Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator having a refrigerator body including a first cooling chamber and a second cooling chamber, a barrier wall located between the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber, an evaporator configured to provide cooling air, a first cooling fan configured to provide cooling air of the evaporator to the first cooling chamber, and a second cooling fan configured to provide cooling air of the evaporator to the second cooling chamber is provided. A method of providing cooling air flow in a refrigerator is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a refrigerator body including a first cooling chamber and a second cooling chamber;   a barrier wall located between the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber;   an evaporator configured to provide cooling air;   a first cooling fan configured to provide cooling air of the evaporator to the first cooling chamber; and   a second cooling fan configured to provide cooling air of the evaporator to the second cooling chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier wall is substantially horizontal. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the evaporator is located in the barrier wall. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , wherein the refrigerator includes a door located at a front of the refrigerator for opening and closing one of the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber, and
 wherein the evaporator is disposed to be sloped downwardly from the front of the refrigerator to a rear of the refrigerator.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , wherein a portion of the barrier wall disposed at an upper side of the evaporator gradually increases in thickness from the front to the rear. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein a first cooling air suction opening is formed at an upper surface of the barrier wall and a second cooling air suction opening is formed at a lower surface of the barrier wall. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the evaporator is disposed to be sloped downwardly from a front of the refrigerator to a rear of the refrigerator. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a guide member disposed in the second cooling chamber, the guide member being configured to guide an air flow.   
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 8 , wherein the guide member includes a defrost water flow path configured to guide defrost water to flow away from the barrier wall. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein a drain unit is located at a lower portion of the guide member. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the first cooling chamber is a refrigerating chamber and the second cooling chamber is a freezing chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a door for opening and closing the refrigerating chamber;   an ice making chamber formed at the door of the refrigerating chamber;   a side wall cooling air duct to guide cooling air generated in the evaporator to the ice making chamber; and   an ice making fan to blow cooling air to the side wall cooling air duct.   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 12 , wherein the ice making fan is disposed within the barrier wall. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further, comprising:
 a door for opening and closing the first cooling chamber;   an ice making chamber formed at a door of the first cooling chamber;   a side wall cooling air duct for guiding cooling air generated in the evaporator to the ice making chamber; and   an ice making fan for blowing cooling air to the side wall cooling air duct.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 first and second branch flow paths formed at a refrigerant entrance of the evaporator; and   first and second expansion devices disposed at the first and second branch flow paths, respectively.   
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second expansion devices are first and second capillary tubes, respectively. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 16 , wherein a diameter of the first capillary tube is larger than a diameter of the second capillary tube. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 15 , further comprising a valve assembly for selectively opening and closing one of the first branch flow path, the second branch flow path, and both first and second branch flow paths. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the valve assembly includes:
 a first valve disposed at the first branch flow path; and   a second valve disposed at the second branch flow path.   
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the valve assembly includes a flow path switching valve disposed at an upper stream side of the first and second branch flow paths to selectively control flow to one of the first branch flow path, the second branch flow path, and both first and second branch flow paths. 
     
     
         21 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the evaporator is the only evaporator providing cooling air to the first and second cooling chambers. 
     
     
         22 . A method of providing cooling air flow in a refrigerator, the refrigerator having a body defining a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber, an evaporator configured to provide cooling air, a first fan configured to provide cooling air of the evaporator to the refrigerating chamber, a second fan configured to provide cooling air of the evaporator to the freezing chamber, a first refrigerant flow path to provide refrigerant to the evaporator, and a second refrigerant flow path to provide refrigerant to the evaporator, the method comprising:
 providing cooling air to the refrigerating chamber by operating the first fan and flowing refrigerant through the second flow path; and   providing cooling air to the freezing chamber by operating the second fan and flowing refrigerant through the first flow path.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , where providing cooling air to the refrigerating chamber and providing cooling air to the freezing chamber occur simultaneously. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the refrigerator further includes an ice making chamber and a third fan configured to provide cooling air of the evaporator to the ice making chamber, the method comprising:
 providing cooling air to the ice making chamber by operating the third fan and flowing refrigerant through both the first and second flow paths.