EP2789940B1 - Kühlschrank - Google Patents

Kühlschrank Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2789940B1
EP2789940B1 EP12855495.3A EP12855495A EP2789940B1 EP 2789940 B1 EP2789940 B1 EP 2789940B1 EP 12855495 A EP12855495 A EP 12855495A EP 2789940 B1 EP2789940 B1 EP 2789940B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cooler
defrosting
interior
cool air
time
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Not-in-force
Application number
EP12855495.3A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP2789940A1 (de
EP2789940A4 (de
Inventor
Yoshimasa Horio
Kouichi Nishimura
Shin'ichi Horii
Ayuko MIYASAKA
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Panasonic Corp
Original Assignee
Panasonic Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from JP2011266581A external-priority patent/JP2013119952A/ja
Priority claimed from JP2012092737A external-priority patent/JP5966145B2/ja
Application filed by Panasonic Corp filed Critical Panasonic Corp
Publication of EP2789940A1 publication Critical patent/EP2789940A1/de
Publication of EP2789940A4 publication Critical patent/EP2789940A4/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP2789940B1 publication Critical patent/EP2789940B1/de
Not-in-force legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D21/00—Defrosting; Preventing frosting; Removing condensed or defrost water
    • F25D21/06—Removing frost
    • F25D21/08—Removing frost by electric heating
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D23/00—General constructional features
    • F25D23/06—Walls
    • F25D23/065—Details
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D2317/00—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
    • F25D2317/06—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass with forced air circulation
    • F25D2317/063—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass with forced air circulation with air guides
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D2317/00—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
    • F25D2317/06—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass with forced air circulation
    • F25D2317/067—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass with forced air circulation characterised by air ducts
    • F25D2317/0671—Inlet ducts
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D2500/00—Problems to be solved
    • F25D2500/02—Geometry problems

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a refrigerator including a defrosting heater.
  • a refrigerator in which ventilation resistance of a cooling wind passage is reduced, a cooling wind amount is increased, and cooling efficiency is enhanced is disclosed (for example, refer to PTL 1).
  • a refrigerator in which heat convection at the time of defrosting is facilitated is facilitated (for example, refer to PTL 2).
  • FIG. 25 is a detailed side cross sectional view of a cooler periphery of a conventional refrigerator.
  • cooler 1 is installed between cooler cover 4 partitioning freezing compartment 2 and cooler compartment 3, and inner box 5 of a refrigerator body.
  • cool air return port 6 formed by cooler cover 4 is opened.
  • An upper end of an opening of cool air return port 6 is placed on the upper side of a lower surface of cooler 1, and a lower end of the opening of cool air return port 6 is placed on the lower side of the lower surface of cooler 1.
  • Enlarging the opening part of cool air return port 6 in such a way improves cool air circulation efficiency, so that a cooling performance is improved.
  • Defrosting heater 7 for melting frost formed on cooler 1 is disposed below cooler 1.
  • the back surface side of partition portion 9 partitioning freezing compartment 2 and vegetable compartment 8 is formed into a concave shape.
  • Guide portions 10 are provided upward inside the opening of cool air return port 6 of cooler cover 4, so as to suppress heat from defrosting heater 7 heated at the time of defrosting from flowing into freezing compartment 2. Since guide portions 10 have a fixed angle ⁇ with respect to the horizontal direction on the side of cooler 1, the return cool air from freezing compartment 2 smoothly flows into cooler 1, so that heat exchange efficiency is improved.
  • FIGS. 26A and 26B are detailed side cross sectional views of a cooler periphery of another conventional refrigerator.
  • cooler 11, and cooler cover 12 covering cooler 11 and forming a wind passage are disposed on the back surface side of a freezing compartment of the refrigerator, and defrosting heater 13 for melting frost formed on cooler 11 is disposed below cooler 11.
  • Cover heater 14 covering defrosting heater 13 is disposed on the upper side of defrosting heater 13.
  • Cover heater 14 is inclined in the front and rear direction, and a back end surface is lifted in such a manner that a gap between the end surface of cover heater 14 on the back surface side and a back surface wall is increased with respect to the interior side.
  • heat generated from defrosting heater 13 at the time of defrosting can be increased on the side of the back surface heat insulating wall.
  • a temperature increase of freezing compartment 15 can be suppressed.
  • the heat generated by defrosting heater 13 can efficiently abut with the frost formed mainly on a pipe of cooler 11.
  • FIG. 26B the cool air on the side of freezing compartment 15 in cooler cover 12 is cooled in freezing compartment 15 and brought down to the vicinity of the defrosting heater.
  • convection is generated in cooler cover 12, so that there is an effect of stabilizing defrosting.
  • Defrosting heater 13 itself is hidden from freezing compartment 15 by cover heater 14, and heater red heat at the time of defrosting is not visible.
  • an interior capacity is increased by about 100 L with equivalent outer size. This is because a measure of eliminating an invalid space of the refrigerator is performed and wall thickness is reduced while a heat insulating performance of a body is improved.
  • the back surface of the partition portion is formed in a concave shape and defrosting heater 7 is disposed in the concave shape so as to be housed in the partition portion as in the above conventional example, an invalid space is increased and an interior capacity is reduced.
  • Cooler 11 highly contributes to energy saving.
  • a measure of realizing energy saving at low cost by increasing a surface area on the air side with enlargement and an increase in the pipe number and in cooling fins is implemented.
  • heat at the time of defrosting is convected on an outer periphery of cooler 11 due to the inclination of cover heater 14.
  • a center part of cooler 11 does not easily receive a convection effect. Therefore, the effect is obtained in double-row pipe cooler 11.
  • the pipe number is increased to three rows for energy saving, a problem arises that a cooling medium remains in a center pipe and defrosting is not easily performed.
  • the present invention provides a large capacity refrigerator in which an invalid space is suppressed, the refrigerator having a high cooling ability and consequently exerting a high energy saving performance.
  • a refrigerator in which an energy saving effect is obtained by suppressing an interior inflow of the air warmed up by a defrosting heater so as to suppress an interior temperature increase is disclosed (for example, refer to PTL 3). Further, a refrigerator in which cooling efficiency is improved by letting the return cool air from the interior pass through a lower part of a cooler as far as possible is disclosed (for example, refer to PTL 4).
  • FIG. 27 is a detailed side cross sectional view of a cooler periphery of a conventional refrigerator.
  • cooler 21 is installed between cooler cover 24 partitioning freezing compartment 22 and cooler compartment 23, and inner box 25 of a refrigerator body.
  • cool air return port 26 formed by cooler cover 24 is opened.
  • An upper end of an opening of cool air return port 26 is placed on the upper side of a lower surface of cooler 21, and a lower end of the opening of cool air return port 26 is placed on the lower side of the lower surface of cooler 21.
  • defrosting heater 27 Since the air warmed up by defrosting heater 27 flows into warm air inflow space 28 more than into the interior at the time of defrosting, an interior temperature increase can be suppressed. Since a heat energy amount warming up the interior at the time of defrosting can be reduced, an energy saving property is enhanced.
  • FIG. 28 is a detailed side cross sectional view of a cooler periphery of another conventional refrigerator.
  • cooler compartment 33 defined by cooler cover 31, the cooler compartment forming an air circulation passage with freezing compartment 32 is provided on a back surface of the freezing compartment.
  • fan 34, cooler 35, cover heater 36, and defrosting heater 37 are disposed from the upper side.
  • a bottom surface part serves as water receiving portion 38 for receiving defrosted water melted by heat of defrosting heater 37 at the time of defrosting.
  • cooler compartment inlet 39 in the circulation passage is formed on the front surface side of a lower part of cooler compartment 33.
  • Gutter 40 for directing the return cool air toward the back surface side along the bottom surface part of cooler compartment 33, that is, water receiving portion 38 is provided in cooler compartment inlet 39.
  • Guide 42 of a separate body for guiding the return cool air coming in along water receiving portion 38 to the front surface side of the cooler is provided in inner box 41 on the back surface side.
  • an airflow coming into the side of inner box 41 serving as the back surface of cooler compartment 33 can be directed to a front surface part of cooler 35, and much of the cool air can pass through inside of the cooler from the upstream side of cooler 35. Therefore, distribution of the airflow flowing in inside cooler 35 can be improved, so that cooler 35 can be effectively utilized and cooling efficiency is improved.
  • gutter 40 is disposed up to the vicinity of a front surface of defrosting heater 37, a temperature is influenced by heat generation of defrosting heater 37 at the time of defrosting. Due to the heat generation of defrosting heater 37 at the time of defrosting, a temperature of a surface of defrosting heater 37 is increased to about 300°C. As a result, a temperature of a surface of gutter 40 provided in the vicinity of defrosting heater 37 is also increased to substantially 100°C or more. Thus, in order to prevent deformation due to heat, a member made of metal such as an aluminum foil for covering the surface is required, and there is a problem that material cost and cost of the man-hour are increased.
  • PTL 5 forming the closest prior art from which the present invention starts, discloses a refrigerator wherein a cooler, an intake pipe, a defrosting temperature fuse, a defrosting temperature detection sensor and a defrosting heater are engagingly fixed through a resin-made holding member, whereby the cooling unit is constituted.
  • the cooling unit is mounted on an opened opening part of an inner box located above a water receiving tray on the back surface of a storage chamber from the side of filling the foam heat insulating material.
  • the present invention is to provide a large capacity refrigerator in which cooling efficiency and efficiency at the time of defrosting are enhanced so as to achieve a high energy saving performance, and an invalid space is suppressed.
  • a refrigerator of the present invention is defined in independent claim 1.
  • the inventive refrigerator has a refrigerator body, and a freezing compartment of a freezing temperature zone in the refrigerator.
  • the refrigerator also has a cooler compartment including a cooler provided on a back surface side of the freezing compartment, the cooler for generating cool air, a defrosting heater provided below the cooler, and a drain pan provided below the defrosting heater, the drain pan for receiving defrosted water dropped after frost formed on the cooler is melted.
  • the refrigerator includes a cooler cover including a cool air return port through which the cool air after cooling the freezing compartment is returned to the cooler, the cooler cover covering the cooler.
  • Center of the defrosting heater is set above a lower surface of the freezing compartment in a horizontal direction, a projection member protruding into an interior side is disposed on the lower surface of the freezing compartment, and a lower end of the cool air return port and an upper end of the projection member are overlapped with each other in a height direction.
  • the overlapping part between the lower end of the cool air return port and the projection member is provided in the present invention, red heat from the defrosting heater at the time of defrosting can be prevented from being leaked out to the exterior. Since a gap is created between the lower end of the cool air return port and the projection member, the return cool air from the interior to the cooler can ensure convection not only on a front surface of the return port but also from the lower side of the cooler. Therefore, a large heat exchange area in the cooler can be obtained, and a circulation wind amount can be increased by lowering ventilation resistance of the return cool air. A heat exchange amount in the cooler is increased and an evaporation temperature is increased, so that energy saving can be achieved by improvement of freezing cycle efficiency.
  • a time for cooling the interior can be reduced.
  • a frost formation amount onto the cooler due to shortening of a cooling operation time can also be reduced.
  • a regular defrosting period for melting frost of the cooler can be extended.
  • the input number of the defrosting heater can be decreased and a power input required for cooling the interior after an interior temperature increase due to defrosting can be reduced, so that further energy saving can be achieved.
  • a refrigerator of the present invention includes a cooler provided on a back surface side of the refrigerator, the cooler for generating cool air, a defrosting heater provided below the cooler, and a cooler cover covering the cooler and having a cool air return port through which the cool air after cooling a freezing compartment is returned to the cooler.
  • the cooler cover includes a cooler front side cover on an interior side and a cooler rear side cover in a direction to the cooler, a heat transfer suppression space by the cooler front side cover and the cooler rear side cover is provided in front of the cooler, and a defrosting warm air guide member is provided in the cool air return port.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator in a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a vertically sectional view of the refrigerator in the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 is a vertically sectional view of a cooler periphery of the refrigerator in the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a detailed vertically sectional view of the cooler periphery of the refrigerator in the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • refrigerator body 101 has forward-opened outer box 124 made of metal (such as an iron plate), inner box 125 made of rigid resin (such as ABS), and heat insulating body 126 made of rigid urethane foams which are foamed and charged between outer box 124 and inner box 125.
  • Refrigerator body 101 includes refrigerating compartment 102 provided in an upper part, upper level freezing compartment 103 provided below refrigerating compartment 102, and ice-making compartment 104 provided below refrigerating compartment 102 in parallel with upper level freezing compartment 103.
  • refrigerator body 101 includes vegetable compartment 106 provided in a lower part of the body, and lower level freezing compartment 105 provided between upper level freezing compartment 103 and ice-making compartment 104 which are installed in parallel to each other and vegetable compartment 106.
