JP2001141355A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a refrigerator having a small article container including a sufficient containing amount, an easy arrangement and excellent handleability without invading the storage space of a storage chamber. SOLUTION: A small article container 29 of a substantially columnar shape is rotatably provided at a partition wall 18 for partitioning into a first storage chamber 16 and a second storage chamber 17, and a plurality of small compartments 33 are formed in the container 29. Thus, a desired article can be outputted from or inputted into an opening 34 of this side by a user's rotating operation. The deepest space of the wall 18 as an ineffective space in a prior art can be effectively utilized as a containing space to increase the containing amount. The compartments 33 are changed to be used in response to the type of the article to be contained and hence arranged in the compartments.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator provided with a small container in a refrigerator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a refrigerator, particularly in a refrigerator room for storing various small foods, seasonings, medicines and other small foods, it is convenient to arrange and store the above small goods. For this reason, containers for storing small items are conventionally provided in the refrigerator compartment, or commercially available small containers are used as needed.However, small containers are installed at any place in the refrigerator room. Therefore, there is a problem that the original food storage space cannot be effectively used or the appearance of the food storage space is not good. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-110871 discloses a method for solving these problems. What has been proposed.

Hereinafter, the conventional refrigerator will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a refrigerator showing a conventional example. In FIG. 6, 1 is a refrigerator main body, 2 is an upper chamber partitioned and formed in the refrigerator main body 1, 3 is a lower chamber partitioned and formed in a lower part of the upper chamber 2, 4 is provided with a door shelf 5 in a lower part, Reference numeral 2 denotes a door that closes and closes a front opening of the lower chamber 3 by a gasket 6, and 7 denotes a door that closes and closes a front opening of the lower chamber 3 by a gasket 8.

A partition plate 9 is in close contact with the lower end of the door 4 of the upper chamber and an upper end of the door 7 of the lower chamber via gaskets 6 and 8, and 10 is provided behind the partition plate 9 to form the upper chamber 2 And a partition wall 11 for partitioning the lower chamber 3, and 11 is a door shelf 5 on the partition wall 10.
Is a small container provided within the height of the partition plate 9 on the lower opposing surface.

[0006] In the refrigerator configured as described above,
By storing small articles such as foods, seasonings, medicines, and the like in the accessory container 11, there is no need to search for the items when they are used. At this time, since the height of the small container 11 is stored within the height of the partition plate 9, the effective space of the upper chamber 2 and the lower chamber 3 is not infringed.

[0007]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, the space above the upper opening must be open in order to put articles stored in the small container 11 in and out. Is necessarily in front of the upper chamber 2 such as below a protruding portion of the lowermost door shelf 5 provided on the door 4 of the upper chamber, and is usually limited to a place where articles cannot be placed.

[0008] For this reason, there are drawbacks such as a limited amount of articles to be stored in the accessory container 11 and an inability to sort and store the articles by type.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and does not infringe on the storage space of the storage room, has a sufficient storage amount, can arrange the items to be stored, and is equipped with a small-sized container with excellent usability. The purpose is to provide.

[0010]

In order to achieve this object, a refrigerator according to the present invention comprises a rotatable small container having an open upper part on a partition wall between two storage chambers arranged vertically in a main body. It was provided.

As a result, the inner part of the partition wall is effectively used as a storage part, and the storage amount of the small container can be increased without infringing the storage space of the storage room.

In addition, a rotatable, substantially cylindrical small-sized container having an open upper portion and divided into a plurality of small sections is provided on a partition wall separating two storage chambers arranged vertically in the main body. .

[0013] Thus, the articles can be stored separately according to the type of the articles, so that the articles can be easily arranged and the usability is further enhanced.

Further, the small cylindrical container is rotatably fitted in the substantially cylindrical concave portion formed in the partition wall, and a part of the upper surface of the small container is opened to the first storage room side. .

[0015] This makes it possible to realize a rotatable small container with a simple structure by utilizing the ineffective space in the refrigerator, and the inner part of the partition wall can be effectively used as a storage part by a simple operation.

Further, the partition wall is provided with a rotation driving means for rotating the small container by a switch.

