JP2003227673A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a refrigerator that maintains an appropriate temperature in a vegetable compartment while suppressing waste of energy. <P>SOLUTION: The refrigerator forms a refrigerating compartment, the vegetable compartment and an ice making compartment from the top. A water feed pipe is arranged through the vegetable compartment. An anti-freezing heater on the water feed pipe is mounted on a portion exposed to the vegetable compartment, and the anti-freezing heater is controlled in dependence on a temperature in the ice making compartment and a temperature in the vegetable compartment. A temperature compensating heater dedicated to the vegetable compartment is unnecessary, and cost is reduced accordingly. When the vegetable compartment has a low temperature, the anti-freezing heater is energized to control the temperature in the vegetable compartment to an appropriate temperature. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a refrigerator capable of adjusting the temperature of a vegetable compartment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Refrigerators that control the temperature of the vegetable compartment are
For example, it is described in JP-A-7-180939.

In the refrigerator described in this publication, a temperature compensating heater for warming the vegetable compartment is arranged on the bottom of the vegetable compartment, and the vegetable compartment may be too cold when the room temperature is low such as in winter. The heater is energized to control the temperature in the vegetable compartment to an appropriate temperature.

[0004]

In the refrigerator described in the above publication, it is a waste of energy to energize the heater in order to keep the temperature appropriate in a refrigerator for storing food at a low temperature. . However, if the operation of the refrigerant circuit such as the compressor is stopped as a control only to bring the vegetable compartment to an appropriate temperature, energy will not be wasted, but this time the temperature of the ice making room or the refrigerating room will rise and the temperature of the stored goods will be increased. There is a risk of not being able to keep it properly.

The present invention provides a refrigerator which can keep the temperature of the vegetable compartment appropriately while suppressing waste of energy.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a refrigerating temperature zone chamber and a freezing temperature zone chamber which are formed by partitioning an insulating box body, and a lowermost portion of the refrigerating temperature zone chamber. Formed vegetable compartment, the ice making chamber formed at the top of the freezing temperature zone chamber, the water supply tank installed in the refrigeration temperature zone chamber, water from the water supply tank to the ice tray of the ice making chamber A refrigerator provided with a water supply pipe that passes through the vegetable compartment for supplying and a freeze prevention heater attached to the water supply pipe to prevent freezing of the water supply pipe in the vicinity of the ice making chamber, wherein the vegetable compartment is overcooled. In order to prevent the above, the antifreezing heater is energized even when ice making is stopped when there is a risk of overcooling.

[0007] Further, during the suspension of ice making, it is determined that it is detected that the ice stock tray is full of ice.

While the ice making is stopped, the operating section
This is when the ice-making stop was operated.

Further, the time when there is a risk of supercooling is judged by the detected temperature of the outside air temperature.

Further, the antifreezing heater is extended to the water supply pipe portion arranged in the vegetable compartment.

When the antifreezing heater is energized,
The blower for circulating the cold air in the vegetable compartment is operated.

Further, the heat insulating box is divided to form a refrigerating room, a vegetable room and an ice making room. A water supply tank is arranged in the refrigerating room or the vegetable room, and the ice making room extends from the water supply tank. In a refrigerator in which an ice tray to be supplied with water from a water supply pipe is arranged, the water supply pipe is arranged so as to pass through the vegetable compartment, an antifreezing heater is attached to the water supply pipe, and the antifreezing heater is attached to the vegetables. The mounting position or size is set so that heat is transferred to the room, and the antifreezing heater is controlled according to the temperature of the ice making room and the temperature of the vegetable room.

Further, the heat insulation box is divided to form a refrigerating room, a vegetable room and an ice making room from above, a water tank is arranged in the refrigerating room, and cold air for cooling the refrigerating room is provided in the vegetable room. In a refrigerator in which an ice tray for supplying water from a water supply pipe from the water supply tank is arranged in the ice making chamber, the water supply pipe is arranged so as to penetrate through the vegetable chamber, and antifreeze attached to the water supply pipe. The heater is configured to transfer heat to the vegetable compartment, and the freeze prevention heater is controlled based on the temperature of the ice making compartment and the temperature of the vegetable compartment.

