Refrigerator

Abstract

In a refrigerator according to the present invention, since a water valve assembly having a water valve coupled to a cover member which covers a partial area of the open rear surface of a machine room is detachably disposed at the rear surface of the machine room, there is no need to perform a separate fastening operation for installing the water valve in the machine room having a complicated structure, and thus a user can quickly and easily mount the water valve assembly in the machine room.

Description

refrigerator

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator.

[0002] A refrigerator is a home appliance that supplies cold air to a storage room through heat exchange with a refrigerant that circulates a cooling cycle, thereby keeping various types of storage objects fresh for a long period of time.

[0003] Among the components that make up the above refrigeration cycle, some components, such as the compressor, may be placed in a machine room separated from the storage room.

[0004] In the case of the machine room, depending on the product, the rear of the machine room may be shipped with the rear of the machine room finished with a separate cover member, or the rear of the machine room may be shipped completely open without being finished.

[0005] Meanwhile, the refrigerator can be additionally equipped with an ice maker to create ice.

[0006] In the case of an ice maker, the refrigerator product may be provided with the ice maker installed in the refrigerator so that the user can use it when the refrigerator product is shipped to the user, but in order to increase the price competitiveness of the product and increase the user's selectivity, the refrigerator product may be shipped without the ice maker installed.

[0007] Even for refrigerators that are not equipped with an ice maker, users can purchase a separate ice maker kit and install one later if they wish.

[0008] For example, an ice maker kit may include an ice maker module including an ice maker and an ice storage unit for storing ice, a water valve for controlling the supply of ice-making water to the ice maker, and a water supply pipe.

[0009] Users can directly install the ice maker module and water valve in designated locations and connect the ice maker module and water valve using a water supply pipe.

[0010] For example, a water valve can be placed in the machine room.

[0011] However, in the case of the machine room, since various parts are placed and the space is narrow, it is very difficult for the user to install the water valve directly in the machine room.

[0012] Although it is possible to pre-design a space in the cover that closes the back of the machine room where a water valve can be installed, there is a problem in that it is difficult to install a water valve in the case of refrigerator models that do not require a cover that closes the back of the machine room.

[0013] In addition, depending on the space where the refrigerator is installed, it may be difficult to install the water valve in a pre-designed location, and it may be necessary to freely determine the installation location of the water valve by taking into account factors such as the distance from the water source that supplies water to the water valve.

[0014] Additionally, if an electronically actuated water valve is installed, it may need to meet safety requirements such as fire hazards.

[0015] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator in which a user can quickly and easily install a water valve in the machine room, in a refrigerator shipped with the rear of the machine room open.

[0016] Another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator in which a water valve assembly can be quickly and freely installed at a desired location in the machine room by a user.

[0017] In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can maintain maximum heat dissipation performance within a machine room even when a water valve assembly is installed in the machine room.

[0018] Another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can meet safety standards for fire risk when equipped with an electronic water valve.

[0019] The purposes of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above. Other purposes and advantages of the present invention not mentioned above can be understood through the following description and will be more clearly understood through the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, it will be readily apparent that the purposes and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means and combinations thereof set forth in the claims.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present invention for solving the above-described problem, a refrigerator includes a cabinet including a storage compartment, a machine room forming a space independent of the storage compartment and having an open rear surface, and a water valve assembly detachably disposed at the rear surface of the machine room, wherein the water valve assembly includes a cover member covering a portion of the open rear surface of the machine room, and a water valve fastened to the cover member.

[0021] The machine room includes a central region and a pair of side regions arranged on either side of the central region, and when the water valve assembly is arranged in the central region, at least a portion of the pair of side regions can be opened.

[0022] The machine room includes a central region and a pair of side regions arranged on both sides of the central region, and when the water valve assembly is arranged in one of the side regions, at least a portion of the central region of the machine room and the other of the side regions can be opened.

[0023] The above cover member can be moved in a sliding manner in the left and right directions of the machine room while being mounted on the rear of the machine room.

[0024] The above cover member includes an upper fastening portion and a lower fastening portion that are fastened to the rear of the cabinet, and at least one of the upper fastening portion and the lower fastening portion may include a fastening hole that is penetrated so as to be fastened to the rear of the cabinet by the fastening member.

[0025] A plurality of through holes arranged in one direction with a predetermined interval are formed on the rear surface of the cabinet, and the fastening member can pass through the fastening holes and the through holes to fasten the cover member to the rear surface of the cabinet.

[0026] The upper surface of the above machine room has an insertion hole through which a power supply wire of a power supply unit that supplies power to the water valve passes, and the cover member can be arranged to overlap the insertion hole in the front-back direction.

[0027] The left-right width of the above cover member may be wider than the left-right width of the above insertion hole.

