Vacuum adiabatic body and refrigerator

Abstract

A vacuum adiabatic body is provided. The vacuum adiabatic body includes: a mullion configured to divide a space inside the refrigerator into a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber; an ice maker placed in the freezing compartment; and an ice making cold air passage passing through the mullion to connect the freezing compartment to the ice maker. Accordingly, cold air may be supplied to an ice maker provided in the refrigerating compartment in a thermally insulated state.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of LG Electronics Co., Ltd.'s invention patent application (filing date July 9, 2020, application number 202080050393.0, invention name "Vacuum insulation body and refrigerator"). Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a vacuum insulator and a refrigerator. Background Art

[0003] Vacuum insulators are products used to suppress heat transfer by evacuating the interior of the body. Vacuum insulators can reduce heat transfer by convection and conduction, and are therefore used in heating and cooling devices. In conventional insulation methods used in refrigerators, foamed polyurethane insulation walls with a thickness of about 30 cm or more are usually provided (although they are used in refrigeration and freezing in different ways). However, the internal volume of the refrigerator is reduced as a result.

[0004] In order to increase the internal volume of a refrigerator, attempts have been made to apply a vacuum insulator to the refrigerator.

[0005] First, Korean Patent No. 10-0343719 (Reference 1) of the present applicant has been disclosed. According to Reference 1, a method is disclosed in which a vacuum insulation panel is prepared and then installed in the wall of a refrigerator, and the outside of the vacuum insulation panel is finished (finished) with a separate molded part such as expanded polystyrene (polystyrene). According to this method, additional foaming is not required, and the insulation performance of the refrigerator is improved. However, the manufacturing cost increases, and the manufacturing method is complicated.

[0006] As another example, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2015-0012712 (Reference 2) discloses a technique of providing a wall using a vacuum insulation material and additionally providing an insulation wall using a foam filling material. Also, the manufacturing cost increases and the manufacturing method is complicated.

[0007] As a further example, an attempt was made to use a vacuum insulator of a single product to manufacture all the walls of a refrigerator. For example, U.S. Patent Publication No. US2040226956A1 (Reference 3) discloses a technology for providing an insulating structure for a refrigerator in a vacuum state. However, it is difficult to obtain a practical level of insulation effect by providing a sufficient vacuum for the walls of the refrigerator. Specifically, there are the following limitations: it is difficult to prevent heat transfer at the contact portion between the outer shell and the inner shell at different temperatures, it is difficult to maintain a stable vacuum state, and it is difficult to prevent deformation due to the negative pressure under the vacuum state. Due to these limitations, the technology disclosed in Reference 3 is limited to low-temperature refrigerators and does not provide a technical level suitable for general households.

[0008] In addition, the applicant has applied for Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2017-0016187 (Reference 4), which discloses a vacuum insulator and a refrigerator. This reference proposes a single cooling space constructed using a single vacuum insulator. However, a real refrigerator needs to be provided with multiple storage spaces with different temperatures, but there are restrictions that are not considered in conventional literature.

[0009] On the other hand, in recent years, ice makers are installed in refrigerators to make it easy for consumers to get ice. As technologies related to ice makers and supplying cold air to ice makers, Korean Patent 10-2006-0041437 (Reference 5) discloses a cold air passage structure of a refrigerator, and Korean Patent 10-2006-00764610 (Reference 6) discloses a refrigerator in which an ice maker is installed in the main body of the refrigerator, and Reference 6 has proposed a method of installing an ice maker in a refrigerator door.

[0010] In the related art, a duct is embedded in a foam portion constituting a wall of a refrigerator, and cool air is supplied to an ice maker installed in a refrigerating chamber or an ice maker installed in a freezing chamber via the embedded duct.

[0011] According to the above technology, there are limitations in that the internal space of the duct is reduced as a whole, the loss of cold air to the outside is increased due to the difficulty in thermally insulating the duct, and the thickness of the foam portion needs to be increased to thermally insulate the duct. In addition, in the case of a vacuum insulator, since the internal space of the vacuum space as the insulating space is narrow and thin, it is impossible to embed the duct in the first position. Summary of the invention

[0012] Technical issues

[0013] The embodiments provide a refrigerator in which an ice-making cold air passage connecting an evaporator to an ice maker is not placed in a narrow wall of a vacuum space of a vacuum insulator, thereby solving the above-mentioned limitation.

[0014] The embodiments also provide a refrigerator in which the limitation that the article accommodation space of the refrigerator is reduced due to the occupation of the ice-making cold air passage (in which the vacuum insulation body is provided in the main body) is solved.

[0015] Embodiments also provide an ice maker in which a cold air loss occurring when ice-making cold air is guided is reduced to supply low-temperature cold air to the ice maker as much as possible, thereby providing a sufficient amount of ice.

[0016] Technical Solution

[0017] In one embodiment, the vacuum insulator includes: an inner space having an insulating wall as a vacuum space; a vertical frame (mullion) configured to separate the space in the refrigerator into a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber; an ice maker placed in the freezing chamber; and an ice-making cold air passage passing through the vertical frame to connect the freezing chamber to the ice maker. Therefore, the ice-making cold air can be guided to the ice maker in a state of being thermally insulated relative to the space in the refrigerator without passing through the vacuum space of the insulating wall in which the vacuum insulator is disposed. The vertical frame can be called a partition that separates the space.

[0018] The ice-making cold air passage may extend along the inner surface of the vacuum insulation body to maximize the insulation effect of the vacuum insulation body.

[0019] The ice-making cold air passage may extend along the mullion, whereby the insulation effect of the mullion is used to thermally insulate the ice-making cold air and reduce cold air loss of the ice-making cold air.

[0020] The ice-making cooling air passage can be completely contained in the vertical frame to reduce insulation loss.

[0021] The ice-making cold air passage may have a flat and narrow cross section which is wider in one direction so as to ensure a cold air flow rate required for ice making even if the ice-making cold air passage is inserted into a narrow space.

[0022] In another embodiment, a refrigerator includes: a vacuum insulator including a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment separated from each other; a vertical frame configured to separate the refrigerator compartment from the freezer compartment; an evaporator placed in the freezer compartment to generate cold air; a door configured to open and close the refrigerator compartment; an ice maker installed in the door; and an ice-making cold air passage, at least a portion of which passes through the vertical frame to guide the cold air generated in the evaporator to the ice maker. Therefore, the ice-making cold air can be guided to the ice maker of the refrigerator compartment in a state of thermal insulation relative to the space inside the refrigerator without passing through the vacuum space of the insulating wall provided with the vacuum insulator.

[0023] The ice-making cold air passage may be accommodated in the side panel of the refrigerating chamber to prevent the inner temperature of the refrigerating chamber from being affected by the ice-making cold air without using a separate component.

[0024] The foamed side panel insulation material is configured to surround at least a portion of the ice-making cold air passage in the side panel, thereby significantly improving the insulation effect of the ice-making cold air passage.

[0025] The side plate insulation material is foamed around the ice-making cold air passage and installed in the refrigerating chamber. Therefore, the ice-making cold air passage and the side plate insulation material can be easily installed to prevent gas from being generated, so as to more significantly improve the insulation effect of the ice-making cold air.

[0026] The mullion may include a mullion board, and a mullion insulation material foamed in the mullion board to more significantly improve the insulation effect of the ice-making cold air passage.

[0027] The vertical frame insulation material and the side panel insulation material may be foamed together to reduce the number of processes and manufacturing costs, and reduce gaps between foamed portions, thereby improving the insulation effect.

[0028] The ice-making cooling air passage may include a pair of ice-making cooling air passages which are introduced and led out while allowing the passages to be spaced apart from each other.

[0029] The ice-making cold air passage may be connected to the door-side cold air passage on the side surface of the door to supply cold air to the door-side ice maker.

[0030] The ice-making cold air passage may be connected to the door-side cold air passage on the bottom surface of the door to supply cold air to the door-side ice maker.

[0031] A switchable switching door structure may be provided on at least one connecting portion of the ice-making cold air passage and the door-side cold air passage to prevent cold air leakage, promote heat insulation effect, and prevent foreign matter from penetrating.

[0032] The vacuum insulation body may include: a first plate, which is configured to define at least a portion of the wall of a accommodating space, the accommodating space constituting a refrigerator and a freezer; a second plate, which is configured to define at least a portion of the wall of a space inside the refrigerator, the temperature of the space being different from the temperature of the accommodating space; a seal, which is configured to seal the first plate and the second plate to form a vacuum space, the temperature of the vacuum space is between the temperature of the accommodating space and the temperature of the space inside the refrigerator and is in a vacuum state; a support, which is configured to maintain the vacuum space; an anti-conduction sheet, which is configured to connect the first plate to the second plate to reduce the amount of heat transferred between the first plate and the second plate; and an exhaust port, which is configured to discharge gas in the vacuum space, thereby significantly improving the insulation effect under the vacuum state.

[0033] The door may include a three-dimensional vacuum insulation module. The three-dimensional vacuum insulation module may be configured to surround the front surface and the side surface of the door to improve the door side insulation effect. The three-dimensional vacuum insulation module may improve the insulation effect required for installing the ice maker in the door. The ice maker may thus have a greater ice making capacity.

[0034] The three-dimensional vacuum insulation module may include a window divider having an open front surface. The window divider may improve the overall insulation effect of the door to improve the performance of the ice maker.

[0035] In a further embodiment, the refrigerator includes an ice-making cold air passage that passes through a boundary between the first vacuum insulation body and the second vacuum insulation body to guide the cold air of the freezing space to the ice-making machine. Therefore, the cold air can be supplied to the ice-making machine without passing through the insulation wall between the freezing space and the refrigerating space. Therefore, the interference of the insulation wall caused by the ice-making cold air passage can be reduced to improve the insulation performance.

[0036] The vacuum space of the first vacuum insulator and the vacuum space of the second vacuum insulator can be connected to each other to form a vacuum space by using one wall of a single space. In this case, it may not be necessary to manufacture a vacuum insulator that is difficult to manufacture. Therefore, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the convenience can be improved because it is not necessary to provide a plurality of openings in a plurality of walls.

[0037] Beneficial Effects

[0038] According to the embodiment, the ice-making cold air passage is guided to the ice-maker in a state where it is sufficiently (thermally) insulated from the boundary between the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber. Therefore, the insulation loss can be reduced and the space can be more utilized.

