Refrigerator

Abstract

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator configured to improve main body stiffness, which is decreased as thickness of an insulation material is reduced to increase inner capacity of the main body, using a reinforcement structure, resulting in reduction of deformation of the main body. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator in which an electronic box including various electronic constituent elements needed to control the operation of the refrigerator is disposed in a hinge cover provided in a forward direction of an upper part of the main body, resulting in improved space utilization (or space occupancy). Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator in which a reinforcement plate formed of steel is contained in the electronic box, such that, although a fire breaks out in constituent elements contained in the electronic box, the refrigerator can prevent the fire from spreading to the outside of the electronic box using the steel reinforcement plate.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A refrigerator comprising:
 a main body; 
 a storage refrigerating chamber provided in inside the main body, the storage chamber having a front surface that is open and having an open front side; 
 a freezing chamber provided in the main body;  
 an evaporator configured to supply generate cool air to the storage chamber; and 
 a cool air duct to form a flow passage to allow cool air generated by the evaporator to be supplied to the storage chamber, including:  
 wherein the cool air duct includes: 
 a front panel formed of a metal material, the front panel being disposed at a back surface of the storage chamber, such that an indoor space formed inside of the storage chamber is cooled by the cool air supplied to the storage chamber and a uniform temperature is thus maintained in the indoor space of the storage chamber provided in the refrigerating chamber, the front panel forming a portion of a rear interior surface of the refrigerating chamber and being formed of a metal material, 
 the front panel including:
 an upper part formed in a flat panel shape, and 
 a lower part, formed in a curved shape, that is integrally coupled to integrally extend from the upper part in a streamlined shape from an end of the upper part of the front panel in a direction toward the front surface of the storage chamber, and wherein the lower part of the front panel is formed to gradually curve extend outward from the end of the upper part of the front panel in the a top end of the lower part in a direction toward the front surface side of the storage refrigerating chamber so that a bottom end of the lower part is formed to be closer to the front surface side of the storage refrigerating chamber than a the top end of the lower part, 
 a plurality of cool air outlets formed on the front panel,  
 
 a cool air flow passage unit disposed at a back surface at a rear side of the front panel so as to form the flow passage, the cool air flow passage unit including:
 a first part arranged at the rear side of the front panel, and 
 a second part coupled to the first part whereby the first part is between the front panel and the second part, the first part and the second part forming an air flow passage therebetween so that the cool air generated by the evaporator flows through the air flow passage and the cool air is discharged to the refrigerating chamber through openings of the air flow passage at corresponding positions of the plurality of cool air outlets formed on the front panel; 
 
 a fan mounting member disposed at a lower part of the cool air flow passage unit so as to supply cool air generated by the evaporator to the storage chamber portion configured to guide the cool air generated by the evaporator through the air flow passage; 
 wherein the cool air flow passage unit includes: 
 a first cool air flow passage disposed at a back surface of the front panel, and 
 a second cool air flow passage connected to a back surface of the first cool air flow passage such that the flow passage is formed between the first cool air flow passage and the second cool air flow passage 
 a fan mounted in the fan mounting portion, and 
 a barrier provided at the lower part of the front panel, the barrier forming a portion of the rear interior surface of the refrigerating chamber, 
 wherein the evaporator and the fan are disposed at a rear side of the barrier. 
 
     
     
       2. The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the front panel is configured to have a width corresponding to a width of the storage refrigerating chamber. 
     
     
       3. The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the front panel is formed of aluminum (Al), and includes a plurality of cool air outlets through which the cool air guided through the flow passage is discharged to an inside of the storage chamber. 
     
     
       4. The refrigerator according to claim  3   1 , comprising a fan, wherein the fan is arranged at an upper part of the evaporator, the lower part of the front panel is formed to accommodate an installation space of the fan wherein the fan mounting portion includes:
 a housing configured to be mounted to a lower side of the cool air flow passage unit, 
 a cover member configured to cover the housing, the cover member having an opening such that the fan is exposed through the opening of the cover member. 
 
     
     
       5. The refrigerator according to claim  4   1 , wherein the lower part of the front panel includes:
 a barrier to form a space in which the evaporator and the fan are installed, 
 wherein the barrier closely adheres to the lower part of the front panel such that the storage chamber and the space in which the evaporator and the fan are installed are sealed up each of the openings of the air flow passage of the air flow passage are aligned with the plurality of cool air outlets of the front panel, respectively. 
 
     
     
       6. The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the first cool air flow passage includes: a plurality of discharge holes located at positions corresponding to positions of the plurality of cool air outlets. 
     