Thus, the storage section can be easily selected without manual operation, and the convenience is further improved.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is directed to a partition wall for vertically partitioning the inside of a refrigerator main body, a first storage compartment partitioned at an upper portion by the partition wall, and the partition wall. A second storage compartment defined at a lower portion by a wall; and a small container opened at the upper surface to the first storage room and rotatably disposed on the partition wall. By rotating, the articles stored in the inner part of the partition wall can be taken out from the near side. In addition, the space inside the partition wall, which has been an invalid space in the past, can be effectively used.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the accessory container has a part of the upper surface opened to the first storage room side and is rotatable divided into a plurality of small sections. It is a substantially cylindrical container, and can be stored separately according to the type of article.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the second aspect, a door provided at a front opening of the first storage room and a door shelf provided at the door are provided. A part of the upper surface of the container is opened at a position opposed to the lower side of the door shelf, and the effective space of the first storage room is not infringed by making the invalid space below the door shelf an opening.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, at least the bottom surface of the accessory container is disposed so as to face the second storage chamber.
The small container is indirectly cooled by receiving a cooling action from the second storage room through the bottom surface.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the fourth aspect, at least the outer shell of the small container is made of metal, and the second container is made of metal having high heat conductivity. Indirect cooling from the storage room is promoted.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substantially cylindrical recess formed in the partition wall, and a small container is rotatably fitted in the recess. By rotating the accessory container by hand, the articles stored in the inner part of the partition wall can be taken out from the near side.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in accordance with the sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bearing hole formed in the center projection of the recess, and a rotating shaft provided in the center projection of the small container, The projecting portion of the small container is overlapped with the projecting portion of the concave portion, and the small container is rotatable by inserting the rotating shaft into the bearing hole. The small container can be easily rotated with a simple overlapping structure. Be free.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the sixth or seventh aspect of the present invention, the concave portion is protruded into a space in the second storage room, and the storage portion is provided in the second storage room. And is indirectly cooled by being exposed to the cooling space.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in accordance with the eighth aspect of the present invention, a drawer-type door and a storage container integrally with the drawer-type door are provided in the second storage room, and a bottom surface of the recess is partitioned. This is located between the lower end of the partition plate on the front of the wall and the upper end of the storage container in the second storage room. The storage capacity is maximized by the depth of the small container and the ineffective space is effectively used. Is done.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the seventh aspect of the present invention, a compartment is provided at a lower portion of the first storage room, and a central portion of the small container is arranged below the compartment. A part of the upper surface of the small container is opened to the first storage room in front of the compartment, and the majority of the storage portion is stored in the invalid space below the compartment, and the rotation operation is performed. As a result, a part of the storage section for taking out articles is opened to the opening section on the front of the compartment.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the seventh aspect, a storage portion is provided on an outer periphery of a center projecting portion of the small container, and the storage portion is divided into a plurality of small sections. The inside of the accessory container is classified according to the type of the article.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the eleventh aspect, the small compartment is formed of a substantially fan-shaped small container, and the small container can be taken out and used or washed. .

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the twelfth aspect of the present invention, the plurality of small sections are configured to have an arbitrary size by combining a plurality of substantially fan-shaped small containers. The storage capacity can be changed according to the article by arbitrarily adjusting the size of.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the first or the second aspect of the present invention, a cool air flow passage for circulating cool air in the small container is formed, and the cool air flows in the small container. By doing so, the articles in the container are cooled.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first aspect of the present invention, a lid that can be opened and closed is provided on the upper opening surface of the small container, and the opening is covered with the lid. This prevents foreign objects and dirt in the storage compartment from entering the small container.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the second or tenth aspect, an openable and closable lid having a small compartment is provided on the upper opening surface of the accessory container. In addition, foreign matter and dirt in the storage room are prevented from entering the small container, and an article protruding from the small container at the time of opening and closing the door is prevented from contacting the door shelf by securing an interval with the door shelf bottom surface.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the fifteenth or sixteenth aspect, when the accessory container is opened, the lid is slid rearward to open and stored in the partition wall. The lid that is opened is the first
Do not disturb the storage room space.

According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the sixteenth aspect, when the accessory container is opened, the lid is slid backward and opened to be stored in the lower part of the compartment. In addition, the lid does not become an obstacle when articles are taken in and out, and does not hinder the use of the compartment.

According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the fifteenth or sixteenth aspect, the lid is formed of a transparent member, and the article of the small section at the position of the opening is covered with the lid. You can check without opening your body.

According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the first storage room is a refrigerator room, and miscellaneous articles are provided. The refrigerated compartment, which often stores refrigerated products, is organized by storing them in small containers.

According to a twenty-first aspect, in the twentieth aspect, the second storage room is a vegetable room, and a partition wall between the refrigerator room and the vegetable room having a small temperature difference is provided. It does not require a heat insulating structure, and it is easy to secure a space for installing small containers. Further, since the temperature zone is the refrigeration temperature, it is suitable for indirect cooling through the outer shell surface and direct cooling of the inside of the small container through the cool air flow passage.

According to a twenty-second aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the twentieth aspect, the compartment is a storage room having a lower temperature than the refrigerating room. Is cooled down.

The invention described in claim 23 is the same as the invention described in claim 1, 2 or 19,
Lighting that irradiates the opening of the accessory container is provided,
The article in the opening is illuminated and easily visible.

According to a twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the twentieth aspect, a rotary driving means for rotating the small container and a switch for turning on and off the operation of the rotary driving means are further provided. The storage section can be selected without manual operation, and the articles stored in the inner part of the partition wall can be easily taken out in front.

[0042]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a refrigerator according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the refrigerator according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main part of the refrigerator according to the embodiment.

1, 2 and 3, reference numeral 12 denotes a refrigerator main body, which is formed by an outer box 13 made of a steel plate, an inner box 14 made of a resin, an outer box 13 and a heat insulating material 15 filled between the inner boxes 14. It is configured. 16 is a refrigerator room formed in the upper part of the refrigerator main body 12, and 17 is a vegetable room formed in the lower part of the refrigerator room 16. Reference numeral 18 denotes a partition wall for partitioning between the refrigerator compartment 16 and the vegetable compartment 17, and a bottom plate 19 of the refrigerator compartment 16, a top plate 20 of the vegetable compartment 17, and a steel plate partition plate 21 provided on an opening surface of the main body 12.
And a partition 22 provided behind the partition plate 21.