[0039] According to the embodiment, the structure in which the ice-making cold air passage is accommodated can be provided to other components that are essentially required for the refrigerator to which the vacuum insulation is applied. Therefore, the ice-making cold air passage can be provided without interfering with the article accommodation space in the refrigerator.

[0040] According to the embodiment, the ice maker can be operated with relatively small adiabatic loss to improve ice making capacity. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a refrigerator that achieves higher energy efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment.

[0042] Figure 2 is a view schematically showing a vacuum insulator used in a main body and a door of a refrigerator.

[0043] Figure 3 are views showing various embodiments of the internal structure of the vacuum space.

[0044] Figure 4 are views showing various embodiments of an anti-conduction sheet and its peripheral portion.

[0045] Figure 5 : is a graph showing a change in thermal insulation performance and a change in gas conductivity according to vacuum pressure by applying simulation.

[0046] Figure 6is a graph showing results obtained by observing time and pressure during exhaustion of the inside of the vacuum insulation body when the support member is used.

[0047] Figure 7 is a graph showing the results obtained by comparing the vacuum pressure and the gas conductivity.

[0048] Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of an ice-making cold air passage in a refrigerator according to an embodiment.

[0049] Fig. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an ice-making cold air passage on a freezer compartment side in a refrigerator according to an embodiment.

[0050] Fig.10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an ice-making cold air passage on a refrigerating chamber side in a refrigerator according to an embodiment.

[0051] Fig.11 is a front perspective view showing a connection end between a first ice-making cold air passage and a second ice-making cold air passage in a refrigerator.

[0052] Fig.12 1 is a rear perspective view showing a connection end between a first ice-making cold air passage and a second ice-making cold air passage in a refrigerator.

[0053] Fig.13 This is a view used to explain the relationship between the ice-making cooling air passage and the vertical frame.

[0054] Fig.14 is a view used to explain the structure on which the mullions are located.

[0055] Fig.15 It is a side perspective view for explaining the installation of the ice-making cold air passage and the insulation structure in the refrigerator.

[0056] Fig.16 is a schematic perspective view of an ice-making cold air passage in a refrigerator according to another embodiment.

[0057] Fig.17 is a view showing a relationship between a mullion and a door according to another embodiment.

[0058] Fig.18 and Fig.19 is a view for explaining the switching structure of the ice-making cold air passage, wherein: Fig.18 is a view showing the mullion side, and Fig.19 It is a view showing the door side.

[0059] Fig. 20 It is a three-dimensional diagram of a refrigerator, in which each vacuum insulator forms a respective storage space.

[0060] Fig.21 It is a three-dimensional view of a refrigerator in which a gap retaining portion is provided at a connection portion of each vacuum insulation body.

[0061] Fig. 22 It is an enlarged view of the ice making connection passage.

[0062] Fig.23 It is a cross-sectional view of the ice-making connection passage taken along line A-A'.

[0063] Figure 24 to Figure 27 is a view of the refrigerator, where two Figure 20 to Figure 23 The vacuum insulation shown is provided with a freezing chamber and a freezer compartment, respectively, wherein an ice-making cold air passage is provided in a bottom surface of the door according to an embodiment.

[0064] Fig.28 is an exploded perspective view of a door showing that the ice-making cold air passage is embedded in the foam material.

[0065] Fig.29 yes Fig.28 A horizontal cross-sectional view of the space in which the ice maker is installed.

[0066] Fig.30 is an exploded perspective view of a door according to an embodiment.

[0067] Fig.31 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a space in which an ice maker is installed according to an embodiment.

[0068] Fig.32 is a perspective view of a first vacuum insulation module according to an embodiment.

[0069] Fig.33 is an exploded perspective view of a door according to another embodiment.

[0070] Fig.34 is a perspective view of a first vacuum insulation module according to another embodiment.

[0071] Figure 35 to Figure 37 is a view showing an ice-making cold air passage embedded in a molding material and a thermal efficiency of the ice-making cold air passage according to an embodiment, wherein Fig.35 Shows the ice making cooling channel being embedded in the molding material and the insulation board being installed, Fig.36 The side panel cold air passage and the first vacuum insulation module are shown as being installed. Fig.37 The mullion cold air duct and the second vacuum insulation module are shown installed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0072] The exemplary embodiments will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein, and those of ordinary skill in the art who understand the spirit of the present invention can easily implement other embodiments within the scope of the same concept by adding, modifying, deleting and adding components; on the contrary, it should be understood that other embodiments are also included within the scope of the present invention.

[0073] In order to describe the embodiments below, the following drawings may be shown in a manner different from the actual product, or exaggerated, simplified or detailed parts may be deleted, but this is to facilitate understanding of the technical ideas of the present invention. It should not be interpreted as a limitation. However, the drawings will try to show the actual shape.

[0074] The following embodiment may be applicable to the description of another embodiment unless the other embodiments do not conflict with each other, and some configurations of any one embodiment may be modified in a state in which only a specific portion is modified to be applicable to another configuration.

[0075] In the following description, vacuum pressure refers to any pressure state lower than atmospheric pressure. In addition, the expression that the vacuum degree of A is higher than that of B means that the vacuum pressure of A is lower than that of B.

[0076] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment.

[0077] refer to Figure 1 The refrigerator 1 includes a main body 2 and a door 3, the main body 2 is provided with a cavity 9 capable of storing reserve items, and the door 3 is configured to open / close the main body 2. The door 3 can be rotatably or movably configured to open / close the cavity 9. The cavity 9 can provide at least one of a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber.

[0078] Components constituting a refrigeration cycle for supplying cold air into the cavity 9 are provided. Specifically, these components include a compressor 4 for compressing a refrigerant, a condenser 5 for condensing the compressed refrigerant, an expander 6 for expanding the condensed refrigerant, and an evaporator 7 for evaporating the expanded refrigerant to take away heat. As a typical structure, a fan may be installed at a position adjacent to the evaporator 7, and the fluid blown from the fan may pass through the evaporator 7 and then be blown into the cavity 9. The refrigeration load is controlled by adjusting the blowing amount and blowing direction of the fan, adjusting the amount of circulating refrigerant, or adjusting the compression rate of the compressor, so that the refrigerated space or the frozen space can be controlled.

[0079] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of a vacuum insulator used in a refrigerator body and a door. Figure 2, the main body side vacuum insulation body and the door side vacuum insulation body are shown, wherein the door side vacuum insulation body is in a state where a portion of the front wall is removed, and the main body side vacuum insulation body is in a state where the top wall and the side wall are removed. In addition, for ease of understanding, the cross section of the part at the anti-conduction sheet is schematically shown.

[0080] refer to Figure 2 , the vacuum insulator includes a first plate 10 for providing a wall of a low temperature space, a second plate 20 for providing a wall of a high temperature space, and a vacuum space 50 defined as a gap between the first plate 10 and the second plate 20a. In addition, the vacuum insulator includes anti-conduction sheets 60 and 63 for preventing heat conduction between the first plate 10 and the second plate 20. A seal 61 for sealing the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 is provided so that the vacuum space 50 is in a sealed state. When the vacuum insulator is applied to a refrigeration cabinet or a heating cabinet, the first plate 10 can be referred to as an inner shell, which is installed in a control space for controlling the temperature, and the second plate 20 can be referred to as an outer shell, which is installed outside the control space. The machine room 8 accommodating the components providing the refrigeration cycle is placed at the lower rear side of the main body side vacuum insulator, and the exhaust port 40 for forming a vacuum state by exhausting the air in the vacuum space is provided at either side of the vacuum insulator. In addition, a pipeline 64 passing through the vacuum space 50 can also be installed to install a defrost water pipeline and an electric wire.

[0081] The first plate 10 may define at least a portion of a wall of a first space disposed thereon. The second plate 20 may define at least a portion of a wall of a second space disposed thereon. The first space and the second space may be defined as spaces having different temperatures. Here, the wall of each space may be used not only as a wall directly contacting the space, but also as a wall not contacting the space. For example, the vacuum insulator of this embodiment may also be applied to a product having a separate wall contacting each space.

[0082] Heat transfer factors that cause the loss of the insulation effect of the vacuum insulation body are heat conduction between the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 , heat radiation between the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 , and gas conduction in the vacuum space 50 .

[0083] Hereinafter, a heat-resistant unit configured to reduce the insulation loss associated with the heat transfer factor will be provided. Meanwhile, the vacuum insulator and refrigerator of this embodiment do not exclude that another insulation device is also provided at at least one side of the vacuum insulator. Therefore, an insulation device using a foaming process or the like can also be provided to the other side of the vacuum insulator.

[0084] Figure 3 2 is a view showing an internal structure of a vacuum space according to various embodiments.

[0085] First, refer to Figure 3 A, the vacuum space 50 is set in a third space having a pressure different from that of the first space and the second space, preferably in a vacuum state, so as to reduce adiabatic loss. The third space can be set to a temperature between the temperature of the first space and the temperature of the second space. Since the third space is set to a space in a vacuum state, the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 are subjected to a force that contracts in a direction that brings them closer to each other due to a force corresponding to the pressure difference between the first space and the second space. Therefore, the vacuum space 50 can be deformed in a direction in which the vacuum space portion is reduced. In this case, the increase in the amount of heat radiation caused by the contraction of the vacuum space 50 and the increase in the amount of heat conduction caused by the contact between the plate 10 and the plate 20 may cause adiabatic loss.

[0086] A support member 30 may be provided to reduce deformation of the vacuum space 50. The support member 30 includes a rod 31. The rod 31 may extend in a substantially vertical direction relative to each plate to support the distance between the first plate and the second plate. A support plate 35 may be additionally provided to at least any one end of the rod 31. The support plate 35 may connect at least two or more rods 31 to each other to extend in a horizontal direction relative to the first plate 10 and the second plate 20. The support plate 35 may be provided in a plate shape, or may be provided in a lattice shape so that the area in which the support plate contacts the first plate 10 or the second plate 20 is reduced, thereby reducing heat transfer. The rod 31 and the support plate 35 are fixed to each other at least at a portion to be inserted between the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 together. The support plate 35 contacts at least one of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20, thereby preventing deformation of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20. In addition, based on the extension direction of the rod 31, the total cross-sectional area of ​​the support plate 35 is provided to be greater than the total cross-sectional area of ​​the rod 31, so that the heat transferred through the rod 31 can be diffused through the support plate 35.

[0087] The support member 30 may be made of a resin selected from PC, glass fiber PC, low outgassing PC, PPS, and LCP to obtain high compressive strength, low outgassing and water absorption, low thermal conductivity, high compressive strength at high temperatures, and excellent machinability.

