Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator includes: a first storage compartment; a second storage compartment disposed below the first storage compartment; a heat exchange compartment disposed below the first storage compartment; a fan disposed on a first side of the heat exchange compartment; at least one first inlet disposed in the first storage compartment; at least one second inlet disposed in the second storage compartment; and an evaporator disposed in the heat exchange compartment, including refrigerant pipes and heat sinks for promoting heat exchange between the refrigerant pipes and air, the first side of the evaporator being adjacent to at least one first inlet or at least one second inlet to allow air introduced through at least one first inlet and at least one second inlet to be directed to the first side of the evaporator, and the first side of the evaporator being upstream of cold air flowing toward the fan, the central portion of the evaporator being downstream of cold air flowing toward the fan, the heat sinks including guiding fins extending toward the evaporator to guide airflow from the first side of the evaporator to the central portion.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of LG Electronics Corporation's invention patent application (filed on September 8, 2017, application number 201710806237.2, invention title "Refrigerator"). Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0003] Generally, a refrigerator includes multiple storage compartments in which items are stored in either a frozen or refrigerated state, and the surfaces of the storage compartments are openable to allow food to be removed. The multiple storage compartments include: a freezer compartment configured to store food in a frozen state; and a refrigerator compartment configured to store food in a refrigerated state.

[0004] A refrigeration system, in which refrigerant circulates, operates in a refrigerator. The components of the refrigeration system include a compressor, a condenser, an expander, and an evaporator. The refrigerant evaporates as it passes through the evaporator, and in this process, the air passing near the evaporator is cooled. Furthermore, the cooled air can be supplied to the freezer or refrigerator compartment. Generally, the evaporator is mounted on the rear side of the storage compartment and extends vertically.

[0005] In recent years, expanding the internal storage space of refrigerators (especially the storage compartment) has been a major concern for consumers. Therefore, considerable effort has been made to reduce the space required to house the refrigeration system components within the refrigerator and relatively increase the volume of the storage compartment. However, as mentioned above, when the evaporator is located at the rear of the storage compartment, it is difficult to reduce the size of the storage compartment to ensure sufficient space for its installation.

[0006] Specifically, the refrigerator includes drawers that can be pulled forward from the storage compartment. The problem is that the size of the storage compartment, especially its front-to-back length, is reduced due to the arrangement of the evaporator, thus reducing the distance the drawers can be pulled out. When the drawer pull-out distance is reduced, the drawer spacing is also reduced, making it inconvenient for the user to store food in the drawers.

[0007] To address these issues, a design has been developed that mounts the evaporator within a partition wall, separating the refrigerator and freezer compartments. In side-by-side refrigerators with the freezer and refrigerator compartments arranged on the left and right sides, the defrost water produced by the evaporator can be easily drained because the partition wall extends vertically between the two compartments. However, in refrigerators with the refrigerator and freezer compartments arranged on the top and bottom sides, the defrost water produced by the evaporator is difficult to drain because the partition wall extends laterally between the two compartments.

[0008] The following describes the relevant technology.

[0009] 1. European Patent No. EP2694894 (published on March 23, 2016)

[0010] 2. Title of the Invention: Combined Apparatus for Refrigeration

[0011] The aforementioned prior art discloses a technique of mounting the evaporator within a partition wall, separating the refrigerator compartment and freezer compartment within the refrigerator, where the refrigerator compartment is located at the top and the freezer compartment at the bottom. However, according to the prior art, the evaporator slopes downwards towards the rear end. This arrangement of the evaporator facilitates the drainage of defrost water generated by the evaporator to the lower side. However, because the evaporator slopes downwards towards the rear end, the thickness of the partition wall used to house the insulation and evaporator increases. When the partition wall thickness increases, the refrigerator's storage compartments become relatively small.

[0012] Furthermore, due to the evaporator's inclined arrangement, the lower surface of the partition wall slopes downwards, and correspondingly, the side surfaces of the drawers located in the upper part of the freezer compartment slope downwards towards the rear. In this configuration, the food storage capacity decreases.

[0013] In the existing evaporator arrangement, because the fan is located directly behind the evaporator, defrost water produced by the evaporator flows into the fan, potentially causing fan malfunction. Furthermore, when cool air with high humidity passes through the fan, condensation may form within it. According to the existing technology, there is no separate water channel for draining the condensate from the fan, and the condensate flows into the pipes supplying the cool air. In this situation, frost caused by the condensate will condense in the pipes.

[0014] The tray for collecting defrost water must be placed on the underside of the evaporator. According to existing evaporator arrangements, to minimize the thickness of the partition walls, the tray should be placed very close to the evaporator. In this case, the heat exchange performance of the evaporator deteriorates because the defrost water stored in the tray frosts.

[0015] The above references are incorporated herein by reference, and are suitably suited to provide additional or alternative details, features and / or technical context. Summary of the Invention

[0016] In one embodiment of the invention, the refrigerator includes: a first storage compartment; a second storage compartment disposed below the first storage compartment and controlled to have a temperature different from that of the first storage compartment; a heat exchange compartment disposed below the first storage compartment and configured to cool air circulating through the first and second storage compartments; a fan disposed on a first side of the heat exchange compartment and configured to blow cold air from the heat exchange compartment to the first and second storage compartments; at least one first inlet disposed in the first storage compartment and configured to allow air from the first storage compartment to be introduced into the heat exchange compartment; and at least one second inlet disposed in the second storage compartment and configured to allow air from the second storage compartment to be introduced into the heat exchange compartment. Air in the storage chamber is introduced into the heat exchange chamber; and an evaporator is arranged in the heat exchange chamber and includes refrigerant pipes through which refrigerant flows and heat sinks configured to facilitate heat exchange between the refrigerant pipes and the air, wherein a first side of the evaporator is adjacent to at least one first inlet or at least one second inlet to allow air introduced through at least one first inlet and at least one second inlet to be directed to the first side of the evaporator and is located upstream of cold air flowing toward the fan, and the central portion of the evaporator is located downstream of the cold air flowing toward the fan, wherein the heat sinks include guiding heat sinks that extend toward the evaporator to guide airflow from the first side of the evaporator to the central portion.

[0017] The refrigerator also includes a partition wall disposed between the heat exchange chamber and the first storage chamber and configured to insulate the first storage chamber from the heat exchange chamber.

[0018] The refrigerator also includes at least one exhaust duct connected to at least one side of the heat exchange chamber and configured to supply air through at least one first inlet to the heat exchange chamber.

[0019] At least one first inlet is formed at the upper part of at least one discharge pipe.

[0020] The refrigerator also includes: a first pipe connector formed on a first side of the heat exchange chamber; and an evaporator supply port connected to the first pipe connector and formed in the lower part of the discharge pipe.

[0021] The refrigerator also includes: a first cover covering the upper side of the evaporator; and a second cover supporting the lower side of the evaporator, wherein the first cover and the second cover define a heat exchange chamber.

[0022] The housing includes a first inner shell defining a first storage chamber and a second inner shell defining a second storage chamber, wherein a heat insulation element disposed in a partition wall is installed between the first inner shell and the second inner shell.

[0023] The first cover defines at least a portion of the second inner shell.

[0024] The discharge pipe is connected to the side surface of the first cover.

[0025] At least one second inlet is formed on the side or bottom surface of the second cover.

[0026] The first pipe connector and at least one second inlet are formed at different locations relative to the first direction.

[0027] At least one second inlet is located on the front side of the first pipe connector.

[0028] At least one second inlet is located in front of the first pipe connector, and air supplied to the evaporator through the at least one second inlet passes through the front part of the evaporator, while air supplied to the evaporator through the first pipe connector passes through the middle part of the evaporator.

[0029] In this configuration, at least one of the second inlets is located in front of the center of the first pipe connector along the first direction.

[0030] Wherein, the first end of at least one second inlet is located in front of the first end of the first pipe connector, and the second end of at least one second inlet is in front of the second end of the first pipe connector.

[0031] The refrigerator also includes: a defrost water tray located below the evaporator; and a tray insulation, arranged below the defrost water tray and supported by a second cover.

[0032] The refrigerator also includes a first defrost heater that is connected to the evaporator.

[0033] The refrigerator also includes a second defrost heater disposed between the defrost water tray and the tray insulation.

[0034] The refrigerator also includes a flow supply device connected to the rear of the heat exchange chamber and configured to supply air passing through the evaporator to the first and second storage chambers. The flow supply device includes a blowing fan.

[0035] The flow supply device also includes a grille cover for housing a blowing fan, wherein the grille cover includes: a fan inlet configured to direct air to the blowing fan; and a plurality of cold air supply outlets through which air passing through the blowing fan is supplied to the second storage chamber.

