Patent Publication Number: US-2011072843-A1

Title: Refrigerator

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2009-0093133, filed on Sep. 30, 2009 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     Embodiments relate to an inner case of a refrigerator defining a storage compartment therein. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Generally, refrigerators are devised to keep food fresh at a low temperature by supplying low-temperature cold air into a storage compartment in which the food is stored. A refrigerator includes a refrigerating compartment to keep food at a temperature slightly above freezing, and a freezing compartment to keep food at a freezing temperature or less. 
     Refrigerators may be classified into single cooler type refrigerators, and dual cooler type refrigerators. In a single cooler type refrigerator, a single cooler is mounted in a freezing compartment, so that temperatures of the freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment are controlled as cold air in the freezing compartment is introduced into the refrigerating compartment. In a dual cooler type refrigerator, coolers are mounted individually in a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment, so that temperatures of the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment are controlled independently. 
     According to whether a refrigerator is the single cooler type or dual cooler type, a refrigerator body may be configured such that a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment thereof are defined by respective inner cases, and these inner cases have been conventionally fabricated using separate molds. 
     SUMMARY 
     Therefore, it is an aspect to provide a refrigerator having an inner case having a common configuration regardless of whether the refrigerator is of single cooler type or dual cooler type. 
     Additional aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. 
     In accordance with one aspect, a refrigerator includes a first inner case to define a freezing compartment, and a second inner case to define a refrigerating compartment, wherein the first inner case and the second inner case are formed via injection molding and are provided respectively with rupture portions, the rupture portions being cut away to communicate the first and second inner cases with each other. 
     The first inner case may include a seating portion indented from a rear surface thereof, so that a first cooler to cool the freezing compartment is installed in the seating portion. 
     The second inner case may include a guide arranged in a lower region thereof, so that a second cooler to cool the refrigerating compartment is installed to the guide. 
     The guide may be integrally formed with the second inner case. 
     The rupture portions of the first inner case may be located at upper and lower locations of a sidewall of the seating portion. 
     The rupture portions of the second inner case may be located at a sidewall of the second inner case at positions corresponding to the rupture portions of the first inner case. 
     The guide may include a pair of ribs protruding from opposite sides of a rear surface of the second inner case. 
     The first and second inner cases may communicate with each other as the rupture portions are cut away, and the first inner case may be provided with a first cooler to adjust temperatures of the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment. 
     The refrigerator may further include first and second coolers provided respectively in the first and second inner cases to adjust temperatures of the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment, wherein the rupture portions are kept without cutting away. 
     In accordance with another aspect, a refrigerator includes first and second inner cases to define separate storage compartments, an outer case coupled to the first and second inner cases to enclose the first and second inner cases and defining an outer appearance of the refrigerator, and a door to open or close the storage compartments, wherein the first and second inner cases are provided with rupture portions, the rupture portions being cut away to communicate the first and second inner cases with each other when the storage compartments are cooled using a single cooler, but being kept without cutting away when the separate storage compartments are cooled respectively using separate coolers. 
     The rupture portions may be formed upon injection molding of the first and second inner cases. 
     The rupture portions may be cut away to communicate the first and second inner cases with each other, and the first inner case may be provided with a first cooler to cool the separate storage compartments. 
     The refrigerator may further include a freezing-compartment cold-air duct having a cold air discharge hole through which cold air generated from the first cooler is discharged, the freezing-compartment cold-air duct being configured to cover the first cooler. 
     The rupture portions may be kept without cutting away, and first and second coolers may be provided to cool the separate storage compartments respectively. 
     The refrigerator may further include a freezing-compartment cold-air duct to cover the first cooler provided in the first inner case, and a refrigerating-compartment cold-air duct to cover the second cooler provided in the second inner case. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and/or other aspects will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a refrigerator according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating a first inner case defining a freezing compartment of the refrigerator according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating a second inner case defining a refrigerating compartment of the refrigerator according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view illustrating the interior of a refrigerator using a single cooler according to an embodiment; and 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view illustrating the interior of a refrigerator using two coolers according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to a refrigerator according to the embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a refrigerator according to an embodiment,  FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating a first inner case defining a freezing compartment of the refrigerator according to the embodiment, and  FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating a second inner case defining a refrigerating compartment of the refrigerator according to the embodiment. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the refrigerator according to the embodiment includes an outer case  10 , inner cases  20  and  30 , and a pair of doors  40 . The outer case  10  contains a pair of separate accommodation spaces with an intermediate partition interposed therebetween. The inner cases  20  and  30  are configured to be inserted into the respective accommodation spaces of the outer case  10  and are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. The pair of doors  40  serves to open or close storage compartments  21  and  31  respectively. The storage compartments  21  and  31  may include a freezing compartment  21  and a refrigerating compartment  31 . 
     The outer case  10  defines an outer experience of the refrigerator, and may be formed by bending a metal panel. The outer case  10  may take the form of a box having an open front surface. 
