US20100126185A1

US20100126185A1 - Refrigerator

Info

Publication number: US20100126185A1
Application number: US12/546,985
Authority: US
Inventors: Yeon Woo CHO; Gye Young Song; Young Hoon Yun
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2008-11-21
Filing date: 2009-08-25
Publication date: 2010-05-27
Also published as: WO2010058888A2; WO2010058888A3; KR20100057216A; KR101570349B1

Abstract

A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator may include a body having a storage room, an ice making chamber formed separately from the storage room, and a thermoelectric-module provided in the ice making chamber to generate cold air. The thermoelectric-module does not require a cold air duct to cool the ice making chamber. As a result, space utilization is improved and a capacity of the refrigerator is improved. In addition, energy efficiency may be enhanced because a heater is not required to remove the frost from a cold air duct.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0116143, fled in Korea on Nov. 21, 2008, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field
A refrigerator is provided. More particularly, a refrigerator is provided that includes an ice making chamber provided at a door thereof.
2. Background
Refrigerators are electric appliances capable of cooling or freezing storage items using cold air generated by a phase-change of a refrigerant, or a working fluid. Such a refrigerator may include a body having refrigerator and freezer compartments capable of keeping food items at low temperatures, and refrigerator compartment and freezer compartment doors rotatably coupled to the body to open and close front openings of the refrigerator and freezer compartments, respectively. The refrigerator and freezer compartments of the refrigerator may be cooled by various components which together circulate the refrigerant through a refrigerating/freezing cycle. Reducing or eliminating frost generated by the refrigerating/freezing cycle may improve refrigerant flow and cooling efficiency.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary refrigerator, as embodied and broadly described herein;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a panel and an ice maker provided in the exemplary refrigerator shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a connection between the panel and the ice maker shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to specific embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
In reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, an exemplary refrigerator as embodied and broadly described herein may include a body 12 that defines an exterior appearance of the refrigerator 10. A storage room may be formed in the body 12 to receive food items. The storage room may include a refrigerator compartment (not shown) and a freezer compartment (not shown) that are partitioned by a barrier (not shown) and a partition wall (not shown). In certain embodiments, the refrigerator compartment may be provided in an upper portion of the body 12 and the freezer compartment may be provided in a lower portion of the body 12, as shown in FIG. 1. Other arrangements may also be appropriate.
The refrigerator may also include a compressor that compresses a low temperature/pressure gaseous refrigerant to output a high temperature/pressure gaseous refrigerant, a condenser that cools and condenses the high temperature/pressure refrigerant transmitted by the compressor, using external air, a valve that controls the flow of cold air having passed through the condenser, a capillary tube that decompresses and discharges the high pressure liquid refrigerant having sequentially passed through the condenser and the valve, and an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant drawn from the capillary tube at a low pressure into a low temperature refrigerant to absorb the generated heat.
One or more doors 14 may be coupled to the body 12. In certain embodiments, the doors 14 may include first and second doors 16 and 18 that selectively open and close separate sides of the refrigerator compartment, and a third door 22 that selectively opens and closes the freezer compartment, as shown, for example, in FIG. 1. Simply for ease of discussion, the first, second and third doors 16, 18 and 22 may be referred to collectively as the door 14. It is well understood that the features to be described may be applied to any one of the first, second or third doors 16, 18 and 22.
An inner space 16′ may be formed in the first door 16. The inner space 16′ may have an opening that faces the inside of the refrigerator compartment. The inner space 16′ may be selectively opened and closed with respect to the inside of the refrigerator compartment by a panel 40 which will be described later. An ice maker 50, which will be described later, may be installed in the inner space 16′ such that the inner space 16′ forms an ice making chamber. That is, the inner space 16′ and the ice making chamber may refer to substantially the same space, for ease of discussion. In alternative embodiments, the inner space 16′ may be formed in the second door 18 or the third door 22, based on the particular arrangement of the compartments. By extension, the inner space 16′ may be formed in various positions within the refrigerator 10 as long as an independent ice making chamber is able to be formed.
