Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a heat transfer unit, which transfers heat generated from a machine room within a refrigerator main body to a periphery of a home bar so as to remove dew formed at the periphery of the home bar, and an insulating unit for surrounding an outer circumference of the heat transfer unit. The refrigerator further includes a heating unit installed to be thermally conductive with the heat transfer unit, and a non-conductive cover for covering the heat transfer unit and the heating unit. Consequently, waste heat generated from the machine room, other than a separate power supply unit, can be used to prevent dew formation at the periphery of the home bar, so as to remarkably reduce power consumption.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a refrigerator main body having a storage space for keeping foods;   a door configured to open or close the storage space of the refrigerator main body;   a home bar provided in the door; and   a heat transfer unit installed to surround a periphery of the home bar, and configured to transfer heat generated from a machine room of the refrigerator main body to the periphery of the home bar.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer unit is configured as a heat pipe. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the heat transfer unit is formed in a shape of pipe, having a middle portion surrounding the periphery of the home bar and both ends located at a lower side of the refrigerator main body. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , further comprising a condensation heat guiding passage provided within a lower portion of the refrigerator main body, and configured to guide heat generated from a condenser installed in the refrigerator main body toward the end portion of the heat transfer unit. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , further comprising an auxiliary fan disposed at a lower end of the refrigerator main body and configured to guide heat generated from the condenser installed in the refrigerator main body toward the end portion of the heat transfer unit. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , wherein the condenser is installed at the lower end of the refrigerator main body. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising an insulating unit configured to cover an outer circumference of the heat transfer unit. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein the insulating unit is formed of polyurethane and configured to cover a portion excluding a portion where the periphery of the home bar contacts an outer surface of the refrigerator main body. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a heating unit installed to be thermally conductive with the heat transfer unit; and   a cover configured to cover the heat transfer unit and the heating unit.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein the cover is made of a non-conductive material. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein the heating unit is contactable with an outer surface of the heat transfer unit,
 wherein the cover is attached onto an inner surface of the door to cover the heat transfer unit and the heating unit.   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein the heating unit is provided at least one in number and installed at least one side surface of the heat transfer unit to be thermally conductive. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , further comprising a conductive adhesive interposed between the heat transfer unit and the heating unit. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , further comprising a heating temperature control module configured to control the heating temperature of the heating unit. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , wherein the heating temperature control module comprises:
 a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of the heat transfer unit located at the heat source; and   a controller electrically connected to the temperature sensor and configured to control the operation of the heating unit such that the measured temperature reaches a preset reference heating temperature.