Refrigerator having ice making room

Abstract

A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a refrigerator main body including a cooling chamber, a door for opening or closing the cooling chamber, an ice making chamber located at the door, a sub-chamber located at the door and spaced from the ice making chamber, the sub-chamber being configured to receive cool air from the cooling chamber, and a cold energy transfer unit configured to transfer energy of cool air of the sub-chamber to the ice making chamber.

1 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a refrigerator main body including a cooling chamber;   a door for opening or closing the cooling chamber;   an ice making chamber located at the door;   a sub-chamber located at the door and spaced from the ice making chamber, the sub-chamber being configured to receive cool air from the cooling chamber, and   a cold energy transfer unit configured to transfer energy of cool air of the sub-chamber to the ice making chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the sub-chamber includes a first inlet, the cooling chamber includes a first outlet, the first inlet of the sub-chamber being in communication with the first outlet of the cooling chamber when the door is closed, the first inlet of the sub-chamber not being in communication with the first outlet when the door is open. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the sub-chamber includes a first outlet, the cooling chamber includes a first inlet, the first outlet of the sub-chamber being in communication with the first inlet of the cooling chamber when the door is closed, the first outlet of the sub-chamber not being in communication with the first inlet when the door is open. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the sub-chamber includes a first outlet, the cooling chamber includes a first inlet, the first outlet of the sub-chamber being in communication with the first inlet of the cooling chamber when the door is closed, the first outlet of the sub-chamber not being in communication with the first inlet when the door is open. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the ice making chamber includes an ice maker configured to make ice. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the cold energy transfer unit includes a heat pipe extending between the sub-chamber and the ice making chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the cold energy transfer unit includes a first cold energy transfer unit located in the sub-chamber and a second cold energy transfer unit extending between the sub-chamber and the ice making chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein the second cold energy transfer unit includes a heat pipe. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein the second cold energy transfer unit includes a first heat exchanger located in the sub-chamber, a second heat exchanger located in the ice making chamber, and a liquid circulation path between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein the second cold energy transfer unit includes a pump to circulate refrigerant flowing in the liquid circulation path. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein the cooling chamber includes a refrigerating chamber, the first cold energy unit includes an evaporator located beneath the refrigerating chamber, the cool air produced by the evaporator being in communication with the sub-chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling chamber includes a refrigerating chamber, the door is a refrigerating chamber door for opening and closing the refrigerating chamber, and the ice making chamber is located at the refrigerating chamber door. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 12 , wherein the cold energy transfer unit includes a heat pipe provided at the refrigerating chamber door. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein the cooling chamber includes a freezing chamber, and the refrigerator further includes a cool air transfer passage formed in the refrigerator main body to transfer the cool air of the freezing chamber to the sub-chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , wherein a cool air discharge port for discharging cool air that has passed through the sub-chamber is formed in the freezing chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 12 , wherein the heat pipe includes at least one heat transfer fin disposed in the sub-chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 12 , wherein the cold energy transfer unit includes a secondary refrigerant circulating unit to absorb heat from air in the ice making chamber by circulation of a refrigerant. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 17 , wherein the secondary refrigerant circulating unit includes a first heat exchanger disposed in the ice making chamber, a second heat exchanger connected to the first heat exchanger to circulate a refrigerant, and a pump for circulating the refrigerant through the first and the second heat exchangers. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the cooling chamber includes a freezing chamber, and the refrigerator further includes a cool air transfer passage in the refrigerator main body for transferring the cool air of the freezing chamber to the refrigerating chamber door. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 19 , wherein the cool air transfer passage includes the sub-chamber formed at the refrigerating chamber door and a connecting passage for connecting the sub-chamber with the refrigerating chamber, and the second heat exchanger is disposed within the sub-chamber. 
     
     
         21 . The refrigerator of  claim 20 , wherein a cool air discharge port for discharging cool air that has passed through the sub-chamber is formed in the freezing chamber. 
     
     
         22 . The refrigerator of  claim 21 , wherein the cool air transfer passage includes a fan for accelerating the flow of cool air. 
     
     
         23 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a refrigerator main body including a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber;   a door for opening or closing the refrigerating chamber;   an ice making chamber located at the door;   a sub-chamber located at the door and spaced from the ice making chamber, the sub-chamber being configured to receive cool air from the freezing chamber,   a first cold energy transfer unit configured to transfer energy of the cool air of the sub-chamber using convection; and   a second cold energy transfer unit configured to transfer energy of the first cold energy transfer unit to the ice making chamber using thermal conduction.   
     
     
         24 . The refrigerator of  claim 23 , further comprising a cool air transfer passage in the refrigerator main body to transfer the cool air of the freezing chamber to the sub-chamber. 
     
     
         25 . The refrigerator of  claim 24 , wherein the cool air transfer passage includes the sub-chamber formed at the refrigerating chamber door and a connecting passage for connecting the sub-chamber with the freezing chamber. 
     
     
         26 . The refrigerator of  claim 25 , wherein the cool air transfer passage includes a fan for accelerating the flow of cool air. 
     
     
         27 . The refrigerator of  claim 26 , wherein the fan is operated only when the ice making chamber is making ice. 
     
     
         28 . The refrigerator of  claim 23 , wherein the second cold energy transfer unit includes a heat pipe to provide thermal conduction. 
     
     
         29 . The refrigerator of  claim 23 , wherein the second cold energy transfer unit includes a secondary refrigerant circulating unit to provide thermal conduction via refrigerant flow.