The first and second door 16 and 18 may rotatably open and close the refrigerator compartment, without any interference. Specifically, predetermined sides of the first and second doors 16 and 18 may be coupled to hinge parts 20 provided at edges of a front of the body 12, such that the first and second doors 16 and 18 may rotate about the hinge parts 20. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the third door 22 may slide forward and rearward along a slide rail to open and close the freezer compartment. A handle 24 may be provided at each of the first, second and third doors 16, 18 and 22 to provide a grasping surface. A dispenser 26 may be provided in one of the doors 14, and in particular, at one of the first, second or third doors 16, 18 and 22. The dispenser 26 allows ice, beverages or other items which are stored inside the door 14 to be dispensed outside the door 14. For ease of discussion, the dispenser 26 shown in this embodiment is provided at the second door 18 so as to not interfere with the inner space 16′ of the first door 16.
As shown in FIG. 2, the panel 40 may be provided at an interior side of the first door 16, and may be plate-shaped, corresponding to the shape of the inner space 16′ so as to cover the opening into the inner space 16′. A first side of the panel 40 may be rotatably coupled to the first door 16 and a second, opposite side of the panel 40 may rotate about the first side so as to selectively open and close the inner space 16′ of the first door 16. The panel 40 may partition off the inner space 16′ from the refrigerator compartment. Thus, in certain embodiments, the panel 40 may be made of material having good heat-insulation properties.
An opening 42 may be formed in the panel 40 to provide for the installation of a thermoelectric-module 44 and the ice maker 50. The thermoelectric-module 44 may be provided at the opening 42. The thermoelectric-module 44 may be plate-shaped, corresponding to the appearance of the opening 42. Specifically, at least one thermoelectric-module 44 may be provided at the opening 42, with a first surface of the thermoelectric-module 44 positioned facing the inner space 16′ and a second, opposite surface of the thermoelectric-module 44 positioned facing the inside of the refrigerator compartment. A heat absorption part 44 a of the thermoelectric-module 44 may be positioned facing the inner space 16′ so as to absorb heat, and a heat radiation part 44 b of the thermoelectric-module 44 may be positioned facing the refrigerator compartment so as to radiate the heat absorbed at the heat absorption part 44 a. The thermoelectric-module 44 may be inserted between a cold block 46 and a heat sink 70, both of which will be described later. A power supply unit (not shown) may be connected with the thermoelectric-module 44.
The thermoelectric-module 44 may employ a Peltier effect, in that a DC voltage may be applied to two different kinds of metals which are combined to generate endothermic and exothermic phenomena. The thermoelectric-module 44 may be formed of an extrinsic semiconductor, such as, for example, germanium, silicon, lead telluride, bismuth telluride, indium arsenic (InAs), or others as appropriate.
The cold block 46 may be positioned inside the panel 40, that is, in the inner space 16′ of the first door 16. The cold block 46 may be attached to the heat absorption part 44 a of the thermoelectric-module 44. As the heat absorption part 44 a of the thermoelectric-module 44 gets cold, the cold block 46 may transmit the cold air to the inner space 16′.
The ice maker 50 may be provided in the inner space 16′, and may be connected with the cold block 46. Here, the ice maker 50 may make ice in a heat-insulated space formed by the inner space 16′ using water supplied by a water supply part 53. The ice maker 50 may be directly connected with the heat absorption part 44 a of the thermoelectric-module 44 to receive the cold air, and not directly connected with the cold block 46.
The ice maker 50 may include an ice tray 52 and a control box 56. Ice may be made from water held in the ice tray 52 and subjected to cold air. In certain embodiments, the ice tray 52 may be approximately semi-cylindrical shaped. A plurality of ribs may project upward from an inner portion of the ice tray 52, spaced apart from each other a predetermined distance, so as to separate the ice into separate pieces. In addition, a heater (not shown) may be provided, for example, under the ice tray 52, to heat the surface of the ice tray 52 for a relatively short time period, such that a surface of the ice attached to the surface of the ice tray 52 may be melted enough to be separated smoothly. The water supply part 53 may be provided at a predetermined portion of the ice tray 52 to supply water to the tray 52 for making ice.