[0088] The anti-radiation sheet 32 ​​for reducing the heat radiation between the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 through the vacuum space 50 will be described. The first plate 10 and the second plate 20 can be made of a stainless steel material that can prevent corrosion and provide sufficient strength. Since the stainless steel material has a relatively high emissivity of 0.16, a large amount of radiant heat can be transferred. In addition, the support member 30 made of resin has a lower emissivity than the plate and is not completely set to the inner surface of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20. Therefore, the support member 30 has no great effect on the radiant heat. Therefore, the anti-radiation sheet 32 ​​can be set in a plate shape over most of the area of ​​the vacuum space 50 so as to focus on reducing the radiant heat transferred between the first plate 10 and the second plate 20. Products with low emissivity can be preferably used as the material of the anti-radiation sheet 32. In one embodiment, aluminum foil with an emissivity of 0.02 can be used as the anti-radiation sheet 32. And, since the use of one anti-radiation sheet cannot fully prevent the transfer of radiant heat, at least two anti-radiation sheets 32 can be set, and the anti-radiation sheets are at a certain distance so as not to contact each other. Furthermore, at least one anti-radiation sheet may be provided in a state of contacting an inner surface of the first board 10 or the second board 20 .

[0089] refer to Figure 3 b, the distance between the plates is maintained by the support 30, and the porous material 33 may be filled in the vacuum space 50. The porous material 33 may have a higher emissivity than the stainless steel material of the first plate 10 and the second plate 20. However, since the porous material 33 is filled in the vacuum space 50, the porous material 33 has a high efficiency in preventing radiation heat transfer.

[0090] In this embodiment, the vacuum insulator can be manufactured without using the anti-radiation sheet 32 ​​.

[0091] refer to Figure 3 c, no support member 30 is provided for maintaining the vacuum space 50. The porous material 333 may be provided to be surrounded by the film 34 (rather than the support member 30). Here, the porous material 33 may be provided in a compressed state to maintain a gap in the vacuum space. The film 34 is made of, for example, PE, and may be provided in a state of perforation in the film 34.

[0092] In the present embodiment, the vacuum insulator can be manufactured without the support member 30. In other words, the porous material 33 can perform the function of the anti-radiation sheet 32 ​​and the function of the support member 30 at the same time.

[0093] Figure 4 1 is a view showing a plurality of embodiments of an anti-conduction sheet and its peripheral portion according to various embodiments. The structure of each anti-conduction sheet is Figure 2 It is briefly shown in the figure, but it is necessary to refer to the accompanying drawings to understand it in detail.

[0094] first, Figure 4 The anti-conduction sheet shown in a can be preferably applied to the main body side vacuum insulation. Specifically, the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 are sealed so as to make the interior of the vacuum insulation body vacuum. In this case, since the temperatures of the two plates are different from each other, heat transfer occurs between the two plates. The anti-conduction sheet 60 is provided to prevent heat conduction between two different types of plates.

[0095] The anti-conduction sheet 60 may be provided with a seal 61, and both ends of the anti-conduction sheet 60 are sealed at the seal 61 to at least define a portion of the wall for the third space and maintain a vacuum state. The anti-conduction sheet 60 may be set as a thin foil in micrometers to reduce the heat conducted along the wall for the third space. The seal 61 may be set as a welding portion. That is, the anti-conduction sheet 60 and the plate 10 and the plate 20 may be fused to each other. In order to cause a fusion effect between the anti-conduction sheet 60 and the plates 10 and 20, the anti-conduction sheet 60 and the plates 10 and 20 may be made of the same material, and a stainless steel material may be used as the material. The seal 61 is not limited to the welding portion, but may also be provided by a process such as cocking. The anti-conduction sheet 60 may be set to a curved shape. Therefore, the heat conduction distance of the anti-conduction sheet 60 is set to be longer than the straight-line distance of each plate, thereby further reducing the amount of heat conduction.

[0096] Temperature changes occur along the anti-conduction sheet 60. Therefore, in order to prevent heat from being conducted to the outside of the anti-conduction sheet 60, a shielding portion 62 may be provided at the outside of the anti-conduction sheet 60 so that a heat insulating effect occurs. In other words, in the case of a refrigerator, the second plate 20 is at a high temperature, while the first plate 10 is at a low temperature. In addition, heat conduction from a high temperature to a low temperature occurs in the anti-conduction sheet 60, and thus the temperature of the anti-conduction sheet 60 is suddenly changed. Therefore, when the anti-conduction sheet 60 is opened relative to the outside thereof, heat transfer occurs severely through the port position. In order to reduce heat loss, the shielding portion 62 is provided at the outside of the anti-conduction sheet 60. For example, when the anti-conduction sheet 60 is exposed to any one of the low temperature space and the high temperature space, the anti-conduction sheet 60 does not function as a conductive resistor and its exposed portion (which is not preferred).

[0097] The shielding part 62 may be provided as a porous material in contact with the outer surface of the anti-conduction sheet 60. The shielding part 62 may be provided as an insulating structure, such as a separate gasket, which is placed outside the anti-conduction sheet 60. The shielding part 62 may be provided as a part of the vacuum insulator, which is provided at a position facing the corresponding anti-conduction sheet 60 when the main body-side vacuum insulator is closed relative to the door-side vacuum insulator. In order to reduce heat loss even when the main body and the door are opened, the shielding part 62 may preferably be provided as a porous material or a separate insulating structure.

[0098] Figure 4 The anti-conduction sheet shown in b can be applied to the door side vacuum insulation. Figure 4 b, describes in detail the Figure 4 a shows the different parts, and the same description is applied to Figure 4 A side frame 70 is also provided on the outer side of the anti-conduction sheet 60. Components for sealing between the door and the main body, exhaust ports required for the exhaust process, suction ports for vacuum maintenance, etc. can be placed on the side frame 70. This is because these components are easy to install in the main body side vacuum insulation body, but the installation positions of these components are limited in the door side vacuum insulation body.

[0099] In the door-side vacuum insulator, it is difficult to place the anti-conduction sheet 60 on the front end of the vacuum space, that is, at the edge side surface of the vacuum space. This is because the corner edge of the door is exposed to the outside unlike the main body. More specifically, if the anti-conduction sheet 60 is placed on the front end of the vacuum space, the corner edge of the door is exposed to the outside, so there is a disadvantage of constructing a separate insulation part to insulate the anti-conduction sheet 60.

[0100] Figure 4 The anti-conduction sheet shown in c can be installed in a pipeline passing through a vacuum space. Figure 4 c, describes in detail the Figure 4 a and Figure 4 b shows the different parts, and the same description applies to Figure 4 a and Figure 4 The same part as shown in b. Figure 4 An anti-conduction sheet 63 of the same shape as shown in FIG. a, preferably a corrugated anti-conduction sheet 63, may be provided at the peripheral portion of the pipe 64. Accordingly, the heat transfer path may be extended, and deformation caused by a pressure difference may be prevented. In addition, a separate shielding portion may be provided to improve the thermal insulation performance of the anti-conduction sheet.

[0101] The following will return Figure 4 a describes the heat transfer path between the first plate 10 and the second plate 20. The heat passing through the vacuum insulator can be divided into: surface conduction heat conducted along the surface of the vacuum insulator (more specifically, the anti-conduction sheet 60) ①, support conduction heat conducted along the support 30 provided in the vacuum insulator ②, gas conduction heat conducted through the internal gas in the vacuum space ③, and radiation transfer heat transmitted through the vacuum space ④.

[0102] The heat transfer can be changed according to a variety of design dimensions. For example, the support can be changed to enable the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 to withstand the vacuum pressure without deformation, the vacuum pressure can be changed, the distance between the plates can be changed, and the length of the anti-conduction sheet can be changed. The heat transfer can be changed according to the temperature difference between the spaces (the first space and the second space) respectively provided by the plates. In the present embodiment, considering that the total heat transfer of the vacuum insulation body is less than the total heat transfer of a typical insulation structure composed of foamed polyurethane, a preferred configuration of the vacuum insulation body has been found. In a typical refrigerator including an insulation structure formed by polyurethane foaming, an effective heat transfer coefficient of 19.6 mW / mK can be proposed.

[0103] By comparatively analyzing the heat transfer of the vacuum insulation body of this embodiment, the heat transfer of gas conduction heat ③ can be minimized. For example, the heat transfer of gas conduction heat ③ can be controlled to be equal to or less than 4% of the total heat transfer. The heat transfer of solid conduction heat, which is defined as the sum of surface conduction heat ① and support member conduction heat ②, is the largest. For example, the heat transfer of solid conduction heat can reach 75% of the total heat transfer. The heat transfer of radiation transfer heat ④ is less than the heat transfer of solid conduction heat, but greater than the heat transfer of gas conduction heat ③. For example, the heat transfer of radiation transfer heat ④ can account for about 20% of the total heat transfer.

[0104] According to the above heat transfer distribution, when comparing them, the effective heat transfer coefficients (eK: effective K) (W / mK) of surface conduction heat ①, support member conduction heat ②, gas conduction heat ③ and radiation transfer heat ④ can have the order of Formula 1.

[0105] [Formula 1]

[0106] E 固体传导热 >eK 辐射传导热 >eK 气体传导热

[0107] Here, the effective heat transfer coefficient (eK) is a value that can be measured using the shape and temperature difference of the target product. The effective heat transfer coefficient (eK) is a value that can be obtained by measuring the total heat transfer and temperature of at least a portion to which the heat is transferred. For example, the calorific value (W) is measured using a heat source that can be quantitatively measured in a refrigerator, the temperature distribution of the door (K) is measured using the heat transferred through the edge and body of the door of the refrigerator, respectively, and the path through which the heat is transferred is calculated as a conversion value (m), thereby evaluating the effective heat transfer coefficient.

[0108] The effective heat transfer coefficient (eK) of the entire vacuum insulation body is a value given by k = QL / AΔT. Here, Q represents the calorific value (W) and can be obtained using the calorific value of the heater. A represents the cross-sectional area (m 2 ), L represents the thickness of the vacuum insulation (m), and △T represents the temperature difference.