[0028] The water valve assembly includes a cover member including a body portion, a recessed portion retracted inwardly from the body portion into the machine room, and a mounting hole included in the recessed portion, and the water valve can be mounted in the mounting hole.

[0029] The above water valve assembly may further include a bracket for fastening the water valve to the cover member.

[0030] The edge portion of the cover member may include a hemming portion bent inwardly of the cover member to have a curved surface.

[0031] A compressor, a defrost water discharge port, and a defrost water tray are arranged in the above machine room, and the water valve is arranged so as not to overlap with the compressor and the defrost water discharge port in the front-rear direction, and may be arranged above the defrost water tray.

[0032] A removable ice maker is placed in the above storage room, and one side of the water valve is connected to the ice maker to supply water.

[0033] Since the refrigerator according to the present invention has a water valve assembly, in which a water valve is fastened to a cover member covering a portion of an open rear area of ​​a machine room, detachably disposed at the rear of the machine room, there is no need for a separate fastening operation to install the water valve in a machine room having a complex structure, so that a user can quickly and easily install the water valve assembly in the machine room.

[0034] In addition, the refrigerator according to the present invention can freely install the water valve assembly in various areas depending on the situation, such as the central area or side area of ​​the machine room, rather than being limited to a pre-designed location, thereby increasing the degree of installation freedom by allowing the installation location of the water valve to be freely determined by considering the space in which the refrigerator is installed or the distance from the water source.

[0035] In addition, since the cover member of the water valve assembly of the refrigerator according to the present invention does not cover the open rear front of the machine room but only covers a portion of the rear area, natural cooling is possible through the open rear areas even when there is no separate blower fan in the machine room, and thus heat dissipation performance within the machine room can be maintained to the maximum extent.

[0036] In addition, in a refrigerator according to the present invention, when a power supply unit that supplies power to a water valve is located on the upper outer side of a machine room and an insertion hole through which a power wire of the power supply unit passes is formed on the upper surface of the machine room, the cover member of the water valve assembly is arranged to overlap the insertion hole in the front-back direction, thereby preventing the fire from spreading to the outside of the machine room through the insertion hole in the event of a fire occurring in the power supply unit.

[0037] In addition to the effects described above, specific effects of the present invention are described below while explaining specific details for carrying out the invention.

[0038] Figure 1 is a front view of the refrigerator.

[0039] Figure 2 is a front view of the refrigerator with the door removed.

[0040] Figure 3 is a rear view of the refrigerator without the water valve assembly installed.

[0041] Figures 4 to 6 are rear views of a refrigerator according to various embodiments with a water valve assembly mounted thereon.

[0042] Figure 7 is a front view of the cover member.

[0043] Figures 8 and 9 are front and rear views, respectively, of a water valve assembly in which a water valve is mounted on a cover member.

[0044] Figure 10 is an enlarged view of a bracket attached to a cover member.

[0045] FIGS. 11 and 12 are enlarged views of the rear of a machine room equipped with a water valve assembly according to various embodiments of the present invention, respectively.

[0046] Figure 13 is a drawing showing the upper surface of a machine room in which an insertion hole is formed through which a wire connecting a water valve and a power supply unit passes.

[0047] The above-described objects, features, and advantages will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that those skilled in the art can easily practice the technical idea of ​​the present invention. In describing the present invention, if a detailed description of a known technology related to the present invention is judged to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar components.

[0048] Although terms like "first" and "second" are used to describe various components, these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are used merely to distinguish one component from another, and unless otherwise specified, a "first" component may also be a "second" component.

[0049] Throughout the specification, unless otherwise specifically stated, each element may be singular or plural.

[0050] Hereinafter, the phrase "any configuration is placed on (or below)" a component or "on (or below)" a component may mean that any configuration is placed in contact with the upper surface (or lower surface) of said component, and that other configurations may be interposed between said component and any configuration placed on (or below) said component.

[0051] Additionally, when it is described that a component is "connected," "coupled," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the components may be directly connected or connected to one another, but that other components may also be "interposed" between the components, or that each component may be "connected," "coupled," or "connected" through another component.

[0052] As used herein, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "consisting of" or "comprising" should not necessarily be construed to include all of the components or steps described in the specification, and should be construed to mean that some of the components or steps may not be included, or that additional components or steps may be included.

[0053] Throughout the specification, when we refer to "A and / or B", this means A, B, or A and B, unless otherwise stated, and when we refer to "C to D", this means C or more and D or less, unless otherwise stated.

[0054] Hereinafter, a refrigerator according to some embodiments of the present invention will be described.

[0055] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, a refrigerator (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention and each of its main components will be described.

