Patent Description:
In general, a refrigerator is an apparatus that uses a refrigeration cycle composed of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator to maintain a temperature of a storage compartment disposed in the refrigerator at a predetermined temperature, thereby freezing or refrigerating and storing food or the like. The refrigerator generally includes a freezing compartment for freezing and storing the food or drink and a refrigerating compartment for storing the food or the drink at a low temperature.

The refrigerator may be distinguished by positions of the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment. For example, the refrigerator may be divided into a top mount type in which the freezing compartment is located above the refrigerating compartment, a bottom freezer type in which the freezing compartment is located below the refrigerating compartment, and a side by side type in which the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment are divided into left and right sides by a partition.

Recently, a refrigerator, which, in order to meet various needs of consumers, may freely adjust temperatures of the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment depending on food stored in the refrigerator, and may allow the freezing compartment to have the same temperature as the refrigerating compartment, so that the refrigerating compartment of a larger space may be used, has been proposed and used.

Storage days of the food varies depending on a type and processing and packaging conditions, and recently, a refrigerator has been used to properly store items such as cosmetics, wine, or the like.

It is known that the wine is in a state of ripening in a bottle, so that special care and effort should be paid to handling and storage of the wine. When handling and storing the wine, attention should be paid to temperature, sunlight, humidity, vibration, levelness, and the like. The sunlight, humidity, and levelness may be solved relatively simply, but much research and effort have been made to maintain proper temperature and to block vibration.

An environment in which the wine is stored is preferably a place where ventilation is good, a change in the temperature/humidity is small, and there is no vibration. As such an environment, there have been a underground warehouse, a cave, a basement floor, and the like. However, such a natural environment is very difficult to find, so that the refrigerator has been used to artificially create such an environment.

Further, in order to obtain optimum flavor by the refrigerator, it is important to implement a particularly suitable temperature environment, among the above-mentioned various conditions such as the temperature, humidity, ventilation, and the like. A suitable temperature for storing the wine is known to be about <NUM> to <NUM> for red wine and about <NUM> to <NUM> for white wine.

Therefore, in order to store the wine bottles requiring such various temperature conditions in one storage space, the refrigerator is configured such that an internal space thereof may be divided into a plurality of spaces, and the divided plurality of spaces may individually control the temperature.

In addition, a conventional refrigerator has a plurality of shelves for storing a plurality of wine bottles, and the plurality of shelves are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined spacing such that the wine may be stored.

Further, the conventional refrigerator generally stores the wine by specifying the storage space thereof depending on the type of the wine based on a temperature distribution, which is naturally formed based on flow of cold air in the storage space where the wine is stored.

That is, the storage space of the wine is specified using a phenomenon in which an upper portion of the storage space has a relatively high storage temperature and a lower portion of the storage space has a relatively low storage temperature based on the temperature distribution formed by the flow of the cold air of the storage space where the wine is stored.

<CIT> relates to a refrigerator having two or more zones or compartments differing from each other in temperature and relative humidity. Glass sheets are used to insulate a dry cold space from a freezing locker. Forwardly projecting rubber bumper strips are fixed at the inner face of the door and bear against the front edges of the glass sheets when the door is closed to prevent flow of air and heat conduction from one compartment to the other.

<CIT> relates to a refrigerator having a plurality of compartment shelfs and door shelfs, wherein a resilient strip is disposed along the forward edge of one of the compartment shelfs for making a sealing engagement with an edge of an imperforate door shelf when the door is closed.

Further relevant prior art can be found in <CIT> and <CIT>.

The present disclosure is devised to solve the above problems, and one object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that allows air flow in a storage space where food is stored to be controlled, so that temperatures in regions of the storage space may be different.

Further, the present disclosure is devised to solve the above problems, and another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that includes a replaceable or removable blocking plate, which may selectively control flow of air in a storage space, on a door for opening and closing the storage space in which food is stored, so that temperatures in regions of the storage space may be different.

A refrigerator according to the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned purposes includes first storage for defining a first storage space therein, a door for opening and closing the first storage space, and a plurality of shelves installed in the first storage space for placing food thereon, wherein the door includes a flow path blocking portion mounted on the door, wherein the flow path blocking portion shields a gap defined between the door and the shelf as the door closes the first storage space.