[0109] For surface conduction heat, the conductive calorific value can be obtained by the temperature difference ΔT between the inlet and outlet of the anti-conduction sheet 60 or 63, the cross-sectional area A of the anti-conduction sheet, the length L of the anti-conduction sheet, and the thermal conductivity (k) of the anti-conduction sheet (the thermal conductivity of the anti-conduction sheet is a material property of the material and can be obtained in advance). For support member conductive heat, the conductive calorific value can be obtained by the temperature difference ΔT between the inlet and outlet of the support member 30, the cross-sectional area A of the support member, the length of the support member, and the thermal conductivity (k) of the support member. Here, the thermal conductivity of the support member can be a material property of the material and can be obtained in advance. The sum of gas conduction heat ③ and radiation transfer heat ④ can be obtained by subtracting the surface conduction heat and the support member conduction heat from the heat transfer of the entire vacuum insulation body. By significantly reducing the vacuum degree of the vacuum space 50, when there is no gas conduction heat, the ratio of gas conduction heat ③ to radiation transfer heat ④ can be obtained by evaluating the radiation transfer heat.

[0110] When a porous material is provided in the vacuum space 50, the porous material conduction heat ⑤ may be the sum of the support member conduction heat ② and the radiation transfer heat ④. The porous material conduction heat ⑤ may vary according to a number of variables (including the type and quantity of the porous material, etc.).

[0111] According to one embodiment, the temperature difference ΔT1 between the geometric center formed by adjacent rods 31 and the point at which each rod 31 is located can be preferably set to less than 0.5°C. In addition, the temperature difference ΔT2 between the geometric center formed by adjacent rods 31 and the edge of the vacuum insulation body can be preferably set to less than 0.5°C. In the second plate 20, the temperature difference between the average temperature of the second plate and the temperature at the point where the heat transfer path passing through the anti-conduction sheet 60 or 63 meets the second plate can be the largest. For example, when the second space is a region that is hotter than the first space, the temperature at the point where the heat transfer path passing through the anti-conduction sheet meets the second plate becomes the lowest. Similarly, when the second space is a region that is colder than the first space, the temperature at the point where the heat transfer path passing through the anti-conduction sheet meets the second plate becomes the highest.

[0112] This means that the heat transferred through other points (in addition to the surface conduction heat through the anti-conduction sheet) should be controlled, and the full heat transfer of the vacuum insulation can only be achieved when the surface conduction heat accounts for the maximum heat transfer. To this end, the temperature change of the anti-conduction sheet can be controlled to be greater than the temperature change of the plate.

[0113] The physical properties of the components constituting the vacuum insulator will be described. In the vacuum insulator, force is applied to all components due to vacuum pressure. Therefore, it is preferable to use a vacuum insulator having a certain level of strength (N / m 2 ) materials.

[0114] In such a case, the plates 10 and 20 and the side frame 70 may be made of a material having sufficient strength, by which the plates 10 and 20 will not be damaged even under vacuum pressure. For example, when the number of rods 31 is reduced to limit the heat conduction of the support, deformation of the plate occurs due to the vacuum pressure, which may have an adverse effect on the appearance of the refrigerator. The anti-radiation sheet 32 ​​may be made of a material having a low emissivity and being easy to process into a thin film. Moreover, the anti-radiation sheet 32 ​​must ensure sufficient strength to avoid deformation due to external impact. The support member 30 is configured to have a strength sufficient to support the force generated by the vacuum pressure and to withstand external impact, and has machinability. The anti-conduction sheet 60 may be made of a material in the shape of a thin plate that can withstand vacuum pressure.

[0115] In one embodiment, the plate, the side frame, and the anti-conduction sheet may be made of stainless steel materials having the same strength. The anti-radiation sheet may be made of aluminum which is weaker than various stainless steel materials. The support member may be made of resin which is weaker than aluminum.

[0116] Different from looking at strength from the perspective of materials, analysis is required from the perspective of stiffness. Stiffness (N / m) is a property that does not deform easily. Therefore, although the same material is used, its stiffness can vary depending on its shape. The anti-conduction sheet 60 or 63 can be made of a material having a certain strength, but the stiffness of the material is preferably low stiffness to increase heat resistance and minimize radiant heat so that when vacuum pressure is applied, the anti-conduction sheet stretches evenly without any unevenness. The anti-radiation sheet 32 ​​requires a certain level of stiffness to avoid contacting another component due to deformation. In particular, the edge of the anti-radiation sheet may generate conductive heat due to sagging caused by the self-load of the anti-radiation sheet. Therefore, a certain level of stiffness is required. The support member 30 requires sufficient stiffness to withstand the compressive stress and external impact from the plate.

[0117] In one embodiment, the plate and the side frame may have the highest rigidity to prevent deformation due to vacuum pressure. The support member (particularly the rod) may preferably have the second highest rigidity. The rigidity of the anti-radiation sheet is lower than that of the support member but higher than that of the anti-conduction sheet. Finally, the anti-conduction sheet may be made of a material that is easily deformed by vacuum pressure and has the lowest rigidity.

[0118] Even when the porous material 33 is filled in the vacuum space 50 , the anti-conduction sheet may have the lowest rigidity, and each of the board and the side frame may have the highest rigidity.

[0119] Hereinafter, the vacuum pressure may be determined according to the internal state of the vacuum insulator. As described above, the vacuum pressure is maintained in the vacuum insulator to reduce heat transfer. Here, it is easy to expect that the vacuum pressure is maintained as low as possible to reduce heat transfer.

[0120] The vacuum space may resist heat transfer only by the support 30. Here, the porous material 33 may be filled with the support to resist heat transfer within the vacuum space 50. In the case where the support is not applied, heat transfer to the porous material may be resisted.

[0121] The case where only the support is applied will be described below.

[0122] Figure 5 : is a graph showing a change in thermal insulation performance and a change in gas conductivity according to vacuum pressure by applying simulation.

[0123] refer to Figure 5 It can be seen that as the vacuum pressure decreases, that is, as the vacuum degree increases, in the case of only the main body (curve 1) or in the case of the main body and the door connected together (curve 2), the heat load is reduced compared with the case of a typical product formed by foaming polyurethane, thereby improving the thermal insulation performance. However, the degree of improvement in thermal insulation performance gradually decreases. Moreover, it can be seen that as the vacuum pressure decreases, the gas conductivity (curve 3) decreases. However, it can be seen that although the vacuum pressure decreases, the ratio of the improvement in thermal insulation performance to the gas conductivity gradually decreases. Therefore, it is preferred to reduce the vacuum pressure to as low as possible. However, it takes a long time to obtain excessive vacuum pressure, and a lot of cost is consumed due to excessive use of getter. In this embodiment, an optimal vacuum pressure is proposed from the above viewpoints.

[0124] Figure 6 is a graph showing results obtained by observing time and pressure during exhaustion of the inside of the vacuum insulation body when the support member is used.

[0125] refer to Figure 6 In order to put the vacuum space 50 in a vacuum state, the gas in the vacuum space 50 is exhausted by a vacuum pump, and at the same time, the latent gas remaining in the components of the vacuum space 50 is evaporated by baking. However, if the vacuum pressure reaches a certain level or higher, there is a point (△t1) at which the level of the vacuum pressure no longer increases. Thereafter, the getter is activated by disconnecting the vacuum space 50 from the vacuum pump and applying heat to the vacuum space 50 (△t2). If the getter is activated, the pressure in the vacuum space 50 decreases for a period of time, but is then normalized to maintain a certain level of vacuum pressure. The vacuum pressure maintained at a certain level after activating the getter is approximately 1.8×10 -6 Entrust.

[0126] In this embodiment, the point at which the vacuum pressure is substantially no longer reduced even by operating the vacuum pump to exhaust the gas is set as the lowest limit of the vacuum pressure used in the vacuum insulator, thereby setting the minimum internal pressure of the vacuum space 50 to 1.8×10 -6 Entrust.

[0127] Figure 7 is a graph showing the results obtained by comparing the vacuum pressure and the gas conductivity.

[0128] refer to Figure 7 , the gas conductivity with respect to the vacuum pressure according to the size of the gap in the vacuum space 50 is represented as a curve of the effective heat transfer coefficient (eK). The effective heat transfer coefficient (eK) was measured when the gap in the vacuum space 50 had three sizes of 2.76 mm, 6.5 mm, and 12.5 mm. The gap in the vacuum space 50 is defined as follows: when the anti-radiation sheet 32 ​​exists in the vacuum space 50, the gap is the distance between the anti-radiation sheet 32 ​​and the plate attached thereto; and when the anti-radiation sheet 32 ​​does not exist in the vacuum space 50, the gap is the distance between the first plate and the second plate.

[0129] It can be seen that since the size of the gap is small at a point corresponding to a typical effective heat transfer coefficient of 0.0196 W / mK (set for a heat insulating material formed of foamed polyurethane), the vacuum pressure is 2.65×10 -1 At the same time, it can be seen that even if the vacuum pressure decreases, the saturation point vacuum pressure at which the insulation effect decreases due to gas conduction heat is approximately 4.5×10 -3 The point of support. 4.5×10 -3 The vacuum pressure of Torr can be defined as the saturation point where the insulation effect decreases due to gas conduction. Moreover, when the effective heat transfer coefficient is 0.1 W / mK, the vacuum pressure is 1.2×10 -2 Entrust.

[0130] When the vacuum space 50 is not provided with a support but with a porous material, the size of the gap is in the range of several micrometers to several hundred micrometers. In this case, even when the vacuum pressure is relatively high, that is, when the vacuum degree is low, the amount of radiation heat transfer is small due to the porous material. Therefore, an appropriate vacuum pump is used to adjust the vacuum pressure. The vacuum pressure suitable for the corresponding vacuum pump is approximately 2.0×10 -4 Torr. Moreover, the vacuum pressure is approximately 4.7×10 -2 Furthermore, the pressure at which the insulation effect is reduced due to gas conduction heat to reach a typical effective heat transfer coefficient of 0.0196 W / mK is 730 Torr.

[0131] When the support and the porous material are arranged together in the vacuum space, a vacuum pressure that is an intermediate value between the vacuum pressure when only the support vacuum pressure is used and the vacuum pressure when only the porous material is used can be generated and utilized. When only the porous material is used, the lowest vacuum pressure can be utilized.

[0132] The vacuum insulation body includes: a first plate that defines at least a portion of a wall for a first space; and a second plate that defines at least a portion of a wall for a second space and has a temperature different from that of the first space. The first plate may include a plurality of layers. The second plate may include a plurality of layers.

[0133] The vacuum insulation body may further include a seal configured to seal the first plate and the second plate to form a third space in a vacuum state having a temperature between a temperature of the first space and a temperature of the second space.

