Apparatus for storing food and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

An apparatus for storing food includes one or more food storage chambers, and a cooling device and fan unit located behind the food storage chambers. The apparatus also includes an ice maker, and a fan and associated ducting to convey cool air from the cooling device to the ice maker. The fan for conveying cool air to the ice maker can be a box type fan where the motor of the fan is located within a blade unit of the fan, to thereby save space which would otherwise be occupied by a fan having an external motor. In some embodiments, the fan can be mounted such that the axis of the blade unit is oriented horizontally such that no portion of the fan unit protrudes into the storage space of the food storage chambers.

1 . A food storage apparatus, comprising:
 a housing that includes at least one food storage chamber;   a cooling device that generates cold air, wherein the cooling device is located in a constructing space that is behind the at least one food storage chamber;   a cool air supply duct located in a side wall of the housing, wherein an inlet to the cool air supply duct opens directly into the constructing space; and   a fan unit located in the constructing space and coupled to the inlet of the cool air supply duct, wherein the fan unit blows cool air from the cooling device into the cool air supply duct, and wherein the fan unit comprises a box type fan having a motor that is mounted inside a blade unit of the fan.   
   
   
       2 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fan unit sucks air in an axial direction of the fan and discharges air in a radial direction of the fan. 
   
   
       3 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the axis of the fan is oriented vertically. 
   
   
       4 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the axis of the fan is oriented horizontally. 
   
   
       5 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the fan unit is directly coupled to the inlet of the supply duct. 
   
   
       6 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one storage chamber comprises first and second storage chambers. 
   
   
       7 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising a cold air return duct mounted in a side wall of the housing, wherein an outlet of the cool air return duct opens into at least one of the first and second storage chambers. 
   
   
       8 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first storage chamber can maintain a plurality of different temperatures that range between a temperature of a freezing chamber and a temperature of a refrigerating chamber, and wherein the second storage chamber is a freezing chamber. 
   
   
       9 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a cold air return duct mounted in a side wall of the housing, wherein an outlet of the cool air return duct opens into the second storage chamber. 
   
   
       10 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the cool air supply duct supplies cool air to an ice maker of the food storage apparatus, and wherein the cool air return duct returns cool air from the ice maker to the second storage chamber. 
   
   
       11 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a duct unit located in the constructing space between the cooling device and rear walls of the first and second storage chambers, wherein the duct unit includes, as a single body:
 a first duct to guide cold air into the first storage chamber; 
 a second duct to guide cold air into the second storage room; and 
 a scroll-type fan housing from which the first duct and the second duct diverge. 
   
   
   
       12 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a storage room fan unit mounted in the scroll-type fan housing, wherein the storage room fan comprises a box type fan having a motor mounted in a blade unit of the fan. 
   
   
       13 . A food storage apparatus, comprising:
 a housing that includes first and second food storage chambers, wherein the second food storage chamber is a freezing chamber;   a cooling device that generates cold air, wherein the cooling device is located in a constructing space that is behind rear walls of the first and second food storage chambers;   a cool air supply duct located in a side wall of the housing, wherein an inlet to the cool air supply duct opens directly into the constructing space;   a fan unit located in the constructing space and coupled to the inlet of the cool air supply duct, wherein the fan unit blows cool air from the cooling device into the cool air supply duct; and   a cool air return duct located in the sidewall of the housing, wherein an outlet of the cool air return duct opens into the second food storage chamber.   
   
   
       14 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the cool air supply duct supplies cool air to an ice maker of the apparatus, and wherein the cool air return duct conducts air from the ice maker to second food storage room. 
   
   
       15 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the fan unit comprises a box fan having a motor that is installed in a blade unit of the fan. 
   
   
       16 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein a rotational axis of the fan unit is oriented horizontally. 
   
   
       17 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein a rotational axis of the fan unit is oriented vertically. 
   
   
       18 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein an outlet of the fan unit is directly coupled to the inlet of the cool air supply duct. 
   
   
       19 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein no portion of the fan unit protrudes into the first and second food storage chambers. 
   
   
       20 . The food storage apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first food storage chamber can maintain different temperatures that range between a temperature of a freezing chamber and a temperature of a refrigerating chamber, and further comprising a storage chamber fan unit that selectively blows cold air into the first and second food storage chambers so that the first and second food storage chambers are maintained at respective target temperatures.