Further, according to the present invention, the door includes a door frame having an opening defined therein, and mounted pivotable to the first storage, and a panel assembly inserted into the opening, and disposed to allow the first storage space to be seen through.

Further, it is preferable that the flow path blocking portion is fixed on the door in a selectively detachable manner to correspond to positions of the plurality of shelves.

Further, it is preferable that the flow path blocking portion has a gasket at a longitudinal end thereof to be in close contact with the shelf.

Further, it is preferable that the flow path blocking portion is mounted on the door frame, and shields a gap defined between the panel assembly and the shelf as the door closes the first storage space.

Further, it is preferable that the door frame includes an outer plate forming a front face of the door, and a door liner disposed rearward of the outer plate to form a rear face of the door.

Further, it is preferable that the flow path blocking portion is mounted on the door liner to shield a gap defined between the panel assembly and the shelf.

Further, it is preferable that each of both opposing inner side faces of the door defining the opening is inclined inwardly of the door such that the panel assembly is inserted and installed into the door frame, and wherein the flow path blocking portion is mounted between the inner side faces.

Further, it is preferable that a plurality of pairs of grooves are respectively defined in the inner side faces at positions corresponding to the plurality of shelves, wherein both ends of each flow path blocking portion are inserted and fixed in a single pair of grooves, respectively.

Further, it is preferable that the flow path blocking portion includes a blocking plate formed in a plate shape of a transparent material.

Further, it is preferable that a gasket in contact with a front end of the shelf is further formed at an end of the blocking plate.

Further, it is preferable that the gasket includes a buffer having a hollow defined therein to be in contact with the shelf with a predetermined elastic force.

Further, it is preferable that the panel assembly includes a front panel for shielding the opening and forming a front face of the panel assembly, a heat insulating panel formed to be spaced apart from the front panel by a predetermined distance and forming a rear face of the panel assembly, and a spacer bar disposed between the front panel and the heat insulating panel to define a heat insulation space together with the front panel and the heat insulating panel.

Further, it is preferable that the flow path blocking portion blocks a flow path between an inner face of the heat insulating panel and a front end of the shelf.

Further, it is preferable that second storage having a second storage space defined therein is disposed below the first storage, wherein the second storage space is operated independently of the first storage.

Further, it is preferable that the second storage includes at least one drawer extended from the second storage space to open the second storage space.

Further, it is preferable that the door further includes a manipulator for controlling the first storage and the second storage, and a display for displaying operating states of the first storage and the second storage.

According to the present disclosure, the refrigerator may allow the air flow in the storage space in which the wine is stored to be controlled, so that the temperatures in the regions of the storage space may be different.

Further, according to the present disclosure, the refrigerator may include the blocking plate, which may selectively control the flow of air in the storage space, on the door for opening and closing the storage space in which the wine is stored, so that the temperatures in the regions of the storage space may be different.

Hereinafter, a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail. In describing the present disclosure, the names of the components to be defined are defined in consideration of their functions in the present disclosure. Therefore, it should not be understood to limit the technical components of the present disclosure. In addition, each name defined to each component may be referred to as another name in the art.

First, a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<FIG> is a front view illustrating a refrigerator according to the present disclosure, and <FIG> is a front view illustrating a state in which a door of a refrigerator according to the present disclosure is open.

As shown in <FIG>, a refrigerator <NUM> according to the present disclosure is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open front face. The refrigerator <NUM> includes first storage <NUM> positioned at an upper portion of the refrigerator <NUM> and having a first storage space 100a defined therein, and second storage <NUM> positioned below the first storage <NUM> and having a second storage space 200a defined therein, which is extended and retracted in a drawer form.

In this connection, the first storage space 100a or the second storage space 200a, which is a storage space for storing food, may be selectively provided as a refrigerating compartment or a freezing compartment. In the present embodiment, for convenience of description, the first storage space 100a and the second storage space 200a will be described as being used as the refrigerating compartment as an example, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

That is, depending on a type or a temperature of the food stored in the first storage space 100a or the second storage space 200a, the first storage space 100a and the second storage space 200a may be selectively used as the refrigerating compartment/ freezing compartment or the freezing compartment/refrigerating compartment, respectively. Alternatively, both the first storage space 100a and the second storage space 200a may be used as the refrigerating compartments or the freezing compartments.

