preset range of temperature different from the range of temperature of the first storage chamber; and a duct mounted to the case for guiding cold air to circulate between an evaporator mounted in the case and the second storage chamber.

[19] The refrigerator as claimed in claim IS, wherein the duct includes; a cold air supply duct for supplying the cold air from an evaporator to the second storage chamber, and a cold air return duct for returning the cold air returned from the second storage chamber to the evaporator.

[20] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 19, wherein the cold air supply duct and the cold air return duct are mounted to a side of the case for guiding the cold air to the second storage chamber and the evaporator, the cold air supply duct has one end having a cold air outlet for discharging the cold air from the evaporator to the second storage chamber, and the cold air return duct has one end having a cold air inlet for drawing the cold air from the second storage chamber to the evaporator.

[21] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 20, further comprising a first communication hole and a second communication hole formed in a wall of the second storage chamber arranged to communication with the cold air outlet and cold air inlet, respectively.

[22] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a damper mounted in the duct for selective opening/closing of the cold air flowing through the duct and controlling a flow of the cold air.

[23] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 18, wherein the second storage chamber is divided into a plurality of storage spaces, and partitions are provided between the plurality of storage spaces for partitioning the plurality of storage spaces.

[24] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 22, further comprising connection ducts for making the plurality of the storage spaces to be in communication.

[25] The refrigerator as claimed in claim 22, wherein the cold air supply ducts and the cold air return ducts are provided as many as a number of the storage spaces for supplying the cold air to the plurality of the storage spaces and returning the cold air from the plurality of the storage spaces.