[0036] The flow supply device further includes: a first supply pipe connected to the upper side of the grille cover and configured to guide air passing through a blower fan to a first storage chamber; and a second supply pipe connected to the lower side of the grille cover and configured to guide air passing through a blower fan to a second storage chamber. Attached Figure Description

[0037] The embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the following figures, in which the same reference numerals denote the same elements, wherein:

[0038] Figure 1 This is a front view showing the construction of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0039] Figure 2 This is a front view of the refrigerator according to an embodiment with the door open;

[0040] Figure 3 The inner shell and cold air supply device provided in the refrigerator according to the embodiment are shown;

[0041] Figure 4 The structure of a cold air supply device according to an embodiment is shown;

[0042] Figure 5 The structure of a cold air generator in a cold air supply device according to an embodiment is shown;

[0043] Figure 6 This is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of a cold air generator;

[0044] Figure 7 The structure of the flow supply device in the cold air supply apparatus according to an embodiment is shown;

[0045] Figure 8 This is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the flow supply device;

[0046] Figure 9 The structure of the components constituting the cold air intake channel according to an embodiment is shown;

[0047] Figure 10 This is a side view showing the construction of the first and second covers according to an embodiment;

[0048] Figure 11 The internal structure of the cold air supply device according to an embodiment is shown;

[0049] Figure 12 The construction of an evaporator according to an embodiment is shown;

[0050] Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional view showing the construction of the evaporator and defrost water tray according to an embodiment;

[0051] Figure 14 The structure of the support and retainer for supporting the evaporator according to an embodiment is shown;

[0052] Figure 15 The flow of cold air through the evaporator is shown according to an embodiment;

[0053] Figure 16and Figure 17 This illustrates the state in which cold air cooled by the evaporator is supplied to the storage chamber according to an embodiment;

[0054] Figure 18 This illustrates the state in which defrost water generated by the evaporator according to an embodiment is discharged; and

[0055] Figure 19 The construction of a component constituting a cold air intake channel according to another embodiment is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0056] In the following detailed description, embodiments of the present disclosure will be illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the spirit of the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments presented, and other embodiments will be readily proposed by those skilled in the art who understand the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0057] Reference Figures 1 to 3 According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 10 may include: a housing 11 in which a storage compartment is provided; and doors 21 and 22 disposed on the front surface of the housing 11 to selectively open / close the storage compartment. The housing 11 may have a cuboid shape, and the front surface of the housing 11 is open. Furthermore, the housing 11 may include an outer shell 60 defining the exterior of the refrigerator and an inner shell 70 coupled to the interior of the outer shell 60 and defining the inner surface of the storage compartment. A housing insulation 65 (see [link to relevant documentation]) is configured to insulate the refrigerator exterior from the storage compartment. Figure 18 It can be set between the outer shell 60 and the inner shell 70.

[0058] The storage compartment may include a first storage compartment 12 and a second storage compartment 13 controlled to have different temperatures. The first storage compartment 12 may include a refrigerator compartment 12, and the second storage compartment 13 may be a freezer compartment 13. As an example, the refrigerator compartment 12 may be formed in the upper part of the housing 11, and the freezer compartment 13 may be formed in the lower part of the housing 11.

[0059] The refrigerator compartment 12 can be arranged above the freezer compartment 13. With this configuration, since the refrigerator compartment 12, which is used relatively frequently for storing or retrieving food, can be arranged at a height corresponding to the user's waist, the user does not need to bend over when using the refrigerator compartment 12, thus improving the user's convenience.

[0060] The refrigerator 10 may also include a partition wall 50 through which the refrigerator compartment 12 and the freezer compartment 13 are separated. The partition wall 50 may be disposed in the housing 11 and extend from the front side of the housing 11 toward the rear side.

[0061] As an example, the partition wall 50 may extend from the front side to the rear side of the housing 11 in a direction parallel to the ground. Because the temperatures formed in the refrigerator compartment 12 and the freezer compartment 13 are different from each other, a partition wall insulation 55 configured to insulate the refrigerator compartment 12 and the freezer compartment 13 from each other may be provided in the partition wall 50.

[0062] Doors 21 and 22 may include: a refrigerator door 21 rotatably disposed on the front side of the refrigerator compartment 12; and a freezer door 22 rotatably disposed on the front side of the freezer compartment 13. As another example, the freezer door 22 may be a drawer that can be pulled forward. A first handle 21a that can be gripped by a user may be disposed on the front surface of the refrigerator door 21, and a second handle 22a may be disposed on the front surface of the freezer door 22.

[0063] The refrigerator 10 may also include a plurality of shelves 31 disposed in the storage compartment for holding food. As an example, the plurality of shelves 31 may be disposed in the refrigerator compartment 12 and spaced perpendicularly to each other.

[0064] The refrigerator 10 may also include a drawer 35 that can be pulled out from the storage compartment. The drawer 35 may be disposed in the refrigerator compartment 12 and the freezer compartment 13, and may have food-containing space formed therein. The front-to-back length of the drawer 35 may increase as the front-to-back width of the storage compartment increases, thus increasing the distance the drawer 35 can be pulled out.

[0065] Increasing the drawer extension distance of 35 improves the convenience for the user in accommodating food. Therefore, considering user convenience, it is important that the refrigerator is constructed such that the front-to-back width of the storage compartment can be relatively large.

[0066] The direction in which drawer 35 is pulled out is defined as the forward direction, and the direction in which drawer 35 is received is defined as the rearward direction. Furthermore, when viewing refrigerator 10 from the front, the leftward direction is defined as the left direction, and when viewing refrigerator 10 from the front, the rightward direction is defined as the right direction. These directional definitions apply throughout the entire instruction manual.

[0067] The refrigerator 10 may also include a display unit or display 25, which is configured to display information about the temperature and operating status of the refrigerator's storage compartment. As an example, the display 25 may be located on the front surface of the refrigerator door 21.

[0068] The inner shell 70 may include an inner refrigerator compartment shell 71 that defines the refrigerator compartment 12. The inner refrigerator compartment shell 71 may have an open front surface and may have an approximately cuboid shape.

[0069] The inner shell 70 may further include an inner freezer shell 75 defining the refrigerator compartment 12. The inner freezer shell 75 may have an open front surface and may have an approximately cuboid shape. The inner freezer shell 75 may be arranged below the inner refrigerator shell 71 and spaced apart from the inner refrigerator shell 71. The inner refrigerator shell 71 may be designated as the "first inner shell", and the inner freezer shell 75 may be designated as the "second inner shell".

[0070] The partition wall 50 may be arranged between the inner refrigerator compartment housing 71 and the inner freezer compartment housing 75. The partition wall 50 may include a front partition wall portion (or a first partition wall) 51 that defines the front appearance of the partition wall 50. When the doors 21 and 22 are open, the front partition wall 51 may be located between the refrigerator compartment 12 and the freezer compartment 13 when viewed from the outside.

[0071] The partition wall 50 may further include a partition wall insulation 55 disposed on the rear side of the front partition wall 51 to insulate the refrigerator compartment 12 and the freezer compartment 13. The partition wall insulation 55 may be disposed between the bottom surface of the inner refrigerator compartment shell 71 and the upper surface of the inner freezer compartment shell 75. The partition wall 50 may include the bottom surface of the inner refrigerator compartment shell 71 and the upper surface of the inner freezer compartment shell 75.

[0072] The refrigerator 10 may include a cold air supply device (or cold air supply source) 100 configured to supply cold air to the refrigerator compartment 12 and the freezer compartment 13. The cold air supply source 100 may be arranged below the partition wall insulation 55. The cold air supply source 100 may be installed on the inner upper surface of the inner freezer compartment housing 75.

[0073] The cold air generated by the cold air supply source 100 can be supplied to the refrigerator compartment 12 and the freezer compartment 13 respectively. At least a portion of the cold air generated by the cold air supply source 100 flows through the cold air duct 81 of the refrigerator compartment, which can be located on the rear side of the refrigerator compartment 12.

[0074] Furthermore, a cold air supply section or cold air supply port 82 configured to supply cold air to the cold storage compartment 12 may be formed in the cold air duct 81 of the cold storage compartment. The cold air duct 81 of the cold storage compartment may be formed on the rear wall of the cold storage compartment 12, and the cold air supply port 82 of the cold storage compartment may also be formed on the front surface of the cold air duct 81 of the cold storage compartment.

[0075] The cold air supply source 100 may include a freezer compartment cold air supply unit configured to supply at least a portion of the cold air generated by the cold air supply source 100 to the freezer compartment 13. The freezer compartment cold air supply unit may include a second supply unit (or freezer compartment air supply source) 326. This will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0076] The machine compartment 80 may be formed on the lower rear side of the inner freezer housing 75. The compressor and evaporator, which are components constituting the refrigeration cycle, may be installed in the machine compartment 80.

[0077] Reference Figures 4 to 6 According to an embodiment, the cold air supply source 100 may include: a cold air generator 200 configured to generate cold air using the heat of vaporization of a refrigerant circulating in a refrigeration cycle; and a flow supply unit or flow supply device 300 configured to supply the cold air generated by the cold air generator 200 to a storage chamber. The cold air generator 200 may include: an evaporator 220 in which refrigerant is evaporated; a first cover 210 disposed above the evaporator 220; and a second cover 270 disposed below the evaporator 220. The first cover 210 may be coupled to the upper portion of the second cover 270, and the internal space defined by the first cover 210 and the second cover 270 may define an installation space for mounting the evaporator 220.

[0078] Furthermore, the first cover 210 and the second cover 270 may be referred to as the "evaporator housing" accommodating the evaporator 220, and the installation space may be referred to as the "evaporation chamber" or "heat exchange chamber". The evaporator housings 210 and 270 may be located on the bottom surface of the partition wall 50. The partition wall 50 may insulate the refrigerator compartment 12 from the heat exchange chamber.

[0079] Evaporator 220 may include: a refrigerant pipe 221 through which refrigerant flows; and heat sink 223 connected to the refrigerant pipe 221 to increase the heat exchange area of ​​the refrigerant (see [link]). Figure 11 The first cover 210 may form at least a portion of the inner freezer compartment housing 75. The first cover 210 may form the inner upper surface of the inner freezer compartment housing 75. In other words, the first cover 210 may be integrally formed with the inner freezer compartment housing 75 and may be disposed on the lower surface of the inner freezer compartment housing 75.

[0080] The first cover 210 may include: a first front cover portion (or first front cover) 211 disposed in front of the evaporator 220; a first side cover portion (or first side cover) 212 extending rearward from opposite sides of the first front cover portion 211; and a first upper cover portion (or first upper cover) 213 connected to the upper side of the opposite first side cover portion 212. A recessed portion (or recess) 215 may be formed at the center of the first upper cover 213. The recess 215 may extend from the front side to the rear side of the first upper cover 213.

