Patent Publication Number: US-2011056222-A1

Title: Refrigerator

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2009-0084326, filed on Sep. 8, 2009 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     Embodiments relate to a refrigerator capable of improving sanitation and space efficiency by structuring a water supply device integrally with a rear surface of a door of a storage chamber. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Generally, a refrigerator refers to an apparatus to store food at a low temperature and, more specifically, to store food in a freezing state or a refrigerating state according to the type of food to be stored. 
     Recently, refrigerators have been equipped with a dispenser, that is, a device to allow a user to take out water or ice stored in the refrigerator, from the outside without having to open a door of the refrigerator, thereby improving user convenience. Also, an ice making unit may be further provided, which is supplied with water from the outside and makes ice to be taken out through the dispenser. 
     The dispenser and the ice making unit require supply of water from the outside in order to operate. To this end, the refrigerator is connected with a water supply source. Water in the water supply source is supplied to the refrigerator, being diverged through a valve. Part of the water is diverged at the valve and supplied to the ice making unit and another part of the water is supplied to a water tank. The water tank is connected through a supply pipe to the dispenser mounted on a front of the door of the refrigerator. 
     However, in general, the ice making unit is generally mounted in a freezing chamber, the water tank is mounted in a refrigerating chamber, and the dispenser is mounted to a door of the freezing chamber. Therefore, installation of the supply pipe that supplies water to those parts becomes complicated. Accordingly, the total length of the supply pipe should be increased, which complicates the manufacturing process and deteriorates sanitation. 
     SUMMARY 
     Therefore, it is an aspect to provide a refrigerator having a water supply device, integrally formed with a rear surface of a refrigerating chamber door, accordingly simplifying the structure and reducing manufacturing costs. 
     It is another aspect to provide a refrigerator having improved sanitation by enabling separation of the water supply device from the refrigerating chamber door such that a filter assembly, a water tank assembly and a supply pipe may be cleaned or replaced. 
     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. 
     The foregoing and/or other aspects are achieved by providing a refrigerator including a storage chamber door to open and close a storage chamber, a dispenser mounted to the storage chamber door, and a water supply device separably connected to a rear surface of the storage chamber door adjacent to the dispenser, to supply water to the dispenser. 
     The water supply device may further include a case having a receiving part to receive a water tank assembly, and the case may be separably connected to the rear surface of the door. 
     The case may further include a hook part formed on both sides of the receiving part and separably engaged with the rear surface of the door. 
     The door may include a supporting projection formed on the rear surface thereof to support a door guard, and the hook parts may be separably engaged with the supporting projections. 
     The case may further include a cover member allowing the components mounted in the receiving part to be unseen from the outside. The case may include a first case having a first path a second case having a second path that forms an inner passage for water through connection with the first path. The case may include an LED lamp displaying the state of water stored in the water tank assembly. 
     The water tank assembly may include a connector connected to an external water supply source, and a water tank separably connected with the connector. The water tank may include a tank body storing water, and a tank cover separably connected to an upper part of the tank body. 
     The tank body may be made of a transparent material. 
     The water supply device may further include a filter assembly received in the receiving part of the case to clean the water supplied from the external water supply source and supply the cleaned water to the water tank assembly. 
     The filter assembly may include a connector connected to an external water supply source, and a water cleaning filter separably connected with the connector. 
     The refrigerator may further include an ice making device mounted in the storage chamber to produce ice, wherein the water supply device may further include a control valve supplying the water passed through the filter assembly selectively to the ice making device or to the water tank assembly. 
     The water supply device may further include a shielding member connected to the case to surround the control valve, so as to shield noise. 
     The water supply device may further include a supply pipe connect the water supply device from the rear surface of the storage chamber door to the dispenser or to the external water supply source. 
     A receiving part may be formed at the storage chamber door to secure a space in a foamed material so that the supply pipe is connected to the external water supply source or the dispenser in the space. 
     The refrigerator may further include a hinge unit pivotably supporting the storage chamber door, wherein the receiving part may be disposed adjacent to the hinge unit. 
     The receiving part may have a pipe form having a greater diameter than the supply pipe. 
     The foregoing and/or other aspects may also be achieved by providing a refrigerator including refrigerator having a main body; a refrigerating chamber disposed at an upper part of the main body; a freezing chamber disposed at a lower part of the main body, further includes a refrigerating chamber door opening and closing the refrigerating chamber, a water tank assembly separably connected to a rear surface of the refrigerating chamber door to store water, and a dispenser formed on a front of the refrigerating chamber door to allow a user to take out the water stored in the water tank assembly. 