[0056] A refrigerator (1) may have an exterior formed by a cabinet (2) including one or more storage rooms, which are storage spaces for products, inside, and one or more doors (11, 12) that can open and close the open front of the cabinet (2).

[0057] A dispenser (13) may be placed on the door (12) to enable the user to dispense water or ice without opening the door (12).

[0058] Depending on the product model of the refrigerator (1), the product may be shipped to the user with the dispenser (13) installed, but the product may be shipped without some parts that can actually operate the dispenser (13), such as a water supply pipe or water valve that supplies water to the dispenser (13).

[0059] In this case, the user can also operate the dispenser (13) normally by purchasing a separate dispenser operation kit including a separate water supply pipe and water valve and installing it directly on the refrigerator.

[0060] For the dispenser operation kit, a water valve assembly (100) may be included, and the water valve assembly (100) will be described in detail later.

[0061] The cabinet (2) may include an outer case (4) forming the outer surface of the refrigerator (1) and an inner case (3) forming the inner surface.

[0062] The outer case (4) and the inner case (3) are formed to have a space separated from each other, and the space separated can be filled with an insulating material to form a foaming area.

[0063] The inside of the inner case (3) can be divided into one or more storage spaces.

[0064] The inner case (3) may include one or more storage rooms, for example, a first storage room (21) and a second storage room (22) arranged vertically and separated by partition walls.

[0065] For example, the first storage room (21) located at the top may be a freezer, and the second storage room (22) located at the bottom may be a refrigerator.

[0066] However, the positions of the first storage room (21) and the second storage room (22) are not limited thereto, and in other embodiments, the positions of the first storage room (21) and the second storage room (22) may be swapped with each other, and may be arranged parallel to each other in the left-right direction.

[0067] The first storage room (21) can be opened and closed by one or more first doors (11), and the second storage room (22) can be opened and closed by one or more second doors (12).

[0068] The first storage room (21) and the second storage room (22) are equipped with one or more shelves (23) to easily store and store objects to be stored.

[0069] Meanwhile, an ice maker module (30) can be placed in the first storage room (21).

[0070] The ice maker module (30) may include an ice maker (40) that generates ice and an ice storage unit (50) that stores ice produced after ice making in the ice maker (40).

[0071] The ice storage unit (50) is formed in the shape of a basket capable of storing ice and can be placed at the bottom of the ice maker (40).

[0072] The ice maker module (30) can be placed on the first shelf (23).

[0073] For example, the lower surface of the ice storage unit (50) can be supported by the first shelf (23).

[0074] Accordingly, the ice storage unit (50) can be moved so that it can be pulled out and in by sliding in the front-back direction of the first shelf (23), thereby enabling the user to easily take out the ice.

[0075] The ice maker (40) can be fixed to the first storage room (21) regardless of the movement of the ice storage unit (50).

[0076] Depending on the product model of the refrigerator (1), the ice maker module (30) may be shipped to the user without being installed in the refrigerator (1).

[0077] In this case, the user can operate the ice maker (40) normally by purchasing a separate ice maker kit including a separate ice maker module (30), water supply pipe, and water valve and installing it directly to the refrigerator.

[0078] In Fig. 2, an example of installing an ice maker module (30) in the first storage room (21) is shown, but it is not limited thereto, and may be installed in the first door (11) or the second door (12).

[0079] A water supply pipe must be connected to supply ice-making water for ice-making to the ice maker (40) equipped in this manner.

[0080] For example, a water pipe insertion portion (5h) through which a water pipe can pass may be formed in the upper rear area of ​​the cabinet (2).

[0081] The back of the cabinet (2) can be finished by a back cover (5).

[0082] The back cover (5) can be arranged so as to cover the entire back of the refrigerator (1) except for the back of the machine room (60) located in the lower area of ​​the refrigerator (1).

[0083] The machine room (60) may be located in the lower area of ​​the refrigerator (1), and may be formed to have a predetermined space in front of the refrigerator (1) based on the rear of the refrigerator (1).

[0084] For example, the machine room (60) may be arranged at the bottom of the second storage room (22), but may be arranged to occupy a portion of the outer rear lower area of ​​the second storage room (22).

[0085] The lower surface of the machine room (60) can be supported by the lower plate (90).

[0086] The back cover (5) and lower plate (90) described in this specification can be described as a configuration included in the cabinet (2) in a broad sense.

[0087] In addition, the back cover (5) and the lower plate (90) described in this specification may be described as a configuration separate from the outer case (4), but are not limited thereto, and may also be described as constituting a part of the outer case (4).

[0088] In the machine room (60), a compressor (61) can be placed to increase the temperature and pressure of the low-temperature, low-pressure gas refrigerant flowing in from the evaporator to a high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant and send it to the condenser.

