Refrigerator

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a refrigerator including an inner case having a storage compartment therein and including a plurality of plates each formed by injection molding, an outer case coupled to the outside of the inner case to form the exterior thereof, and a hot pipe seated on a front flange of the inner case to prevents dew from forming on the outer case, wherein the inner case includes a seating groove provided on the front flange to seat the hot pipe, and a plurality of ribs provided within the seating groove and formed integrally with the inner case so that the hot pipe is in close contact with the outer case.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 an inner case having a storage compartment therein and including a plurality of plates each formed by injection molding;   an outer case coupled to the outside of the inner case to form the exterior thereof; and   a hot pipe seated on a front flange of the inner case to prevents dew from forming on the outer case;   wherein the inner case comprises:
 a seating groove provided on the front flange to seat the hot pipe, and 
 a plurality of ribs provided within the seating groove and formed integrally with the inner case so that the hot pipe is in close contact with the outer case. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ribs is provided in the seating grooves disposed on the front flanges of upper plate, lower plate, left plate, and right plate of the inner case among the seating grooves. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of ribs provided in the seating grooves disposed on the front flanges of the upper plate, the left plate, and the right plate among the seating grooves includes a plurality of first ribs formed on a bottom surface inside the seating groove, and a plurality of second ribs formed on a side inside the seating groove. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , wherein the seating groove includes a plurality of protrusions integrally formed with the inner case and protruding from the bottom surface inside the seating groove. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of first ribs is formed integrally with each of the plurality of protrusions. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of first ribs is formed in a straight shape elongated in a left-right direction at a central portion of each of the plurality of protrusions. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of first ribs is configured to allow the hot pipe to come into close contact with the outer case positioned in front of the inner case. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein the hot pipe is in close contact with the outer case by the plurality of first ribs, so that a temperature difference between the inside and the outside of the outer case is reduced by high-temperature heat generated by a high-temperature refrigerant flowing in the hot pipe, thereby preventing dew from forming on an outer surface of the outer case. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of second ribs is formed on a side closer to the storage compartment among both sides inside the seating groove. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of second ribs is configured to allow the hot pipe to come into close contact with the outer case positioned on the side of the inner case. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the hot pipe is in close contact with the outer case by the plurality of second ribs, so that a temperature difference between the inside and the outside of the outer case is reduced by high-temperature heat generated by a high-temperature refrigerant flowing in the hot pipe, thereby preventing dew from forming on an outer surface of the outer case. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of second ribs is configured to allow the hot pipe to be located away from the inside of the storage compartment. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 12 , wherein the hot pipe is disposed at a position away from the inside of the storage compartment by the plurality of second ribs, so that transfer of high-temperature heat from a high-temperature refrigerant flowing in the hot pipe to the inside of the storage compartment is reduced. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of ribs provided in the seating groove disposed on the front flange of the lower plate among the seating grooves is formed on a bottom surface inside the seating groove. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of ribs is configured to allow the hot pipe to come into close contact with the outer case positioned in front of the inner case.