JPH03251677A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent temperature rise upon defrosting by a method wherein a discharging duct as well as a damper thermostat for regulating temperature, which are exclusive for a defrosting chamber, and a suction duct are provided in a control box arranged on the deep surface of a first refrigerating chamber while the suction duct is communicated with the suction duct for the refrigerating chamber, which is provided in a first lateral partitioning wall. CONSTITUTION:Cold air, discharged into a first refrigerating chamber 28 through a damper thermostat 48a, is returned into a cooling chamber 42 through a cold air returning passage 27a in a first partitioning wall 27. On the other hand, cold air, branched from a cold air discharging duct 45 and discharged into a third refrigerating chamber 34 from a discharging port through a fourth vertical partitioning wall 33, passes through the cold air returining air passage of a second lateral partitioning wall and is returned into another cooling chamber 41 the first refrigerating chamber 28 through the cold air returning passage 27a of the first partitioning wall 27. Further, cold air, discharged into a low temperature room 30 through the damper thermostat, is discharged to the upper part of the vessel 51 of the second refrigerating chamber 32 through a discharging passage 53 provided at the rear part of a third partitioning wall 31.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial applications The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a thawing chamber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In recent years, there has been a trend in large refrigerators to be divided into multiple compartments to store different types of food.

In addition, when defrosting food in the thawing chamber of a conventional refrigerator-freezer that has a thawing chamber, there is no dedicated cold air suction duct for the thawing chamber, so the heat load of thawing causes the temperature of the food in other compartments to rise. There were times when it was not possible to maintain the appropriate temperature.

Hereinafter, a conventional example will be described with reference to a defrosting device for a cold wall refrigerator disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 82-172174.

In FIGS. 11 and 12, cold air flows from a thawing chamber 3 disposed in the upper part of the refrigerator compartment 1 and having a front opening/closing door 2, and a cold air duct 5 for the refrigerator compartment after passing through a cold air adjustment damper device 4 for the refrigerator compartment. an inlet 6 for introducing part of the cold air into the thawing chamber 3; a thawing fan 7 disposed at the rear of the thawing chamber 3 for forcibly circulating cold air into the refrigerator compartment 1; It has a temperature sensor 8 for detecting the temperature. Further, there is a thawing time setting device 9 for setting the operation time of the thawing fan 7 based on the type and weight of the thawed food, a rotation setting device 1o for setting the rotation speed, and the outputs of the two membrane regulators 9 and 1°. A device is provided for controlling the operation of the defrosting fan 7 based on a signal.

The control device 11 has a function of automatically correcting the operating time and rotation speed of the defrosting fan 7.

The refrigerator 12 is partitioned by a heat insulating partition wall 13, with the refrigerating chamber 1 disposed on the lower side and the freezing chamber 14 disposed on the upper side. A cold air flow path 15 is formed inside the partition wall 13, and the flow path 16 is provided along the rear wall 13a of the freezer compartment 14, and its upper end is opened to the freezer compartment 14 and serves as a cold air outlet 14.
A, a cooler 16 is disposed on the partition wall 13, and the front side of the cooler 16 is an intake port 14b. Further, the cold air outlet 17 for the refrigerator compartment 1 is connected to the rear wall 1 of the refrigerator compartment main body 12.
3b, and communicates with the cold air passage 15 via the cold air duct 5 formed in the rear wall 13b. In addition, the air intake port 14 is provided at the tip of the earthen wall of the refrigerator compartment 1.
An intake port 18 communicating with b is formed. A blower fan 19 and a fan motor 19 are arranged behind the cooler 16.

On the downstream side of the cold air outlet 17 of the refrigerator compartment 1, the damper device 4 is arranged to adjust the flow rate of cold air.

The damper device 4 includes a damper 4a, a damper motor 4b, and a conversion mechanism 4C that converts the rotation of the damper into swinging of the damper.
A branch duct (20, 21) for branching cold air to the thawing chamber 3 is formed.

Further, the defrosting chamber 3 is attached to the upper wall surface of the refrigerator compartment 1, and the defrosting fan 7 for forcibly circulating the cold air inside the refrigerator compartment 1 is installed behind the defrosting chamber 3. Further, a first fan looper 22 is formed in front of the defrosting fan 7, and a second fan looper 22 is provided above the first looper 22 for introducing a part of the cold air from the branch duct 2o into the defrosting chamber 3. A fan louver 23 is formed.

