Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet that forms a chamber, a partition wall configured to partition the chamber into a storage space and an air flow path, a partition shelf configured to partition the storage space into a first space and a second space, a heat exchanger provided in the air flow path, and a first damper provided in the air flow path to adjust air supplied to the first space. The top of the heat exchanger is lower than the bottom surface of the partition shelf. The first damper is provided at a height overlapping the partition shelf in a horizontal direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet having a wall and an interior space, the wall having an air flow path provided therein;   a partition configured to divide the storage space into a first space and a second space;   a heat exchanger provided in communication with the air flow path; and   a first damper provided between the heat exchanger and the air flow path to adjust an amount of air supplied to the first space via the air flow path,   wherein an upper surface of the heat exchanger is positioned lower than a lower surface of the partition, and   wherein the first damper is positioned to overlap at least a portion of the partition in a horizontal direction.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a fan configured to generate air flow in the air flow path and provided to overlap at least a portion of the heat exchanger in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the first damper overlaps the fan in a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first damper overlaps the heat exchanger in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the first damper is provided eccentrically to a side of the air flow path. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , further comprising a second damper provided in the air flow path to adjust the amount of air supplied to the second space, and wherein at least a portion of the second damper overlaps the partition in a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 6 , wherein the first damper and the second damper are laterally spaced apart, and
 wherein the refrigerator further comprises a fan configured to generate air flow in the air flow path, and at least a portion of the fan is positioned between the first damper and the second damper.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein the second damper is positioned eccentrically opposite to the first damper with respect to the air flow path. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the wall includes:
 a discharge guide panel having a surface that faces the first space; and   an inner cover connected to the discharge guide panel and having a surface that faces the second space, the inner cover being configured to cover the heat exchanger,   wherein a width of the inner cover in a front and rear direction is greater than a width of the heat exchanger in the front and rear direction, and   wherein a width of the discharge guide panel in the front and rear direction is less than the width of the heat exchanger in the front and rear direction.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the wall further includes a suction port through which air from the first space passes, and
 wherein at least a portion of the suction port faces a rear edge of the partition and is spaced apart from the partition.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the wall includes a suction port through which air from the first space passes,   wherein the refrigerator further comprises a return duct,   wherein the return duct includes an inlet which communicates with the suction port,   wherein the return duct includes an outlet that outputs air to the heat exchanger, and   wherein a portion of the return duct between the inlet and the outlet overlaps the fan in a front and rear direction.   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein a width of the return duct at the outlet in a left and right direction is greater than a width of the portion of the return duct that overlaps the fan. 
     
     
         13 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet that forms a chamber;   a wall configured to divide the chamber into a storage space and an air flow path;   a partition configured to separate the storage space into a first space and a second space;   a heat exchanger provided in communication with the air flow path; and   a damper provided between the heat exchanger and the air flow path, the damper being configured to adjust an amount of air blown into the first space via the air flow path,   wherein an upper surface of the heat exchanger is positioned lower than the damper, and   wherein at least a portion of the damper overlaps the partition in a horizontal direction.   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a door configured to open and close the storage space, the door being changeable between a transparent state in which the storage space can be seen through the door through the door and an opaque state in which the storage space cannot be seen through the door; and   a transparent gasket configured to be mounted on the door, wherein the transparent gasket is configured to be in contact with the partition when the door closes the storage space.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a sensor configured to sense a motion of a user; and   a controller configured to switch the door to the transparent state when the motion of the user corresponds to a particular motion.   
     
     
         16 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet;   a wall configured to divide an interior of the cabinet into a storage space and an air flow path;   a partition configured to separate the storage space into a first space above the partition and a second space below the partition;   a door configured to open and close the storage space;   a heat exchanger and a fan provided in communication with the air flow path; and   a first damper provided between the fan and the air flow path to adjust a quantity of air blown into the first space,   wherein the first damper is positioned to overlap at least a portion of the partition in a horizontal direction.   
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 16 , further comprising a door opening module to automatically open the door, the door opening module including:
 a motor that outputs a rotational force;   a transmission comprising a plurality of gears and configured to receive the rotational force; and   a push rod coupled to the door and having a plurality of teeth provided along a side to engage the plurality of gears of the transmission.   
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 17 , wherein the door includes a magnetic sensor, and wherein the motor is activated based on the magnetic sensor detecting a movement of a magnet positioned at an end of the push rod. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 16 , further comprising a second damper provided in the air flow path, and
 wherein the second damper is positioned vertically between the partition and the heat exchanger to adjusts air flow in the air flow path to the second space.   
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 19 , further comprising a controller configured to control the heat exchanger, the first damper, the second damper, and the fan based on a first target temperature for the first space and a second target temperature for the second space.