Evaporation Unit and Refrigerator Having Same

Abstract

An evaporation unit and a refrigerator having the same are disclosed. The refrigerator includes a main body having a storage room therein; a door on the main body, configured to open and close the storage room; and an evaporation unit at one side of the storage room. The evaporation unit includes an evaporator configured to cool air by exchanging heat between a refrigerant in the evaporator and the air; and a partition in the evaporator, configured to partition the evaporator into two areas.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a main body having a storage room therein;   a door on the main body, configured to open and close the storage room; and   an evaporation unit at one side of the storage room, wherein the evaporation unit includes:
 an evaporator configured to cool air by exchanging heat between a refrigerant in the evaporator and the air; and 
 a partition at least partially in the evaporator, configured to partition the evaporator into two areas. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the evaporator includes:
 a plurality of cooling fins spaced apart from each other by a preset distance, in a row along one direction; and   a refrigerant pipe containing the refrigerant, in thermal communication with the cooling fins.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the partition is adjacent to or alongside the row of cooling fins. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the evaporator further includes:
 a heater adjacent to the cooling fins, and the partition is in contact with the heater.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein a width of the partition is smaller than a width of the evaporator. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the partition includes a lower portion having a center area with a greater dimension than first and second ends of the partition along a width or the length of the partition. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the partition is at one side of the row of cooling fins and has a lower portion exposed to a rear side or surface of the storage room. 
     
     
         8 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a main body having a freezer room and a refrigeration room therein;   one or more doors on the main body, configured to open and close at least one of the storage rooms;   an evaporation unit at one side of the freezer room; and   a duct configured to allow relatively warm air in the refrigeration room to flow into the evaporation unit,   wherein the evaporation unit includes:
 an evaporator configured to cool air in the evaporation unit by exchanging heat between a refrigerant in the evaporator and the air in the evaporation unit; and 
 a partition in front of an area where the relatively warm air flows into the evaporation unit from the duct to block the warm air from directly contacting cold air in the evaporation unit. 
   
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 8 , wherein the evaporator includes:
 a plurality of cooling fins spaced apart from each other by a preset distance, in a row along one direction; and   a refrigerant pipe containing the refrigerant, in thermal communication with the cooling fin; and   a heater adjacent to the cooling fins,   wherein the partition is in contact with the heater.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 8 , further comprising a drain hole below the evaporation unit, and the partition is above the drain hole. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 8 , wherein the partition has a planar region with a preset area. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator according to  claim 11 , wherein the partition further includes one or more transfer pins on an outer corner or an uppermost edge of the partition, and each of the one or more transfer pins has a preset length or height. 
     
     
         13 . An evaporation unit comprising:
 an evaporator configured to cool air by exchanging heat between a refrigerant in the evaporator and the air; and   a partition at least partially in the evaporator, configured to partition the evaporator into two areas.   
     
     
         14 . The evaporation unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the evaporator includes:
 a plurality of cooling fins spaced apart from each other by a preset distance, in a row along one direction; and   a refrigerant pipe containing the refrigerant, in thermal communication with the cooling fin.   
     
     
         15 . The evaporation unit according to  claim 14 , further comprising a heater adjacent to the cooling fins, and the partition is in contact with the heater. 
     
     
         16 . The evaporation unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the partition includes a lower portion having a center area with a greater dimension than first and second ends of the partition along a width or length of the partition. 
     
     
         17 . The evaporation unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the partition has a planar region with a preset area. 
     
     
         18 . The evaporation unit according to  claim 17 , wherein the partition includes one or more transfer pins on an outer corner or an uppermost edge of the partition, and each of the one or more transfer pins has a preset length or height.