JP2002005553A - Cooling device and refrigerator in which the device is used - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cooling device compact in size. SOLUTION: The cooling device is equipped with heat-transfer fins and a refrigerant tube. In the lower part of the fin, a nearly recessed notch is formed with the opening downward in the lower part of the fin. A glass-tube heater is provided in the notch in a manner to be almost buried in the cooling device, so the device can be miniaturized.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a plate-fin type cooler and a refrigerator provided with the cooler.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Plate-fin type coolers,
A cooler including a plurality of stacked heat transfer fins and a refrigerant pipe penetrating the heat transfer fins is disclosed in, for example,
249568 and JP-A-9-101777.

[0003] In each of these publications, a refrigerator is incorporated in a home refrigerator.
A glass tube heater for defrosting or deodorizing is disposed on the primary side of the ventilation path in which the cooler is disposed.

FIGS. 4 to 6 show the structure of a cooler of the same type as the coolers described in the above publications. 4 and 5 of FIG.
Is a cooler, and mainly includes a plurality of stacked heat transfer fins 52.
And a plurality of bent refrigerant pipes 53 penetrating the fins.

A glass tube heater 54 is used not only as a defrosting heater but also as a deodorizing heater. The surface of the glass tube of the glass tube heater 54 is laminated with a platinum-based ceramic deodorizing catalyst and fired. The glass tube heater 54 adsorbs the odor component of the cool air returning to the primary side of the cooler 51 when the compressor 66 described later is operated (that is, at the time of the cooling operation). Can be exchanged,
When the glass tube heater 54 is energized (that is, during the defrosting operation), the adsorbed odor component can be oxidized and decomposed by a platinum-based catalyst to activate the catalyst layer and generate clean air.

Reference numeral 55 denotes a heater protection plate, which cooler 5 is used for defrosting.
This is to protect the catalyst from defrost water dropped from 1. A liquid refrigerant flows through the refrigerant pipe 53 of the cooler 51, and the cooler 51 is used as an evaporator, and thereby cools the air near the heat transfer fins 52.

FIG. 6 shows the lower side of the refrigerator in which the cooler 51 is incorporated, 56 is a freezing room controlled at about -18 ° C., 57 is a drawer-type freezing room door, 58 is an ice making room,
9 is a drawer type ice-making room door, 60 is a heat insulating partition, 61 is a freezing duct, 62 is a ventilation path on the primary side of the cooler 51, 63 is a ventilation path on the secondary side of the cooler 51, and 64 is cooled. A blower for sending cool air to the freezing room 56 and the ice making room 58; 65, a defrosting water discharge path; 66, a reciprocating or other refrigerant compressor;
Reference numeral 7 denotes a heat insulating box. An evaporating dish for receiving and evaporating defrost water is arranged above the compressor 66, but is not shown.

[0008]

In the apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the glass tube heater 54 is attached to the ventilation passage 62 below the cooler 51. The required dimensions up to the blower 64 are relatively large. In particular, when the cooler 51 or the like which requires such a relatively large installation space is incorporated in a refrigerator or the like, there is a possibility that the storage space in the refrigerator cannot be made large. Further, since the glass tube heater 54 is separated from the cooler 51 acting as an evaporator, heat from the heater 54 is not easily transmitted to the cooler 51, and there is a disadvantage that a long defrosting time is required.

The present invention reduces the size of the cooler,
An object of the present invention is to provide a cooler or a refrigerator that can reduce the defrosting time.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a plurality of stacked heat transfer fins and a refrigerant pipe penetrating these heat transfer fins. In the above-described cooler, a substantially concave notch opening downward is formed below the heat transfer fin, and a glass tube heater is disposed in the notch.

The notch may have a shape along the outer shape of the glass tube heater or the heater protection plate, or the notch may have a substantially rectangular shape.

Further, the heater protection plate is provided in the notch.

Further, the refrigerator of the present invention is used in a refrigerator.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooler of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a side view of the cooler, and FIG. 3 is a side view of a main part of a refrigerator incorporating the cooler. Note that the same or substantially the same configuration as the configuration described in the section of the related art is denoted by the same reference numeral, and description thereof is omitted.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a cooler, which is mainly composed of a plurality of stacked heat transfer fins 2 and a plurality of bent refrigerant pipes 3 penetrating these fins. 3A is a refrigerant pipe located on the side of the glass tube heater. The arrangement of the refrigerant pipes 3 is arranged in a slightly mountainous manner so as to surround the notch 4,
As can be seen by comparing with the conventional one in FIG. 5, the one in the present application is not equivalent.