Reference numeral 23 denotes a door which is attached to the opening surface of the refrigerator compartment 16 so as to be openable and closable. A gasket 24 for sealing is provided on the inner peripheral edge, and a door shelf 25 is provided at a lower portion. Reference numeral 26 denotes a low-temperature room provided mainly in the lower part of the refrigerator compartment 16 for storing fresh foods. Reference numeral 27 denotes a door which is attached to the opening surface of the vegetable compartment 17 so as to be openable and closable, and has a gasket 28 provided on the inner peripheral edge. Then, the gaskets 24 and 28 are
1 and the refrigerator compartment 16,
It is configured to close the opening surface of the vegetable compartment 17.

Reference numeral 29 denotes a substantially cylindrical small container provided in the partition wall 18, and the rotating bearing portion 3 protruding from the center.
0, a cylindrical shaft 31 provided on the top plate 20 of the vegetable compartment is rotatably supported by being inserted therein, and a plurality of small containers 32 having a substantially fan-shaped flat surface are combined therein, A plurality of small sections 33 having an arbitrary capacity are configured. The height of the small container 32 is set lower than the height of the small container 29 by a predetermined length h.

Further, 34 is a bottom plate 1 of the refrigerator compartment for opening at least one or more small sections 33 of the small container 29.
9 is an opening provided in a portion located below the door shelf 25 and in front of the low temperature chamber 26. 35 is an opening 34
The lid is formed of a transparent member that opens and closes, and is configured to be slid rearward when opened to be stored in the partition wall 18 on the back surface of the refrigerator compartment bottom plate 19.

Reference numeral 36 denotes a handle formed on a part of the upper surface of the lid 35, and a ventilation hole 37 communicating from the refrigerating room 16 into the small container 29 is formed in the lower part of the back. Reference numeral 38 denotes a ventilation hole formed in a part of the vegetable room top plate 20 constituting the partition wall 18, and communicates a space in the partition wall 18 for storing the small container 29 with the vegetable room 17.

Reference numeral 39 denotes an illuminating means such as an incandescent lamp or a fluorescent lamp provided in front of the top surface of the refrigerator compartment 16 for illuminating the interior of the refrigerator compartment 16 when the door 23 is opened and simultaneously opening the upper portion 34 of the small container. Irradiate from above.

Reference numerals 39a and 39b denote examples in which the illuminating means is provided in a space partitioned by the front wall of the low-temperature chamber 26 and the partition wall 22 in front of the partition wall 18, respectively. For example, by forming the front surface of the low-temperature chamber 26 with a transparent member, the illumination of the low-temperature chamber 26 and the illumination of the opening 34 on the upper part of the small container are simultaneously performed. In the latter case, for example, the partition wall 22 and the accessory container 29
Is formed with a transparent member, so that the inside of the small container 29 is illuminated, and furthermore, the vegetable room 17 is also illuminated simultaneously by forming the vegetable room top panel 20 with a transparent member.

Reference numeral 40 denotes a compressor of the refrigeration cycle, 41 denotes a cooler, and 42 denotes a blower for forcibly blowing cool air cooled by the cooler 41. Reference numeral 43 denotes a ventilation path that communicates from the discharge space of the blower 42 to the refrigeration room 16 and the low-temperature room 26, and communicates with the inside of the refrigeration room 16 and the low-temperature room 26 via a damper device 44 that adjusts the amount of cool air. Although not shown, cool air led into the refrigerator compartment 16 is cooled by the cooler 41 through the vegetable compartment 17.
A ventilation path is provided for returning to the suction side.

With respect to the refrigerator configured as described above,
Next, the operation will be described.

First, the cool air cooled by the cooler 41 is forcibly ventilated by the blower 42 through the ventilation passage 43 to cool the refrigerator compartment 16 and the low-temperature compartment 26. At this time, the damper device 4
The amount of cool air is adjusted by 4, and both rooms are maintained at a predetermined temperature, for example, 4 ° C. in a refrigerator room and 0 ° C. in a low temperature room. The cold air that has cooled the inside of the refrigerator compartment 16 is supplied to the vegetable compartment 17.
After cooling the vegetable compartment 17 to a predetermined temperature (for example, 6 ° C.), the vegetable compartment 17 is collected on the suction side of the cooler 41.

Since the temperature difference between the refrigerator compartment 16 and the vegetable compartment 17 is small and both are within the range of the refrigerator temperature, the small container 2 installed in the partition wall 18 sandwiched between the refrigerator compartment 16 and the vegetable compartment 17 is provided.
9 also does not require an upper and lower heat insulating structure, so it is cooled to a temperature that does not hinder refrigerated storage, and it is possible to cool and store general refrigerated small foods, seasonings, medicines, cosmetics and other non-food items. .

The small cylindrical container 29 is manually and freely rotated around a shaft 31 around a bearing 30 provided at the center thereof. To rotate the small container 29, the upper edge of the small container 29 may be fed by a finger,
For example, a recess for inserting a hand may be formed in the refrigerator compartment bottom plate 19 at the front part of the small container 29, and the outer periphery of the small container 29 may be fed by a finger. In this manner, the accessory container 29 can be arbitrarily rotated by the user's hand, and a desired article can be taken in and out by fitting the corresponding small section 33 to the opening 34.

For this reason, articles can be stored in a deep space other than the opening 34, and the space of the partition wall 18, which was conventionally an ineffective space, can be effectively utilized as a storage space to increase the storage amount. . Further, since the opening 34 is provided below the door shelf 25 from which articles cannot be originally stored, the effective space of the refrigerator compartment 16 is not violated.