  • Front surface parts of upper level freezing compartment 103, ice-making compartment 104, lower level freezing compartment 105, and vegetable compartment 106 are openably closed by upper level freezing compartment door 103a, ice-making compartment door 104a, lower level freezing compartment door 105a, and vegetable compartment door 106a of a pull-out type.
  • a front surface of refrigerating compartment 102 is openably closed by double-door type refrigerating compartment door 102a.
  • a temperature of refrigerating compartment 102 is generally set in a range from 1°C to 5°C with an unfreezable temperature as a lower limit for refrigerating storage.
  • a temperature of vegetable compartment 106 is often in a range from 2°C to 7°C of a temperature setting equal to or slightly higher than refrigerating compartment 102. With a low temperature, freshness of green vegetables can be maintained for a long time.
  • Temperatures of upper level freezing compartment 103 and lower level freezing compartment 105 are generally set in a range from -22°C to -18°C for freezing storage. However, for improving a freezing storage state, the temperatures are sometimes set in, for example, a low-temperature range from -30°C to -25°C.
  • refrigerating compartment 102 and vegetable compartment 106 are set at a temperature above zero in interiors thereof, the compartments are called a refrigerating temperature zone.
  • upper level freezing compartment 103, lower level freezing compartment 105, and ice-making compartment 104 are set at a temperature below zero in interiors thereof, the compartments are called a freezing temperature zone.
  • upper level freezing compartment 103 may serve as a switching compartment for which the refrigerating temperature zone or the freezing temperature zone can be selected.
  • a top surface portion of refrigerator body 101 is formed by first top surface portion 108 and second top surface portion 109 by providing a step-like concave part toward the back surface direction of the refrigerator.
  • Machine compartment 119 is provided in second top surface portion 109 where the step-like concave part is provided.
  • cooling medium a combustible cooling medium is often used for environmental protection. It should be noted that in a case of a freezing cycle in which a three-way valve and a switching valve are used, those functional parts can be disposed in machine compartment 119.
  • Refrigerating compartment 102, ice-making compartment 104, and upper level freezing compartment 103 are partitioned by first heat insulating partition portion 110. Ice-making compartment 104 and upper level freezing compartment 103 are partitioned by second heat insulating partition portion 111. Ice-making compartment 104 and upper level freezing compartment 103, and lower level freezing compartment 105 are partitioned by third heat insulating partition portion 112.
  • second heat insulating partition portion 111 and third heat insulating partition portion 112 are parts assembled after forming refrigerator body 101 by foaming
  • expanded polystyrene is generally used as a heat insulating material.
  • rigid urethane foams may be used for improving a heat insulating performance and rigidity.
  • thickness of a partition structure may be further reduced.
  • second heat insulating partition portion 111 and third heat insulating partition portion 112 By ensuring an operating part of a door frame so as to reduce thickness of shapes of second heat insulating partition portion 111 and third heat insulating partition portion 112 or to eliminate the heat insulating partition portions, a cooling wind passage can be ensured and a cooling ability can also be improved.
  • hollowing out second heat insulating partition portion 111 and third heat insulating partition portion 112 so as to make a wind passage materials are consequently reduced and cost can be reduced.
  • Lower level freezing compartment 105 and vegetable compartment 106 are partitioned by fourth heat insulating partition portion 113.
  • Cooler compartment 123 is provided on a back surface of refrigerator body 101.
  • fin-and-tube type cooler 107 for generating the cool air is disposed so as to extend in the up and down direction on a back surface of lower level freezing compartment 105 including rear regions of second heat insulating partition portion 111 and third heat insulating partition portion 112 which serve as heat insulating partition walls.
  • Cooler cover 120 made of aluminum or copper, the cooler cover covering cooler 107 is disposed on a front surface of cooler compartment 123. Cool air return port 135 through which the cool air after cooling lower level freezing compartment 105 is returned to the cooler is provided in cooler cover 120.
  • Flow-direction guide portions 122 are provided in cool air return port 135 provided in a lower part of cooler cover 120.
  • An interval of flow-direction guide portions 122 is 5 mm or more in consideration with prevention of finger invasion and ensuring of strength of a mold and cooler cover 120.
  • cool air blower fan 116 for blowing the cool air generated in cooler 107 to the storage compartments of refrigerating compartment 102, ice-making compartment 104, upper level freezing compartment 103, lower level freezing compartment 105, and vegetable compartment 106 by a forced-convection method is disposed.
  • Defrosting heater 132 formed by a glass tube heater for removing frost formed on cooler 107 and to cool air blower fan 116 at the time of cooling is provided below cooler 107.
  • cover heater 133 covering defrosting heater 132 is disposed above defrosting heater 132 formed by the glass tube heater.
  • Cover heater 133 has size equal to or more than a diameter and width of the glass tube of defrosting heater 132 in such a manner that hissing sounds are not generated when waterdrops dropped from cooler 107 at the time of defrosting directly fall down to a surface of the glass tube whose temperature is increased by defrosting.
  • Drain pan 134 integrated with an upper surface of fourth heat insulating partition portion 113, the drain pan serving as a lower surface of the freezing compartment for receiving defrosted water dropped after the frost formed on cooler 107 is melted is disposed below defrosting heater 132.
  • projection member 136 protruding toward the interior side is disposed on the lower surface of the freezing compartment. Further, projection member 136 is disposed between a lower end of cool air return port 135 and defrosting heater 132. Thereby, red heat is not visible from the interior, and projection member 136 is hidden by the lower end of the cool air return port of cooler cover 120 when seen from the interior side. Thus, it looks good and outer appearance quality is consequently improved.
  • Center of defrosting heater 132 is disposed at a position on the upper side of the upper surface of fourth heat insulation partition portion 113.
  • a shape of drain pan 134 integrated with the lower surface of the freezing compartment can be substantially horizontal, so that an invalid space created by installment of defrosting heater 132 can be reduced and an interior capacity can be increased.
  • depth of drain pan 134 can be shallow, mold cost at the time of molding constituent parts can be suppressed. Thus, cost is consequently reduced.
  • Deformation at the time of foaming heat insulation body 126 formed by the rigid urethane foams which are closely attached to inside of outer box 124 and inner box 125 of refrigerator body 101 can be suppressed, so that a product yield ratio is improved and disposal cost is reduced. In addition, workability at the time of attachment is also improved.
  • the refrigerator with favorable outer appearance quality can be provided.
  • isobutane serving as a combustible cooling medium having a low global warming potential is used from a viewpoint of global environmental conservation.
  • Isobutane of carbon hydrate has a specific gravity about twice more than the air at a normal temperature at atmospheric pressure (2.04, 300 K).
  • a cooling medium charging amount can be reduced in comparison to the conventional examples and cost is low.
  • a leakage amount in the case where the combustible cooling medium is leaked out by any possibility is reduced, so that safety can be more improved.
  • isobutane is used as the cooling medium, and a maximum temperature of the surface of the glass tube serving as an outer shell of defrosting heater 132 at the time of defrosting is regulated as explosion protection.
  • a double glass tube heater in which glass tubes are doubly formed is adopted as defrosting heater 132.
  • a member having a high heat radiation property such as an aluminum fin
  • outer size of defrosting heater 132 can be reduced.
  • a pipe heater closely attached to cooler 107 may also be used.
  • cooler 107 can be efficiently defrosted by heat transfer directly from the pipe heater.
  • frost formed on drain pan 134 and cool air blower fan 116 in the periphery of cooler 107 can be melted by defrosting heater 132.
  • a defrosting time can be shortened, so that energy saving can be achieved and an interior temperature increase during the defrosting time can be suppressed.
  • defrosting heater 132 formed by the glass tube heater is combined with the pipe heater, by properly matching heater capacities with each other, the capacity of defrosting heater 132 can be lowered.
  • the heater capacity is lowered, a temperature of the outer shell of defrosting heater 132 at the time of defrosting can also be lowered. Thus, red heat at the time of defrosting can be suppressed.
  • compressor 117 is started up and cooling is started.
  • a high-temperature and high-pressure cooling medium discharged from compressor 117 is cooled and liquefied particularly in the heat-radiation pipe (not shown) installed in outer box 124 by heat exchange with the air outside outer box 124 and with heat insulating body 126 formed by the rigid urethane foams in the interior before reaching the dryer (not shown) disposed in machine compartment 119 at the end.
  • the liquefied cooling medium is decompressed in capillary tube 118, flows into cooler 107, and exchanges heat with the interior cool air in the periphery of cooler 107.
  • the cool air after heat exchange is blown into the interior by cool air blower fan 116 in the vicinity thereof, and cools the interior.
  • the cooling medium is heated, gasified, and returned to compressor 117.
  • the temperature of the freezing compartment sensor not shown
  • an operation of compressor 117 is stopped.
  • Cool air blower fan 116 may be directly disposed in inner box 125. However, by arranging the cool air blower fan in second heat insulating partition portion 111 assembled after foaming and performing block processing of the parts, manufacturing cost can be reduced.
  • frost is formed on cooler 107.
  • heat exchange efficiency between cooler 107 and the circulation cool air is lowered, so that the interior cannot be sufficiently cooled and brought into a non-cooled state at the end. Therefore, in the refrigerator, there is a need for regularly removing the frost formed on the cooler.
  • defrosting is automatically performed.
  • an operation of compressor 117 and cool air blower fan 116 is stopped, and power is supplied to defrosting heater 132 formed by the glass tube heater.
  • a defrosting sensor (not shown) is attached to cooler 107 so as to stop power supply to defrosting heater 132 at a predetermined temperature. In the present exemplary embodiment, at a time point when the defrosting sensor detects 10°C, the power supply to defrosting heater 132 is stopped.
  • cooler 107 is refreshed.
  • the layout configuration of the refrigerator in which vegetable compartment 106 is installed on the lower side, lower level freezing compartment 105 is installed in the middle, and refrigerating compartment 102 is installed on the upper side is frequently used from a viewpoint of usability and energy saving.
  • a refrigerator with a configuration of a fully-open mechanism in which interior drawer parts of lower level freezing compartment 105 and vegetable compartment 106 are large is also provided.
  • cooler cover 120 and cool air return port 135 in the lower part of cooler cover 120 conventionally not easily seen behind a back surface of an interior case are visible.
  • projection member 136 protruding toward the interior side is disposed on the lower surface of the freezing compartment.
  • the configuration will be described with FIGS. 3 and 4 .
  • a distance to the lower end of cool air return port 135 is A
  • a height to an upper surface of projection member 136 is B
  • a distance to the center of defrosting heater 132 is C.
  • An overlapping part in the height direction of the lower end of cool air return port 135 and projection member 136 is 0 mm or more, that is, in a relationship of A ⁇ B.
  • red heat from defrosting heater 132 formed by the glass tube heater at the time of defrosting is not visible.
  • a user does not feel anxiety given by red heat of defrosting heater 132.
  • cooler 107 By the improvement of the heat exchange amount of cooler 107 and the increase in the circulation wind amount, a time for cooling the interior can be reduced. Thus, a frost formation amount onto cooler 107 due to shortening of a cooling operation time can also be reduced. Thereby, a defrosting period of cooler 107 can be extended.
  • the input number of defrosting heater 132 can be decreased and an input required for cooling the interior after an interior temperature increase due to defrosting can be reduced, so that further energy saving can be achieved.
  • FIG. 5 shows a characteristic image diagram of ventilation resistance and the wind amount. As shown in FIG. 5 , in a cooling performance of the refrigerator, from a characteristic of a fan, when ventilation resistance is reduced from Point 1 (P1) to Point 2 (P2), the circulation wind amount is increased from Q1 to Q2.
  • the performance can be ensured with the same wind amount
  • by decreasing the rotation number of the fan of cool air blower fan 116 the same wind amount can be obtained.
  • the characteristic is moved from Point 2 to Point 3, and the input is reduced by a decrease amount of the rotation number of the fan, so that energy saving in terms of a power input can be achieved.
  • the decrease in the rotation number of the fan wind noises of cool air blower fan 116 can be reduced.
  • projection member 136 is in contact with an outer periphery of cooler cover 120 forming the lower end of cool air return port 135.
  • cool air return port 135 easily deformed in the case where cool air return port 135 is largely opened can be fixed.
  • size of cool air return port 135 is regulated and the area of the opening part can be ensured, so that a sufficient cooling effect can be exerted.
  • an operator works such that cooler cover 120 abuts with projection member 136 while projection member 136 is taken as a mark.
  • workability is improved and a working time is shortened. Therefore, a yield ratio can be improved and product variation can be suppressed, so that a stable cooling performance can be ensured.
  • projection member 136 when projection member 136 is formed by the upper surface of fourth heat insulating partition portion 113, material cost and mold cost for making projection member 136 can be reduced, and the man-hour in a manufacturing step can also be reduced. Management of two parts including projection member 136 and the upper surface of fourth heat insulating partition portion 113 is changed to management of one part. Thus, management cost can be reduced, cost can be reduced as a product, and a selling price is consequently lowered, so that a sale rate can be improved.