Further, the first storage space 100a has a front opening, and a door <NUM> for opening and closing the first storage space 100a is pivotably disposed at one side of the opening.

In addition, the first storage space 100a has a plurality of shelves for loading the food to be stored in the first storage space 100a. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the present disclosure may have the plurality of shelves as wine shelves <NUM> for storing a plurality of wine bottles.

Further, the second storage <NUM> may be located below the first storage, and may have one or more drawers <NUM> and <NUM> in a form of being extended in a forward direction of the refrigerator. In the second storage, the second storage space where the food is stored may be exposed by the extension of the drawer, and the second storage space may be divided by the plurality of drawers.

Further, a machine room (not shown) for controlling temperatures of the first storage space 100a and the second storage space 200a may be defined in a separate space that is separated from the first storage space 100a and the second storage space 200a inside the refrigerator <NUM>.

In this connection, the machine room may include a refrigerant cycle composed of a compressor, a condenser, an expander, an evaporator, and a flow path for supplying cold air to the first storage space 100a and the second storage space 200a. Various embodiments may be available for such a location and configuration of the machine room, so that a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The second storage <NUM> may be located below the first storage <NUM>, and may be used as the refrigerating compartment or the freezing compartment independently of the first storage <NUM>. Such second storage <NUM> may include one or more drawers <NUM> and <NUM>, each of which opens the second storage space 200a of the second storage <NUM>, and defines a space for loading the food therein, at the same time. The drawers <NUM> and <NUM> may include an upper drawer <NUM> forming an upper front face of the second storage <NUM> and a lower drawer <NUM> forming a lower front face of the second storage <NUM>.

Hereinafter, the first storage <NUM> will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<FIG> is a simplified diagram illustrating the first storage <NUM> of the refrigerator according to the present disclosure. Further, <FIG> is a rear perspective view illustrating a door and a flow path blocking portion of the refrigerator according to the present disclosure.

As shown in <FIG>, the refrigerator <NUM> according to the present disclosure is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open front face, and has the first storage <NUM> having the storage space defined therein, and a door <NUM> for selectively shielding the opened front face of the first storage <NUM>.

First, the first storage <NUM> includes an outer casing <NUM> forming an outer shape, an inner casing <NUM> disposed inside the outer casing <NUM> in a shape corresponding to the outer casing <NUM> to define the first storage space 100a of the first storage <NUM>, and a heat insulating material (not shown) disposed between the outer casing <NUM> and the inner casing <NUM> to prevent heat exchange between a specified space and the outside.

In this connection, the outer casing <NUM> forms a plurality of faces except for a front face of the first storage <NUM>, that is, top/bottom and side/rear face of the first storage <NUM>. Further, the outer casing <NUM> may be made of an iron plate material having gloss and a predetermined color such that the outer shape of the refrigerator <NUM> is easy on the eye.

Further, the inner casing <NUM> is injection-molded in a shape corresponding to the shape of the outer casing <NUM>, and coupled to the outer casing <NUM> in a state of being spaced apart from the outer casing <NUM> by a predetermined distance. The heat insulating material (not shown) foams to form a heat insulating layer and is filled in a space between the inner casing <NUM> and the outer casing <NUM>.

In one example, the first storage space 100a, which defines a space into which the cold air is supplied, and thus, the wine is stored therein, may be defined inside the inner casing <NUM>. A plurality of wine shelves <NUM> on which the wine is placed are arranged on an inner rear face of the first storage space 100a such that a predetermined spacing is formed between two adjacent wine shelves in a vertical direction. In this connection, the spacing in the vertical direction between the two adjacent wine shelves is formed to be larger than a diameter of the wine to be placed on the wine shelves <NUM>, and may be optionally adjusted as needed.

In one example, the inner first storage space 100a defined by the inner casing <NUM> may be divided into a plurality of storage regions 122U and <NUM> having different temperatures depending on a type of the wine stored therein.

In the present disclosure, the storage regions 122U and <NUM> may include a first region 122U located above and a second region <NUM> located below. The numbers of the first region 122U and the second region <NUM> may be increased or decreased to appropriate numbers depending on a capacity and a purpose of use of the first storage space 100a.

For example, red wine and the like, which are kept at a relatively high temperature, may be stored in the first region 122U, and white wine and the like, which are kept at a relatively low temperature, may be stored in the second region <NUM>.