A transfer plate 54 may be provided at the ice tray 52. A first surface of the cold bock 46 may closely contact the thermoelectric-module 44, and a second surface of the cold block 46 may closely contact the transfer plate 54. Thus, an appearance of the transfer plate 54 may correspond to the appearance of the cold block 46. In alternative embodiments, if the transfer plate 54 is directly connected with the thermoelectric-module 44, the appearance of the transfer plate 54 may correspond to the appearance of the thermoelectric-module 44. The transfer plate 54 may be formed integrally with the ice tray 52. The transfer plate 54 may receive cold air from the thermoelectric-module 44 directly or through the cold box 46 from the thermoelectric-module 44 and convey the cold air to the ice tray 52 in order to cool the ice tray 52. Thus, the transfer plate 54 may be formed of metal material having high heat conductivity.
The control box 56 may be provided in the ice tray 52, at a portion of the ice tray 52 opposite to where the water supply part 53 is provided, as shown in FIGS. 2-3, or other location as appropriate. The control box 56 controls operation of the ice maker 50. A motor (not shown) may be provided in the control box 56 and an ejector (not shown) may be rotatably connected with a rotation shaft of the motor. A rotation shaft of the ejector may extend across a center of the ice tray 52, and a plurality of ejector pins (not shown) may be spaced apart a predetermined distance along the rotation shaft of the ejector. For example, each of the ejector pins may be arranged in a corresponding space which is partitioned off by the ribs.
The control box 56 may include an ice amount sensing arm 58 that senses an amount of ice collected in an ice bank (not shown) provided beneath the ice tray 52. The ice amount sensing arm 58 may be movable vertically upward and downward, and may be connected with a controller mounted in the control box 56. The ice maker 50 may determine whether additional ice will be made according to the operation, and in particular, a position, of the ice amount sensing part 58 and the controller.
A fan 60 may be installed in the inner space 16′ of the first door 16. The fan 60 may circulate cold air inside the inner space 16′. In this embodiment, the fan 60 is provided at a side of the control box 56. The fan 60 may face an upper or lower portion of the ice tray 52 to improve ice making speed. That is, the fan 60 may increase the amount of cold air in contact with the ice tray 52, thus increasing the cooling speed of the ice tray 52.
The heat sink 70 may be provided at the surface of the thermoelectric-module 44 facing the refrigerator compartment. The heat sink 70 may expand a heat radiation area of the thermoelectric-module 44, and may be positioned opposite the cold block 46. That is, the heat sink 70 may be installed toward the refrigerator compartment and closely contact the heat radiation part 44 b of the thermoelectric-module 44. As a result, the heat sink 70 may absorb heat generated from the thermoelectric-module 44 and discharge the absorbed heat into the refrigerator compartment. That is, as the heat sink 70 is exposed to the inside of the refrigerator compartment, the heat sink 70 is cooled and the heat radiation part 44 b of the thermoelectric-module 44 is cooled relatively fast. As a result, if the cooling period of the thermoelectric-module 44 is reduced, the cooling efficiency of the thermoelectric-module 44 may be improved.
A cooling fan 80 may be installed at a surface of the panel 40 which faces the inside of the refrigerator compartment. The cooling fan 80 may face the surface of the thermoelectric-module 44 or the surface of the heat sink 70 that faces the refrigerator compartment. The cooling fan 80 may be directly installed at the thermoelectric-module 44 or the heat sink 70. The cooling fan 80 may blow cold air of the refrigerator compartment onto the thermoelectric-module 44 or the heat sink 70 to increase the heat radiation capacity of the heat sink 70.
In certain embodiments, heat conductive material 45 may be coated between respective mating surfaces of the transfer plate 54, the cold block 46, the thermoelectric-module 44 and the heat sink 70. The heat conductive material may expand respective contact areas between these components to maximize a heat conduction effect. The heat conductive material may be, for example, thermal grease, thermal powder, or other material as appropriate.
The cold block 46 may be secured to the heat sink 70 by a securing member 47 that passes through the transfer plate 54 and the cold block 46 sequentially. Alternatively, the securing member 47 may pass through the panel 40 to directly secure the cold block 46 and the heat sink 70 to the panel 40.
Next, an operation of the refrigerator having the above configuration will be described.
First, the thermoelectric-module 44 and the ice maker 50 are installed on the panel 40. The panel 40 is then installed on an interior side of the door 16 to selectively open and close the opening into the inner space 16′ of the first door 16. That is, the inner space 16′ is formed by the first door 16 and the panel 40. As a result, the inner space 16′ is separated from the refrigerator compartment and forms the ice making chamber.