[0089] Additionally, a dryer (62) may be placed in the machine room (60) through which the refrigerant condensed in the condenser passes to remove moisture and impurities contained in the refrigerant.

[0090] In addition, in the machine room (60), a defrost water discharge port (66) for discharging defrost water generated in the evaporator or the space where the evaporator is placed when defrosting work is in progress, and a defrost water tray (65) for storing defrost water discharged through the defrost water discharge port (66) may be placed.

[0091] The defrosting water tray (65) may be formed in a plate shape having a storage space capable of sufficiently storing a certain amount of defrosting water, but is not limited thereto.

[0092] The defrost water tray (65) is formed to have a storage space with an open upper surface, so that the defrost water stored in the defrost water tray (65) can be evaporated.

[0093] Additionally, a valve device (67) connecting various valve pipes can be placed in the machine room (60).

[0094] Since the components arranged in the machine room (60) described above are described as an example, other components may be arranged additionally, or some of the components described above may not be arranged in the machine room (60).

[0095] A separate blower fan for drawing in outside air to cool the inside of the machine room (60) described in this specification may not be placed.

[0096] In this case, when a separate blower fan is not placed inside the machine room (60), the inside of the machine room (60) can be cooled by natural cooling.

[0097] Accordingly, the product is shipped with the rear of the machine room (60) completely open and not covered by a separate finishing material, so that the inside of the machine room (60) can be cooled by natural cooling.

[0098] However, this is not limited to this, and in another embodiment, even when a separate blower fan for sucking in external air is placed inside the machine room (60), the product may be shipped in a state where the rear of the machine room (60) is completely open and not covered by a separate finishing member to introduce an additional natural cooling method.

[0099] As previously explained, if the refrigerator (1) product is shipped to the user without the ice maker (40) installed or the dispenser (13) not operating, the user can purchase a separate ice maker kit or dispenser kit and install it on the refrigerator (1) to operate the ice maker (40) or dispenser (13) normally.

[0100] In this case, the ice maker kit and dispenser kit may include a water valve assembly (100) that can be detachably fastened to the rear of the machine room (60).

[0101] The water valve assembly (100) may include a water valve (300) that can supply water and supply the supplied water to an ice maker (40) or dispenser (13).

[0102] The water valve (300) may be an AC electronic water valve that electronically controls the amount of water supplied and operates on AC power.

[0103] Additionally, the water valve assembly (100) may include a cover member (200) configured to be removable while fixing the water valve (300) and covering a portion of the rear of the machine room (60).

[0104] The water valve (300) may be fixed to the cover member (200) by a separate bracket (400), but is not limited thereto, and the water valve (300) may be directly fastened to the cover member (200).

[0105] In this way, a water valve assembly (100) having a water valve (300) mounted on a cover member (200) having a predetermined area capable of closing a portion of the rear of a machine room (60) may be provided to the user.

[0106] The user can secure the water valve assembly (100) to the rear of the machine room (60).

[0107] For example, the upper side of the cover member (200) can be fixed to the lower rear area of ​​the back cover (5) located in the upper area of ​​the machine room (60), and the lower side of the cover member (200) can be fixed to the upper rear area of ​​the lower plate (90) located in the lower area of ​​the machine room (60).

[0108] Accordingly, the user has the advantage of being able to easily and quickly position the water valve (300) in the machine room (60) simply by mounting the water valve assembly (100) in which the water valve (300) is connected to the cover member (200) on the rear of the machine room (60) without having to directly install the water valve (300) in the narrow and complex machine room (60).

[0109] When dividing the rear of the machine room (60) into three parts based on the left and right directions, the machine room (60) can be divided into a central area (6) and a first side area (7) and a second side area (8) arranged on each side of the central area (6).

[0110] The central region (6), the first side region (7), and the second side region (8) are regions conceptually separated for convenience of explanation and are not physically separated regions.

[0111] In addition, the central region (6), the first side region (7), and the second side region (8) are divided to have the same width in the left-right direction, but this is not limited to this, and they may be divided to have different left-right widths.

[0112] In general, the central area (6) may refer to an area that overlaps the center line when a center line is drawn based on the left and right directions of the rear of the machine room (60).

[0113] The cover member (200) of the water valve assembly (100) may have a left-right width so as to cover only a portion of the open rear surface of the machine room (60), rather than covering the entire area of ​​the open rear surface.

[0114] Accordingly, when the water valve assembly (100) is placed in the central region (6), at least some regions of the first side region (7) and the second side region (8) can be opened.

[0115] Additionally, when the water valve assembly (100) is disposed in the first side region (7), at least some regions of the central region (6) and the second side region (8) can be opened, and when the water valve assembly (100) is disposed in the second side region (8), at least some regions of the central region (6) and the first side region (7) can be opened.

