Patent Publication Number: US-6705099-B2

Title: Concentration cooling apparatus for refrigerator

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a refrigerator and particularly, to a concentration cooling apparatus for a refrigerator, capable of swiftly maintaining a temperature inside of a chilling chamber as a uniform temperature by performing a swift cooling operation of a high temperature load by concentratedly injecting cold air into a region where a high temperature load is occurred inside the chilling chamber. 
     2. Description of the Background Art 
     Generally, a refrigerator includes a freezing chamber for keeping frozen food, and a chilling chamber for keeping chilled food, and a refrigerating cycle for supplying cold air to the freezing chamber and chilling chamber is positioned therein. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a partially cut section of a conventional refrigerator, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a conventional chilling chamber. 
     The conventional refrigerator includes a main body  104  in which a pair of doors  102  opened and closed in both directions are mounted at the front side, having a receiving space therein, a freezing chamber  106  which is positioned at the left side of the main body  104 , for keeping frozen food, a chilling chamber  108  which has a plurality of shelves  114  for keeping refrigeration food therein, which is divided by the freezing chamber  106  and partition  110  and is positioned at the right side of the main body  104 , and a cold air supplying apparatus which is installed at the upper side of the freezing chamber  106 , for supplying air which is cooled passing the refrigerating cycle to the freezing chamber  106  and chilling chamber  108 . 
     The cold air supplying apparatus includes a ventilation fan  120  which is mounted on the upper rear wall of the freezing chamber  106 , for coercively ventilating air which is cooled by passing the refrigerating cycle, a panel  128  which is positioned at the lower side of the ventilation fan  120 , having a plurality of cold air discharging ports  130  are formed therein to supply cold air into the freezing chamber  106 , a cold air supply path  132  which is formed at the upper side of the partition  110  for flowing cold air ventilated from the ventilation fan  120  to the chilling chamber  108 , a cold air discharging duct  134  which is mounted at the upper portion of the chilling chamber  108  and is connected to the cold air supply path  132 , for discharging cold air into the chilling chamber, and a cold air inflow path  138  which is formed at the lower side of the partition  110 , and in which cold air which completed cooling operation circulating in the chilling chamber  108  is flowed into the refrigerating cycle. 
     Here, a plurality of cold air discharging ports  136  for discharging cold air to the chilling chamber  108  are formed at the front and lower sides of the cold air discharging duct  134 . 
     A temperature sensor  140  is attached on one side of the chilling chamber  108 , blocks supply of cold air to the chilling chamber  108  when the temperature of the chilling chamber  108  is lower than a predetermined level, and supplies cold air from the freezing chamber  106  when the temperature is higher than a predetermined level. 
     The operation of the conventional art with the above composition will be described as follows. 
     Firstly, when the refrigerating cycle is driven and the ventilation fan rotates, the cold air cooled by passing through the refrigerating cycle is discharged respectively to the cold air discharging port  130  of the panel  128  and cold air supply path  132  by a ventilation pressure of the ventilation fan  120 . 
     The cold air discharged to the cold air discharging port  130  performs a freezing operation of a frozen food stored in the freezing chamber  106  circulating inside the freezing chamber  106 . 
     The cold air supplied to the cold air supply path  132  is flowed to the cold air discharging duct  134  and is discharged into the chilling chamber through the cold air discharging port  136  which is formed in the cold air discharging duct  134 . 
     Therefore, the cold air discharged into the chilling chamber  108  performs cooling operation of the chilled food stored in the chilling chamber  108  circulating in the chilling chamber  108 , and the cold air which stops being cooled is flowed to the cold air inflow path  138  formed at the lower side of the partition  110  and is cooled again by the refrigerating cycle. 
     However, in the conventional refrigerator, since the cold air discharging duct is positioned at the upper side of the chilling chamber and cold air is supplied from the upper side to the lower side of the chilling chamber through the cold air discharging port formed in the cold air discharging duct, temperature deviation became deepened according to the distance from the cold air discharging port. Since the cold air is discharged only from the cold air discharging duct of the chilling chamber, it took much time to make temperature inside the chilling chamber uniform when a high temperature load is occurred due to a receiving food and the like in the chilling chamber. Therefore, a chilling time became longer, thus to degrading freshness of food stored in the chilling chamber. 
