Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator with a storage chamber and a door to open and close the storage chamber, the refrigerator having: an ice making chamber, which is provided in the storage chamber; an ice making device, which is provided in the ice making chamber to make ice; an ice storage part, which stores the ice transferred from the ice making device; and a dispenser unit, which is provided in the storage chamber to dispense the ice stored in the ice storage part.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0085918, filed on Sep. 6, 2006 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly to a refrigerator equipped with a dispenser unit that dispenses ice.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Generally, a refrigerator has a freezing chamber and a cooling chamber, into which cool air, heat-exchanged with an evaporator, flows. A machine room containing a compressor and a condenser is provided at a rear lower portion of the freezing chamber or the cooling chamber. The cooling chamber is for storing foodstuffs in a fresh state at a temperature of about 3° C. to 5° C., and the freezing chamber is for storing foodstuffs in a frozen state at a temperature below zero for a long perio...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a refrigerator with an ice making chamber, an ice making device, an ice storage part, and a dispenser unit. The dispenser unit is located inside the storage chamber and has a pushing part, a shutter, and an elastic member. The dispenser unit also has a gear assembly and a plurality of guards on the door. The refrigerator also has an ice crushing device and an auxiliary door for accessing the dispenser unit. The invention solves the problem of providing an efficient and convenient refrigerator with an ice making and dispensing system.

Problems solved by technology

But if the dispenser unit is provided at the front surface of the cooling chamber door, a thickness of the door is increased, and so a storage space in the cooling chamber becomes small.

Also, it is difficult to install guards to a rear surface of the door for storing foodstuffs at the rear side of the door, and so an ineffective space incapable of storing foodstuffs is generated.

Further, a structure of the door becomes complicated, thereby increasing manufacturing processes and costs, and deteriorating manufacturing efficiency.

Also, in view of a recent trend of emphasizing an aesthetic design, because the dispenser unit provided at the front surface of the door is exposed outside, aesthetics of an external appearance of the refrigerator are deteriorated.

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