# US 10,871,320 B2 · Defroster and refrigerator having same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,320 B2 - Document ID: US10871320B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/747,866 - Filed: 2016-08-24 - Published: 2019-01-10 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2015-08-24 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Woocheol Kang; Kwangsoo Jung; Yonggap Park; Geunhyung Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871320B2 ## CPC - F25D 21/12: by hot-fluid circulating system separate from the refrigerant system - F25B 39/02: Evaporators - F25B 39/022: {with plate-like or laminated elements} - F25B 47/02: Defrosting cycles - F25D 19/006: {Thermal coupling structure or interface} - F25D 21/08: by electric heating - F28D 15/0266: {with separate evaporating and condensing chambers connected by at least one conduit; Loop-type heat pipes; with multiple or common evaporating or condensing chambers (F28D15/043 takes precedence)} - F28D 15/0275: {Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores} - F28F 1/28: the element being built-up from finned sections - F28F 1/32: the means having portions engaging further tubular elements - F25D 19/00: Arrangement or mounting of refrigeration units with respect to devices {or objects to be refrigerated, e.g. infrared detectors} - F25D 2400/02: Refrigerators including a heater - F28D 1/047: the conduits being bent, e.g. in a serpentine or zig-zag - F28D 15/025: {having non-capillary condensate return means} - F28D 2021/0071: {Evaporators} - F28F 2215/04: Assemblies of fins having different features, e.g. with different fin densities - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) ## Abstract The present invention discloses a defroster comprising: a heating unit having a heater case arranged vertically along an up-down direction on the outside of an evaporator, and a heater disposed vertically in the up-down direction inside the heater case; and a heat pipe respectively connected to an outlet provided at the top side of the heating unit and an inlet provided at the bottom side of the heating unit, and having at least a portion thereof disposed adjacent to the refrigerant pipe of the evaporator so that working fluid heated by the heater moves and transfers heat to the evaporator to remove frost, wherein the heater is configured to be immersed beneath the surface of the working fluid when all the working fluid in the heat pipe is in a liquid state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A defroster comprising: a heating unit including a heater case vertically arranged outside of an evaporator in an up-down direction of the evaporator, and a heater vertically arranged in the heater case in the up-down direction at least partially; and a heat pipe that is connected to each of an outlet provided at an upper side of the heating unit and an inlet provided at a lower side of the heating unit, that is arranged near a cooling pipe of the evaporator at least partially, and that is configured to guide a working fluid heated by the heater to transfer heat to the evaporator for removal of frost, wherein, in a state in which all of the working fluid inside the heat pipe is in a liquid state, the heater is configured to be positioned below a surface of the working fluid, wherein the heater includes: an active heating portion configured to emit heat to actively heat the working fluid, and a passive heating portion provided below the active heating portion and configured to be heated to a lower temperature than the active heating portion, and wherein the inlet of the heating unit is positioned to correspond to the passive heating portion to allow the working fluid returning along the heat pipe to be introduced into the passive heating portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The defroster of claim 1, wherein the outlet of the heating unit is positioned to correspond to the active heating portion, or is positioned above the active heating portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The defroster of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe includes: an evaporation part connected to the outlet of the heating unit, and arranged to correspond to the cooling pipe of the evaporator to transfer heat to the cooling pipe of the evaporator; and a condensation part extended from the evaporation part, arranged below a lowermost-row cooling pipe of the evaporator, and connected to the inlet of the heating unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The defroster of claim 3, wherein the condensation part includes at least two horizontal pipes disposed below the lowermost-row cooling pipe of the evaporator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The defroster of claim 4, wherein a lower end of the heating unit is arranged near the lowermost-row cooling pipe of the evaporator. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The defroster of claim 5, wherein the condensation part includes a return part upward extended from a lowermost-row horizontal pipe of the condensation part to the inlet of the heating unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The defroster of claim 4, wherein a lower part of the heating unit is arranged below the lowermost-row cooling pipe of the evaporator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The defroster of claim 7, wherein a lower end of the heating unit is arranged near a lowermost-row horizontal pipe of the condensation part. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The defroster of claim 8, wherein an upper end of the heating unit is positioned below a cooling pipe formed directly above the lowermost-row cooling pipe of the evaporator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The defroster of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe includes a lowermost-row horizontal pipe that is arranged near a lowermost-row cooling pipe of the evaporator, and wherein an upper end of the heating unit is positioned below a cooling pipe formed directly above the lowermost-row cooling pipe of the evaporator. ### Claim 11 A defroster comprising: a heating unit including a heater case vertically arranged outside of an evaporator in an up-down direction of the evaporator, and a heater vertically arranged in the heater case in the up-down direction at least partially; and a heat pipe that is connected to each of an outlet provided at an upper side of the heating unit and an inlet provided at a lower side of the heating unit, that is arranged near a cooling pipe of the evaporator at least partially, and that is configured to guide a working fluid heated by the heater to transfer heat to the evaporator for removal of frost, wherein, in a state in which all of the working fluid inside the heat pipe is in a liquid state, the heater is configured to be positioned below a surface of the working fluid, wherein the heat pipe comprises a lowermost-row horizontal pipe that is arranged near a lowermost-row cooling pipe of the evaporator, wherein an upper end of the heating unit is positioned below a cooling pipe disposed directly above the lowermost-row cooling pipe of the evaporator, wherein the heater includes an active heating portion configured to emit heat to actively heat the working fluid, and wherein the inlet of the heating unit is positioned to correspond to the active heating portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The defroster of claim 11, wherein the heater further includes a passive heating portion provided below the active heating portion and heated to a lower temperature than the active heating portion, and wherein at least part of the passive heating portion is positioned outside the heater case. ### Claim 13 A defroster comprising: a heating unit including a heater case vertically arranged outside of an evaporator in an up-down direction of the evaporator, and a heater vertically arranged in the heater case in the up-down direction at least partially; and a heat pipe that is connected to each of an outlet provided at an upper side of the heating unit and an inlet provided at a lower side of the heating unit, that is arranged near a cooling pipe of the evaporator at least partially, and that is configured to guide a working fluid heated by the heater to transfer heat to the evaporator for removal of frost, wherein the heat pipe includes: an evaporation part connected to the outlet of the heating unit, and arranged to correspond to the cooling pipe of the evaporator to transfer heat to the cooling pipe of the evaporator, and a condensation part extended from the evaporation part, arranged below a lowermost-row cooling pipe of the evaporator, and connected to the inlet of the heating unit, wherein the heater includes: an active heating portion configured to emit heat to actively heat the working fluid, and a passive heating portion provided below the active heating portion and heated to a lower temperature than the active heating portion, and wherein the inlet of the heating unit is positioned to correspond to the passive heating portion to allow the working fluid returning along the heat pipe to be introduced into the passive heating portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The defroster of claim 13, wherein the condensation part includes at least two horizontal pipes disposed below the lowermost-row cooling pipe of the evaporator. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The defroster of claim 14, wherein a lower end of the heating unit is arranged near the lowermost-row cooling pipe of the evaporator. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The defroster of claim 15, wherein the condensation part includes a return part upward extended from a lowermost-row horizontal pipe of the condensation part to the inlet of the heating unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The defroster of claim 14, wherein a lower part of the heating unit is arranged below the lowermost-row cooling pipe of the evaporator. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The defroster of claim 17, wherein a lower end of the heating unit is arranged near a lowermost-row horizontal pipe of the condensation part. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The defroster of claim 18, wherein an upper end of the heating unit is positioned below a cooling pipe formed directly above the lowermost-row cooling pipe of the evaporator.