Refrigerator and method for manufacturing same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and a method for manufacturing same and, particularly, to a refrigerator and a method for manufacturing same, wherein the refrigerator is characterized by comprising: a main body including an outer case and an inner case that is provided inside the outer case, has an ice making chamber and a refrigerating chamber provided in an upper portion thereof, and has a freezing chamber provided in a lower portion thereof; a partition wall which is coupled to the inner case to form the ice making chamber and has a heat insulating material-accommodating space provided therein; and a space part provided between the outer case and the inner case, wherein heat insulating materials are injected into and integrally foamed with the space part and the heat insulting material-accommodating space to partition the ice making chamber as a heat insulating space separate from the refrigerating chamber. The injection of heat insulating materials into the space part of the main body and the heat insulating material-accommodating space of the partition wall can be integrated, and the foaming of the injected heat insulating materials can also be integrated. A worker can assemble and weld an evaporator without spatial restrictions, even in the case of a large capacity refrigerator, and is not required to bend down at the waist and enter the inside of a storage chamber.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a main body including an outer case and an inner case provided inside the outer case, wherein an upper part of the inner case provides an ice making compartment and a refrigerator compartment, and a lower part of the inner case provides a freezer compartment;   a partition wall coupled to the inner case and configured to form the ice making compartment, wherein a thermal insulation material accommodating space is provided inside the partition wall; and   a space portion provided between the outer case and the inner case,   wherein a thermal insulation material is injected into the space portion and the thermal insulation material accommodating space and is integrally foamed to partition the ice making compartment as a separate thermal insulation space from the refrigerator compartment.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an evaporator provided on a rear side of the ice making compartment and configured to supply a cold air to the ice making compartment,   wherein the evaporator is installed through an opening formed in a rear wall of the outer case.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 an evaporator case provided between the rear wall of the outer case and a rear wall of the inner case, the evaporator case having an installation space communicating with the opening; and   a thermal insulation cover configured to open and close the opening,   wherein the evaporator is installed in the installation space.   
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , wherein the evaporator case is installed on the rear side of the ice making compartment, and the installation space communicates with the ice making compartment. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an ice storage bucket that is taken into and out of the ice making compartment and shields an open front surface of the ice making compartment,   wherein the ice storage bucket is provided with a handle.   
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein the ice storage bucket includes:
 an ice making compartment door configured to selectively open and close the open front surface of the ice making compartment; and   a bucket portion connected to a rear side of the ice making compartment door,   wherein the handle is formed on a front lower part of the ice making compartment door.   
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an ice storage bucket including an ice making compartment door configured to open and close the ice making compartment by being detachable from a front surface of the partition wall, and a bucket portion configured to store an ice generated by an ice maker,   wherein an ice discharge port is formed in a lower part of the partition wall.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein a detachable portion between the partition wall and the ice making compartment door is positioned to be spaced apart from the bucket portion at a front side of the bucket portion. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein a contact portion protruding convexly downward is formed at an edge of a lower end of the ice discharge port. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a dispenser installed in a door opening and closing the refrigerator compartment, the dispenser including an ice transfer duct in which a gasket is installed at an upper end of the ice transfer duct,   wherein the contact portion pressurizes an entire perimeter of the gasket.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the gasket has an inclination with a decreasing height as an upper surface goes from a front to a rear, and
 wherein when the door is closed, the contact portion is in close contact with the gasket along the inclination.   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein a first bead portion is formed on one side of an inner surface of the inner case, and a second bead portion is formed on other side of the inner surface of the inner case, and
 wherein a first concave portion matched with the first bead portion is formed on one side of the partition wall, and a second concave portion matched with the second bead portion is formed on other side of the partition wall.   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 12 , wherein a first protrusion having a first through hole is formed on one of the first bead portion and the first concave portion, and a first inlet port into which the first protrusion is inserted is formed on the other, and
 wherein a second protrusion having a second through hole is formed on one of the second bead portion and the second concave portion, and a second inlet port into which the second protrusion is inserted is formed on the other.   
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacturing a refrigerator, the method comprising:
 fixing a partition wall forming an ice making compartment to a main body;   injecting a thermal insulation material into a space portion of the main body and injecting the thermal insulation material into a thermal insulation material accommodating space of the partition wall; and   performing an integral foaming process on the thermal insulation material.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 before fixing the partition wall, matching a bead portion of the main body with a concave portion of the partition wall.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the thermal insulation material is injected into the thermal insulation material accommodating space from the space portion through an inlet port formed in the bead portion and a through hole formed in a protrusion of the concave portion. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein after performing the integral foaming process, the partition wall is inseparable from the main body. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein a first bead portion is formed on one side of an inner surface of the inner case, and a second bead portion is formed on other side of the inner surface of the inner case, and
 wherein a first concave portion matched with the first bead portion is formed on one side of the partition wall, and a second concave portion matched with the second bead portion is formed on other side of the partition wall.