  • Flow-direction guide portions 122 extend from the interior side to the side of the back surface cooler. Flow-direction guide portion 122 of a return lower part is longer than flow-direction guide portion 122 of a return upper part on the side of defrosting heater 132.
  • Ventilation resistance of cool air return port 135 can be reduced so as to improve a cooling ability.
  • the interior temperature increase at the time of defrosting can be suppressed.
  • the interior temperature can be restored with a low input for a short time, so that long term storage can be achieved by suppressing deterioration of food quality due to suppression of a food temperature change. Further, energy saving can also be realized.
  • a far end of each of the flow-direction guide portions 122 is located at a higher position than a line connecting between a far end of another one of the flow-direction guide portions 122 provided below the each of the flow-direction guide portions and the center of the defrosting heater 132.
  • flow-direction guide portions 122 are seen as overlapping with respect to defrosting heater 132.
  • red heat of defrosting heater 132 is not visible.
  • the warm air due to the heat at the time of defrosting flows to the side of the cooler by flow-direction guide portions 122.
  • defrosting efficiency can be improved and an energy saving effect due to shortening of the defrosting time can be obtained.
  • suppression of the warm air inflow to the interior is also effective for preventing frost formation on the interior.
  • frost formation is remarkably generated particularly in a part communicating with the interior and on a top surface of the interior.
  • the frost formation part is dropped and brought down to the interior case upon every defrosting.
  • the warm air inflow to the interior can be suppressed.
  • a line connecting interior side end surfaces of flow-direction guide portion 122 of the cool air return port upper part through to flow-direction guide portion 122 of the cool air return port lower part is parallel with a draft of the back surface of the interior case.
  • the shortest distance between end surfaces of flow-direction guide portions 122 on the side of defrosting heater 132 and the outer shell of the glass tube of defrosting heater 132 is 60 mm or more. From this, a temperature increase of cooler cover 120 itself forming cool air return port 135 due to the radiation heat from defrosting heater 132 at the time of defrosting can be suppressed. Thus, even in the case where the defrosting time is excessively extended at the time of frost formation or the like, deformation or the like due to a temperature influence of the radiation heat is not generated. Since the shortest distance is 60 mm or more, the warm air from defrosting heater 132 at the time of defrosting flows to the side of the cooler, so that there is an effect of easily suppressing the inflow to the interior.
  • a type of the cooling medium is isobutane.
  • the temperature of the surface of the glass tube of defrosting heater 132 at the time of defrosting is regulated to be 394°C or less.
  • Inexpensive PP polypropylene
  • a heatproof melting temperature of PP is about 200°C
  • an ignition temperature thereof is about 440°C.
  • the heatproof temperature is set to be 135°C.
  • FIG. 6 is a detailed vertically sectional view of a cooler periphery of a refrigerator in a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • the refrigerator has cooler 157 provided on a back surface of a refrigerator body, the cooler for generating the cool air, and defrosting heater 182 formed by a glass tube heater which is provided below cooler 157.
  • Drain pan 184 integrated with a lower surface of a freezing compartment for receiving defrosted water dropped after frost formed on cooler 157 is melted is provided below defrosting heater 182.
  • Cool air return port 185 through which the cool air after cooling freezing compartment 155 is returned to cooler 157 is provided in a lower part of cooler cover 170 covering cooler 157.
  • Center of defrosting heater 182 is disposed on the upper side of an upper surface of fourth heat insulating partition portion 163 on a lower surface of freezing compartment 155.
  • projection member 186 protruding toward the interior side is disposed on the lower surface of freezing compartment 155.
  • a distance to a lower end of cool air return port 185 is A
  • B a height to an upper surface of projection member 186
  • C1 is C1
  • An overlapping part in the height direction of the lower end of cool air return port 185 and projection member 186 is 0 mm or more, that is, in a relationship of A ⁇ B.
  • red heat from defrosting heater 182 at the time of defrosting is not visible.
  • a user does not feel anxiety given by red heat of defrosting heater 182 formed by the glass tube heater.
  • FIG. 7 is a detailed vertically sectional view of a cooler periphery of a refrigerator in a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • the refrigerator has cooler 207 provided on a back surface of a refrigerator body, the cooler for generating the cool air, and defrosting heater 232 formed by a glass tube heater which is provided below cooler 207.
  • Drain pan 234 integrated with a lower surface of a freezing compartment for receiving defrosted water dropped after frost formed on cooler 207 is melted is provided below defrosting heater 232.
  • Cool air return port 235 through which the cool air after cooling freezing compartment 205 is returned to cooler 207 is provided in a lower part of cooler cover 220 covering cooler 207.
  • Flow-direction guide portions 222 are provided in cool air return port 235, and center of defrosting heater 232 is disposed on the upper side of an upper surface of fourth heat insulating partition portion 213.
  • Projection member 236 protruding toward the interior side is disposed on the lower surface of freezing compartment 205.
  • projection member 236 is integrated with cooler cover 220 and fixed in contact with a contact part (not shown) with the lower surface of freezing compartment 205, so that red heat is not visible from the interior. Further, an outer periphery of cool air return port 235 easily deformed in the case where cool air return port 235 is largely opened can be fixed. Thus, size of cool air return port 235 is regulated and an area of an opening part can be ensured, so that a sufficient cooling effect can be exerted.
  • the operator works in such a manner that the contact part abuts therewith while the contact part is taken as a mark. Thus, workability is improved and the working time is shortened. Therefore, a yield ratio can be improved and product variation can be suppressed, so that a stable cooling performance can be ensured.
  • FIG. 8 is a detailed sectional view of a cooler compartment of a refrigerator in a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • the refrigerator has cooler 257 provided on a back surface of a refrigerator body, the cooler for generating the cool air, and defrosting heater 282 formed by a glass tube heater which is provided below cooler 257.
  • Drain pan 284 integrated with a lower surface of a freezing compartment for receiving defrosted water dropped after frost formed on cooler 257 is melted is provided below defrosting heater 282.
  • Cool air return port 285 through which the cool air after cooling freezing compartment 255 is returned to cooler 257 is provided in a lower part of cooler cover 270 covering cooler 257.
  • Flow-direction guide portions 272 are provided in cool air return port 285, and center of defrosting heater 282 is disposed on the upper side of an upper surface of fourth heat insulating partition portion 263.
  • Projection member 286 protruding toward the interior side is disposed on the lower surface of freezing compartment 255.
  • cover heater 283 covering defrosting heater 282 is disposed.
  • Cover heater 283 has size equal to or more than a diameter and width of the glass tube in such a manner that hissing sounds are not generated when waterdrops dropped from cooler 257 at the time of defrosting directly fall down to a surface of the glass tube forming defrosting heater 282 whose temperature is increased by defrosting.
  • cover heater 283 is inclined in the front and rear direction, and an end surface of cover heater 283 on the back surface side is lifted with respect to the interior side.
  • Cooler 257 has a zigzag pipe pattern, and cooler 257 is attached in such a manner that a cooling pipe is inclined on the interior side.
  • the cool air returned from cool air return port 285 to cooler 257 via flow-direction guide portions 272 easily flows to the side of cooler 257 along an inclination of cover heater 283. Therefore, the cool air does not easily become a rolled flow around defrosting heater 282.
  • the return cool air smoothly and efficiently flows to cooler 257 heat exchange efficiency is improved and a cooling ability is improved.
  • the refrigerator excellent in an energy saving property can be provided.
  • cooler 257 having not the conventional inline pipe pattern but the zigzag pipe pattern is used. Since cooler 257 having the zigzag pipe pattern is attached in such a manner that the pipe is inclined on the interior side, the warm air at the time of defrosting becomes a flow toward the interior side by inclination of the pipe. Further, the size of cover heater 283 is equal to or more than the diameter and the width of the glass tube forming defrosting heater 282. Thus, the cover heater does not cover defrosting heater 282 on the interior side, and the warm air of defrosting heater 282 flows toward cooler 257 also from the interior side.
  • the defrosting time is not extended due to unevenly formed frost on cooler 257, so that a highly energy saving refrigerator due to improvement of a cooling performance can be provided.
  • FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a refrigerator in the fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 10 is a vertically sectional view of the refrigerator in the fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 11 is a vertically sectional view of a cooler periphery of the refrigerator in the fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 12 is a detailed vertically sectional view of the cooler periphery of the refrigerator in the fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • refrigerator body 301 has forward-opened outer box 324 made of metal (such as an iron plate), inner box 325 made of rigid resin (such as ABS), and heat insulating body 326 made of rigid urethane foams which are foamed and charged between outer box 324 and inner box 325.
  • Refrigerator body 301 includes refrigerating compartment 302 provided in an upper part, upper level freezing compartment 303 provided below refrigerating compartment 302, and ice-making compartment 304 provided below refrigerating compartment 302 in parallel with upper level freezing compartment 303.
  • refrigerator body 301 includes vegetable compartment 306 provided in a lower part of the body, and lower level freezing compartment 305 provided between upper level freezing compartment 303 and ice-making compartment 304 which are installed in parallel with each other and vegetable compartment 306.
  • Front surface parts of upper level freezing compartment 303, ice-making compartment 304, lower level freezing compartment 305, and vegetable compartment 306 are openably closed by upper level freezing compartment door 303a, ice-making compartment door 304a, lower level freezing compartment door 305a, and vegetable compartment door 306a of a pull-out type.
  • a front surface of refrigerating compartment 302 is openably closed by double-door type refrigerating compartment door 302a.
  • a temperature of refrigerating compartment 302 is generally set in a range from 1°C to 5°C with an unfreezable temperature as a lower limit for refrigerating storage.
  • a temperature of vegetable compartment 306 is often in a range from 2°C to 7°C of a temperature setting equal to or slightly higher than refrigerating compartment 302. With a low temperature, freshness of green vegetables can be maintained for a long time.
  • Temperatures of upper level freezing compartment 303 and lower level freezing compartment 305 are generally set in a range from -22°C to -18°C for freezing storage. However, for improving a freezing storage state, the temperatures are sometimes set in, for example, a low-temperature range from -30°C to -25°C.
  • refrigerating compartment 302 and vegetable compartment 306 are set at a temperature above zero in interiors thereof, the compartments are called a refrigerating temperature zone.
  • upper level freezing compartment 303, lower level freezing compartment 305, and ice-making compartment 304 are set at a temperature below zero in interiors thereof, the compartments are called a freezing temperature zone.
  • upper level freezing compartment 303 may serve as a switching compartment for which the refrigerating temperature zone or the freezing temperature zone can be selected.
  • a top surface portion of refrigerator body 301 is formed by first top surface portion 308 and second top surface portion 309 by providing a step-like concave part toward the back surface direction of the refrigerator.
  • Machine compartment 319 is provided in second top surface portion 309 where the step-like concave part is provided.
  • cooling medium a combustible cooling medium is often used for environmental protection. It should be noted that in a case of a freezing cycle in which a three-way valve and a switching valve are used, those functional parts can be disposed in machine compartment 319.
  • Refrigerating compartment 302, ice-making compartment 304, and upper level freezing compartment 303 are partitioned by first heat insulating partition portion 310. Ice-making compartment 304 and upper level freezing compartment 303 are partitioned by second heat insulating partition portion 311. Ice-making compartment 304 and upper level freezing compartment 303, and lower level freezing compartment 305 are partitioned by third heat insulating partition portion 312.
  • second heat insulating partition portion 311 and third heat insulating partition portion 312 are parts assembled after forming refrigerator body 301 by foaming
  • expanded polystyrene is generally used as a heat insulating material.
  • rigid urethane foams may be used for improving a heat insulating performance and rigidity.
  • thickness of a partition structure may be further reduced.
  • second heat insulating partition portion 311 and third heat insulating partition portion 312 By ensuring an operating part of a door frame so as to reduce thickness of shapes of second heat insulating partition portion 311 and third heat insulating partition portion 312 or to eliminate the heat insulating partition portions, a cooling wind passage can be ensured and a cooling ability can also be improved.
  • hollowing out second heat insulating partition portion 311 and third heat insulating partition portion 312 so as to make a wind passage materials are consequently reduced and cost can be reduced.
  • Lower level freezing compartment 305 and vegetable compartment 306 are partitioned by fourth heat insulating partition portion 313.
  • Cooler compartment 323 is provided on a back surface of refrigerator body 301.
  • fin-and-tube type cooler 307 for generating the cool air is disposed so as to extend in the up and down direction on a back surface of lower level freezing compartment 305 including rear regions of second heat insulating partition portion 311 and third heat insulating partition portion 312 which serve as heat insulating partition walls.
