Ice making duct for refrigerator and ice making method of using the same

Abstract

An ice making duct for a refrigerator and an ice making method using the same are disclosed. The ice making duct for a refrigerator comprises a cooling duct configured to allow cooling air to flow in a longitudinal direction therein, and to have both ends connected to the ice making compartment such that the cooling air circulates to the ice making compartment, an evaporation coil installed to be wound around the cooling duct and configured to cool air by heat exchange with a refrigerant, and a heat transfer fin provided within the cooling duct.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice making duct for a refrigerator, comprising:
 a cooling duct configured to allow cooling air to flow in a longitudinal direction therein, and to have both ends connected to the ice making compartment such that the cooling air circulates to the ice making compartment;   an evaporation coil installed to be wound around the cooling duct and configured to cool air by heat exchange with a refrigerant; and   a heat transfer fin provided within the cooling duct.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of heat transfer fins are arranged to be spaced apart within the cooling duct. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein a first duct hole is connected to an upper portion of the ice making compartment and a second duct hole is connected to a lower portion of the ice making compartment. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling duct comprises:
 a cooling channel configured to extend in a longitudinal direction within the cooling duct such that the cooling air can flow;   a first duct hole provided at one end of the cooling channel to supply the cooling air to the ice making compartment; and   a second duct hole provided at another end of the cooling channel to receive the cooling air from the ice making compartment; and   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling duct is configured to extend to be bent in a vertical direction of the main body such that the cooling duct is sloped in a forward direction of the main body of the refrigerator within a main body of a refrigerating compartment. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling duct is installed in the main body of the refrigerator and the ice making compartment is installed in a refrigerating compartment door of the refrigerator, and wherein one end portion and the other end portion of the cooling duct are selectively connected to the ice making compartment depending on the opened or closed status of the refrigerating compartment door. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the evaporation coil is configured to serve as an evaporator of a refrigerating cycle and to cool the cooling duct through conduction. 
     
     
         8 . An ice making method using an ice making duct of a refrigerator, the method comprising:
 supplying a refrigerant to an evaporation coil;   supplying air to a cooling duct with the evaporation coil wound therearound;   cooling the air via heat transfer fins provided within the evaporation coil such that heat is exchanged between the air and the refrigerant;   supplying the cooling air to an ice making compartment for making ice;   discharging the cooling air within the ice making compartment to the cooling duct; and   re-cooling the discharged cooling air in the cooling duct.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein, in the cooling of the air by heat exchange between the air and the refrigerant, the cooling air is moved along a cooling channel of the cooling duct for a predetermined period of time so as to be cooled to a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature. 
     
     
         10 . An ice making duct means for a refrigerator, comprising:
 a cooling duct configured to allow cooling air to flow in a longitudinal direction therein, and to have both ends connected to the ice making compartment such that the cooling air circulates to the ice making compartment;   an evaporation coil means installed to be wound around the cooling duct and configured to cool air by heat exchange with a refrigerant; and   a heat transfer fin means provided within the cooling duct.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein a plurality of heat transfer fin means are arranged to be spaced apart within the cooling duct means. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein a first duct hole is connected to an upper portion of the ice making compartment and a second duct hole is connected to a lower portion of the ice making compartment. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the cooling duct comprises:
 a cooling channel configured to extend in a longitudinal direction within the cooling duct such that the cooling air can flow;   a first duct hole provided at one end of the cooling channel to supply the cooling air to the ice making compartment; and   a second duct hole provided at another end of the cooling channel to receive the cooling air from the ice making compartment; and   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the cooling duct is configured to extend to be bent in a vertical direction of the main body such that the cooling duct is sloped in a forward direction of the main body of the refrigerator within a main body of a refrigerating compartment. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the cooling duct is installed in the main body of the refrigerator and the ice making compartment is installed in a refrigerating compartment door of the refrigerator, and wherein one end portion and the other end portion of the cooling duct are selectively connected to the ice making compartment depending on the opened or closed status of the refrigerating compartment door. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the evaporation coil means is configured to serve as an evaporator of a refrigerating cycle and to cool the cooling duct through conduction.