Further, a blower for circulating cold air to the vegetable compartment or a fan for agitating cold air in the vegetable compartment is provided, and when the antifreezing heater is energized based on the temperature of the vegetable compartment, The blower is also controlled so as to operate.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 to 4 show an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view showing a state in which a refrigerator door is removed, and FIG. 3 is a refrigerator side. Cross section,
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an automatic ice making machine incorporated in a refrigerator.

FIG. 1 shows a household refrigerator 1 of the present invention. This refrigerator has a heat-insulating box body 2 having a front opening and a door 3, 4, 5 for closing the opening of the box body. 6,
7 and 7. The door 3 is a pivotable door for a refrigerating room, which will be described later, and the doors 4, 5, 6 and 7 are drawer type doors. The door 4 is for a vegetable compartment, the door 5 is for an ice making compartment, the door 6 is for a temperature switching compartment, and the door 7 is for a freezing compartment. Reference numeral 8 is a cover at the lower front part called a kick plate.

Reference numeral 9 shown in FIG. 2 is a refrigerating compartment (refrigerating temperature zone compartment).
The temperature is controlled at about 3 ° C. Reference numeral 10 denotes a chilled chamber formed in the refrigerating chamber, which is controlled at about 1 ° C., and is a chamber which can be adjusted at 1 to 2 ° C. by setting a control knob or the like.

A vegetable compartment (refrigerating temperature zone compartment) 11 is arranged below the refrigerator compartment and is controlled to a temperature suitable for storing vegetables, for example, about 5 ° C.

Reference numeral 12 denotes an ice making chamber (freezing temperature zone chamber) controlled to about -18 ° C., which is an ice making tray 13 which is a part of an automatic ice making machine.
Also, an ice box (ice making stock tray) 14 for storing the ice made is arranged. A temperature switching chamber 15 is a chamber that can be set to any temperature from -18 ° C to 3 ° C. Reference numeral 16 is a freezing room (freezing temperature zone room) controlled to about -18 ° C.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a water supply tank, which supplies water to the ice tray 13 via a water supply pipe 18. Also, vegetable room 1
1, a container 19 for a vegetable compartment, a container 20 for a switching compartment in the temperature switching compartment 15, and a container 21 for a freezing compartment in the freezing compartment 16 are arranged.

Reference numeral 23 shown in FIG. 3 is an evaporator for a refrigerating compartment, 24 is a blower for the refrigerating compartment for sending cold air cooled by the evaporator 23, and 25 is a cold air duct for the refrigerating compartment, which duct evaporates. The cool air cooled by the container 23 is supplied to the refrigerating chamber 13 and the chilled chamber 10.

Reference numeral 26 is a control device for controlling the blower 24, 27 is an evaporator for a freezer, 28 is a blower for a freezer for sending cold air cooled by this evaporator, and 29 is a refrigerant compressor. The heat insulating box 2 is arranged in a machine room formed on the lower rear side.

A dew tray 30 is arranged below the evaporator 23. Between the dew tray 30 and the evaporator 23, a defrosting heater such as a quartz glass tube heater or a Vicor tube heater ( (Not shown) is arranged. The surface of the glass tube of the defrosting heater is laminated and coated with a platinum-based ceramic deodorizing catalyst.

Therefore, the heater for defrosting causes the evaporator 23 to operate when the refrigerant compressor 29 is in operation (that is, in cooling operation).
The odorous component of the cool air including the odorous component returning to the lower part of the can be adsorbed, and heat can be exchanged with the evaporator as clean cool air. Also, when the defrost heater is energized (that is, during defrost operation). Is to activate the catalyst layer by oxidizing and decomposing the adsorbed odorous component with a platinum-based catalyst.

Reference numeral 31 denotes a dew tray. Above the dew tray and below the evaporator 27, a defrosting heater having the same function as the defrosting heater is arranged (not shown). Incidentally, 3
Reference numeral 2 is an evaporating dish for naturally evaporating the defrost water.