[0134] When one of the first and second plates is disposed in the inner space of the third space, the plate may be denoted as an inner plate. When the other of the first and second plates is disposed in the outer space of the third space, the plate may be denoted as an outer plate. For example, the inner space of the third space may be a storage room of a refrigerator. The outer space of the third space may be an outer space of a refrigerator.

[0135] The vacuum insulator may further include a support member maintaining the third space.

[0136] The vacuum insulation may further include an anti-conduction sheet connecting the first plate to the second plate to reduce heat transferred between the first plate and the second plate.

[0137] At least a portion of the anti-conduction sheet may be disposed to face the third space. The anti-conduction sheet may be disposed between an edge of the first plate and an edge of the second plate. The anti-conduction sheet may be disposed between a surface of the first plate facing the first space and a surface of the second plate facing the second space. The anti-conduction sheet may be disposed between a side surface of the first plate and a side surface of the second plate.

[0138] At least a portion of the anti-conduction sheet may extend in substantially the same direction as a direction in which the first plate extends.

[0139] The thickness of the anti-conduction sheet may be thinner than at least one of the first plate or the second plate. The more the thickness of the anti-conduction sheet is reduced, the more heat transfer between the first plate and the second plate is reduced.

[0140] The more the thickness of the anti-conduction sheet decreases, the more difficult it is to couple the anti-conduction sheet between the first board and the second board.

[0141] One end of the anti-conduction sheet may be arranged to overlap at least a portion of the first board. This is to provide a space for coupling one end of the anti-conduction sheet to the first board. Here, the coupling method may include welding.

[0142] The other end of the anti-conduction sheet may be arranged to overlap at least a portion of the second board. This is to provide a space for coupling the other end of the anti-conduction sheet to the second board. Here, the coupling method may include welding.

[0143] As another embodiment of replacing the anti-conduction sheet, the anti-conduction sheet can be removed, and one of the first plate and the second plate can be thinner than the other. In this case, the thickness of either can be greater than the thickness of the anti-conduction sheet. In this case, the length of either can be greater than the length of the anti-conduction sheet. With this configuration, the increase in heat transfer can be reduced by removing the anti-conduction sheet. Moreover, this configuration can reduce the difficulty of coupling the first plate to the second plate.

[0144] At least a portion of the first plate and at least a portion of the second plate may be arranged to overlap each other. This is to provide a space for coupling the first plate to the second plate. An additional cover may be provided on either the first plate or the second plate, the thickness of the cover being relatively thin. This is to protect the thin plate.

[0145] The vacuum insulation body may further include a vacuum space exhaust port for exhausting gas in the vacuum space.

[0146] Hereinafter, as an embodiment, a detailed configuration of a refrigerator in which a vacuum insulation body is applied to at least a main body will be described. This embodiment explains a case where an ice maker is installed in a refrigerating chamber door.

[0147] The ice maker may include a narrow type ice maker that receives cold air and water at a temperature below zero to make ice, and a wide type ice maker that includes a dispensing structure for dispensing ice, a crusher for crushing ice, an ice box for filling ice, and a chute for discharging ice.

[0148] This embodiment shows that the ice maker is installed in the refrigerator door of the refrigerator, the refrigerator is arranged on the upper side of the refrigerator, and the freezer is arranged on the lower side of the refrigerator. The ice maker can be arranged on the upper part of the refrigerator door to perform service so that ice falls downward through the dispenser arranged below the ice maker.

[0149] The present embodiment is not limited to the above-mentioned scope, but may have various deformable applications.

[0150] Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of an ice-making cold air passage in a refrigerator according to an embodiment.

[0151] refer to Figure 8 , the main body 2 and the door 3 are provided in the refrigerator, and the main body 2 and the door 3 may be provided as a vacuum insulator according to an embodiment. The main body 2 may be vertically divided by a vertical frame 300. The lower accommodation space may be provided as a freezing chamber F, and the upper accommodation space may be provided as a refrigerating chamber R. The evaporator 7 may be placed along one side, preferably along the rear surface in the freezing chamber F.

[0152] An ice maker 81 and a dispenser 82 that supplies ice of the ice maker 81 to a user may be provided in the door.

[0153] In order to connect the evaporator 7 to the ice maker 81 to supply the cold air of the evaporator to the ice maker 81, a first ice-making cold air passage 100 and a second ice-making cold air passage 200 are provided. Cold air flowing from the evaporator to the ice maker may flow in the first ice-making cold air passage 100. Cold air discharged from the ice maker to return to the evaporator may flow in the second ice-making cold air passage 200.

[0154] Door side cold air passage (see Fig.15 105 and 205 in the figure) are provided in the door 3. The door side cold air passage can operate together with the first ice making cold air passage 100 and the second ice making cold air passage 200 to perform cold air inflow and cold air outflow, and the ice maker is connected through the door side cold air passage.

[0155] The first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 pass through the vertical frame. In other words, the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 may not be inserted into the interior of the vacuum insulation body, that is, the interior of the vacuum space used as the insulation space. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the insulation loss of the vacuum insulation body itself.

[0156] The ice-making cold air passage passing through the vertical frame can pass through the inside of the side plate 800. The side plate 800 can perform the function of guiding the shelf or the fixing component in the refrigerator, and can be arranged on the side surface of the refrigerator. The side plate 800 can be set as a plate-shaped cover, or the inner space of the cover can be set as an insulating space. The inside of the insulating space can be thermally insulated by a foam part or the like. The side plate can be referred to as any cover, all of the cover and the insulating space, or both of the cover, the insulating space and the foam part. The side plate 800 can be referred to as a cover.

[0157] The inner space of the side plate is covered by the space in the refrigerator so that the temperature environment in the refrigerator and the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 are not affected relative to each other.

[0158] The following effects can be achieved by the ice-making passage covered by the side plate 800: First, the cold air of the first ice-making cold air passage 100 can be prevented from exchanging heat with the inside of the refrigerating chamber to cause loss of cold air and reduce the ice-making capacity of the ice maker. The cold air of the ice-making cold air passage 100 can be continuously supplied to the refrigerating chamber to prevent the stored items in the refrigerating chamber from being overcooled. Of course, irreversible losses caused by unnecessary heat exchange can be reduced.

[0159] Also, it is possible to prevent the stored items in the refrigerating chamber from being overcooled by the cold air of the second ice-making cold air passage 200, thereby reducing irreversible losses due to unnecessary heat exchange.

[0160] Also, the first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance to prevent heat exchange between the ice-making cold air passage 100 and the ice-making cold air passage 200 .

[0161] The first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may be provided as passages connecting the evaporator to the ice maker to provide the shortest distance, thereby reducing adiabatic loss. To this end, the first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 have an inclined cross-section having a specific angle different from the vertical and horizontal states.

[0162] Fig. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cold air passage for making ice on the freezer side of a refrigerator according to an embodiment, and Fig.10 A schematic cross-sectional view of an ice-making cold air passage on a refrigerator compartment side in a refrigerator according to an embodiment.

[0163] refer to Fig. 9 , disclosed are an evaporator 7, a blower 150, and a first ice-making cold air passage 100. The evaporator 7 is placed along the rear side in the freezing chamber to generate cold air. The blower 150 is placed on a side adjacent to the evaporator 7 to blow the cold air generated in the evaporator to the inlet side of the first ice-making cold air passage 100.

[0164] The second ice-making cold air passage 200 may be disposed in front of the first ice-making cold air passage 100. In other words, when the evaporator 7 is used as a reference, the discharge end of the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may be disposed farther than the inlet end of the first ice-making cold air passage 100. As a result, it is possible to prevent the blown cold air from flowing back or the blowing pressure from being lost.

[0165] The first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may not be arranged in the vacuum space of the vacuum insulator or may not pass through the vacuum space, which is the insulation space on the freezing chamber side. The first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may be arranged in the inner space of the freezing chamber F, forming a freezing environment in the inner space.

[0166] The first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may be narrow and have a wide passage cross section in one direction. The wide surface of the passage may be arranged to face the inner surface of the freezing chamber. Therefore, a larger freezing chamber inner space can be obtained.

[0167] The blower 150 can directly suck the cold air of the evaporator 7, and for this purpose, the blower 150 can be arranged at a position adjacent to the evaporator 7. The blower 150 can be controlled together with other blowing features in the refrigerator, such as the air circulation system in the refrigerator. However, considering the narrow passage of the ice-making cold air passage, the blower 150 can be separately set to blow air only to the inlet side of the first ice-making cold air passage 100. The discharge end of the blower 150 can be sealed with the inlet end of the first ice-making cold air passage 100. Therefore, considering the pipeline loss, the cold air can be blown at a high pressure.

[0168] The first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may not be thermally insulated by a separate insulation structure in the freezing chamber. Of course, if the temperature environment difference between the cold air in the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 and the freezing chamber is large according to the cold air passage structure, it is not excluded to use a separate insulation structure for the ice-making cold air passage.

[0169] refer to Fig.10 , the first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may be moved along the side surface of the refrigerating chamber R, and the wide surface of the passage may be provided on the side surface of the refrigerating chamber R. Therefore, the description of the freezing chamber F may also be applicable. The differences in the description about the freezing chamber will be explained below.

[0170] The first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may be provided in the inner space of the side panel 800. The side panel is a component for selecting a fixed position of a shelf or the like provided in the refrigerator and allowing operation of the shelf or the like. A slide rail 810 may be installed on the side panel to allow a sliding operation of the shelf or the like.

[0171] It can be seen that the first ice-making cold air passage 100 extends a certain distance toward the door side. The first ice-making cold air passage 100 may be arranged to be inclined toward the door side, and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may be arranged to be relatively slightly inclined when compared with the first ice-making cold air passage 100.

[0172] The first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may contact the inner surface of the vacuum insulator. Therefore, the insulation effect of the vacuum insulator with high insulation effect can be obtained, and a wider space in the refrigerator can be obtained by making the side plate as thin as possible.

[0173] The first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may not be arranged in or pass through the vacuum space of the vacuum insulator, which is the insulating space on the refrigerating chamber side. The first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may be arranged in the inner space of the refrigerating chamber R, forming a refrigerated environment in the inner space.

[0174] Hereinafter, portions where the first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 are connected to the door-side cold air passages 105 and 205 will be described.

[0175] The connection ends of the first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 and the connection ends of the first door-side cold air passage 105 and the second door-side cold air passage 205 can contact each other when the door is closed to introduce and exhaust ice-making cold air, and can be spaced apart from each other when the door is opened so as not to supply ice-making cold air.

