Refrigerator

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator configured such that not only a guide tube for delivering water from a water supply part to an ice making device is not exposed to the outside of the refrigerator, but also the insulation performance thereof can be maintained. To this end, the guide tube is configured to be connected along an edge part between an outer case and an inner case of a refrigerator body.

Description

refrigerator

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator in which a water tank is provided in a storage room so as to supply water to an ice maker.

[0002] In general, a refrigerator is a home appliance that is provided to store various foods or beverages for a long time by using cold air generated by the circulation of refrigerant according to the refrigeration cycle.

[0003] Recently, refrigerators have been designed to have various functions beyond simply keeping items cold. For example, recent refrigerators are equipped with dispensers for supplying purified water or ice generated by the ice maker.

[0004] The dispenser may be provided on the door of the refrigerator. This allows the user to easily obtain purified water through the dispenser without having to remove water or ice stored in the refrigerator.

[0005] The water is stored in a separate water tank and selectively supplied to the ice maker or dispenser, and the water tank is located in a storage room at room temperature and supplies water to the ice maker or dispenser. Various disclosures regarding this are disclosed, including Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2014-0125233, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2015-0094905, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2018-0009475, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2021-0076354, and Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0159713.

[0006] According to the conventional refrigerator described above, a tube for supplying water stored in a water tank to the ice maker is formed to penetrate the rear wall of the refrigerator body and be exposed to the outside. That is, since the water tank is located in the storage compartment, the ice maker is located in the freezer compartment, and the dispenser is located in the door, a tube is drawn out to the outside of the refrigerator body to supply water from the water tank to the ice maker or the dispenser.

[0007] However, among the tubes exposed to the rear of the refrigerator body, those connected to the ice maker are exposed to the indoor environment, so when the indoor temperature is high, the temperature of the water remaining within the tube also increases. Consequently, the time it takes for the water to be supplied to the ice maker and made into ice is inevitably longer, and the power consumption for making ice is inevitably increased.

[0008] Additionally, there was a risk that the tube exposed to the rear of the refrigerator body could be damaged, such as being bent or pressed, during the process of installing the refrigerator indoors if it were exposed. In particular, there was also a problem, such as the connector to which the tube is connected being separated due to the tube being pressed.

[0009] Of course, there are efforts to prevent external exposure by extending the tubes into the storage chamber. However, placing the tubes inside the storage chamber inevitably leads to a relatively narrow storage space.

[0010] Additionally, efforts were made to extend the tube between the outer and inner cases forming the refrigerator body without exposing it to the outside. However, because a multi-duct is provided at the rear of the storage compartment, it was difficult to form the tube so that it would pass through it.

[0011] Furthermore, the space between the outer case and the inner case is filled with insulation, and the distance between the side of the outer case and the side of the inner case is formed narrow to secure storage space. Accordingly, if the tube extends to the side between the outer case and the inner case, the side insulation of the refrigerator may inevitably be reduced, which may cause the problem.

[0012] Furthermore, because the tubes in the refrigerator according to the aforementioned conventional technology had to be connected to connectors at multiple locations, there was bound to be a high risk of leakage. In other words, in the case of a structure where the tubes were exposed to the rear of the refrigerator, additional connector connections had to be made at locations exposed to the outside of the refrigerator, which inevitably increased the risk of leakage.

[0013] The present invention has been devised to solve various problems according to the above-mentioned conventional technology.

[0014] One object of the present invention is to prevent external exposure of a tube provided from a water tank to an ice maker, thereby preventing a rise in the temperature of water present within the tube.

[0015] In addition, another object of the present invention is to minimize the connection portion of the tube to reduce the risk of leakage.

[0016] In addition, another object of the present invention is to prevent damage to a multi-duct provided at the rear inside a storage room while allowing the tube to be stably connected.

[0017] In addition, another object of the present invention is to prevent the side insulation of the refrigerator body from deteriorating while allowing the tube to be stably connected.

[0018] According to the refrigerator of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned purpose, a guide tube for delivering water from a water supply unit to an ice maker can be connected along a path between an outer case forming the refrigerator body and a first inner case so as not to be exposed to the outside of the refrigerator.

[0019] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, a water supply unit is provided within a first inner case, and a guide tube may be configured to pass through the first inner case and supply water from the water supply unit to an ice maker.