     
       7. The refrigerator according to claim  6   1 , wherein:
 the fan mounting member is located at a lower part of the cool air flow passage unit, and includes a housing to which a fan is rotatably mounted and a cover member to cover an opened front surface of the housing the barrier is configured to protrude toward the refrigerating chamber such that a separation distance between the barrier and the open front side is shorter than a separation distance between the front panel and the open front side. 
 
     
     
       8. The refrigerator according to claim  7 , wherein:
 a drain member configured to drain condensed water generated from the evaporator to the outside is disposed at a lower part of the evaporator 1, further comprising a shelf unit provided in the refrigerating chamber, the shelf unit disposed above the barrier. 
 
     
     
       9. The refrigerator according to claim  8   1 , wherein further comprising:
 the drain member has a tilted surface that is gradually tilted downward with decreasing distance from a right end of the drain member on the basis of a center part of the drain member, and a drain hole through which the condensed water is drained is provided at an end of the tilted surface 
 a shelf unit including a shelf and a bracket to support the shelf, 
 a support unit disposed between the cool air duct and an inner casing of the main body to support the bracket through a fixing hole, 
 wherein the fixing hole is disposed between the plurality of cool air outlets of the front panel. 
 
     
     
       10. The refrigerator according to claim  9   1 , wherein further comprising:
 the drain hole includes a drain pipe through which the condensed water is drained to the outside of the main body, 
 wherein the drain pipe is disposed between an inner casing and an outer casing of a side surface of the main body 
 a drain portion configured to drain condensed water generated from the evaporator which is disposed at a lower part of the evaporator, 
 wherein the drain portion has a tilted surface gradually tilted downward, and a drain hole through which condensed water is drained is provided at an end of the tilted surface. 
 
     
     
       11. A refrigerator comprising:
 a main body; 
 a storage refrigerating chamber provided in the main body, the storage chamber having a front surface that is open and having an open front side; 
 a freezing chamber in the main body;  
 an evaporator configured to supply generate cool air to the storage chamber; 
 a fan to guide the cool air generated by the evaporator such that the cool air is supplied to the storage chamber; and provided at an upper side of the evaporator and configured to blow the cool air generated by the evaporator;  
 a cool air duct to form a flow passage to allow the cool air generated by the evaporator to be supplied to the storage chamber, including:  
 wherein the cool air duct includes: a front panel formed of a metal material provided in the refrigerating chamber, the front panel forming a portion of a rear interior surface of the refrigerating chamber, being formed of a metal material and including a plurality of cool air outlets,    the front panel being disposed at a back surface of the storage chamber, such that an indoor space formed inside of the storage chamber is cooled by the cool air supplied to the storage chamber and a uniform temperature is thus maintained in the indoor space of the storage chamber;   a cool air flow passage unit disposed at a back surface of the front panel so as to form the flow passage; at a rear side of the front panel, the cool air flow passage unit including:
 a first part disposed at the rear side of the front panel, and 
 a second part coupled to a rear side of the first part whereby the first part is between the front panel and the second part, the first part and the second part forming an air flow passage therebetween so that the cool air generated by the evaporator flows through the air flow passage and the cool air is discharged to the refrigerating chamber through openings of the air flow passage at corresponding positions of the plurality of cool air outlets formed on the front panel; and 
   a fan mounting member that is provided at a lower part of the cool air flow passage unit, is connected to the fan portion to which the fan is mounted, provided at a lower side of the cool air flow passage unit, the fan mounting member portion being formed to protrude farther be connectable to the lower side of the cool air flow passage unit so that while the fan mounting portion is connected to the lower side of the cool air flow passage unit, the fan mounting portion protrudes forward than the cool air flow passage unit toward the front side of the refrigerating chamber where a distance between the fan mounting member portion and the front surface side of the storage refrigerating chamber is less than a distance between the cooling air cool air flow passage unit and the front surface side of the storage refrigerating chamber, and    
 wherein the cool air flow passage unit includes:
 a first cool air flow passage disposed at a back surface of the front panel; and   a second cool air flow passage connected to a back surface of the first cool air flow passage such that the flow passage is formed between the first cool air flow passage and the second cool air flow passage   a barrier provided at a lower side of the front panel, the barrier forming a portion of the rear interior surface of the refrigerating chamber,   wherein the evaporator and the fan are disposed at a rear side of the barrier.   
 
     
     
       12. The refrigerator according to  claim 11 , wherein the front panel is formed of aluminum (Al), and has a width corresponding to a width of the storage chamber the first part includes an opening arranged to correspond with a cool air outlet of the front panel, such that the cool air generated by the evaporator is discharged to an inside of the refrigerating chamber via the opening and the cool air outlet. 
     