The at least one thermoelectric-module 44 is attached to a first surface of the cold block 46 and the transfer plate 54 is attached to a second surface of the cold block 46 opposite the first surface. The heat sink 70 is attached to a surface of the thermoelectric-module 44 opposite the cold block 46. At this time, the cold block 46 closely contacts the heat absorption part 44 a of the thermoelectric-module 44 and the heat sink 70 closely contacts the heat radiation part 44 b of the thermoelectric-module 44, thus forming heat transfer means. As mentioned above, heat conductive material is coated between the transfer plate 54 and the cold block 46 before they are attached to each other.
The securing member is then passed through the transfer plate 54, the cold block 46 and the panel 40 sequentially, to be secured to the heat sink 70. The securing member is tightly fastened to the heat sink 70 so that the thermoelectric-module 44 may be securely inserted between the cold block 46 and the heat sink 70. FIG. 3 illustrates the ice maker 50 and the thermoelectric-module 44 secured to the panel 40. The fan 60 is installed in/on the control box 56 and the cooling fan 80 is installed at the heat sink 70 to control the flow of cold air in the inner space 16′.
Next, a process will be described in which the ice maker 50 and the thermoelectric-module 44 are operated.
If power is applied to the thermoelectric-module 44, the ice tray 52 having been filled up with water by the water supply part 53, the heat absorption part 44 a of the thermoelectric-module 44 absorbs heat and the heat radiation part 44 b radiates the absorbed heat. That is, the heat absorption part 44 a of the thermoelectric-module 44 absorbs the heat of the transfer plate 54 through the cold block 46. As the surface of the cold block 46 gets cold, the cold air is transferred to the transfer plate 54 and next to the ice tray 52. Then, as the ice tray 52 is cooled, the ice making process is performed in the ice maker 50.
At this time, the heat sink 70 absorbs the heat generated from the heat radiation part 44 b of the thermoelectric-module 44 and radiates heat into the refrigerator compartment. Then, the cooling fan 80 installed at the heat sink 70 blows cold air from the refrigerator compartment onto the thermoelectric-module 44 and the heat sink 70 to improve the cooling efficiency of the thermoelectric-module 44.
As the heat radiation part 44 b of the thermoelectric-module 44 radiates heat quickly, the operation of the heat absorption part 44 a may be performed smoothly. As a result, if the heat radiation part 44 b of the thermoelectric-module 44 is cooled by the cold air of the refrigerator compartment, the speed of the heat absorption performed at the heat absorption part 44 a may be increased, and thus the cooling efficiency of the thermoelectric-module 44 may be improved.
If the cooling system of the thermoelectric-module 44 is applied to the inner space 16′ which forms the ice making chamber as described above, a separate cold air duct that transfers cold air does not have to be provided in the door. As a result, a refrigerator as embodied and broadly described herein may have a simple structure, and a capacity of the refrigerator may be increased by the volume of the cold air duct which is no longer required. In addition, the thermoelectric-module 44 does not generate frost, and thus cooling efficiency may be improved.
The ice making chamber having a thermoelectric-module 44 as embodied and broadly described herein may form a cooling space, separated from the refrigerator and freezer compartments. As a result, even if a failure of the operation of one of the compartments of the refrigerator occurs, the ice making chamber may be operated independently.
Embodiments as broadly described herein may be applicable to a three-door bottom freezer type refrigerator in which refrigerator and freezer compartments are provided vertically, with two doors coupled to right and left sides of the refrigerator compartment, to a two-door bottom freezer type refrigerator having two doors coupled to the refrigerator and freezer compartments, respectively, to a top mount type refrigerator having the refrigerator and freezer compartments provided vertically, and to a side by side type refrigerator having the refrigerator and freezer compartments provided next to each other.
In accordance with embodiments as broadly described herein, a thermoelectric-module requiring no cold air ducts, having a simple structure, may be used to cool an ice making chamber. As a result, utilization of space may be improved and a capacity of the refrigerator may be improved. In addition, energy efficiency may be enhanced because a heater is not required to remove frost from the cold air duct.