[0020] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, an ice maker is provided within a second inner case, and a guide tube may be configured to pass through the second inner case and supply water to the ice maker.

[0021] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the guide tube may be provided within the outer case.

[0022] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the guide tube may be formed so that at least a portion thereof extends along an edge portion between the first inner case and the outer case.

[0023] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the guide tube can be connected under the guidance of a guide guide.

[0024] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the guide guide may be provided to form a fixed shape.

[0025] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the guide may include a first portion connected to the first inner case.

[0026] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the guide may include a second portion connected to the second inner case.

[0027] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the guide may include a third section extending along an edge portion between the first inner case and the outer case, while forming a gap between the first section and the second section.

[0028] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the guide tube can penetrate the side surface of the first inner case so as to be exposed to the outside of the first inner case without penetrating the multi-duct. The first portion of the guide guide can be connected to the outer side surface of the first inner case so as to accommodate the guide tube.

[0029] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the first portion of the guide guide can be connected to the rear of the first inner case. This allows the distance between the side wall of the first inner case and the side wall of the outer case to be as short as possible.

[0030] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the first portion of the guide can be formed to protrude from the side of the first inner case and then be bent to reach the corner of the first inner case.

[0031] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, a cold air duct for guiding the supply of cold air or the recovery of cold air may be provided at the rear of the first inner case and the second inner case.

[0032] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the third portion of the guide may be formed to be positioned lower than the protruding height of the cold air duct.

[0033] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the second part of the guide can be connected to the upper surface of the second outer case.

[0034] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the water supply unit may include a water tank in which water is stored and a water outlet is formed in which a pressure valve that opens by pressure is positioned.

[0035] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the water supply unit may include a mounting guide on which a water tank is mounted.

[0036] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the mounting guide of the water supply unit has an outlet formed that matches the outlet of the water tank when the water tank is mounted, and a pressurizing member for pressurizing the valve may be provided at the outlet.

[0037] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the water supply unit may include a water pump that is installed in the mounting guide and pumps water through the outlet.

[0038] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the mounting guide may be formed as a cylindrical body having an open bottom and a peripheral wall. Accordingly, the water pump may be provided within the peripheral wall of the mounting guide.

[0039] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the water supply unit may further include an electronic valve that selectively controls water pumped by the water pump.

[0040] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the mounting guide may have a rear wall with one side open and an installation space different from the surrounding wall. This allows an electronic valve to be provided within the rear wall.

[0041] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, a passage hole through which a guide tube is drawn out from a water supply unit may be formed on a side of the first inner case.

[0042] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the mounting guide can be positioned so that one open side forming the rear wall is aligned with the through hole.

[0043] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the mounting guide can be fixed to the inner wall of the first inner case.

[0044] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the mounting guide may be provided to be placed on any one shelf provided in the first inner case.

[0045] As described above, the refrigerator of the present invention has the following effects.

[0046] The refrigerator of the present invention prevents the guide tube from being exposed to the outside of the refrigerator body by connecting the guide tube between the first inner case and the outer case. Accordingly, the disadvantage of the guide tube taking a long time to make ice due to the influence of the indoor temperature is resolved, and damage or deformation of the guide tube can be prevented.

[0047] The refrigerator of the present invention has a guide tube connected along the edge between the first inner case and the outer case. This eliminates the need for multi-duct deformation and reduces the deterioration of insulation performance between the side wall of the first inner case and the side wall of the outer case.

[0048] In the refrigerator of the present invention, the guide tube is positioned between the rear surface of the first inner case and the rear surface of the outer case among the corners between the first inner case and the outer case. Accordingly, the problem of reduced insulation performance between the side wall of the first inner case and the side wall of the outer case is reduced.

[0049] The refrigerator of the present invention is formed so that the guide tube is positioned lower than the cold air duct on the rear surface of the first inner case. Accordingly, the problem of reduced insulation performance between the rear surface of the first inner case and the rear surface within the outer case is reduced.

[0050] In the refrigerator of the present invention, the guide tube is maintained in a fixed position by the guidance of the guide guide. Accordingly, deformation or displacement of the guide tube can be prevented during the process of filling insulation between each inner case and outer case.

[0051] Figure 1 is a side view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention with only the side of the outer case removed.