[0176] Fig.11 is a front perspective view showing the connection end between the first and second ice-making cold air passages in the refrigerator, and Fig.12 is a rear perspective view showing a connection end between first and second ice-making cold air passages in a refrigerator.

[0177] refer to Fig.11 , the first docking portion 104 and the second docking portion 204 may be vertically disposed on an inner side surface of a front portion of the side plate 800 .

[0178] The first docking portion 104 may be an outlet end of the first ice-making cold air passage 100, and the second docking portion 204 may be an inlet end of the second ice-making cold air passage 200. The first docking portion 104 may be disposed to be spaced apart from the second docking portion 204 above the second docking portion 204.

[0179] A passage having a rectangular cross section with wide sides and narrow sides in one direction of each of the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 may be vertically erected. The two passages of the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 may be disposed in series with each other.

[0180] The vertical positional relationship of the butting portions 104 and 204 will be described below. The inlet end of the first ice-making cold air passage 100 may be disposed behind the inlet end of the second ice-making cold air passage 200. This is because the ice-making cold air passage is inclined upward toward its front side.

[0181] To reverse the vertical relationship between the docking portion 104 and the docking portion 204, when the two ice-making cold air passages are extended, the passages must be twisted or bent, which may result in a loss of space in the refrigerator. The docking portions 104 and 204 may be configured as shown in the figure so that after the heavier cold air is supplied to the upper part of the ice maker and then discharged to the lower side of the ice maker, a natural circulation of the discharged cold air is formed.

[0182] The first docking portion 104 and the second docking portion 204 may be disposed on the inner surface of the front end of the side plate 800. The inner surface of the front end may be arranged to be inclined so as to widen toward the outer side of the main body. Therefore, during the opening and closing operation of the door, the connection ends of the first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 and the connection ends of the first door-side cold air passage 105 and the second door-side cold air passage 205 do not interfere with each other, and thus can be smoothly opened and sealed.

[0183] refer to Fig.12 , openings 811 and 812 may be defined in the side surface of the door 3, corresponding to the docking portions 104 and 204. Like the docking portions 104 and 204, the positional relationship of these openings may be set to be inclined, and may be set to be vertically connected in series.

[0184] The butting portion and the opening may contact each other to form a passage for cool air, and a soft sealing material is inserted at the contact surfaces of the two to prevent cool air from leaking.

[0185] Fig.13 This is a view used to explain the relationship between the ice-making cooling air passage and the vertical frame.

[0186] refer to Fig.13 The vertical frame 300 may be configured as a portion in which a foam component is foamed in a shell so that the shell and the foam component are combined with each other. The vertical frame may partition the internal space. The first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may pass through the vertical frame 300 and be supported by the vertical frame 300.

[0187] In the first ice-making cold air passage 100: a portion 101, located in the first freezing chamber, wherein the inlet end is disposed in the space of the freezing chamber; a first mullion portion 102, which passes through the mullion and at least a portion is disposed in the mullion; and a portion 103, located in the first side plate, disposed on the side plate 800. The outlet end of the first ice-making cold air passage 100 may be disposed on the inner side and surface of the side plate, or may protrude to the outer side of the side plate.

[0188] Similarly, in the second ice-making cold air passage 200: a portion 201, located in the second freezing chamber, in which the outlet end is disposed; a second mullion portion 202, which passes through the mullion and at least a portion is disposed in the mullion; and a portion 203, located in the second side panel, disposed on the side panel 800. The inlet end of the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may be disposed on the inner side and surface of the side panel, or may protrude to the outer side of the side panel.

[0189] Since the first ice-making cold air passage 100 is installed in the refrigerator, the passage with narrow sides and wide sides is installed close to the inner surface of the vacuum insulation body. This is also the same in the case of the second ice-making cold air passage 200. Therefore, in order to ensure smooth flow in the passage, the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 are bent toward the door side at the connection part with the door. The end of the ice-making cold air passage bent in the direction of the door can be provided with the docking parts 104 and 204. When the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 can be bent in the front-back and up-down directions, and can also be bent in the lateral direction of the docking parts 104 and 204 relative to the front of the refrigerator, the smooth flow of air can be guided.

[0190] Fig.14 is a view used to explain the structure on which the mullions are located.

[0191] refer to Fig.14 , the mullion 300 may be fixed to the inside of the vacuum insulation body. As an example of fixing the mullion 300 to the inside of the vacuum insulation body, a mullion mount 130 may be provided. The mullion 300 may be configured such that the mullion insulation material 320 is provided within the mullion board 321, and as a whole, a smooth insulation operation of the refrigeration and freezing spaces may be achieved by the mullion 300.

[0192] The mullion mount 130 may have a vacuum insulation extension extending along the inner surface of the vacuum insulation, and a mullion extension extending toward the mullion 300. The vacuum insulation extension may be a portion extending vertically in the figure, and the mullion extension may be a portion extending horizontally in the figure.

[0193] As a preferred example, a frame having a cross-sectional structure bent once may be at least partially coupled to the vertical frame frame 130 along both sides and a rear surface of the inner surface of the vacuum insulation body.

[0194] Fig.15 It is a side perspective view for explaining the installation of the ice-making cold air passage and the insulation structure in the refrigerator.

[0195] refer to Fig.15, the mullion 300 may be disposed on the mullion mount 130, and the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 passing through a portion of the mullion may be disposed inside the side panel 800. Insulating material is disposed inside the side panel 800 to allow the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 to be thermally insulated from the relatively high temperature environment in the refrigeration space.

[0196] The structure and coupling method of the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 coupled to the mullion 300 and the side panel 800 will be described below. As described above, the side panel insulation material 820 may be provided inside the side panel 800 to allow the inside of the side panel to be thermally insulated relative to the internal space of the refrigerator. The mullion 300 may be provided with the mullion insulation material 320 inside the mullion plate 321 to thermally insulate and separate the space. The mullion insulation material 320 and the side panel insulation material 820 may be preferably used as an example of a foam insulation material.

[0197] The coupling method of the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200, the mullion 300, the side panel 800, the mullion insulation material 320, and the side panel insulation material 820 will be described in detail below. By allowing the distance between the parts to be reduced as short as possible, the parts can help improve the insulation efficiency.

[0198] First, the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 can be set in the refrigerator in a state of being coupled to the side panel insulation material 820, and then coupled to the inner surface of the vacuum insulation body. Here, the position in the refrigerator can refer to a fixed position set in the refrigerator according to the design to prepare or wait for the subsequent coupling process.

[0199] As a more specific example, first, the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 are coupled to the vertical frame plate 321 and the side plate 800. Thereafter, the side plate insulation material 820 may be foamed inside the side plate 800 so that all parts are coupled to each other using the foamed material. Thereafter, it may be fixed to the inner surface of the vacuum insulation body.

[0200] As another example, after the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 are assembled on the inner surface of the vacuum insulator, the mullion plate 321 and the side plate 800 may be coupled to each other. Thereafter, the side plate insulation material 820 may be foamed so that the mullion plate 321 and the side plate 800 are coupled to each other to form a whole.

[0201] For another example, the side panel insulation material 820 may be foamed and integrated outside the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 using a separate mold. Thereafter, the components of the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 and the side panel insulation material 820 may be coupled to the vertical frame plate 321 and the side panel 800. Thereafter, it may be fixed to the inner surface of the vacuum insulation body.

[0202] In all of the above examples, the foaming process of the vertical frame insulation material 320 may be performed together with the foaming process of the side panel insulation material 820, and the coupling operation may be performed through the foaming portion.

[0203] On the other hand, as another method, the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 may be provided while the mullion insulation material 320 is foamed, and the components of the side panel 800 and the mullion panel 321 may be coupled to each other. Thereafter, the side panel insulation material 820 may be foamed to couple the two parts to each other. After all coupling is completed, it may be coupled to the inner surface of the vacuum insulation body.

[0204] When the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 are fixed to the vertical frame plate 321 and the side plate 800, the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 may be provided to pass through the vertical frame plate 321 and the side plate 800. In this case, each plate may become a foam cover so that the foam part is filled in the foam cover by a foaming operation. All parts may be coupled by the foam part. In the coupled state, it may be located on the inner surface of the vacuum insulation body.

[0205] The parts of the fixed ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 may correspond to the mullion plate 321, the side plate 800, the mullion insulation material 320, and the side plate insulation material 820. In some cases, it may be one or two or more parts selected from the four parts.

[0206] The mullion plate 321 and the side plate 800 may be provided as one body, and thus, a single structure provided as one body may be provided as a foam cover convenient for use in a foaming process.

[0207] In order to prevent the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 from interfering with the mullion mount 130, a portion of the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 may be bent at an angle α. The angle α is used to allow the ice-making cold air passages to pass through the mullion extension of the mullion mount. In another case, a cutout portion may be provided in the mullion mount 130 to cut out a portion through which the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 pass.

[0208] An ice-making cold air passage according to another embodiment will be described below.

[0209] The present embodiment is different from the ice-making cold air passage according to the previous embodiment in that many parts of the ice-making cold air passage are accommodated in vertical frames.

[0210] In other words, in the above-mentioned embodiment, although the ice-making cold air passage passes through the mullion, many parts are arranged inside the side plate. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the difference of the ice-making cold air passage is that it is guided to the door side, that is, guided to the front side through the mullion.

[0211] Therefore, the ice-making cold air passage according to the aforementioned embodiment may be referred to as the side panel side ice-making cold air passage, and the ice-making cold air passage according to the present embodiment may be referred to as the vertical frame side ice-making cold air passage. However, in order to avoid the complexity of too many terms, the above parts will be referred to as ice-making cold air passages and will be described later in this article. However, different names will be given to parts that must be specially classified and described.

[0212] In the description of the following embodiment, parts of the contents of the previous embodiment to which the contents of the previous embodiment can be applied as is will be applied to the description of the previous embodiment. Where the same operation is performed, the same reference numerals will be given.

[0213] Fig.16 is a schematic perspective view of an ice-making cold air passage in a refrigerator according to another embodiment. Fig.17 is a view showing a relationship between a mullion and a door according to another embodiment.

[0214] refer to Fig.16 and Fig.17 , the blower 150 delivers the cold air generated in the evaporator to the inlet side of the first ice-making cold air passage 100. In the mullion, the first ice-making cold air passage 100 extends along the mullion. In this embodiment, the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may not move along the mullion, but may be directly guided to the freezer compartment from the lower end of the door. Therefore, unnecessary waste of the internal insulation space of the mullion can be prevented.