     Also, since the temperature sensor and cold air discharging port are positioned under the condition that they are respectively fixed in a predetermined region, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor was limited in a predetermined region in the chilling chamber and since cold air discharging was also limited in a predetermined region, in case a high temperature load is occurred in a region out of the portion where the temperature sensor can detect temperature, it took much time to get rid of temperature deviation inside the chilling chamber, and accordingly, the temperature inside the chilling chamber could not be swiftly uniformized. 
     Particularly, since the cold air discharging port is formed a the rear portion of the chilling chamber, cold air is concentrated in the rear portion and center portion of the chilling chamber near from the cold air discharging port. Therefore, food near the rear portion was over-cooled by much effect of the cold air and food which was kept near the door far from the cold air discharging port could not be relatively affected by the cold air and was under-cooled. 
     That is, since the internal temperature of the chilling chamber gains a more serious deviation according to the distance from the cold air discharging port, the distribution of the temperature inside the chilling chamber can not be uniformed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a concentration cooling apparatus for a refrigerator, capable of swiftly maintaining a temperature inside of a chilling chamber as a uniform temperature by increasing a cooling speed of the high temperature load by concentratedly discharging cold air to a region where the high temperature load is occurred. 
     Also, the other object of the present invention is to provide a concentration cooling apparatus for refrigerator, capable of widening the sensing range of the temperature sensor by rotating a nozzle having a cold air injection port for discharging the cold air and the temperature for sensing temperature therein up and down as well as in the circumferential direction, and actively coping with the high temperature load occurred inside the chilling chamber by widening the cold air discharging range of the cold air injection port. 
     To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a concentration cooling apparatus for a refrigerator, comprising a housing which is respectively mounted in one or more cold air guiding paths formed on a side wall of the chilling chamber to guide cold air to the side wall of the chilling chamber a nozzle which is rotatably supported in the housing, for concentratedly injecting cold air to a region where a high temperature load is occurred in the chilling chamber a temperature sensor which is mounted at the front of the nozzle, for sensing the region where the high temperature load is occurred, rotating together with the nozzle, and a nozzle driving portion for rotating the nozzle up and down, and in the direction of the circumference. 
    
    
     The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a partially cut perspective view showing a conventional refrigerator; 
     FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a conventional chilling chamber of the conventional refrigerator. 
     FIG. 3 is a partially cut perspective view showing a refrigerator in which a concentration cooling apparatus in accordance with the present invention is positioned; 
     FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the concentration cooling apparatus in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a partially perspective view showing a disjointed cold air injecting apparatus of the concentration cooling apparatus in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a partially cut perspective view showing a nozzle of the cold air injecting apparatus in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a front view showing the cold air injecting apparatus in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line VIII—VIII of FIG. 7; and 
     FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a concentration cooling apparatus for the refrigerator in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     As the embodiment of the present invention, there can be plural ones and hereinafter, most preferred embodiments will be described. 
     FIG. 3 is a partially cut perspective view showing a refrigerator in which a concentration cooling apparatus in accordance with the present invention is positioned and FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the concentration cooling apparatus in accordance with the present invention. 
     The refrigerator in which the concentration cooling apparatus in accordance with the present invention is formed includes a main body  2  in which a door (not shown) opened and closed in both directions is mounted, having a receiving space for storing food therein, a freezing chamber  4  which is positioned at a side between the left or right side of the main body  2 , for storing frozen food, a chilling chamber  6  which is divided by the freezing chamber  6  and partition  8  and is positioned at the right side of the main body  4  and partition  8 , for receiving chilled food, a refrigerating cycle (not shown) which is installed at a side of the main body  2 , for generating cold air, and a concentration cooling apparatus for concentratedly discharging cold air to a region where a high temperature load is occurred inside of the chilling chamber  6 . 