Furthermore, in embodiments as broadly described herein, it may be possible to operate a thermoelectric-module fast and there is an advantage of improved cooling efficiency, because the heat radiation part of the thermoelectric-module is cooled by the cold air of the refrigerator compartment. Still further, the ice making chamber may be formed at a variety of positions because the ice making chamber has independent cooling by using the thermoelectric-module separated from the refrigerator and freezer compartments.
A freezing cycle of a refrigerator may include, for example, a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator. The compressor compresses low temperature/pressure gaseous refrigerant into a high temperature/pressure gaseous refrigerant. The condenser condenses the refrigerant drawn from the compressor, using external air. The expansion valve may have a relatively narrow diameter so as to expand the refrigerant drawn from the condenser. The evaporator absorbs heat generated while the refrigerant which has passed through the expansion valve is evaporated at a low pressure.
Refrigerators may be categorized into top mount types and side by side types. In the top mount type, a refrigerator or freezer compartment is mounted one on top of the other, and refrigerator and freezer doors are respectively coupled to the compartments to open and close the compartments. In the side by side type, the refrigerator and freezer compartments are provided side by side, with refrigerator and freezer compartment doors rotatably coupled to two opposite sides of the refrigerator to respectively open and close the compartments.
Various kinds of convenience devices, such as, for example, a home bar or dispenser that allows items received in an interior side of the door to be withdrawn without opening the doors.
Refrigerators may also include an ice making chamber in the refrigerator or freezer compartment to make ice. Cold air generated in a cold air generation chamber may be moved into the ice making chamber via a cold air duct. However, in some circumstances, cold air having different temperatures may be mixed, thus generating frost at an outlet of the cold air duct that is in communication with the ice making chamber. Frost generated at an inner circumferential surface of the cold air duct may deteriorate refrigerant flow and thus cooling efficiency.
A refrigerator is provided.
A refrigerator as embodied and broadly described herein may be capable of supplying cold air to an ice making chamber using a thermoelectric-module.
A refrigerator as embodied and broadly described herein may be capable of cooling a heat absorption part of the thermoelectric-module substantially fast.
A refrigerator as embodied and broadly described herein may include a body having a storage room; an ice making chamber formed separately from the storage room; and a thermoelectric-module provided in the ice making chamber to generate cold air.
The refrigerator may also include a door rotatably coupled to the body, the door having the ice making chamber.
The refrigerator may also include a panel rotatably coupled to the door to open and close the ice making chamber selectively.
The refrigerator may also include an ice maker provided in the panel to make or eject ice inside the ice making chamber.
The thermoelectric-module may be provided in the panel to supply cold air to the ice maker and to discharge generated heat to the storage room formed in the body.
An opening may be formed at the panel to communicate the ice making chamber with the storage room and the thermoelectric-module may be positioned at the opening, with a surface toward the ice making chamber and the other opposite surface toward the storage room.
The refrigerator may also include a transfer plate, corresponding to the thermoelectric-module, provided in the ice maker to receive cold air from the thermoelectric-module.
The refrigerator may also include a cooling fan guiding cold air inside the storage room to the thermoelectric-module.
The refrigerator may also include a cold block having a surface in close contact with the transfer plate and the other opposite surface in close contact with at least one thermoelectric-module.
The refrigerator may also include a heat sink in close contact with the thermoelectric-module to expand a heat radiation area of the thermoelectric-module.
Heat conductive material may be coated between adjacent two of the transfer plate, the cold block, the thermoelectric-module and the heat sink.
The heat conductive material may be thermal grease or thermal powder.
The thermoelectric-module may be pressed between the cold block and the heat sink.
The cold block may be secured with the heat sink by a securing member passing the transfer plate and the cold block and the heat sink sequentially.
The transfer plate may be integrally formed with an ice tray provided in the ice maker.
The refrigerator may also include a fan provided in the ice making chamber to circulate cold air.
The fan may be toward a lower portion or upper portion of the ice tray.
Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” “alternative embodiment,” certain embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.
Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, numerous variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising:

