JP2003130518A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inexpensive refrigerator causing little reduction in its deodorizing function even at low outside air temperature time. SOLUTION: This refrigerator flows cold air cooled by an evaporator in order of a refrigerating chamber and a vegetable chamber by partitioning a heat insulating box body by a partition with clearance so as to communicate the refrigerating chamber with the vegetable chamber. Since a control device is constituted so as to carry an electric current to a defrosting heater, and stop a circulating fan when a detecting temperature of an outside air temperature is a prescribed value or less, and this state continues for a prescribed time, the electric current is carried to the defrosting heater under such a condition to be used as a heater for compensating for a temperature of the vegetable chamber, the deodorizing function is regenerated by heating of the heater by current-carrying, and reduction in the deodorizing function can also be prevented.

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 defrost heater near an evaporator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A refrigerator provided with a defrost heater near an evaporator is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-269637.

In the same type of refrigerator as described in this publication, a refrigerating compartment and a vegetable compartment are arranged in order from the top, and the cold air passing through the refrigerating compartment is flowed to the vegetable compartment so that the vegetables in the vegetable compartment are not overcooled. There are things I do.

[0004]

In the refrigerator configured to cool the vegetable compartment with the cold air in the freezing compartment as described above, the stored material in the refrigerating compartment tends to be overcooled when the outside temperature is low. As a result, the vegetable compartment tends to be overcooled. In the vegetable compartment, a temperature compensating heater is arranged so as to cope with such a situation, and the temperature compensating heater is energized to raise the temperature of the vegetable compartment to about 5 ° C., The temperature of the vegetable room was controlled. For this reason, a temperature compensating heater and its electricity bill are required, which has been a factor of increasing the price. In particular, a refrigerator is for cooling an object to a predetermined temperature. Even if the refrigerator is controlled to a predetermined temperature, the control of heating with a temperature compensating heater is a wasteful control, which is against energy saving. .

In many refrigerators, a glass tube heater is used to melt the frost of the evaporator.

As described above, when the temperature outside the refrigerator, that is, when the room temperature is a low outside temperature of about 15 ° C. or lower, the defrosting cycle becomes long, and the defrosting heater having a deodorizing function is energized during this defrosting. Therefore, the interval until the deodorizing function is regenerated becomes long, and the deodorizing function also deteriorates. In particular, those using a deodorizing catalyst must be energized in order to regenerate the deodorizing function, but since energization raises the temperature inside the refrigerator, it is not possible to energize only for regenerating the deodorizing function.

The present invention provides a refrigerator which is low in price and whose deodorizing function does not easily deteriorate even at low ambient temperatures.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the heat insulating box is partitioned by a partition with a gap so that the refrigerating compartment and the vegetable compartment communicate with each other, and cool air cooled by an evaporator is stored in the refrigerating compartment, The circulation fan blows air in the order of the vegetable compartment, and a defrost heater with a deodorizing function is provided in the vicinity of the evaporator, and the defrost heater and the circulation fan are controlled based on the detected amount of an outside air temperature detection sensor or the like. In the refrigerator controlled by the device, the control device, the detection temperature of the outside air temperature sensor is a predetermined value or less, and, in the case of a predetermined condition,
The defrosting heater is energized and the circulation fan is stopped.

Further, the predetermined condition is that the state in which the detected temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined value is continued for a predetermined time or longer.

Further, the defrosting heater with the deodorizing function,
The deodorizing catalyst is provided on the surface of the glass tube.

Further, the time during which the defrosting heater is energized is the time during which the deodorizing function is substantially reproduced.

The time for energizing the defrosting heater is the time for obtaining the amount of heat necessary for controlling the temperature of the vegetable compartment.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 relate to the refrigerator of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of the refrigerator of the present invention, a block diagram showing a control device of the refrigerator-freezer, and FIG. 3 shows an operation of the controller of the refrigerator-freezer. It is a flowchart shown.