The heat transfer fin 2 has a substantially rectangular notch 4 which opens downward at the lower portion thereof. The shape of the notch 4 is such that the upper side 4A is formed in a shape along the outer shape of the heater protection plate 55 of the glass tube heater. 4B is a vertical side of the notch 4.

In the cooler 1 configured as described above, the glass tube heater 54 can be arranged so as to be almost embedded in the cooler 1 by disposing the glass tube heater 54 in the notch 4. The cooler 1 having the heater 54 can be downsized.

Further, since the upper side 4A of the notch 4 is set to the inner surface along the outer shape of the glass tube heater 54, the glass tube heater 54 can be arranged as close as possible to the heat transfer fins 2 and the cooler 1 Can be further reduced in size, and the heat of the glass tube heater 54 can be easily transmitted to the cooler 1 because the distance between the glass tube heater 54 and the heat transfer fins 2 is short.

Further, since the notch 4 is set to have a substantially rectangular shape, a larger surface for receiving the heat transfer fins is taken, and the heat of the glass tube heater 54 is reduced as compared with the case of a substantially arc-shaped notch. Can be more easily communicated.

Further, in a refrigerator using the cooler 1 as an evaporator for constituting a refrigerant circuit, a large internal capacity can be ensured by incorporating the miniaturized cooler 1 (freezer compartment). See rear section 56A). Moreover,
Since the glass tube heater 54 is close to the cooler 1, the heat from this heater is easily transmitted to the heat transfer fins 2 and the heat receiving surface is large, so that the defrosting time can be shortened and the electricity bill can be saved. it can.

In particular, since the vicinity of the heat transfer fins through which the refrigerant pipe 3 penetrates is easy to be cooled, frost is easily formed, and the part near the refrigerant pipe 3A is also easily frosted. However, since the glass tube heater is disposed close to the side near the refrigerant pipe 3A, heat from the glass tube heater is easily transmitted to the heat transfer fins, and the defrosting time can be further reduced. Can be done.

In this embodiment, an example in which the shape of the notch is formed in a substantially rectangular shape has been described, but the shape of the notch may be another shape. For example, a substantially semicircular notch is conceivable. In this case, the shape of the notch may be set in consideration of the structure and shape of the refrigerator and the structure and shape of the ventilation path.

[0023]

According to the present invention, the glass tube heater can be arranged so as to be substantially embedded in the notch.
The size of the cooler can be reduced.

Further, since the notch is formed in a shape along the outer shape of the glass tube heater or the heater protection plate, the glass tube heater or the heater protection plate can be arranged as close as possible to the heat transfer fin, and the cooler can be installed. Further, the size can be reduced, and the heat of the glass tube heater can be easily transmitted to the cooler.

Also, since the notch is set in a substantially rectangular shape,
Further, the heat receiving surface of the heat transfer fin can be made large, so that the heat of the glass tube heater can be more easily transferred to the fin.

In addition, the heater protection plate can protect the glass tube heater from dripping of defrost water and frost from the cooler, and can be provided on the side of the notch not facing the heater protection plate when the heater is energized. The heat of the heater can be easily transmitted.

Further, in a refrigerator using this cooler, by incorporating this miniaturized cooler,
The internal capacity can be increased. Moreover, since the glass tube heater is close to the cooler, the heat from this heater is easily transmitted to the heat transfer fins, and the heat receiving surface is large, so that the defrosting time can be shortened and the electricity bill can be saved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cooler of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the cooler.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a main part of a refrigerator incorporating the cooler.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a conventional cooler.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the cooler.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a main part of a refrigerator incorporating the cooler.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cooler 2 Heat transfer fin 3 Refrigerant piping 4 Notch 4A Upper side 54 Glass tube heater 55 Heater protection plate

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A cooler comprising a plurality of stacked heat transfer fins, a refrigerant pipe penetrating the heat transfer fins, and a glass tube heater, wherein a notch opening downward at a lower portion of the heat transfer fins. Wherein the glass tube heater is disposed in the notch. 2. The cooler according to claim 1, wherein the notch has a shape along the outer shape of the glass tube heater. 3. The cooler according to claim 1, wherein a heater protection plate is disposed above the glass tube heater, and the notch has a shape along the outer shape of the heater protection plate. 4. The cooler according to claim 1, wherein the notch has a substantially rectangular shape. 5. The cooler according to claim 4, wherein a heater protection plate is provided in the notch. 6. A refrigerator using the cooler according to claim 1 as a cooler for forming a refrigerant circuit.