Further, since the inside of the small container 29 is constituted by a plurality of small compartments 33 by combining a plurality of small containers 32 having a substantially fan shape in a plane, the compartments can be sorted and arranged by properly using the compartments according to the type of articles to be stored. It is possible and convenient. Further, by adjusting the installation position of the small container 32, a small section 33 of an arbitrary size can be formed, and there is also a convenience that the storage amount can be set according to the amount of the article.

As described above, miscellaneous small articles which are conventionally stored in the refrigerator compartment 16 and are easily scattered in various places are concentrated and arranged in one place, and are stored and managed, thereby preventing forgetting to use and reducing the trouble of searching. In addition, the effect in terms of usability is great, and the storage in the refrigerator compartment 16 is organized, so that good-looking storage management can be achieved.

A lid 35 is provided in the opening 34, and the opening 34 is closed except when articles are taken in and out, so that dirt and foreign matter from inside the refrigerator compartment 16 can enter the small container 29. It is preferable for prevention and hygiene. In addition, since it also has the function of preventing the article from protruding from the accessory container 29 into the refrigerator compartment 16, a safety effect of preventing the protruding article from contacting the door shelf 25 and causing damage can be expected.

Further, since the lid 35 is of a sliding type, it is stored in the rear of the partition wall 18 along the back surface of the refrigerator compartment bottom plate 19 and does not project into the refrigerator compartment 16 when opened. For this reason, as in the case of a flip-up type lid, the door 23 may be damaged by colliding when the door 23 is opened or closed. For example, in the case where the low-temperature chamber 26 is not provided, the door 23 may be hindered by articles placed immediately after the opening 34. There is no such thing.

Further, since the lid 35 is formed of a transparent member, the inside of the small container 29 can be confirmed without opening the lid 35, so that the convenience is good. Further, the opening 34 is illuminated by the illuminating means 39 and passes through the transparent lid 35 to illuminate the inside of the accessory container 29. Therefore, the visibility inside is further improved, and the usability is further improved.

A part of the cool air circulated in the refrigerator compartment 16 flows into the small container 29 through the opening 34 from the vent hole 37 formed in the lower part of the handle 36 of the lid 35. The cold air flowing into the small container 29 flows through the small container 29 over the side wall of the small container 32 because the height of the small container 32 is set lower than the main body of the small container 29 by a predetermined length h,
It flows out into the vegetable compartment 17 through the ventilation hole 38 formed in the vegetable compartment top plate 20 through the space in the rear part of the partition wall 18.

By forming the cool air passage which circulates in the small container 29 in this manner, the cooling of the articles in the small container 29 is directly promoted by the cool air, the preservability of the articles is enhanced, and the selection range of the articles to be stored is also improved. The effect of spreading is also obtained.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

In the following embodiments, the basic structure of the refrigerator is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the basic structure is omitted from the description of the first embodiment, and new reference numerals are assigned only to different structures. I will explain.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 45 denotes a refrigerator body,
Reference numeral 46 denotes a partition wall for partitioning the refrigerator compartment 16 in the upper part and the vegetable compartment 17 in the lower part in the refrigerator main body 45. The partition wall 46 includes a bottom plate 47 of the refrigerator compartment 16, a top plate 48 of the vegetable compartment 17, a steel plate partition plate 49 provided on an opening surface of the main body 45, and a partition wall 50 provided behind the partition plate 49. . The top plate 48 of the vegetable compartment 17 has a circular notch 51.
Are formed, and a cylindrical peripheral wall 52 is provided at a fixed distance along the outer periphery of the notch 51.

Reference numeral 53 denotes a substantially cylindrical small container installed inside the peripheral wall 52 in the partition wall 46. The small container 53 is arranged so as to cover the cutout portion 51 with the bottom surface in the installed state. On the other hand, it faces with the bottom surface of the accessory container 53 exposed. The accessory container 53 has a substantially columnar shape, and is configured to be rotatable in combination with the cylindrical peripheral wall 52.

A plurality of small compartments 55 having an arbitrary capacity are formed by combining a plurality of small containers 54 each having a substantially fan-shaped plane. The height of the small container 54 is set lower than the height of the small container 53 by a predetermined length h. The outer shell of the main body of the small container 53 may be made of a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel, if necessary, in addition to the resin.

Reference numeral 56 denotes a bottom plate of the refrigerator compartment for opening at least one small section 55 of the small container 53.
7 is an opening provided in a portion located below the door shelf 25 and in front of the low temperature chamber 26. 57 is an opening 56
The lid is made of a transparent member that opens and closes, and is configured to be slid rearward when opened to be stored in the partition wall 46 on the back surface of the refrigerator compartment bottom plate 47.

Reference numeral 58 denotes a handle formed on a part of the upper surface of the lid 57, and a ventilation hole 59 communicating from the refrigerator compartment 16 to the inside of the small container 53 is formed in a lower portion of the back surface. 60
Is a ventilation hole formed in a part of the vegetable room top plate 48 constituting the partition wall 46, and the partition wall 46 for storing the small container 53.
The interior space communicates with the vegetable room 17.