As such, dividing of the first storage space 100a based on the temperature is because changing the storage temperature depending on the type of the wine is good for ripening of the wine, and a consumer's preference may be increased. Further, because an energy consumption efficiency may also be increased by efficiently maintaining the temperature depending on the storage location of the wine.

In one example, the first region 122U and the second region <NUM> described above may be formed by a partition plate <NUM> or the wine shelves <NUM> and a flow path blocking portion <NUM> formed on a door <NUM> to be described below.

That is, the first storage space 100a includes the partition plate <NUM> for spatially partitioning the first storage space 100a. The partition plate <NUM> partitions the first storage space 100a in a state of being fixed at a predetermined vertical level of the first storage space 100a. An upper portion of the first storage space 100a may be partitioned as the first region 122U, and a lower portion thereof may be partitioned as the second region <NUM> by the partition plate.

In this connection, the partition plate <NUM> is formed to be spaced apart at a predetermined spacing (preferably, a vertical level such that the wine may be stored) from a bottom of the first storage space 100a. A lower face of the first region 122U may be formed in a corrugated shape to place the wine thereon. A lower face of the second region <NUM> may also be formed in a corrugated form to place the wine thereon. Alternatively, a separate wine shelf may be installed near and above an upper face of the partition plate <NUM>.

In one example, the wine shelves <NUM> arranged in the first storage space 100a are detachably arranged on a rear face of the inner casing <NUM> as shown in <FIG>.

Such wine shelf <NUM> includes a frame <NUM> formed as a rectangular frame having a size corresponding to a depth and a width of the first storage space 100a, a plurality of support bars <NUM> formed inward of the frame <NUM> and coupled to the frame <NUM> in a front and rear direction, wherein a spacing smaller than the diameter of the wine bottle is formed between two adjacent support bars <NUM>, and a shelf bracket <NUM> detachably mounted and fixed on the rear face of the inner casing <NUM>, and supporting both sides of the frame <NUM>, at the same time.

In addition, an extension rail (not shown) for supporting the frame <NUM> to be movable relative to the shelf bracket <NUM> may be further included between the frame <NUM> and the shelf bracket <NUM>.

A front decor <NUM> extending in a width direction from a front face of the wine shelf <NUM>, wherein the front decor <NUM> forms a front outer shape of the frame <NUM>, and at the same time, is in contact with a front end of a blocking plate <NUM> to be described below, may be further formed on a front face of the frame <NUM>.

Further, as shown in <FIG>, the door <NUM> is pivotably hinge-coupled to the open front face of the first storage <NUM>, so that the door <NUM> selectively shields one face of the first storage <NUM> (i.e., opening of the first storage space 100a), and at the same time, is in contact with a specific wine shelf <NUM> to restrict flow of air toward a space between the door <NUM> and the specific wine shelf <NUM>, thereby selectively partitioning the storage regions 122U and <NUM> of the first storage space 100a.

In one example, the door <NUM> includes door frames <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> to form an outer shape of the door <NUM> and a panel assembly <NUM> mounted inside the door frames <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>.

In this connection, the door frames <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> may include an outer plate <NUM> forming the outer shape of the door <NUM>, a door liner <NUM> spaced apart from the outer plate <NUM> and forming an inner face of the door <NUM>, and an upper cap decor <NUM> and a lower cap decor <NUM> respectively forming an upper face and a lower face of the door <NUM>.

In this connection, the outer plate <NUM> forms portions of a front face shape and a peripheral face of the door <NUM>, which may be made of a stainless material. In addition, a panel mounting hole <NUM> in which the panel assembly <NUM> is formed is defined in a central portion of the outer plate <NUM>.

In one example, a plate bent portion <NUM>, which is bent vertically inwardly to mount a panel assembly <NUM> to be described below thereon, is formed along a circumference of the panel mounting hole <NUM>.

Further, the panel assembly <NUM> is formed to be able to shield the panel mounting hole <NUM>. Further, in a state in which the panel assembly <NUM> is mounted, a front face of the panel assembly <NUM> may be flush with a front face of the outer plate <NUM>. A configuration of the panel assembly <NUM> will be described in more detail below.