  • Cooler cover 320 made of aluminum or copper, the cooler cover covering cooler 307 is disposed on a front surface of cooler compartment 323. Cool air return port 335 through which the cool air after cooling lower level freezing compartment 305 is returned to cooler 307 is provided in cooler cover 320.
  • Cooler cover 320 includes cooler front side cover 337 on the interior side and cooler rear side cover 338 on the side of the cooler, and heat transfer suppression space 339 formed by cooler front side cover 337 and cooler rear side cover 338 is provided in front of cooler 307.
  • Heat transfer suppression space 339 is formed between an upper end of cool air return port 335 provided in a lower part of cooler cover 320 and a lower end of a discharge port to lower level freezing compartment 305.
  • the height of heat transfer suppression space 339 is substantially up to the lower end of the discharge port to lower level freezing compartment 305 on the third step from the lower side of cooler 307 close to defrosting heater 332 in consideration with a flow of the warm air at the time of defrosting.
  • Inside of heat transfer suppression space 339 serves as an air layer.
  • Metal heat transfer facilitating member 340 is disposed on the side of cooler 307 of cooler rear side cover 338.
  • an aluminum foil may be disposed in inner box 325 on the back surface side of cooler 307. Further, when an aluminum plate thicker than an aluminum foil or a material having higher heat conductivity than aluminum (such as copper) is used, the effect of facilitating heat transfer is further exerted.
  • Defrosting warm air guide member 341 is provided in cool air return port 335 of cooler cover 320. Defrosting warm air guide member 341 forms an upward angle from the interior side toward the side of cooler 307. In the present exemplary embodiment, the angle is substantially 45° with respect to the horizon. At this time, defrosting warm air guide portion upper end 343 serving as an upper end of defrosting warm air guide member 341 is disposed at a higher position than cooler lower end 344. Thereby, the return cool air circulated in the interior can take a large heat exchange area in cooler 307. Thus, a heat exchange amount in cooler 307 is increased, so that an ability of cooler 307 can be improved.
  • flow-direction guide portions 322 are provided in cool air return port 335.
  • An interval of flow-direction guide portions 322 is 5 mm in consideration with prevention of finger invasion and ensuring of strength of a mold and cooler cover 320. It should be noted that a part of flow-direction guide portions 322 also forms an upward angle from the interior side toward the side of cooler 307 in the same direction as defrosting warm air guide member 341.
  • cool air blower fan 316 for blowing the cool air generated in cooler 307 to the storage compartments of refrigerating compartment 302, ice-making compartment 304, upper level freezing compartment 303, lower level freezing compartment 305, and vegetable compartment 306 by a forced-convection method is disposed.
  • Defrosting heater 332 formed by a glass tube heater of a glass tube for removing frost formed on cooler 307 and cool air blower fan 316 at the time of cooling is provided below cooler 307.
  • cover heater 333 covering defrosting heater 332 is disposed.
  • Cover heater has size equal to or more than a diameter and width of the glass tube in such a manner that hissing sounds are not generated when waterdrops dropped from cooler 307 at the time of defrosting directly fall down to a surface of the glass tube forming defrosting heater 332 whose temperature is increased by defrosting.
  • Drain pan 334 integrated with an upper surface of fourth heat insulating partition portion 313, the drain pan serving as a lower surface of lower level freezing compartment 305 for receiving defrosted water dropped after the frost formed on cooler 307 is melted is disposed below defrosting heater 332.
  • a diffuser (not shown) formed by cooler front side cover 337 is disposed in front of cool air blower fan 316. Wind having increased static pressure from cool air blower fan 316 is discharged to the interior straightaway without any losses.
  • projection member 336 toward the interior side is disposed on the lower surface of lower level freezing compartment 305, so as to suspend and fix the lower part of cooler cover 320. Since projection member 336 is disposed between a lower end of cool air return port 335 and defrosting heater 332, red heat is not visible from the interior, and projection member 336 is hidden by the lower end of cool air return port 335 of cooler cover 320 when seen from the interior side. Thus, it looks good and outer appearance quality is consequently improved.
  • isobutane serving as a combustible cooling medium having a low global warming potential is used from a viewpoint of global environmental conservation.
  • Isobutane of carbon hydrate has a specific gravity about twice more than the air at a normal temperature at atmospheric pressure (2.04, 300 K).
  • a cooling medium charging amount can be reduced in comparison to the conventional examples and cost is low.
  • a leakage amount in the case where the combustible cooling medium is leaked out by any possibility is reduced, so that safety can be more improved.
  • isobutane is used as the cooling medium, and a maximum temperature of the surface of the glass tube serving as an outer shell of defrosting heater 332 formed by the glass tube heater at the time of defrosting is regulated as explosion protection. Therefore, in order to reduce the temperature of the surface of the glass tube, a double glass tube heater in which glass tubes are doubly formed is adopted. In addition to this, as a means for reducing the temperature of the surface of the glass tube, a member having a high heat radiation property (such as an aluminum fin) can be wound around the surface of the glass tube. At this time, with a single glass tube, outer size of defrosting heater 332 can be reduced.
  • cooler 307 can be efficiently defrosted by heat transfer directly from the pipe heater. Further, frost formed on drain pan 334 and cool air blower fan 316 in the periphery of cooler 307 can be melted by defrosting heater 332. Thus, the defrosting time can be shortened, so that energy saving can be achieved and an interior temperature increase during the defrosting time can be suppressed.
  • defrosting heater 332 formed by the glass tube heater is combined with the pipe heater, by properly matching heater capacities with each other, the capacity of defrosting heater 332 can be lowered.
  • the heater capacity is lowered, a temperature of the outer shell of defrosting heater 332 at the time of defrosting can also be lowered. Thus, red heat at the time of defrosting can be suppressed.
  • compressor 317 is started up and cooling is started.
  • a high-temperature and high-pressure cooling medium discharged from compressor 317 is cooled and liquefied particularly in the heat-radiation pipe (not shown) installed in outer box 324 by heat exchange with the air outside outer box 324 and with heat insulating body 326 formed by the rigid urethane foams in the interior before reaching the dryer (not shown) disposed in machine compartment 319 at the end.
  • the liquefied cooling medium is decompressed in capillary tube 318, flows into cooler 307, and exchanges heat with the interior cool air in the periphery of cooler 307.
  • the cool air after heat exchange is blown into the interior by cool air blower fan 316 in the vicinity thereof, and cools the interior.
  • the cooling medium is heated, gasified, and returned to compressor 317.
  • the temperature of the freezing compartment sensor not shown
  • an operation of compressor 317 is stopped.
  • Cool air blower fan 316 may be directly disposed in inner box 325. However, by arranging the cool air blower fan in second heat insulating partition portion 311 assembled after foaming and performing block processing of the parts, manufacturing cost can be reduced.
  • frost is formed on cooler 307.
  • heat exchange efficiency between cooler 307 and the circulation cool air is lowered, so that the interior cannot be sufficiently cooled and brought into a dully-cooled or non-cooled state at the end. Therefore, in the refrigerator, there is a need for regularly removing the frost formed on cooler 307.
  • defrosting is automatically performed.
  • an operation of compressor 317 and cool air blower fan 316 is stopped, and power is supplied to defrosting heater 332 formed by the glass tube heater.
  • a defrosting sensor (not shown) is attached to cooler 307 so as to stop power supply to defrosting heater 332 at a predetermined temperature. In the present exemplary embodiment, at a time point when the defrosting sensor detects 10°C, the power supply to defrosting heater 332 is stopped.
  • cooler 307 is refreshed.
  • the layout configuration of the refrigerator in which vegetable compartment 306 is installed on the lower side, lower level freezing compartment 305 is installed in the middle, and refrigerating compartment 302 is installed on the upper side is frequently used from a viewpoint of usability and energy saving. From a viewpoint of interior capacity, following a tendency of the increasing used amount of frozen food, a refrigerator in which interior case size of lower level freezing compartment 305 is increased and a capacity is improved is also provided.
  • cooler cover 320 on the back surface is reduced.
  • a temperature increase in cooler 307 and cooler compartment 323 at the time of defrosting and further, the radiation heat from defrosting heater 332 and convection a temperature of frozen food stored in the freezing compartment is influenced. Therefore, in the present exemplary embodiment, a heat influence on the interior at the time of defrosting is suppressed by heat transfer suppression space 339 formed by cooler front side cover 337 and cooler rear side cover 338, and defrosting warm air guide member 341 provided in cool air return port 335.
  • the inside of heat transfer suppression space 339 serves as the air layer, and heat transfer to the interior can be suppressed even upon a temperature increase in the periphery of cooler 307 due to the radiation heat from defrosting heater 332. Therefore, since a temperature influence on food stored in the interior, particularly, on the side of the cooler can be reduced, deterioration of food can be suppressed and long term storage can be achieved.
  • Heat conductivity of the air layer is substantially 0.03 W/mK. For example, even in the case where an interior temperature is -25°C and a cooler compartment inside temperature at the time of defrosting is increased to 20°C, the interior temperature is increased only to -17°C due to heat insulation of the air layer.
  • thickness of the air layer that is, internal size of heat transfer suppression space 339 is 13.4 mm. Therefore, even at the time of defrosting, a temperature increase is -12°C or less at which frozen food and ice cream are melted and quality thereof is deteriorated. Thus, quality deterioration can be suppressed even upon long term storage.
  • Defrosting warm air guide member 341 is disposed and inclined at the upward angle of 45° from the interior side toward the side of cooler 307.
  • convection due to the radiation heat from defrosting heater 332 at the time of defrosting easily flows to cooler 307, and the frost formed on cooler 307 can be efficiently melted.
  • a power supply time of defrosting heater 332 can be reduced, so that energy saving due to reduction of a power input is achieved.
  • the angle of defrosting warm air guide member 341 is upward of 45°.
  • the upward angle may be decided in consideration with a flowing way of the return cool air, a flowing way of the warm air at the time of defrosting, an interior capacity, and easiness of manufacturing a mold and the like.
  • defrosting warm air guide member 341 is integrated with cooler rear side cover 338, material cost and mold cost for making defrosting warm air guide member 341 can be reduced, and the man-hour in a manufacturing step can also be reduced.
  • material cost and mold cost for making defrosting warm air guide member 341 can be reduced, and the man-hour in a manufacturing step can also be reduced.
  • cooler rear side cover 338 By making with cooler rear side cover 338, a shape including draft of the mold can be simplified. Thus, mold cost is consequently further reduced.
  • Management of two parts including defrosting warm air guide member 341 and cooler rear side cover 338 is changed to management of one part.
  • management cost can be reduced, cost can be reduced as a product, and a selling price is consequently lowered, so that a sale rate can be improved.
  • defrosting warm air guide member 341 can also be integrated with cooler front side cover 337. In this case, the same effect as a case where the defrosting warm air guide member is integrated with cooler rear side cover 338 can also be obtained. In the present exemplary embodiment, defrosting warm air guide member 341 is integrated with cooler rear side cover 338. However, the best mode is desirably implemented in consideration with a configuration mode of cooler cover 320, easiness of manufacturing, a mold configuration, cost, and the like.
  • a part of flow-direction guide portions 322 provided in cool air return port 335 below cooler cover 320 is inclined in the same direction as defrosting warm air guide member 341, and disposed at an upward angle from the interior side toward the side of the cooler.
  • the flow-direction guide portions are seen as overlapping with respect to defrosting heater 332.
  • the angle of flow-direction guide portions 322 is the same as the draft of the mold. However, the angle may be decided in consideration with the flowing way of the return cool air and the flowing way of the warm air at the time of defrosting.
  • convection due to the radiation heat from defrosting heater 332 at the time of defrosting easily flows to cooler 307 via defrosting warm air guide member 341.
  • the warm air inflow to the interior can be further suppressed, and efficiency at the time of defrosting can be improved.
  • Defrosting warm air guide member 341 is disposed between the upper end of cool air return port 335 of cooler rear side cover 338 or a lower end on a basic sectional shape and cooler lower end 344, that is, defrosting warm air guide portion upper end 343 is placed at a higher position than cooler lower end 344.
  • a large heat exchange area of the return cool air and cooler 307 can be obtained. Therefore, an area where frost is formed in cooler 307 is increased.
  • deterioration of a cooling ability at the time of frost formation can be suppressed. Thereby, an operation time of the refrigerator until defrosting is required can be extended.
  • the input number of defrosting heater 332 can be decreased and the input required for cooling the interior after the interior temperature increase due to defrosting can be reduced, so that further energy saving can be achieved.
  • FIG. 13 shows a characteristic image diagram of ventilation resistance and the wind amount. As shown in FIG. 13 , in a cooling performance of the refrigerator, from a characteristic of a fan, when ventilation resistance is reduced from Point 1 (P1) to Point 2 (P2), the circulation wind amount is increased from Q1 to Q2.
  • suppression of the warm air inflow to the interior by flow-direction guide portions 322 and defrosting warm air guide member 341 is also effective for preventing frost formation on the interior.
