Cool air circulation structure of refrigerator and method for controlling the same

Abstract

A refrigerator having a cool air circulation system capable of drawing cool air from a freezer to an ice machine disposed in a refrigerating space. The ice machine is removably installed in the refrigerating space. A cool air inlet duct is configured to supply cool air from an evaporator of the freezer into the ice machine provided in the refrigerating space. A cool air outlet duct is configured to return the cool air, used in the ice machine, from the ice machine to the freezer. After the ice machine is removed from the refrigerating space, cool air supplied from the cool air inlet duct is used to maintain a temperature in the refrigerating space.

Description

CROSSREFERENCE[0001]This patent application claims priority to and benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0085840, filed on Jun. 17, 2015, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]Embodiments of the present invention relate to refrigerators, and more particularly, to control mechanisms for cool air circulation in refrigerators.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Refrigerators are electrical appliances capable of maintaining a storage chamber below the room temperature. Food can be stored in a refrigerator in a cold or frozen state.[0004]The internal space of a refrigerator is maintained at a low temperature by circulating cool air therein. Cool air is generated through heat transfer of refrigerant through a cooling cycle including compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation. Cool air supplied into the refrigerator is distributed or circulated in the internal space of the refrigerator to achieve a desired t...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]In a bottom-freezer refrigerator, cool air may need to be supplied from a freezer disposed below the refrigerating space to the ice machine installed in the refrigerating space. Therefore, there is a need for circulating cool air more efficiently to enhance power efficiency and ice-making performance of the refrigerator.

[0009]Embodiments of the present invention provide a refrigerator and a circulation control mechanism offering more efficient circulation of cool air in the refrigerator. Thereby the power efficiency and ice-making performance of the refrigerator can be enhanced.

Problems solved by technology

However, the downside of such a refrigerator is that a user has to bend over the body when trying to get ice out of the freezer as the freezer is disposed at the lower portion of the refrigerator.

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