Refrigerator having ice transfer unit

Abstract

A refrigerator includes: a refrigerator main body including a freezing chamber positioned at a lower portion thereof and a refrigerating chamber positioned at an upper portion thereof; an ice maker and an ice bank positioned at an inner side of the freezing chamber; an ice dispenser positioned at an inner side of the refrigerating chamber; a transfer flow path extending from the ice bank to the ice dispenser; an ice input unit supplying ice stored in the ice bank to the interior of the transfer flow path; and a blower blowing air to allow the ice supplied to the interior of the ice transfer flow path toward the ice dispenser.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0072604, filed on Jul. 27, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a refrigerator having an ice transfer unit and, more particularly, to a refrigerator having an ice transfer unit for transferring ice between a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]In general, a refrigerator includes a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber which are maintained at different temperatures. Meanwhile, various types of refrigerators each including a different number of freezing chambers and refrigerating chambers and a different disposition form are in the market, and so-called bottom freezer type refrigerators in which the mainly used refrigerating chamber is disposed at an upper portion and the freezing...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]An aspect of the present invention provides a refrigerator capable of enhancing user convenience while keeping ice in storage such that it is not melt.

[0011]Since both the ice maker for making ice and the ice bank for keeping ice in storage are positioned in the freezing chamber, ice can be prevented from melting to cling to each other. In addition, when necessary, ice can be supplied to the ice dispenser installed in the refrigerating chamber by a transfer unit so as to be dispensed from the refrigerating chamber. Here, the ice is moved toward the ice dispenser by air pressure, so the configuration can be simplified and the ice transfer path can be freely set.

[0013]Here, the transfer flow path and the return flow path may be installed to be exposed from the interior of the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber or may be buried in an inner wall of the main body. When the transfer flow path and the return flow path are buried, an effective volume of the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber can be increased.

[0015]Ice made by the ice maker may have a pressure receiving portion formed to be recessed. The pressure receiving portion may serve to lower a bulk density of ice to thus allow ice to be transferred even with a small wind pressure as well as to allow ice to be stably transferred by air pressure.

[0020]According to embodiments of the present invention, the internal space of the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber can be effectively used, and since ice can be taken out of the refrigerating chamber positioned at an upper portion of the refrigerator, user convenience can be improved.

Problems solved by technology

However, such an insulation space occupies a large space in the refrigerating chamber, and restrains the internal space of the refrigerating chamber from being effectively used.

Alternatively, the ice maker may be positioned in the freezing chamber and ice may be taken out by opening a freezing chamber door, but it has low user convenience and, in particular, the user must take out ice by bending his waist.

Images