USOO8196417B2 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 8,196,417 B2 Kim et al. (45) Date of Patent: Jun. 12, 2012 (54) REFRIGERATOR (52) U.S. Cl. .............................................. 62/78; 62/515 (58) Field of Classification Search ................ 62/26,78, (75) Inventors: Dong-Kyu Kim, Pohang-si (KR): 62/449, 515; 426/43, 38, 57, 61,234, 305; Kyung-Dae Hwang, Changwon-si (KR): 38/26, 78,449, 515 Jin-Hyun Kim, Incheon-si (KR); See application file for complete search history. Hyuk-Soon Kim, Seoul (KR): Seung-Beom Chae, Gangneung-si (KR); (56) References Cited Hyun-Tae Lee, Changwon-si (KR): Joo-Shin Kim, Changwon-si (KR) U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 2,765,046 A 10, 1956 Rondholz (73) Assignee: LG Electronics Inc., Seoul (KR) 4.942,032 A 7/1990 Vandenbergh et al. 5, 186,962 A 2f1993 Hutkins et al. (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 5,392,615 A * 2/1995 Lim ................................ 62/414 patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 881 days. (Continued) FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS (21) Appl. No.: 12/094,760 DE 202 14 601 U1 1, 2003 (22) PCT Filed: Nov. 23, 2006 (Continued) (86). PCT No.: OTHER PUBLICATIONS S371 (c)(1), Translation of JP 10-132447 to Sumidaetal of an Ids enclosed by the (2), (4) Date: Oct. 14, 2008 Applicants. (87) PCT Pub. No.: WO2007/061238 Primary Examiner — Mohammad Ali (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & PCT Pub. Date: May 31, 2007 Birch, LLP (65) Prior Publication Data (57) ABSTRACT US 2009/0217694 A1 Sep. 3, 2009 The present invention relates to a refrigerator, including: a refrigerating cycle having an evaporator (1a); a space for (30) Foreign Application Priority Data exchanging heat with the evaporator; a region for exchanging Nov. 23, 2005 (KR) ........................ 10-2005-O1126.17 heat between the evaporator and the space; and a storage Nov. 23, 2005 (KR) ........................ 10-2005-O112618 chamber and a door for defining the space, wherein at least Nov. 23, 2005 (KR) ........................ 10-2005-O112619 one of the region, the storage chamber and the door has Nov. 23, 2005 (KR) ........................ 10-2005-O11262O undergone at least one of a Kimchi lactic acid bacteria culture Nov. 23, 2005 (KR) ........................ 10-2005-O112621 treatment and a Kimchi lactic acid bacteria culture exposure treatment. (51) Int. Cl. F24F 3/16 (2006.01) 17 Claims, 9 Drawing Sheets 32 134 US 8,196.417 B2 Page 2 U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS JP 11-218376 A 8, 1999 5,468.454. A * 1 1/1995 Kim .............................. 422/121 E. 35; A 38. 6.756,066 B2 * 6/2004 Jeong et al. ... 426/46 JP 2004-101051 A 4/2004 6,865,896 B2 * 3/2005 Kaji et al. ......................... 62.78 JP 2004-202102 A T 2004 2004/0250565 A1 12/2004 Lee et al. ........................ 62/4O7 JP 2004-524859. A 8, 2004 2005/0042247 A1 2/2005 Gomoll et al. JP 2005-164195 A 6, 2005 2005/02386.31 A1 10, 2005 Burwell JP 2005-315571 A 11, 2005 KR 10-2005-0087741 A 8, 2005 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS KR 10-2007-0051586 A 5/2007 EP O 978 481 A2 2/2000 KR 10-2007-005 1587 A 5/2007 EP 1475 432 A1 11, 2004 WO WO O2/O92790 A1 11, 2002 JP 5-203336 A 8, 1993 WO WOO3,071205 A1 8, 2003 JP 10-132447 A 5, 1998 WO WO 2004/088224 A1 10, 2004 JP 1O-311666. A 11, 1998 WO WO 2007/058476 A2 5, 2007 JP 11-211329 A 8, 1999 * cited by examiner U.S. Patent Jun. 12, 2012 Sheet 1 of 9 US 8,196.417 B2 Fig. 1) 2b ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ7755% , s U.S. Patent Jun. 12, 2012 Sheet 2 of 9 US 8,196.417 B2 132 U.S. Patent Jun. 12, 2012 Sheet 3 of 9 US 8,196.417 B2 Fig. 3 <~~~~-ta! U.S. Patent Jun. 12, 2012 Sheet 4 of 9 US 8,196.417 B2 Fig. 5 290 240 250 taicro-controller 260 U.S. Patent Jun. 12, 2012 Sheet 5 Of 9 US 8,196.417 B2 Fig. 8) 354 352 U.S. Patent Jun. 12, 2012 Sheet 6 of 9 US 8,196.417 B2 3 33ia330 35. 350 U.S. Patent US 8,196.417 B2 Fig. 10 32 30 U.S. Patent Jun. 12, 2012 Sheet 8 of 9 US 8,196.417 B2 U.S. Patent Jun. 12, 2012 Sheet 9 Of 9 US 8,196.417 B2 -- B US 8,196,417 B2 1. 2 REFRGERATOR Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator whose, inner part or door has undergone a Kimchi TECHNICAL FIELD lactic acid bacteria culture treatment and/or a Kimchi lactic acid bacteria culture exposure treatment. The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a particularly, to a refrigerator which has undergone a Kimchi refrigerator whose variable temperature chamber has under lactic acid bacteria culture treatment (coating of a Kimchi gone a Kimchi lactic acid bacteria culture treatment and/or a lactic acid bacteria culture, etc.) and/or a Kimchi lactic acid Kimchi lactic acid bacteria culture exposure treatment. bacteria culture exposure treatment (installation of a filter Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a containing a Kimchi lactic acid bacteria culture, etc.). 