A temperature sensor 8 such as a thermistor that senses the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment 1 is incorporated into a control box 26 that is formed on the rear wall of the refrigerator compartment 1 and houses the damper device 4 therein.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention As described above, the heat load generated during thawing in the thawing chamber, which is relatively high-temperature warm air, enters the refrigerator compartment, increasing the temperature of the food. Moreover, since the warm and humid air returns directly to the cooler, there is a problem in that frost formation increases.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the conventional example, and provides a refrigerator that prevents temperature rise in other rooms due to heat load during defrosting and prevents abnormal frost formation on the cooler.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the present invention includes a discharge duct exclusively for the thawing chamber and a damper thermostat for exclusively controlling the temperature in the control box disposed at the back of the first refrigerator chamber. A suction duct is also housed within the box and communicates with a suction duct for the refrigerator compartment provided within the first horizontal partition wall.

Function: With the above configuration, the present invention can adjust the air volume in the thawing chamber, and can freely set the thawing time using an appropriate amount of cold air and a thawing heat source. In addition, by connecting the dedicated suction duct to the refrigerator suction duct without passing through the inside of the refrigerator, it mixes with the cold air returning from the refrigerator, returns to the cooler, and forms an average frost. In addition, the heat load during thawing does not affect the temperature of the food in the freezer and refrigerator compartments.

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. 26 is a freezer compartment, 27 is a first horizontal partition wall, and 28 is a first refrigerator compartment. 29 is a second horizontal partition wall, and 3o is a cold room maintained in a lower temperature range than the first refrigerator compartment 26.

31 is a third horizontal partition wall, 32 is a second refrigerator compartment serving as a vegetable storage room, 33 is a fourth vertical partition wall, and 34 is a vertical partition wall that connects the cold room 30 and the second refrigerator compartment 32. This is the third refrigerating room which serves as a bottle storage room divided by 33.

Each room has a freezer door 35. First refrigerator compartment left door 3
6. First refrigerator compartment right door 37. Cold room door 38° Second refrigerator door 39. A third refrigerator compartment door 4o is installed. Reference numeral 41 denotes a cooling chamber housing a blower 43 that forcibly circulates cold air in each chamber of the cooler 42, and 44 a duct cover placed in front of the cooling chamber 41, which discharges cold air to the freezing chamber, low temperature chamber, and refrigerator chamber. It has a freezer compartment discharge port 44a at the top and a freezer compartment suction port 44b at the bottom. Reference numeral 46 denotes a cold air discharge duct which is arranged to pass through the first horizontal partition wall 27 for the cold air diverted from the duct cover 44, and 46 is a control box arranged throughout the rear part of the first refrigerator compartment 28. A cold air discharge duct 47 connected to the cold air discharge duct 46 is provided within the control box 46. It has a discharge port 47a that opens to the first refrigerator compartment 28, a discharge port 47b that opens to the rear of the second refrigerator compartment 32, a third refrigerator compartment 34, and a discharge port 47c that opens radially. passes through the vertical partition wall 33.

A first damper (thermostara) 48a for temperature adjustment to control the amount of cold air is installed inside the damper.

Reference numeral 49 denotes a cold air discharge duct connected to the cold air discharge duct 45, and a cold air discharge passage 2 formed in the second horizontal partition wall 29.
It is connected to the cold room 3o via 9a. Note that the first thing. Second. 1st damper thermonut for the 3rd refrigerator compartment) 4
A second thermonut 49b is disposed in the cold air discharge duct 49 to the low temperature room 3°, which is arranged on the left and right of the cold air discharge duct 47 equipped with the thermostat 8a. Also, 27a is the first
The first refrigerating compartment 28. Low temperature room 30
゜It is a cold air return passage of the second refrigerator compartment and the third refrigerator compartment 34.

Reference numeral 50 denotes a cold air discharge passage from the cold room 3o provided at the rear of the third horizontal partition wall 31 to the second refrigerating compartment 32, and a closed container 51 having a lid 51a that can be freely pulled out and housed in the second refrigerating compartment. It opens upward.