In the above configuration, the substantially cylindrical small container 53 is manually and freely rotated by sliding between the outer peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall of the cylindrical peripheral wall 52 formed on the vegetable room top plate 48. You. In this manner, the accessory container 53 can be arbitrarily rotated by the user's hand, and the opening 5
A desired article can be taken in and out by matching the corresponding small section 55 to 6.

For this reason, articles can be stored in a deep space other than the opening 56, and the space of the partition wall 46, which was conventionally an ineffective space, can be effectively used as a storage space to increase the storage amount. . Further, since the opening 56 is provided below the door shelf 25 from which articles cannot be originally stored, the effective space of the refrigerator compartment 16 is not violated.

Further, since the inside of the small container 53 is constituted by a plurality of small compartments 55 by combining a plurality of small containers 54 having a substantially sector shape in a plane, the compartments can be sorted and arranged by properly using the compartments according to the type of articles to be stored. It is possible and convenient. Further, by adjusting the installation position of the small container 54, a small section 55 of an arbitrary size can be formed, and there is also a convenience that the storage amount can be set according to the amount of the article.

As described above, miscellaneous small articles which are conventionally stored in the refrigerator compartment 16 and are easily scattered in various places are concentrated and arranged in one place, and are stored and managed. In addition, the effect in terms of usability is great, and the storage in the refrigerator compartment 16 is organized, so that good-looking storage management can be achieved.

Further, since the bottom of the small container 53 is exposed to the inside of the vegetable compartment 17 through the notch 51 formed in the top panel 48 of the vegetable compartment, the small container 53 is indirectly exposed to the cooling atmosphere in the vegetable compartment 17. The inside is cooled, and the preservability of the stored articles is improved. Further, if the small container 53 is made of metal, the indirect cooling action is further promoted due to the high thermal conductivity, and the preservability is further improved by quickly cooling the stored articles and reducing the temperature rise of the articles during storage. As a result, the effect of increasing the selection range of articles to be stored is obtained.

A part of the cool air circulated in the refrigerator compartment 16 flows into the small container 53 through the opening 56 through the vent hole 59 formed in the lower part of the handle 58 of the lid 57. The cold air flowing into the small container 53 flows through the small container 53 over the side wall of the small container 54 because the height of the small container 54 is set lower than the main body of the small container 53 by a predetermined length h,
The water flows out into the vegetable compartment 17 from the ventilation hole 60 formed in the vegetable compartment top plate 48 through the rear space in the partition wall 46.

By forming the cold air passage circulating in the small container 53 in this manner, the articles in the small container 53 are directly cooled by the cool air, and are stored in combination with the indirect cooling action from the bottom surface of the small container 53 described above. The shelf life of the article can be further improved.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the refrigerator according to the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a main part of the refrigerator according to the embodiment.

In FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, reference numeral 61 denotes a refrigerator main body, and reference numeral 62 denotes a partition wall for partitioning the refrigerator compartment 16 in the upper part and the vegetable compartment 17 in the lower part in the refrigerator main part 61.
A partition plate 63 made of a steel plate is provided on the front surface of the opening of the partition wall 62.

Reference numeral 64 denotes a drawer-type door which is attached to the opening surface of the vegetable compartment 17 so as to be openable and closable. Reference numeral 65 denotes a storage container having an upper surface opening which is pulled out integrally with the drawer-type door 64.

Reference numeral 66 denotes a substantially columnar recess formed integrally with the partition wall 62, and the depth thereof is such that the bottom surface of the recess 66 is
3 and the upper end of the storage container 65 in the vegetable compartment. Reference numeral 67 denotes a protrusion provided at the center of the concave portion 66, and a bearing hole 68 is formed at the top. Reference numeral 69 denotes a small cylindrical container having an open upper surface, and the rotating shaft 71 is hung from the top of a projection 70 projecting to the center.

Then, the projection 67 of the small container 69 is superimposed on the projection 70 of the recess 66 so that the bearing hole 6 is formed.
The small container 69 is rotatably movable by inserting a rotary shaft 71 into the rotary shaft 8.

The small container 69 has a donut-shaped storage section 72 formed on the outer periphery of the projection 67, and the storage section 72 is formed by a plurality of substantially fan-shaped small sections 73 by a partition plate extending radially from the projection 67. Is divided into And accessory container 6
9, a central projection 67 is disposed below the low-temperature chamber 22 so that the majority of the storage section 72 is located below the low-temperature chamber 22 and the remaining front part extends below the projection surface of the door shelf 21. ing.

Reference numeral 74 denotes a front surface of the low temperature chamber 22;
An opening provided for opening at least one or more small sections 73 of the accessory container 69 below the door shelf 21.
Reference numeral 75 denotes a lid formed of a transparent member that opens and closes the opening 74, and is configured to be slid rearward and stored in the lower part of the low-temperature chamber 22 when opened.

The refrigerator configured as described above
Next, the operation will be described.

The small cylindrical container 69 has a rotating shaft 71 provided on a central projection 67 of the small container 69.
The small section 73 formed in the storage section 72 in the recessed section 66 is sequentially and lightly rotated by just being inserted into the bearing hole 68 provided at the bottom of the low temperature chamber 22 at the opening 74 on the front surface of the low temperature chamber 22. It faces inside the refrigerator compartment 16. In order to rotate the accessory container 28, the lid 75 is slid backward and the low-temperature chamber 22 is rotated.
The lower edge of the accessory container 69 may be fed by a finger.

