Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator may include: a body; a storage compartment inside the body; first and second doors to open and close the storage compartment; a rotation bar coupled to one of the doors and rotatable to cover a gap between the doors when they are closed; a thermoelectric element including a heating portion and a cooling portion to cool the storage compartment; a heat sink heated by the heating portion; a fan configured to flow air toward the heat sink to exchange heat with the heat sink; and a duct including: a first discharge portion to discharge a first portion of the airflow, which exchanged heat with the heat sink, to an outside of the body; and a second discharge portion to discharge a second portion of the airflow, which exchanged heat with the heat sink, to the rotation bar to prevent dew from condensing on the rotation bar.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a main body including an upper wall;   a storage compartment formed inside the main body;   a first door and a second door configured to open and close the storage compartment;   a rotation bar coupled to one of the first door and the second door and being rotatable so as to cover a gap between the first door and the second door when the first door and second door are closed;   a thermoelectric element on the upper wall and including:
 a heating portion which generates heat, and 
 a cooling portion which absorbs heat and is configured to cool the storage compartment; 
   a heat dissipation sink in contact with the heating portion so that the heat dissipation sink is heated by the heat generated by the heating portion;   a heat dissipation fan configured to generate a flow of air toward the heat dissipation sink so that the flow of air exchanges heat with the heat dissipation sink; and   a heat dissipation duct including:
 a first discharge duct portion configured to guide a first portion of the flow of air, which exchanged heat with the heat dissipation sink, to be discharged to an outside of the main body; and 
 a second discharge duct portion configured to guide a second portion of the flow of air, which exchanged heat with the heat dissipation sink, to be discharged to the rotation bar to prevent dew from condensing on the rotation bar. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the second discharge duct portion branches from the first discharge duct portion. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein
 the heat dissipation duct further includes:
 a fan accommodating portion accommodating the heat dissipation fan, and 
 a sink accommodating portion on a downstream side of the fan accommodating portion accommodating the heat dissipation sink, and 
   the first discharge duct portion is on a downstream side of the sink accommodating portion.   
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , wherein the heat dissipation duct further includes an intake duct portion disposed on an upstream side of the fan accommodating portion to guide air to the fan accommodating portion. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 4 , wherein the heat dissipation duct further includes an outside air intake port on an upper surface of the intake duct portion so that air from outside the main body is drawn into the intake duct portion by the flow of air generated by the heat dissipation fan. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein
 the heat dissipation duct further includes:
 a first outside air discharge port to discharge air, which is guided by the first discharge duct portion, to an outside of the first discharge duct portion, and 
 a second outside air discharge port to discharge air, which is guided by the second discharge duct portion, to an outside of the second discharge duct portion. 
   
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 6 , wherein the second outside air discharge port is on an upper side of an upper end of the rotation bar so that air, which is discharged through the second outside air discharge port, flows from the upper end of the rotation bar toward a lower end of the rotation bar along a front surface of the rotation bar. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 6 , wherein the heat dissipation duct further includes an airflow guide which is inclined downward as the heat dissipation duct approaches the second outside air discharge port so that air, which is discharged through the second outside air discharge port, descends toward the rotation bar. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 6 , wherein the heat dissipation duct further includes an acceleration portion having a narrowed cross-sectional area as the heat dissipation duct approaches the second outside air discharge port so as to increase a speed of air which is discharged through the second outside air discharge port. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a plurality of hinges configured to rotatably connect the first door and the second door to the main body; and   a top cover coupled to a front portion of an upper surface of the main body so as to cover the plurality of hinges.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein
 the heat dissipation duct further includes:
 a heat dissipation duct body, 
 a heat dissipation duct cover coupled to an upper side of the heat dissipation duct body, and 
 an extension duct below the top cover and between the heat dissipation duct body and the rotation bar to form the second outside air discharge port together with the top cover. 
   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the top cover includes a top cover inner space, and at least a portion of air, which is discharged through the first outside air discharge port, flows into the top cover inner space. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 12 , wherein
 the first outside air discharge port includes:
 a top cover outlet to discharge a first portion of air, which is discharged through the first outside air discharge port, toward the top cover inner space, and 
 an external outlet separated from the top cover outlet to discharge a second portion of air, which is discharged through the first outside air discharge port, toward an outside of the top cover. 
   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein
 the top cover includes:
 a top cover inlet so that at least a portion of air, which is discharged through the first outside air discharge port, flows into the top cover inner space, and 
 a top cover discharge port so that air, which flows to the top cover inner space through the top cover inlet, is discharged to the outside of the top cover. 
   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein the top cover includes a discharge guide portion to guide air discharged through the external outlet.