Reference numeral 52 denotes a cold air return passage formed in the third horizontal partition wall, separated from the discharge passage 63, and a cold air return duct 64 leading to the rear part of the first refrigerator compartment 28, which is divided and provided at the back of the cold room 3o. is connected to. Reference numeral 29a is a cold air return passage formed in the second horizontal partition wall and communicates with the first refrigerator compartment 28 in the left front and rear directions. The third partition wall 31 includes one partition plate 56 and a lower partition plate 5.
A partition plate 43 is provided at the rear of the lower partition plate 66 to separate the discharge passage 53 and the cold air return passage 62.
6 is provided with a plurality of discharge ports 55a and 66a, respectively. In addition, a suction port 52a that communicates with the cold air return passage 62 is provided at the front end and rear end where the first partition plate 56 and the lower partition plate 66 connect.

s2b is provided.

Further, when the door of the first refrigerator compartment 15 is closed, the left door 36 is also stopped by a vertical partition wall 57 provided on the right door 37. Further, when opened, the right door 37 is equipped with a vertical partition wall 57, and when viewed from the front, the vertical partition of the first refrigerator compartment 28 disappears.

Next, a description will be given with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 7 to 10. 57 is a thawing chamber located on the left side of the refrigerator compartment 12. 58 is a discharge duct dedicated to the thawing chamber 57, and the discharge duct 46
It is more branched and connected.

Inside the discharge duct 58, there is a third damper (thermonutaf) 68 for temperature adjustment that controls the amount of cold air supplied to the thawing chamber 57.
It is equipped with a. The thawing chamber 57 includes an upper heater 59.
．． There is a lower surface heater 60, adjacent to the lower surface heater,
There is a defrosting completion detection sensor 61. 62 is the lower surface heater 60. There is a lower plate in which the defrosting end detection sensor 61 is housed, and the lower part is covered with a heat insulating material 63, and the center portion is made of a heat conductive member 62a. The heat radiation plate 6
It is covered by 4. The front side of the thawing chamber 57 is separated from the refrigerator chamber 12 by a door 66. 66 is a cold air return passage;
a is the opening of the cold air passage 66 in the thawing chamber 67. A terminal end eeb of the cold air return passage 66 communicates with the cold air return passage 27a in the first horizontal partition wall 27.

The front convex portion 66C of the terminal end eeb is lower than the surface of 27b in the first horizontal partition wall 27, and the rear convex portion eeD is lower than the front convex portion esc. And the cold air return passage 27
a and the cold air return passage 66 for the thawing chamber 57 to return to the cooling chamber 41. 67 is a defrosting heater of the cooler 42.

Regarding the air passage configured as described above, the cold air convection thereof will be explained below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10.

damper thermostuff) 48a to the first refrigerator compartment 2
The cold air discharged into the cooling chamber 8 returns to the cooling chamber 42 via the cold air return passage 27& in the first partition wall 27. In addition, the cold air that branches from the cold air discharge duct 46, passes through the fourth vertical partition wall 33, and is discharged from the discharge port 47c into the third refrigerator compartment 34 is
It passes through the cold air return air passage 29b in the horizontal partition wall of
It returns to the cooling chamber 41 via 7a.

In addition, the cold air discharged into the low temperature room 3o through the damper thermos tough) 49b is distributed and discharged above the container 61 housed in the second refrigerator compartment 32 through a discharge passage 63 provided at the rear of the third partition wall 31. The cold air discharged through the damper thermostat 4eb from the discharge port 33b of the discharge duct 47 into the space between the outside of the container 61 and the inner wall of the second refrigerating compartment 32 and the third partition wall 31 A cold air return duct 64 sectioned at the rear of the cold room 30 through the inner duct 62
The air passes through the first refrigerator compartment 28 and returns to the cooling compartment 41 .

In this way, the second refrigerating compartment 32 and the third refrigerating compartment 34 also have dedicated cold air intake ports, ensuring a desired amount of cold air. In addition, since the returned cold air from the second refrigerator compartment 32 returns to the first refrigerator compartment 2B without passing through the cold room, the temperature of the cold room is uneven due to the return cold air from the second refrigerator compartment before and after. It is possible to control the temperature at an appropriate level without causing heat generation.

Next, cold air convection in the thawing chamber 57 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10.