In one example, the upper cap decor <NUM> forms an upper face of the door <NUM>, which is coupled to the outer plate <NUM> and an upper end of the door liner <NUM>. Further, an upper hinge mounting portion <NUM> is defined at one end of the upper cap decor <NUM>, and an upper hinge (not shown) is fastened to the upper hinge mounting portion <NUM> to be pivotable relative to the upper portion of the first storage <NUM>.

Further, the lower cap decor <NUM> forms a lower face of the door <NUM>, which is coupled to the outer plate <NUM> and a lower end of the door liner <NUM>. Further, a lower hinge mounting portion <NUM> is defined in the lower cap decor <NUM>, and a lower hinge is fastened to the lower hinge mounting portion <NUM> to be pivotable relative to the lower portion of the first storage <NUM>.

In one example, two foaming liquid inlets (not shown) may be defined in the lower cap decor <NUM>. The foaming liquid inlet is opened for injecting foaming liquid for forming a heat insulating material along a perimeter of the panel assembly <NUM> in an internal space of the door <NUM> and between the outer side plate <NUM> and the door liner <NUM>.

In this connection, in order to smoothly inject the foaming liquid into the door <NUM>, the foaming liquid inlets are defined so as to be open at positions vertically downward of the space between an outer face of the panel assembly <NUM> and the inner face of the door <NUM>.

Therefore, when injecting the foaming liquid, the foaming liquid may be effectively injected without flowing backward or being unfilled by surrounding interference. The foaming liquid inlet may be shielded by a separate inlet cap (not shown) mounted on the lower cap decor <NUM>.

In one example, the door liner <NUM> forms a rear face of the door <NUM>, and a liner opening <NUM> is defined in a region where the panel assembly <NUM> is disposed. In this connection, the liner opening <NUM> is defined by liner inner side faces <NUM> extending toward the panel assembly <NUM>, and the flow path blocking portion <NUM> to be described below is fastened to the liner inner side faces <NUM>.

In this connection, a pair of liner grooves <NUM>, each of which is for fastening the flow path blocking portion <NUM> thereto, are defined in both of the liner inner side faces <NUM> to face each other. A plurality of liner grooves <NUM> may be defined at positions corresponding to the plurality of wine shelves <NUM> formed in the storage space of the first storage.

The panel assembly <NUM> may include a front panel <NUM>, at least one heat insulating panel <NUM> disposed rearward of the front panel <NUM>, and spacer bars <NUM> respectively supporting between the front panel <NUM> and the heat insulating panel <NUM>, and between the plurality of heat insulating panels <NUM>.

Such panel assembly <NUM> is fixedly mounted in the panel mounting hole <NUM> of the outer plate <NUM>. An outer peripheral face of the panel assembly <NUM> formed by the front panel <NUM>, the heat insulating panel <NUM>, and the spacer bar <NUM> may be adhered and fixed to an inner peripheral face of the panel mounting hole <NUM>.

In addition, the front panel <NUM> of the panel assembly <NUM> may be formed in a form that extends than the heat insulating panel <NUM>, and a rear face of the front panel may be adhered and fixed to a front face of the outer plate <NUM>.

In one example, the front panel <NUM> may be made of a glass material that may selectively allow interior to be seen through based on transmittance and reflectance of light. Therefore, when lighting means (not shown) disposed in the first storage space 100a is turned on, as light at a first storage space 100a side passes through the front panel <NUM>, the front panel <NUM> is seen as transparent.

Thus, the storage space rearward of the door <NUM> may be seen from the outside in a closed state of the door <NUM>. In addition, when the lighting means disposed in the first storage space 100a is turned off, the light does not penetrate the front panel <NUM> and is reflected, and the front panel <NUM> becomes like a mirror face, so that the first storage space 100a cannot be seen from the outside.

In one example, the heat insulating panel <NUM> is formed to be smaller than the front panel <NUM> and located in an inner region of the front panel <NUM>. Further, the heat insulating panel <NUM> is preferably a chemically strengthened glass, which is a glass chemically strengthened by being immersed in electrolyte solution at a temperature equal to or above a glass transition temperature.

Further, the closed space between the front panel <NUM> and the heat insulating panel <NUM> and the closed space between the plurality of heat insulating panels <NUM>, respectively defined by the spacer bars <NUM> may be defined in a vacuum state and heat-insulated.