With such a simple structure and simple operation, the accessory container 69 can be arbitrarily rotated by the user's hand, and a desired article can be put in and out by fitting the corresponding small section 73 into the opening 74. can do. For this reason, articles can be stored in a deep space other than the opening 74, and the space of the partition wall 62, which was conventionally an ineffective space, can be effectively utilized as a storage space, and the storage amount can be increased. In addition, since the opening 74 is provided below the door shelf 25 from which articles cannot be originally stored, the effective space of the refrigerator compartment 16 is not violated.

Further, since a plurality of sub-sections 73 each having a substantially sector shape are formed in the small-piece container 69, the sections can be sorted and arranged by appropriately using the sections according to the type of articles to be stored.
Easy to use.

As described above, miscellaneous small articles which are conventionally stored in the refrigerator compartment 16 and are easily scattered in various places are concentrated and arranged in one place, and are stored and managed. The effect on usability is great. At the same time, by arranging the inside of the refrigerator compartment 16, it is possible to obtain an effect that storage management with good appearance can be performed.

A lid 75 is provided in the opening 74, and the opening 74 is closed except when articles are taken in and out, so that dirt and foreign matter from inside the refrigerator compartment 16 can enter the small container 69. It is preferable for prevention and hygiene. In addition, since it also has the function of preventing the article from protruding from the accessory container 69 into the refrigerator compartment 16, a safety effect of preventing the protruding article from contacting the door shelf 21 and causing damage can be expected.

Further, since the lid 75 is of a sliding type, it is stored in the lower part of the low-temperature chamber 22, and when opened, the refrigerator compartment 16 is opened.
It does not protrude inside. For this reason, unlike the flip-up type lid, there is no collision and damage when the door 20 is opened and closed, and no hindrance to the use of the low-temperature chamber 22. In addition, if the lid 75 is formed of a transparent member, the inside of the small container 69 can be confirmed without opening the lid 75, and the usability is good.

Further, the bottom surface of the concave portion 66 of the partition wall in which the small container 69 is accommodated is located at the lower end of the partition plate 62 and the storage container 65 of the vegetable compartment.
Is set so as to be located between the upper ends of the small containers 69 in a range that does not interfere with taking in and out of the articles in the vegetable compartment.
The storage depth can be sufficiently secured, and the storage space for small items can be increased by making the best use of the invalid space.

Further, since the concave portion 66 projects into the cooling space in the vegetable compartment 17, the outer wall of the small container is indirectly cooled from the vegetable compartment side, and the preservation of the stored articles is enhanced. In addition, since the low-temperature chamber 22 is disposed above the small container 69, indirect cooling by a low-temperature atmosphere is performed through the bottom surface of the low-temperature chamber, and the cooling effect in the small container 69 is further enhanced. For this reason, the preservability of the stored articles is further enhanced, and the effect of expanding the selection range of the articles to be stored, such as foods requiring temperature control, is also obtained.

(Embodiment 4) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a main part of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

In the following embodiments, the basic structure of the refrigerator is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the basic structure is omitted from the description of the first embodiment, and new structures are denoted only by different reference numerals. I will explain.

In FIG. 8, reference numeral 76 denotes a rotatable small container, and a substantially fan-shaped small container 78 is fitted in a storage portion 77 formed on the outer periphery of the projection 70. A plurality of small containers 78 are provided detachably.

In the above configuration, the small containers 76 can be selectively used according to the type of the article to be stored, so that sorting and arrangement can be performed, which is convenient. Further, since the small container 76 is detachable, the small container 76 can be taken out to be used for taking in and out the contents, a table, and cooking, so that the convenience is good. Furthermore, since the whole container can be washed, it is hygienic. In order to obtain the convenience of attachment and detachment as described above, the external dimensions may be devised so that the size of the small container 76 can be taken out from the opening 33.

(Embodiment 5) FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention.

In FIG. 9, reference numeral 79 denotes a refrigerator main body.
Reference numeral 80 denotes a substantially cylindrical small container provided in a partition wall 81, and a cylindrical shaft 84 provided on a top plate 83 of a vegetable compartment is inserted into a rotation bearing 82 projecting from the center. In this way, a plurality of small containers 85 having a substantially fan-shaped flat surface are combined to form a plurality of small compartments 86 having an arbitrary capacity. Reference numeral 87 denotes a gear portion integrally formed in an annular shape on the outer peripheral portion of the small container 80 main body.

Reference numeral 88 denotes a rotary driving means comprising a combination of a motor 89 and a plurality of reduction gears 90. A gear 87 provided on the outer periphery of the small container 80 and a reduction gear 90 are provided.
Are rotated so as to engage with each other, and are mounted on the vegetable room top plate 83 in the partition wall. Also,
Reference numeral 91 denotes a switch provided at the front of the refrigerator compartment bottom plate 19 for turning on and off the operation of the rotation driving means 88.

In the refrigerator configured as described above,
When the user operates the switch 91, the motor 89 of the rotary driving means 88 rotates, and the rotation of the plurality of reduction gears 90 causes the gear portion 87 of the small cylindrical container 80 to rotate.
, The small container 80 starts rotating around the shaft 84 around the bearing 82 provided at the center. Then, by stopping the switch 91 at the position of the desired small section 86, the lid 35 can be opened and the stored articles can be taken in and out.

