Refrigerator

Abstract

There is provided a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a condenser for heat-exchanging the compressed refrigerant with ambient air, an expansion member for expanding the heat-exchanged refrigerant, a condensing pipe interconnecting the condenser and the expansion member, a vaporizer for heat-exchanging the expanded refrigerant with a cooling air in a freezing or cooling chamber, and a suction pipe interconnecting the vaporizer and the compressor and associated with the condensing pipe to allow a heat exchange between the suction pipe and the condensing pipe.

1 . A refrigerator comprising: 
 a compressor for compressing a refrigerant;    a condenser for heat-exchanging the compressed refrigerant with ambient air;    an expansion member for expanding the heat-exchanged refrigerant;    a condensing pipe interconnecting the condenser and the expansion member;    a vaporizer for heat-exchanging the expanded refrigerant with a cool air in a freezing or cooling chamber; and    a suction pipe interconnecting the vaporizer and the compressor and associated with the condensing pipe to allow a heat exchange between the suction pipe and the condensing pipe.    
   
   
       2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein an outer circumference of the condensing pipe contacts an outer circumference of the suction pipe by a predetermined length.  
   
   
       3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the condensing pipe and the suction pipe are coiled in a helix shape.  
   
   
       4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the condensing pipe extends through an inside of the suction pipe.  
   
   
       5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein a part of the suction pipe contacts the expansion member.  
   
   
       6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant flows along the suction pipe in a direction opposite to that where the refrigerant flows along the condensing pipe.  
   
   
       7 . A refrigerator comprising: 
 a compressor for compressing a refrigerant;    a condenser for condensing the compressed refrigerant with ambient air;    an expanding valve for expanding the condensed refrigerant; and    a vaporizer for heat-exchanging the expanded refrigerant with cool air of a freezing or cooling chamber,    wherein a portion of a suction pipe connected to an inlet of the compressor contacts a portion of a condensing pipe connected to an outlet of the condenser to allow for a heat exchange between the suction pipe and the condensing pipe.    
   
   
       8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein the portion where the suction pipe contacts the condensing pipe is coiled with a predetermined curvature.  
   
   
       9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein the contact portion between the suction pipe and the condensing pipe is bent or curved at a plurality of locations to increase a heat-exchange area between the suction pipe and the condensing pipe.  
   
   
       10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein the suction pipe contacts the condensing pipe in a way that the refrigerants in the pipes mutually flow in an opposite direction.  
   
   
       11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein the suction pipe contacts a part of an outer circumference of the expansion valve to allow for the heat exchange between refrigerants flowing the suction pipe and the expansion valve.  
   
   
       12 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein the suction pipe contacts the expansion valve to realize a primary heat exchange between the refrigerants flowing along the suction pipe and the expansion valve and the suction pipe further contacts the condensing pipe to realize the secondary heat exchange between the refrigerants flowing along the suction pipe and the condensing pipe.  
   
   
       13 . A refrigerator comprising 
 a suction pipe interconnecting a vaporizer and a compressor;    an expansion member heat-exchanging with a refrigerant flowing along the suction pipe; and    a condensing pipe heat-exchanging with the refrigerant flowing along the suction pipe at an inlet of the expansion member.    
   
   
       14 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein the refrigerant flowing along the suction pipe after passing through the vaporizer primarily absorbs heat from the expansion member and secondarily absorbs heat from the refrigerant flowing along the condensing pipe.  
   
   
       15 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein the refrigerant flowing along the suction pipe is heat-exchanged but not mixed with a refrigerant flowing along the expansion member or the condensing pipe.  
   
   
       16 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , where a part of an outer circumference of the expansion member contacts a part of an outer circumference of the suction pipe for a heat exchange therebetween.  
   
   
       17 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein the suction pipe and the condensing pipe partly contact each other at their outer circumferences or the suction pipe extends through the inside of the condensing pipe.  
   
   
       18 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein a part of the suction pipe contacts the expansion member or the condensing pipe and is coiled together at a predetermined curvature.  
   
   
       19 . A refrigerator comprising: 
 pipes connected to each other such that a refrigerant flowing toward an inlet of a compressor after passing through a vaporizer can be heat-exchanged but not mixed with a refrigerant passing through an expansion member and/or a refrigerant passed through a condenser.