A reference numeral 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a refrigerator, and by partitioning the heat-insulating box body 2 by partitions 3, 4, 5, approximately 3 from the top.
A refrigerating room 6 controlled at ℃, a vegetable room 7 controlled at about 5 ℃, an ice making room (not shown) in which an ice tray is arranged, and is arranged next to this ice making room, and is switched to a refrigerating room or a freezing room. A switching chamber 8 that can be used as a freezing chamber and a freezing chamber 9 that is controlled to approximately -20 ° C are arranged. Also, 10, 11, 12, and 13 are doors,
They are for refrigerating room, vegetable room, switching room, and freezer room, respectively.

Reference numeral 14 is a refrigerator evaporator, 15 is a refrigerator fan (circulation fan), 16 is a defrosting heater using a glass tube heater having a deodorizing function, 17 is a refrigerator evaporator, and 1 is a refrigerator.
8 is a freezer blower, 19 is a defrosting heater using a glass tube heater having a deodorizing function, 20 is a control board for controlling the compressor 21, the blowers 15, 18, etc. Equipped with an air temperature sensor. Reference numeral 22 is a gap for allowing cold air to flow from the refrigerator compartment 6 to the vegetable compartment 7.

The deodorizing function is a deodorizing catalyst for decomposing and regenerating the main adsorption catalyst of silica / alumina and the like, the precious metals of platinum / copper and rare earth oxides (cesium oxide etc.) on the surface of the glass (quartz glass) tube. It is realized by painting and baking.

At a low temperature of the glass tube whose power is turned off,
When the odorous component comes into contact with the catalyst and is deodorized by the action of physical adsorption such as capillarity and chemical adsorption such as diffusion, the odorous component is oxidatively decomposed when the catalyst on the glass tube is heated as when the electricity is on. It becomes an odorless component. At the same time, the catalyst leaves the catalyst, and the catalyst is restored and regenerated to its original state. The substances produced by this oxidation reaction are usually CO ₂ · H ₂ O · NO _x ·
Each component of SO _x is adsorbed by water and discharged.

The odorous components mainly include nitrogen-based odorants and sulfur-based odorants, and the nitrogen-based odorants include
There is a bad smell of rotting fish and meat. Further, as the sulfur-based odorous substances, there are putrid odors such as meat, eggs and leeks, and these odorous substances are deodorized and decomposed by the catalyst on the glass tube.

Further, an antibacterial deodorizing catalyst formed in a filter shape is arranged inside the cool air outlet (not shown) to enable deodorization without the need for energy such as ozone, heat and light.

The compressor 21 includes a condenser (not shown), a pressure reducing device (not shown), a refrigerating evaporator 14, and a freezing evaporator 1.
7 is connected in a tubular shape by a refrigerant pipe to form a refrigerant circuit, and the inside thereof is filled with the refrigerant.

Reference numeral 23 shown in FIG. 2 is a control device for controlling the defrosting heaters 16 and 19, the blowers 15 and 18, the compressor 21, and the like, which is composed of, for example, a microcomputer and the like. It is located at 20.
An outside air temperature sensor 24 detects the temperature of air outside the refrigerator 1, and is arranged on the control board 20.

The operation of the refrigerator thus constructed is controlled as shown in the flow chart of FIG. However,
When the outside air temperature exceeds a predetermined value, normal control is performed, but description of this normal control is omitted.

First, the outside temperature sensor 24 detects the outside temperature (S1), and it is determined whether the detected outside temperature is 15 ° C. or lower (S2). When the outside air temperature is below 15 ℃ (S
If YES in 2), the clocking starts. It is determined whether or not a predetermined time (for example, one hour) has passed (S4), and if the predetermined time has not passed (NO in S4), S1 is restarted.
Return to. That is, in S1, S2, S3, and S3, it is detected whether the state in which the outside air temperature is 15 ° C. or lower has continued for a predetermined time.