Alternatively, if necessary, inert gas for heat insulation may be filled in the closed space between the front panel <NUM> and the heat insulating panel <NUM> and the closed space between the plurality of heat insulating panels <NUM> to ensure a heat insulation performance.

In addition, a single heat insulating panel <NUM> may be mounted to be spaced apart from the front panel <NUM>, and at least three heat insulating panels <NUM> may be spaced apart from each other if necessary.

Hereinafter, the flow path blocking portion will be described in detail with reference to <FIG>.

<FIG> is a partial cross-sectional perspective view illustrating a door and a flow path blocking portion of a refrigerator according to the present disclosure. Further, <FIG> is a plan view illustrating a door and a flow path blocking portion of a refrigerator according to the present disclosure.

As shown, the flow path blocking portion <NUM> of the present disclosure is to partially restrict the flow of the air between the first region 122U and the second region <NUM> respectively above and below the wine shelf <NUM> on the basis of the wine shelf <NUM> when the door <NUM> closes the first storage space 100a by being mounted on the rear face of the door <NUM> in contact with the wine shelf <NUM> disposed in the first storage space 100a.

Such flow path blocking portion <NUM> may include a blocking plate <NUM> in close contact with and mounted on the rear face of the door <NUM> and a gasket <NUM> fastened to an end of the blocking plate <NUM> and in contact with the front face of the wine shelf <NUM>.

In this connection, the blocking plate <NUM> may be detachably installed on the liner inner side faces <NUM> formed on the door liner <NUM> of the door <NUM>. The plurality of liner grooves <NUM> are respectively defined in a direction facing the positions respectively corresponding to the wine shelves <NUM> arranged in the first storage space 100a.

In this connection, the blocking plate <NUM> may be slidably inserted and fixed into a facing linear groove <NUM>. That is, the blocking plate <NUM> may block a space defined by the heat insulating panel <NUM> of the panel assembly <NUM> and the liner inner side faces <NUM> of the door liner <NUM>.

Such blocking plate <NUM> may be made of the same material as the front panel <NUM> or the heat insulating panel <NUM> of the panel assembly <NUM>. That is, when the blocking plate <NUM> is made of the transparent material like the front panel <NUM> or the heat insulating panel <NUM>, the interior of the storage space may be prevented from being visually blocked by the blocking plate <NUM>, so that the user may easily view the interior of the first storage space 100a.

In this connection, a fastening portion <NUM> for mounting the gasket <NUM> thereto may be further formed at the end of the blocking plate <NUM>. The fastening portion <NUM> may be inserted into an insertion groove <NUM> to be described below defined in the gasket <NUM> to fix the gasket <NUM>.

In one example, the gasket <NUM> is to shield a gap defined between the blocking plate <NUM> and the wine shelf <NUM> by being fastened to the end of the blocking plate <NUM>. Such gasket <NUM> is formed with a length corresponding to a longitudinal side of the blocking plate <NUM>, the insertion groove <NUM> into which the fastening portion <NUM> of the blocking plate <NUM> is inserted is defined at one side of the gasket <NUM> facing the blocking plate <NUM>, and a buffer <NUM> is formed on the other side of the gasket <NUM> facing the wine shelves <NUM>.

In this connection, the buffer <NUM> has a predetermined elastic force to prevent occurrence of an impact caused by a collision between the blocking plate <NUM> and the wine shelves <NUM> when opening and closing of the door <NUM>. Preferably, a hollow 369a in communication with the gasket <NUM> in a longitudinal direction is defined inside the buffer <NUM>, so that a buffer force may be formed by the hollow 369a.

Hereinafter, an operation of the refrigerator <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Each element to be mentioned below should be understood with reference to the above description and the drawings.

<FIG> are partial cross-sectional views illustrating states of use of the refrigerator according to the present disclosure.

In this connection, in <FIG>, the flow path blocking portion <NUM> of the present disclosure restricts the air flow between the first region 122U and the second region <NUM> in contact with the partition plate <NUM> partitioning the first region 122U and the second region <NUM>. In <FIG>, the flow path blocking portion <NUM> of the present disclosure is in contact with one of the plurality of wine shelves other than the partition plate <NUM> to expand or contract the first region 122U or the second region <NUM>, thereby restricting the air flow between the first region 122U and the second region <NUM>.