[0116] Of course, the water valve assembly (100) may also be arranged to overlap two regions, such as by overlapping the boundary between the central region (6) and the first side region (7) or the boundary between the central region (6) and the second side region (8).

[0117] However, it is preferable that the open area at the rear of the machine room (60) that is not closed by the cover member (200) has a larger area than the closed area at the rear of the machine room (60) that is closed by the cover member (200).

[0118] In this way, since the cover member (200) of the water valve assembly (100) does not cover the open rear front of the machine room (60) but only covers a portion of the area, natural cooling is possible through the open rear areas even when there is no separate blower fan inside the machine room (60), and thus heat dissipation performance inside the machine room (60) can be maintained to the maximum extent.

[0119] The water valve (300) of the water valve assembly (100) is arranged so as not to overlap with the compressor (61) and the water discharge port (66) in the front-rear direction, thereby reducing interference between the water valve (300) and other components.

[0120] In addition, the water valve (300) of the water valve assembly (100) can be arranged to overlap with the water tray (65) in the front-back direction, but in this case, the lowermost end of the water valve (300) is arranged above the uppermost end of the water tray (65), thereby reducing interference with the water valve (300).

[0121] One side of the water valve (300) is connected to the first water supply pipe (71), and the first water supply pipe (71) is connected to a water source (80), thereby supplying water to the water valve (300).

[0122] In this specification, it is described as an example that the first water supply pipe (71) is connected to an external water source (80) to supply water, but it is not limited thereto, and water may be supplied through a water tank separately installed in the refrigerator (1).

[0123] The other side of the water valve (300) is connected to the second water supply pipe (72), and the second water supply pipe (72) can be communicated with the ice maker (40) through the water supply pipe insertion portion (5h) formed on the rear of the refrigerator (1).

[0124] The first water supply pipe (71) and the second water supply pipe (72) may also be included in the ice maker kit or dispenser kit and provided to the user.

[0125] As an example, referring to FIG. 4, the water valve assembly (100) may be mounted so as to be positioned in the central area (6) of the machine room (60).

[0126] Also, referring to FIG. 5 as another embodiment, the water valve assembly (100) may be positioned in the second side area (8) of the machine room (60), and referring to FIG. 6, the water valve assembly (100) may be mounted so as to be positioned in the first side area (7) of the machine room (60).

[0127] As described above, the refrigerator (1) according to the present invention can freely install the water valve assembly (100) in various areas depending on the situation, such as the central area (6) or side areas (7, 8) of the machine room (60), without being limited to a pre-designed location, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in installing the water valve (300).

[0128] In addition, the installation location of the water valve (300) can be freely determined and installed by considering the space in which the refrigerator (1) is installed or the distance from the external water source (80), so that the degree of freedom in installation of the water valve (300) can be increased.

[0129] Hereinafter, the water valve assembly (100) will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10.

[0130] Figure 7 illustrates the front (211) as viewed from the front direction of the cover member (200).

[0131] The front surface (211) of the cover member (200) as referred to in this specification may mean a surface recognized from the outside direction of the machine room (60) when the cover member (200) is mounted in the machine room (60).

[0132] The cover member (200) may include a body portion (210) that is generally plate-shaped and has a predetermined width in the up-down direction and left-right direction.

[0133] The width in the left-right direction of the body part (210) may be formed to be narrower than the width in the up-down direction, but is not limited thereto.

[0134] In the inner region of the body part (210), a recessed part (240) may be formed that is recessed by a predetermined width toward the rear of the front side (211) of the body part (210).

[0135] A mounting hole (241) having an open area through which a water valve (300) can be inserted and fixed can be formed in the inner area of ​​the recessed portion (240).

[0136] The mounting hole (241) can be formed to have a sufficient opening area to allow the water valve (300) to pass through.

[0137] A mounting portion (250) may be formed on one side of the recessed portion (240).

[0138] The mounting portion (250) may also be formed to be recessed by a predetermined width toward the rear of the front (211) of the body portion (210), like the recessed portion (240).

[0139] However, in the case of the mounting portion (250), it is preferable that the width of the recessed portion (240) be formed to be smaller than that of the recessed portion (240).

[0140] In the case of the mounting portion (250), it can be placed in the upper area of ​​one side of the recessed portion (240), and the width in the front, back, left, and right directions can be formed to be smaller than that of the recessed portion (240).

[0141] The recessed portion (240) and the mounting portion (250) are located in the inner region of the body portion (210), and can be formed in a structure in which the body portion (210) surrounds the periphery of the recessed portion (240) and the mounting portion (250).