[0215] The second ice-making cold air passage 200 may be disposed at one side of the first ice-making cold air passage 100. Specifically, a discharge end of the second ice-making cold air passage 200 and an inlet end of the first ice-making cold air passage 100 may be disposed at left and right sides of the front end of the mullion.

[0216] The first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may not be arranged on the vacuum space of the vacuum insulator, may pass through or may not pass through the vacuum space, which is the insulating space on the freezing chamber side. The first ice-making cold air passage 100 and the second ice-making cold air passage 200 may be arranged in the internal space of the freezing chamber F forming a freezing environment.

[0217] The first ice-making cold air passage 100 may have a flat channel cross section consisting of a narrow side and a wide side, and the wide surface of the channel may be arranged along the plane of the vertical frame of the freezing chamber. Therefore, the thickness of the vertical frame may be less than or greater than the thickness of the space in the refrigerator.

[0218] The first ice-making cold air passage 100 extends forward from the inside of the vertical frame. The first ice-making cold air passage 100 may have: an extension portion 133, which is arranged in the vertical frame 300 and extends forward and backward from the vertical frame in a flat state; a downwardly inclined portion 132, which is inclined downward from the rear of the extension portion 133 toward the evaporator 7; a portion 131 located in the freezing chamber, which extends to the inside of the freezing chamber; and an upwardly inclined portion, which is inclined upward from the front of the extension portion 133 toward the door.

[0219] The inclined portions 132 and 134 are configured to reduce flow loss caused by a narrow inner space of the passage by gently forming the passage. In the drawing, each inclined portion is shown to be inclined at an angle α.

[0220] The portion 131 within the freezing chamber may be configured to improve the ice making performance of the ice maker by drawing in as much evaporator discharge air at a low temperature as possible.

[0221] The outlet of the upwardly inclined portion 134 may be disposed at a portion aligned with the bottom surface of the door located at the top surface of the front end of the mullion. A cold air passage extending from the ice maker may be connected to the bottom surface of the door.

[0222] The second ice-making cold air passage 200 may be arranged to be aligned with the outlet of the first ice-making cold air passage 100 in the left-right direction. All ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 may be provided with narrow passages extending in the left-right direction. Considering the narrow front-to-back width of the door, this is done to allow the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 to be in a (thermal) insulation state to the greatest extent. The second ice-making cold air passage 200 may be arranged to be similar to the structure of the upwardly inclined portion 134.

[0223] The door-side cold air passages 105 and 205 are the same as the previous embodiments except that one end of the passage connected to the ice maker is led out from the lower end surface of the door and is aligned in the left-right direction instead of the vertical direction.

[0224] Inside the mullion 300, the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 may be placed as close to the freezing chamber F as possible to prevent cold air loss from occurring.

[0225] When the door is opened, the inlet end and the outlet end of the ice-making cold air passage can be exposed to the outside. Moreover, since an open structure connected to the freezing chamber is provided, a switching structure can be provided.

[0226] Fig.18 and Fig.19 is a view for explaining the switching structure of the ice-making cold air passage, wherein: Fig.18 is a view showing the mullion side, and Fig.19 It is a view showing the door side.

[0227] refer to Fig.18 , the switching door structure can be provided at the end of the ice making cold air passage. In the switching door structure, the passage door 135 can open and close the opening of the upwardly inclined portion 134, the spring 136 guides the rotation operation of the passage door, and the stopper 137 prevents the door from rotating (the door rotates due to the force of the spring 36).

[0228] Since the end of the upwardly inclined portion 134 is arranged to be inclined, when the door is closed, a portion of the upwardly inclined portion 134 contacts the door to automatically open the access door 135. When the door is opened, the portion suspended on the door may be released to allow the access door 135 to be automatically closed. When the access door 135 is closed, the limit value of the door hanging on the stopper 137 may be set.

[0229] refer to Fig.19 , the pusher 1351 may be provided at a portion of the bottom surface of the door adjacent to the outlet-side opening ends of the door-side cold air passages 105 and 205. The pusher may push the passage door 135 to open the passage door.

[0230] The positional relationship between the push portion 1351 and the access door 135 can be set so that when the door 3 is closed relative to the main body 2, the push portion 1351 and the access door 135 are arranged at a position where the push portion 1351 and the access door 135 are aligned with each other. The shape of each of the push portion 1351 and the access door 135 may not be sharp to prevent damage. Of course, in addition to the non-sharp shape, it can have a variety of shapes and materials.

[0231] According to the switching door structure, the opening / closing of the door 3 relative to the main body 2 and the opening / closing of the ice-making cold air passage can be performed oppositely. That is, when the door is closed, the ice-making cold air passage is opened; and when the door is opened, the ice-making cold air passage is closed. According to this configuration, it is possible to improve thermal performance by preventing leakage of strong cold air for ice making. It can prevent foreign matter from being introduced.

[0232] The switch door structure may also be provided with structures that are opposite to each other. In other words, the passage door, the stopper, and the spring may be provided at the end of the door-side cold air passage, and the pusher may be provided at the end of the ice-making cold air passage. Therefore, the cold air loss in the door-side cold air passage may be reduced.

[0233] In the switch door structure, a pair of switch structures can be respectively arranged at the ends of the ice-making cold air passage and the door-side cold air passage. Therefore, the door can be arranged at the ends of the ice-making cold air passage and the door-side cold air passage to prevent cold air leakage and foreign matter from being introduced.

[0234] Hereinafter, the structure of the ice-making cold air passage according to the embodiment in which each vacuum insulator is separated from each other will be described. For the parts not specifically described, the contents of the above-mentioned embodiment are applicable as they are. On the other hand, in the following content, for convenience, the door is not shown, but it is naturally understood that the door is provided.

[0235] Fig. 20 It is a three-dimensional diagram of a refrigerator, in which each vacuum insulator forms a respective storage space. Fig.21 It is a three-dimensional view of a refrigerator in which a gap retaining portion is provided at a connection portion of each vacuum insulation body.

[0236] In the refrigerator according to the present embodiment, for example, a refrigerating chamber may be provided on the lower side as a storage space above the freezing chamber.

[0237] refer to Fig. 20 The first body 2a and the second body 2b may be formed by independent vacuum insulators. The body 2a and the body 2b may be spaced apart from each other. Components required for the operation of the refrigerator may be accommodated in the gap between the body 2a and the body 2b spaced apart from each other.

[0238] The gap holding part 590 is provided in the gap between the vacuum insulators so that the upper and lower vacuum insulators are firmly coupled to each other to form a whole, thereby increasing impact resistance. Components required for the operation of the refrigerator can be accommodated in the gap holding part 590 provided in the gap between the above-mentioned two vacuum insulators.

[0239] In the evaporator provided in the second body 3b, the contents required for ice making may be supplied to the first body 2a. To this end, the first body 2a may be provided with a first ice making connection passage 511 and a second ice making connection passage 512. Although not shown, an ice making connection passage having the same structure may extend from the second body 2b. An ice making cold air passage may be inserted into the ice making connection passage.

[0240] In order to supply cold air from the evaporator to the ice maker using the ice-making cold air passage, the ice-making cold air passages 100 and 200 must pass through the gap created by the gap maintaining portion 590 and the wall of the vacuum insulator. At least two vacuum insulators may be connected to each other to pass through the gap between the two vacuum insulators. However, heat loss caused by the gap and the complexity of the structure is not desirable.

[0241] As described above, heat loss occurs along the supply path of cold air, and in particular, the outside of the vacuum insulator, such as the gap between the two vacuum insulators formed by the gap maintaining portion 590, acts as an external space having room temperature. The room temperature space acts as a main path deprived of cold air required for ice making, and the thermal insulation in the path limits the supply of cold air to the ice maker.

[0242] Fig. 22 is an enlarged view of the ice making connection path, and Fig.23 It is a cross-sectional view of the ice-making connection passage taken along line A-A'.

[0243] refer to Fig. 22 and Fig.23 It can be seen that this embodiment corresponds to the case where the ice-making cold air is guided along the side surface of the refrigerator (see Figure 8 ).

[0244] The ice making connection paths 511 and 512 connecting the inner spaces of the bodies 2a and 2b are spaced apart from each other. An anti-conduction sheet 60 may be provided on a wall surface of each vacuum insulator through which the ice making connection path passes to reduce thermal conductivity.

[0245] The ice-making path insulation material 513 may be provided on the outer surface of each of the ice-making connection paths 511 and 512. A porous material may be provided as the ice-making path insulation material 513 for thermal insulation. The ice-making path insulation material 513 may also play a role in supporting the impact absorption function of the vacuum insulation body, supporting the load of the first body 2a, and preventing the gap holding portion 590 from being damaged.

[0246] Figure 24 to Figure 27 2 is a view of a refrigerator in which a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment are respectively provided through two vacuum insulators, wherein an ice-making cold air passage is provided in a bottom surface of a door according to an embodiment. Figure 20 to Figure 23 The relevant description can be applied as is without any specific explanation.

[0247] refer to Fig.24 and Fig.25 , the two bodies 2a and 2b are coupled to each other through a gap maintaining portion 590, and a pair of left and right ice-making connection passages 521 and 522 are provided at the front portions of the bodies 2a and 2b.

[0248] refer to Fig.26 and Fig. 27 , ice making connection passages 521 and 522 may pass through ice making cold air passages 100 and 200, and anti-conduction sheets may be provided on the exposed wall surface of each vacuum insulator provided with the ice making connection passage to reduce conductive heat loss. The ice making passage insulation material 513 may perform the impact absorption function of the vacuum insulator, support the load of the first body, and prevent damage to the body.

[0249] In the refrigerator according to the present embodiment, a portion corresponding to the vertical frame (in which the ice-making cold air passage is accommodated) is not provided. In other words, the internal space of the portion provided with the gap retaining portion 590 may be at room temperature and may not be suitable for passing very cold air of the ice maker. For this reason, it is more preferable not to provide the ice-making cold air passage in the gap between the gap retaining portions 590.

[0250] However, the perspective of the present patent does not exclude the solution that the ice-making cold air passage is provided at the position where the gap holding portion 590 is located. If sufficient heat insulation operation is performed, the ice-making cold air passage may also be provided in the gap holding portion. However, deterioration of energy efficiency may occur due to heat insulation loss. On the other hand, in this case, in each of the main bodies 2a and 2b, the portion cut away to allow the ice-making cold air passage to pass may be different from each other.