[0052] Figure 2 is a front perspective view with the door omitted to explain the structure inside the refrigerator of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the main part for explaining the installation structure of the mounting steel that forms the water supply part of the refrigerator of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the water supply unit of the refrigerator of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a combination of a water supply unit in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the main parts for explaining the installation structure of the water pump and the solenoid valve in the mounting member forming the water supply unit of the refrigerator of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] Figure 7 is a rear perspective view with the outer case omitted to explain the installation state of the guide tube of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a main part for explaining the installation state of a guide tube of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] Figure 9 is a rear view with the outer case omitted to explain the installation state of the guide tube of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] Figure 10 is a side view showing an example of an installation state of a guide tube and guide guide forming another type of refrigerator of the present invention.

[0061] Before describing the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that when adding reference numerals to components in each drawing, identical components are given the same numerals as much as possible even if they are shown in different drawings.

[0062] In addition, when describing an embodiment of the present invention, if a detailed description of a related known configuration or function is judged to hinder understanding of the embodiment of the present invention, the detailed description is omitted.

[0063] Additionally, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used to describe components of embodiments of the present invention. These terms are only intended to distinguish the components from other components, and the nature, order, or sequence of the components are not limited by the terms. When it is described that a component is "connected," "coupled," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but another component may also be "connected," "coupled," or "connected" between each component.

[0064] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the refrigerator of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings 1 to 10.

[0065] Attached Fig. 1 is a side view with only the side of the outer case removed for the purpose of explaining a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a front perspective view with the door omitted for the purpose of explaining the structure inside the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] As shown in these drawings, the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention is installed so that the guide tube (200) that transfers water from the water supply unit (160) to the ice maker (150) is not exposed to the outside of the refrigerator, while the insulation performance of the refrigerator is maintained.

[0067] That is, the guide tube (200) forming the refrigerator of the embodiment of the present invention is connected along the outer case (110) and the inner case (120, 130) of the refrigerator body (100) so as not to reduce the insulation performance between the outer case (110) and the inner case (120, 130).

[0068] The refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail for each component.

[0069] First, the refrigerator of the present invention includes a refrigerator body (100) forming an exterior.

[0070] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the refrigerator body (100) can be formed in a box shape with an open front.

[0071] The above refrigerator body (100) may be configured to include an outer case (110) forming an outer wall surface and an inner case (120, 130) forming an inner wall surface.

[0072] A storage room (121, 131) is provided inside the inner case (120, 130). The storage room (121, 131) is a space where food, beverages, or food products are stored.

[0073] The above storage rooms (121, 131) may be provided in one or two or more. In order to provide a plurality of the above storage rooms (121, 131), a plurality of inner cases (120, 130) may be provided.

[0074] As an example, the refrigerator of the present invention includes a first inner case (120) providing a first storage compartment (121) and a second inner case (130) providing a second storage compartment (131).

[0075] The above-described plurality of storage rooms (121, 131) can be maintained at different temperatures. For example, one storage room (the upper storage room in the drawing) (121) can be maintained at a refrigerated temperature, and the other storage room (the lower storage room in the drawing) (131) can be maintained at a frozen temperature.

[0076] Meanwhile, each of the storage chambers (121, 131) may be opened and closed by a door (101, 102). For example, each of the inner cases (120, 130) may be formed as a body with an open front, providing a storage chamber (121, 131) that is open toward the front, and the door (101, 102) may be provided to open and close the open front of each of the storage chambers (121, 131).

[0077] When the above storage rooms (121, 131) are provided in multiple numbers, the above doors (101, 102) may also be provided in multiple numbers. Although not shown, multiple storage rooms (121, 131) may be formed to be opened and closed with a single door.

[0078] The two inner cases (120, 130) are provided within the outer case (110). In addition, the outer case (110) and the two inner cases (120, 130) may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other. In this case, a foam material is filled between the outer case (110) and the two inner cases (120, 130), thereby reducing heat transfer between the respective cases (110, 120, 130).

[0079] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and FIGS. 7 to 9, each inner case (120, 130) may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other vertically within the outer case (110).

[0080] For example, the first inner case (120) may be placed in the upper space within the outer case (110), and the second inner case (130) may be placed in the lower space within the outer case (110).