[0142] A plurality of through holes (251, 252, 253) that can be fastened to a bracket (400) described later can be formed in the mounting portion (250).

[0143] For example, the first through hole (251) can be formed to open in the shape of a slit extending in the vertical direction.

[0144] The second through hole (252) and the third through hole (253) may be formed in the form of open holes by being arranged in the upper and lower regions of one side of the first through hole (251), respectively.

[0145] An upper fastening part (220) may be formed at the upper end of the body part (210), and a lower fastening part (230) may be formed at the lower end.

[0146] The body part (210), upper fastening part (220), and lower fastening part (230) are regions conceptually separated for convenience of explanation, and are not physically separated regions.

[0147] That is, the upper fastening part (220) and the lower fastening part (230) are formed integrally with the body part (210) and may refer to a portion of the body part (210).

[0148] One or more fastening holes (221) may be formed in the upper fastening portion (220).

[0149] The fastening hole (221) can be formed in the form of an open hole so that a separate fastening member such as a screw can pass through it.

[0150] In Fig. 8, one embodiment is illustrated in which one fastening hole (221) is formed in the upper fastening portion (220), but this is not limited thereto, and multiple fastening holes (221) may be formed.

[0151] However, in order to provide convenience for the user's self-installation, it is desirable to reduce the number of possible fastening holes (221).

[0152] In addition, the upper fastening portion (220) may be formed with various types of fastening portions, such as a hook fastening portion, a hanging fastening portion, and a fitting fastening portion, so that it can be fixed to a corresponding fastening structure without a separate fastening member.

[0153] However, in the case of these various types of fastening parts, it is desirable to have a structure that allows easy attachment and detachment of the cover member (200).

[0154] A hook portion (231) can be formed in the lower fastening portion (230).

[0155] For example, a hook portion (231) having a predetermined left-right width and extended by being bent backward may be formed at the lower part of the body portion (210).

[0156] That is, an inlet area having a predetermined left-right width is formed at the lower end of the body part (210), and a hook part (231) can be formed by bending and extending to have a slope toward the rear of the cover member (200) at a location corresponding to the inlet area.

[0157] Accordingly, a gap space is created between the lower part of the rear surface (212) of the cover member (200) and the front surface of the hook portion (231), and a part of the relative fastening structure can be positioned and fixed in the gap space.

[0158] In addition, a fastening hole (221) may be formed in the lower fastening part (230) as in the upper fastening part (220), and the fastening part structures of the upper fastening part (220) and the lower fastening part (230) may be formed by switching each other.

[0159] Referring to FIGS. 8 to 10, the water valve (300) can be fixed to the cover member (200) by a bracket (400).

[0160] The bracket (400) may include a support member (410) that is mounted on the mounting member (250) of the cover member (200).

[0161] On one side of the support member (410), a first extension member (421) extended to pass through the first through hole (251) of the cover member (200) and a catch member (413) extended to pass through the second through hole (252) may be formed.

[0162] The first extension (421) can serve to substantially support the force applied to the bracket (400) together with the support (410), and can be formed to have substantially the same height in the vertical direction as the support (410) so as to have the widest possible area.

[0163] Additionally, in the case of the first extension (421), the bracket (400) may have an extended length so that it protrudes further rearward than the recessed portion (240) of the cover member (200) when mounted on the cover member (200).

[0164] The catch (413) can serve to guide the position of the bracket (400).

[0165] In the case of the catch (413), the bracket (400) may have an extended length that is short enough not to protrude further rearward than the recessed portion (240) of the cover member (200) when the bracket (400) is mounted on the cover member (200).

[0166] A hole is formed in the support member (410) in an area corresponding to the third through hole (253) of the cover member (200), and the hole of the support member (410) and the third through hole (253) can be fastened by a fastening member (490) such as a screw.

[0167] Between the hook (413) of the support (410) and the hole of the support (410), an inlet (412) may be formed in which a predetermined area is inlet in the inner direction of the support (410).

[0168] A second extension portion (422) can be bent and extended in an outward direction from the first extension portion (421).

[0169] The second extension (422) can be formed so that the lower region extends longer than the upper region.

[0170] A third extension (423) extending forward can be bent and extended in the lower region of the second extension (422).

[0171] The third extension (423) is connected to the water valve (300) so that the water valve (300) can be fixed to the bracket (400).

[0172] The third extension (423) may be formed in a shape that surrounds the lower part of a portion of the water valve (300), but is not limited thereto, and may have various shapes that can be connected to the water valve (300).

[0173] In the case of the bracket (400) described above, it can be separated into a separate configuration from the cover member (200), but is not limited thereto, and the water valve (300) can be directly fastened and fixed to a fastening structure formed integrally with the cover member (200).