[0251] Hereinafter, the effect of the ice-making cold air passage according to an embodiment will be described while reviewing a door structure for performing ice-making using cold air supplied through the ice-making cold air passage having various structures.

[0252] The passageway in which the ice-making cold air passageway is embedded in the foam part, i.e., the heat-insulating space, is called the foam-embedded ice-making cold air passageway; the passageway embedded in the side panel (the inner space in the refrigerator) is in Figure 8 As shown in FIG. 1 , it is called the plate side refrigeration air passage; and the passage embedded in the vertical frame (the internal space in the refrigerator) is Fig.16 Shown in the figure are cooling air passages on the sides of the sashes, known as mullions.

[0253] First, the case of the foam embedded ice-making cold air passage will be described.

[0254] Fig.28 is an exploded perspective view of the door, and Fig.29 Horizontal cross-section of the space where the ice machine is installed. Fig.28 and Fig.29 It can be seen that a foam embedded ice-making cold air passage is provided, the ice-making machine is arranged in the door of the refrigerating chamber, and a rectangular insulation board is installed on the outside of the ice-making machine.

[0255] In the heat insulation structure of the door, a foam insulation material 606 is inserted as a whole into the gap between the outer shell 603 and the inner cover 602 to improve the heat insulation performance of the door. The ice maker 81 may be disposed in the inner cover 602 by the basket 604 .

[0256] The ice-making cold air passage may be introduced and led out along the side surface of the door to extend vertically from the side surface of the door. The insulation board 601 may be inserted into the gap between the foam insulation material 606 and the shell 603, thereby helping to improve the insulation performance of the door. The shell 603 may be in a shape with both ends bent inwardly, and the opening of the dispenser 82 may be set at the lower part of the shell 603.

[0257] Next, the case where the side panel forms the ice-cooling air passage will be described.

[0258] Fig.30 This is an exploded perspective view of the door. Fig.31 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the space where the ice machine is installed, and Fig.32 is a perspective view of a first vacuum insulation module.

[0259] refer to Figure 30 to Figure 32 In this embodiment, a side plate ice making cold air passage can be provided, and the ice maker can be provided in the door of the refrigerating chamber. It can be seen that the first vacuum insulation module is installed outside the ice maker as a three-dimensional vacuum insulation module. Figures 1 to 4 The partial techniques of various vacuum insulation bodies shown in FIG. 1 may be applied to the first vacuum insulation module. However, the first vacuum insulation module may be provided in a three-dimensional curved shape.

[0260] The three-dimensional vacuum insulation module can prevent heat transfer in one direction, and prevent heat transfer in multiple directions by using a vacuum space. The first vacuum insulation module 610 can prevent heat transfer in the left and right directions and in the front direction relative to the refrigerator door.

[0261] The first vacuum insulation module 610 may be provided with an upper opening 616 at its upper portion. The upper opening may be opened so that water is introduced toward the door, and the electric wires pass through the upper opening. A lower opening 615 may be provided at the lower portion of the first vacuum insulation module 610. The lower opening 615 may be opened to perform a water or ice dispensing function and introduce / lead out the electric wires toward the door.

[0262] In the insulation structure of the door, the first vacuum insulation module 610 can be installed using the front surface and the side surface of the door. The first vacuum insulation module 610 can be thermally insulated by wrapping the front surface and the side surface of the door in a predetermined shape. The foam insulation material 606 can be arranged outside the side surface of the first vacuum insulation module. The inner cover 602, the ice maker 81, the basket 604, and the door-side cold air passages 105 and 205 can be arranged inside the first vacuum insulation module 610. The difference between this embodiment and the first case is that lateral heat conduction is not blocked.

[0263] The ice-making cold air passage may be introduced and led out along the side surface of the door to extend vertically from the side surface of the door. The housing 603 may be in a shape with both ends bent inwardly, and the opening of the dispenser 82 may be provided at a lower portion of the housing 603 .

[0264] Thirdly, the case where the cooling air passage is formed on the side of the mullion will be described below.

[0265] Fig.33 is an exploded perspective view of the door, and Fig.34 is a perspective view of the first vacuum insulation module. Fig.31 same.

[0266] In the case of cold air passage on the side of the mullion, Fig.16 As shown, the ice making cold air passage is arranged inside the vertical frame. Moreover, compared with the second case, in the door, the characteristic difference is that the three-dimensional vacuum insulation module is changed to the second vacuum insulation module 620.

[0267] Specifically, in the housing 603, the portion on which the distributor 82 is provided is referred to as a lower portion L, and the upper portion thereof is referred to as an upper portion U. Here, in the case of the side plate side ice-cooling air passage, only the upper portion may be thermally insulated, and the mullion side ice-cooling air passage may thermally insulate both the upper portion and the lower portion.

[0268] The second vacuum insulation module 620 also includes a window dispenser 621, the front surface of which is opened in the form of a window, in addition to the upper opening 615 and the lower opening 616. The window dispenser can allow a user to access the ice dispenser structure. An anti-conduction sheet may be additionally provided at the edge of the window dispenser 621 to reduce heat conduction between the inner plate and the outer plate.

[0269] The experimental results will be described for the above three cases.

[0270] Figure 35 to Figure 37 : is a graph showing the thermal efficiency of the ice-making cold air passage in the above three cases. Figure 35 to Figure 37 is a view showing the installation of a foam embedded ice making cold air passage and an insulation board, Fig.36 2 is a view showing a state where a side plate-made ice-cold air passage and a first vacuum insulation module are installed, and Fig.37 1 is a view showing a state where a mullion-type ice-cold air passage and a second vacuum insulation module are installed.

[0271] Each experiment was performed with the inflow air having a temperature of about -20 degrees Celsius and a flow rate of about 0.2 CMM; the outside air temperature was about 20 degrees Celsius, the refrigerator compartment temperature was about 3.6 degrees Celsius, and the freezer compartment temperature was about 18 degrees Celsius.

[0272] refer to Figure 35 to Figure 37 , it can be seen that the temperature increase of the cold air at each point appears in numerical form. Since the temperature increase is the smallest in the third case, it can be considered that the third case has the best insulation effect.

[0273] Table 1 is a table of experimental results on cold air loss. Here, the heat penetration is in Watts (W) and the pressure loss is in MPa.

[0274] [Table 1]

[0275] Heat penetration (1) Pressure loss(1) Heat penetration (2) Pressure loss (2) Heat penetration (3) Pressure loss (3) Ice making access 4.55 21.9 3.42 18.6 1.46 14.5 Gate inlet pipe 1.74 17.9 1.75 21.3 2.42 27.9 Ice Room 5.78 4.0 5.33 5.7 5.05 3.3 Door drain pipe 0.61 14.3 0.94 14.2 0.92 11.7 Ice making channel discharge 2.12 14.5 1.86 15.0 0.14 3.7 total 14.81 72.6 13.30 74.8 9.99 61.2

[0276] Referring to Table 1, compared with the first case, in the second case, the amount of ice made increases by about 10%, and in the third case, the amount of ice made increases by about 20%.

[0277] Industrial Applicability

[0278] The embodiment proposes a structure of an ice maker that guides cold air to a refrigerator door of a refrigerator by using a vacuum insulator. The above structure can achieve high energy consumption efficiency and can more widely ensure a space in the refrigerator.

[0279] According to the embodiment, it is possible to get closer to the actual production of refrigerators using a high vacuum degree and obtain the advantage of being able to be industrialized.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising: A vacuum insulator, comprising: a first panel configured to provide at least a portion of a wall defining a space within the refrigerator, a second panel configured to provide at least a portion of an outer wall of the refrigerator, and a vacuum space located between the first plate and the second plate; a vertical frame configured to divide the space in the refrigerator into a first space and a second space; an ice maker located away from the first space; and At least one air passage passes through the mullion to fluidly connect the first space to the ice maker, the at least one air passage not inserted into the interior of the vacuum insulation.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising: an evaporator located in the first space to generate cold air; and a door configured to open and close the second space, Wherein, the ice maker is located inside the door.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, further comprising a door-side air passage, the door-side air passage being provided in the door and having an opening located on a surface of the door, in, The air passage is connected to the air passage on the door side.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising: a side panel disposed at a wall of the second space, and Side panel insulation material, arranged in the side panel, The air passage passes through the inside of the side plate and is thermally insulated by the side plate insulation material.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein: The air passage comprises: a first air passage configured to supply air from the first space toward the ice maker; and The second air passage is configured to return air from the ice maker toward the first space.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a vacuum insulation module configured to surround at least a portion of the ice maker, in, The vacuum insulation module includes a first module disposed at a first surface of the door and a second module disposed at a second surface of the door, and Wherein, the first module is bent from the second module.

7. A refrigerator, comprising: A first vacuum thermal insulator, the first vacuum thermal insulator comprising: a first plate configured to provide at least a portion of a wall defining a first storage space, a second panel configured to provide a portion of an outer wall of the refrigerator, and a first vacuum space located between the first plate and the second plate; a door configured to open or close the first storage space; A second vacuum insulation body, wherein the second vacuum insulation body comprises: a third plate configured to provide at least a portion of a wall defining a second storage space, a fourth plate configured to provide another portion of an outer wall of the refrigerator, and a second vacuum space located between the third plate and the fourth plate; an ice maker disposed in the door; at least one connecting passage disposed between the first vacuum insulation body and the second vacuum insulation body and configured to allow air in the second storage space to flow toward the ice maker; and A thermal insulation material surrounds the at least one connecting passage.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein: The connecting passage passes through the first plate and the second plate of the first vacuum insulation body, and / or The connecting passage passes through the third plate and the fourth plate of the second vacuum insulation body.

9. A refrigerator, comprising: The main body, including storage space; a door configured to open and close the storage space and comprising a vacuum insulation module; an ice maker disposed in the door; and an air passage disposed in the door and configured to be fluidly connected to the ice maker, The vacuum insulation module is configured to surround at least a portion of the ice maker.

10. A refrigerator, comprising: Vacuum insulation, comprising: a first panel configured to provide at least a portion of a wall defining a space within the refrigerator, a second panel configured to provide at least a portion of an outer wall of the refrigerator, and a vacuum space located between the first plate and the second plate, a vertical frame configured to divide the space in the refrigerator into a first space and a second space; an ice maker, located away from the first space; a first air passage configured to supply air from the first space toward the ice maker and extending in a first direction; and The second air passage is configured to return air from the ice maker toward the first space and extends in a second direction different from the first direction.

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