Refrigerator for drinks

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator for beverages. A storage room (32) is formed inside the cabinet (10) of the present invention, and a beverage container (B) can be stored in the storage room (32) in an upright position. A cooling guide (40) installed inside the cabinet (10) can surround at least a part of the beverage container (B) and partition the space between the storage room (32) and the insulation part (G). A cooling device (C) can supply cold air to at least one of the cooling guide (40) or the storage room (32) using a thermoelectric element (55). Accordingly, the beverage container (B) is not cooled intensively only in a part, but the surface of the beverage container (B) surrounded by the cooling guide (40) can be cooled evenly over the entire surface.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator for beverages, and more specifically, to a refrigerator for beverages for cooling beverages contained in bottles. Background Technology

[0002] Generally, a refrigerator is a home appliance designed to store food at low temperatures within an internal storage space enclosed by a door. To achieve this, the refrigerator is configured to maintain stored food in optimal conditions by cooling the interior of the storage space using cold air generated through heat exchange with a refrigerant circulating in a freezing cycle.

[0003] Recent refrigerators are becoming increasingly multifunctional in response to changes in dietary habits and the trend toward product sophistication. Refrigerators equipped with various structures and features designed to enhance user convenience and efficiently utilize interior space are being released. In particular, as the consumption and demand for alcoholic beverages such as wine and champagne increase, refrigerators suitable for storing specific types of alcohol, as well as those designed for long-term preservation of fermented foods like kimchi, are being developed.

[0004] Among these, wine refrigerators capable of storing beverages such as wine have recently seen an increasing demand among the general public. U.S. published patent 20190300358A1 (Prior Art 1) discloses a structure in which a heat sink is located around a beverage container stored inside a storage device, and the heat sink is connected to a Peltier element to lower the temperature of the beverage container. Additionally, Korean registered patent 10-1174393 (Prior Art 2) discloses a structure in which a thermoelectric element assembly directly cools a mounting section in which a wine bottle is stored.

[0005] However, the above Prior Art 1 has poor cooling performance because the heat sink connected to the thermoelectric element only cools a portion of the wine bottle, failing to cool the beverage container evenly as a whole, and requires a long time to cool the container. Furthermore, Prior Art 2 has the disadvantage of very low cooling efficiency and high manufacturing costs because the thermoelectric element assembly forms one wall of the storage space and lowers the temperature of the entire storage space as well as around the wine bottle.

[0006] In addition, considering the characteristics of wine, storage temperature is very important to properly enjoy its taste and aroma. For example, it is recommended to maintain the temperature at approximately 5 to 8 degrees for white wine and 13 to 18 degrees for red wine, and temperature conditions may vary depending on specific factors such as the grape variety and vintage.

[0007] However, while conventional wine refrigerators can regulate the temperature of the entire storage space, they cannot individually control the temperature of each stored wine. Therefore, when storing different types of wine in a single wine refrigerator, there is a problem in that optimal conditions suitable for each wine cannot be provided.

[0008] Furthermore, conventional wine refrigerators have limitations in miniaturizing them because they require an internal depth at least equal to the vertical length of a wine bottle to accommodate it, as well as an internal space for installing a cooling device. Prior art literature

[0010] U.S. Published Patent 20190300358A1 Republic of Korea Registered Patent 10-1174393 The problem to be solved

[0011] The present invention aims to solve the problems of the prior art as described above. The objective of the present invention is to cool a beverage container using a cooling device, and to enable the beverage container to be cooled efficiently and evenly through a cooling guide that surrounds the beverage container.

[0012] Another objective of the present invention is to enable different cooling temperatures to be set for each storage compartment inside a beverage refrigerator.

[0013] Another objective of the present invention is to store a beverage container upright inside a beverage refrigerator and to place a cooling device in close contact with a cooling guide surrounding the beverage container. means of solving the problem

[0015] According to the features of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned purpose, a storage chamber is formed inside the cabinet of the present invention, and a beverage container can be stored in the storage chamber in an upright position. A cooling guide installed inside the cabinet surrounds at least a portion of the beverage container and can partition the space between the storage chamber and the insulation section. Furthermore, a cooling device can supply cold air to at least one of the cooling guide or the storage chamber using a thermoelectric element. Accordingly, the beverage container is not cooled intensively only in a part, but the surface of the beverage container surrounded by the cooling guide can be cooled evenly over the entire surface.

[0016] In addition, a plurality of storage rooms are provided inside the cabinet, and the storage rooms can be partitioned from one another by the insulation part surrounding the cooling guide to form independent spaces. At this time, a different cooling device can be installed in each of the storage rooms. In this way, the temperature of each storage room does not affect the temperature of an adjacent storage room, and a different cooling temperature can be set for each storage room.

[0017] In addition, the cooling guide includes a first guide and a second guide, and the cooling block of the cooling device can be in close contact with the first guide. In this way, the cooling device can be installed in close contact with the cooling guide, and accordingly, the width of the internal space of the cabinet can be reduced, and as a result, the beverage refrigerator can be miniaturized.

[0018] Additionally, one of the two surfaces of the cooling guide may face the storage room, and the opposite surface may face the insulation section. In this case, the portion of the other surface of the cooling guide, excluding the part connected to the cooling device, may partition the space between the insulation section and the storage room to prevent the insulation section from being exposed to the interior of the storage room.

[0019] In addition, the lower end of the cooling guide may extend further down than the lower end of the beverage container or have the same height as the lower end of the beverage container, and the upper end of the cooling guide may have a height higher than or equal to the body of the beverage container. Through this structure, the beverage container can be cooled evenly throughout.

[0020] In addition, the angle between the end portion of the pair of second guides facing the insulation panel and the center of the storage chamber may be 30 to 270 degrees. This allows the sides of the beverage container to be cooled evenly as well as the rear.

[0021] Additionally, the insulation panel may be provided with a transparent section to expose at least a portion of the storage room, where the beverage container is stored in an upright position, to the outside. In this case, the cooling guide may be higher than or equal to the height of the transparent section with respect to the height direction of the beverage container. Therefore, the portion exposed to the user may consist solely of the cooling guide.

[0022] In addition, the surface of the first guide is formed as a curved surface, and the surface of the cooling block of the cooling device facing the cooling guide can be formed as a curved surface so as to make surface contact with the surface of the cooling guide. Accordingly, the contact area between the cooling block and the cooling guide can be increased, and the transfer of cold air to the beverage container can be made more smoothly.

[0023] In addition, the ends of the pair of second guides are connected to an inner frame installed inside the cabinet, and the inner frame can be connected to the insulation panel. Accordingly, the temperature of the insulation panel is lowered by the cold air from the cooling guide, thereby preventing the formation of condensation on the insulation panel.

[0024] In addition, the surfaces of the pair of second guides are each formed as flat surfaces, and the pair of second guides can extend parallel to the side plates constituting the cabinet. Accordingly, the interior of the storage room can be observed more widely through the insulation panel.

[0025] In addition, an insulating panel may be installed on the front of the cabinet on the opposite side of the cooling device, with the storage room in which the beverage container is stored in between, and the insulating panel may form at least a part of the inner wall of the storage room together with the cooling guide.

[0026] In addition, the cooling guide may have a uniform cross-sectional shape along the height direction in which the beverage container is erected. This ensures uniform cooling performance along the height direction of the beverage container and also facilitates the manufacturing of the cooling guide. Effects of the invention

[0028] The beverage refrigerator according to the present invention, as examined above, has the following effects.

[0029] In the present invention, the cooling guide forms part of a storage chamber surrounding a beverage container, and when the cooling guide is cooled by a cooling device, it can transfer cold air to a wide surface of the beverage container. Therefore, the beverage container is not cooled intensively only in a part, but the entire surface of the beverage container surrounded by the cooling guide can be cooled evenly.

[0030] In addition, since the cooling device does not cool the entire interior space of the refrigerator but rather intensively cools only the area around the beverage container through a cooling guide, the cooling efficiency of the refrigerator is improved.

[0031] In particular, since the cooling guide has a uniform cross-sectional shape along the height direction of the beverage container, it is possible to achieve uniform cooling performance across the entire height range of the beverage container, and it also has the effect of facilitating the manufacturing of the cooling guide.

[0032] In addition, the beverage refrigerator of the present invention is equipped with multiple storage compartments, and the space between each storage compartment is filled with insulation, and a separate cooling device may be installed in each storage compartment. Therefore, since the set temperature of each storage compartment can be set differently, the temperature of the beverage can be independently controlled according to the properties of the beverage or the user's preference, thereby improving user convenience.

[0033] In addition, in the present invention, the beverage container is stored in an upright state, and at least a part of the cooling device is in direct contact with the cooling guide surrounding the beverage container. Therefore, the depth of the beverage refrigerator in the front-to-back direction can be shortened, and the installation area of ​​the beverage refrigerator is reduced. Since the beverage refrigerator with a reduced installation area can be installed in a wider variety of locations, it has the effect of increasing installation convenience.

[0034] In addition, a cooling guide is positioned between the insulation section and the storage compartment to partition them, thereby preventing the insulation section from being exposed to the outside of the refrigerator. Therefore, the interior of the storage compartment, visible through the viewing section occupying the front of the refrigerator, becomes a continuous flat or curved surface made of a single material, providing consumers with a unified aesthetic.

[0035] In addition, the cooling guide of the present invention itself becomes part of the inner wall defining the storage room, and insulation material can be filled in the rear of the cooling guide. Therefore, since the cooling guide also serves as a partition wall for dividing the storage room when the insulation material is foamed, the manufacturing of the insulation part becomes easier, and since the rear of the cooling guide is immediately filled with insulation material, the insulation performance of the refrigerator can be further enhanced.

[0036] In addition, in the present invention, the cooling device cools not the entire interior space of the refrigerator, but the cooling guide itself surrounding the beverage container or the space inside it (storage compartment), so the beverage container can be cooled efficiently and evenly, and the cooling efficiency of the refrigerator is improved.