     The water tank assembly may include a connector connected to an external water supply source, and a water tank separably connected with the connector. 
     The refrigerator may further include a case to receive the water tank assembly, and the case may be separably connected with the rear surface of the refrigerating chamber door. 
     The refrigerator may further include a filter assembly received in the case to clean the water supplied from the external water supply source, a supply pipe disposed in a foamed material filling an inside of the refrigerating chamber door to connect the filter assembly to the water supply source, and a receiving part formed in the refrigerating chamber door to receive the supply pipe so that the supply pipe is movable in the foamed material. 
     The refrigerator may further include a supply pipe disposed in a foamed material filling an inside of the refrigerating chamber door to connect the water tank assembly to the dispenser, and a receiving part formed at the dispenser to receive the supply pipe so that the supply pipe is movable in the foamed material. 
     In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, a refrigerator includes a main body, a refrigerating chamber disposed at an upper part of the main body, a refrigerating chamber door connected to the main body to open and close the refrigerating chamber, an ice making device mounted in the refrigerating chamber to produce ice, a dispenser mounted on a front of the refrigerating chamber door, and a water supply device removably connected to a rear surface of the refrigerating chamber door to supply water from an external water supply source selectively to the ice making device or the dispenser. 
     The water supply device may include a filter assembly supplied with water from the external water supply source to clean the water, a water tank assembly storing the water cleaned by the filter assembly, a control valve controlling supply of water to the ice making device or to the water tank assembly, and a case receiving the filter assembly, the water tank assembly and the control valve, being separably connected to the rear surface of the refrigerating chamber door. 
     The refrigerator may further include a first supply pipe connecting the filter assembly to the water supply source, a second supply pipe connecting the filter assembly to the control valve, a third supply pipe connecting the control valve to the water tank assembly, a fourth supply pipe connecting the control valve to the ice making device that produces ice, and a fifth supply pipe connecting the water tank assembly to the dispenser through which water is taken out. 
     The case may include a first case having a first path, and a second path having a second path that forms an inner passage for water through connection with the first path. 
     The fifth supply pipe may be movable within the refrigerating chamber door. 
     As described above, in the refrigerator according to the embodiments the water supply device, which conventionally has a complicated structure, may be simplified in structure, accordingly reducing the manufacturing costs. In addition, the filter assembly, the water tank assembly and the supply pipe may be cleaned or replaced by separating the water supply device from the refrigerating chamber door. Accordingly, the water supply device may be maintained in a sanitary state. 
    
    
     
       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 a front perspective view showing the exterior appearance of a refrigerator according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view showing an inner structure of the refrigerator shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a water supply device of the refrigerator shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the water supply device, as seen from the front of a refrigerating chamber door; 
         FIG. 5A  to  FIG. 5C  are views illustrating the processes of assembling or disassembling a connector and a water cleaning filter according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view of a water tank according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an LED lamp according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing the connection relationships of the water supply device with a water supply source and a dispenser, according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a water supply device of a refrigerator according to another embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below by referring to the figures. 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view showing the exterior appearance of a refrigerator according to one embodiment, and  FIG. 2  is a sectional view showing an inner structure of the refrigerator shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , a main body  10  of the refrigerator includes a refrigerating chamber  20  and a freezing chamber  30  as storage spaces. The refrigerating chamber  20  and the freezing chamber  30  are separated upward and downward by a partition  40  within the main body  10 . In this embodiment, the refrigerating chamber  20  is disposed at an upper part of the main body  10  and the freezing chamber  30  is disposed at a lower part thereof. However, embodiments are not limited to such a structure and may be structured in a reverse manner or applied to a side-by-side refrigerator. 
     The refrigerating chamber  20  and the freezing chamber  30  are opened toward the front of the main body  10 . The opened front sides of the chambers  20  and  30  are opened and closed by doors  50  and  60 , respectively. Especially, the refrigerating chamber  20  is opened and closed by a pair of the refrigerating chamber doors  50 . The refrigerating chamber doors  50  are pivotably supported by hinge units  70  mounted at upper and lower both sides of the front of the main body  10 . 
     A door handle  80  is formed at a leading end of a front side of each refrigerating chamber door  50 . A user grips the handle  80  and applies a force to open and close the refrigerating chamber door  50 . The freezing chamber door  60  also has a door handle  90  at an upper front part thereof. The freezing chamber door  60  may be withdrawn like a drawer from the freezing chamber  30 . 