When it is determined in S2 that the outside air temperature exceeds 15 ° C. (in the case of NO in S2), the defrost heater 16, the blower 15, the compressor 21 and the like are normally controlled (S11). .

If S4 is YES, that is, the outside air temperature is 1
When the state of 5 ° C. or lower continues for a predetermined time, the time measurement in S4 is cleared (S5), the defrost heater is energized, and
The operation of the blower is stopped (S6). The reason for stopping the operation of the blower is to make it easier for the temperature of the defrost heater 16 to rise and to regenerate the deodorizing catalyst in a short time. Then, clocking is started (S7), 4 minutes (predetermined time)
It is determined whether the time has passed (S8). If YES in S8, that is, if the control of the defrost heater 16 and the blower 15 is continued for 4 minutes, the process proceeds to the next process. The control of the defrost heater 16 and the blower 15 is returned to normal control (S
8) Then, the clock is cleared (S9), the defrost heater 16 and the blower 15 are set to normal control (S10), and the control returns to S1.

The above-mentioned time of 4 minutes corresponds to the defrosting heater 16
The time required for the deodorizing catalyst to be almost regenerated, the time required for reaching the temperature at which the deodorizing catalyst is regenerated, and the time required for regenerating the deodorizing catalyst. Therefore, the time of 4 minutes may be increased or decreased according to the capacity of the defrost heater. For example, in a refrigerator whose storage capacity is slightly smaller than that of this refrigerator, the time may be shortened by setting it to 3 minutes. Further, the time of 4 minutes is also a time for obtaining the amount of heat necessary for controlling the temperature of the vegetable compartment 7.

In a refrigerator, when the outside temperature (the temperature outside the refrigerator) is low, such as in winter, the defrosting interval is generally long. Since the defrosting start timing is calculated by calculating the number of times the door is opened / closed, the accumulated operation time of the compressor, the accumulated operation stop time, etc. Once a day in summer, etc. In the case of a refrigerating evaporator, the defrosting of the refrigerating evaporator is performed once every three times. For this reason, in the refrigerating evaporator in winter, defrosting may be performed once every 6 days for a long time, and the deodorizing catalyst may not be regenerated for the entire period. In addition, defrosting, that is, the deodorizing catalyst regeneration operation not performed for several days, means that the deodorizing catalyst remains adsorbing odorous components and no more odor is adsorbed. The function is not working.

However, in the refrigerator 1, when the outside air temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature (15 ° C.) for the predetermined time, the controller 23 energizes the defrosting heater 16 for 4 minutes. The amount of heat for compensating the temperature of the vegetable compartment can be obtained, and the temperature of the deodorizing catalyst on the surface of the glass tube can be heated to a temperature at which it can be regenerated.

Therefore, even when the outside air temperature is low and the temperature of the vegetable compartment 7 tends to be controlled to be rather low as in the winter, the vegetable compartment 7 can be used without using a temperature compensating heater.
The temperature can be compensated. Therefore, a dedicated heater for compensating the vegetable compartment is not required, and the refrigerator 1 can be reduced in price accordingly.

In the present embodiment, the defrost heater 16 is controlled at predetermined intervals to optimally achieve both purposes of temperature compensation of the vegetable compartment and regeneration of the deodorizing catalyst. The energization may be controlled only for the purpose of replacing the heater for temperature compensation dedicated to the vegetable compartment without considering regeneration. In this case, the energization ratio may be controlled so that the heat generation amount of the dedicated temperature compensating heater is the same.

Although the predetermined interval has been described as one hour,
This time may be changed to some extent depending on the internal capacity and the outside temperature.