[0037] In addition, in the present invention, the cooling guide does not come into direct contact with the insulation panel, and the end portion of the cooling guide is spaced apart from the insulation panel. Accordingly, as the temperature of the insulation panel is lowered by the cold air from the cooling guide, the phenomenon of condensation forming on the insulation panel can be prevented. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0039] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an embodiment of a refrigerator for beverages according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the rear configuration of an embodiment of a beverage refrigerator according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the beverage container extracted in an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the parts constituting an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line I-I' of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line II-II' of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an inner case constituting an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an inner case constituting an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 at a different angle from FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a cooling guide constituting an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4. FIG. 10 is a front view showing a structure in which a cooling guide constituting an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 surrounds a beverage container. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the configuration of a cooling guide constituting an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4. FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the configuration of another embodiment of a cooling guide constituting a beverage refrigerator according to the present invention. FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the configuration of another embodiment of a cooling guide constituting a beverage refrigerator according to the present invention. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a cooling device disassembled from the components constituting an embodiment shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the cooling device portion in FIG. 6. FIG. 16 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a cooling device constituting a beverage refrigerator according to the present invention. FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing the rear configuration of another embodiment of a beverage refrigerator according to the present invention. FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view showing the parts constituting an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 17. FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view along the line III-III' in FIG. 17. FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an inner case constituting another embodiment illustrated in FIG. 18. FIG. 21 is an enlarged perspective view of the cooling device portion in FIG. 19. FIG. 22 is a disassembled perspective view of the cooling device shown in FIG. 22. FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a cooling device among the parts constituting another embodiment shown in FIG. 18. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0040] Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to exemplary drawings. It should be noted that in assigning reference numerals to the components of each drawing, the same components are given the same reference numeral whenever possible, even if they are shown in different drawings. Furthermore, in describing the embodiments of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known components or functions would hinder understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, such detailed description is omitted.

[0041] In addition, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc., may be used when describing the components of the embodiments of the present invention. These terms are intended only to distinguish the components from other components, and the essence, order, or sequence of the components is not limited by the terms. Where it is stated that a component is "connected," "combined," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but that another component may also be "connected," "combined," or "connected" between each component.

[0042] An embodiment of the beverage refrigerator of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "refrigerator") will be described with reference to the drawings. For reference, the following description uses a refrigerator for storing a beverage container (B) that is long in the vertical direction, such as a wine bottle, as an example; however, the refrigerator of the present invention can be applied to a refrigerator capable of cooling various beverages contained in bottles other than wine bottles.

[0043] Looking at FIGS. 1 and 2, the cabinet (10) forms the exterior of the refrigerator, and as illustrated, the cabinet (10) is made with a relatively short front-to-back width. As such, in this embodiment, the refrigerator has a narrow floor area, so a large installation area is not required, and therefore it can be placed on the floor or installed on a dining table, etc.

[0044] In this embodiment, the cabinet (10) is approximately in the shape of a cuboid, and has an installation space (S, see FIG. 6) inside, and an inner case (30, 40) and a cooling device (C), which will be described below, are installed in the installation space (S). In addition, a storage room (32) is created inside the inner case (30, 40) so that a beverage container (B) can be stored. For reference, FIG. 3 shows a beverage container (B) fitted into a cover assembly (90) being taken out of the storage room (32).

[0045] The above installation space (S) refers to the entire interior space of the cabinet (10), and the storage room (32) is a space provided inside the inner case (30, 40). Therefore, it can be seen that the storage room (32) is formed inside the installation space (S). The storage room (32) is a space in which a beverage container (B) is stored, and it is a space created by combining multiple parts, including the cooling guide (40) to be described below.

[0046] Referring to FIG. 4, the parts constituting the cabinet (10) are shown in a disassembled state. The cabinet (10) includes a pair of side plates (11), a rear plate (13), an upper cover (20), and a lower cover (26). The pair of side plates (11), the rear plate (13), the upper cover (20), and the lower cover (26) are assembled together to create an installation space (S) inside and form the exterior of the refrigerator. An insulation panel (42), which will be described below, is installed on the front of the cabinet (10).

[0047] Looking at the rear plate (13) constituting the cabinet (10), the rear plate (13) has an air intake port and an air exhaust port. The air intake port is the part where external air is introduced, and the air exhaust port is the part where the internal air of the refrigerator is discharged to the outside. In this embodiment, the air intake port is formed in the intake grill (15) assembled to the rear plate (13), and the air exhaust port is formed in the exhaust grill (16) assembled to the rear plate (13). Of course, the intake grill (15) and the exhaust grill (16) may be omitted, and the air intake port and the air exhaust port may be made directly in the rear plate (13).

[0048] The rear plate (13) has a spacer (14). The spacer (14) protrudes outward from the rear plate (13), that is, to the opposite side of the refrigerator installation space (S). The spacer (14) is intended to create distance between the rear plate (13) and the wall of the installation location where the refrigerator is installed, and is made long in the left-right direction as shown in FIG. 2. The spacer (14) naturally creates an air flow space between the rear plate (13) and the wall of the installation location. This spacer (14) can also serve as a kind of handle. That is, the user can grasp the spacer (14) and move the refrigerator.

[0049] Referring again to FIG. 4, the upper cover (20) is assembled on the upper side of the pair of side plates (11) and the rear plate (13) and forms the upper surface of the installation space (S). The upper cover (20) can shield the remaining upper space of the installation space (S), excluding the entrance of the storage room (32). In this embodiment, the refrigerator door (24) is provided on the upper side of the refrigerator to selectively shield the storage room (32), and the upper cover (20) can also serve as a kind of frame on which the door (24) is installed.

[0050] An opening hole (22) is formed through the center of the upper cover (20). The opening hole (22) is connected to the entrance of the storage room (32), which will be described below, and serves to expose the storage room (32) to the outside when the door (24) is opened. In FIG. 3, the beverage container (B) is shown being pulled out to the outside through the opening hole (22). A sealing member (21) is installed around the opening hole (22), and the sealing member (21) serves to seal the space between the upper surface of the upper cover (20) and the door (24) when the door (24) is closed.

[0051] A door (24) is installed on the upper cover (20). The door (24) selectively opens the opening hole (22). In this embodiment, the door (24) is assembled to the upper cover (20) so as to be rotatable via a hinge (25). In FIGS. 1 and 2, the door (24) is in a closed state, and in FIGS. 3, it is in an open state. Alternatively, the door (24) may be assembled to the upper cover (20) in a sliding manner, or the door (24) may be omitted and the opening hole (22) may be covered only by the cover assembly (90) described below.

[0052] Although not shown, the door (24) may be made by overlapping multiple parts. Some of the parts constituting the door (24) may be made of an insulating material to prevent cold air from the storage room (32) from escaping through the door (24), and the door (24) may be made of a transparent or translucent material so that the storage room (32) can be seen from the top.

[0053] There is a lower cover (26) on the bottom side of the cabinet (10) corresponding to the opposite side of the upper cover (20). The lower cover (26) constitutes the bottom surface of the cabinet (10) and has a flat structure. Since the lower cover (26) provides a surface on which a refrigerator is installed, it is preferable that the bottom surface of the lower cover (26) be composed of a flat surface.

[0054] The lower cover (26) has a base plate (27). The base plate (27) is a part that protrudes forward from the lower cover (26) and can be viewed as part of the base plate (27). The base plate (27) is provided in a position facing the water dispensing nozzle (70) to be described below. Therefore, when a cup is placed on the base plate (27) and a beverage is dispensed through the water dispensing nozzle (70), the cup can be filled with the beverage.

[0055] An inner case (30, 40) is installed inside the cabinet (10). The inner case (30, 40) is installed in the installation space (S) of the cabinet (10) and is installed in a form surrounded by the cabinet (10). A storage room (32) is created inside the inner case (30, 40), and a beverage container (B) is stored in the storage room (32). There are multiple storage rooms (32) of the inner case (30, 40), and their specific structures will be described below.

[0056] FIGS. 4 and FIGS. 7 illustrate in detail the structure of the inner case (30, 40). The inner case (30, 40) has a three-dimensional structure that surrounds the storage room (32) based on the storage room (32) located at the center. In this embodiment, the inner case (30, 40) can be seen as having a roughly cuboid shape, but it is not necessarily limited thereto. The inner case (30, 40) may be made entirely or at least partially of a non-metallic material, and in this embodiment, the remaining parts excluding the cooling guide (40) coupled to the inner case (30, 40) are made of a non-metallic material such as synthetic resin.

[0057] More specifically, the inner case (30, 40) includes an inner frame (30) and a cooling guide (40). In this embodiment, the inner frame (30) is made of a non-metallic material, and the inner case (30, 40) is formed by combining the inner frame (30) with a cooling guide (40) made of a metallic material. Accordingly, the inner frame (30) can be made into a structure that is relatively more complex than the cooling guide (40) through injection molding.

[0058] Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the skeleton of the inner frame (30) is formed by a pair of side sections (31a) and a bottom section (31b) that connects the side sections (31a) and forms the bottom. A partition wall (34, see FIGS. 4 and 5) is provided between the pair of side sections (31a), and the partition wall (34) divides the space between the pair of side sections (31a) into two parts.

[0059] A gap (31a') is connected to the above pair of side sections (31a). The gap (31a') is a portion that extends further from the side section (31a) toward the front of the cabinet (10), and the gap (31a') is the portion to which the insulation panel (42), which will be described below, is in close contact. That is, the gap (31a') can be seen as being located between the cooling guide (40) and the insulation panel (42) so that the insulation panel (42) does not come into direct contact with the cooling guide (40).

[0060] And, as shown in FIG. 8, the front of the side portion (31a) is open to form an opening (31c). The opening (31c) is a type of window structure that is open to the front of the inner frame (30), and the opening (31c) can be shielded by an insulating panel (42). A storage room (32) is provided inside the opening (31c), and a cooling space (40c) surrounded by a cooling guide (40) to be described below may constitute part of the storage room (32). For reference, FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing only a part of the inner case (30, 40) so that the structure of the cooling guide (40) is clearly visible.

[0061] Meanwhile, there is a storage guide (35) inside the inner frame (30) surrounded by the pair of side portions (31a) and the bottom portion (31b). The storage guide (35) can be connected to the side portion (31a) or the bottom portion (31b), and in this embodiment, the storage guide (35) is connected to the side portion (31a).