     The cold air supplying apparatus includes a ventilation fan  12  which is attached on the upper rear wall of the chilling chamber  4 , for coercively ventilating the cold air which is cooled passing the refrigerating cycle, a panel  14  which is positioned at the lower side of the ventilation fan  12 , for discharging cold air ventilated from the ventilation fan  12  to the freezing chamber  4 , a cold air supply path  15  which is formed at the upper side of the partition  8  for flowing cold air ventilated from the ventilation fan  12  to the chilling chamber  6 , and a cold air discharging duct  17  in which a cold air discharging port  16  which is connected to the cold air supply path  15  and is mounted at the upper portion of the chilling chamber  6 , for discharging cold air into the chilling chamber  6 , is formed. 
     At the lower side of the partition  8 , a cold air inflow portion  18  for flowing the cold air completed to be cooled circulating in the chilling chamber  6  to the refrigerating cycle is formed. 
     The concentration cooling apparatus includes a cold air guiding path  19  which is extended in the cold air supply path  15  formed in the partition  8  and is formed one or more of it is formed in the side wall, for guiding cold air to the side wall of the chilling chamber  6 , and a cold air injecting apparatus  30  which is connected with the cold air guiding path  19 , positioned at the side wall of the chilling chamber  6  respectively, for injecting cold air to the region where the high temperature load was generated. 
     On the other hand, a damper  20  for opening and closing cold air flowed to the chilling chamber  6  or selectively disclosing the cold air supplying duct  17  and cold air guiding path  19  is formed. 
     The damper  20  is formed in a circular type that is rotably mounted by a hinge shaft  22  on the upper side surface of the cold air supply path  15 . The hinge shaft  22  is connected to a driving device (not shown) and the damper  20  rotates when the hinge shaft  22  is operated. 
     That is, as shown in FIG. 4, when the damper  20  is positioned in the first position L by the operation of the driving device, cold air supply from the freezing chamber  6  becomes blocked, if the damper is positioned in the second position M, the cold air is supplied to the cold air guiding path  19  and cold air discharging duct  17 . When the damper is positioned in the third position N, cold air is supplied to the cold air guiding path  19  and supply of cold air to the cold air discharging duct  17  becomes blocked. 
     The cold air injecting apparatus  30  will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to  9 . 
     FIG. 5 is a partially perspective view showing a disjointed cold air injecting apparatus in accordance with the present invention, FIG. 6 is a partially cut perspective view showing a nozzle of the cold air injecting apparatus in accordance with the present invention, FIG. 7 is a front view showing the cold air injecting apparatus in accordance with the present invention, FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line VIII—VIII of FIG.  7  and FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a concentration cooling apparatus for the refrigerator in accordance with the present invention. 
     The cold air injecting apparatus  30  includes a housing  32  which is respectively mounted in the cold air guiding path  19  at a regular interval, a nozzle  39  which is rotably supported in the housing  32 , for injecting cold air to a region where a high temperature load is occurred, a temperature sensor  45  which is mounted at the front of the nozzle  39 , for sensing the region where the high temperature load was generated inside the chilling chamber  6 , rotating together with the nozzle  39 , a first driving portion  51  which is mounted in the housing  32 , for rotating the nozzle  39  up and down, a second driving portion  61  which is mounted in the housing  32 , for rotating the nozzle  39  in the circumferential direction, and a control unit  81  for controlling the first and second driving portions  51  and  61  by receiving a signal from the temperature sensor  45 . 
     The housing  32  is mounted in each cold air guiding hole  24  which is formed in the cold air guiding path  19 , and a cover  33  is mounted on the opened surface of the front side of the housing  32 . 
     The housing  32  is formed in a cylindrical shape with a side opened and it is contacted on the nozzle  39  in the direction of the cover  33  at the center, and a protrusion portion  34  for guiding cold air flowed to the housing  32  to the nozzle  39  is positioned therein. 
     Here, a plurality of first supporting rollers  35  in which the nozzle  39  is rotably supported are mounted in the circumferential direction of the housing  32 . 
