Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a grille fan assembly, which includes one evaporator and one blower fan to blow cold air generated from the evaporator, disposed in one storage chamber. The grille fan assembly supplies the cold air blown by the blower fan to a first upper storage chamber and a first lower storage chamber, thereby cooling the three independent storage chambers using one evaporator and one blower fan.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a storage case having:
 a first storage chamber, the first storage chamber including:
 a first upper storage chamber; and 
 a first lower storage chamber; and 
 
 a second storage chamber, the second storage chamber including:
 a second upper storage chamber; and 
 a second lower storage chamber, the second upper storage chamber and the second lower storage chamber being in fluid communication with each other, 
 
   a grille fan assembly located in the second storage chamber, the grille fan assembly having:
 an evaporator; and 
 a blower fan configured to blow cold air generated from the evaporator to the first upper storage chamber and the first lower storage chamber, 
   wherein the first storage chamber comprises a first flow path damper configured to selectively block cold air blown by the blower fan, and   wherein at least one of the first upper storage chamber and the first lower storage chamber is a convertible storage compartment that is selectively controlled to be a freezer compartment or a refrigerator compartment.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first barrier dividing the first storage chamber into the first upper storage chamber and the first lower storage chamber; and   a second barrier dividing the second storage chamber into the second upper storage chamber and the second lower storage chamber, the second barrier being configured to allow the second upper storage chamber and the second lower storage chamber to be in fluid communication with each other.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cold air supply duct configured to supply cold air to the first upper storage chamber and the first lower storage chamber;   an upper cold air collecting duct extending from the first upper storage chamber to the second storage chamber to supply cold air from the first upper storage chamber to the second storage chamber; and   a lower cold air collecting duct extending from the first lower storage chamber to the second storage chamber to supply cold air from the first lower storage chamber to the second storage chamber,   wherein the upper cold air collecting duct crosses the cold air supply duct.   
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , further comprising a heater on one surface of the upper cold air collecting duct facing the cold air supply duct. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , further comprising an insulation material between the upper cold air collecting duct and the cold air supply duct, the insulation material being located between the upper cold air collecting duct and the cold air supply duct in an area where the upper cold air collecting duct crosses the cold air supply duct. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , wherein the cold air supply duct comprises:
 a cold air inlet in fluid communication with the second storage chamber;   an upper cold air outlet in fluid communication with the first upper storage chamber; and   a lower cold air outlet in fluid communication with the first lower storage chamber.   
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , wherein the first flow path damper is located at the first upper storage chamber, and
 wherein the first upper storage chamber is controlled to be at a different temperature from a temperature of the first lower storage chamber and the second storage chamber.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein the first upper storage chamber is the convertible storage compartment, and
 wherein the first lower storage chamber and the second storage chamber are freezer compartments.   
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , wherein the first flow path damper is located at the first lower storage chamber, and
 wherein the first lower storage chamber is controlled to be at a temperature different from a temperature of the first upper storage chamber and the second storage chamber.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein the first lower storage chamber is the convertible storage compartment, and
 wherein the first upper storage chamber and the second storage chamber are freezer compartments.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , further comprising a second flow path damper configured to selectively block cold air supplied from the cold air supply duct, the second flow path damper being located at the first lower storage chamber,
 wherein the first flow path damper is located at the first upper storage chamber, and   wherein the first upper storage chamber and the first lower storage chamber are controlled to be at a temperature different from a temperature of the second storage chamber.   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein both the first upper storage chamber and the first lower storage chamber are convertible storage compartments, and
 wherein the second storage chamber is a freezer compartment.   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first ice maker located at a first side of the blower fan in the second upper storage chamber; and   a second ice maker located at a second side of the blower fan in the second upper storage chamber.   
     
     
         14 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a storage case having:
 a first storage chamber, the first storage chamber having:
 a first upper storage chamber; and 
 a first lower storage chamber; and 
 
 a second storage chamber, the second storage chamber having:
 a second upper storage chamber; and 
 a second lower storage chamber, the second upper storage chamber and the second lower storage chamber being in fluid communication with each other; 
 
   a grille fan assembly located in the second storage chamber, the grille fan assembly having:
 an evaporator; and 
 a blower fan configured to blow cold air generated from the evaporator to the first upper storage chamber and the first lower storage chamber; 
   a first flow path damper configured to selectively block cold air blown by the blower fan to the first upper storage chamber; and   a second flow path damper configured to selectively block cold air blown by the blower fan to the first lower storage chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a first barrier dividing the first storage chamber into the first upper storage chamber and the first lower storage chamber; and   a second barrier dividing the second storage chamber into the second upper storage chamber and the second lower storage chamber, wherein the second barrier is configured to allow the second upper storage chamber and the second lower storage chamber to be in fluid communication with each other.   
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a cold air supply duct configured to supply cold air to the first upper storage chamber and the first lower storage chamber;   an upper cold air collecting duct extending from the first upper storage chamber to the second storage chamber to supply cold air from the first upper storage chamber to the second lower storage chamber; and   a lower cold air collecting duct extending from the first lower storage chamber to the second storage chamber to supply cold air from the first lower storage chamber to the second lower storage chamber,   wherein the upper cold air collecting duct crosses the cold air supply duct.   
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 16 , further comprising a heater on one surface of the upper cold air collecting duct facing the cold air supply duct. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 15 , further comprising an insulation material between the upper cold air collecting duct and the cold air supply duct, the insulation material being located between the upper cold air collecting duct and the cold air supply duct in an area where the upper cold air collecting duct crosses the cold air supply duct. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 15 , wherein the cold air supply duct comprises:
 a cold air inlet in fluid communication with the second storage chamber;   an upper cold air outlet in fluid communication with the first upper storage chamber; and   a lower cold air outlet in fluid communication with the first lower storage chamber.   
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a first ice maker located at a first side of the blower fan in the second upper storage chamber; and   a second ice maker located at a second side of the blower fan in the second upper storage chamber.