[0062] The storage guide (35) is provided at a position spaced upward from the bottom portion (31b). The storage guide (35) encloses at least a portion of the beverage container (B), and it can be seen that a portion of the storage chamber (32) is formed inside the storage guide (35). In this embodiment, the storage guide (35) can enclose the area around the opening portion (Ba) of the beverage container (B).

[0063] As shown in FIG. 6, the bottom portion (31b) has a support (33). The support (33) protrudes from the bottom portion (31b) toward the storage chamber (32) and is approximately cylindrical in shape. The support (33) is a part that supports the bottom surface of the beverage container (B). Although not shown, the support (33) may be provided with a spring so that the support (33) can be elastically supported by the spring.

[0064] In this embodiment, the storage guide (35) is positioned between the pair of side portions (31a) and is provided at a position close to the upper part of the inner frame (30). The storage guide (35) extends in the height direction of the beverage container (B) and is connected to the cooling guide (40) at its lower end. The cooling guide (40) is connected to have a continuous surface with the storage guide (35) and can extend to the bottom portion (31b).

[0065] The storage guide (35) may be composed of multiple units. In this embodiment, two storage guides (35) are provided between the pair of side sections (31a). A partition wall (34) is provided between the pair of storage guides (35), and the partition wall (34) may extend in the vertical direction to partition the two storage rooms (32). Additionally, the partition wall (34) may meet one end of the cooling guide (40), which will be described below, and serve to support the cooling guide (40). That is, the storage guides (35) may be provided in the inner frame (30) in a number corresponding to the number of cooling guides (40).

[0066] Referring to FIG. 8, the front portion (36) of the storage guide (35) is a part facing the front of the cabinet (10) and constitutes the front of the storage guide (35). At this time, the front portion (36) of the storage guide (35) and the inner surface of the cabinet (10) are spaced apart from each other to create a mounting space (36a). The mounting space (36a) is a part where a display (83, see FIG. 4) and the like can be installed.

[0067] The storage guide (35) has a shape that is recessed towards the rear due to the front portion (36), and the mounting space (36a) can be seen to be provided in this recessed part. A part of the front portion (36) may have a shape that is inclined in a direction that narrows the width of the storage room (32) as it goes toward the upper part, that is, toward the upper cover (20). In this embodiment, the lower part of the front portion (36) is composed of a sloping surface inclined toward the rear, and the upper part extends in a vertical direction.

[0068] And, on the opposite side of the front portion (36) of the storage guide (35), an extension portion (36') is extended in a direction that widens the entrance of the storage room (32). The extension portion (36') causes the entrance of the storage room (32) to widen toward the left, right, and rear as it goes upward. That is, the extension portion (36') is formed in a slanted direction so that the entrance of the storage room (32) widens toward the side portion (31a) of the inner frame (30) which is on the left and right, and toward the opposite direction of the insulation panel (42) which is at the rear.

[0069] The extension part (36') serves to guide the beverage container (B) so that it can be inserted into the center of the storage chamber (32) when the beverage container (B) is stored inside the storage chamber (32). Due to the extension part (36'), even if the user cannot insert the beverage container (B) precisely into the center of the storage chamber (32), the beverage container (B) can be naturally guided to the center of the storage chamber (32) by riding along the extension part (36').

[0070] As such, the extension portion (36') extends in a direction that widens the entrance of the storage room (32), but since the front portion (36) is structured to be recessed to the rear of the cabinet (10), the front portion (36) can narrow the width of the upper part of the storage room (32) to some extent. Accordingly, the volume of the storage room (32) is also reduced, and more effective cooling of the storage room (32) becomes possible. Also, the installation space (S) provided on the outside of the extension portion (36'), that is, on the opposite side of the storage room (32), can be filled with an insulating portion (G, see FIG. 5). This appearance is well illustrated in FIG. 6.

[0071] The above storage guide (35) has a seating groove (37). The seating groove (37) is formed on the entrance side of the storage guide (35) and is formed in a direction that widens the entrance of the storage guide (35). The seating groove (37) is formed in a roughly arc shape, and a part of the cover assembly (90), which will be described below, is fitted into it. The shape of the seating groove (37) may vary to match the shape of the cover assembly (90).

[0072] A cooling guide (40) is attached to the inner frame (30). The cooling guide (40) is attached to the lower part of the storage guide (35) and forms part of the inner case (30, 40). Therefore, the cooling guide (40) can be seen as forming part of the inner case (30, 40) and defining part of the storage room (32). More precisely, the cooling guide (40) forms part of the inner wall of the storage room (32). Here, the inner wall of the storage room (32) refers to the inner surface of the storage room (32) that surrounds the storage room (32).

[0073] When the cooling guide (40) is coupled to the storage guide (35), a part of the storage chamber (32) can be formed inside. In FIG. 4, the cooling guide (40) is shown separated from the inner frame (30), but in FIG. 7, the cooling guide (40) is shown coupled to the lower part of the storage guide (35) of the inner frame (30).

[0074] More precisely, the inner case (30, 40) can define a storage room (32) together with the insulation panel (42), and the cooling guide (40) constitutes a part of the inner case (30, 40). Accordingly, the cooling guide (40) also becomes a part that defines a part of the storage room (32) and can constitute a part of the inner wall of the storage room (32).

[0075] Additionally, the cooling guide (40) can surround at least a portion of the beverage container (B) stored in an upright position in the storage room (32) and partition the space between the storage room (32) and the insulation section (G). Here, partitioning means that the cooling guide (40) is installed between the storage room (32) and the insulation section (G) so that they are not directly connected to each other. Therefore, when the cooling guide (40) partitions the space between the storage room (32) and the insulation section (G), the insulation section (G) is not exposed toward the storage room (32).

[0076] When the cooling guide (40) is coupled to the storage guide (35), the cooling guide (40) and the storage guide (35) are connected continuously. Therefore, the storage room (32) can be formed into a single continuous space by the storage guide (35) and the cooling guide (40). In this embodiment, if the storage guide (35) surrounds the area around the opening (Ba) of the beverage container (B), that is, the upper part of the beverage container (B), then the cooling guide (40) can be seen as surrounding the main body part of the beverage container (B).

[0077] More precisely, the storage guide (35) and the cooling guide (40) form part of the storage room (32). The remaining part of the storage room (32) is shielded by the floor portion (31b), the insulation panel (42) and the cover assembly (90) described below. Ultimately, the storage room (32) can be viewed as a sealed space formed by the inner case (30, 40) including the cooling guide (40) and the cabinet (10).

[0078] The cooling guide (40) is configured to surround at least a portion of the storage room (32) and serves to lower the temperature of the storage room (32). The cooling guide (40) can be directly connected to a cooling device (C) to be described below so that its temperature can be controlled. For example, when the temperature of the cooling guide (40) is lowered by the operation of the cooling device (C), the temperature of the storage room (32), which is the inner space of the cooling guide (40), also decreases.

[0079] To this end, it is preferable that the cooling guide (40) be made of a material with high thermal conductivity. In this embodiment, the cooling guide (40) is made of aluminum. Alternatively, the cooling guide (40) may be made of various materials such as aluminum alloy, copper, or copper alloy.

[0080] The cooling guide (40) has a cross section that is approximately arc-shaped. The cooling guide (40) is open toward the front, so that a part of the storage room (32) is also open toward the front, but an insulating panel (42), which will be described below, is assembled at the front of the storage room (32) to shield the storage room (32). Alternatively, the cooling guide (40) may not have an arc shape but may have a circular cross section to completely enclose the storage room (32), or it may be made with a polygonal cross section.

[0081] More precisely, as shown in FIG. 9, the cooling guide (40) includes a first guide (40a) and a second guide (40b). A cooling device (50) is connected to the first guide (40a), and the first guide (40a) forms the rear of the cooling space (40c) created by the cooling guide (40). The cooling space (40c) refers to a space enclosed by the cooling guide (40) and can be viewed as part of the storage room (32). Although the cooling space (40c) does not constitute a sealed space solely by the cooling guide (40), since it is part of the storage space (32), it can consequently become a sealed space as the storage space (32) is sealed.

[0082] The second guide (40b) is connected to the first guide (40a) and extends toward the front of the cabinet (10), that is, toward the insulation panel (42). The second guide (40b) becomes a part that wraps around both sides of the cooling space (40c). Of course, in this embodiment, the first guide (40a) and the second guide (40b) are made as a single unit, but they can be distinguished in this way based on their shape and position.

[0083] In this embodiment, the first guide (40a) portion of the cooling guide (40) is formed with an arc shape rather than a polygonal cross-sectional shape, and the first guide (40a) extends in the same shape along the height direction. That is, the cooling guide (40) surrounding the cooling space (40c) has the same cross-sectional shape along the height direction. Accordingly, the temperature can be evenly distributed over the entire portion of the cooling guide (40), and the phenomenon of large temperature differences between portions of the cooling guide (40) can be prevented.

[0084] Additionally, the surface of the second guide (40b) may be made flat rather than curved. In this embodiment, the second guide (40b) is a pair of flat plate structures, and the pair of second guides (40b) may extend parallel to each other from both ends of the first guide (40a) to create the cooling space (40c).

[0085] Referring to FIG. 9, the second guide (40b) is configured as a pair and can be extended forward parallel to the first guide (40a). When the pair of second guides (40b) are extended forward parallel to the side plate (11), the range for exposing the beverage container located in the cooling space (40c) forward can be widened. More precisely, in this embodiment, the pair of second guides (40b) are each connected to both ends of the insulation panel (42), so that when observing the inside of the refrigerator through the insulation panel (42), the user's view is not interfered with by the cooling guide (40).

[0086] In order to effectively cool the beverage container (B), it is preferable that the cooling guide (40) has a height that can cover at least half of the beverage container (B) in the height direction. Looking at FIG. 6, in this embodiment, the height (H1a) of the cooling guide (40) is higher than the height of the main body, excluding the opening (Ba) of the beverage container (B), so that it covers most of the part of the beverage container (B) where the beverage is contained. Also, the sum of the height (H1a) of the cooling guide (40) and the height (H1b) of the storage guide (35) is higher than the total height of the beverage container (B).