[0081] The first top cover 213 may be inclined from the recess 215 toward the opposite sides of the recess 215. This shape may correspond to the shape of the evaporator 220, which may be inclined to the opposite sides.

[0082] Each first side cover portion 212 may include a first pipe connection portion (or first pipe connector) 217 ​​to which the discharge pipe 311 of the flow supply device 300 is connected, as will be described below. As an example, the first pipe connector 217 may be formed in opposing first side cover portions 212. That is, the first pipe connector 217 may be arranged on opposing side surfaces (left and right surfaces) of the first cover 210.

[0083] The cold air stored in the cold compartment 12 can be discharged through the exhaust pipe 311, and the discharged cold air can flow through the first pipe connector 217 to the internal space defined by the first cover 210 and the second cover 270. In addition, the cold air can be cooled when passing through the evaporator 220.

[0084] The first cover 210 may include a second pipe connection portion (or second pipe connector) 218 ​​to which the first supply pipe 380 of the flow supply device 300 is connected. At least a portion of the cold air generated by the evaporator 220 may flow to the first supply pipe 380 and may be supplied to the refrigerator compartment 12. The second pipe connector 218 may be disposed in the first upper cover 213.

[0085] A pipe penetration portion or pipe penetration hole 216 through which the suction pipe 290 passes may be formed in the first cover 210. The suction pipe 290 is a pipe configured to guide refrigerant evaporated by the evaporator 220 to the compressor, which may connect to the evaporator 220, pass through the pipe penetration hole 216, and extend to the compressor arranged in the machine compartment 80. The pipe penetration hole 216 may be formed in the recess 215.

[0086] A second cover 270 supporting the evaporator 220 may be arranged in the freezer compartment 13. As an example, the second cover 270 may be arranged on the underside of the inner freezer compartment housing 75.

[0087] The second cover 270 may include a cover portion (or cover base) 273 disposed on the underside of the evaporator 220 to support the evaporator 220 or the defrost water tray 240. The cover base 273 may be oriented toward the center from opposite sides to correspond to the inclined shape of the evaporator 220 and the inclined shape of the defrost water tray 240.

[0088] The second cover 270 may also include a second front cover portion (or second front cover) 271 disposed in front of the cover seat 273. A through-hole 271a for cold air stored in the freezer compartment 13 (see...) Figure 9A through-hole 271a may be formed in the second front cover 271. As an example, a through-hole 271a may be formed on opposite sides of the second front cover 271 to guide cold air located on the front side of the freezer compartment 13, so that the cold air can flow easily to cover the discharge hole 275. By forming the through-hole 271a, the flow resistance of the cold air flowing toward the cover discharge hole 275 can be reduced.

[0089] The second cover 270 may further include an insulation insert portion or an insulation insert slot 271b, in which the cover insulation 235 may be installed. The insulation insert slot 271b may be formed by penetrating the upper surface of the second front cover 271 (see [reference]). Figure 15 ).

[0090] The second cover 270 may also include second side cover portions or second side covers 272 connected to opposite sides of the second front cover 271, extending toward the rear of the refrigerator. Furthermore, opposite second side covers 272 may be connected to opposite sides of the cover base 273, extending upwards. The first cover 210 may be connected to the upper portion of the second side covers 272.

[0091] A cover drain hole 275, configured to guide cold air stored in the freezer compartment 13 to the evaporator 220, may be formed in the second side cover 272. As an example, multiple holes may be included in the cover drain hole 275, and these holes may be arranged from the front or first side toward the rear or second side of the second side cover 272. Cold air in the freezer compartment 13 can flow through the cover drain hole 275 into the internal space defined by the first cover 210 and the second cover 270, and can be cooled while passing through the evaporator 220. The first pipe connector 217 and the cover drain hole 275 may be collectively referred to as the "introduction guide portion".

[0092] The cover drain hole 275 can be arranged on the side surface of the second storage chamber 13. The cover drain hole 275 can be arranged at the upper part of opposite sides of the freezer chamber 13. Cold air discharged from the freezer chamber 13 can be introduced into opposite sides of the heat exchange chamber through the cover drain hole 275 and can be guided by heat sinks 223 arranged laterally or in the left-right direction, so that heat exchange can be carried out effectively.

[0093] The cold air generator 200 may also include a first heater 243 coupled to the evaporator 220 to supply a predetermined amount of heat to the evaporator 220. The first heater 243 may be a heater configured to provide a certain amount of heat to melt ice when frost forms in the evaporator 220, and this heater may be referred to as a "first defrost heater". As an example, the first heater 243 may be coupled to the upper part of the evaporator 220.

[0094] The cold air generator 200 may also include evaporator support devices or evaporator support members 231, 233, and 236 configured to support the evaporator 220. Evaporator support members 231, 233, and 236 may be located inside the evaporator housings 210 and 270. Furthermore, evaporator support members 231, 233, and 236 may include evaporator retainers 231 and 233 and a support body 236.

[0095] Evaporator retainers 231 and 233 may include a first retainer 231 supporting the front portion of the evaporator 220 and a second retainer 233 supporting the rear portion of the evaporator 220. The first retainer 231 may be supported on the defrost water tray 240, and the second retainer 233 may be supported on the support body 236.

[0096] The support 236 can be supported on the second cover 270 and can be arranged on the rear side of the evaporator 220. With the construction of the evaporator retainers 231 and 233 and the support 236, the evaporator 220 can be stably supported within the space defined by the first cover 210 and the second cover 270.

[0097] The cold air generator 200 may also include a defrost sensor 228 configured to detect the temperature near the evaporator 220 to determine the defrost start time or defrost end time of the evaporator 220. The defrost sensor 228 may be installed in evaporator retainers 231 and 233, for example, in the second retainer 233.

[0098] The cold air generator 200 may also include a fuse 229 configured to interrupt the current applied to the first heater 243. When the temperature of the evaporator 220 is not lower than a predetermined temperature, the current supplied to the first heater 243 can be interrupted when the fuse 229 is tripped, thereby preventing a safety accident. The fuse 229 may be installed in evaporator retainers 231 and 233, for example, in the second retainer 233.

[0099] The cold air generator 200 may also include evaporator insulations 235 and 247, which are configured to insulate the space between the heat exchange area formed near the evaporator 220 and the space outside the heat exchange area. Evaporator insulations 235 and 247 may include a cover insulation 235 disposed on the front side of the first retainer 231 to insulate the front space of the evaporator 220.

[0100] Evaporator insulations 235 and 247 may further include a tray insulation 247 supported by a second cover 270. The tray insulation 247 may be positioned below the defrost water tray 240 to insulate the lower space of the evaporator 220. The tray insulation 247 may sit on the cover seat 273 of the second cover 270 and may be positioned below the second heater 245. Specifically, the tray insulation 247 prevents heat generated by the second heater 245 from being applied to the freezer compartment 13.

[0101] The cold air generator 200 may further include a defrost water tray 240 disposed below the evaporator 220 to collect defrost water generated by the evaporator 220. The defrost water tray 240 may be recessed from opposite sides toward the center to form a shape corresponding to the evaporator 220. Therefore, the defrost water generated by the evaporator 220 can be stored in the defrost water tray 240 and can flow to the center of the defrost water tray 240.

[0102] In the interval between the defrost water tray 240 and the evaporator 220, the distance between the center of the evaporator 220 and the defrost water tray 240 can be greater than the distance between the opposite sides of the evaporator 220 and the defrost water tray 240. In other words, the interval between the defrost water tray 240 and the evaporator 220 can gradually increase from the opposite sides of the evaporator 220 and the defrost water tray 240 toward the center. With this configuration, even when the amount of defrost water flowing to the center of the defrost water tray 240 increases, the defrost water will not come into contact with the surface of the evaporator 220, thereby preventing frost from forming in the evaporator 220.

[0103] The cold air generator 200 may also include a second heater 245 disposed below the defrost water tray 240 to supply a predetermined amount of heat to the defrost water tray 240. The second heater 245 may be referred to as a "second defrost heater" as it provides a certain amount of heat to melt ice when frost is generated in the defrost water tray 240. The second heater 245 may be disposed between the defrost water tray 240 and the tray insulation 247.

[0104] As an example, the second heater 245 may include a surface-shaped heater having the shape of a plate or panel. The second heater 245 may be disposed on the bottom surface of the defrost water tray 240, so that defrost water flowing on the upper surface of the defrost water tray 240 is not disturbed by the second heater, allowing the defrost water to be easily drained. Furthermore, defrost water may not be applied to the surface of the second heater 245, thus preventing corrosion or malfunction of the second heater 245 by the defrost water.

[0105] The cold air generator 200 may also include a drain pipe 295 configured to discharge defrost water collected in the defrost water tray 240. The drain pipe 295 may be arranged on the rear side of the grille covers 320 and 330, as will be described below. Furthermore, the drain pipe 295 may connect to the rear side of the defrost water tray 240, extend downwards, and communicate with the machine room 80. Defrost water may flow through the drain pipe 295 to be introduced into the machine room 80 and may be collected in an exhaust fan disposed in the machine room 80.

[0106] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8 The flow supply device 300 according to an embodiment may include fan assemblies 350 and 355, which are configured to generate a flow of cold air. Fan assemblies 350 and 355 may include a blower fan 350. As an example, the blower fan 350 may include a centrifugal fan through which cold air is introduced axially and discharged circumferentially. Cold air flowing through the refrigerator compartment intake passage and cold air flowing through the freezer compartment intake passage may be mixed with each other, and the mixed cold air may be introduced into the blower fan 350.