  • frost formation is remarkably generated particularly in a part communicating with the interior and on a top surface of the interior.
  • the frost formation part is dropped and brought down to the interior case upon every defrosting.
  • the shape of the present exemplary embodiment the warm air inflow to the interior can be suppressed.
  • frost formation can be prevented, so that a high quality refrigerator can be provided.
  • the inside of the formed heat transfer suppression space serves as the air layer.
  • a temperature influence can be further reduced.
  • a further effect can be exerted.
  • a shortest distance between end surfaces of flow-direction guide portions 322 on the side of defrosting heater 332 and the outer shell of the glass tube of defrosting heater 332 is 60 mm or more. From this, a temperature increase of cooler cover 320 itself forming cool air return port 335 due to the radiation heat from defrosting heater 332 at the time of defrosting can be suppressed. Therefore, even in the case where the defrosting time is excessively extended at the time of frost formation or the like, deformation or the like due to a temperature influence of the radiation heat is not generated. Since the shortest distance is 60 mm or more, the warm air from defrosting heater 332 at the time of defrosting flows to the side of the cooler, so that there is an effect of easily suppressing the inflow to the interior.
  • a type of the cooling medium is isobutane.
  • the temperature of the surface of the glass tube of defrosting heater 332 at the time of defrosting is regulated to be 394°C or less.
  • Inexpensive PP polypropylene
  • a heatproof melting temperature of PP is about 200°C
  • an ignition temperature thereof is about 440°C.
  • the heatproof temperature is set to be 135°C.
  • FIG. 14 is a detailed vertically sectional view of a cooler periphery of a refrigerator in a sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • the refrigerator has cooler 357 provided on a back surface of a refrigerator body, the cooler for generating the cool air, and defrosting heater 382 formed by a glass tube heater which is provided below cooler 357.
  • Drain pan 384 integrated with a lower surface of lower level freezing compartment 355 for receiving defrosted water dropped after frost formed on cooler 357 is melted is provided below defrosting heater 382.
  • Defrosting warm air guide member 391 is provided in cool air return port 385 of cooler cover 370. Defrosting warm air guide member 391 forms an upward angle from the interior side toward the side of cooler 357. In the present exemplary embodiment, the angle is substantially 45°.
  • Flow-direction guide portions 372 are provided in cool air return port 385 provided in a lower part of cooler cover 370. A part of flow-direction guide portions 372 also forms an upward angle from the interior side toward the side of cooler 357 in the same direction as defrosting warm air guide member 391.
  • center of defrosting heater 382 is disposed at a position on the upper side of a bottom basic surface of lower level freezing compartment 355 serving as an upper surface of fourth heat insulating partition portion 363.
  • a shape of drain pan 384 integrated with the lower surface of the lower level freezing compartment can be substantially horizontal.
  • depth of drain pan 384 can be shallow, mold cost at the time of molding constituent parts can be suppressed. Thus, cost is consequently reduced. Deformation at the time of foaming the rigid urethane foams closely attached to inside of the outer box and the inner box of the refrigerator body can be suppressed, so that a product yield ratio is improved and disposal cost is reduced. In addition, workability at the time of attachment is also improved. Thus, the refrigerator with favorable outer appearance quality can be provided.
  • flow-direction guide portions 372 provided in cool air return port 385 below cooler cover 370 is inclined in the same direction as defrosting warm air guide member 391, and disposed at an upward angle from the interior side toward the side of cooler 357.
  • flow-direction guide portions 372 are seen as overlapping with respect to defrosting heater 382.
  • FIG. 15 is a detailed sectional view of a cooler compartment of a refrigerator in a seventh exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • the refrigerator has cooler 407 provided on a back surface of a refrigerator body, the cooler for generating the cool air, and defrosting heater 432 formed by a glass tube heater which is provided below cooler 407. Drain pan 434 integrated with a lower surface of lower level freezing compartment 405 for receiving defrosted water dropped after frost formed on cooler 407 is melted is provided below defrosting heater 432.
  • Cooler cover 420 including cool air return port 435 through which the cool air after cooling lower level freezing compartment 405 is returned to cooler 407, the cooler cover covering cooler 407, is disposed.
  • Defrosting warm air guide member 441 is provided in cool air return port 435 of cooler cover 420. Defrosting warm air guide member 441 forms an upward angle from the interior side toward the side of cooler 407. In the present exemplary embodiment, the angle is substantially 45°.
  • Flow-direction guide portions 422 are provided in cool air return port 435 provided in a lower part of cooler cover 420. A part of flow-direction guide portions 422 also forms an upward angle from the interior side toward the side of cooler 407 in the same direction as defrosting warm air guide member 441.
  • cover heater 433 covering an upper part of defrosting heater 432 is inclined in the front and rear direction, and an end surface of cover heater 433 on the back surface side is lifted with respect to the interior side.
  • Cooler 407 has a zigzag pipe pattern, and cooler 407 is attached in such a manner that a cooling pipe is inclined on the interior side.
  • FIG. 16 is a detailed sectional view of a cooler compartment of a refrigerator.
  • the refrigerator has cooler 457 provided on a back surface of a refrigerator body, the cooler for generating the cool air, and defrosting heater 482 formed by a glass tube heater which is provided below cooler 457.
  • Drain pan 484 integrated with a lower surface of lower level freezing compartment 455 for receiving defrosted water dropped after frost formed on cooler 457 is melted is provided below defrosting heater 482.
  • Defrosting warm air guide member 491 is provided in cool air return port 485 of cooler cover 470. Defrosting warm air guide member 491 forms an upward angle from the interior side toward the side of cooler 457. In the present exemplary embodiment, the angle is substantially 45°.
  • Flow-direction guide portions 472 are provided in cool air return port 485 provided in a lower part of cooler cover 470. Flow-direction guide portions 472 also form an upward angle from the interior side toward the side of cooler 457 in the same direction as defrosting warm air guide member 491.
  • flow-direction guide portions 472 are coupled to defrosting warm air guide member 491, so as to form coupled flow-direction guide 495 serving as a large flow-direction guide portion.
  • convection due to radiation heat from defrosting heater 482 at the time of defrosting further easily flows to cooler 457, and the frost formed on cooler 457 can be efficiently melted.
  • a power supply time of defrosting heater 482 can be reduced, so that energy saving due to reduction of a power input is achieved.
  • An effect of suppressing an interior inflow of the radiation heat from defrosting heater 482 at the time of defrosting is enhanced, so that an interior temperature increase is further suppressed.
  • FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a refrigerator in the eighth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 18 is a vertically sectional view of the refrigerator in the eighth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 19 is a vertically sectional view of a cooler periphery of the refrigerator in the eighth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 20 is a detailed vertically sectional view of the cooler periphery of the refrigerator in the eighth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • refrigerator body 501 has forward-opened outer box 524 made of metal (such as an iron plate), inner box 525 made of rigid resin (such as ABS), and heat insulating body 526 made of rigid urethane foams which are foamed and charged between outer box 524 and inner box 525.
  • Refrigerator body 501 includes refrigerating compartment 502 provided in an upper part, upper level freezing compartment 503 provided below refrigerating compartment 502, and ice-making compartment 504 provided below refrigerating compartment 502 in parallel with upper level freezing compartment 503.
  • refrigerator body 501 includes vegetable compartment 506 provided in a lower part of the body, and lower level freezing compartment 505 provided between upper level freezing compartment 503 and ice-making compartment 504 which are installed in parallel with each other and vegetable compartment 506.
  • Front surface parts of upper level freezing compartment 503, ice-making compartment 504, lower level freezing compartment 505, and vegetable compartment 506 are openably closed by upper level freezing compartment door 503a, ice-making compartment door 504a, lower level freezing compartment door 505a, and vegetable compartment door 506a of a pull-out type.
  • a front surface of refrigerating compartment 502 is openably closed by, for example, double-door type refrigerating compartment door 502a.
  • a temperature of refrigerating compartment 502 is generally set in a range from 1°C to 5°C with an unfreezable temperature as a lower limit for refrigerating storage.
  • a temperature of vegetable compartment 506 is often in a range from 2°C to 7°C of a temperature setting equal to or slightly higher than refrigerating compartment 502. With a low temperature, freshness of green vegetables can be maintained for a long time.
  • Temperatures of upper level freezing compartment 503 and lower level freezing compartment 505 are generally set in a range from -22°C to -18°C for freezing storage. However, for improving a freezing storage state, the temperatures are sometimes set in for example a low-temperature range from -30°C to -25°C.
  • refrigerating compartment 502 and vegetable compartment 506 are set at a temperature above zero in interiors thereof, the compartments are called a refrigerating temperature zone.
  • upper level freezing compartment 503, lower level freezing compartment 505, and ice-making compartment 504 are set at a temperature below zero in interiors thereof, the compartments are called a freezing temperature zone.
  • upper level freezing compartment 503 may serve as a switching compartment for which the refrigerating temperature zone or the freezing temperature zone can be selected.
  • a top surface portion of refrigerator body 501 is formed by first top surface portion 508 and second top surface portion 509 by providing a step-like concave part toward the back surface direction of the refrigerator.
  • Machine compartment 519 is provided in second top surface portion 509 where the step-like concave part is provided.
  • cooling medium a combustible cooling medium is often used for environmental protection. It should be noted that in a case of a freezing cycle in which a three-way valve and a switching valve are used, those functional parts can be disposed in machine compartment 519.
  • Refrigerating compartment 502, ice-making compartment 504, and upper level freezing compartment 503 are partitioned by first heat insulating partition portion 510. Ice-making compartment 504 and upper level freezing compartment 503 are partitioned by second heat insulating partition portion 511. Ice-making compartment 504 and upper level freezing compartment 503, and lower level freezing compartment 505 are partitioned by third heat insulating partition portion 512.
  • second heat insulating partition portion 511 and third heat insulating partition portion 512 are parts assembled after forming refrigerator body 501 by foaming
  • expanded polystyrene is generally used as a heat insulating material.
  • rigid urethane foams may be used for improving a heat insulating performance and rigidity.
  • thickness of a partition structure may be further reduced.
  • second heat insulating partition portion 511 and third heat insulating partition portion 512 By ensuring an operating part of a door frame so as to reduce thickness of shapes of second heat insulating partition portion 511 and third heat insulating partition portion 512 or to eliminate the heat insulating partition portions, a cooling wind passage can be ensured and a cooling ability can also be improved.
  • hollowing out second heat insulating partition portion 511 and third heat insulating partition portion 512 so as to make a wind passage materials are consequently reduced and cost can be reduced.
  • Lower level freezing compartment 505 and vegetable compartment 506 are partitioned by fourth heat insulating partition portion 513.
  • Cooler compartment 523 is provided on a back surface of refrigerator body 501.
  • fin-and-tube type cooler 507 for generating the cool air is disposed so as to extend in the up and down direction on a back surface of lower level freezing compartment 505 including rear regions of second heat insulating partition portion 511 and third heat insulating partition portion 512 which serve as heat insulating partition walls.
  • Cooler cover 520 including cool air return port 535 through which the cool air after cooling the freezing compartment is returned to the cooler and covering cooler 507 is disposed on the interior side on a front surface of cooler compartment 523.
  • Aluminum or copper is used as a material of cooler 507.
  • Cooler cover 520 includes cooler front side cover 537 on the interior side and cooler rear side cover 538 on the side of the cooler, and heat transfer suppression space 539 formed by cooler front side cover 537 and cooler rear side cover 538 is provided in front of cooler 507.
  • Heat transfer suppression space 539 is formed between an upper end of cool air return port 535 provided in a lower part of cooler cover 520 and a lower end of a discharge port to lower level freezing compartment 505.
  • a height of heat transfer suppression space 539 is up to an upper end of cooler 507, there is an effect of suppressing heat transfer.
  • a position may be decided based on a balance with an interior capacity or case size.
  • the height of heat transfer suppression space 539 is substantially up to the lower end of the discharge port to lower level freezing compartment 505 on the third step from the lower side of cooler 507 close to defrosting heater 532 in consideration with a flow of the warm air at the time of defrosting.
  • Inside of heat transfer suppression space 539 serves as an air layer.
  • Metal heat transfer facilitating member 540 is disposed on the side of cooler 507 of cooler rear side cover 538.
  • an aluminum foil may be disposed in inner box 525 on the back surface side of cooler 507. Further, when an aluminum plate thicker than an aluminum foil or a material having higher heat conductivity than aluminum (such as copper) is used, the effect of facilitating heat transfer is further exerted.
  • Defrosting warm air guide member 541 is provided in cool air return port 535 of cooler cover 520. Defrosting warm air guide member 541 forms an upward angle from the interior side toward the side of cooler 507. In the present exemplary embodiment, the angle is substantially 45° with respect to the horizon. At this time, defrosting warm air guide portion upper end 543 serving as an upper end of defrosting warm air guide member 541 is disposed at a higher position than cooler lower end 544. Thereby, the return cool air circulated in the interior can take a large heat exchange area in cooler 507. Thus, a heat exchange amount in cooler 507 is increased, so that an ability of cooler 507 can be improved.