[0087] Looking at FIG. 10, the height (H1a) of the cooling guide (40) is higher than the body portion of the beverage container (B). Here, the body portion of the beverage container (B) refers to the lower part of the shoulder (Bb) that forms the lower part of the neck and the opening (Ba) of the beverage container (B), and is the part represented by hatching in FIG. 10. In this embodiment, the height (H1a) of the cooling guide (40) is higher than the body portion of the beverage container (B), but alternatively, the height (H1a) of the cooling guide (40) may be equal to the height of the body portion of the beverage container (B).

[0088] Additionally, it is preferable that the lower end of the cooling guide (40) extends further down than the lower end of the beverage container (B) or at least has the same height as the lower end of the beverage container (B). Through this, the cooling guide (40) can deliver cold air to the entire height range of the body part of the beverage container (B).

[0089] Meanwhile, looking at FIG. 11, the first guide (40a) of the cooling guide (40) is positioned at the rear of the beverage container (B), and the second guide (40b) is positioned at the side of the beverage container (B), so as to surround the beverage container (B). The cooling space (40c), which surrounds the beverage container (B) in this way, can become part of the storage room (32). Also, the beverage container (B) is open to the front, and this part is shielded by the insulation panel (42) described earlier.

[0090] It is preferable that the second guide (40b) of the cooling guide (40) surrounds the front of the beverage container (B) based on the center of the beverage container (B). In FIG. 11, L1 is an imaginary line crossing the center of the beverage container (B), and the second guide (40b) may protrude further forward than this center line, that is, forward of the cabinet (10). In this way, the cooling space (40c) can be sufficiently widened so that cold air can be delivered to the left and right directions of the beverage container (B).

[0091] Referring to FIG. 12, another embodiment of the cooling guide (40) constituting the present invention is illustrated. In FIG. 12, the angle formed between the two ends of the cooling guide (40) facing the front of the cabinet (10) and the center of the cooling space (40c), which is the center of the beverage container (B), is indicated as α. At this time, it is preferable that the angle (α) formed between the two ends of the cooling guide (40) and the center of the beverage container (B) be between 30 degrees and 270 degrees. In this way, the cooling guide (40) can sufficiently surround the beverage container (B) and evenly deliver cold air.

[0092] Referring to FIG. 13, another embodiment of the cooling guide (40) constituting the present invention is illustrated. As shown therein, the second guide (40b) of the cooling guide (40) may be further extended in a direction that narrows the width of the cooling space (40c). In this way, the front area of ​​the storage room (32) visible forward through the insulation panel (42) may be narrowed, but the area of ​​the cooling space (40c) surrounding the beverage container (B) may be wider.

[0093] Meanwhile, referring again to FIG. 5, the cooling guide (40) may be seen as extending along the side plate (11) and the rear plate (13) constituting the cabinet (10) and surrounding a part of the beverage container (B) stored in the storage room (32). That is, the second guide (40b) of the cooling guide (40) extends parallel to the side plate (11), and the first guide (40a) has a bent shape facing the rear plate (13).

[0094] The cooling guide (40) may extend along at least two of the four sides constituting the side of the cabinet (10). Here, the side of the cabinet (10) refers to the pair of side plates (11), the rear plate (13), and the insulation panel (42). In this embodiment, the cooling guide (40) extends along the pair of side plates (11) and the rear plate (13), which are three of the four sides constituting the side of the cabinet (10); however, it may extend along only one side plate (11) and the rear plate (13), or along only the insulation panel (42) and one side plate (11).

[0095] If the cabinet (10) is not a structure having four sides but is cylindrical in shape, the sides cannot be distinguished. In this case, the direction of opening between the pair of second guides (40b) of the cooling guide (40) may differ, but as previously seen in FIG. 12, if the angle (α) between the end of the pair of second guides (40b) and the center of the beverage container (B) is 30 to 270 degrees, a sufficient cold air transfer area can be secured.

[0096] In this embodiment, the end portion of the second guide (40b) of the cooling guide (40) is spaced apart from the insulation panel (42). As shown in FIG. 5, the end portion of the second guide (40b) facing the surface of the second panel (43) constituting the insulation panel (42) is spaced apart from the second panel (43). And, the space between the second panel (43) and the end portion of the second guide (40b) is filled by a part of the inner frame (30) installed in the installation space (S), more precisely, the spaced-out portion (31a') of the side portion (31a).

[0097] In this way, the phenomenon of dew forming on the insulation panel (42) can be prevented by the cooling guide (40), which is relatively colder than the outside air. That is, since the cooling guide (40) does not come into direct contact with the insulation panel (42), the temperature of the insulation panel (42) is lowered by the cold air from the cooling guide (40), thereby preventing the phenomenon of dew forming on the insulation panel (42).

[0098] In this embodiment, the inner case (30, 40) is composed of the inner frame (30) and the cooling guide (40), but alternatively, the inner case (30, 40) may be composed only of the cooling guide (40). That is, the inner frame (30) may be omitted, and only the cooling guide (40) may serve as the inner case (30, 40).

[0099] Meanwhile, the front of the inner case (30, 40) is open, and the storage room (32) is also opened forward, and the open portion is covered by an insulation panel (42). The insulation panel (42) is installed on the front of the inner case (30, 40) on the opposite side of the cooling device (C) with the storage room (32) in between, and is a flat plate structure made of an insulating material.

[0100] The insulation panel (42) encloses the storage room (32) together with the inner case (30, 40). More precisely, the cooling guide (40), the insulation panel (42), and the bottom portion (31b) together form the storage room (32), and the upper part of the storage room (32) is selectively shielded by the cover assembly (90) and the door (24). Consequently, it can be seen that the insulation panel (42), together with the inner case (30, 40) and the cover assembly (90), defines the storage room (32).

[0101] The above insulation panel (42) may be composed of at least one insulating glass. In this embodiment, the insulation panel (42) is composed of a first panel (43) and a second panel (44), each of which is insulating glass. Thus, the user can view the storage room (32) through the transparent first panel (43) and the second panel (44) and observe the beverage container (B) stored in the storage room (32). The user can check the type of beverage stored in the storage room (32) through the insulation panel (42). An empty space may be created between the first panel (43) and the second panel (44), and a vacuum may be formed in the empty space.

[0102] In this embodiment, the first panel (43) is larger than the second panel (44). The portion where the first panel (43) and the second panel (44) overlap is a viewing portion, and the viewing portion is a type of window that allows the user to view the storage room (32) from the outside. The height of the viewing portion is higher than or equal to the height of the cooling guide (40). In this way, the interior view of the storage room (32) seen through the viewing portion is mostly occupied by the cooling guide (40), and the aesthetic appeal can be improved. Of course, since the cooling guide (40) has a height of at least equal to the viewing portion, the cooling efficiency by the cooling guide (40) can also be improved.

[0103] The first panel (43) and the second panel (44) constituting the insulation panel (42) can be installed on the installation frame (41). The installation frame (41, see FIG. 4) is installed on the front of the side portion (31a) of the inner frame (30), or more precisely, the installation frame (41) can be in close contact with the gap portion (31a') extending from the side portion (31a). In this embodiment, the first panel (43) is installed on the inside of the installation frame (41). The second panel (44) is directly attached to the front of the inner frame (30). Of course, alternatively, the insulation panel (42) may be composed of only one or three or more layers.

[0104] In contrast, the insulation panel (42) may not be composed of multiple layers of panels, but may simply be composed of a front panel forming the front of the cabinet (10).

[0105] The multiple storage chambers (32) formed in the inner case (30, 40) can be divided from one another by the cooling guide (40) coupled to the inner frame (30) and the insulation part (G) surrounding the outside of the cooling guide (40), thereby forming multiple independent spaces. As previously described, the storage chambers (32) are formed by the inner case (30, 40), the insulation panel (42), and the cover assembly (90), and are composed of multiple independent storage chambers (32).

[0106] Looking at FIG. 5, two different storage rooms (32) can be seen partitioned. The two storage rooms (32) are each enclosed by separate inner cases (30, 40) and are spaced apart from each other. Drawing symbols Ka and Kb are used to distinguish the two independent storage rooms (32).

[0107] More precisely, a partition insulation section (Ga) may exist between two adjacent cooling guides (40). The insulation section (G) may exist in other parts of the installation space (S), but a partition insulation section (Ga) may also be formed in the part corresponding to the two storage rooms (32). Thus, heat transfer to adjacent cooling guides (40) can be prevented, thereby allowing independent cooling of each storage room (32) to be achieved more effectively. Here, the insulation section (G) may be made by filling a foamed insulation section (G), such as polyurethane resin, or a separate insulation section (G) may be inserted into the empty installation space (S), or it may be an empty space.

[0108] The insulation section (G) is filled between the outer side of the cooling guide (40) and the inner side of the cabinet (10). That is, when the insulation section (G) is filled, the cooling guide (40), together with the storage guide (35), can also serve to partition the space so that the filling liquid does not flow into the storage room (32).

[0109] Next, looking at the cooling device (C), the cooling device (C) is installed in the installation space (S) and serves to lower the temperature of the storage room (32). When the temperature of the storage room (32) is lowered, the temperature of the beverage container (B) stored in the storage room (32) also decreases. In this embodiment, the cooling device (C) can improve cooling performance by contacting at least a portion of the inner case (30, 40) surrounding the storage room (32).

[0110] The cooling device (C) is installed adjacent to the storage room (32) to lower the temperature of the storage room (32), and the cooling device (C) can be installed at various locations excluding the space between the storage room (32) and the insulation panel (42). For example, the cooling device (C) can be installed on the left and right sides of the storage room (32) or at the rear of the storage room (32).

[0111] Preferably, as shown in FIG. 4, the cooling device (C) is installed at the rear of the storage room (32) on the opposite side of the insulation panel (42). When the cooling device (C) is installed at the rear of the storage room (32), one side of the cooling device (C) faces the intake grille (15) and exhaust grille (16) provided on the rear plate (13), thereby increasing cooling efficiency. In addition, in this embodiment, the widest installation space (S) is secured at the rear of the storage room (32), making it easy to install the cooling device (C).