     Also, the protrusion portion  34  is formed in a protruded shape to be connected with the cold air guiding hold  24  of the cold air guiding path  19 , and the surface where the protrusion portion  34  and the nozzle  39  are contacted is formed in a curved shape so that it can be easily rotated being contacted on the nozzle  39 . In the circumferential direction of the protrusion portion  34 , a first heater  73  is attached to prevent the part contacted between the nozzle  39  and protrusion portion  34  from being frost. 
     The cover  33  is formed in a circular shape that the nozzle insertion hole  36  in which the nozzle  39  is inserted at the center portion is formed, a plurality of second supporting rollers  37  for rotably supporting the nozzle  39  is mounted in the circumferential direction of the nozzle insertion hole  36 , and a second heater  71  is attached on the inner surface of the cover  33  in the circumferential direction, thus to prevent frost in the portion contacted with the nozzle  39 . 
     Here, the housing  32  and cover  33  are coupled by a mutual combining bolt  38  and they can be combined by another combing means as well as the mutual combining bolt  38 . 
     The nozzle  39  is inserted in the nozzle insertion hole  36  of the cover  32 , the front side is exposed to the front portion of the cover  32 , and the inner circumferential surface at the rear side is contacted on the protrusion portion  34  of the housing  32 . 
     As shown in FIG. 6, the nozzle  39  is formed in a hemispheric shape, and a cold air injecting port  40  for injecting cold air to the inside of the chilling chamber  6  is formed being penetrated in a position that it is eccentrically positioned at a predetermined interval at the center. A temperature sensor  45  for detecting the internal temperature of the chilling chamber  6  is mounted at the upper side of the nozzle  39 . 
     The nozzle  39  is rotably fixed to the nozzle supporting member  62  which is positioned at a predetermined distance from the outer circumference of the nozzle by the connection rod  52  which is extended to the both sides. 
     Here, the upper side of the connection rod  52  is inserted in the rod receiving portion  69  which is mounted on the inner circumferential surface of the nozzle supporting member  62  and is rotably supported. 
     Also, the nozzle supporting member  62  includes a circular portion  63  which is opened so that the nozzle  39  is inserted therein, a cylindrical portion  64  in which the rod receiving portion  69  is mounted in the inner circumferential surface, being vertically extended in the circular portion  63  in the cylindrical shape. 
     In addition, the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion  64  of the nozzle supporting member  62  is rotably supported in the first supporting roller which is formed in the housing  32 . 
     Therefore, the nozzle  39  can rotate up and down being connected to the nozzle supporting member  62  by the connection rod  52 , and it can rotate in the to circumferential direction by rotation of the nozzle supporting member  62 . 
     The cold air injecting port  40  is formed being slanted a predetermined angle from the rear center of the nozzle  39  to the front side and the outlet of the cold air is eccentrically positioned at a side. 
     The temperature sensor  45  is mounted being slanted a predetermined is angle in the sensor receiving groove  42  which is eccentrically formed in the nozzle  39 , and it is desirable that the sensor is composed of infrared sensors for detecting temperature by receiving infrared ray from the heat source at the front of the cold air injection port  40 . 
     Here, it is desirable that the temperature sensor  45  is formed being slanted in the same direction as the cold air injection port  40  to have the region direction that is detected by the temperature sensor  45  and the direction of the cold air which is discharged from the cold air injection port  40  same. 
     The first driving portion  51  includes a plurality of gears for transmitting a driving force in gear with the connection rod  52 , and a first driving motor  56  for generating a driving force being connected to the gears. 
     The gears include a first gear  53  which is fixed to the connection rod  52 , a second gear  55  which is fixed in the driving shaft of the first driving motor  56 , a third gear  54  for decelerating the driving force of the first driving motor  56  being in gear between the first and second gears  53  and  55 . 
     It is desirable that the first driving motor  56  includes a stepping motor which is rotated a predetermined step angle. 
     The first driving portion  51  with the above composition rotates the connection rod  52  as the driving force is transmitted to the connection rod  52  by the gears when the driving force is generated in the first driving motor  56 , and the nozzle  39  which is combined with the connection rod  52  by rotation of the connection rod  52  rotates up and down. 