The cold air from the discharge duct in the control pocket 46 is discharged into the thawing chamber 57 via the damper thermostuff 58a. The cold air return opening 66a of the thawing chamber 67 enters the cold air return passage 66, and the terminal end eeb of the cold air return passage 66 is connected to the first refrigerating compartment 28°, the second refrigerating compartment 32. Third cold room 34. It communicates with the cold air return passage 27a of the low-temperature room 3o, merges into the cooling room 41, and returns.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the first refrigerator compartment has two doors and a vertical partition wall is attached to one of the doors, so that when the door is opened, the inside of the refrigerator is is spacious.

Additionally, by separately providing a third refrigerating room, it can be used as a cold storage area exclusively for bottles. Furthermore, the third refrigerator compartment is located at the bottom of the first refrigerator compartment, so when looking at the entire refrigerator,
By being at the bottom, the bottles to be kept cold are comparatively heavy items, and it is advantageous in terms of safety when putting in and taking out the bottles.

In addition, since there is a cold air outlet directly for bottles,
It can be cooled much faster than conventional door shelves.

In addition, since it is equipped with an air passage exclusively for the thawing chamber, it does not affect the product temperature in the refrigerator and freezer compartments, so the capacity of the thawing heater can be increased and the thawing time can be shortened.

In addition, frost buildup and frost formation in the cold air return passage can be minimized by connecting the return passage of the defrosting compartment and the return passage of the refrigerator compartment to mix cold air and warm air from thawing and return it to the cooler. Frost formation can be prevented, resulting in average frost formation. In addition, we have devised the shape of the end of the defrost chamber return passageway where it joins the cold air return passageway from the refrigerator compartment, so that the radiant heat from the defrost heater reaches before the opening at the end of the defrost chamber return passageway. Dew and frost can also be defrosted. In addition, the door on the cooling chamber side was set low so that dew that landed on the opening at the end of the return path to the thawing chamber could be defrosted.

Therefore, even the warm and humid returned cold air with a large temperature difference can be defrosted without any problem.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
3 is a sectional view showing the air passage structure of the invention, FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the third partition wall, and FIG. is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 4 during assembly, Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 4 during assembly, and Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in Figure 2. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the entire thawing chamber air path, FIG. 9 is a detailed view of the thawing chamber side, and FIG. 10 is a detailed view of the air path in the first partition wall. FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the entire refrigerator of the conventional example, and FIG. 12 is a detailed view of the defrosting air passage of the conventional example.

26... Freezer compartment, 2T... First horizontal partition wall, 28... First refrigerator compartment, 29...
・Second horizontal partition wall, 30...Cold room, 31...
...Third horizontal partition wall, 32...Second refrigerator compartment, 33...Fourth vertical partition wall, 34...
・Third refrigerator compartment, 42...Cooler, 43...
...Cold air forced circulation blower, 45...Discharge duct, 47c,...Discharge port, 66...Defrost chamber cold air return passage, eeb...Cold air End of return passage, 66c...Front convex part, n f Sea-1
-Mishu's 1a Tengong Parable No. 1; 11 The cessation of Army 2! Port = Murota 3's tatirng 34°°, Ka 3's wharf & prize 66D...Inner convex part.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A freezing compartment above the main body, a first refrigerating compartment separated from the freezing compartment by a first horizontal partition wall, a thawing compartment installed in the first refrigerating compartment, and the first refrigerating compartment. A door installed in a double-sided manner on the left and right front sides of the chamber, and a dedicated cold air outlet and a dedicated cold air intake provided for the defrosting chamber and the defrosting chamber within the same width dimension as the width of either the left or right door. a cold room maintained in a lower temperature range than the first cold room, which is partitioned by a second horizontal partition wall; and a second cold room, which is partitioned from the cold room by a third horizontal partition wall. a third refrigerating room in which both the cold room and the second refrigerating room are partitioned by a vertical partition wall; a cooler provided in the inner part of the freezing room; and a blower for forced circulation of cold air. , and a discharge duct leading to each of the chambers. (2) The suction duct of the thawing chamber installed in the first refrigerator compartment is provided in the first horizontal partition wall, and the suction duct of the thawing chamber installed in the first refrigerator compartment is connected to the first refrigerator compartment, the cold room, the second refrigerator compartment, and the third refrigerator compartment. According to claim 1, the suction duct of the defrosting chamber is communicated with the suction duct of the defrosting chamber, and the height of the suction duct opening wall of the defrosting chamber is lower than the thickness of the suction duct for the refrigerating chamber. A refrigerator.