[0081] A separate member for partitioning each of the inner cases (120, 130) may be provided between them, but they may be maintained spaced apart from each other by the connection with the outer case (110) and the foam material. In this case, the inner cases (120, 130) and the outer case (110) may be formed such that their front edges are connected to each other.

[0082] A multi-duct (122) that guides the flow of cold air may be provided within the first inner case (120). The multi-duct (120) is positioned adjacent to the rear wall surface within the first inner case (120) and serves to guide the cold air introduced into the multi-duct (120) to be evenly discharged to each part within the first inner case (120).

[0083] Meanwhile, the first inner case (120) and the second inner case (130) can be formed to allow cold air to flow between each other by means of cold air ducts (141, 142).

[0084] The above cold air duct (141, 142) may include a first cold air duct (141) for providing cold air from the second inner case (130) to the first inner case (120). That is, an evaporator (134) (see FIG. 1) is provided in the rear space within the second inner case (130), and cold air generated in the evaporator (134) is provided to the first inner case (120) under the guidance of the first cold air duct (141).

[0085] As shown in the attached drawings 7 and 9, the first cold air duct (141) has one end connected to the central portion of the upper part of the back surface of the second inner case (130), and the other end connected to the central portion of the lower part of the upper part of the back surface of the first inner case (120). Accordingly, cold air passing through the evaporator (134) can be selectively provided into the second storage chamber (131), or can be provided into the first storage chamber (121) after being transported along the first cold air duct (141). At this time, an opening / closing damper (omitted from the drawing) that selectively opens / closes the corresponding passage may be provided at least at one of the cold air inlet or outlet of the first cold air duct (141).

[0086] In addition, the cold air duct (141, 142) may include a second cold air duct (142) for recovering cold air flowing through the first inner case (120) into the second inner case (130).

[0087] This second cold air duct (142) may have one end connected to one side of the first cold air duct (141) among the rear walls of the first inner case (120), and the other end connected to the lower central portion of the rear wall of the second inner case (130). At this time, the lower central portion of the rear wall of the second inner case (130) to which the lower end of the second cold air duct (142) is connected may be the lower portion of the evaporator (134) provided within the second inner case (130).

[0088] In addition, an ice making device (150) may be provided within the second inner case (130). The ice making device (150) may be a device that automatically generates ice by receiving water and separating it, or may be a device or structure for generating ice, such as a simple ice tray.

[0089] The ice maker (150) may be provided in the upper space within the second inner case (130). An ice bank (151) (see FIGS. 2 and 8) for storing ice generated by the ice maker (150) may be provided at the bottom of the ice maker (150).

[0090] Next, the refrigerator of the present invention may include a water supply unit (160).

[0091] The above water supply unit (160) may be provided to supply water to the ice maker (150).

[0092] The water supply unit (160) may be provided in the first storage room (121) provided by the first inner case (120). That is, since the second storage room (131) is maintained at a freezing temperature (0 to -18°C), the water supply unit (160) may be provided in the first storage room (121) which is maintained at a higher temperature than the second storage room (131) so as to prevent freezing of the water supplied by the water supply unit (160).

[0093] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the water supply unit (160) may include a water tank (161) in which water is stored, and a mounting guide (162) in which the water tank (161) is installed.

[0094] The water tank (161) may be formed as a cylinder with one side open so that it can be refilled by a user. For example, the water tank (161) may be formed as a cylinder with an open top. In this case, the open top of the water tank (161) may be provided with a cover that can be opened and closed.

[0095] In addition, the above mounting guide (162) can be formed so that the water tank (161) is selectively mounted while being fixedly installed within the first inner case (120).

[0096] The above mounting guide (162) can be fixed to the inner wall of the first inner case (120). At this time, the mounting guide (162) can be coupled to the first inner case (120) with a screw. Although not shown, the mounting guide (162) can also be coupled to the first inner case (120) using a hook structure or an interlocking structure.

[0097] In addition, the mounting guide (162) may be provided by being placed on one of the shelves (123) provided on the first inner case (120) as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 6, and 8. That is, the weight of the mounting guide (162) and the water tank (161) can be supported by the shelf (123).

[0098] In particular, the mounting guide (162) may be arranged on the rear side of one side of the inside of the first storage chamber (121) of the first inner case (120), as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, and 6. The rear side may be defined as a side located further rearward than the central portion of the first inner case (120). For example, the mounting guide (162) may be arranged on one corner of the rear side within the first inner case (120).