     Additionally, an ice making chamber  100  to produce ice is mounted at an upper inside of the refrigerating chamber  20 . The ice making chamber  100  is at a relatively low temperature as compared to the refrigerating chamber  20 , and therefore is isolated by a dedicated adiabatic partition  100   a.    
     An ice making device  110  which actually produces ice is provided in the ice making chamber  100 . The ice making device  110  receives supplied water in an ice making tray  111  and freezes the water using the low inner temperature of the ice making chamber  100 . An ice storage unit  112  is disposed at a lower part of the ice making device  110  to store the ice produced by the ice making device  110 . The ice produced at the ice making device  110  may be transferred to the ice storage unit  112  by various methods. 
     The produced ice is temporarily stored in the ice storage unit  112  and transferred by an ice transfer unit  113 . The ice storage unit  112  is fluidly communicated with an ice discharge duct  114  formed through the refrigerating chamber door  50  and the adiabatic partition  100   a . The ice discharge duct  114  is selectively opened and closed, thereby transferring the ice to a dispenser  200  installed at the refrigerating chamber door  50 . More specifically, the ice discharge duct  114  is formed at the refrigerating chamber door  50  to fluidly communicate with the dispenser  200  in an outward direction. Also, the ice discharge duct  114  is fluidly communicated with the ice storage unit  112  through the adiabatic partition  100   a  of the ice making chamber  100 , in an inward direction. 
     The dispenser  200  enables the user to take out water or ice without opening the refrigerating chamber door  50 . That is, the dispenser  200  has the structure to take out water and ice. For example, the dispenser  200  may include an operation button, or an operation lever exposed to the front of the refrigerating chamber door  50  to be input with signals regarding opening and closing of a discharge port that discharges the water or ice therethrough. 
     Water supply from the outside is required for the operations of the dispenser  200  and the ice making device  110 . To this end, a water supply device  300  is formed integrally with a rear surface  50   a  of the refrigerating chamber door  50  and connected to an external water supply source such as a water tap. 
     Hereinafter, the water supply device of the refrigerator according to the embodiment will be described with reference to  FIGS. 3 to 5 . 
     Although the water supply device of this embodiment is disposed at the rear surface of the refrigerating chamber door, the water supply device may be formed at a rear surface of a freezing chamber door by properly modifying the structure so that water in the water supply device does not freeze by using an adiabatic member. 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a water supply device of the refrigerator shown in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the water supply device, as seen from the front of a refrigerating chamber door. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the water supply device  300  includes a case  400 , a filter assembly  500 , a water tank assembly  600 , a control valve  700 , and a supply pipe  800 . 
     The case  400  is mounted along a guide rail  51  formed on the rear surface  50   a  of the refrigerating chamber door  50 . Thus, since the case  400  is mounted adjacent to the dispenser  200  and the ice making device  110 , the total length of the supply pipe  800  including by first to fifth supply pipes P 1 , P 2 , P 3 , P 4  and P 5  may be reduced. 
     The case  400  includes a receiving part  410  that receives the filter assembly  500 , the water tank assembly  600  and the control valve  700 , and a hook part  420  formed on a lateral side of the receiving part  410  to be separably connected to the rear surface  50   a  of the refrigerating chamber door  50 . The water supply device  300  also includes frames  300   a , which connect the water tank assembly  600  and the filter assembly  500  to the case  400 . 
     The receiving part  410  may be depressed by a predetermined depth inwardly so as to receive the filter assembly  500 , the water tank assembly  600  and the control valve  700 . The receiving part  410  may include an upper receiving part  411  receiving the filter assembly  500  and the water tank assembly  600 , and a lower receiving part  412  receiving the control valve  700 . 
     The upper receiving part  411  may be larger than the lower receiving part  412  in order to receive the filter assembly  500  and the water tank assembly  600 . A shielding cover  412   a  may be connected to the lower receiving part  412  to shield noise generated by the operation of the control valve  700 . 
     The hook part  420  may be formed on both sides of the upper receiving part  411 . The guide rail  51  is mounted at the rear surface  50   a  of the refrigerating chamber door  50 , and supporting projections  51   a  are formed on both inner sides of the guide rail  51  to support a door guard (not shown). The hook parts  420  are structured so that the case  400  is inserted between both sides of the guide rail  51  while being supported by the supporting projections  51   a  formed at both sides to support the door guard (not shown). Thus, the water supply device  300  is connected to the rear surface  50   a  through the supporting projections  51   a  adapted to support the door guard (not shown), thereby achieving an economical structure. 