     The inner cases  20  and  30  may include a first inner case  20  and a second inner case  30 , each of which is injection molded using a synthetic resin, such as plastic. The first case  20  defines an inner wall of the freezing compartment  21  and the second case  30  defines an inner wall of the refrigerating compartment  31 . 
     An insulating wall may be provided between the outer case  10  and the inner cases  20  and  30  via injection molding of urethane liquid foam. In addition, an intermediate partition may be formed between the first inner case  20  and the second inner case  30 , which are arranged parallel to each other, via injection molding of urethane liquid foam. 
     The first inner case  20  and the second inner case  30  may be integrally or separately formed via injection molding. 
     Each of the first and second inner cases  20  and  30  may include a box-shaped inner case body  22  having a front opening and a flange  24  protruding outward from a rim of the front opening of the inner case body  22 . 
     The inner case body  22  may define the inner wall of each storage compartment  21  or  31  of the refrigerator, and the flange  24  may come into contact with a front rim of the outer case  10 . 
     The flange  24  may be formed, along a rim of the inner case body  22 , with a hot pipe installation groove  25 . The installation groove  25  is indented rearward from a surface of the flange  24 , so that a hot pipe (not shown) to prevent generation of dew at the flange  24  is fitted into the installation groove  25 . 
     The doors  40  may be rotatably coupled to one side of the outer case  10  to open or close the freezing compartment  21  and the refrigerating compartment  31  defined by the first inner case  20  and the second inner case  30  respectively. 
     Although the first inner case  20  and the second inner case  30  may be separately injection molded according to a method to control temperatures of the storage compartments  21  and  31 , i.e. according to whether the refrigerator uses a single cooler or two coolers to adjust temperatures of the storage compartments  21  and  31 , in the present embodiment, the inner cases  20  and  30  may have a common configuration regardless of the number of coolers used to cool the storage compartments  21  and  31 . 
     Specifically, if the freezing compartment  21  and the refrigerating compartment  31  are cooled by use of a single cooler, the first and second inner cases  20  and  30  may have configurations for circulation of cold air. If the freezing compartment  21  and the refrigerating compartment  31  are cooled by use of two coolers, the first and second inner cases  20  and  30  may have independent spaces. 
     For this, at the stage of injection molding of the first and second inner cases  20  and  30 , the first and second inner cases  20  and  30  may be provided with rupture portions  27  and  37  that are adapted to be cut away so as to communicate the first and second inner cases  20  and  30  with each other. 
     The rupture portions  27  and  37  include first rupture portions  27  formed at the first inner case  20  and second rupture portions  37  formed at the second inner case  30 . 
     The rupture portions  27  and  37  may be defined by tear lines, to assure easy punching during the injection molding of the inner cases  20  and  30 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the first inner case  20  defining the freezing compartment  21  may be formed with a seating portion  23  indented outward from a rear surface thereof, to assure easy installation of a first cooler  71  (see  FIG. 4 ) and a cold air duct  50  (see  FIG. 4 ), the first cooler  71  and the cold air duct  50  being provided to cool the freezing compartment  21 . The first rupture portions  27  may be formed at a sidewall of the seating portion  23  and may be cut away via punching. 
     The first rupture portions  27  are provided at upper and lower locations of the sidewall of the seating portion  23  of the first inner case  20 , and function as cold air circulating holes to circulate interior cold air of the freezing compartment  21  and the refrigerating compartment  31  when they are cut away from the inner case  20 . 
     More specifically, an upper one of the first rupture portions  27  may function as a cold air supply hole to supply interior cold air of the freezing compartment  21  into the refrigerating compartment  31  when it is cut away, and a lower one of the first rupture portions  27  may function as a cold air recovery hole to return the interior cold air of the refrigerating compartment  31  to the first cooler  71  when it is cut away. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the second rupture portions  37  defining the refrigerating compartment  31  may be provided at a sidewall of the second inner case  30  at positions corresponding to the first rupture portions  27  of the first inner case  20 . 
     Specifically, the second rupture portions  37  are provided at positions opposite the upper and lower first rupture portions  27 . Once the second rupture portions  37  are cut away, the first and second inner cases  20  and  30  communicate with each other through the first and second rupture portions  27 . 
     An upper one of the second rupture portions  37  may function as a cold air inlet hole to introduce interior cold air of the freezing compartment  21  into the refrigerating compartment  31  when it is cut away, and a lower one of the second rupture portions  37  may function as a cold air outlet hole to discharge the cold air from the refrigerating compartment  31  into the freezing compartment  21  when it is cut away. 
     The second inner case  20  may be formed at a lower position of a rear surface thereof with guides  33 , to which a second cooler  73  (see  FIG. 5 ) may be selectively mounted. 
     The guides  33  may be formed of ribs protruding from opposite sides of the second inner case  30 . The guides  33  may be integrally formed with the second inner case  30 , or may be separately prefabricated and then, coupled to the second inner case  30 . 