[0099] The above mounting guide (162) may be formed as a cylinder having an open bottom and a peripheral wall and an upper surface. At this time, the water tank (161) may be placed on the upper surface of the mounting guide (162).

[0100] The above mounting guide (162) serves to maintain the water tank (161) in the correct position.

[0101] To this end, the bottom surface of the water tank (161) and the top surface of the mounting guide (162) may be formed to be interlocked with each other. For example, a cover member (161a) may be formed to protrude downward from the bottom surface periphery of the water tank (161) and cover the top surface and upper periphery of the mounting guide (162). At this time, a mounting protrusion (162a) may be formed on the top periphery of the mounting guide (162) to guide the mounting position of the cover member (161a).

[0102] In addition, when a water tank (161) is mounted on the above mounting guide (162), the water stored in the water tank (161) can be configured to be selectively discharged.

[0103] To this end, a water outlet (161b) (see FIG. 4) is formed on the bottom surface of the water tank (161), and an outlet (162b) (see FIG. 4 and FIG. 6) is formed on the upper surface of the mounting guide (162) to coincide with the water outlet (161b) of the water tank (161) when the water tank (161) is mounted.

[0104] In addition, a pressurized valve (161c) that opens by pressurization may be positioned at the water outlet (161b), and a pressurized member (162c) for pressurizing the pressurized valve (161c) may be provided at the water outlet (162b). That is, when the water tank (161) is mounted on the mounting guide (162), the water outlet (161b) and the water outlet (162b) are aligned with each other, and the pressurized valve (161c) may be pressed against the pressurized member (162c) to open.

[0105] Additionally, the water supply unit (160) may include a water pump (163). The water pump (163) is connected to the outlet (162b) and acts to forcibly pump water within the water tank (161).

[0106] As illustrated in Fig. 6, the water pump (163) may be provided between the bottom surface of the mounting guide (162) and the top surface of the shelf (123). To this end, a lower peripheral wall (162d) is formed around the bottom surface of the mounting guide (162) to provide an internal installation space, and the water pump (163) is provided in the installation space formed by the lower peripheral wall (162d) of the mounting guide (162).

[0107] Additionally, the water supply unit (160) may include an electronic valve (164). The electronic valve (164) selectively controls the flow of water pumped by the water pump (163).

[0108] The above-mentioned electronic valve (164) may be provided between the rear surface of the mounting guide (162) and the rear wall within the first inner case (120). To this end, a rear peripheral wall (162e) is formed around the rear surface of the mounting guide (162) to provide an internal installation space, and the electronic valve (164) is provided in the installation space formed by the rear peripheral wall (162e) of the mounting guide (162).

[0109] The installation space formed by the lower peripheral wall (162d) and the installation space formed by the rear peripheral wall (162e) are formed to be in communication with each other, and thus the water pump (163) and the solenoid valve (164) can be connected to each other using a tube (omitted from the drawing).

[0110] Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 6, a passage hole (124) is formed in the side wall of the first inner case (120) so that a guide tube (200) connected to the solenoid valve (164) can be taken out, and a wall surface facing the passage hole (124) or a portion that coincides with the passage hole (124) among the rear peripheral wall (162e) of the mounting guide (162) is formed to be open.

[0111] Next, the refrigerator of the present invention may include a guide tube (200).

[0112] The above guide tube (200) is a soft tube or a bendable pipe provided to guide the flow of water supplied from the water supply unit (160) to the ice maker (150).

[0113] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 7 to FIG. 9, the guide tube (200) may have one end connected to the solenoid valve (164) and the other end connected to the water inlet side of the ice maker (150).

[0114] One end of the guide tube (200) can be connected to the electronic valve (164) forming the water supply unit (160) by penetrating through a passage hole (124) formed in the side wall of the first inner case (120). More specifically, the passage hole (124) is formed in the rear side wall of the first inner case (120), and one end of the guide tube (200) is connected to the electronic valve (164) by penetrating through the passage hole (124). As a result, the area where the guide tube (200) is located between the side wall of the first inner case (120) and the side wall of the outer case (130) is minimized, thereby minimizing the deterioration of the insulation performance in the area caused by the provision of the guide tube (200).