10 refrigerator whose evaporator, dispenser and/or ice maker have undergone a Kimchi lactic acid bacteria culture treat BACKGROUND ART ment and/or a Kimchi lactic acid bacteria culture exposure treatment. Recently, with a growing interest in the hygiene and clean Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a liness, a number of products have been developed to improve 15 refrigerator whose air freshener has undergone a Kimchi the hygiene and cleanliness. The electronic product field is lactic acid bacteria culture treatment and/or a Kimchi lactic not an exception. In detail, electric home appliances needing acid bacteria culture exposure treatment. the hygiene and cleanliness include a refrigerator, washing Technical Solution machine, drying machine, air conditioner, air freshener or cleaner, fan, cleaner, electric pot, electric cooker, dishwash In an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a ing machine, dish drying machine, microwave oven, mixer, refrigerator, including: a refrigerating cycle having an evapo VTR, television, home theater, etc. rator; a space for exchanging heat with the evaporator, a Bacteria or molds which can be parasitic on the surfaces of region for exchanging heat between the evaporator and the the products or the Surfaces of the components of the products 25 space; and a storage chamber and a door for defining the cause diseases such as atopic dermatitis, respiratory trouble, space, wherein at least one of the region, the storage chamber etc., disfigure the products, generate a bad Smelly external and the door has undergone at least one of a Kimchi lactic acid appearances of the products. It is therefore necessary to bacteria culture treatment and a Kimchi lactic acid bacteria manufacture an antimicrobial article for protecting the users culture exposure treatment. For example, in the case of a from the diseases and keeping the external appearances of the 30 direct cooling type refrigerator, the region means an evapo products, by preventing the contact and proliferation of vari rator, a storage chamber corresponding to the evaporator, and ous bacteria and molds. a space between the evaporator and the corresponded storage Generally, most of antibacterial agents for manufacturing chamber, and in the case of an indirect cooling type refrig an antibacterial article are chemically synthesized, to require erator, the region means a region relating to a cool airpassage the high cost and cause harmful side effects. Recently, 35 provided with a fan, an evaporator, a cool air duct, and the researches have been actively made on a natural antibacterial like. material which has an excellent antibacterial property and In another aspect of the present invention, the Kimchi lactic removes side effects harmful for a human body. acid bacteria culture treatment is performed by at least one of Kimchi lactic acid bacteria are generated in fermentation coating of a Kimchi lactic acid bacteria culture and molding and ripening of Kimchi. Safety of the Kimchi lactic acid 40 of a material containing a Kimchi lactic acid bacteria culture. bacteria with the natural origin has been verified by the long In another aspect of the present invention, the Kimchi lactic time use. It is easy to acquire the Kimchi lactic acid bacteria acid bacteria culture exposure treatment is performed by at at a low cost. In addition, the Kimchi lactic acid bacteria have least one of installation of a filter and supply of a Kimchi been known as a natural antibacterial material with an excel lactic acid bacteria culture. lent antibacterial property and a wide antibacterial spectrum. 45 In another aspect of the present invention, the region has Moreover, there has been reported that the Kimchi lactic acid undergone the Kimchi lactic acid bacteria culture treatment, bacteria culture fluid could restrict avian influenza, and activ and the region undergone by the Kimchi lactic acid bacteria ity of viruses with the similar mechanism to that of avian culture treatment is the evaporator. For example, the Kimchi influenza viruses. lactic acid bacteria culture treatment can be carried out on the Accordingly, the present inventors have accomplished this 50 surface or fins of the evaporator. In addition, the Kimchi lactic invention by giving the antimicrobial property to a Surface of acid bacteria culture treatment can be carried out on a drain an article by using the antibacterial and antivirus effects of the tube for removing condensed water from the surface of the Kimchi lactic acid bacteria culture fluid.