Hereinafter, with reference to <FIG>, it will be described that the flow path blocking portion of the present disclosure is in contact with the partition plate <NUM> to restrict the air flow between the first region 122U and the second region <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the flow path blocking portion <NUM> of the present disclosure is inserted into and installed in a liner groove <NUM> defined at a position corresponding to the partition plate <NUM> among the plurality of liner grooves <NUM> defined in the inner faces of the door liner of the door of the refrigerator <NUM>.

In this connection, the partition plate <NUM> divides the first storage space into the first region 122U and the second region <NUM>, but there is a space in which the air may flow between the panel assembly <NUM> of the door <NUM> and the partition plate <NUM>. When the air flows to the space between the panel assembly <NUM> of the door <NUM> and the partition plate <NUM>, it may be rather difficult to artificially control the temperature distribution of the first region 122U and the second region <NUM>.

Accordingly, the flow path blocking portion shields the gap defined between the partition plate <NUM> and the panel assembly <NUM> of the door <NUM> to restrict the flow of the cold air into the space between the partition plate <NUM> and the panel assembly <NUM> of the door <NUM>.

Hereinafter, with reference to <FIG>, it will be described that the flow path blocking portion <NUM> of the present disclosure is in contact with the wine shelf <NUM> to restrict the air flow.

As shown in <FIG>, the door <NUM> of the refrigerator <NUM> is equipped with the flow path blocking portion <NUM>. Further, the user may selectively mount the flow path blocking portion <NUM> to a position corresponding to a specific wine shelf <NUM> among the plurality of wine shelves <NUM> on which the wine is stored based on a user's selection.

As described above, such flow path blocking portion <NUM> may be selectively mounted to correspond to the wine shelf <NUM> on which the wine is stored depending on a type of the wine stored on the plurality of wine shelves <NUM>.

For example, the red wine may be stored on and above a specific wine shelf <NUM> and the white wine may be stored below the specific wine shelves <NUM>. In this case, the blocking plate <NUM> of the flow path blocking portion <NUM> may be slidably inserted into a liner groove <NUM> defined in the door liner <NUM> of the door <NUM> corresponding to the specific wine shelf <NUM>, so that the first storage space 100a above the specific wine shelf <NUM> may be formed as the first region 122U, and the first storage space 100a below the specific wine shelf <NUM> may be formed as the second region <NUM> based on the specific wine shelf <NUM>.

Thus, as the cold air of the first storage space 100a flows between the support bars <NUM> of each wine shelf <NUM>, the cold air is supplied to the first region 122U and the second region <NUM>. In this connection, a resistance of the flow of the cold air located above the specific wine shelf <NUM> on the basis of the specific wine shelf <NUM> in contact with the flow path blocking portion <NUM> occurs by the flow path blocking portion <NUM> in contact with the specific wine shelf <NUM>, so that the cold air flow occurs less at the specific wine shelf <NUM> than other wine shelves <NUM>.

Therefore, the cold air above the specific wine shelf <NUM> may be divided into the first region 122U and the second region <NUM> on the basis of the flow path blocking portion <NUM> and the specific wine shelf <NUM> in contact with the flow path blocking portion <NUM>.

In addition, the blocking plate <NUM> forming the flow path blocking portion <NUM> may be made of the transparent material, or may be made of the same transparent material as the front panel <NUM> (or the heat insulating panel <NUM>) forming the panel assembly <NUM> of the door <NUM>. Therefore, the user may easily view the interior of the storage space by the panel assembly of the door and the flow path blocking portion of the transparent material.

Claim 1:
A refrigerator comprising:
first storage (<NUM>) for defining a first storage space (100a) therein;
a door (<NUM>) for opening and closing the first storage space (100a); and
a plurality of shelves (<NUM>) installed in the first storage space (100a) for placing food thereon,
wherein the door (<NUM>) includes:
a door frame (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) having an opening defined therein, and mounted pivotable to the first storage (<NUM>);
a panel assembly (<NUM>) inserted into the opening, and disposed to allow the first storage space (100a) to be seen through; and
at least one flow path blocking portion (<NUM>), wherein the at least one flow path blocking portion (<NUM>) shields a gap defined between the door (<NUM>) and a corresponding shelf (<NUM>) as the door (<NUM>) closes the first storage space (100a),
characterized in that the at least one flow path blocking portion (<NUM>) is mounted on the door (<NUM>).