[0112] The above cooling device (C) is provided in multiple numbers. More precisely, the cooling device (C) is configured in the same number as the storage room (32). In this embodiment, since there are two storage rooms (32), the cooling device (C) is also configured in two numbers. Each of the multiple cooling devices (C) serves to lower the temperature of a separate storage room (32). Therefore, the internal temperatures of the multiple storage rooms (32) can be set differently, allowing for independent cooling. Of course, if there is only one cooling guide (40) and one storage room (32), only one cooling device (C) may be provided.

[0113] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the cold air generated from the cooling device (C) moves in the direction of the cooling guide (40) (arrow ①) and is transmitted along the surface of the cooling guide (40) (arrow ②) to cool the entire cooling guide (40), and the cooled cooling guide (40) can provide cold air in the direction of the storage room (32) (arrow ③) to cool the storage room (32).

[0114] Looking at the configuration of the cooling device (C), the cooling device (C) includes a thermoelectric element (55), which can maintain a low temperature of the storage room (32) by utilizing the Peltier effect. Furthermore, the cooling device (C) has a structure in which the low-temperature portion of the thermoelectric element (55) is connected toward the storage room (32), and the high-temperature portion is dissipated to effectively cool the storage room (32).

[0115] Referring specifically to FIG. 10, the cooling device (C) is constructed by assembling multiple parts together. The cooling device (C) includes an element housing (51), which forms the framework of the cooling device (C). The element housing (51) is shaped like a square frame, and a receiving space (53) penetrates through its center. Multiple parts, including a thermoelectric element (55), can be located in the receiving space (53). The receiving space (53) is formed inside a frame portion (51a) that protrudes from the center of the element housing (51) toward the thermoelectric element (55).

[0116] The above element housing (51) can be made of a material that minimizes heat loss due to heat conduction. For example, the above element housing (51) can be made of a non-metallic material such as plastic. The above element housing (51) also serves to prevent heat from the heat sink (58) from being conducted to the cooling block (57) together with the insulation block (60) described below. Reference numeral 52 is provided as a plurality of fastening bosses for fixing the element housing (51), some of which may allow other parts to be assembled to the element housing (51).

[0117] A thermoelectric element (55) is installed in the above receiving space (53). The thermoelectric element (55) may include a low-temperature section and a high-temperature section, and the low-temperature section and the high-temperature section may be determined according to the direction of the voltage applied to the thermoelectric element (55). The low-temperature section of the thermoelectric element (55) may be positioned closer to the cooling guide (40) than the high-temperature section. The low-temperature section may be in contact with the cooling block (57) to be described later, and the high-temperature section may be in contact with the heat sink (58). The cooling block (57) cools the cooling guide (40), and heat dissipation may occur at the heat sink (58). Reference numeral 56 indicates a cable for applying power to the thermoelectric element (55).

[0118] A cooling block (57) is in contact with the thermoelectric element (55). The cooling block (57) is positioned between the thermoelectric element (55) and the cooling guide (40), so that one side is in contact with the cooling block (57) and the other side is in contact with the cooling guide (40). Thus, the cooling block (57) can transfer the cold air from the low-temperature portion of the thermoelectric element (55) to the cooling guide (40).

[0119] The cooling block (57) has a roughly cuboidal shape. Among the two sides of the cooling block (57), the first surface (57aa, see FIG. 15), which is the surface facing the thermoelectric element (55), and the second surface (57ba), which is the surface facing the cooling guide (40), have different surface areas. In this embodiment, the second surface (57ba) is relatively wider than the first surface (57aa). This allows the cold air from the thermoelectric element (55) to be transferred to a larger surface area of ​​the cooling guide (40), and the first surface (57aa), which is in contact with the thermoelectric element (55), can be made relatively smaller to increase space utilization.

[0120] Conversely, the second surface (57ba) may have a relatively smaller area than the first surface (57aa). In this case, a larger thermoelectric element (55) can be connected to the relatively wider first surface (57aa), or multiple thermoelectric elements (55) can be brought into contact, and the cooling guide (40) can be cooled quickly.

[0121] In this embodiment, the first surface (57aa) of the cooling block (57) is in direct contact with the thermoelectric element (55), and the second surface (57ba), which is the opposite side of the cooling block (57), is in direct contact with the cooling guide (40). Alternatively, a separate medium may exist between the first surface (57aa) and the thermoelectric element (55) or between the second surface (57ba) and the cooling guide (40). Here, the medium may be made of a material with high thermal conductivity.

[0122] Meanwhile, the first surface (57aa), which is the surface of the cooling block (57) in contact with the thermoelectric element (55), and the second surface (57ba), which is the surface of the cooling block (57) facing the cooling guide (40), may have different shapes. In this embodiment, the second surface (57ba) of the cooling block (57) facing the cooling guide (40) has a curved shape, whereas the first surface (57aa) of the cooling block (57) facing the thermoelectric element (55) has a flat shape. In this way, the first surface (57aa) and the second surface (57ba) are each made to match the surface shape of the contact object (thermoelectric element (55) and cooling guide (57)), thereby increasing the contact area with the object. Of course, if the surface of the cooling guide (40) is a flat structure, the surface of the cooling block (57) may also be composed of a flat surface, and the first surface (57aa) may not be a flat shape but a curved shape.

[0123] In this embodiment, the cooling block (57) includes a first block (57a) in contact with the thermoelectric element (55) and a second block (57b) in contact with the cooling guide (40). The first block (57a) and the second block (57b) may be formed with different shapes based on the step surface (57k). At this time, the first block (57a) and the second block (57b) may be made as a single unit or may be separate parts.

[0124] The first block (57a) is approximately rectangular in shape and has a relatively smaller cross-sectional area than the second block (57b). The second block (57b) is also approximately rectangular, but the second surface (57ba) facing the cooling guide (40) is curved.

[0125] The first block (57a) protrudes from the cooling block (57) toward the receiving space (53) of the element housing (51). The first block (57a) is rectangular when viewed from the front. The first surface (57aa), which is the surface of the first block (57a), is a part that comes into close contact with the thermoelectric element (55), and the first block (57a) presses the thermoelectric element (55) toward the heat sink (58), so that the thermoelectric element (55) can be fixed between the first block (57a) and the heat sink (58).

[0126] Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 11, the total thickness (T2) of the cooling block (57) is thicker than the thickness (T1) of the cooling guide (40). For reference, the thickness here refers to the width in the front-rear direction of the cabinet (10). In this way, an insulation section (G) of sufficient thickness and height can be secured around the cooling block (57), and thus the insulation performance of the refrigerator can be improved.

[0127] Additionally, if the thickness (T2) of the cooling block (57) is thicker than the thickness (T1) of the cooling guide (40), the cooling block (57) can sufficiently secure the distance between the cooling guide (40) and the thermoelectric element (55), thereby maintaining the temperature difference between the two regions above a certain level. Unexplained reference numeral T3 is the thickness of the thermoelectric element (55), and the thickness (T3) of the thermoelectric element (55) can be set in various ways.

[0128] In this embodiment, the thickness (T2b) of the second block (57b) is thicker than the thickness (T2a) of the first block (57a). The second block (57b) has a larger cross-sectional area than the first block (57a), and the second block (57b) is also thicker. As the second block (57b) is relatively thicker, the cooling block (57) can not only sufficiently secure the distance between the cooling guide (40) and the thermoelectric element (55), but also has the advantage of maintaining the temperature difference between the two regions above a certain level through the large cross-sectional area of ​​the second block (57b).

[0129] Referring to FIG. 6, the height (H2) of the cooling block is formed to be lower than the height (H1a) of the cooling guide. Since the area occupied by the insulation part (G) decreases as the height (H2) of the cooling block (57) increases, thereby lowering the insulation efficiency, the height (H1a) of the cooling guide is formed to be relatively higher in this embodiment. Therefore, the height of the insulation part (G) surrounding the cooling block (57) can be formed to be higher. For reference, although the installation space (S) is depicted as an empty space in FIG. 6, the installation space (S) can be filled with the insulation part (G).

[0130] FIG. 16 illustrates a different structure of the cooling block (57). As seen in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 12, the first block (57a) and the second block (57b) constituting the cooling block (57) may have the same cross-sectional area without any step difference. That is, the cooling block (57) may be approximately rectangular, polygonal, or cylindrical in shape.

[0131] However, even in this case, the shape and area of ​​the first surface (57aa) of the first block (57a) and the second surface (not given a reference numeral) of the second block (57b) may be formed differently. Since the second surface is in close contact with the cooling guide (40), which has a curved shape, it also has a curved shape, and the first surface (57aa) has a flat shape so that it can make surface contact with the surface of the thermoelectric element (55).

[0132] Meanwhile, a heat sink (58) is installed on the opposite side of the cooling block (57) with the thermoelectric element (55) in between. The heat sink (58) comes into contact with the high-temperature portion of the thermoelectric element (55) and functions to dissipate heat from the high-temperature portion of the thermoelectric element (55). A heat dissipation fan (65), which will be described below, is coupled to the heat sink (58) so that the heat dissipation fan (65) can cool the heat sink (58).

[0133] Looking at the structure of the heat sink (58) above, the heat sink (58) may include a plate-shaped heat dissipation plate (not given a reference numeral) and a plurality of heat dissipation fins (59). The plurality of heat dissipation fins (59) may be stacked in a spaced-apart state from adjacent heat dissipation fins (59). The heat dissipation plate is formed in the shape of a thin plate and is coupled to contact the plurality of heat dissipation fins (59).

[0134] The above heat dissipation plate may further include an element contact plate (58a) for contacting the thermoelectric element (55). The area of ​​the element contact plate (58a) may be formed to be smaller than the area of ​​the heat dissipation plate. For example, the element contact plate (58a) may be formed to have a surface area approximately equal in size to the surface of the thermoelectric element (55). The element contact plate (58a) is exposed toward the thermoelectric element (55) through the receiving space (53) of the element housing (51).

[0135] The above cooling device (C) may further include an insulating block (60) surrounding the thermoelectric element (55). The thermoelectric element (55) may be located within the insulating block (60). The insulating block (60) is provided with an element mounting hole (61) that is open in the front-rear direction, and the thermoelectric element (55) is located within the element mounting hole (61).