Therefore, articles can be stored in a deep space other than the opening 34, and the space of the partition wall 18, which was conventionally an ineffective space, can be effectively used as a storage space to increase the storage amount. . In addition, since the rotation operation is automatically performed by the rotation driving means 88, it is possible to provide an extremely convenient small container without bothering the user.

[0103]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the first storage room is formed in the upper part and the second storage room is formed in the lower part by the partition walls vertically dividing the inside of the refrigerator body. Since a small container rotatably arranged with the upper surface opened to the first storage room side in the partition wall is provided, the articles stored in the inner part of the partition wall can be taken out from the near side, and the storage property and usability are improved.
In addition, the space inside the partition wall, which has been an invalid space in the past, can be effectively used.

The invention described in claim 2 is the first invention.
In the invention described in (1), the small container is a rotatable substantially cylindrical container having a part of the upper surface opened to the first storage room side and divided into a plurality of small sections. It is more convenient.

The invention described in claim 3 is the same as that in claim 2
In the invention described in the above, further, a door provided in the door provided in the first storage room is provided with a door shelf, and a part of the upper surface of the small container is opened at a position opposed to below the door shelf, so that the ineffective space is effectively utilized. It does not violate the available space of the first storage room.

The invention described in claim 4 is the first invention.
Or in the invention according to claim 2, since at least the bottom surface of the accessory container is arranged facing the second storage chamber,
The inside of the accessory container is indirectly cooled from the second storage room through the bottom surface, and the storage of the stored items is enhanced.

The invention according to claim 5 is the same as the invention according to claim 4.
In the invention described in (1), since at least the outer shell of the small container is made of metal, indirect cooling from the second storage room is promoted, and the storage of the stored items is further enhanced.

The invention according to claim 6 is the same as the invention according to claim 2.
In the invention described in the above, the small container is rotatably fitted into the substantially cylindrical concave portion formed in the partition wall, so that the articles stored in the inner part of the partition wall by rotating the small container by hand are also in front. It has better operability to take out.

The invention described in claim 7 is the same as the invention in claim 6
In the invention described in the above, the small container is configured to be rotatable by inserting the rotation shaft provided in the center projection of the small container into the bearing hole formed in the center projection of the concave portion, so that the simple overlapping structure is adopted. The accessory container can be easily rotated.

The invention described in claim 8 is the same as the claim 6.
Alternatively, in the invention according to claim 7, the recess is made to protrude into the space in the second storage room, and the storage portion is the second storage room.
The storage space is exposed to the cooling space in the storage room and is indirectly cooled, so that the storage quality of the stored items is improved with a simple structure.

The invention according to claim 9 is the same as the invention according to claim 8.
In the invention described in the above, a storage container is provided in the second storage room, which is integrally with the drawer door, and the bottom of the recess is formed by the lower end of the partition plate on the front surface of the partition wall and the upper end of the storage container of the second storage room. Since it is located between the small containers, the storage capacity according to the depth of the small container is maximized, and the invalid space is effectively used.

The invention according to claim 10 is the invention according to claim 7, further comprising the step of disposing a central portion of the accessory container below a compartment provided at a lower portion in the first storage room, Since a part of the upper surface of the accessory container is configured to open to the first storage compartment in front of the compartment, it is possible to easily utilize the ineffective space below the compartment and easily access the articles from the opening at the front of the compartment. Can be taken out.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the seventh aspect, a storage portion is provided on the outer periphery of the center projection of the small container and divided into a plurality of small sections, so that a simple structure is provided. Can be used to store items such as the type of article.

Further, according to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the eleventh aspect, the small compartment is formed of a substantially fan-shaped small container, so that the small container can be taken out and used or washed.

Further, in the invention according to claim 13, in the invention according to claim 12, the plurality of small compartments are configured to have an arbitrary size by combining a plurality of substantially fan-shaped small containers. The storage capacity can be changed according to the article by arbitrarily adjusting the size of.

Further, in the invention according to claim 14, in the invention according to claim 1 or 2, a cool air flow passage for circulating cool air in the small container is formed, so that articles in the container are directly cooled. Storage stability is further improved.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first aspect of the present invention, a lid which can be opened and closed is provided on the upper opening surface of the small container, so that foreign matter and the storage chamber are contained in the small container. Waste can be prevented from entering.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the second or tenth aspect of the present invention, an openable / closable lid having a small compartment is provided on the upper opening surface of the accessory container. Therefore, it is possible to prevent foreign matter and dirt in the storage room from entering the small compartment of the small container, and to secure the distance from the bottom of the door shelf so that articles protruding from the small container at the time of opening and closing the door come into contact with the door shelf. Can be prevented.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the fifteenth or sixteenth aspect, when the accessory container is opened, the lid slides backward to open and is housed in the partition wall. So that the opened lid is the first
It does not hinder the space of the storage room and does not interfere with it.

According to the eighteenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the sixteenth aspect, when the accessory container is opened, the lid is slid rearward to open and is stored in the lower part of the compartment. As a result, the lid does not become an obstacle when articles are taken in and out, and does not hinder the use of the compartment.

According to the invention of claim 19, in the invention of claim 15 or claim 16, since the lid is formed of a transparent member, the article in the small section at the position of the opening can be replaced with the lid. You can check without opening your body.

According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, since the first storage room is a refrigerated room in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects or the tenth aspect, a miscellaneous article is provided. It is possible to organize the refrigerated room where many items are stored.