     More specifically, when the freezing compartment  21  and the refrigerating compartment  31  are cooled by use of a single cooler, the first cooler  71  is installed only in the seating portion  23  of the first inner case  30 . On the other hand, when the freezing compartment  21  and the refrigerating compartment  31  are cooled by use of two coolers, the first cooler  71  is installed in the seating portion  23  of the first inner case  30 , and the second cooler  73  is mounted to the guides  23  of the second inner case  30 . 
     With the above described configuration in which the first inner case  20  and the second inner case  30  are formed via injection molding, in the case where the freezing compartment  21  and the refrigerating compartment  31  are cooled by use of a single cooler, the first and second rupture portions  27  and  37  are cut away to communicate the freezing compartment  21  and the refrigerating compartment  31  with each other. On the other hand, in the case where the freezing compartment  21  and the refrigerating compartment  31  are independently cooled by use of two coolers, it may be unnecessary to cut away the first and second rupture portions  27  and  37 , allowing use of the first and second inner cases  20  and  30  having a common configuration. 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view illustrating the interior of a refrigerator using a single cooler according to an embodiment. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , in the case of a refrigerator in which temperatures of the freezing compartment  21  and the refrigerating compartment  31  are adjusted using the single cooler  71 , the first and second rupture portions  27  and  37  of the first and second inner cases  20  and  30  may be cut away to communicate the first and second inner cases  20  and  30  with each other, prior to mounting the first and second inner cases  20  and  30  into the refrigerator. 
     Specifically, the first cooler  71  is located in a lower region of the first inner case  20  defining the freezing compartment  21 , and is covered with the freezing-compartment cold-air duct  50 . 
     The freezing-compartment cold-air duct  50  may be provided, e.g., with the first cooler  71  to generate cold air, a flow path (not shown) along which cold air generated from the first cooler  71  moves, and a blowing fan (not shown) to blow the cold air generated from the first cooler  71  to cold air discharge holes  51 . 
     The cold air generated from the first cooler  71  is delivered through the freezing-compartment cold-air duct  50  to the upper first rupture portion  27  that has been cut away. After the cold air is introduced into a refrigerating-compartment cold-air duct  60  through the upper second rupture portion  37  that has been cut away to correspond to the upper first rupture portion  27 , the cold air may be discharged into the refrigerating compartment  31  through cold air discharge holes  61 . 
     The cold air, which has been used to cool the refrigerating compartment  31 , may be returned to the first cooler  71  through the lower first rupture portion  27  of the first inner case  20  that has been cut away to correspond to the lower second rupture portion  37  of the second inner case  30 . 
     In the present embodiment, instead of mounting the second cooler  73  to the guides  33  of the second inner case  30 , a drawer type storage container  75  may be slidably coupled to the guides  33  so as to be pulled out or pushed into the second inner case  30 . 
     In  FIG. 4 , reference numeral  78  represents shelves of the storage compartments  21  and  31 , to support food thereon. 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view illustrating the interior of a refrigerator using two coolers according to an embodiment. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , in the case of a refrigerator in which temperatures of the freezing compartment  21  and the refrigerating compartment  31  are adjusted using the two coolers  71  and  73 , the first and second inner cases  20  and  30  are mounted into the first and second inner cases  20  and  30  without cutting away the first and second rupture portions  27  and  37 . 
     The first cooler  71  may be located in a lower region of the first inner case  20  defining the freezing compartment  21 , and the second cooler  73  may be supported by the guides  33  in a lower region of the second inner case  30 . 
     The first and second inner cases  20  and  30  may be provided with the freezing-compartment cold-air duct  50  and the refrigerating-compartment cold-air duct  60 , which cover front surfaces of the first and second coolers  71  and  73  respectively. 
     The freezing-compartment cold-air duct  50  and the refrigerating-compartment cold-air duct  60  may be provided respectively with flow paths (not shown) along which cold air moves, and blowing fans (not shown) to blow the cold air to the cold air discharge holes  51  and  61  of the cold air ducts  50  and  60 . 
     With the above described configuration, temperature of the freezing compartment  21  and the refrigerating compartment  31  may be adjusted via operation of the first and second coolers  71  and  73  that are provided respectively in independent spaces. 
     Accordingly, with use of the rupture portions  27  and  37  according to the embodiment, the first and second inner cases  20  and  30  may have a common configuration without a separate configuration change regardless of whether the refrigerator includes a single cooler or two coolers. 
     That is, it may be unnecessary to prepare separate molds to form different inner cases by injection molding according to whether a refrigerator includes a single cooler or two coolers, resulting in remarkable reduction in manufacturing costs. 
     As apparent from the above description, a refrigerator according to the embodiment includes an inner case having a common configuration regardless of whether the refrigerator is of single cooler type or dual cooler type. 
     Although a few embodiments 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 invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.