[0115] Of course, the deterioration of the insulation performance can be reduced by installing one end of the guide tube (200) so as to penetrate the rear wall of the first inner case (120). However, since the water supply unit (160) is provided in the first storage room (121) and the multi-duct (122) is positioned at the rear of the first storage room (121), the guide tube (200) must also penetrate the multi-duct (122) in order to penetrate the rear wall of the first inner case (120). In this case, a change in the structure of the multi-duct (122) is required. Accordingly, in order to reduce the deterioration of the insulation performance without penetrating the multi-duct (122), it is preferable that the guide tube (200) be connected so as to penetrate the rear side wall of the first inner case (120).

[0116] The other end of the above guide tube (200) penetrates the upper surface of the rear side of the second inner case (130) and is connected to the ice maker (150) located within the second inner case (130). Due to the connection structure of the guide tube (200), water can be completely supplied to the ice maker (150) without remaining within the guide tube (200).

[0117] Of course, the guide tube (200) may be installed to penetrate the rear wall or side wall of the second inner case (130). However, considering that the gap between the first inner case (120) and the second inner case (130) is greater than the gap between each inner case (120, 130) and the outer case (110), connecting the guide tube (200) between the first inner case (120) and the second inner case (130) is more preferable to reduce the deterioration of the insulation performance.

[0118] It is preferable that at least a portion of the above guide tube (200) be formed to extend along the edge portion between the first inner case (120) and the outer case (110).

[0119] Preferably, the guide tube (200) is formed so that the space between one end and the other end extends along the corner portion between the first inner case (120) and the outer case (110). This structure is designed to prevent a decrease in the insulation performance between the outer case (110) and the first inner case (120) that occurs when the guide tube (200) is connected. That is, since the gap between the outer case (110) and the first inner case (120) is larger in the corner portion than in other portions, the insulation material is also filled thicker accordingly. In consideration of this, the guide tube (200) is arranged so as to extend along the corner portion between the outer case (110) and the first inner case (120), thereby preventing a decrease in the insulation performance between the outer case (110) and the first inner case (120) as much as possible.

[0120] Meanwhile, the guide tube (200) may be easily deformed by surrounding structures. That is, its position may be changed or undesirable bending deformation may occur due to the insulation material filled between each inner case (120, 130) and the outer case (110). That is, considering that the insulation material is filled between each inner case (120, 130) and the outer case (110) by spraying insulation foam at high pressure, the guide tube (200) may be bent due to the filling pressure of the insulation material during the filling of the insulation material. In particular, if the guide tube (200) is excessively bent, a problem may occur in which the connection with the water supply unit (160) or the ice maker (150) is disconnected.

[0121] Accordingly, the refrigerator of the present invention may further include a guide guide (300) that guides and protects the guide tube (200).

[0122] That is, by providing the additional guide (300) above, the guide tube (200) can be prevented from being deformed or unintentionally separated due to the external environment.

[0123] The above guide guide (300) is formed as a hollow tube, and the guide tube (200) can be installed so as to be connected along the inside of the guide guide (300). At this time, the guide guide (300) can be formed of a hard material so as to prevent deformation even under the filling pressure of the insulation material. For example, the guide guide (300) can be formed of a metal pipe or a hard synthetic resin.

[0124] This guide (300) may include a first part (310) connected to the first inner case (120), a second part (320) connected to the second inner case (130), and a third part (330) formed between the first part (310) and the second part (320).

[0125] Here, the first portion (310) of the guide guide (300) may be formed to be connected to the outer surface of the side wall of the first inner case (120). In particular, the first portion (310) may be formed to protrude from the side of the first inner case (120) and then be bent to reach the rear surface of the first inner case (120).

[0126] In addition, the first portion (310) is configured to receive a guide tube (200) that is connected to the rear side of the first inner case (120) and extended to the corresponding portion. At this time, the end of the first portion (310) may be configured to cover a passage hole (124) formed on the side of the first inner case (120) to prevent leakage of cold air within the first storage chamber (121).

[0127] In addition, the first portion (310) is formed to protrude from the side of the first inner case (120) and then bend to reach the corner of the first inner case (120).

[0128] In addition, the third portion (330) extending from the first portion (310) may be formed to extend along the edge portion between the first inner case (120) and the outer case (110) to the upper surface of the second inner case (130). Accordingly, the guide tube (200) guided to the guide guide (300) may be installed along the edge portion between the first inner case (120) and the outer case (110).

