Refrigerator

Abstract

An evaporator which enables respective side surfaces of an inner liner defining a storage compartment to be uniformly cooled to provide uniform distribution of temperature in the storage compartment. A refrigerator includes the evaporator positioned on an outer surface of the inner liner to absorb heat from the inner liner. The evaporator includes at least two side surface cooling portions respectively positioned on at least first and second side surfaces of the inner liner. The side surface cooling portion positioned at a downstream side to allow refrigerant of lower cooling capability to flow therethrough is longer than the side surface cooling portion positioned at an upstream side to allow refrigerant of higher cooling capability to flow therethrough. The refrigerant cools the inner liner while flowing through the side surface cooling portion positioned at the downstream side for a longer period, enabling a uniform distribution of temperature in the storage compartment.

1 . A refrigerator comprising: 
 a housing defining an outer appearance;    an inner liner positioned in the housing to define a storage compartment to store foods; and    an evaporator positioned on an outer surface of the inner liner to absorb heat from the inner liner, wherein the evaporator comprises at least two side surface cooling portions respectively positioned on at least first and second side surfaces symmetrical to each other among side surfaces of the inner liner, and wherein the side surface cooling portion positioned at a downstream side is longer than the side surface cooling portion positioned at an upstream side in a flow direction of refrigerant.    
   
   
       2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner liner is opened at a front side to define the storage compartment, and the evaporator comprises: 
 a first side surface cooling portion positioned on the first side surface constituting one of left and right side surfaces of the inner liner facing each other; and    a second side surface cooling portion positioned at the downstream side in the flow direction of refrigerant of the first side surface cooling portion while being positioned on the second side surface constituting the other side surface of the inner liner, the second side surface cooling portion being longer than the first side surface cooling portion.    
   
   
       3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the first side surface cooling portion is bent to form a plurality of arrays in a vertical direction, and positioned on an outer surface of the first side surface, and the second side surface cooling portion is bent to form a plurality of arrays in the vertical direction, and positioned on an outer surface of the second side surface, the number of arrays of the second side surface cooling portion being more than that of the arrays of the first side surface cooling portion.  
   
   
       4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , further comprises a drawer-type receiving container positioned in the storage compartment to move linearly and store the foods.  
   
   
       5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the evaporator further comprises a lower surface cooling portion positioned on an outer surface of a lower surface of the inner liner to absorb heat from the lower surface of the inner liner, wherein the refrigerant sequentially passes through the lower surface cooling portion, the first side surface cooling portion, and the second side surface cooling portion.  
   
   
       6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the evaporator further comprises a lower surface cooling portion positioned on an outer surface of a lower surface of the inner liner to absorb heat from the lower surface of the inner liner, such that the refrigerant sequentially passes through the lower surface cooling portion, the first side surface cooling portion, and the second side surface cooling portion.  
   
   
       7 . A refrigerator comprising: 
 a housing defining an outer appearance;    an inner liner positioned in the housing to define a storage compartment to store foods; and    an evaporator positioned on an outer surface of the inner liner to absorb heat from the inner liner, wherein the evaporator comprises at least two side surface cooling portions respectively positioned on at least two side surfaces among side surfaces constituting the inner liner, and wherein the side surface cooling portion positioned near an outlet of the evaporator is longer than the side surface cooling portion positioned near an inlet of the evaporator.    
   
   
       8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein the inner liner is opened at a front side to define the storage compartment, and the evaporator comprises a first side surface cooling portion positioned on one of left and right side surfaces of the inner liner facing each other, and a second side surface cooling portion positioned on the other side surface of the inner liner to receive the refrigerant from the first side surface cooling portion, the second side surface cooling portion being longer than the first side surface cooling portion.  
   
   
       9 . An evaporator positioned on an outer surface of an inner liner to absorb heat from the inner liner, the inner liner comprising a plurality of side surfaces to define a storage compartment, the evaporator comprising: 
 at least two side surface cooling portions respectively positioned on at least two side surfaces among the side surfaces constituting the inner liner, wherein the side surface cooling portion positioned at a downstream side is longer than the side surface cooling portion positioned at an upstream side in a flow direction of refrigerant.    
   
   
       10 . A refrigerator having an inner liner defining a storage compartment thereof, the refrigerator comprising: 
 an evaporator positioned on an outer surface of the inner liner to absorb heat from the inner liner, and comprising side surface cooling portions positioned along opposite sides of the inner liner and a lower surface of the evaporator, wherein refrigerant sequentially flows through the side surface cooling portion on the lower surface, and the side surface cooling portion on each of the opposite sides to uniformly cool the inner liner, and the side surface cooling portions on the opposite sides have substantially a same cooling capability.    
   
   
       11 . A refrigerator having an inner liner defining a storage compartment thereof, the refrigerator comprising: 
 an evaporator positioned on an outer surface of the inner liner to absorb heat from the inner liner, and comprising side surface cooling portions positioned along opposite sides of the inner liner and a lower surface of the evaporator, wherein refrigerant sequentially flows through the side surface cooling portion on each of the opposite sides, and the side surface cooling portion on the lower surface to uniformly cool the inner liner, and the side surface cooling portions on the opposite sides have substantially a same cooling capability.