Refrigerator
12173960 ยท 2024-12-24
Assignee
Inventors
- Sungjun CHO (Suwon-si, KR)
- Hyekyoung AN (Suwon-si, KR)
- Jonghyun SON (Suwon-si, KR)
- Sangmin PARK (Suwon-si, KR)
- Jin Jeong (Suwon-si, KR)
- Yangyeol GU (Suwon-si, KR)
- Yongman SEO (Suwon-si, KR)
- Woochul Cho (Suwon-si, KR)
Cpc classification
F25D23/028
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25D23/126
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25C2400/10
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
F25C5/00
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25C5/20
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25D23/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a body provided to form a storage compartment, a door rotatably mounted on the body, a dispenser provided in the door, an ice maker located in the storage compartment, a dispenser hose provided to be connectable to the dispenser, an ice maker hose provided to be connectable to the ice maker, and a hose guide located inside the door to accommodate the dispenser hose and the ice maker hose.
Claims
1. A refrigerator comprising: a body forming a storage compartment; a door to open and close the storage compartment; a dispenser hose; a dispenser in the door and including: a connecting member having one end connectable to the dispenser hose so that water is guidable to the dispenser by the dispenser hose, and a cock removably coupled to an other end of the connecting member opposite to the one end of the connecting member; and a hose guide, inside the door, through which the dispenser hose is insertable to be guided to the dispenser to be connected to the one end of the connecting member, and in which the dispenser hose, when connected to the one end of the connecting member, is accommodated.
2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the connecting member includes: a hose fixing member configured to release the dispenser hose in response to the hose fixing member being pressed toward a direction opposite to a direction from which the dispenser hose is released from the connecting member.
3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the hose fixing member is a first fixing member, and the connecting member includes: a second hose fixing member to fix the dispenser hose by an elastic force.
4. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the connecting member includes a cock fixing member to fix the cock by an elastic force.
5. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the cock is formed of stainless steel.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) These and/or other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
(12)
(13)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(14) Embodiments described in the disclosure and configurations shown in the drawings are merely examples of the embodiments of the disclosure, and may be modified in various different ways at the time of filing of the present application to replace the embodiments and drawings of the disclosure.
(15) In addition, the same reference numerals or signs shown in the drawings of the disclosure indicate elements or components performing substantially the same function.
(16) Also, the terms used herein are used to describe the embodiments and are not intended to limit and/or restrict the disclosure. The singular forms a, an and the are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this disclosure, the terms including, having, and the like are used to specify features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more of the features, elements, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.
(17) It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, but elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. For example, without departing from the scope of the disclosure, a first element may be termed as a second element, and a second element may be termed as a first element. The term of and/or includes a plurality of combinations of relevant items or any one item among a plurality of relevant items.
(18) In the following detailed description, the terms of front and rear side, upper portion, lower portion, left side, right side and the like may be defined by the drawings, but the shape and the location of the component is not limited by the term.
(19) The disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings
(20)
(21) Referring to
(22) The body 10 may include a plurality of inner cases 11 and 12 and an outer case 14 disposed on the outside of the plurality of inner cases 11 and 12 to form an exterior of the refrigerator 1. Between the plurality of inner cases 11 and 12, and the outer case 14, an insulating material (not shown) may foam and be filled to prevent cold air of the plurality of storage compartments 20, and 30 from leaking to the outside of the refrigerator 1.
(23) The plurality of inner cases 11 and 12 may include a first inner case 11 and a second inner case 12 which are adjacent in a left and right direction Y of the refrigerator 1. The first inner case 11 may be disposed on the left side of a partition wall 13 in the left and right direction Y of the refrigerator 1, and the second inner case 12 may be disposed on the right side of the partition wall 13 in the left and right direction Y of the refrigerator 1. In the partition wall 13 between the first inner case 11 and the second inner case 12, an insulating material (not shown) may foam and be filled to prevent the heat exchange between a freezing compartment 20 and a refrigerating compartment 30.
(24) The plurality of storage compartments 20, and 30 may include the freezing compartment 20 provided in the inside of the body 10. The plurality of storage compartments 20, and 30 may include the freezing compartment 20 provided in the inside of the first inner case 11.