According to the twenty-first aspect of the present invention, in the twentieth aspect, the second storage room is a vegetable room, so that a partition wall between the refrigerator room and the vegetable room having a small temperature difference is provided. It does not require a heat insulating structure, and it is easy to secure a space for installing small containers. Further, since the temperature zone is the refrigeration temperature, it is suitable for indirect cooling through the outer shell surface and direct cooling of the inside of the small container through the cool air flow passage.

According to a twenty-second aspect of the present invention, in the twentieth aspect, the compartment is a storage room having a lower temperature than the refrigerating room. Can be cooled.

According to the twenty-third aspect of the present invention, since the illumination for irradiating the opening of the accessory container is further provided in the first or second aspect of the invention,
The article in the opening is illuminated and easily visible.

Further, the invention according to claim 24 is characterized in that, in addition to the invention according to claim 20, a rotation driving means for rotating the small container and a switch for turning on and off the operation of the rotation driving means are further provided. In addition, it is possible to easily select the storage section without bothering the user and to provide a highly convenient small-sized container.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of Embodiment 1 of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main part of Embodiment 1 of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of Embodiment 2 of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of Embodiment 3 of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a main part of a refrigerator according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a main part of a fourth embodiment of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of Embodiment 5 of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a main part of a conventional refrigerator.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 refrigerator main unit 16 refrigeration room (first storage room) 17 vegetable room (second storage room) 18, 46, 62 partition wall 23 door 25 door shelf 26 low temperature room (compartment room) 29, 53, 69, 76, 80 Small container 32, 54, 78, 85 Small container 33, 55, 73, 86 Small section 34, 74 Opening 35, 75 Lid 37, 38 Vent 39 Lighting means 51 Notch 52 Peripheral wall 63 Partition plate 65 Storage Container 66 Recess 67, 70 Projecting part 68 Bearing hole 71 Rotating shaft 72, 77 Storage part 87 Gear part 88 Rotation driving means 91 Switch

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Mamoru Ishida 4-5-2-5 Takaidahondori, Higashiosaka-shi, Osaka Matsushita Refrigerator Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 3L045 AA04 BA01 CA02 DA02 EA01 GA07 HA01 KA07 KA08 PA04

Claims (24)

[Claims] 1. A partition wall for vertically dividing the inside of a refrigerator main body, a first storage room partitioned at an upper portion by the partition wall, and a second storage room partitioned at a lower portion by the partition wall. And a small container having an upper surface opened to the first storage room side and rotatably arranged on the partition wall. 2. The small container according to claim 1, wherein a part of the upper surface is opened to the first storage chamber side, and is a rotatable substantially cylindrical container divided into a plurality of small sections. The refrigerator as described. 3. A door provided at a front opening of the first storage room, and a door shelf provided at the door, wherein a part of the upper surface of the small container is opened at a position facing below the door shelf. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the refrigerator is operated. 4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein at least the bottom surface of the accessory container is arranged so as to face the second storage room. 5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein at least the outer shell of the accessory container is made of metal. 6. The refrigerator according to claim 2, further comprising a substantially cylindrical recess formed in the partition wall, wherein the small container is rotatably fitted in the recess. 7. A small-sized container comprising a bearing hole formed in the center projection of the recess, and a rotating shaft provided in the center projection of the small container, wherein the projection of the small container is overlapped with the projection of the recess. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the small container is rotatable by inserting the rotating shaft into a bearing hole. 8. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the recess is projected into a space in the second storage room. 9. A drawer-type door and a storage container which is integrally pulled out of the drawer-type door are provided in the second storage room, and the bottom of the recess is provided at the lower end of the partition plate in front of the partition wall and the storage of the second storage room. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the refrigerator is located between the upper end of the container and the container. 10. A compartment is provided in a lower portion of the first storage room, and a central portion of the accessory container is arranged below the compartment,
A part of the upper surface of the accessory container is placed in a first position in front of the compartment.
The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the refrigerator is configured to be opened to the storage room. 11. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein a storage portion is provided on an outer periphery of a center protrusion of the small container, and the storage portion is divided into a plurality of small sections. 12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the small compartment is formed by a substantially fan-shaped small container. 13. The refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of small sections are configured to have an arbitrary size by combining a plurality of substantially fan-shaped small containers. 14. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a cool air passage for circulating cool air in the accessory container is formed. 15. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein an openable and closable lid is provided on an upper opening surface of the accessory container. 16. The refrigerator according to claim 2, further comprising an openable / closable lid having a small compartment opened on an upper opening surface of the accessory container. 17. The refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein the lid is slid rearward to open when the accessory container is opened, and is accommodated in the partition wall. 18. The refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein when the accessory container is opened, the lid is slid rearward to open and is stored in a lower part of the compartment. 19. The lid according to claim 15, wherein the lid is formed of a transparent member.
Or the refrigerator according to claim 16. 20. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first storage room is a refrigerator room.
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, or any one of claims 10 to 10. 21. A vegetable storage room as the second storage room.
The refrigerator according to 0. 22. The refrigerator according to claim 20, wherein the compartment is a storage room at a lower temperature than the refrigerator room. 23. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising illumination means for irradiating an opening of the accessory container. 24. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation driving means for rotating the small container, and a switch for turning on and off the operation of the rotation driving means.