Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator having a refrigerator body including a first cooling chamber and a second cooling chamber, a barrier wall located between the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber, an evaporator configured to provide cooling air, a first cooling fan configured to provide cooling air of the evaporator to the first cooling chamber, and a second cooling fan configured to provide cooling air of the evaporator to the second cooling chamber is provided. A method of providing cooling air flow in a refrigerator is also provided.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application claims priority to Korean Application No. 10-2009-0064667, filed on Jul. 15, 2009, which is herein expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a refrigerator and, more particularly, to a refrigerator having an expanded internal space and is capable of independently or simultaneously cooling a plurality of cooling chambers with a single evaporator.[0004]2. Description of Related Art[0005]A refrigerator is a device for refrigerating or freezing food items to keep them fresh. The refrigerator includes a refrigerator main body including a plurality of cooling chambers, doors for opening and closing each cooling chamber, and a refrigerating cycle mechanism for providing cooling air (i.e., cool air, cold air, etc.) to the cooling chambers.[0006]The refrigerating cycle mechanism is configured as a vapor compression typ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014]An aspect of the present invention provides a refrigerator in which an internal usage space is increased without increasing the size of the external appearance.

[0015]Another aspect of the present invention provides a refrigerator capable of independently or simultaneously cooling each cooling chamber with a single evaporator and increasing an internal usage space without increasing the size of the external appearance.

Problems solved by technology

In the related art refrigerator, because the evaporator, which has a lower temperature than that of the cooling air of the cooling chamber, is disposed on the rear wall of the cooling chamber, a loss of cooling air through the rear wall may occur.

As a result, when the cooling air is transferred to the corresponding cooling chamber, a loss of cooling air is possibly generated.

In addition, the configuration of the cooling air flow path is complicated and lengthened in order to supply cooling air of the cooling chamber positioned far from the evaporator.

Consequently, the flow resistance of the cooling air is increased making it difficult to quickly resolve a temperature deviation and lengthen an operation time.

In addition, in the related art refrigerator, because the plurality of cooling chambers are cooled with the single evaporator, even if one of the cooling chambers already satisfies a temperature condition, the operation is continuously performed to satisfy a temperature condition for another cooling chamber, resulting in that the cooling chamber already satisfying the temperature condition is overcooled.

Not only does this increase the flow resistance of the refrigerant but also generates increased pressure of the refrigerant causing a heat loss due to the longer pipes, thereby degrading the operation efficiency.

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