a body having a storage room formed therein;

a door rotatably coupled to the body so as to selectively open and close the storage room;

an ice making chamber formed in the door; and

a thermoelectric module provided in the ice making chamber, wherein the thermoelectric module decreases a temperature in a surrounding area to cool the ice making chamber.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising a panel rotatably coupled to an interior side of the door so as to selectively open and close the ice making chamber.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the panel includes an opening formed therein so as to provide for communication between the ice making chamber and the storage room, wherein the thermoelectric module is positioned in the opening, with a first surface thereof facing the ice making chamber, and a second surface thereof opposite the first surface facing the storage room.

4. The refrigerator of claim 2, further comprising an ice maker coupled to the panel, wherein the ice maker is configured to make ice and to eject the ice into the ice making chamber.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the thermoelectric module is configured to cool the ice maker and to discharge heat into the storage room.

6. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the ice maker comprises a transfer plate coupled to the thermoelectric module such that the thermoelectric module cools the transfer plate and the transfer plate cools the ice maker.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6, further comprising a cold block having a first surface in close contact with the transfer plate, and a second surface opposite the first surface in close contact with the first surface of the thermoelectric module such that the cold block is interposed between the transfer plate and the first surface of the thermoelectric module.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7, further comprising a heat sink in close contact with the second surface of the thermoelectric module so as to expand a heat radiation area of the thermoelectric module.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8, further comprising heat conductive material coated between adjacent surfaces of the transfer plate, the cold block, and thermoelectric module and the heat sink.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the heat conductive material is a thermal grease or a thermal powder.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the thermoelectric module is pressed between the cold block and the heat sink.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the cold block is secured to the heat sink by a securing member that sequentially passes through the transfer plate, the cold block and the heat sink.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the transfer plate is integrally formed with an ice tray of the ice maker.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13, further comprising a cooling fan that directs cold air from the storage room toward the thermoelectric module.

15. The refrigerator of claim 13, further comprising a fan provided in the ice making chamber to circulate cold air within the ice making chamber.

16. The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein the fan is oriented toward a lower portion or an upper portion of the ice tray so as to concentrate a flow of cold air onto the ice tray.

17. A refrigerator, comprising:

a body having a storage room formed therein;

a door rotatably coupled to the body, the door having an ice making chamber formed therein that is separate from the storage room formed in the body;

a panel rotatably coupled to an interior side of the door so as to selectively open and close the ice making chamber; and

at least one thermoelectric module provided in the panel, wherein the at least one thermoelectric module has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first surface cools air in a surrounding area to cool the ice making chamber, and heat generated at the second surface is discharged into the storage room.

18. The refrigerator of claim 17, further comprising an ice maker coupled to the panel, wherein the ice maker is configured to make ice and to eject the ice into the ice making chamber.

19. The refrigerator of claim 17, further comprising a cold block that maintains close contact with a heat absorption part provided on the first surface of the thermoelectric module, and a heat sink that maintains close contact with a heat radiation part provided on the second surface of the thermoelectric module so as to expand a heat radiation are of the thermoelectric module.

20. The refrigerator of claim 19, further comprising:

a first fan that directs cold air from the storage room onto the thermoelectric module; and

a second fan provide in the ice making chamber, wherein the second fan circulates cold air within the ice making chamber.