[0136] The thickness of the insulation block (60) in the front-rear direction may be thicker than the thickness of the thermoelectric element (55). The insulation block (60) prevents heat from the thermoelectric element (55) from being conducted to the periphery of the thermoelectric element (55), thereby increasing the cooling efficiency of the thermoelectric element (55). Since the periphery of the thermoelectric element (55) is surrounded by the insulation block (60), heat transferred from the cooling block (57) to the heat sink (58) may not be emitted to the surroundings.

[0137] A backplate (62) is located on the rear side of the insulation block (60). The backplate (62) can be assembled to the insulation block (60) while surrounding the thermoelectric element (55). Like the insulation block (60), the backplate (62) also serves to increase the cooling efficiency of the thermoelectric element (55) by preventing heat from the thermoelectric element (55) from being conducted to the periphery of the thermoelectric element (55). The backplate (62) can be located within the receiving space (53) of the element housing (51).

[0138] A gasket (63) may be attached to the portion where the insulation block (60) and the cooling block (57) are in close contact with each other. The gasket (63) may have an elastic material such as rubber. The gasket (63) may be formed in a square ring shape, but is not limited thereto and may be deformed according to the shape of the insulation block (60). Here, the gasket (63) acts as a sealing member to prevent heat from being emitted between the insulation block (60) and the cooling block (57). Reference numeral 64 indicates a holder for fixing the gasket (63).

[0139] A heat dissipation fan (65) is attached to the rear of the heat sink (58). The heat dissipation fan (65) may be positioned to face the heat sink (58) and may blow external air introduced through the air intake to the heat sink (58). The heat dissipation fan (65) may include a fan (67) and a fan housing surrounding the outside of the fan (67). The fan (67) may be, for example, an axial-flow fan. The fan (67) may be positioned spaced apart from the heat sink (58). In this way, the flow resistance of the air blown by the heat dissipation fan (65) is minimized, and the heat exchange efficiency in the heat sink (58) can be increased. The heat dissipation fan (65) may be fixed to the heat sink (58) by a fixing pin (66).

[0140] Although not shown, a fuse may be connected to the thermoelectric element (55) so that when an overvoltage is applied to the thermoelectric element (55), the fuse may cut off the voltage applied to the thermoelectric element (55).

[0141] At this time, looking at FIG. 5, the area around the connection point between the cooling device (C) and the cooling guide (40) of the inner case (30, 40) is filled with an insulating part (G). Accordingly, the insulating part (G) prevents heat from the thermoelectric element (55) from being conducted to the periphery of the thermoelectric element (55), thereby increasing the cooling efficiency of the thermoelectric element (55). As a result, the insulating block (60) surrounds the periphery of the thermoelectric element (55) to perform a primary insulating function, and in addition, the insulating part (G) surrounds the periphery of the cooling device (C) to perform a secondary insulating function.

[0142] Referring to FIGS. 4 and FIGS. 6, the cabinet (10) has a water outlet nozzle (70). The water outlet nozzle (70) is a part through which a beverage is extracted from a beverage container (B) stored in the storage chamber (32), and in this embodiment, the water outlet nozzle (70) is installed on the front of the cabinet (10). The number of water outlet nozzles (70) may be equal to the number of storage chambers (32), and in this embodiment, the water outlet nozzles (70) are composed of two. Each water outlet nozzle (70) is used to supply a beverage contained in a beverage container (B) stored in a different storage chamber (32).

[0143] The above-mentioned water outlet nozzle (70) includes a connecting pipe (72) connected to the cabinet (10) and a water outlet head (71) connected to the connecting pipe (72) and extending in the height direction of the refrigerator. An outlet (75) is formed inside the water outlet head (71), so that a beverage contained in the beverage container (B) can be supplied through the outlet (75).

[0144] For reference, although not illustrated, if air is injected into the interior of the beverage container (B) to increase the internal pressure of the beverage container (B), the beverage contained in the beverage container (B) can be supplied to the outside by passing through the connecting pipe (72) and the outlet (75). To this end, an air pump is installed in the installation space (S), and the air pump can increase the internal pressure of the beverage container (B) through the gas supply pipe.

[0145] A front panel (80) is assembled at a location adjacent to the above-mentioned water outlet nozzle (70), and a display (83) is installed on the front panel (80). The front panel (80) is provided on the upper front surface of the cabinet (10) and has a flat shape. In this embodiment, the front panel (80) is located inside the second panel (44), which is located relatively outside among the insulation panels (42) described above; however, the height of the second panel (44) may be lower, and the front panel (80) may fill the remaining portion.

[0146] The front panel (80) has a display (83). The display (83) is intended to provide information about the refrigerator or to provide an interface for command input. In this embodiment, the display (83) is in a form that allows touch input. The display (83) can display various information such as the temperature of the storage compartment (32), the storage period of the stored beverage, and the type of beverage, and the user can input the desired temperature of the storage compartment (32), the brightness of the internal lighting, and the on / off of the refrigerator power.

[0147] At this time, the display (83) can be installed in the mounting space (36a) described above. As shown in FIG. 6, there is an empty mounting space (36a) at the rear of the front panel (80), and the display (83) can be installed therein. Of course, not only the display (83), but also a circuit board for control and a wire harness can be installed in the mounting space (36a).

[0148] The front panel (80) can be installed at the same height as the water discharge nozzle (70). More precisely, a through hole (not shown) is formed in the front panel (80) through which the connecting pipe (72) of the water discharge nozzle (70) passes, and the connecting pipe (72) can be connected to the inside of the storage room (32) through the through hole.

[0149] The opening (Ba) of the beverage container (B) is inserted into the cover assembly (90) in an open state. The cover assembly (90) serves to block the opening (Ba) of the beverage container (B) and also serves to shield the opening hole (22) in the center of the upper cover (20). Additionally, when a user lifts the cover assembly (90), the beverage container (B) inserted into the cover assembly (90) is pulled out of the storage chamber (32) along with it, or conversely, the beverage container (B) can be inserted into the cover assembly (90) and stored inside the storage chamber (32). Therefore, the cover assembly (90) can also serve as a kind of handle.

[0150] Looking at the configuration of the cover assembly (90) above, the cover assembly (90) includes a cover plate (91) that shields the open hole (22) and a press-fit part (93) that extends downward from the cover plate (91) and into which the opening (Ba) of the beverage container (B) is fitted. A handle part (95) is rotatably assembled to the cover plate (91), and when the handle part (95) is rotated and lifted as shown in FIG. 3, the user can grasp it.

[0151] The above cover plate (91) can be made to fit the shape of the above open hole (22) and has a flat structure. As shown in FIG. 6, the press-fit part (93) provided on the above cover plate (91) protrudes downward from the above cover plate (91) and can be inserted to some extent into the inside of the above open hole (22), more precisely into the inside of the storage chamber (32). The opening (Ba) of the beverage container (B) is fitted into the press-fit part (93) and is sealed.

[0152] The handle portion (95) is used in an upright state as shown in FIG. 3 when moving the beverage container (B) by inserting it into the cover assembly (90), but after storing the beverage container (B) in the storage chamber (32), it can be rotated to form a plane continuous with the cover plate (91). That is, the handle portion (95) can be seen as constituting a part of the cover plate (91). At this time, although not illustrated, when the handle portion (95) is rotated and lifted as shown in FIG. 3, a part of the handle portion (95) may deform the press-fit portion (93) so that the bottle opening is strongly pressed and fixed inside the press-fit portion (93).

[0153] A beverage supply pipe (not shown) may be provided inside the cover plate (91). One end of the beverage supply pipe is inserted into the interior of the beverage container (B), and the other end is connected to the water outlet nozzle (70), serving to transfer the beverage from the beverage container (B) to the water outlet nozzle.

[0154] In addition, if a gas supply pipe (not shown) connected to an air pump is formed inside the cover plate (91) in addition to the beverage supply pipe, gas can be injected into the internal space (empty space) of the beverage container (B) through the gas supply pipe to increase the internal pressure of the beverage container (B), or an inert gas can be injected to prevent the beverage from oxidizing.

[0155] Referring to FIG. 15, the process of cooling the storage room (32) is as follows: First, when power is applied to the thermoelectric element (55), cold air generated from the low-temperature section (left side of the thermoelectric element (55) based on the drawing) is transferred in the direction of the cooling block (57) (arrow ①). In reality, the cooling block (57) and the low-temperature section of the thermoelectric element (55) exchange heat with each other, but the direction of cold air transfer is illustrated.

[0156] When the temperature of the cooling block (57) is lowered, the overall temperature of the cooling guide (40) in contact with the cooling block (57) is lowered. Since the second surface (57ba) facing the cooling guide (40) from the cooling block (57) is formed as a curved surface in this way, sufficient contact area with the cooling guide (40) is secured, so heat exchange between the cooling guide (40) and the cooling block (57) can also be effectively achieved.

[0157] The temperature of the cooling guide (40) drops along the surface direction (arrow ②). Since the cooling guide (40) is made of a material with high thermal conductivity, such as copper or aluminum, the entire cooling guide (40) can be cooled. When the temperature of the cooling guide (40) is lowered, the cooling guide (40) cools the storage room (32) by exchanging heat with the internal air of the storage room (32).

[0158] The cooling guide (40) surrounds at least a portion of the storage chamber (32) and has a curved shape that surrounds the surface of the beverage container (B), so it can effectively transfer cold air in the direction of the surface of the beverage container (B) (arrow ③). That is, since the cooling device (C) cools the cooling guide (40) itself that surrounds the beverage container (B) rather than cooling the entire space inside the refrigerator, the cooling efficiency of the refrigerator can be improved.

[0159] Next, referring to FIG. 6, the process of dissipating heat from the cooling device (C) is shown. Air introduced through the air intake port in the intake grille (15) is discharged in the direction of the heat sink (58) (arrow A) by the heat dissipation fan (65). When the outside air is delivered in the direction of the heat sink (58), the temperature of the heat sink (58), which is in close contact with the high-temperature part of the thermoelectric element (55), is lowered. At this time, since there are multiple heat dissipation fins (59) in the heat sink (58), a very large contact area with the outside air is secured.