(25) The plurality of storage compartments 20, and 30 may further include the refrigerating compartment 30 provided in the inside of the body 10 so as to be adjacent to the freezing compartment 20 in the left and right direction Y of the refrigerator 1. Particularly, the plurality of storage compartments 20, and 30 may further include the refrigerating compartment 30 provided in the inside of the second inner case 12.
(26) The plurality of storage compartments 20 and 30 may include an open front surface. A plurality of shelves 62 and/or a storage box 63 may be provided in the plurality of storage compartments 20 and 30 to store food.
(27) The storage box 63 may be provided to allow food to be placed and stored therein. The storage box 63 may be located in the refrigerating compartment 30. The storage box 63 may be withdrawn from the refrigerating compartment 30 or may be inserted into the refrigerating compartment 30. The storage box 63 may be configured to be movable in a front and rear direction X of the refrigerator 1. The storage box 63 may slide with respect to the refrigerating compartment 30.
(28) The plurality of doors 100 and 31 may be rotatably installed on the body 10 to open and close the open front surfaces of the plurality of storage compartments 20 and 30. The plurality of doors 100 and 31 may include a freezing compartment door 100 rotatably installed on the body 10 to open and close the freezing compartment 20, and a refrigerating compartment door 31 rotatably installed on the body 10 to open and close the refrigerating compartment 30. The plurality of doors 100 and 31 may include a door insulating material (not shown) foaming and being filled inside the door to prevent the cold air of the plurality of storage compartments 20 and 30 from leaking to the outside.
(29) A plurality of door guards 61 may be provided on a rear surface of the plurality of doors 100 and 31 to store food or the like.
(30) A dispenser 130 may be provided on at least one of the plurality of doors 100 and 31 to allow a user to take out water or ice from the outside. Particularly, the dispenser 130 may be provided on the freezing compartment door 100.
(31) In at least one of the plurality of storage compartments 20 and 30, an ice maker 80 configured to make ice that is to be supplied through the dispenser 130 may be provided. Particularly, the ice maker 80 may be provided in the freezing compartment 20.
(32) The refrigerator 1 may further include a cold air supply device configured to supply cold air to the plurality of storage compartments 20 and 30. The cold air supply device may include a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator. The compressor configured to compress a refrigerant and the condenser configured to condense the compressed refrigerant may be installed in a machine room provided below the rear of the plurality of storage compartments 20 and 30.
(33) A water supply assembly 90 may be disposed in the storage compartments 20, and 30. Particularly, the water supply assembly 90 may be disposed in the refrigerating compartment 30. However, the location of the water supply assembly 90 is not limited thereto.
(34) The water supply assembly 90 may include a filter 91 configured to filter water that is supplied from an external water source (not shown), and a water tank (not shown) provided to store water that is filtered in the filter 91.
(35)
(36) For convenience of description, only the freezing compartment door 100 will be described, but the configurations described below may also be applied to the refrigerating compartment door 31. Hereinafter the freezing compartment door 100 is referred to as a door 100.
(37) Referring to
(38) A handle 104 may be formed on one lateral surface of the door plate 101. The handle 104 may be recessed from the lateral surface of the door plate 101.
(39) Referring to
(40) An upper hinge coupling portion 108 may be provided in the upper door cap 102. The upper hinge coupling portion 108 may be rotatably coupled to an upper hinge 106 installed on the body 10. The upper hinge 106 may be installed at opposite ends of the upper front side of the body 10.
(41) Referring to
(42) A lower hinge coupling portion 109 may be provided on the lower door cap 104. The lower hinge coupling portion 109 may be rotatably coupled to a lower hinge 107 installed on the body 10. The lower hinge 107 may be installed at opposite ends of the lower front side of the body 10.
(43) A rear surface of the door plate 101 may be covered by the inner plate 101a. The plurality of door guards 61 may be provided on the inner plate 101a.
(44) The door plate 101 may include a dispenser opening 101b formed on a front surface. A portion of the dispenser 130 may be exposed to the outside through the dispenser opening 101b. A portion of the dispenser cover 135 of the dispenser 130 and a lever 138 may be exposed to the outside through the dispenser opening 101b. The dispenser 130 may include an accommodation space 139 formed to accommodate a container.