In this embodiment, the control as shown in FIG. 3 is performed when the temperature outside the refrigerator, that is, the room temperature is about 15 ° C. or lower, but when the room temperature is lower. For example, when the temperature is 10 ° C. or lower, the defrost heater 16 may be controlled as shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, the predetermined conditions are
Although the description has been given as the predetermined time, it may be set to a predetermined condition other than this. For example, input the detection amount such as the number of times the refrigerator door and the vegetable compartment door are opened / closed, the accumulated operation time of the compressor, the accumulated operation stop time, and the elapsed time from the previous defrosting or heater energization. The calculation may be performed so that the timing is optimum, and the conditions that are considered to be optimum may be set.

[0034]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, in the refrigerator, the control device controls the temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor to be equal to or lower than a predetermined value and to be in a predetermined condition. Since the defrosting heater is energized and the circulation fan is stopped, it can be used as a temperature compensating heater for controlling the defrosting heater to a predetermined temperature. Therefore, it is possible to provide an inexpensive refrigerator that does not require a heater for temperature compensation dedicated to the vegetable compartment,
By energizing the defrost heater, the deodorizing function can be regenerated and the deodorizing function can be prevented from deteriorating.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the predetermined condition is set such that the temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection sensor is maintained at the predetermined value or less for the predetermined time or longer, the cold air from the refrigerating room is not discharged. The defrosting heater can be used as a temperature compensating heater under the condition that the vegetable compartment is overcooled while being relatively cold.

Further, in the invention according to claim 3, since the defrosting heater having the deodorizing function is provided with a deodorizing catalyst on the surface of the glass tube, the defrosting heater is provided under a predetermined condition. When electricity is applied to the deodorizing catalyst, the deodorizing catalyst is regenerated by the heat generated by the energizing, so that the defrosting heater can be used as a temperature compensating heater, and the deodorizing function of the defrosting heater can be prevented from deteriorating.

Further, in the invention described in claim 4, since the time for energizing the defrost heater is set to be the time for substantially regenerating the deodorizing function, it can be used not only as a temperature compensating heater but also for energizing. Thus, the deodorizing function of the defrosting heater can be controlled to be reproduced.

In the invention according to claim 5, the energizing time of the defrosting heater is set to a time for obtaining the amount of heat necessary for temperature control of the vegetable compartment. Therefore, the defrosting heater is used as a temperature compensating heater for the vegetable compartment. Not only can it be used, but it can also be used to regenerate the deodorizing function.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator-freezer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control device of the refrigerator-freezer.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the control device of the refrigerator-freezer.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 refrigerator 2 Insulation box 3 partitions 6 refrigerating room 7 vegetable room 14 Evaporator 15 Blower (circulation fan) 16 Defrost heater 22 Gap 23 Control device 24 Outside temperature detection sensor

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Masashi Toyoshima             2-5-3 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Prefecture             Within Yo Denki Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 3L045 AA02 BA01 CA02 DA02 EA01                       GA07 KA11 LA01 LA09 LA14                       MA05 MA12 NA16 NA22 NA23                       PA02 PA03 PA04                 3L046 AA02 BA01 CA06 GA06 GB03                       JA09 KA05 LA02 MA02 MA03                       MA04

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A circulation fan so that the heat insulating box is partitioned by a partition with a gap so that the refrigerating compartment and the vegetable compartment communicate with each other, and cool air cooled by an evaporator flows in the refrigerating compartment and the vegetable compartment in this order. In a refrigerator in which a control device controls the defrost heater and the circulation fan from the detected amount of an outside air temperature detection sensor, etc., by providing a defrost heater with a deodorizing function in the vicinity of the evaporator. The controller is configured to energize the defrost heater and stop the circulation fan when the temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor is equal to or lower than a predetermined value and under a predetermined condition. Refrigerator to do. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition is set such that the detected temperature is maintained at a predetermined value or lower for a predetermined time or longer. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the defrosting heater with a deodorizing function is provided with a deodorizing catalyst on the surface of a glass tube. 4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the time for which the defrost heater is energized is a time for which the deodorizing function is substantially reproduced. 5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the defrosting heater is energized for a time to obtain the amount of heat required to control the temperature of the vegetable compartment.