[0160] Then, the above cooling device (C) dissipates heat, and the heated air is discharged again to the outside of the refrigerator (arrow B). More precisely, the air inside the refrigerator is discharged through the air outlet in the discharge grille (16). In this embodiment, the air outlet is located on the upper part of the rear plate (13), so the air is discharged upward; however, the air outlet may be located on the lower part of the rear plate (13).

[0161] At this time, the spacer (14) provided on the rear plate (13) ensures a distance between the wall and the rear plate (13), so that air can be smoothly introduced and exited.

[0162] Meanwhile, in the present embodiment, the refrigerator has two storage compartments (32), and the cooling devices (C) are individually installed in each storage compartment (32). The cooling devices (C) can be controlled independently of each other. Therefore, the set temperature of each storage compartment (32) can be set differently; for example, if the beverage is wine, an appropriate temperature value can be set according to the type of wine, such as the variety of wine. In other words, the user can adjust the temperature of the beverage according to the properties of the beverage or their own preference.

[0163] Other embodiments are illustrated in FIGS. 17 to 23. The description of parts identical to the previous embodiment will be omitted, and the description will focus on the parts that differ. First, FIG. 17 illustrates the rear configuration of a refrigerator.

[0164] As shown here, the rear plate (13) is configured with a pair of intake grilles (15) forming an air intake, and below the intake grilles (15) there is an exhaust grille (16) forming an air exhaust. The pair of intake grilles (15) are installed at positions corresponding to a pair of cooling devices (C). Of course, the intake grilles (15) and the exhaust grilles (16) may be omitted, and the air intake and the air exhaust may be made directly on the rear plate (13).

[0165] The rear plate (13) has a spacer (14). The spacer (14) protrudes outward from the rear plate (13), that is, to the opposite side of the refrigerator installation space (S). The spacer (14) is intended to create distance between the rear plate (13) and the wall of the installation location where the refrigerator is installed, and is made long in the left-right direction as shown in FIG. 17. The spacer (14) naturally creates an air flow space between the rear plate (13) and the wall of the installation location. This spacer (14) can also serve as a kind of handle. That is, the user can grasp the spacer (14) and move the refrigerator.

[0166] In this embodiment, the spacer (14) is positioned between the intake grille (15) and the exhaust grille (16). When the spacer (14) is positioned between the intake grille (15) and the exhaust grille (16), it is possible to prevent air discharged through the air outlet from flowing directly into the air intake, thereby increasing thermal efficiency. That is, the spacer (14) blocks the space between the air outlet and the air intake. To achieve this, in this embodiment, the spacer (14) is installed to span across the space between the air intake and the air outlet.

[0167] Looking at the cross-sectional view in FIG. 19, the spacer (14) has a blocking space (14a) that is open downwards. The blocking space (14a) is open downwards where the air outlet is located, but is blocked upwards and toward the wall (to the right in the drawing). Therefore, the air discharged through the air outlet does not go toward the air intake upwards, but is naturally guided downwards.

[0168] Referring to FIGS. 18 and 20, the structure of the inner case (30) is illustrated. The inner case (30) has a three-dimensional structure that surrounds the storage room (32) based on the storage room (32) located at the center. In this embodiment, the inner case (30) can be seen as having a roughly cuboid shape, but it is not necessarily limited thereto. The inner case (30) may be made entirely or at least partially of a non-metallic material, and in this embodiment, the inner case (30) is made of a non-metallic material such as synthetic resin. Of course, the inner case (30) may be entirely made of a metal material, or only partially made of a metal material.

[0169] Referring to FIG. 20, the frame of the inner case (30) is formed by a pair of side sections (31a) and a bottom section (31b) that connects the side sections (31a) and forms the bottom. Inside the inner case (30), which is surrounded by the pair of side sections (31a) and the bottom section (31b), there is a storage guide (35). The storage guide (35) encloses at least a portion of the beverage container (B), and it can be seen that the entrance to the storage room (32) is formed inside the storage guide (35). Between the pair of storage guides (35), a partition wall (34) extends in the vertical direction and serves to partition the storage room (32).

[0170] In this embodiment, the storage guide (35) is positioned between the pair of side sections (31a), and a cylindrical storage body (38), with a portion roughly cut off downward, extends vertically, that is, in the height direction of the beverage container (B). Accordingly, the cross-section of the storage body (38) is approximately close to a 'D' shape, with the front open. The open portion of the storage body (38) is blocked and shielded by the first panel (43) among the insulation panels (42). The storage body (38) can be viewed as part of the storage guide (35).

[0171] For reference, the storage body (38) has a shape similar to or identical to the cooling guide (40) of the preceding embodiment, so it can be viewed as having the same configuration. That is, the storage body (38) can also be viewed as the cooling guide (40), but for the sake of distinction, it will be referred to as the storage body (38) below and described with a separate reference numeral.

[0172] In this embodiment, since the storage body (38) itself does not need to be cooled, it does not need to be made of a material with high thermal conductivity. Therefore, the storage body (38) can be integrally formed to have a shape that is continuous with the storage guide (35).

[0173] The front portion (36) of the storage guide (35) is a part facing the front of the cabinet (10) and constitutes the front of the storage guide (35). At this time, the front portion (36) of the storage guide (35) and the inner surface of the cabinet (10) are spaced apart from each other to create a mounting space (36a). The mounting space (36a) is a part where a display or the like can be installed. Since the structure of the front portion (36), mounting space (36a), extension portion (36'), and mounting groove (37) is similar to the previous embodiment, a description will be omitted.

[0174] In this embodiment, unlike the previous embodiment, there is no separate cooling guide (40), and the entire storage guide (35) and storage body (38) can be made of a synthetic resin with low thermal conductivity. In this embodiment, as described below, the cooling device (C) does not cool the inner case (30) itself, but rather cools the storage chamber (32) located inside the inner case (30), so the inner case (30) does not need to be made of a material with high thermal conductivity.

[0175] The storage body (38) connected to the storage guide (35) has a cross section of approximately an arc shape. The storage body (38) is open toward the front, so the storage room (32) is also open toward the front, but the first panel (43) among the insulation panels (42) is assembled at the front of the storage room (32) to shield the storage room (32). The insulation panel (42) is installed on the front of the inner case (30) on the opposite side of the cooling device (C) with the storage room (32) in between, and is a flat plate structure made of an insulating material. Since the structure of the insulation panel (42) has been explained in the previous embodiment, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0176] In this way, the storage body (38) constituting the inner case (30) is made in an arc shape rather than a polygonal shape and extends in the same shape along the height direction. Accordingly, the shape of the storage chamber (32) also becomes the same shape along the height direction of the beverage container (B), and the temperature inside the storage chamber (32) can be evenly distributed. In this way, the phenomenon in which a large temperature difference occurs depending on the height of the storage chamber (32) due to the shape of the storage body (38) can be prevented.

[0177] Circulation holes (39a, 39b) are formed in the storage body (38). The circulation holes (39a, 39b) are formed by penetrating the storage body (38), and the circulation holes (39a, 39b) include an exhaust hole (39a) and a cooling hole (39b) formed at different locations. The exhaust hole (39a) is a hole through which air inside the storage room (32) is discharged toward the cooling device (C), and the cooling hole (39b) is a hole through which air cooled by the cooling device (C) is discharged into the storage room (32). In this embodiment, the cooling holes (39b) are located above and below the exhaust hole (39a), respectively, centered around the exhaust hole (39a).

[0178] In this embodiment, cooling holes (39b) are arranged above and below the exhaust hole (39a). In this way, cold air introduced into the storage room (32) through the cooling holes (39b) can flow in the height direction of the storage room (32) and then be naturally discharged through the central exhaust hole (39b), thereby increasing the heat transfer efficiency into the storage room (32).

[0179] Of course, alternatively, the circulation holes (39a, 39b) may be arranged in a left-right direction perpendicular to the height direction of the storage room (32) rather than in the height direction. That is, cooling holes (39b) may be arranged on the left and right sides, respectively, centered on the exhaust hole (39a).

[0180] The above circulation holes (39a, 39b) are enclosed by the fan shroud (68) of the cooling device (C) described below, and the circulation holes (39a, 39b) are located in the circulation space (68') formed by the inner surface of the fan shroud (68) and the surface of the storage body (38). Therefore, during the process of air circulation, it can flow only within the circulation space (68') without spreading to the surroundings.

[0181] A cooling device (C) is illustrated in FIGS. 21 to 23. For reference, the description of parts identical to those in the previously described embodiment will be omitted. In the previous embodiment, the cooling device (C) cooled the cooling guide (40) itself, which constitutes part of the inner case (30), but in this embodiment, the cooling device (C) operates in a manner that lowers the temperature of the storage room (32).

[0182] The above cooling device (C) has a cooling sink (57'). The cooling sink (57') is located between the thermoelectric element (55) and the storage body (38) and is in close contact with the cooling portion of the thermoelectric element (55). Therefore, the cooling sink (57') can supply the cold air from the thermoelectric element (55) to the storage chamber (32). Like the cooling block (57) described earlier, the cooling sink (57') is in close contact with the cooling portion of the thermoelectric element (55) and is responsible for heat exchange between the thermoelectric element (55) and the storage body (38). Therefore, the cooling sink (57') can also be considered as the cooling block (57), but for the sake of distinction, it will be referred to as the cooling sink (57') below.

[0183] More specifically, the cooling sink (57') includes a sink body (57b') with a flat structure, and a plurality of cooling fins (57c) protrude from the sink body (57b') in a direction toward the storage body (38). The plurality of cooling fins (57c) are spaced apart from each other and extend parallel to serve to increase the friction surface area with the air. For reference, in this embodiment, the cooling fins (57c) protrude in the opposite direction to the heat dissipation fins (59) of the heat sink (58).

[0184] A cooling protrusion (57a') protrudes from the cooling sink (57'), and the cooling protrusion (57a') protrudes in the opposite direction to the direction in which the cooling fin (57c) protrudes. The surface of the cooling protrusion (57a') is flat, and the surface of the cooling protrusion (57a') comes into contact with the thermoelectric element (55). The cooling protrusion (57a') protrudes into the inside of the element mounting hole (61) of the insulation block (60) so as to press the thermoelectric element (55) toward the heat sink (58).