     The filter assembly  500  is disposed in the upper receiving part  411  of the case  400 . The filter assembly  500  cleans water supplied from the external water supply source through the first supply pipe P 1 , so that the water becomes drinkable for the user. The filter assembly  500  includes a connector  510  and a water cleaning filter  520 . 
       FIG. 5A  to  FIG. 5C  are views illustrating the processes of assembling or disassembling the connector and the water cleaning filter according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIG. 5A  to  FIG. 5C , the connector  510  includes an inlet  511  connected to the first supply pipe P 1  to guide water into the water cleaning filter  520 , and an outlet  512  connected to the second supply pipe P 2  to guide the water outward to the control valve  700 . The connector  510  further includes a first port  513  through which the water flowing in through the inlet  511  is moved to the water cleaning filter  520 , and a second port  514  through which the water is moved from the water cleaning filter  520  to the outlet  512 . 
     The first port  513  and the second port  514  are hollow. Therefore, a sealing member  515  may be provided in a part of an inner wall of each of the first and the second ports  513  and  514 , thereby preventing leakage of water. In addition, the first and the second ports  513  and  514  include a first hook  513   a  and a second hook  514   a , respectively, which are made of an elastic material and separably connected to the air cleaning filters  520 . 
     The water cleaning filter  520  includes a filter housing  521 , a first guide  522  protruded from the filter housing  521  to be connected to the first port  513 , a second guide  523  protruded from the filter housing  521  to be connected to the second port  514 , a connection guide  524  connected to the first and the second guides  522  and  523 , and a filter element (not shown) disposed at the filter housing  521  and made of a non-woven fabric or a reverse osmosis membrane. 
     The first guide  522  and the second guide  523  are protruded in a pipe form and inserted in the first port  513  and the second port  514 , respectively. The first and the second guides  522  and  523  include a first locking projection  522   a  and a second locking projection  523   a , respectively. The first locking projection  522   a  is engaged with the first hook  513   a  of the first port  513  and the second locking projection  523   a  is engaged with the second hook  514   a  of the second port  514 . 
     More specifically, the first and the second locking projections  522   a  and  523   a  are protruded outward from parts of the first and the second guides  522  and  523 , and separably engaged with the first and the second hooks  513   a  and  514   a.    
     The connection guide  524  may have a push stick form which is hollow through the center and be mounted to the first and the second guides  522  and  523 . That is, the connection guide  524  is a hard bar having a donut-like sectional shape. When the connection guide  524  is pushed toward the connector  510 , the first and the second hooks  513   a  and  514   a  made of an elastic material are pushed and therefore released from the first and the second locking projections  522   a  and  523   a . According to this, the air cleaning filter  520  may be conveniently connected with and released from the connector  510  even in a narrow space, as shown in  FIG. 5A  to  FIG. 5C . 
     The control valve  700  is formed in the lower receiving part  410  of the case  400 . The water passed through the filter assembly  500  is cleaned and supplied to the control valve  700  through the second supply pipe P 2 . The water supplied from the second supply pipe P 2  is divergently supplied to the third and the fourth supply pipes P 3  and P 4  by the control valve  700 . 
     The control valve  700  may include a pair of solenoid valves (not shown) formed therein so that the water supplied through the second supply pipe P 2  is selectively supplied to the third and the fourth supply pipes P 3  and P 4  or interrupted. The water supplied to the third supply pipe P 3  is supplied to the water tank assembly  600  and then to the dispenser  200 , whereas the water supplied to the fourth supply pipe P 4  is supplied to the ice making device  110  to become ice. 
     As described above, the control valve  700  may shield noise using the shielding cover  412   a  covering the lower receiving part  410 . 
     The water tank assembly  600  is formed in the upper receiving part  410  of the case  400 . The water tank assembly  600  may be disposed at a lower part of the filter assembly  500 . The water tank assembly  600  receives the water flowing into the control valve  700  through the third supply pipe P 3  and stores the water at lower than a predetermined temperature. That is, the water tank assembly  600  preserves a predetermined amount of water in a refrigerated state and supplies the water to the dispenser  200  so that the user is supplied with cool water. That is, a predetermined amount of the water cleaned through the filter assembly  500  may always be supplied to and stored in the water tank assembly  600 . 