Further, the refrigerator 1 has a refrigerant compressor 29.
A condenser for condensing the high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the refrigerant compressor (for example, embedded in a heat insulating material in a heat insulating box, not shown), a capillary tube, and the like. Pressure reducer (not shown) and evaporators 23, 2
7 and an accumulator (not shown) are annularly connected by a refrigerant pipe. The refrigerant filled in this refrigerant circuit is, for example, R
HFC refrigerant such as -134a is filled.

Reference numeral 33 shown in FIG. 4 is a drive device for de-icing, which is composed of a motor or the like arranged inside, and which de-ices by rotating and twisting the ice tray 13.

Reference numeral 34 denotes an antifreezing heater attached to the lower portion of the water supply pipe 18, and as shown in FIG.
It is attached by being wound around the water supply pipe 18 of the exposed portion or the water supply pipe 18 of the portion facing the ice making chamber 12, and uses a heater of a planar heating element. Therefore, when the heater 34 is energized, not only is the water supply pipe 18 heated to prevent freezing of the water remaining in the water supply pipe, but also the heater 34
The heat is transmitted to the air in the vegetable compartment 11.
The anti-freezing heater 34 is energized and controlled by the control device 26 according to the temperatures of the ice making chamber 12 and the vegetable chamber 11.

The temperature of the ice making chamber 12 is directly detected by a temperature sensor (not shown), but the temperature of the vegetable chamber 11 is not directly detected by the temperature sensor, and the temperature outside the refrigerator 1 is detected. What is calculated and estimated from the detected value of an outside air temperature sensor (not shown) attached to the controller 26 is used as the temperature of the vegetable compartment 11.

Reference numeral 17A is a lid of the water supply tank, and 35 is a water supply pump for supplying the water in the water supply tank 17 to the ice tray 13.

In the refrigerator 1 thus constructed,
The control of the antifreezing heater 34 will be mainly described.

The vegetable compartment 11 has the cold air passing through the refrigerating compartment 9,
It is cooled by the evaporator 23 and cooled by the cold air directly blown out. Further, the evaporator 23 constitutes a single refrigerating circuit together with the evaporator 27, and the vegetable compartment 11 is not cooled by an independent refrigerant circuit. Therefore, when the compartment such as the refrigerating compartment 16 is cooled. However, it is also affected by it. For this reason, when the temperature of the vegetable compartment 11 becomes low, for example, when the temperature inside the compartment is low in winter or when the load is extremely small, it is necessary to energize and heat the temperature compensating heater conventionally arranged for the vegetable compartment. There was no way.

However, in the refrigerator 1, the antifreezing heater 34 is used not only for freezing prevention but also for temperature compensation of the vegetable compartment 11. Therefore, it is not necessary to dispose the temperature compensating heater for the vegetable compartment 11, so that the cost is reduced by the temperature compensating heater.

The antifreezing heater 34 indirectly calculates the temperature of the vegetable compartment 11 from the detected value of the outside air temperature sensor, etc., and energizes it according to the value. The antifreezing heater is also energized and controlled by the temperature of the ice making chamber 12.

That is, the antifreezing heater 34 is energized when the automatic ice maker is operating because the temperature of the ice making chamber 12 is low, and when the user stops the operation of the automatic ice maker ( Power is supplied all the time except when the ice-making stop is operated by operating an operation unit (not shown) or when the ice box 14 is full of ice and the automatic ice-making machine is stopped.

When the antifreezing heater 34 is energized, this heat heats the water inlet on the tip end side of the water supply pipe 18 and the air in the vegetable compartment 34. Therefore, it is not necessary to freeze the water in the water supply pipe 18, and the temperature of the vegetable compartment 11 is heated so as not to be too cold.

As described above, since the antifreezing heater 34 can be used also as the temperature compensating heater for the vegetable compartment 11, it is not necessary to provide a temperature compensating heater dedicated to the vegetable compartment, and the cost can be reduced.