[0185] The cooling sink (57') is coupled to a cooling fan (69). The cooling fan (69) is positioned relatively closer to the storage body (38) than to the cooling sink (57'). The cooling fan (69) draws in air inside the storage room (32) and discharges it toward the cooling fan (69). The cooling fan (69) has a fan assembly hole (69a) for assembling the cooling fan (69) to a fan shroud (68) or surrounding parts, and reference numeral 69b is a fan, and the fan (69b) may be an axial fan.

[0186] In this embodiment, the cooling device (C) includes a fan shroud (68), which is installed in the storage body (38). As shown in FIG. 23, a circulation space (68') connected to the circulation holes (39a, 39b) is created between the fan shroud (68) and the surface of the storage body (38), and the cooling fan (69) is installed in the circulation space (68'). Thus, the cooling fan (69) is positioned between the surface of the storage body (38) and the cooling sink (57').

[0187] The fan shroud (68) is provided with a sealing portion (68a) that covers at least a portion of the surface of the storage body (38). Since the surface of the storage body (38) has a curved shape, the sealing portion (68a) also has a corresponding shape. That is, when the fan shroud (68) is attached to the storage body (38), the end portion of the sealing portion (68a) is in close contact with the surface of the storage body (38) to prevent air from leaking out.

[0188] Although not illustrated, the above cooling device (C) may further include a defrost sensor. The defrost sensor may be placed in the cooling device to detect whether defrosting is required.

[0189] With reference to FIG. 23, we will examine the process of cooling the storage room (32) in the present embodiment. First, when the cooling fan (69) operates, it sucks in air from inside the storage room (32). The air sucked in from the storage room (32) flows into the circulation space (68') through the intake hole (39a) among the circulation holes (39a, 39b) and is delivered in the direction of the cooling sink (57') (arrow ①).

[0190] At this time, the cooling sink (57') is in close contact with the thermoelectric element (55), and when power is applied to the thermoelectric element (55), cold air generated from the low-temperature portion (left side of the thermoelectric element (55) based on the drawing) is transferred toward the cooling sink (57'). Therefore, the cooling sink (57') is in contact with the air of the storage room (32) on one side and with the low-temperature portion of the thermoelectric element (55) on the opposite side, thereby enabling heat exchange between the two.

[0191] The air, whose temperature has been lowered through heat exchange via the cooling sink (57'), spreads outward (arrow ②) of the circulation space (68') formed by the fan shroud (68), which is done by the cooling fan (69). Then, the air is supplied again toward the storage room (32) (arrow ③) through the cooling hole (39b) among the circulation holes (39a, 39b). Thus, the temperature of the storage room (32) is lowered. And as this air circulation is continuously carried out, the temperature of the storage room (32) can be lowered.

[0192] The above storage guide (38) surrounds the storage room (32) and has a curved shape that wraps around the surface of the beverage container (B), so it can effectively transmit cold air toward the surface of the beverage container (B).

[0193] Next, regarding the process of dissipating heat from the cooling device (C), air introduced through the air intake port in the intake grille (15) is discharged in the direction of the heat sink (58) (arrow A) by the heat dissipation fan (65). When the outside air is delivered in the direction of the heat sink (58), the temperature of the heat sink (58) which is in close contact with the high-temperature part of the thermoelectric element (55) is lowered. At this time, since there are multiple heat dissipation fins (59) in the heat sink (58), a very large contact area with the outside air is secured.

[0194] Then, the above cooling device (C) dissipates heat, and the heated air is discharged again to the outside of the refrigerator (arrow B). More precisely, the air inside the refrigerator is discharged through the air outlet in the discharge grille (16). In this embodiment, the air outlet is located at the bottom of the rear plate (13), so the air is discharged downwards; however, the air outlet may be located at the top of the rear plate (13).

[0195] At this time, the spacer (14) provided on the rear plate (13) ensures a distance between the wall and the rear plate (13), thereby allowing for smooth air intake and exhaust. Additionally, since the spacer (14) is located between the intake grille (15) and the exhaust grille (16), it prevents the air discharged through the air outlet from flowing directly toward the air intake. Therefore, the air discharged through the air outlet does not go toward the air intake upwards, but is naturally guided downwards.

[0196] Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the refrigerator has two storage compartments (32), and the cooling devices (C) are individually installed in each storage compartment (32). The cooling devices (C) can be controlled independently of each other. Therefore, the set temperature of each storage compartment (32) can be set differently; for example, if the beverage is wine, an appropriate temperature value can be set according to the type of wine, such as the variety of wine. In other words, the user can adjust the temperature of the beverage according to the properties of the beverage or their own preference. Explanation of the symbols

[0198] 10: Cabinet 20: Top cover 22: Opening hole 24: Door 26: Lower cover 30: Inner frame 33: Stand 35: Storage Guide 40: Cooling guide 51: Component housing 55: Thermoelectric element 57: Cooling block 58: Heatsink 60: Insulation frame 65: Cooling fan 70: Water outlet nozzle 80: Top panel 90: Cover assembly C: Cooling device

Claims

Claim 1 A refrigerator for beverages comprising: a cabinet having an internal storage chamber; a cooling guide that surrounds at least a portion of a beverage container stored in an upright position in the storage chamber and partitions the space between the storage chamber and an insulation section; a cooling device that supplies cold air to at least one of the cooling guide or the storage chamber; and a water outlet nozzle installed so as to be exposed to the outside of the cabinet and connected to the beverage container to supply a beverage contained in the beverage container to the outside, wherein the cooling guide comprises: a first guide to which a cooling block of the cooling device is in close contact; and a pair of second guides each connected at both ends of the first guide and extending toward an insulation panel installed on the front of the cabinet. Claim 2 A beverage refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the cooling guide extends further down than the lower end of the beverage container or has the same height as the lower end of the beverage container, and the upper end of the cooling guide has a height higher than or equal to the body portion of the beverage container. Claim 3 delete Claim 4 A beverage refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the angle between both ends of the cooling guide and the center of the storage chamber is 30 to 270 degrees. Claim 5 A beverage refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein one of the two surfaces of the cooling guide faces the storage room and the other opposite surface faces the insulation part, and the remaining portion of the other surface of the cooling guide, excluding the portion connected to the cooling device, partitions the insulation part and the storage room to prevent the insulation part from being exposed to the interior of the storage room. Claim 6 A beverage refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the insulating panel constituting the front of the cabinet is provided with a viewing portion to expose at least a portion of the storage room in which the beverage container is stored in an upright state to the outside, and the cooling guide is a beverage refrigerator having a height greater than or equal to the viewing portion with respect to the height direction of the beverage container. Claim 7 A beverage refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the first guide is formed as a curved surface, and the surface of the cooling block of the cooling device facing the cooling guide is formed as a curved surface so as to make surface contact with the surface of the cooling guide. Claim 8 A beverage refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the ends of the pair of second guides are installed spaced apart from the insulation panel, and the side portion of an inner case installed inside the cabinet is located between the insulation panel and the ends of the second guides. Claim 9 A beverage refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the surface of each of the pair of second guides is formed as a flat plane, and the pair of second guides extend parallel to the side plate constituting the cabinet. Claim 10 A beverage refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein an insulating panel is installed on the front of the cabinet on the opposite side of the cooling device with the storage room in which the beverage container is stored, and the insulating panel forms at least a part of the inner wall of the storage room together with the cooling guide. Claim 11 In claim 1, the cooling guide is a beverage refrigerator having the same cross-sectional shape along the height direction in which the beverage container is erected. Claim 12 A beverage refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the cooling guide is made of a metal material, and the cooling device comprises: a thermoelectric element; a cooling block installed to be in surface contact with the thermoelectric element and the cooling guide, respectively, and exchanging heat between the thermoelectric element and the cooling guide; and a heat sink installed on the opposite side of the cooling block with the thermoelectric element in between. Claim 13 A beverage refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein the cooling device is provided with an insulating block surrounding the thermoelectric element, and at least a portion of the cooling block is located inside the insulating block to press the thermoelectric element toward the surface of the heat sink. Claim 14 A beverage refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of storage rooms are provided inside the cabinet, and the storage rooms are partitioned from one another by the insulating part surrounding the cooling guide to form independent spaces. Claim 15 A beverage refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein a different cooling device is installed in each of the storage chambers. Claim 16 A beverage refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of cooling guides are coupled to an inner case installed inside the cabinet, and an insulating portion is filled between the plurality of cooling guides. Claim 17 A beverage refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the inner case installed inside the cabinet comprises: a side portion forming the side of the inner case; a bottom portion connected to the side portion and forming the bottom surface of the inner case; a storage guide connected to the side portion or the bottom portion and guiding the storage of the beverage container; and a cooling guide coupled between the bottom portion and the storage guide. Claim 18 A beverage refrigerator according to claim 17, wherein the cooling guide has an outer surface continuous with the storage guide. Claim 19 delete Claim 20 A beverage refrigerator comprising: a cabinet having an internal storage chamber; a cooling guide extending along at least two of the four sides constituting the sides of the cabinet and surrounding a portion of a beverage container stored in the storage chamber; and a cooling device supplying cold air to the cooling guide; wherein the cooling guide comprises: a first guide to which a cooling block of the cooling device is in close contact; and a pair of second guides connected at each end of the first guide and extending toward an insulation panel installed on the front of the cabinet. Claim 21 A beverage refrigerator comprising: a cabinet having a storage chamber in which beverage containers are stored in an upright position; a front panel having a viewing portion that exposes at least a portion of the storage chamber to the outside; an inner case installed inside the cabinet and defining the storage chamber together with the front panel; a cooling guide provided in the inner case and constituting a portion of the inner wall surrounding the storage chamber; and a cooling device that supplies cold air to the cooling guide using a thermoelectric element; wherein the cooling guide comprises: a first guide to which a cooling block of the cooling device is in close contact; and a pair of second guides each connected at both ends of the first guide and extending toward the front panel.

Images