(45) Referring to
(46) The hose guides 111, 112, and 113 may include a guide inlet portion 111, a dispenser guide portion 112, and an ice maker guide portion 113. The hose guides 111, 112, and 113 may be located inside the door 100 and may be provided to accommodate the dispenser hose 122 and/or the ice maker hose 123 therein. A door insulating material provided inside the door 100 may be provided to surround the hose guides 111, 112, and 113. That is, after the door insulating material foams inside the door 100, the hose guides 111, 112, and 113 may be fixed to the inside of the door 100, but the dispenser hose 122 and the ice maker hose 123, which are accommodated in the hose guides 111, 112, and 113, may be separable from the door 100.
(47) Referring to
(48) Referring to
(49) The dispenser guide portion 112 may be provided to guide the dispenser hose 122. The dispenser guide portion 112 may extend from the guide inlet portion 111 toward the dispenser 130. The dispenser guide portion 112 may include a hose accommodating portion 114 having an inner cross-sectional area greater than an inner cross-sectional area of the guide inlet portion 111 and/or an inner cross-sectional area of the ice maker guide portion 113.
(50) The hose accommodating portion 114 may include a contraction preventing portion 114a provided to prevent contraction caused by the door insulation material filled in the door 100. The contraction preventing portion 114a may protrude outward from an outer side of the hose accommodating portion 114. The contraction preventing portion 114a may be formed in a portion of the hose accommodating portion 114 in which an area in contact with the door insulating material is relatively large. Strength of the hose accommodating portion 114 may be improved by the contraction preventing portion 114a, and accordingly, it is possible to prevent the hose accommodating portion 114 from being contracted caused by the insulating material that foams and is filled inside the door 100.
(51) The hose accommodating portion 114 may include a first accommodating portion (a lower portion of the hose accommodating portion 114, refer to
(52) The dispenser guide portion 112 may be fixed to the dispenser 130. Particularly, the dispenser guide portion 112 may be fixed to a dispenser case 131 of the dispenser 130. For this, the hose guides 111, 112, and 113 may include a first coupling portion 116 coupled to one portion of the dispenser 130 and a second coupling portion 117 coupled to another portion of the dispenser 130.
(53) The first coupling portion 116 may be coupled to a first guide coupling portion 136 formed in an upper portion of the dispenser case 131. The first coupling portion 116 may be screwed to the first guide coupling portion 136 through a first fastening member 151.
(54) The second coupling portion 117 may be coupled to a second guide coupling portion 137 formed on one lateral surface of the dispenser case 131. The second guide coupling portion 137 may have a hook shape, and the second coupling portion 117 may be hooked to and fixed to the second guide coupling portion 137.
(55) Referring to
(56) The ice maker hose 123, which extends to the cap space 102a of the upper door cap 102 through the ice maker hose hole 118, may be connected to an ice maker water supply device 119 of the ice maker 80. The ice maker water supply device 119 may receive water required for ice making through the ice maker hose 123.
(57) The dispenser hose 122 may be provided to guide water to the dispenser 130. Referring to
(58) The dispenser hose 122 may extend from a portion, which is branched into the dispenser guide portion 112 and the ice maker guide portion 113 from the guide inlet portion 111, to the dispenser guide portion 112. The dispenser hose 122 extending along the dispenser guide portion 112 may be connected to the dispenser 130.
(59) The ice maker hose 123 may be provided to guide water to the ice maker 80. Referring to
(60) The ice maker hose 123 may extend from a portion, which is branched into the dispenser guide portion 112 and the ice maker guide portion 113 from the guide inlet portion 111, to the ice maker guide portion 113. The ice maker hose 123 extending along the ice maker guide portion 113 may extend to the cap space 102a of the upper door cap 102 through the ice maker hose hole 118. In the cap space 102a of the upper door cap 102, the ice maker hose 123 may be connected to the ice maker water supply device 119 of the ice maker 80.
(61)
(62) A process of coupling the dispenser hose 122 to the dispenser 130 of the refrigerator 1 according to an embodiment of the disclosure will be described with reference to
(63) First, referring to
(64) An ice chute 132 may be coupled to the dispenser case 131. The ice chute 132 may guide ice made in the ice maker 80 to the dispenser 130. The ice chute 132 may include a chute opening 132a provided to communicate with the ice maker 80.
(65) The ice chute 132 may include a chute opening and closing member 132b configured to open and close an opening provided to communicate with the dispenser case 132. The chute opening and closing member 132b may be driven by a chute driving device 132c.