     The water tank assembly  600  may include a connector  610  and a water tank  620  separably connected to the connector  610 . Although not shown, the connector  610  includes an inlet connected to the third supply pipe P 3  to guide water into the water tank  620 , and an outlet connected to the fifth supply pipe P 5  to guide the water out to the dispenser  200 . 
     Although not shown, the case  400  may further include a cover member allowing the components mounted in the receiving part  410  to be hidden from view from the outside. Therefore, the water supply device  300  is not exposed to the outside by the cover member, thereby improving the aesthetics of the refrigerating chamber door  50 . 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the water tank  620  according to the above embodiment. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the water tank  620  may include a tank body  621 , and a tank cover  622  connected to an upper part of the tank body  621 . The tank body  621  has small locking parts  621   a  protruded on an outer circumference thereof. The tank cover  622  has a cover part  622   a  covering the tank body  621 , connection parts  622   b  for connection with the tank body  621 , and a locking projection  622   c  protruded from an inner surface of each of the connection parts  622   b  and elastically engaged with and released from the locking parts  621   a  of the tank body  621 . 
     According to the above-structured water tank  620 , the tank body  621  is connected to the tank cover  622  as follows. The locking projections  622   c  protruded from the inner surfaces of the connection parts  622   b  disposed opposite to each other are pressed toward the tank body  621 , and therefore elastically engaged with the locking parts  621   a . Accordingly, the tank cover  622  is connected to the tank body  621 . When a force is applied to the connection parts  622   b  in a direction opposite to the tank body  621 , the locking parts  621   a  and the locking projections  622   c  are released from each other. Thus, the water tank  620  may be conveniently separated and cleaned, thereby maintaining sanitation of the water tank  620 . 
     The water tank  620  is made of a transparent material so that the user easily checks the state of water in the water tank  620 . 
     In addition, the case  400  disposed adjacent to the water tank  620  may include an LED lamp  900  displaying the water state to inform the user of the cleaning period.  FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the LED lamp  900 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the LED lamp  900  emits red light when the water has remained in the water tank  620  for 7 days or longer, or emits blue light when the water has remained in the water tank  620  for less than 7 days. 
     If the user does not clean the water tank  620  although the red light is on, the LED lamp  900  flashes the red light to warn the user of the state of the water tank  620 . In addition, if the user does not press a reset button even after cleaning the water tank  620 , the LED lamp  900  also flashes. 
     When the user cleans the water tank  620  in the state where the red light is on and presses the reset button, the LED lamp  900  emits blue light. Thus, the user is able to easily recognize the cleaning period through the state of the LED lamp  900  and the sanitary state in the water tank  620 . 
     Next, the processes of supplying the water supplied from the water supply source through a plurality of the supply pipes to the dispenser and the ice making device will be described in detail. 
     The first supply pipe P 1  is provided to guide the water from the water supply source to the water supply device  300 . The first supply pipe P 1  is connected to the filter assembly  500  mounted at the rear surface  50   a  of the refrigerating chamber door  50 , by passing through an upper surface  50   b  of the refrigerating chamber door  50 . 
     The water guided into the filter assembly  500  is moved through the second supply pipe P 2  disposed at a lower part of the first supply pipe P 1 . The second supply pipe P 2  is connected to the control valve  700  at the opposite side to where the filter assembly  500  is connected. 
     The water flows into the control valve  700  and is moved divergently to the third and the fourth supply pipes P 3  and P 4 . In other words, part of the water moved along the second supply pipe P 2  flows to the third supply pipe P 3  and the other part flows to the fourth supply pipe P 4 . 
     The third supply pipe P 3  is connected to the ice making device  110 . The ice making device  110  produces ice from the water cleaned by the filter assembly  500  to be used by the user. The ice is supplied to the user through the dispenser  200 . 
     The fourth supply pipe P 4  is connected to the water tank assembly  600 . The water tank assembly  600  preserves a predetermined amount of water in a refrigerated state while supplying the cool water to the dispenser  200  for the user. The fifth supply pipe P 5  is mounted at a part of the water tank assembly  600  discharging the water from the water tank assembly  600 . 
     The fifth supply pipe P 5  is connected to the dispenser  200  at the rear surface of the refrigerating chamber door. The water discharged from the water tank assembly  600  is transferred to the dispenser  200  through the fifth supply pipe P 5  and supplied to the user through the dispenser  200 . 