[0174] A rib (411) is formed along the support portion (410), the first extension portion (421), the second extension portion (422), and the third extension portion (423) of the bracket (400) to reinforce the strength of the bracket (400).

[0175] Likewise, a groove (414) may be formed on the opposite side of the surface where the rib (411) is formed along the support portion (410), the first extension portion (421), the second extension portion (422), and the third extension portion (423) of the bracket (400).

[0176] In addition, in FIG. 8, the support part (410) is arranged on the front side (211) of the mounting part (250) of the cover member (200) and the catch part (413) is arranged on the rear side (212) as an example, but it is not limited thereto, and the support part (410) may be arranged on the rear side (212) of the mounting part (250) of the cover member (200) and the catch part (413) may be arranged on the front side (211).

[0177] The water valve (300) fixed to the cover member (200) by the bracket (400) can be fixed to the mounting hole (241).

[0178] The water valve (300) may include a first connection part (310) connected to a first water supply pipe (71) and a second connection part (320) connected to a second water supply pipe (72).

[0179] In this case, the first connecting portion (310) may be arranged to face the upper direction of the front side (211) of the cover member (200), and the second connecting portion (320) may be arranged to face the lower direction of the rear side (212) of the cover member (200).

[0180] Accordingly, the water valve (300) and the first water supply pipe (71) can be connected on the outside of the machine room (60), and the water valve (300) and the second water supply pipe (72) can be connected on the inside of the machine room (60).

[0181] Based on the side of the water valve assembly (100) with the water valve (300) mounted on the cover member (200), some area of ​​the water valve (300) may protrude forward relative to the front surface (211) of the cover member (200), but it is preferable that most area of ​​the water valve (300) be arranged to protrude backward relative to the front surface (211) of the cover member (200).

[0182] Meanwhile, a hemming portion (290) bent inwardly toward the cover member (200) can be formed on the rear surface (212) of the cover member so as to have a curved surface along the edge portion.

[0183] The hemming portion (290) is formed by bending to have a gentle curve shape at the rear surface (212) of the body portion (210), and can prevent injury from occurring when a user holds and moves the cover member (200).

[0184] Hereinafter, a method of mounting the water valve assembly (100) to the rear of the machine room (60) will be described in more detail with further reference to FIGS. 11 to 13.

[0185] As described above, the hook portion (231) formed on the lower fastening portion (230) of the cover member (200) can guide the cover member (200) to slide in the left and right directions of the machine room (60) while it is mounted on the rear of the machine room (60).

[0186] The hook portion (231) of the cover member (200) can guide the lower fastening portion (230) to be caught on the protruding protrusion (91) in the upper direction from the outer end of the lower plate (90).

[0187] In this case, the hook portion (231) does not play a role in completely fixing the cover member (200), but can play a role in temporarily fixing the cover member (200), and can guide the cover member (200) to slide left and right so that the position of the cover member (200) can be finely adjusted.

[0188] Meanwhile, a through hole (10) corresponding to the fastening hole (221) of the upper fastening part (220) of the cover member (200) may be formed on the rear side of the back cover (5).

[0189] When the fastening hole (221) of the cover member (200) and the through hole (10) of the back cover (5) are positioned so as to correspond, the cover member (200) can be fixed to the rear of the machine room (60) by a separate fastening member (222) such as a screw.

[0190] In this case, if the through hole (10) is provided only in one location or only in a specific location, the location of the water valve assembly (100) is also fixed accordingly, so the user loses the freedom to select the location.

[0191] Therefore, it is preferable that the through holes (10) formed in the back cover (5) are formed in a plurality of groups arranged in one direction with a predetermined interval.

[0192] For example, a through hole group (10g) composed of a plurality of through holes (10) is formed in the central region (6) of the machine room (60), and similarly, a through hole group (10g) composed of a plurality of through holes (10) can be formed in the first side region (7) and the second side region (8) of the machine room (60).

[0193] Accordingly, the user can adjust the fine position by sliding the cover member (200) in the left and right directions while it is temporarily fixed to the rear of the machine room (60) by the lower fastening member (230), and by matching the fastening hole (221) of the cover member (200) to the through hole (10) corresponding to the desired position, the cover member (200) can be fixed to the rear of the machine room (60) by the fastening member (222).

[0194] In the same way, in the case of a dryer (62) located inside a machine room (60), a plurality of fastening holes (64) arranged in one direction can be formed in the back cover (5) so that the dryer (62) can be freely fixed in a desired position.

[0195] In the case of the fixing member (63) that fixes the dryer (62), it can be fixed by a separate fixing member at a position corresponding to the fixing hole (64).