  • flow-direction guide portions 522 are provided in cool air return port 535.
  • An interval of flow-direction guide portions 522 is 5 mm in consideration with prevention of finger invasion and ensuring of strength of a mold and cooler cover 520. It should be noted that a part of flow-direction guide portions 522 also forms an upward angle from the interior side toward the side of cooler 507 in the same direction as defrosting warm air guide member 541.
  • cool air blower fan 516 for blowing the cool air generated in cooler 507 to the storage compartments of refrigerating compartment 502, ice-making compartment 504, upper level freezing compartment 503, lower level freezing compartment 505, and vegetable compartment 506 by a forced-convection method is disposed.
  • Defrosting heater 532 formed by a glass tube heater of a glass tube for removing frost formed on cooler 507 and cool air blower fan 516 at the time of cooling is provided below cooler 507.
  • defrosting heater 532 formed by the glass tube heater cover heater 533 covering defrosting heater 532 is disposed.
  • Cover heater has size equal to or more than a diameter and width of the glass tube in such a manner that hissing sounds are not generated when waterdrops dropped from cooler 507 at the time of defrosting directly fall down to a surface of the glass tube forming defrosting heater 532 whose temperature is increased by defrosting.
  • Drain pan 534 integrated with an upper surface of fourth heat insulating partition portion 513, the drain pan serving as a lower surface of lower level freezing compartment 505 for receiving defrosted water dropped after the frost formed on cooler 507 is melted is disposed below defrosting heater 532.
  • a diffuser (not shown) formed by cooler front side cover 537 is disposed in front of cool air blower fan 516. Wind having increased static pressure from cool air blower fan 516 is discharged to the interior straightaway without any losses.
  • projection member 536 toward the interior side is disposed on the lower surface of lower level freezing compartment 505, so as to suspend and fix the lower part of cooler cover 520. Since projection member 536 is disposed between a lower end of cool air return port 535 and defrosting heater 532, red heat is not visible from the interior, and projection member 536 is hidden by the lower end of cool air return port 535 of cooler cover 520 when seen from the interior side. Thus, it looks good and outer appearance quality is consequently improved.
  • isobutane serving as a combustible cooling medium having a low global warming potential is used from a viewpoint of global environmental conservation.
  • Isobutane of carbon hydrate has a specific gravity about twice more than the air at a normal temperature at atmospheric pressure (2.04, 300 K).
  • a cooling medium charging amount can be reduced in comparison to the conventional examples and cost is low.
  • a leakage amount in the case where the combustible cooling medium is leaked out by any possibility is reduced, so that safety can be more improved.
  • isobutane is used as the cooling medium, and a maximum temperature of the surface of the glass tube serving as an outer shell of defrosting heater 532 formed by the glass tube heater at the time of defrosting is regulated as explosion protection. Therefore, in order to reduce the temperature of the surface of the glass tube, a double glass tube heater in which glass tubes are doubly formed is adopted. In addition to this, as a means for reducing the temperature of the surface of the glass tube, a member having a high heat radiation property (such as an aluminum fin) can be wound around the surface of the glass tube. At this time, with a single glass tube, outer size of defrosting heater 532 can be reduced.
  • cooler 507 can be efficiently defrosted by heat transfer directly from the pipe heater. Further, frost formed on drain pan 534 and cool air blower fan 516 in the periphery of cooler 507 can be melted by defrosting heater 532. Thus, the defrosting time can be shortened, so that energy saving can be achieved and an interior temperature increase during the defrosting time can be suppressed.
  • defrosting heater 532 formed by the glass tube heater is combined with the pipe heater, by properly matching heater capacities with each other, the capacity of defrosting heater 532 can be lowered.
  • the heater capacity is lowered, a temperature of the outer shell of defrosting heater 532 at the time of defrosting can also be lowered. Thus, red heat at the time of defrosting can be suppressed.
  • compressor 517 is started up and cooling is started.
  • a high-temperature and high-pressure cooling medium discharged from compressor 517 is cooled and liquefied particularly in the heat-radiation pipe (not shown) installed in outer box 524 by heat exchange with the air outside outer box 524 and with heat insulating body 526 formed by the rigid urethane foams in the interior before reaching the dryer (not shown) disposed in machine compartment 519 at the end.
  • the liquefied cooling medium is decompressed in capillary tube 518, flows into cooler 507, and exchanges heat with the interior cool air in the periphery of cooler 507.
  • the cool air after heat exchange is blown into the interior by cool air blower fan 516 in the vicinity thereof, and cools the interior.
  • the cooling medium is heated, gasified, and returned to compressor 517.
  • the temperature of the freezing compartment sensor not shown
  • an operation of compressor 517 is stopped.
  • Cool air blower fan 516 may be directly disposed in inner box 525. However, by arranging the cool air blower fan in second heat insulating partition portion 511 assembled after foaming and performing block processing of the parts, manufacturing cost can be reduced.
  • frost is formed on cooler 507.
  • heat exchange efficiency between cooler 507 and the circulation cool air is lowered, so that the interior cannot be sufficiently cooled and brought into a dully-cooled or non-cooled state at the end. Therefore, in the refrigerator, there is a need for regularly removing the frost formed on cooler 507.
  • defrosting is automatically performed.
  • an operation of compressor 517 and cool air blower fan 516 is stopped, and power is supplied to defrosting heater 532 formed by the glass tube heater.
  • a defrosting sensor (not shown) is attached to cooler 507 so as to stop power supply to defrosting heater 532 at a predetermined temperature. In the present exemplary embodiment, at a time point when the defrosting sensor detects 10°C, the power supply to defrosting heater 532 is stopped.
  • cooler 507 is refreshed.
  • the layout configuration of the refrigerator in which vegetable compartment 506 is installed on the lower side, lower level freezing compartment 505 is installed in the middle, and refrigerating compartment 502 is installed on the upper side is frequently used from a viewpoint of usability and energy saving. From a viewpoint of interior capacity, following a tendency of the increasing used amount of frozen food, a refrigerator in which interior case size of lower level freezing compartment 505 is increased and a capacity is improved is also released.
  • cooler cover 520 on the back surface is reduced.
  • a temperature increase in cooler 507 and cooler compartment 523 at the time of defrosting and further, the radiation heat from defrosting heater 532 and convection a temperature of frozen food stored in the freezing compartment is influenced. Therefore, in the present exemplary embodiment, a heat influence on the interior at the time of defrosting is suppressed by heat transfer suppression space 539 formed by cooler front side cover 537 and cooler rear side cover 538, and defrosting warm air guide member 541 provided in cool air return port 535.
  • the inside of heat transfer suppression space 539 serves as the air layer, and heat transfer to the interior can be suppressed even upon a temperature increase in the periphery of cooler 507 due to the radiation heat from defrosting heater 532. Therefore, since a temperature influence on food stored in the interior, particularly, on the side of the cooler can be reduced, deterioration of food can be suppressed and long term storage can be achieved.
  • Heat conductivity of the air layer is substantially 0.03 W/mK. For example, even in the case where an interior temperature is -25°C and a cooler compartment inside temperature at the time of defrosting is increased to 20°C, the interior temperature is increased only to -17°C due to heat insulation of the air layer.
  • thickness of the air layer that is, internal size of heat transfer suppression space 539 is 13.4 mm. Therefore, even at the time of defrosting, a temperature increase is -12°C or less at which frozen food and ice cream are melted and quality thereof is deteriorated. Thus, quality deterioration can be suppressed even upon long term storage.
  • Defrosting warm air guide member 541 is disposed and inclined at the upward angle of 45° from the interior side toward the side of cooler 507.
  • convection due to the radiation heat from defrosting heater 532 at the time of defrosting easily flows to cooler 507, and the frost formed on cooler 507 can be efficiently melted.
  • a power supply time of defrosting heater 532 can be reduced, so that energy saving due to reduction of a power input is achieved.
  • the angle of defrosting warm air guide member 541 is upward of 45°.
  • the upward angle may be decided in consideration with a flowing way of the return cool air, a flowing way of the warm air at the time of defrosting, an interior capacity, and easiness of manufacturing a mold and the like.
  • defrosting warm air guide member 541 is integrated with cooler rear side cover 538, material cost and mold cost for making defrosting warm air guide member 541 can be reduced, and the man-hour in a manufacturing step can also be reduced.
  • material cost and mold cost for making defrosting warm air guide member 541 can be reduced, and the man-hour in a manufacturing step can also be reduced.
  • cooler rear side cover 538 By making with cooler rear side cover 538, a shape including draft of the mold can be simplified. Thus, mold cost is consequently further reduced.
  • Management of two parts including defrosting warm air guide member 541 and cooler rear side cover 538 is changed to management of one part.
  • management cost can be reduced, cost can be reduced as a product, and a selling price is consequently lowered, so that a sale rate can be improved.
  • defrosting warm air guide member lower end 531 serving as a lower end of defrosting warm air guide member 541 is placed on the side of cooler 507 with respect to drain pan interior side end surface 530 serving as an interior side end surface of drain pan 534.
  • drain pan interior side end surface 530 serving as an interior side end surface of drain pan 534.
  • defrosting warm air guide member 541 can also be integrated with cooler front side cover 537. In this case, the same effect as a case where the defrosting warm air guide member is integrated with cooler rear side cover 538 can also be obtained. In the present exemplary embodiment, defrosting warm air guide member 541 is integrated with cooler rear side cover 538. However, the best mode is desirably implemented in consideration with a configuration mode of cooler cover 520, easiness of manufacturing, a mold configuration, cost, and the like.
  • a part of flow-direction guide portions 522 provided in cool air return port 535 below cooler cover 520 is inclined in the same direction as defrosting warm air guide member 541, and disposed at an upward angle from the interior side toward the side of the cooler.
  • the flow-direction guide portions are seen as overlapping with respect to defrosting heater 532 formed by the glass tube heater.
  • the upward angle of a part of flow-direction guide portions 522 is the same as the draft of the mold. However, the angle may be decided in consideration with the flowing way of the return cool air and the flowing way of the warm air at the time of defrosting.
  • convection due to the radiation heat from defrosting heater 532 at the time of defrosting easily flows to cooler 507 via defrosting warm air guide member 541.
  • the warm air inflow to the interior can be further suppressed, and efficiency at the time of defrosting can be improved.
  • Defrosting warm air guide member 541 is disposed between the upper end of cool air return port 535 of cooler rear side cover 538 or a lower end on a basic sectional shape and cooler lower end 544, that is, defrosting warm air guide portion upper end 543 is placed at a higher position than cooler lower end 544.
  • a large heat exchange area of the return cool air and cooler 507 can be obtained. Therefore, an area where frost is formed in cooler 507 is increased.
  • deterioration of a cooling ability at the time of frost formation can be suppressed. Thereby, an operation time of the refrigerator until defrosting is required can be extended.
  • the input number of defrosting heater 532 can be decreased and the input required for cooling the interior after the interior temperature increase due to defrosting can be reduced, so that further energy saving can be achieved.
  • FIG. 21 shows a characteristic image diagram of ventilation resistance and the wind amount. As shown in FIG. 21 , in a cooling performance of the refrigerator, from a characteristic of a fan, when ventilation resistance is reduced from Point 1 (P1) to Point 2 (P2), the circulation wind amount is increased from Q1 to Q2.
  • the performance can be ensured with the same wind amount
  • the same wind amount can be obtained.
  • the characteristic is moved from Point 2 to Point 3, and the input is reduced by a decrease amount of the rotation number of the fan, so that energy saving in terms of a power input can be achieved.
  • the decrease in the rotation number of the fan wind noises of cool air blower fan 516 can be reduced.
  • suppression of the warm air inflow to the interior by flow-direction guide portions 522 and defrosting warm air guide member 541 is also effective for preventing frost formation on the interior.
  • frost formation is remarkably generated particularly in a part communicating with the interior and on a top surface of the interior.
  • the frost formation part is dropped and brought down to the interior case upon every defrosting.
  • the shape of the present exemplary embodiment the warm air inflow to the interior can be suppressed.
  • frost formation can be prevented, so that a high quality refrigerator can be provided.
  • the inside of the formed heat transfer suppression space serves as the air layer.
  • the inside of the formed heat transfer suppression space serves as the air layer.
  • rigid urethane foams, expanded polystyrene (foamed polystyrene), and expanded polyethylene having a high heat insulating performance and low heat conductivity heat insulating member 542 a temperature influence can be further reduced. Thus, a further effect can be exerted.