[0129] In particular, the third portion (330) may be formed to be located between the back surface of the first inner case (120) and the back surface within the outer case (110) among the corner portions between the first inner case (120) and the outer case (110). That is, considering that each of the cold air ducts (141, 142) is connected to the back surface of the first inner case (120), even if the guide guide (300) protrudes by the same amount as the protrusion height of the cold air ducts (141, 142), the deterioration of the insulation performance between the back surface of the first inner case (120) and the back surface within the outer case (110) is minimal. Moreover, since the third portion (330) extends along the corner portion within the outer case (110), the deterioration of the insulation performance can be further reduced. Although not shown, if a structure other than the cooling duct (141, 142) is additionally provided on the back surface of the first inner case (120) and the rear corner portion within the outer case (110), the third portion (330) may be located between the side of the first inner case (120) and the side within the outer case (110) among the corner portions between the first inner case (120) and the outer case (110).

[0130] Of course, in order to minimize the deterioration of insulation performance, it is more preferable that the third portion (330) be formed so as to be positioned lower than the protruding height of each of the cold air ducts (141, 142).

[0131] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 7, and FIG. 8, the second portion (320) of the guide guide (300) may be connected to the upper surface of the second outer case (130). That is, the second portion (320) of the guide guide (300) may be formed to protect the other end of the guide tube (200) that is connected to penetrate the upper surface of the second outer case (130).

[0132] Meanwhile, the guide guide (300) can be connected to each inner case (120, 130) when the inner case (120, 130) and the outer case (110) are coupled. That is, when the guide guide (300) is coupled to each inner case (120, 130), an insulating material is filled between each inner case (120, 130) and the outer case (110). As a result, it is difficult to selectively separate the guide guide (300) after the insulating material is filled.

[0133] On the other hand, the guide tube (200) can be inserted into the guide guide (300) or taken out from the guide guide (300) as needed. That is, the guide tube (200) can be replaced as needed by providing the guide guide (300).

[0134] In addition, while the guide tube (200) is inserted into the guide guide (300) and combined, a water supply unit (160) and an ice maker (150) are installed in each storage chamber (121, 131), and both ends of the guide tube (200) are connected to the water supply unit (160) and the ice maker (150), respectively.

[0135] As described above, in the refrigerator of the present invention, since the guide tube (200) is connected between the first inner case (120) and the outer case (110), the guide tube (200) can be prevented from being exposed to the outside of the refrigerator body (100). As a result, the disadvantage of the guide tube (200) taking a long time to make ice due to the influence of the indoor temperature can be resolved, and damage or deformation of the guide tube (200) can be prevented.

[0136] In addition, since the refrigerator of the present invention has a guide tube (200) connected along the edge portion between the first inner case (120) and the outer case (110), it is possible to reduce the deterioration of the insulation performance between the side wall of the first inner case (120) and the side wall of the outer case (110) without having to deform the multi-duct (122).

[0137] In particular, in the refrigerator of the present invention, since the guide tube (200) is positioned between the rear surface of the first inner case (120) and the rear surface of the outer case (110) among the corner portions between the first inner case (120) and the outer case (110), the deterioration of the insulation performance between the side wall of the first inner case (120) and the side wall of the outer case (110) is minimized.

[0138] In addition, since the refrigerator of the present invention is formed so that the guide tube (200) is positioned lower than the cold air duct (141, 142) on the back surface of the first inner case (120), it is possible to reduce the deterioration of the insulation performance between the back surface of the first inner case (120) and the back surface within the outer case (110).

[0139] In addition, since the refrigerator of the present invention can maintain the guide tube (200) fixed in a specific position by the guidance of the guide guide (300), deformation or change in position of the guide tube (200) can be prevented during the process of filling insulation material between each inner case (120, 130) and the outer case (110).

[0140] Meanwhile, the refrigerator of the present invention can be implemented in a form other than the above-described embodiment.

[0141] For example, the refrigerator of the present invention may have a second storage compartment (131) maintained at a relatively low temperature located at the upper side within the refrigerator body (100), and a first storage compartment (121) located at the lower side within the refrigerator body (100).