[0196] Referring to FIG. 11, one fastening hole (221) is formed in the upper fastening portion (220) of the cover member (200), but in another embodiment, a plurality of fastening holes (221) may be formed in the upper fastening portion (220) as in FIG. 12.

[0197] In this case, the upper fastening portion (220) may be formed to protrude further in one direction than the body portion (210).

[0198] A pair of fastening holes (221) are formed at each end area on both sides of the upper fastening member (220), and can be fastened to the through hole (10) of the back cover (5) by a separate fastening member (222).

[0199] As a plurality of fastening holes (221) are formed in the upper fastening portion (220) in this way, the cover member (200) can be more stably fixed to the machine room (60).

[0200] Referring to Fig. 13, an insertion hole (68h) through which a power wire (83) of a power supply unit (82) that supplies power to a water valve (300) passes may be formed on the upper surface (68) of the machine room (60).

[0201] In the case of the power supply unit (82), it can be placed on the upper outer surface (68) of the machine room (60).

[0202] The power wiring (83) connecting the power supply (82) and the water valve (300) can pass through the insertion hole (68h) and be connected to one side of the water valve (300).

[0203] The cover member (200) can be arranged to overlap with the insertion hole (68h) in the front-back direction.

[0204] By arranging the cover member (200) of the water valve assembly (100) to overlap the insertion hole (68h) in the front-back direction in this way, in the event of a fire occurring in the power supply unit (82), it is possible to prevent the fire from spreading to the outside of the machine room (60) through the insertion hole (68h).

[0205] In this case, it is preferable that the left-right width of the cover member (200) be formed wider than the left-right width of the insertion hole (68h), and accordingly, in the event of a fire occurring in the power supply unit (82), the fire can be more effectively prevented from spreading to the outside of the machine room (60).

[0206] Although the present invention has been described with reference to the drawings exemplified above, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and drawings disclosed in this specification, and that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention. Furthermore, even if the operational effects according to the configuration of the present invention have not been explicitly described while describing the embodiments of the present invention, it is natural that the effects predictable by the corresponding configuration should also be acknowledged.

Claims

1. A cabinet including a storage room and a machine room that forms a space independent from the storage room and has an open rear end; and A water valve assembly detachably arranged at the rear of the machine room; The above water valve assembly, A cover member covering a portion of the open rear surface of the machine room; and A refrigerator, comprising a water valve fastened to the cover member.

2. In paragraph 1, The machine room includes a central area and a pair of side areas arranged on either side of the central area, A refrigerator in which at least a portion of the pair of side regions is open when the water valve assembly is positioned in the central region.

3. In paragraph 1, The machine room includes a central area and a pair of side areas arranged on either side of the central area, A refrigerator in which the water valve assembly is disposed in one of the side regions, the central region of the machine room and at least a portion of the other side region are open.

4. In paragraph 1, A refrigerator in which the cover member is mounted on the rear of the machine room and is capable of sliding in the left and right directions of the machine room.

5. In paragraph 1, The above cover member includes an upper fastening portion and a lower fastening portion that are fastened to the rear of the cabinet, A refrigerator, wherein at least one of the upper fastening portion and the lower fastening portion includes a fastening hole through which the upper fastening portion is fastened to the rear of the cabinet by a fastening member.

6. In paragraph 1, A plurality of through holes arranged in one direction with a predetermined interval are formed on the rear of the above cabinet, A refrigerator in which the above fastening member passes through the fastening hole and the through hole to fasten the cover member to the rear of the cabinet.

7. In paragraph 1, On the upper surface of the above machine room, there is an insertion hole through which the power wiring of the power supply unit that supplies power to the above water valve passes, A refrigerator in which the above cover member is arranged to overlap with the insertion hole in the front-back direction.

8. In paragraph 7, A refrigerator in which the left-right width of the above cover member is wider than the left-right width of the above insertion hole.

9. In paragraph 1, The above water valve assembly, The above cover member is a body part; A recessed portion introduced inwardly from the body portion into the machine room; and including a mounting hole included in the above-mentioned recessed portion; The above water valve is mounted in the above mounting hole, refrigerator.

10. In paragraph 1, A refrigerator, wherein the water valve assembly further includes a bracket for fastening the water valve to the cover member.

11. In paragraph 1, A refrigerator, wherein the edge of the cover member includes a hemming portion bent inwardly of the cover member to have a curved surface.

12. In paragraph 1, In the above machine room, a compressor, a defrost water discharge port, and a defrost water tray are placed, A refrigerator wherein the water valve is positioned so as not to overlap the compressor and the defrost water discharge port in the front-rear direction, and is positioned above the defrost water tray.

13. In paragraph 1, A removable ice maker is placed in the above storage room, A refrigerator in which one side of the above water valve is connected to the ice maker and supplies water.

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