  • a shortest distance between end surfaces of flow-direction guide portions 522 on the side of defrosting heater 532 and the outer shell of the glass tube of defrosting heater 532 is 60 mm or more. From this, a temperature increase of cooler cover 520 itself forming cool air return port 535 due to the radiation heat from defrosting heater 532 at the time of defrosting can be suppressed. Therefore, even in the case where the defrosting time is excessively extended at the time of frost formation or the like, deformation or the like due to a temperature influence of the radiation heat is not generated. Since the shortest distance is 60 mm or more, the warm air from defrosting heater 532 at the time of defrosting flows to the side of the cooler, so that there is an effect of easily suppressing the inflow to the interior.
  • a type of the cooling medium is isobutane.
  • the temperature of the surface of the glass tube of defrosting heater 532 at the time of defrosting is regulated to be 394°C or less.
  • Inexpensive PP polypropylene
  • a heatproof melting temperature of PP is about 200°C
  • an ignition temperature thereof is about 440°C.
  • the heatproof temperature is set to be 135°C.
  • FIG. 22 is a detailed sectional view of a cooler compartment of a refrigerator in a ninth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 23 is a back view of a cooler cover of the refrigerator in the ninth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 24 is an illustrative view of a basic heat exchanger of a cooler of the refrigerator in the ninth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • the refrigerator has cooler 607 provided on a back surface of a refrigerator body, the cooler for generating the cool air, and defrosting heater 632 formed by a glass tube heater which is provided below cooler 607. Drain pan 634 integrated with a lower surface of lower level freezing compartment 605 for receiving defrosted water dropped after frost formed on cooler 607 is melted is provided below defrosting heater 632.
  • Cooler cover 620 including cool air return port 635 through which the cool air after cooling lower level freezing compartment 605 is returned to cooler 607 and covering cooler 607 is disposed.
  • Cooler cover 620 includes cooler front side cover 637 on the interior side and cooler rear side cover 638 on the side of cooler 607, and heat transfer suppression space 639 formed by cooler front side cover 637 and cooler rear side cover 638 is provided in front of cooler 607.
  • Heat transfer suppression space 639 is formed between an upper end of cool air return port 635 provided in a lower part of cooler cover 620 and a lower end of a discharge port to lower level freezing compartment 605.
  • a height of heat transfer suppression space 639 is up to an upper end of cooler 607, there is an effect of suppressing heat transfer.
  • a position may be decided based on a balance with an interior capacity or case size.
  • the height is substantially up to the lower end of the discharge port to lower level freezing compartment 605 on the third step from the lower side of cooler 607 in consideration with a flow of the warm air at the time of defrosting.
  • Inside of heat transfer suppression space 639 serves as an air layer.
  • the frost formed on cooler 607 is melted by radiation heat from defrosting heater 632 at the time of defrosting so as to become the highly-humid warm air and rise in the cooler compartment by natural convection.
  • defrosting heater 632 at the time of defrosting so as to become the highly-humid warm air and rise in the cooler compartment by natural convection.
  • an inflow to the interior can be suppressed by heat transfer suppression space 639, so that the warm air can flow into the space.
  • frost is easily formed on cooler 607 and frost is most frequently formed in a lower part of cooler 607 where heat is firstly exchanged between the return cool air from the freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment and cooler 607, and dehumidification is performed.
  • the warm air after defrosting easily flows to the periphery of cooler 607 and easily flows into the interior.
  • the inflow to the interior can be suppressed by heat transfer suppression space 639.
  • heat transfer suppression space 639 even upon a temperature increase in the periphery of cooler 607 due to the radiation heat from defrosting heater 632, heat transfer to the interior can be suppressed by heat transfer suppression space 639.
  • a temperature influence on food on the far side stored in the interior, particularly on the side of cooler 607 can be reduced, so that deterioration of food can be suppressed and long term storage can be achieved.
  • warm air collection holes 646 are formed in cooler rear side cover 638.
  • a space inlet part of cooler front side cover 637 and cooler rear side cover 638 forming heat transfer suppression space 639 has basic size of 3 mm or less.
  • the warm air coming into heat transfer suppression space 639 or the warm air existing in heat transfer suppression space 639 due to the radiation heat from defrosting heater 632 is expanded to have a spatial volume or more, the warm air is discharged to the side of cooler compartment 623 through warm air collection holes 646. This suppresses the warm air inflow to the interior side.
  • warm air collection holes 646 are placed so as to provide communication on the outer side of a projection surface from the front side of fin-and-tube type cooler basic heat exchanger 648. Thereby, the warm air collection holes are out of a major flow of the cool air even at the time of a cooling operation. Thus, short circuit caused by re-junction between the discharge cool air and the return cool air through warm air collection holes 646 after heat is exchanged between the return cool air and cooler 607 and the return cool air becomes the discharge cool air can be prevented, and a decrease in heat exchange efficiency of cooler 607 can be prevented.
  • An area (Sk) of warm air collection holes 646 is smaller than a basic section area (Sd) of heat transfer suppression space 639, that is, in a relationship of Sd > Sk.
  • the plurality of warm air collection holes 646 are disposed in heat transfer suppression space 639, so that the warm air remaining in the heat transfer suppression space can be discharged to the side of the cooler compartment at the time of defrosting without stagnation.
  • warm air collection holes 646 are disposed in both end parts of cooler 607. At this time, with "n" warm air collection holes, the area of warm air collection holes 646 is expressed as Skn in a relationship of Sd > ⁇ Skn.
  • heat transfer member 647 By arranging heat transfer member 647 inside heat transfer suppression space 639, the warm air remaining inside the heat transfer suppression space can be dehumidified.
  • a metal material may be used as heat transfer member 647.
  • a heat storage material may be used as heat transfer member 647. In that case, not only dehumidification is performed but also a temperature in the heat transfer suppression space is not easily increased even at the time of defrosting by the heat storage material cooled at the time of a cooling operation.
  • the interior temperature increase can be remarkably suppressed, so that deterioration of food can be suppressed, further long term storage can be achieved, and the refrigerator excellent in an energy saving property can be provided.
  • upper ends of warm air collection holes 646 are inclined on the side of the heat transfer suppression space, and lower ends are inclined on the side of the cooler compartment.
  • the warm air remaining in the heat transfer suppression space at the time of defrosting flows to an upper part by an upward airflow of natural convection.
  • ventilation resistance is reduced, so that the warm arm can be discharged to the side of the cooler compartment without stagnation. Since the upper ends and the lower ends of warm air collection holes 646 are inclined, a yield ratio at the time of molding the constituent parts is improved, and cost is consequently reduced by suppressing mold cost.
  • a refrigerator of the present invention includes a refrigerator body, a freezing compartment of a freezing temperature zone in the refrigerator, and a cooler compartment including a cooler provided on a back surface side of the freezing compartment, the cooler for generating cool air, a defrosting heater provided below the cooler, and a drain pan provided below the defrosting heater, the drain pan for receiving defrosted water dropped after frost formed on the cooler is melted.
  • a cooler cover including a cool air return port through which the cool air after cooling the freezing compartment is returned to the cooler, the cooler cover covering the cooler, is provided.
  • Center of the defrosting heater is set above a lower surface of the freezing compartment in a horizontal direction, a projection member protruding into an interior side is disposed on the lower surface of the freezing compartment, and a lower end of the cool air return port and an upper end of the projection member are overlapped with each other in a height direction.
  • red heat from the defrosting heater at the time of defrosting is not easily visible.
  • a freezing compartment door is opened at the time of defrosting the refrigerator, a user does not feel anxiety given by red heat of the defrosting heater.
  • the return cool air from the interior to the cooler can ensure convection not only on a front surface of the return port but also from the lower side of the cooler. Therefore, a large heat exchange area in the cooler can be obtained.
  • a circulation wind amount can be increased by lowering ventilation resistance of the return cool air.
  • a heat exchange amount in the cooler is increased and an evaporation temperature is increased, so that energy saving can be achieved by improvement of freezing cycle efficiency.
  • a time for cooling the interior can be reduced.
  • a frost formation amount onto the cooler due to shortening of a cooling operation time can also be reduced.
  • a defrosting period of the cooler can be extended.
  • the input number of the defrosting heater can be decreased and an input required for cooling the interior after an interior temperature increase due to defrosting can be reduced, so that further energy saving can be achieved.
  • a space distance between the projection member and the lower end of the cool air return port is larger than a height of the projection member.
  • an opening area of the return cool air from the interior to the cooler can be large, and ventilation resistance can be further lowered.
  • the circulation wind amount is increased and a heat exchange amount in the cooler is increased, so that further energy saving can be achieved.
  • the projection member is disposed between the lower end of the cool air return port and the defrosting heater.
  • the projection member is in contact with a part of the cooler cover forming the lower end of the cool air return port.
  • an outer periphery of the cool air return port easily deformed in the case where the cool air return port is largely opened can be fixed.
  • size of the cool air return port is regulated and an area of the opening part can be ensured, so that a sufficient cooling effect can be exerted.
  • an operator works in such a manner that the projection member abuts therewith while the projection member is taken as a mark.
  • workability is improved and a working time is shortened. Therefore, a yield ratio can be improved and product variation can be suppressed, so that a stable cooling performance can be ensured.
  • the lower surface of the freezing compartment is integrated with the drain pan.
  • a plurality of flow-direction guide portions are provided in the cool air return port, and a far end of each of the flow-direction guide portions is located at a higher position than a line connecting between a far end of another one of the flow-direction guide portions provided below the each of the flow-direction guide portions and the center of the defrosting heater.
  • the flow-direction guide portions are seen as overlapping with respect to the defrosting heater.
  • red heat of the defrosting heater is not visible.
  • the warm air due to the radiation heat at the time of defrosting flows to the side of the cooler by the flow-direction guide portions.
  • a plurality of flow-direction guide portions are provided in the cool air return port, and in the flow-direction guide portions, a lower flow-direction guide portion is longer than an upper flow-direction guide portion in a direction to the defrosting heater.
  • a plurality of flow-direction guide portions are provided in the cool air return port, and a line connecting interior side end surfaces of the flow-direction guide portions is substantially parallel with a back surface of an interior case.
  • an interval between the interior case and the cool air return port can be ensured to be a fixed value or more without a locally narrow part.
  • a wind amount is not lowered due to an increase in ventilation resistance of a wind passage. Therefore, a cooling ability is not lowered. Circulation of the cool air is not prevented.
  • frost is formed on the surface by invasion of the highly-humid external air, sublimation is easily generated without stagnation.
  • Draft at the time of molding the interior case is parallel with the line connecting the interior side end surfaces of the flow-direction guide portions. Thus, a maximum actual interior capacity with an invalid space being reduced is realized.
  • a shortest distance between the cool air return port in a direction to the defrosting heater and an outer shell of the defrosting heater is 60 mm or more.
  • the projection member is integrated with the cooler cover.
  • material cost and mold cost for making the projection member can be reduced, and the man-hour in a manufacturing step can also be reduced.
  • Management cost can also be reduced, cost can be reduced as a product, and a selling price is consequently lowered, so that a sale rate can be improved.
  • the projection member is integrated with the lower surface of the freezing compartment.
  • material cost and mold cost for making the projection member can be reduced, and the man-hour in a manufacturing step can also be reduced.
  • Management cost can also be reduced, cost can be reduced as a product, and a selling price is consequently lowered, so that a sale rate can be improved.
  • a refrigerator of the present invention includes a cooler provided on a back surface side of the refrigerator, the cooler for generating cool air, a defrosting heater provided below the cooler, and a cooler cover covering the cooler and having a cool air return port through which the cool air after cooling a freezing compartment is returned to the cooler.
  • the cooler cover includes a cooler front side cover on an interior side and a cooler rear side cover in a direction to the cooler, a heat transfer suppression space by the cooler front side cover and the cooler rear side cover is provided in front of the cooler, and a defrosting warm air guide member is provided in the cool air return port.
  • the defrosting warm air guide member is provided in the cool air return port, convection due to radiation heat from the defrosting heater at the time of defrosting easily flows to the cooler, and frost formed on the cooler can be efficiently melted.
  • a power supply time of the defrosting heater can be reduced, so that energy saving due to reduction of a power input is achieved.
  • the heat transfer suppression space is provided, a heat influence from the low-temperature cooler can be suppressed and a temperature difference between the surface of the cooler cover and the interior can be reduced.
  • frost formation can be suppressed.
  • a heat insulating member is disposed inside the heat transfer suppression space.
  • a temperature of the cooler periphery is increased by the radiation heat from the defrosting heater at the time of defrosting.
  • heat transfer from the cooler periphery having the increased temperature to the interior can be suppressed to a large extent. Therefore, a temperature influence on food stored in the interior, particularly on the side of the cooler can be eliminated, so that deterioration of food can be suppressed and further long term storage can be achieved.
  • the radiation heat from the defrosting heater remains in a cooler compartment.