[0107] The blowing fan 350 may include: a hub 351 to which a fan motor is connected; a plurality of blades arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the hub 351; and a flare 353 connected to the leading edge of the plurality of blades 352 to guide cool air into the blowing fan 350. The blowing fan 350 may be installed in the internal space between the grille covers 320 and 330. The blowing fan 350 may be seated on a fan mount portion (or fan mount) 332 disposed in the grille covers 320 and 330. The fan mount 332 may be disposed in the second grille cover 330.

[0108] Fan assemblies 350 and 355 may also include a fan support 355 coupled to the blower fan 350 to allow the blower fan 350 to be supported on the grille covers 320 and 330. The fan support 355 may include a cover support 356 coupled to a support coupling portion (or support connector) 332a of the fan mount 332. Multiple cover supports 356 may be formed along the circumference of the fan support 355.

[0109] The flow supply device 300 may also include grille covers 320 and 330, which define the mounting space (hereinafter referred to as the fan mounting space) in which the fan assemblies 350 and 355 are mounted. Grille covers 320 and 330 may be located on the rear side of the freezer compartment 13, that is, on the rear surface of the inner freezer compartment housing 75.

[0110] Grille covers 320 and 330 may include a first grille cover 320 and a second grille cover 330 coupled to the rear side of the first grille cover 320. The mounting space may be defined as an internal space defined by coupling the first grille cover 320 and the second grille cover 330 to each other.

[0111] The first grille cover 320 may include: a first grille cover body 321 having a plate shape; and a fan intake portion or fan intake port 322 formed in the first grille cover body 321 to guide the cold air heat exchanged by the evaporator 220 to the blowing fan 350. As an example, the fan intake port 322 may be formed at the upper part of the first grille cover body 321 and may have a generally circular shape. Air passing through the evaporator 220 may be introduced into the fan mounting space via the fan intake port 322.

[0112] A condensate guide 322a, configured to guide condensate generated around the fan intake 322 (i.e., condensate generated in the grille covers 320, 330, or the blower fan 350) to the lower side, is disposed outside the fan intake 322. The condensate guide 322a may be disposed on the front surface of the first grille cover 321. As an example, the condensate guide 322a may extend downward along opposite sides of the fan intake 322. Furthermore, the lower end of the condensate guide 322a may be connected to a first cover insertion portion or a first cover insertion hole 323.

[0113] The first grille cover 321 may also include a first cover insertion hole 323 into which the second cover 270 of the cold air generator 200 or the defrost water tray 240 is inserted. Furthermore, the second grille cover 330 may include a second cover insertion portion or a second cover insertion hole 333 into which the second cover 270 of the cold air generator 200 or the defrost water tray 240 is inserted.

[0114] The second cover 270 or the defrost water tray 240 can extend through the first cover insertion hole 323 into the internal space between the grille covers 320 and 330, and through the second cover insertion hole 333 into the rear side of the grille covers 320 and 330. Furthermore, the second cover 270 or the defrost water tray 240 can be connected to the drain pipe 295, and the defrost water stored in the defrost water tray 240 can be introduced into the drain pipe 295 (see...). Figure 18 ).

[0115] The flow supply device 300 may further include a secondary cover 340 configured to cover at least a portion of the first cover insertion hole 323. As an example, the secondary cover 340 may cover the lower space of the first cover insertion hole 323, and the second cover 270 or the defrost water tray 240 may be inserted into the upper space of the first cover insertion hole 323. In a simplified description of the assembly process, the secondary cover 340 may be assembled with the first cover insertion hole 323 after the second cover 270 and the defrost water tray 240 have been inserted into the first cover insertion hole 323.

[0116] A connecting hole 344 may be formed in the sub-cover 340. The connecting hole 344 may be connected to the sub-cover connecting portion or sub-cover connecting boss 334 of the second grille cover 330 via a specific fastening member. In this case, the fastening member may be connected to the sub-cover connecting boss 334 by passing through the first fastening hole 321a of the first grille cover 320. The first fastening hole 321a may be located below the first cover insertion hole 323.

[0117] The first grille cover 320 may include a plurality of cold air supply portions or cold air supply ports 325 and 326 configured to discharge cold air, passed through the blower fan 350, into the freezer compartment 13. The plurality of cold air supply ports 325 and 326 include a first supply portion or first supply port 325 formed in the upper portion of the first grille cover body 321. The plurality of first supply ports 325 may be arranged on opposite sides of the fan intake 322 and may be located above the first cover insertion hole 323. The first supply ports 325 may supply cold air toward the upper space of the freezer compartment 13.

[0118] As an example, the first supply port 325 can supply cold air toward the lower surface of the cold air generator 200 (i.e., the bottom surface of the second cover 270). Due to the temperature difference between the inside of the second cover 270 and the inside of the freezer compartment 13, dew can be generated on the outer surface of the second cover 270. When the freezer door 22 is opened, a larger amount of dew may be generated, so that warm, humid air can be introduced into the freezer compartment 13.

[0119] Cool air supplied through the first supply port 325 flows toward the second cover 270, allowing dew to evaporate or removing frost present in the second cover 270. To achieve this, the first supply port 325 may be positioned below the bottom surface of the second cover 270. Furthermore, each first supply port 325 may include a supply guide 325a, which is arranged to project forward at an angle from the first grille cover 321.

[0120] The plurality of cold air supply ports 325 and 326 may also include a second supply portion or a second supply port 326 formed at the lower part of the first grille cover 321. The second supply port 326 may be located below the first cover insertion hole 323 and may supply cold air toward the central space or the lower space of the freezer compartment 13.

[0121] The second grille cover 330 can be connected to the rear side of the first grille cover 320. The second grille cover 330 may include a second grille cover body 331 having a plate shape. The second grille cover body 331 may include a fan mount 332 having a support connector 332a connected to the fan support 355. The fan mount 332 may be disposed on the upper part of the second grille cover 330 and may be arranged at a position corresponding to the fan inlet 322 of the first grille cover 320.

[0122] The second grille cover 330 may also include a protrusion 337 projecting forward from the second grille cover body 331. The protrusion 337 may support the rear surface of the first grille cover 320 and surround the second cover insertion hole 333.

[0123] The upper surface of protrusion 337 can be used as a water collector to collect condensate generated within the blower fan 350 or grille covers 320 and 330. Furthermore, condensate generated by the blower fan 350 is discharged downwards through condensate drain holes 338, which may be formed on the upper surface of protrusion 337. When cold air flows over the blower fan 350, condensate can be generated around the fan assemblies 350 and 355. Additionally, condensate can be collected on the upper surface of protrusion 337 and can fall onto the defrost water tray 240 through the condensate drain holes 338.

[0124] The condensate drain hole 338 can be located above the second cover insertion hole 333, and the defrost water tray 240 can pass through the second cover insertion hole 333, so that the defrost water falling through the condensate drain hole 338 can be collected in the defrost water tray 240. With this configuration, the condensate water generated by the fan assemblies 350 and 355 can be easily drained.

[0125] The flow supply device 300 may further include a discharge pipe 311 connected to the evaporator housings 210 and 270 to guide cold air stored in the refrigerator compartment 12 into the interior of the evaporator housings 210 and 270, i.e., towards the evaporator 220. The discharge pipe 311 may be connected to the inner refrigerator compartment housing 71 to extend downwards and may be connected to the evaporator housings 210 and 270.

[0126] The discharge port 312 communicates with the refrigerator compartment 12, and cold air in the refrigerator compartment 12 is introduced into the discharge port 312. The discharge port 312 may be formed at the upper part of the discharge pipe 311. A plurality of first grilles 312a may be provided in the discharge port 312 to prevent foreign objects present in the refrigerator compartment 12 from being introduced into the discharge pipe 311 through the discharge port 312. The discharge port 312 may be a space formed between the plurality of first grilles 312a.

[0127] A drain hole 312 may be formed on the side surface of the refrigerator compartment 12. The drain hole 312 may also be disposed on the side wall of the inner refrigerator compartment housing 71. As an example, the drain hole 312 may be disposed below the side wall of the inner refrigerator compartment housing 71.

[0128] According to this structure, the cold air discharged from the refrigeration compartment 12 can flow to the heat exchange chamber over a relatively short distance, thereby reducing heat loss caused by flow loss or temperature rise. The discharge port 312 and the cover discharge port 275 are configured to introduce cold air into the heat exchange chamber, and the discharge port 312 and the cover discharge port 275 may be referred to as the "first inlet" and the "second inlet," respectively.

[0129] The drain hole can be located on the lower surface of the inner refrigerator compartment shell 71. Cold air discharged from the refrigerator compartment 12 through the drain hole can flow downwards to be introduced into the heat exchange chamber.

[0130] As another example, the drain hole may be located inside the refrigerator compartment 12. To achieve this, a drain pipe may pass through the side wall of the inner refrigerator compartment housing 71 to protrude a predetermined length toward the refrigerator compartment 12, and the drain hole may be formed on the upper or side surface of the drain pipe. The predetermined length may be small. Therefore, according to such a configuration, the drain hole may be arranged at a location adjacent to the side wall of the inner refrigerator compartment housing 71.

[0131] An evaporator supply section or evaporator supply port 313, connected to the evaporator housings 210 and 270 to introduce cold air discharged from the refrigerator compartment 12 into the mounting space for the evaporator 220, may be formed at the lower part of the discharge pipe 311. As an example, the evaporator supply port 313 may be connected to the first pipe connection section 217 of the first cover 210.

[0132] The discharge pipe 311 can be provided on opposite sides of the evaporator housings 210 and 270. Therefore, cold air stored in the refrigerator compartment 12 can be discharged to opposite sides of the inner refrigerator compartment housing 71 and supplied to the interior of the evaporator housings 210 and 270 via the discharge pipe 311. Furthermore, the supplied cold air can be cooled as it passes through the evaporator 220.

[0133] The flow supply device 300 may also include a first supply duct 380 through which at least a portion of the air passing through the blowing fan 350 flows. As an example, the first supply duct 380 may guide the flow of cold air supplied to the refrigerator compartment 12.