     Hereinafter, the connection between the first supply pipe P 1  and the water supply source will be explained with reference to  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing the connection of the water supply device with the water supply source and the dispenser, according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the hinge units  70  are mounted to the upper surface  50   b  of the refrigerating chamber door  50  to enable opening and closing of the refrigerating chamber door  50 . An insertion hole  50   c  is formed by penetrating a part of the upper surface  50   b  of the refrigerating chamber door  50 , in order for connection of the hinge units  70 . 
     A foam  50   d  fills an inner side  500   a  of the refrigerating chamber door  50 . A first receiving hole H 1  is formed in the refrigerating chamber door  50  disposed adjacent to the insertion hole  50   c  so that the first supply pipe P 1  may move within the refrigerating chamber door  50 . That is, the first receiving hole H 1  forms a path allowing the first supply pipe P 1  to be movable from the rear surface  50   a  to the upper surface  50   b  of the refrigerating chamber door  50 . 
     The first receiving hole H 1  may have a pipe form having a greater diameter than the first supply pipe P 1 . Thus, since the first supply pipe P 1  of the water supply device  300  connected to the water supply source is not fixed by the foam  50   d  of the refrigerating chamber door  50 , replacement of the first supply pipe P 1  may be performed with ease. 
     Next, the connection between the fifth supply pipe P 5  and the dispenser  200  will be described. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the water tank assembly  600  has the fifth supply pipe P 5  at the part discharging the water. The fifth supply pipe P 5  is connected to the dispenser  200  to supply the water for the user. 
     More specifically, the dispenser  200  includes a dispenser base  200   a  depressed by a predetermined depth inwardly from the front of the refrigerating chamber door  50 . In the dispenser base  200   a , a second receiving part H 2  is formed in the foamed material  50   d  for connection of the fifth supply pipe P 5 . 
     Therefore, when the fifth supply pipe P 5  having a pipe form formed at the dispenser base  200   a  is inserted in the second receiving hole H 2 , water may be supplied from the fifth supply pipe P 5  to the dispenser  200 . 
     Because the second receiving hole H 2  is formed in the foam  50   d  filling the refrigerating chamber door  50  at a predetermined interval from the fifth supply pipe P 5 , the fifth supply pipe P 5  may freely move, not fixed by the foam  50   d . Therefore, cleaning or replacement of the fifth supply pipe P 5  may be conveniently performed, consequently improving the sanitation of the fifth supply pipe P 5 . 
     Another embodiment will now be described with reference to  FIG. 9 . The same elements as in the previous embodiment will be cited by the same reference numerals and will not be explained again.  FIG. 9  shows a water supply device according to another embodiment. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , the water supply device  300 ′ includes a case  400 ′, the filter assembly  500 , the water tank assembly  600 , the control valve  700 , and supply pipes P 1 ′, P 2 ′, P 3 ′, P 4 ′ and P 5 ′. 
     The case  300 ′ includes a first case  430 ′ including a first path  430 ′ a , and a second case  440  including a second path  440 ′ a  connected to the first path  430 ′ a , thereby forming an inner passage for water. 
     The water from the water supply source may be supplied to the filter assembly  500  through the first supply pipe P 1 ′. The second supply pipe P 2 ′ is connected to the inner passage formed through connection between the first and the second cases  430 ′ and  440 ′, so that the water may be supplied from the filter assembly  500  to the control valve  700 . In addition, the third and the fourth supply pipes P 3 ′ and P 4 ′ are connected to the inner passage, so that the water may be supplied from the control valve  700  to the water tank assembly  600  and the ice making device  110 . Furthermore, the fifth supply pipe P 5 ′ is connected to the inner passage, so that the water may be supplied from the water tank assembly  600  to the dispenser (not shown). 
     According to this, since the first and the second cases  430  and  440  are connected to form the inner passage allowing passage of the water, the total length of the supply pipes P 1 ′ to P 5 ′ is reduced. Also, unwanted bending of the supply pipes P 1 ′ to P 5 ′ caused due to an insufficient installation space may be prevented. 
     Furthermore, since the size of the inner passage formed by connection between the first and the second paths  430 ′ a  and  440 ′ a  is variable, a speed of the water flow from the point of passing through the filter assembly  500  to the point of reaching the water tank assembly  600  may be controlled. 
     As described above, the refrigerator according to the embodiment has a water supply device integrally formed with a rear surface of a refrigerating chamber door, accordingly improving the sanitation, space efficiency and material utilization efficiency. 
     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.