     
       13. The refrigerator according to  claim 11 , wherein the fan mounting portion includes:
 a drain member configured to drain condensed water generated from the evaporator to the outside is disposed at a lower part of the evaporator 
 a housing to accommodate the fan, and 
 a cover configured to cover the housing and having an opening such that the fan is exposed through the opening of the cover. 
 
     
     
       14. The refrigerator according to claim  13   11 , wherein:
 the drain member has a tilted surface that is gradually tilted downward with decreasing distance from a right end of the drain member on the basis of a center part of the drain member, and a drain hole through which the condensed water is drained is provided at an end of the tilted surface 
 wherein a separation distance between the barrier and the front side is shorter than a separation distance between the cool air flow passage unit and the front side. 
 
     
     
       15. The refrigerator according to claim  14   11 , wherein: further comprising a drain member disposed at a lower part of the evaporator, the drain member configured to drain condensed water generated from the evaporator to an outside, 
 the drain hole includeswherein the drain member includes:
 a tilted surface gradually tilted downward;   a drain hole through which the condensed water is drained, provided at an end of the tilted surface; and    a drain pipe through which configured to drain the condensed water is drained to the outside of the main body,   
 wherein the drain pipe is disposed between an inner casing and an outer casing of a side surface of the main body. 
 
     
     
       16. A refrigerator comprising:
 a body including an inner casing to form a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber and an outer casing to form an exterior appearance of the refrigerator;   an evaporator configured to generate cool air;   a fan provided at an upper side of the evaporator and configured to blow the cool air generated by the evaporator;   a cool air duct including:
 a front panel formed of a metal material, to form an upper portion of a rear interior surface of the refrigerating chamber, the front panel including a plurality of cool air outlets; 
 a cool air flow passage unit disposed between the front panel and the inner casing, the cool air flow passage unit including:
 a first part disposed at a rear side of the front panel, and 
 a second part coupled to a rear side of the first part whereby the first part is between the front panel and the second part, the first part and the second part forming an air flow passage therebetween so that the cool air generated by the evaporator flows through the air flow passage and the cool air is discharged to the refrigerating chamber through openings of the air flow passage at corresponding positions of the plurality of cool air outlets formed on the front panel, and 
 
 a fan mounting portion provided at a lower side of the cool air flow passage unit, the fan mounting portion being connectable to the cool air flow passage unit so that while the fan mounting portion is connected to the lower side of the cool air flow passage unit, the fan mounting portion is formed to protrude forward toward a front side of the refrigerating chamber where a distance between the fan mounting portion and the front side of the refrigerating chamber is less than a distance between the cool air flow passage unit and the front side of the refrigerating chamber, 
 a barrier covering the evaporator and the fan mounting portion, the barrier forming a lower portion of the rear interior surface of the refrigerating chamber, 
 wherein the evaporator and the fan are disposed at a rear side of the barrier.  
   
     
     
       17. The refrigerator according to  claim 16 , wherein a separation distance between the barrier and the inner casing is longer than a separation distance between the cool air flow passage unit and the inner casing.  
     
     
       18. The refrigerator according to  claim 16 , wherein the fan mounting portion includes:
 a housing to accommodate the fan; and   a cover member configured to cover a portion of the fan, the cover member having an opening such that the fan is exposed through the opening of the cover member,   wherein the cover member protrudes forward than the cool air flow passage unit.    
     
     
       19. The refrigerator according to  claim 16 , wherein the first part includes a plurality of openings arranged to correspond with a plurality of cool air outlets of the front panel, such that the cool air generated by the evaporator is discharged to an inside of the refrigerating chamber via the plurality of openings and the plurality of cool air outlets.  
     
     
       20. The refrigerator according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a drain portion configured to drain condensed water generated from the evaporator which is disposed at a lower part of the evaporator,   wherein the drain portion has a tilted surface gradually tilted downward, and a drain hole through which condensed water is drained is provided at an end of the tilted surface.    
     
     
       21. The refrigerator according to  claim 16 , further comprising a shelf unit to divide the refrigerating chamber horizontally and a support unit disposed between the cool air duct and the inner casing of the body,
 wherein the shelf unit is supported by the support unit via a shelf unit fixing hole of the cool air duct.    
     
     
       22. The refrigerator according to  claim 21 , wherein the air flow passage includes a first air flow passage and a second air flow passage that are formed such that the shelf unit fixing hole is disposed between the first air flow passage and the second air flow passage.