[0134] Grille covers 320 and 330 may include a refrigerator compartment supply section or refrigerator compartment supply port 339 communicating with the first supply conduit 380. The refrigerator compartment supply port 339 may be formed by connecting the first grille cover 320 and the second grille cover 330 to each other.

[0135] Furthermore, the refrigerator compartment supply port 339 can be connected to the second pipe connector 218 of the first cover 210. That is, the rear part of the first cover 210 can be connected to the upper part of the grille covers 320 and 330, and the second pipe connector 218 and the refrigerator compartment supply port 339 can be vertically aligned to communicate with each other. Therefore, cold air passing through the blower fan 350 can flow to the first supply pipe 380 through the refrigerator compartment supply port 339 of the grille covers 320 and 330 and the second pipe connector 218 of the first cover 210.

[0136] A pipe connector 382 connected to the cold air duct 81 of the refrigerator compartment may be formed at the upper part of the first supply duct 380. Therefore, cold air flowing through the first supply duct 380 can be introduced into the cold air duct 81 of the refrigerator compartment to flow upward, and can be supplied to the refrigerator compartment 12 through the cold air supply port 82 of the refrigerator compartment.

[0137] The flow supply device 300 may further include a second supply conduit 385 connected to the lower side of the grille covers 320 and 330, through which at least a portion of the cold air from the blowing fan 350 can flow. As an example, the second supply conduit 385 may guide the flow of cold air to be supplied to the freezer compartment 13. Furthermore, the cold air is discharged into the freezer compartment 13 through a third supply section or third supply port 386 formed at the lower part of the second supply conduit 385.

[0138] A portion of the cold air passing through the blower 350 can flow upwards and be supplied to the refrigerator compartment 12 through the first supply duct 380. In addition, the remaining cold air can flow to opposite sides of the blower 350, and a portion of the remaining cold air can be supplied to the upper space of the freezer compartment 13 through a plurality of first supply ports 325.

[0139] Cold air not supplied through the first supply port 325 can flow further downwards and can be supplied to the central space of the freezer compartment through the second supply port 326. In addition, cold air not supplied through the second supply port 326 can flow further downwards and can be introduced into the second supply duct 385 and can be supplied to the lower space of the freezer compartment 13 through the third supply port 386.

[0140] Reference Figure 9 and Figure 10 A cold air intake channel may be formed in the refrigerator 10 according to the embodiment, through which cold air stored in storage compartments 12 and 13 is introduced into the mounting space for the evaporator 220, i.e., the internal space between evaporator housings 210 and 270. The cold air intake channel may include a refrigerator compartment intake channel extending from the refrigerator compartment 12 to the mounting space for the evaporator 220 and a freezer compartment intake channel extending from the freezer compartment 13 toward the evaporator 220.

[0141] The refrigerator compartment intake passage may include an exhaust pipe 311 configured to direct cold air from the refrigerator compartment 12 to the mounting space for the evaporator 220. The upper portion of the exhaust pipe 311 may be connected to the inner refrigerator compartment housing 71, and the lower portion of the exhaust pipe 311 may be connected to a first pipe connector 217 disposed on the left and right surfaces of the evaporator housings 210 and 270. As an example, the first pipe connector 217 may be formed in the upper portion of the evaporator housings 210 and 270 within the first cover 210.

[0142] The freezer compartment intake passage may include a cover drain hole 275 configured to direct cold air from the freezer compartment to the mounting space for the evaporator 220. The cover drain hole 275 may be formed on the left and right surfaces of the evaporators 220 and 270, or in the opposing second side cover 272. As an example, the cover drain hole 275 may be formed at the lower portion of the evaporator housings 210 and 270 in the second cover 270.

[0143] Multiple second grilles 276 may be provided in the cover drain hole 275 to prevent foreign objects present in the freezer compartment 13 from being introduced into the mounting space for the evaporator 220 through the cover drain hole 275. The cover drain hole 275 may be a space formed between the multiple second grilles 276.

[0144] The refrigerator compartment suction channel and the freezer compartment suction channel can be arranged vertically. As an example, the refrigerator compartment suction channel can be arranged above the freezer compartment suction channel. The first pipe connector 217 of the first cover 210 can also be located above the cover drain hole 275 of the second cover 270. Furthermore, the evaporator 220 can have two rows of refrigerant pipes 221 arranged vertically. Therefore, cold air introduced through the first pipe connector 217 can flow to the refrigerant pipe 221 in the upper row of the two rows of refrigerant pipes 221, and cold air introduced through the cover drain hole 275 can flow to the refrigerant pipe 221 in the lower row of the two rows of refrigerant pipes 221.

[0145] In this way, with the two intake channels at different heights, cold air can be introduced into the installation space for the evaporator 220, preventing the cold air introduced through the intake channels from interfering with each other. Therefore, the flow resistance of the cold air introduced through the two intake channels can be reduced.

[0146] The first pipe connector 217 may be formed by penetrating at least a portion of the first side cover portion 212 and may extend along a first direction from the front to the rear of the refrigerator. Each first pipe connector 217 may include a first front end 217a and a first rear end 217b. The length of the first pipe connector 217 can be understood as the distance between the first front end 217a and the first rear end 217b.

[0147] As an example, the first rear end 217b may be located approximately at the center of the corresponding first side cover portion 212 relative to the first direction. Furthermore, a first center point C1, representing the center between the first front end 217a and the first rear end 217b, may be defined in the first pipe connector 217.

[0148] The cap discharge hole 275 can be formed by penetrating at least a portion of the second side cap 272 and extending along a first direction. Each cap discharge hole 275 may include a second front end 275a and a second rear end 275b. The length of the cap discharge hole 275 can be understood as the distance between the second front end 275a and the second rear end 275b.

[0149] The first pipe connector 217 and the cap outlet 275 can be arranged to intersect each other along a first direction. That is, the cap outlet 275 can be located in front of the first pipe connector 217 relative to a vertical reference line.

[0150] The second front end 275a may be located in front of the first front end 217a, and the second rear end 275b may be located in front of the first rear end 217b. Furthermore, a second center point C2, representing the center between the second front end 275a and the second rear end 275b, may be defined in the cover discharge hole 275. The second center point C2 may be located in front of the first center point C1. The distance between the first center point C1 and the second center point C2 is formed as S1.

[0151] With this configuration, the cap drain hole 275 can be positioned relative to the front of the first pipe connector 217. Furthermore, the cap drain hole 275 can be arranged at a position corresponding to the front side of the evaporator 220, and the first pipe connector 217 can be arranged at a position corresponding to the center of the evaporator 220. Since the blower fan 350 is arranged on the rear side of the evaporator 220, the cold air introduced into the evaporator 220 can flow from the front side to the rear side of the evaporator 220.

[0152] As a result, the cold air introduced into the installation space of the evaporator 220 through the cover discharge hole 275 can exchange heat while flowing from the front to the rear of the evaporator 220, resulting in a relatively large heat exchange area. On the other hand, the cold air introduced into the installation space of the evaporator 220 through the first pipe connector 217 can exchange heat while flowing from approximately the center to the rear of the evaporator 220, resulting in a relatively small heat exchange area.

[0153] Because the temperature of the cold air stored in the freezer compartment 13 is lower than that of the cold air stored in the refrigerator compartment 12, a larger cooling load may be required. Therefore, the freezer compartment intake channel can be located before the refrigerator compartment intake channel, so that the heat exchange area of ​​the cold air flowing through the freezer compartment intake channel can be larger than that of the cold air flowing through the refrigerator compartment intake channel. With this structure, the heat exchange performance of the evaporator 220 can be improved (see...). Figure 15 ).

[0154] Because the blower fan 350 is installed behind the evaporator 220, and heat exchange occurs simultaneously as cold air flowing through the cold air intake passage is introduced from opposite sides of the evaporator 220 and flows to the rear of the evaporator 220, the flow velocity in the refrigerator compartment intake passage relatively close to the blower fan 350 can be increased. Therefore, the shape, size, and position of the blower fan 350, discharge pipe 311, first supply pipe 380, first to third supply ports 325, 326, 386, first pipe connector 217, and cover discharge hole 275 can be designed such that the flow velocity of cold air through the freezer compartment intake passage is greater than the flow velocity of cold air through the refrigerator compartment intake passage. As an example, the ratio of the flow velocity of cold air in the freezer compartment intake passage to the flow rate of cold air in the refrigerator compartment intake passage can be approximately 8:2.

[0155] Reference Figures 11 to 14 The cold air supply device 100 according to an embodiment may include an evaporator 220 installed within evaporator housings 210 and 270. The evaporator 220 may include a refrigerant pipe 221 through which refrigerant flows and heat sinks 223 connected to the refrigerant pipe 221. As an example, the refrigerant pipe 221 may be bent several times, may extend laterally, and may be arranged vertically in two rows. With such a structure, the refrigerant flow distance is increased, thereby increasing the heat exchange capacity.

[0156] The heat sink 223 can extend vertically to connect to two rows of refrigerant pipes 221 and can guide the flow of cold air to promote heat exchange between the cold air and the refrigerant. Based on the refrigerant pipes 221 and the heat sink 223, the heat exchange performance of the refrigerant can be improved.

[0157] The cold air supply device 100 may include: an inlet pipe 222a connected to the inlet of a refrigerant pipe 221 to introduce refrigerant into the refrigerant pipe 221; and an outlet pipe 222b connected to the outlet of the refrigerant pipe 221 so that refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant pipe 221 is discharged through the outlet pipe 222b. The inlet pipe 222a and the outlet pipe 222b may be arranged at the center of the evaporator 220.