     The second driving portion  61  includes a rack gear  68  which is fixed on the inner side surface of the cylindrical portion  64  of the nozzle supporting member  62 , a pinion gear  57  which is in gear with the rack gear  68 , and a second driving motor  66  for driving the pinion gear  57 . 
     It is desirable that the second driving motor  66  includes a step motor which is rotated a predetermined step angle. 
     In the second driving portion  61  with the above composition, the nozzle supporting member  62  rotates by the pinion gear  57  and the rack gear  68  when the second driving motor  66  generates a driving force. 
     Therefore, the nozzle  39  which is connected to the nozzle supporting member  62  and the connection rod  52  rotates in the circumferential direction. 
     On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9, the control unit  81  determines whether a high temperature load is occurred according to the signal applied from the temperature sensor  45 , controls driving of the first and second driving portions  51  and  61 , and at the same time, controls a damper driving part  23  which controls a position of the damper  20 . 
     The operation of the refrigerator having the concentration cooling apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention with the above composition will be described as follows. 
     Firstly, when the refrigerating cycle and ventilation fan  12  are driven, the cold air cooled passing the refrigerating cycle is discharged to the freezing chamber  4  through the cold air discharging port  13  which is formed in the panel  14 , performs a cooling operation circulating the chilling chamber  4 , and is supplied to the chilling chamber  6  through the cold air supply path  15  which is formed in the partition  8 . 
     The cold air supplied to the cold air supply path  15  is supplied to the cold air discharging duct  17  and the cold air guiding path  19 , and is discharged into the chilling chamber  6  through the cold air discharging port  16  formed in the cold air discharging duct  17 , thus to perform a cooling operation. At this time, the damper  20  which is installed in the cold air supply path  19  is operated in the third position N and accordingly, discharging of cold air from the freezing chamber  4  is performed. 
     On the other hand, when the first driving motor  56  is driven by the control unit  81  of the cold air injecting apparatus  30 , the driving force of the first driving motor  56  is transmitted to the connection rod  52  and the nozzle  39  rotates up and down, and when the second driving motor  66  is driven, the nozzle supporting member  62  which is in gear with the driving shaft  65  of the second driving motor  66  rotates by the driving force of the second driving motor  66 , thus to rotate the nozzle  39 . 
     At this time, the temperature sensor  45  which is mounted at the front side of the nozzle  39  senses the temperature of the chilling chamber  6  by scanning the internal temperature of the chilling chamber  6  and applies the temperature to the control unit  81 . 
     In case a high temperature load is generated inside the chilling chamber  6  in the above operation, the damper  20  is operated in the second position M and the cold air is supplied just to the cold air guiding path  19 , and the cold air injecting apparatus  30  is operated. The nozzle  39  is rotated by the first and second driving portion  51  and  61 , the cold air injecting port  40  is directed to the region where the high temperature load is generated, and cold air is concentratedly injected. 
     That is, the control unit  81  of the cold air injecting apparatus  30  controls the first and second driving motor  56  and  66  so that the cold air injecting port  40  of the nozzle  39  is directed to a predetermined region. Accordingly, the internal temperature of the chilling chamber  6  can rapidly become uniform by performing concentration cooling in the region where the high temperature load is generated. 
     The concentration cooling apparatus of the refrigerator in accordance with the present invention with the above composition and operation will be described as follows. 
     The concentration cooling apparatus in accordance with the present invention concentratedly discharges cold air to the region where the high temperature load is occurred inside the chilling chamber by installing a nozzle having a plurality of cold air injection port on the side wall of the chilling chamber, thus to rapidly maintain internal temperature of the chilling chamber by performing a rapid cooling operation. 
     Also, the concentration cooling apparatus in accordance with the present invention, including the first driving portion for rotating in the nozzle up and down ,and the second driving portion for rotating the nozzle in the circumferential direction, widens the sensing range of the temperature sensor by rotating the nozzle, and can actively cope with the high temperature load generated inside the chilling chamber by widening the cold air discharging range of the cold air injecting port. 
     As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.