[0142] In this case, the guide tube (200) of the refrigerator of the present invention may be formed to penetrate the rear side wall of the first inner case (120), sequentially extend upward along the corner portion of the first inner case (120) and the corner portion of the second inner case (130), and then connect to the upper surface of the second inner case (130). This is as illustrated in the attached Fig. 10.

[0143] In this way, the refrigerator of the present invention can be implemented in various forms.

[0144] Although all components constituting the embodiments of the present invention have been described above as being combined or operating in combination, the present invention is not necessarily limited to these embodiments. That is, within the scope of the present invention, all components may be selectively combined and operated one or more times. In addition, terms such as "include," "comprise," or "have" described above, unless specifically stated to the contrary, mean that the corresponding component may be present, and therefore should be interpreted as including other components rather than excluding other components. All terms, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, unless otherwise defined. Commonly used terms, such as terms defined in a dictionary, should be interpreted as being consistent with the contextual meaning of the related technology, and shall not be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal sense, unless explicitly defined in the present invention.

[0145] The above description is merely an illustrative illustration of the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are intended to illustrate rather than limit the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas within a scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the rights of the present invention.

Claims

1. Outcase; A first inner case provided within the above outer case and providing a first storage compartment; A second inner case provided within the above outer case, wherein an ice maker is positioned while providing a second storage room having a lower temperature than the first storage room; A water supply unit provided within the first inner case; It includes a guide tube that guides the flow of water supplied from the water supply unit to the ice maker; A refrigerator, characterized in that at least a portion of the guide tube is formed to extend along an edge portion between the first inner case and the outer case.

2. In paragraph 1, The above water supply unit, A water tank in which water is stored and a water outlet is formed, A pressure valve provided at the outlet of the above water tank and operated by pressurization to open and close the outlet, A mounting guide on which the water tank is mounted and has an outlet formed that matches the outlet of the water tank when the water tank is mounted, A pressurizing member provided at the outlet of the above-mentioned mounting guide and pressurizing the pressurizing valve when the above-mentioned water tank is mounted, A refrigerator including a water pump that pumps water through the outlet while being installed in the above mounting guide.

3. In paragraph 2, A lower perimeter wall is formed around the bottom surface of the above mounting guide to provide an installation space inside. A refrigerator characterized in that the water pump is provided in an installation space formed by the lower peripheral wall of the mounting guide.

4. In paragraph 2, The above water supply unit, A refrigerator further characterized by including an electronic valve for selectively controlling water pumped by the water pump.

5. In paragraph 4, The rear perimeter of the above mounting guide has a rear perimeter wall with one side open to provide an installation space inside. A refrigerator characterized in that the above-mentioned solenoid valve is provided in an installation space formed by the rear peripheral wall of the above-mentioned mounting guide.

6. In paragraph 5, A passage is formed on the side of the first inner case through which a guide tube is taken out from the water supply unit. A refrigerator characterized in that the above mounting guide is formed so that a wall surface facing the passage hole among the rear peripheral walls or a portion that coincides with the passage hole is open.

7. In paragraph 2, A refrigerator characterized in that the above mounting guide is fixed to the inner wall of the first inner case.

8. In paragraph 2, A refrigerator characterized in that the above mounting guide is provided to be placed on one of the shelves provided in the first inner case.

9. In paragraph 1, A refrigerator characterized in that the above guide tube is connected under the guidance of a guide guide.

10. In paragraph 9, The above guide is, A first part connected to the first inner case, A second part connected to the second inner case, A refrigerator characterized by including a third section extending along an edge section between the first inner case and the outer case and forming a gap between the first section and the second section.

11. In Article 10, A refrigerator characterized in that the first part of the above guide is connected to the side of the first inner case.

12. In paragraph 10, A refrigerator characterized in that the first part of the above guide is connected further rearward than the center of the side of the first inner case.

13. In paragraph 10, A refrigerator characterized in that the first part of the above guide is formed to protrude from the side of the first inner case and then bend to the rear of the first inner case.

14. In paragraph 10, A cold air duct is provided on the rear of the first inner case and the second inner case to guide the supply or recovery of cold air. A refrigerator characterized in that the third part of the guide is formed to be positioned lower than the protruding height of the cold air duct.

15. In paragraph 10, A refrigerator characterized in that the second part of the above guide is connected to the upper surface of the second outer case.

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