[0158] Furthermore, a gas / liquid separator 260 can be installed at the outlet of outlet pipe 222b. This gas / liquid separator 260 is configured to separate gaseous refrigerant from the refrigerant passing through evaporator 220 and supply the separated gaseous refrigerant to suction pipe 290. The gas / liquid separator 260 can be installed in fan suction passage 227. With this arrangement, the gas / liquid separator 260 can be positioned relatively low, thus reducing the vertical height of the cold air supply unit 100 (see [link]). Figure 15 ).

[0159] As an example, refrigerant introduced into the lower refrigerant pipe 221 of the evaporator 220 through the inlet pipe 222a can flow to the left (or right) side, to the upper refrigerant pipe 221, and then towards the opposite part of the evaporator 220 to the right (or left). Furthermore, refrigerant can be introduced into the lower refrigerant pipe 221 of the refrigerant pipe 221, flow towards the center of the evaporator 220, and be discharged through the outlet pipe 222b.

[0160] Multiple heat sinks 223 may be provided. These heat sinks 223 may be spaced apart from each other in a first direction. Furthermore, some of the heat sinks 223 may extend laterally, in a second direction, or in a left-right direction. The heat sinks 223 constituting this arrangement may be designated as "guide heat sinks." The guide heat sinks may extend from the side portions or side portions 220a and 220b toward the central portion or central portion 220c of the evaporator 220 to guide the flow of cool air in the side portions.

[0161] With this configuration, when cold air introduced from opposite sides of the evaporator 220 flows to the center 220c of the evaporator 220, the cold air can easily flow along the multiple heat sinks 223, particularly guiding the flow of the heat sinks. That is, the phenomenon of the heat sinks 223 interfering with the flow of cold air can be prevented. The evaporator 220 may also include a first heater 243 connected to the upper part of the refrigerant pipe 221 to provide a predetermined amount of heat to the evaporator 220 during the defrosting time, thereby melting the ice that has formed in the refrigerant pipe 221 or the heat sinks 223.

[0162] The evaporator 220 may include: sides 220a and 220b defining opposite side portions of the evaporator 220; and a central portion 220c defining a central portion of the evaporator 220. Side portions 220a and 220b may include a plurality of heat exchangers 220a and 220b. Furthermore, the central portion 220c may include a fan intake passage 227 formed between the plurality of heat exchangers 220a and 220b to define an intake-side passage for a blower fan 350.

[0163] Side portions 220a and 220b may be adjacent to the discharge pipe 311 or the discharge port 312. Furthermore, sides 220a and 220b may be adjacent to the cover discharge port 275. Side portions 220a and 220b may be adjacent to the sides of the first pipe connector 217 and the cover discharge port 275.

[0164] Side sections 220a and 220b may include a first heat exchanger 220a and a second heat exchanger 220b. Furthermore, the fan intake passage 227 can be understood as a cold air passage without refrigerant pipes 221 and heat sinks 223. According to this configuration, cold air cooled while passing through the first heat exchanger 220a and the second heat exchanger 220b can be converged into the fan intake passage 227 and can flow towards the blowing fan 350.

[0165] The first heat exchanger 220a and the second heat exchanger 220b may include a refrigerant pipe 221 and a heat sink 223. The refrigerant pipe 221 may include a connector 221a that connects the first heat exchanger 220a and the second heat exchanger 220b to each other. The connector 221a may have a curved shape, such as a U-shaped tube.

[0166] Connector 221a may be disposed on the front side of evaporator 220 and may be supported by first retainer 231. First retainer 231 may include connection support 231a supporting connector 221a. Connection support 231a may be formed by recessing at least a portion of first retainer 231, and connector 221a may be adapted to fit into the recess.

[0167] The cold air supply device 100 may include: a first retainer 231 supporting the front portion of the evaporator 220; and a second retainer 233 supporting the rear portion of the evaporator 220. The first retainer 231 or the second retainer 233 may include through holes 234b and 234c, on which the refrigerant pipe 221 is supported. (See reference...) Figure 14 The second retainer 233 may include a retainer body 234a having a plate shape and extending along a second direction, and a plurality of through holes 234b and 234c being formed by penetrating at least a portion of the retainer body 234a.

[0168] The plurality of through holes 234b and 234c may include: a plurality of first through holes 234b, into which a first bend 221b of the refrigerant pipe 221 is inserted; and a second through hole 234c into which a second bend 221c of the refrigerant pipe 221 is inserted. The plurality of first through holes 234b may be arranged in two rows at the upper and lower parts of the retainer body 234a and may be spaced apart from each other in a second direction.

[0169] The first bend 221b may be a pipe located at the rear of the refrigerant pipe 221, used to change the flow direction of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 221 from a forward direction to a rearward direction, or from a rearward direction to a forward direction. The first through hole 234b may extend in the second direction.

[0170] Furthermore, the second bend 221c may be a pipe disposed on the side of the refrigerant pipe 221 to change the flow direction of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 221 from the lower outlet to the upper outlet. The second through hole 234c may extend along a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions.

[0171] The second retainer 233 can be connected to the support 236. The support 236 can be connected to the second retainer 233 and can be located in front of the fan intake 322 of the grille covers 320 and 330.

[0172] The second retainer 233 may further include a support boss 234d disposed at the edge of the retainer body 234a and supported on the inner surface of the support body 236. The support boss 234d may be disposed on the upper and lower sides of the first through hole 234b, and may reduce the contact area between the support body 236 and the second retainer 233. According to this configuration of the support boss 234d, the stress transmitted from the support body 236 to the refrigerant pipe 221 via the second retainer 233 may be reduced.

[0173] Furthermore, multiple support bosses 234d are provided, and a support space for positioning the first heater 243 can be formed among the multiple support bosses 234d. With this structure, when the first heater 243 is supported on the support space, the support bosses 234d can be supported on the inner surface of the support body 236, so that the first heater 243 can be stably fixed.

[0174] Although the construction of the retainer has been described based on the second retainer 233, the retainer body 234a, the first through hole 234b, and the support boss 234d provided in the second retainer 233 can be similarly applied to the first retainer 231. The second retainer 233 may also include a recessed portion or recess 233a communicating with the fan intake passage 227, which is configured to guide the cold air passing through the evaporator 220 so that the cold air flows toward the blowing fan 350.

[0175] A recess 233a may be formed approximately at the center of the retainer body 234a, recessing downward from the upper surface of the retainer body 234a. Furthermore, the recess 233a may be arranged in front of the fan intake 322 of the grille covers 320 and 330. Cool air cooled by the evaporator 220 may be introduced into the fan intake 322 via the fan intake passage 227 and the recess 233a.

[0176] The first heat exchanger 220a and the second heat exchanger 220b may extend from the center of the evaporator 220 to the sides to intersect each other. In other words, the first heat exchanger 220a and the second heat exchanger 220b may be inclined upward toward the sides relative to the fan intake passage 227. That is, when the center of the fan intake passage 227 is defined as C3, center lines l2 and l3 passing through the vertical centers of the first heat exchanger 220a and the second heat exchanger 220b are defined, and the center C3 and the center lines l2 and l3 may have a V-shape or a wedge shape.

[0177] When the line passing through the vertical longitudinal center of the two rows of refrigerant pipes 221 and heat sinks 223 disposed in the first heat exchanger 220a and the central portion C3 is the first center line l2, the first center line l2 can extend obliquely upward to the left from the central portion C2. That is, the first center line l2 can have a predetermined first setting angle θ1 relative to the horizontal line l1. As an example, the first setting angle θ1 can have a range of 5°-10°.

[0178] When the line passing through the vertical longitudinal center of the two rows of refrigerant pipes 221 and heat sinks 223 arranged in the second heat exchanger 220b and the central part C3 is the second center line l3, the second center line l3 can be inclined to the right and upward from the central part C2. That is, the second center line l2 can have a predetermined first set angle θ1 relative to the horizontal line l1.

[0179] Depending on the construction of the evaporator 220, the vertical width of the cold air supply device 100 can be relatively reduced, allowing for a relative increase in the storage space of the freezer compartment 13. The vertical width of the cold air supply device 100 can be relatively small, ensuring a relatively large thickness of the partition wall insulation 55 located within the partition wall 50. Therefore, advantageously, even with a relatively increased thickness of the partition wall insulation 55, the overall thickness of the partition wall 50 and the cold air supply device 100 can be relatively reduced.

[0180] Furthermore, compared to an evaporator arranged horizontally in the transverse direction, the heat exchange area of ​​the evaporator 220 can be relatively increased, thereby improving the heat exchange performance. Based on the V-shaped inclination of the evaporator 220, the first retainer 231 and the second retainer 233 supporting the front and rear of the evaporator 220 can also be inclined upwards from the center toward their respective sides.

[0181] A defrost water tray 240, configured to collect defrost water produced by the evaporator 220, can be installed on the lower side of the evaporator 220. The defrost water tray 240 can be spaced downward from the lower end of the evaporator 220 to store the defrost water falling from the evaporator 220.

[0182] The lower surface of the defrost water tray 240 may extend outward from the center of the defrost water tray 240 and be inclined upward relative to the horizontal line l1. That is, the lower surface of the defrost water tray 240 may have a predetermined second setting angle θ2 relative to the horizontal line l1. The second setting angle θ2 may be slightly larger than the first setting angle θ1. As an example, the second setting angle θ2 may have a range of 10°-15°.

[0183] The defrost water tray 240 may include flow guides 244 that slope downward from opposite sides toward the center of the defrost water tray 240. That is, a plurality of flow guides 244 may be provided on opposite sides of the defrost water tray 240.

[0184] The downward-sloping shape of the flow guide 244 corresponds to the inclined shape of the evaporator 220, so the defrost water falling onto the defrost water tray 240 can flow along the flow guide 244 toward the center of the defrost water tray 240. The flow guide 244 can form a second set angle θ2 relative to the horizontal line l1.

