Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator is disclosed which enables the user to easily take ice out of an ice maker without causing a variation in the capacity of the refrigerator or a limitation on the position of a freezing compartment. The refrigerator includes a refrigerator body ( 100 ) which includes a freezing compartment ( 300 ) and a refrigerating compartment ( 200 ), an ice making compartment ( 500 ) which is arranged in the refrigerating compartment, to make ice, a heat exchange ( 310 ) which generates cold air for freezing food storing in the freezing compartment, and a cold air guiding device ( 600 ) which guides the cold air generated by the heat exchanger ( 310 ) to the ice making compartment ( 500 ), to enable the ice making compartment to make ice.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a refrigerator body which includes a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment;   an ice making compartment which is arranged in the refrigerating compartment, to make ice;   a heat exchanger which generates cold air for freezing food stored in the freezing compartment; and   a cold air guiding device which guides the cold air generated by the heat exchanger to the ice making compartment, to enable the ice making compartment to make ice.   
   
   
       2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the ice making compartment is arranged inside a refrigerating compartment door unit which opens or closes an inner space of the refrigerating compartment. 
   
   
       3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerating compartment is arranged over the freezing compartment. 
   
   
       4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the cold air guiding device includes a duct unit which communicates with the ice making compartment. 
   
   
       5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a cold air supply fan which forcibly supplies the cold air generated by the heat exchanger to the ice making compartment.   
   
   
       6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein the duct unit includes:
 an air supply duct which supplies the cold air generated by the heat exchanger to the ice making compartment; and   a return duct which guides the cold air from the ice making compartment to the freezing compartment.   
   
   
       7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein the duct unit includes at least one duct which is provided at one side wall of the refrigerating compartment such that the duct communicates with the ice making compartment. 
   
   
       8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein the duct is arranged between an outer wall and an inner wall which form the side wall of the refrigerating compartment. 
   
   
       9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 8 , wherein the duct is spaced apart from the outer wall and the inner wall. 
   
   
       10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a spacer which supports the duct such that the duct is spaced apart from the outer wall and the inner wall.   
   
   
       11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 10 , wherein the spacer includes two spacing ribs which are protruded from an outer surface of the duct, to space the duct from the outer wall and inner wall by the same distance, respectively. 
   
   
       12 . The refrigerator according to  claim 11 , wherein the spacing ribs are symmetrical to each other. 
   
   
       13 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a duct holder which fixes the duct to the side wall of the refrigerating compartment.   
   
   
       14 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein the duct is internally installed between the outer wall and the inner wall under a condition in which the duct is held by the duct holder. 
   
   
       15 . The refrigerator according to  claim 14 , wherein the duct holder includes:
 at least one duct receiver which firmly receives the duct; and   spacing protrusions which are outwardly protruded from the duct receiver, to space the duct from the outer wall and the inner wall.   
   
   
       16 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the at least one duct comprises a pair of ducts; and   the at least one duct receiver comprises a pair of duct receivers which are connected to each other such that the duct receivers are integral, the duct receivers receiving the ducts, respectively.   
   
   
       17 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a first heater which prevents a frosting phenomenon from occurring in the refrigerating compartment due to the cold air flowing through the duct.   
   
   
       18 . The refrigerator according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the duct is installed in the side wall of the refrigerating compartment; and   the first heater is arranged on an inner surface of the side wall.   
   
   
       19 . The refrigerator according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the inner wall of the refrigerating compartment has a first opening which forms one end of the duct unit; and   the first heater is arranged adjacent to the first opening.   
   
   
       20 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a cold air guide which is arranged in a barrier partitioning the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment, to connect the duct unit to the freezing compartment.   
   
   
       21 . The refrigerator according to  claim 20 , wherein the barrier includes a cover which is separably coupled to the cold air guide. 
   
   
       22 . The refrigerator according to  claim 20 , wherein the cold air guide includes:
 an air supply passage which guides the cold air generated by the heat exchanger to the duct unit; and   a return passage which guides the cold air guided through the duct unit after emerging from the ice making compartment to the freezing compartment.   
   
   
       23 . The refrigerator according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 a second heater which is provided at one surface of the barrier facing an inner space of the refrigerating compartment, to prevent a frosting phenomenon from occurring in the refrigerating compartment due to the cold air guide.   
   
   
       24 . The refrigerator according to  claim 23 , wherein the second heater operates selectively in accordance with a predetermined condition. 
   
   
       25 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the ice making compartment is provided at a refrigerating compartment door unit which opens or closes an inner space of the refrigerator;   the duct unit includes a first opening which is provided at an inner wall of the refrigerating compartment, and forms one end of the duct unit connected to one side of the refrigerating compartment door unit; and   the refrigerating compartment door unit includes a second opening which is connected to the first opening, to connect the duct unit to an inner space of the ice making compartment.   
   
   
       26 . The refrigerator according to  claim 25 , further comprising:
 a sealing unit which is provided at least one of the first and second openings, to prevent air from being leaked between the first and second openings.   
   
   
       27 . The refrigerator according to  claim 26 , wherein the sealing unit includes:
 a gasket; and   a gasket fixer which fixes the gasket to at least one of the first and second openings.   
   
   
       28 . The refrigerator according to  claim 27 , wherein the gasket fixer includes:
 a gasket supporter which is coupled to at least one of the first and second openings; and   a gasket holder which fixes the gasket to the gasket supporter.   
   
   
       29 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein the ice making compartment includes a door duct unit which is provided at a refrigerating door unit for opening or closing an inner space of the refrigerating compartment, to connect the duct unit to an inner space of the freezing compartment. 
   
   
       30 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the ice making compartment includes:
 an ice making chamber which receives an ice maker for making ice using the cold air generated by the heat exchanger; and   an ice making compartment door which opens or closes an opening formed at a rear side of the ice making chamber.   
   
   
       31 . The refrigerator according to  claim 30 , wherein the ice making compartment door is hingably movable by a hinge mounted to one side of the ice making chamber. 
   
   
       32 . The refrigerator according to  claim 31 , wherein the ice making compartment door includes a hinge cover which covers the hinge.