  • a temperature of the cooler itself can be efficiently increased, so that with suppression of a temperature increase due to shortening of the defrosting time and shortening of a non-cooling operation time, further energy saving can be realized.
  • the heat insulating member is disposed inside the heat transfer suppression space so as to reduce a temperature influence from the cooler, there is no point where the temperature is locally low in the interior and frost attachment due to water contents invading into the interior by opening/closing of the door or the like can be prevented. Thus, quality of the product is improved.
  • an upper end of the defrosting warm air guide member is disposed at a higher position than a lower end of the cooler.
  • a time for cooling the interior can be reduced.
  • a frost formation amount onto the cooler due to shortening of a cooling operation time can also be reduced.
  • a defrosting period of the cooler can be extended.
  • the input number of the defrosting heater can be decreased and an input required for cooling the interior after an interior temperature increase due to defrosting can be reduced, so that further energy saving can be achieved.
  • the defrosting warm air guide member is integrated with the cooler front side cover.
  • material cost and mold cost for making the defrosting warm air guide member can be reduced, and the man-hour in a manufacturing step can also be reduced.
  • Management cost can also be reduced, cost can be reduced as a product, and a selling price is consequently lowered, so that a sale rate can be improved.
  • the defrosting warm air guide member is integrated with the cooler rear side cover.
  • material cost and mold cost for making the defrosting warm air guide member can be reduced, and the man-hour in a manufacturing step can also be reduced.
  • a shape including draft of a mold can be simplified.
  • mold cost is consequently further reduced.
  • Management of two parts including the defrosting warm air guide member and the cooler rear side cover is changed to management of one part.
  • management cost can be reduced, cost can be reduced as a product, and a selling price is consequently lowered, so that a sale rate can be improved.
  • flow-direction guide portions are provided on the side of the cooler of the cool air return port, and the flow-direction guide portions are inclined in an upward direction with respect to an inlet of the cool air return port.
  • the flow-direction guide portions and the defrosting warm air guide member are inclined in the upward direction.
  • a flow can be uniformized, so that further energy saving can be achieved by improvement of cooling efficiency.
  • the shortest distance between a defrosting heater side of the cooler cover and an outer shell of the defrosting heater is 60 mm or more.
  • center of the defrosting heater is placed above a bottom base surface of the freezing compartment.
  • a shape of the drain pan integrated with the bottom base surface of the freezing compartment can be substantially horizontal, so that an invalid space created by installment of the defrosting heater can be reduced.
  • an interior capacity can be increased. Since depth of the drain pan can be shallow, mold cost at the time of molding constituent parts can be suppressed. Thus, cost is consequently reduced.
  • a metal heat transfer facilitating member is provided on the side of the cooler of the cooler rear side cover.
  • the radiation heat of the defrosting heater at the time of defrosting can be transferred to an upper part of the cooler.
  • the defrosting time can be further shortened. Since the metal heat transfer facilitating member has high heat conductivity, the heat from the defrosting heater can be uniformly transferred. Therefore, the heat is uniformly transferred to the cooler, not only defrosting efficiency is improved but also there is no fear that frost remains.
  • the flow-direction guide portions are coupled to the defrosting warm air guide member.
  • the defrosting warm air guide member and the flow-direction guide portions formed in the same upward direction are integrated to form a coupled flow-direction guide.
  • convection due to the radiation heat from the defrosting heater at the time of defrosting further easily flows to the cooler, and the frost formed on the cooler can be efficiently melted.
  • a power supply time of the defrosting heater can be reduced, so that energy saving due to reduction of a power input is achieved.
  • a warm air collection hole providing communication between the heat transfer suppression space and a cooler compartment in which the cooler is accommodated is provided.
  • a space inlet part of the cooler front side cover and the cooler rear side cover forming the heat transfer suppression space has basic size of 3 mm or less.
  • An excessive temperature increase in the space due to the radiation heat can also be suppressed. Therefore, a temperature influence on food stored in the interior, particularly on the side of the cooler can be eliminated, so that deterioration of food can be suppressed and further long term storage can be achieved.
  • the warm air collection hole is disposed on an outer side of a basic heat exchanger of the cooler.
  • an area of the warm air collection hole is smaller than a basic section area of the heat transfer suppression space.
  • pressure of the warm air invading the heat transfer suppression space by convection due to the radiation heat from the defrosting heater at the time of defrosting by molding size variation of the part itself or fitting variation at the time of assembling the product is boosted by a temperature increase in the space so as to be higher than pressure on the side of the cooler compartment having a larger volume.
  • a part of the warm air in the heat transfer suppression space flows to the side of the cooler compartment from the warm air collection hole by a pressure difference. Therefore, the warm air in the heat transfer suppression space does not flow out to the interior side, so that the interior temperature increase can be suppressed.
  • a plurality of warm air collection holes are provided.
  • the warm air remaining in the heat transfer suppression space at the time of defrosting flows to the side of the cooler compartment from the plurality of warm air collection holes by the pressure difference.
  • the pressure in the heat transfer suppression space is maintained to be balanced and stagnation is reduced, so that the warm air inflow to the interior and the temperature increase can be suppressed.
  • a heat transfer member is disposed inside the heat transfer suppression space.
  • an upper end of the warm air collection hole is inclined downward in a direction to the heat transfer suppression space.
  • a lower end of the warm air collection hole is inclined upward in a direction to the cooler compartment.
  • the present invention can be utilized for a domestic refrigerator or the like for the purpose of space saving and large capacity by reducing an invalid volume and increasing an interior capacity, and improvement of an energy saving property.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Cold Air Circulating Systems And Constructional Details In Refrigerators (AREA)
  • Defrosting Systems (AREA)

Claims (10)

  1. Kühlschrank, umfassend:
    einen Kühlschrank-Hauptteil (101; 301; 501)
    ein Gefrierfach (155; 205, 255) einer Gefriertemperaturzone in dem Kühlschrank;
    ein Kühlfach (123; 323; 523; 623), umfassend einen Kühler (107, 157; 207, 257; 307, 357; 407; 507; 607), der auf einer hinteren Fläche des Gefrierfachs (155; 205, 255) vorgesehen ist, wobei der Kühler (107, 157; 207, 257; 307, 357; 407; 507; 607) kalte Luft erzeugt, einen Abtauheizer (132, 182; 232, 282; 332, 382; 432; 532; 632), der unter dem Kühler (107, 157; 207, 257; 307, 357; 407; 507; 607) vorgesehen ist, und eine Ablaufwanne (134, 184; 234, 284; 334, 384; 434; 534; 634), die unter dem Abtauheizer (132, 182; 232, 282; 332, 382; 432; 532; 632) vorgesehen ist, wobei die Ablaufwanne (134, 184; 234, 284; 334, 384; 434; 534; 634) herabtropfendes Abtauwasser aufnimmt, nachdem am Kühler (107, 157; 207, 257; 307, 357; 407; 507; 607) anhaftendes Eis geschmolzen ist; und
    eine Kühlerabdeckung (120, 170; 220, 270; 320, 370; 420; 520; 620), die den Kühler (107, 157; 207, 257; 307, 357; 407; 507; 607) abdeckt und eine Kaltluft-Rückführungsöffnung (135, 185; 235, 285; 335, 385; 435; 535; 635) aufweist, durch die die kalte Luft nach dem Kühlen des Gefrierfachs (155; 205, 255) zum Kühler (107, 157; 207, 257; 307, 357; 407; 507; 607) zurückgeführt wird,
    wobei die Mitte des Abtauheizers (132, 182; 232, 282; 332, 382; 432; 532; 632) auf eine Oberseite einer unteren Fläche des Gefrierfachs (155; 205, 255) in horizontaler Richtung gesetzt ist,
    ein vorstehendes Element (136, 186; 236, 286; 336; 536), das auf einer Innenseite hervorsteht, auf der unteren Fläche des Gefrierfachs (155; 205, 255) angeordnet ist,
    ein unteres Ende der Kaltluft-Rückführungsöffnung (135, 185; 235, 285; 335, 385; 435; 535; 635) und ein oberes Ende des vorstehenden Elementes (136, 186; 236, 286; 336; 536) in einer Höhenrichtung einander überlappen, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass eine Vielzahl von Luftrichtungs-Führungsteilen (122; 222, 272; 322, 372; 422; 522) in der Kaltluft-Rückführungsöffnung (135, 185; 235, 285; 335, 385; 435; 535; 635) vorgesehen sind, wobei in der Vielzahl von Luftrichtungs-Führungsteilen (122; 222, 272; 322, 372; 422; 522) ein unterer Luftrichtungs-Führungsteil (122; 222, 272; 322, 372; 422; 522) länger ist als ein oberer Luftrichtungs-Führungsteil (122; 222, 272; 322, 372; 422; 522) auf einer Seite des Abtauheizers (132, 182; 232, 282; 332, 382; 432; 532; 632).
  2. Kühlschrank nach Anspruch 1, wobei
    ein Abstand zwischen dem vorstehenden Element (136, 186; 236, 286; 336 536) und dem unteren Ende der Kaltluft-Rückführungsöffnung (135, 185; 235, 285; 335, 385; 435; 535; 635) größer ist als eine Höhe des vorstehenden Elementes (136, 186; 236, 286; 336 536).
  3. Kühlschrank nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, wobei
    das vorstehende Element (136, 186; 236, 286; 336; 536) zwischen dem unteren Ende der Kaltluft-Rückführungsöffnung (135, 185; 235, 285; 335, 385; 435; 535; 635) und dem Abtauheizer (132, 182; 232, 282; 332, 382; 432; 532; 632) angeordnet ist.
  4. Kühlschrank nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, wobei
    das vorstehende Element (136, 186; 236, 286; 336; 536) in Kontakt mit einem Teil der Kühlerabdeckung (120, 170; 220, 270; 320, 370; 420; 520; 620) ist, die das untere Ende der Kaltluft-Rückführungsöffnung (135, 185; 235, 285; 335, 385; 435; 535; 635) bildet.
  5. Kühlschrank nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, wobei
    die untere Fläche des Gefrierfachs (155; 205, 255) mit, der Ablaufwanne (134, 184; 234, 284; 334, 384; 434; 534; 634) integriert ist.
  6. Kühlschrank nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, wobei
    im Vergleich mit einer Linie, die ein entferntes Ende jedes der Luftrichtungs-Führungsteile (122; 222, 272; 322, 372; 422; 522) und die Mitte des
    Abtauheizers (132, 182; 232, 282; 332, 382; 432; 532; 632) verbindet, ein entferntes Ende eines anderen Luftrichtungs-Führungsteils (122; 222, 272; 322, 372; 422; 522), das auf einer Oberseite des Luftrichtungs-Führungsteils (122; 222, 272; 322, 372; 422; 522) vorgesehen ist, in einer höheren Position angeordnet ist.
  7. Kühlschrank nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, wobei
    eine Vielzahl von Luftrichtungs-Führungsteilen (122; 222, 272; 322, 372; 422; 522) in der Kaltluft-Rückführungsöffnung (135, 185; 235, 285; 335, 385; 435; 535; 635) vorgesehen ist, und
    eine Linie, die die Innenseiten-Endflächen der Luftrichtungs-Führungsteile (122; 222, 272; 322, 372; 422; 522) verbindet, parallel zu einer hinteren Fläche eines Innengehäuses verläuft.
  8. Kühlschrank nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, wobei
    ein kürzester Abstand zwischen der Kaltluft-Rückführungsöffnung (135, 185; 235, 285; 335, 385; 435; 535; 635) auf einer Seite des Abtauheizers (132, 182; 232, 282; 332, 382; 432; 532; 632) und einem Außengehäuse des Abtauheizers (132, 182; 232, 282; 332, 382; 432; 532; 632) 60 mm oder mehr beträgt.
  9. Kühlschrank nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, wobei
    das vorstehende Element (136, 186; 236, 286; 336; 536) mit der Kühlerabdeckung (120, 170; 220, 270; 320, 370; 420; 520; 620) integriert ist.
  10. Kühlschrank nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, wobei
    das vorstehende Element (136, 186; 236, 286; 336; 536) mit der unteren Fläche des Gefrierfachs (155; 205, 255) integriert ist.
EP12855495.3A 2011-12-06 2012-12-03 Kühlschrank Not-in-force EP2789940B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2011266581A JP2013119952A (ja) 2011-12-06 2011-12-06 冷蔵庫
JP2011269690 2011-12-09
JP2012092737A JP5966145B2 (ja) 2011-12-09 2012-04-16 冷蔵庫
PCT/JP2012/007729 WO2013084460A1 (ja) 2011-12-06 2012-12-03 冷蔵庫

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EP2789940A4 EP2789940A4 (de) 2015-06-03
EP2789940B1 true EP2789940B1 (de) 2017-02-08

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WO2013084460A1 (ja) 2013-06-13
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EP2789940A4 (de) 2015-06-03

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