[0185] The distance between the lower end of the evaporator 220 and the flow guide 244 can gradually increase from the opposite sides of the defrost water tray 240 towards the center. With this configuration, even if the amount of defrost water increases as it flows along the flow guide 244 toward the center of the defrost water tray 240, the defrost water can flow easily without being disturbed by the evaporator 220.

[0186] The defrost water tray 240 may also include a defrost water storage portion or a defrost water storage tank 246 recessed downward from the opposing flow guide 244. The defrost water storage tank 246 may be formed below the fan intake passage 227.

[0187] The angle from which the flow guide 244 is recessed (i.e. inclined) into the defrost water reservoir 246 can be greater than the downward inclination angle of the flow guide 244. In this way, the defrost water reservoir 246 has a recessed shape, which increases the discharge rate of the defrost water flowing along the opposing flow guide 244, thus allowing the defrost water to be discharged easily.

[0188] The defrost water tray 240 can tilt downwards from its front to its rear. The lower part of the defrost water tray 240 can extend downwards while passing through the cover insertion holes 323 and 333 of the grille covers 320 and 330, and can be connected to the drain pipe 295. With this configuration, the defrost water stored in the defrost water storage tank 246 can flow from the front to the rear of the defrost water tray 240 and can be easily discharged into the drain pipe 295.

[0189] Reference Figures 15 to 18To increase the volume of the refrigerator's storage compartments 12 and 13, an installation space for the evaporator, i.e., a heat exchange compartment, can be formed on the rear side of the respective storage compartment. However, the installation space can be moved to the partition wall 50 between the first storage compartment 12 and the second storage compartment 13. That is, the cold air generator 200 with the heat exchange compartment can be located in or on one side of the partition wall 50.

[0190] Furthermore, to further increase the volume of storage chambers 12 and 13, a portion of the partition wall 50 may be recessed, and the heat exchange chamber may be arranged within the recess of the partition wall 50. As an example, such as... Figure 18 As shown, the bottom surface of the partition wall 50 can be tilted upwards, and the first cover of the cold air generator 200 can be inserted into the recess of the partition wall 50.

[0191] To ensure the cold air intake channel is properly secured to the heat exchange chamber, the cold air inlet (exhaust port) 312 of the first storage chamber may be formed on the side of the cold air generator 200 or the first storage chamber 12 instead of the front. As another example, an auxiliary cold air inlet (through port) 271a may be formed on the front of the cold air generator 200, and together with the cold air inlet 312 on the side of the cold air generator 200, guide the flow of cold air.

[0192] When the cold air inlet is formed on the side of the first storage chamber 12, the heat sink 223 of the evaporator 220 can extend from the side of the evaporator 220 toward the center, thereby minimizing the flow loss of the cold air introduced into the heat exchange chamber through the cold air inlet. In this case, the cold air inlet (cover drain hole) 275 of the freezer chamber 13 can also be formed on the side of the second storage chamber 13, and cold air can be introduced toward the center of the heat exchange chamber.

[0193] When the cold air inlet 312 of the first storage chamber 12 is formed on the side of the first storage chamber 12, the cold air inlet 312 may be formed on the bottom surface or side wall of the first storage chamber 12. In addition, in order to prevent the cold air inlet 312 from being blocked by the items stored in the first storage chamber 12, the forming part may be formed near the cold air inlet 312, or the cold air inlet 312 may be spaced apart from the bottom surface of the first storage chamber 12 by a predetermined distance.

[0194] Because the partition wall insulation 55 is disposed between the cold air inlet 312 and the heat exchange chamber (or cold air generator 200), a passage can be formed by connecting the cold air inlet 312 and the heat exchange chamber to each other. To achieve this, a separate exhaust pipe 311 can be configured to connect the cold air inlet 312 and the heat exchange chamber to each other. With this configuration, the thickness of the partition wall insulation 55 can be minimized, thereby increasing the volume of the storage chamber. As another example, a portion of the interior of the partition wall insulation 55 can be penetrated, without a separate structure such as the exhaust pipe 311.

[0195] When the heat exchange chamber is installed inside or on one side of the partition wall 50, to improve production convenience, the upper part of the heat exchange chamber may face the partition wall 50. The wall defining the partition wall 50 (i.e., the inner refrigerator housing 71) may be used as the upper cover (first cover) 210 of the heat exchange chamber, or a separate cover may be provided. In addition, a lower cover (second cover 270) may be provided on the lower side of the heat exchange chamber to be fastened to the inner refrigerator housing 71.

[0196] Specifically, cold air stored in storage chambers 12 and 13 according to the embodiment can be introduced into the evaporation chamber where the evaporator 220 is positioned through each intake channel. Cold air stored in refrigerator compartment 12 can be introduced into the evaporation chamber through exhaust pipe 311, which constitutes the refrigerator compartment intake channel (dashed arrow). Furthermore, cold air stored in freezer compartment 13 can be introduced into the evaporation chamber through cover exhaust hole 275, which constitutes the freezer compartment intake channel (solid arrow).

[0197] As described above, the cover drain hole 275 can be located relatively in front of the drain pipe 311. Therefore, the cold air introduced into the freezer chamber through the cover drain hole 275 can exchange heat while flowing from the front side to the rear side of the evaporator 220. Therefore, the heat exchange area of ​​the cold air in the freezer chamber can be relatively large.

[0198] Therefore, the cold air introduced into the evaporator chamber through the exhaust pipe 311 in the refrigerator compartment can exchange heat while flowing from approximately the center of the evaporator 220 toward the rear. Thus, the heat exchange area of ​​the cold air in the refrigerator compartment can be smaller than that of the cold air in the freezer compartment. However, the cooling load of the cold air in the refrigerator compartment can be no greater than that of the cold air in the freezer compartment, thus ensuring sufficient cooling performance even when the intake passage is arranged as described above.

[0199] The multiple heat sinks 223 of the evaporator 220 can be spaced apart from each other from the front side to the rear side of the evaporator 220. That is, the multiple heat sinks 223 can be formed in multiple rows along the first direction. In addition, the front surfaces of the heat sinks 223 constituting the rows can be arranged to face the front side.

[0200] As an example, the front surfaces of the multiple rows of heat sink 223 can extend parallel to each other in the lateral direction. Due to this arrangement of the heat sink 223, the cool air flowing from the side of the evaporator 220 toward the center of the evaporator 220, i.e., toward the fan intake passage 227, is not disturbed by the heat sink 223. Therefore, the heat sink 223 can easily guide the flow of cool air.

[0201] This flow of cold air can occur on opposite sides of the evaporator 220 via the first heat exchanger 220a and the second heat exchanger 220b. The cold air introduced from opposite sides of the evaporator 220 can pass through the refrigerant pipe 221 and the heat sink 223, mix through the fan intake channel 227, and then flow backward.

[0202] Furthermore, cold air from the fan intake passage 227 can be introduced into the grille covers 320 and 330 through the fan intake port 322 and pass through the blower fan 350. At least a portion of the cold air passing through the blower fan 350 can flow through the first supply duct 380 to the refrigerator compartment cold air duct 81, and can be supplied to the refrigerator compartment 12 through the refrigerator compartment cold air supply port 82 (see...). Figure 18 (Arrow A). Residual cold air in the cold air after passing through the blowing fan 350 can flow to the first supply port 325 and the second supply port 326 or the second supply pipe 385, and can be supplied to the freezer compartment 13 (see arrow A). Figure 18 Arrow B).

[0203] When cold air is supplied through evaporator 220, condensate f2 or defrost water f1 may be generated by evaporator 220, and the condensate or defrost water may fall onto defrost water tray 240 located below evaporator 220. The water collected in defrost water tray 240 may flow towards the rear of defrost water tray 240.

[0204] As described above, the defrost water tray 240 can be tilted downwards from its front to its rear to allow condensate or defrost water to flow easily. Water flowing through the defrost water tray 240 can pass through the grille covers 320 and 330 and be introduced into the drain pipe 295.

[0205] Condensate f2 generated by the blower fan 350 or the grille covers 320 and 330 can fall through the condensate hole 338 onto the defrost water tray 240 and can be introduced into the drain pipe 295. Defrost water f1 and condensate f2 can mix with each other in the defrost water tray 240 and can be introduced into the drain pipe 295.

[0206] Water introduced into drain pipe 295 can flow downwards to be introduced into machine room 80 and can be collected in exhaust fan provided in machine room 80. According to this operation, defrost water can be easily discharged.

[0207] Reference Figure 19According to another embodiment, the second bottom cover portion (or second bottom cover) 274 of the second cover 270 may include a cover drain hole 275a through which cold air in the freezer compartment 13 is introduced into the heat exchange compartment. The cover drain hole 275 described in the first embodiment may be formed in the second bottom cover 274.

[0208] Multiple second grilles 276a may be provided in the cover drain hole 275a to prevent foreign matter present in the freezer compartment 13 from being introduced into the heat exchange compartment through the cover drain hole 275a. Cold air introduced into the opposite side portions 220a and 220b of the evaporator 220 through the cover drain hole 275a may flow to the center portion 220c of the evaporator 220 and mix therewith before flowing to the blower fan 350.

[0209] In the general description of the embodiments, lid drain holes 275 and 275a may be formed on the side of the freezer compartment 13. Lid drain hole 275 may be arranged on the side of the second lid 270, and lid drain hole 275a may be arranged on the bottom surface of the second lid 270. Furthermore, because these lid drain holes are formed on opposite sides of the cold air supply device, cold air in the freezer compartment 13 can be easily introduced into the heat exchange chamber.