(66) A first ice guide 133 may be mounted on the dispenser case 131. The first ice guide 133 may guide the ice transmitted from the ice chute 132 to a second ice guide 134.
(67) The dispenser case 131 may include the second ice guide 134 disposed under the first ice guide 133. The second ice guide 134 may guide the ice transmitted from the first ice guide 133 to the accommodation space 139 of the dispenser 130. For this, the second ice guide 134 may include a guide opening 134d.
(68) The second ice guide 134 may include a cover coupling portion 134a coupled to the dispenser cover 135. The cover coupling portion 134a may be coupled to the dispenser cover 135 in a hook manner.
(69) The second ice guide 134 may include a guide fixing portion 134b to which a connecting member 140 is fixed. In the guide fixing portion 134b, a connecting member insertion hole 134c into which the connecting member 140 is inserted may be formed.
(70) The dispenser cover 135 may be coupled to the dispenser case 131. The dispenser cover 135 may cover the inside of the dispenser 130.
(71) The connecting member 140 may be mounted on the second ice guide 134. The connecting member 140 may include a connecting member fixing portion 149. The connecting member fixing portion 149 may be fixed to the guide fixing portion 134b of the second ice guide 134 by a second fastening member 152.
(72) One end of the connecting member 140 may be connected to the dispenser hose 122. A cock 146 may be detachably coupled to the other end of the connecting member 140 opposite to the one end.
(73) Referring to
(74) The hose accommodating portion 114 may form a space to allow the dispenser hose 122 to be withdrawn from the dispenser guide portion 112 by a predetermined length. Particularly, for ease of operation of connecting the dispenser hose 122 to the connecting member 140 of the dispenser 130, the dispenser connecting portion 122a of the dispenser hose 122 may be withdrawn from the dispenser guide portion 112 as far as possible. That is, in order to easily couple the dispenser hose 122 to the dispenser 130, the dispenser hose 122 may be withdrawn from the dispenser guide 112 by a length longer than necessary. Accordingly, a portion of the dispenser hose 122 positioned in the hose accommodating portion 114 is positioned in the lower portion of the hose accommodating portion 114.
(75) Next, referring to
(76) In addition, in the refrigerator 1 according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the dispenser connecting portion 122a of the dispenser hose 122 may be coupled to the connecting member 140, and the cock 146 may be removably provided in the other end of the connecting member 140, thereby reducing the material cost in comparison with the conventional manner in which the dispenser hose 122 extends to the accommodation space 139 of the dispenser 130 and an unnecessary portion is cut out.
(77)
(78) The cock 146 detachably mounted on the connecting member 140 of the dispenser 130 of the refrigerator 1 according to an embodiment of the disclosure will be described with reference to
(79) The dispenser 130 includes the connecting member 140 provided to connect the dispenser hose 122 to the cock 146.
(80) The connecting member 140 is provided such that one end of the dispenser hose 122 may be fixed to the dispenser connecting portion 122a.
(81) Particularly, the connecting member 140 may include a first hose fixing member 141 provided to fix the dispenser hose 122 by an elastic force. The first hose fixing member 141 may be provided as an O-ring. The first hose fixing member 141 may seal between the connecting member 140 and the dispenser hose 122.
(82) The connecting member 140 may include a second hose fixing member 143 provided to selectively fix the dispenser hose 122. The second hose fixing member 143 may be configured to release the dispenser hose 122 in response to pressing the second hose fixing member 143 to the direction in which the dispenser hose 122 is inserted into the connecting member 140.
(83) Particularly, referring to
(84) Referring to
(85) Referring to
(86) Referring to
(87) As is apparent from the above description, it is possible to easily replace the water supply hose even after the insulating material is filled in the door, because the refrigerator is provided with the hose guide provided inside the door so as to guide the water supply hose.
(88) It is not required to cut out a remaining portion of the hose after mounting the hose to the dispenser because the hose accommodation portion is provided in the hose guide, and thus it is possible to reduce the material cost.
(89) The refrigerator may be provided in such a way that the cock is separable from the cock device of the dispenser and thus it is possible to clean the cock when the cock is contaminated. Therefore, it is possible to improve the cleanliness of the dispenser.
(90) Although a few embodiments of the disclosure have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.