[0210] The refrigerator may include a heat exchange compartment, a first inlet disposed on a side surface of a first storage compartment and configured to introduce cold air from the first storage compartment into the heat exchange compartment, and a second inlet disposed on a side surface of a second storage compartment and configured to introduce cold air from the second storage compartment into the heat exchange compartment. The refrigerator may also include an evaporator disposed in the heat exchange compartment and having refrigerant pipes through which refrigerant flows and heat exchange fins configured to guide heat exchange between the refrigerant and the cold air.

[0211] The evaporator may include: a side portion located adjacent to a first inlet or a second inlet and upstream of a flow of cold air toward a fan; and a central portion located downstream of a flow of cold air toward a fan. The heat sink may include a guide fin extending from the side portion of the evaporator to the central portion and configured to guide the flow of cold air through the side portion.

[0212] The refrigerator may also include a drain pipe connected to a side of the heat exchange chamber and configured to supply air passing through a first inlet to the heat exchange chamber. The evaporator housing may include a first cover covering the upper side of the evaporator. The evaporator housing may include a second cover supporting the lower side of the evaporator.

[0213] It may include an inner refrigerator housing defining a refrigerator compartment and an inner freezer housing defining a freezer compartment, with a partition wall insulation body installed between the inner refrigerator housing and the inner freezer housing.

[0214] The first cover may define at least a portion of the inner freezer compartment shell.

[0215] The refrigerator compartment intake passage may also include an exhaust pipe configured to supply cold air from the refrigerator compartment toward the evaporator. The exhaust pipe may include: an exhaust port communicating with the refrigerator compartment; and an evaporator supply section connected to a first pipe connection section of the first cover.

[0216] The freezer compartment intake passage may include a cover drain hole formed in a second cover and configured to supply cold air toward the evaporator in the freezer compartment. A first duct connection may be disposed on a side surface of the first cover, and the cover drain hole may be disposed on a side surface of the second cover.

[0217] The refrigerator compartment suction channel and the freezer compartment suction channel can be formed at different positions relative to the front and back direction. The freezer compartment suction channel can be located in front of the refrigerator compartment suction channel.

[0218] The first pipe connection and the cover drain hole may intersect each other in the front-to-back direction. The cover drain hole may be located in front of the first pipe connection relative to the vertical reference line.

[0219] Cold air supplied to the evaporator through the cover drain hole can pass through the front part of the evaporator, and cold air supplied to the evaporator through the first pipe connection can pass through the central part of the evaporator. The front-rear center C2 of the cover drain hole can be formed in front of the front-rear center C1 of the first pipe connection.

[0220] The front end of the cover drain hole may be located in front of the front end of the first pipe connection, and the rear end of the cover drain hole may be located in front of the rear end of the first pipe connection. The refrigerator may also include: a defrost water tray disposed below the evaporator; and a tray insulation body disposed below the defrost water tray and supported by a second cover.

[0221] The refrigerator may also include a first defrost heater connected to the evaporator. The refrigerator may also include a second defrost heater disposed between the defrost water tray and the tray insulation. The refrigerator may also include a flow supply unit connected to the rear side of the evaporator housing, configured to supply cold air passing through the evaporator to the refrigerator and freezer compartments, and having a blowing fan.

[0222] The flow supply unit may further include a grille cover housing a blower fan, and the grille cover may include: a fan intake portion configured to direct cold air to the blower fan; and a plurality of cold air supply portions through which the cold air passing through the blower fan is supplied to the freezer compartment. The flow supply unit may further include a first supply duct connected to the upper side of the grille cover and configured to direct the cold air passing through the blower fan to the refrigerator compartment.

[0223] The flow supply unit may also include a second supply conduit connected to the underside of the grille cover and configured to direct cold air, passed through the blower fan, into the freezer compartment. The flow supply unit may also include a drain pipe disposed on the rear side of the grille cover and configured to guide the discharge of condensate generated by the evaporator or blower fan.

[0224] According to the refrigerator with the above structure, since the evaporator can be installed on one side of the partition wall (through which the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment are vertically separated), the internal storage space of the refrigerator can be expanded, and the pull-out distance of the drawers in the refrigerator can be increased. Therefore, the storage space for food can be increased.

[0225] Furthermore, because the freezer compartment intake channel through which cold air is introduced into the evaporator from the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment intake channel through which cold air is introduced into the evaporator from the refrigerator compartment can be arranged vertically, flow resistance between the cold air introduced through these two channels can be prevented. Therefore, collision losses between the freezer and refrigerator compartment intake channels can be reduced, and the cold air can pass through the evaporator evenly, thereby improving the evaporator's heat exchange efficiency.

[0226] The freezer compartment intake channel can be located in front of the partition wall, and the refrigerator compartment intake channel can be located behind the freezer compartment intake channel. This allows the cold air introduced through the freezer compartment intake channel to pass through a larger heat exchange area of ​​the evaporator when cold air flows from the front to the rear of the partition wall. The increased heat exchange area of ​​the cold air introduced through the freezer compartment intake channel improves cooling performance.

[0227] The amount of cold air supplied to the freezer compartment can be greater than that supplied to the refrigerator compartment, thus preventing the temperature of the freezer compartment, which should be maintained at a relatively low temperature, from increasing. Furthermore, the evaporator may include a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger spaced apart from each other. Cold air is drawn into a fan through a fan intake passage, which may be located between the first and second heat exchangers, allowing cold air introduced from opposite sides of the partition wall to easily flow to the fan located behind the partition wall.

[0228] The first and second heat exchangers can be inclined from the center toward the sides of the evaporator, thereby increasing the heat exchange area of ​​the evaporator and ensuring a relatively large thickness of the insulation in the partition wall. Furthermore, a defrost water tray can be positioned on the underside of the evaporator, and the defrost water tray can be inclined downwards from opposite sides toward the center to correspond to the shape of the evaporator, allowing the defrost water to flow smoothly.

[0229] Because the recessed portion is formed in the center of the defrost water tray and the fan intake channel is formed above the recessed portion, even if the amount of defrost water increases, the defrost water stored in the defrost water tray can still be applied to the evaporator, thus preventing frost from forming at the bottom of the evaporator.

[0230] The terms "an embodiment," "an exemplary embodiment," "an exemplary model," etc., used in this specification indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. These terms appearing in multiple places in the specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, when a feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it should be understood that implementing these features, structures, or characteristics in conjunction with other embodiments will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

[0231] Although the invention has been described with reference to several exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments that will occur to those skilled in the art fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. More specifically, various modifications and alterations can be made to the components and / or structures in the main combined configuration within the scope of this disclosure, the drawings, and the appended claims. In addition to modifications and alterations to the components and / or structures, alternative uses will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising: First storage room; The second storage room is located below the first storage room; A partition wall is disposed between the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber, the partition wall having a heat exchange chamber; A fan is arranged at the rear of the heat exchange chamber and configured to blow cold air from the heat exchange chamber to the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber; and An evaporator, disposed on the suction side of the fan within the heat exchange chamber, comprises a pair of side portions and a central portion. The side portions include refrigerant pipes and at least one heat sink connected to the refrigerant pipes. The central portion is disposed between the side portions. The heat exchange chamber includes a bottom, a pair of sides, and an upper part. An inlet is formed at the front of the side portion, and the inlet is configured to allow air from either the first or second storage chamber to be introduced into the heat exchange chamber. The inlet mentioned above includes: A pair of first inlets through which air from the first storage chamber enters the heat exchange chamber, the pair of first inlets being formed on opposite sides; and A pair of second inlets, through which air from the second storage chamber enters the heat exchange chamber, the pair of second inlets being formed on opposite sides. The refrigerator further includes a discharge pipe disposed on the side wall of the first storage compartment and extending toward the heat exchange chamber, the discharge pipe comprising: A first opening is formed in the side wall of the first storage chamber, through which air in the first storage chamber is introduced; and The second opening connects to the side and has one of the pair of first inlets. The at least one heat sink extends laterally along a direction from the opposite side portion of the evaporator toward the central portion, and The central portion of the evaporator includes a fan intake channel that does not include the at least one heat sink. Airflow from at least one heat sink on the opposite side of the evaporator is drawn into the fan intake channel. Furthermore, the opposite side is inclined upward toward the side of the evaporator relative to the fan intake channel.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the pair of first inlets is arranged vertically above the pair of second inlets such that the heights of the pair of first inlets and the pair of second inlets are different from each other, so that the air introduced through the pair of first inlets and the pair of second inlets is prevented from interfering with each other.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein, The pair of first entrances and the pair of second entrances are arranged to overlap vertically at the opposite sides. The second entrance is located in front of the first entrance, and The fan is arranged at the rear of the evaporator, such that the air introduced into the evaporator flows from the front to the rear of the evaporator.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein, The front end of the second inlet is located before the front end of the first inlet, or The rear end of the second entrance is located before the rear end of the first entrance.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein, The pair of first inlets and the pair of second inlets are arranged such that the heat exchange area of ​​the air flowing through the pair of second inlets and the evaporator is greater than the heat exchange area of ​​the air flowing through the pair of first inlets and the evaporator.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising an evaporator housing defining the heat exchange chamber, the evaporator housing including a first cover and a second cover disposed below the first cover. The first inlet is formed at the first cover, and the second inlet is formed at the second cover.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein, The pair of first inlets are vertically positioned above the pair of second inlets and communicate with the first storage chamber via the discharge pipe, thereby allowing for a reduction in the thickness of the insulation material disposed within the partition wall.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the pair of first inlets and the pair of second inlets are both positioned closer to the front of the heat exchange chamber than the rear of the heat exchange chamber.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising an evaporator housing, wherein the heat exchange chamber is defined within the evaporator housing. in, The evaporator housing includes a first cover and a second cover disposed below the first cover, the second cover being configured to define an inner shell defining the second storage chamber.

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