When the temperature of the vegetable compartment 11 is too cold,
The blower 24 is rotated to circulate the cool air from the refrigerating compartment 9 to the vegetable compartment 11 and then to the evaporator 23, and in conjunction with the energization of the antifreezing heater 34, the antifreezing heater 34
The temperature of the vegetable compartment 11 may be controlled to be easily increased by making it easier for the heat of the vegetable compartment 11 to be transmitted to the entire vegetable compartment 11.

Further, rather than operating the blower 24, a dedicated blower (not shown) for circulating and diffusing the cool air in the vegetable compartment 11 is provided, and it is better to operate this blower than the heater 3
It is considered that the heat of No. 4 can be diffused and the temperature of the vegetable compartment 11 can be quickly raised. This is because the cold air in the vegetable compartment 11 heated by the freeze prevention heater 34 is the vegetable compartment 1
This is because the temperature rises in the vegetable compartment 11 is considered to be fast because it circulates and diffuses only within 1.

In this embodiment, the water supply pipe 18 is arranged so as to penetrate the vegetable compartment 11, but the water supply pipe 18 is connected to the rear side of the wall surface of the vegetable compartment 11 or the lower side of the bottom surface. The antifreezing heater 34 may be wound around and attached to the water supply pipe 18. In this case, the heat of the heater 34 is transferred to the vegetable compartment 11 via the wall surface and the bottom surface of the vegetable compartment 11.

With this structure, the water supply pipe is not exposed to the vegetable compartment, so that the appearance of the vegetable compartment is not only good, but the water supply pipe does not project into the vegetable compartment, which makes it easy to clean the vegetable compartment. , There is no danger of hitting the water supply pipe and damaging it.

[0043]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, in the refrigerator, in order to prevent overcooling of the vegetable compartment, when there is a risk of overcooling, even when ice making is stopped. Since the antifreeze heater is energized,
The heat of the antifreezing heater is transmitted to the water supply pipe in the vegetable compartment to heat the vegetable compartment and prevent overcooling of the vegetable compartment.

Further, according to the second aspect of the invention, since it is detected that the ice stock tray is full of ice during the ice making stop, the ice making is temporarily stopped. Even in the state, it is possible to prevent the vegetable compartment from being overcooled.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is set that the ice making is forcibly stopped because it means that the ice making is stopped by the operating portion. It is possible to prevent overcooling of the vegetable compartment at any time.

According to the invention described in claim 4, when there is a fear of the supercooling, the detected temperature of the outside air temperature
Since the determination is made, it is possible to prevent the vegetable compartment from being overcooled even when the vegetable compartment is likely to be overcooled.

Further, according to the invention of claim 5, since the antifreezing heater is extended to the water supply pipe portion arranged in the vegetable compartment, heat can be easily transferred to the vegetable compartment, and the efficiency can be improved. It is possible to prevent overcooling of the vegetable compartment.

According to the sixth aspect of the invention, since the blower for circulating the cold air in the vegetable compartment is operated when the antifreezing heater is energized, the cool air in the vegetable compartment can be agitated by the blower. The temperature of the vegetable compartment can be quickly controlled to an appropriate temperature to prevent overcooling.

According to the invention of claim 7, the water supply pipe is arranged so as to pass through the vegetable compartment, and an antifreezing heater is attached to the water supply pipe. Further, the antifreezing heater is attached to the vegetable compartment. Mounting position, so that heat can be transferred to
Alternatively, the size is set and the antifreeze heater is controlled according to the temperature of the ice making room and the temperature of the vegetable compartment. Therefore, when the temperature of the vegetable compartment is low, the antifreeze heater is energized to The temperature can be raised, the temperature compensation heater dedicated to the vegetable compartment is not required, and the cost can be reduced.

Further, according to the invention of claim 8, in the refrigerator, the water supply pipe is arranged so as to penetrate through the vegetable compartment, and heat is transmitted to the vegetable compartment through the antifreezing heater attached to the water supply pipe. In addition, since this antifreeze heater is configured to be controlled based on the temperature of the ice making room and the temperature of the vegetable room, the temperature compensation of the vegetable room, which is apt to be overcooled because it is cooled by the cold air from the freezing room, is frozen. The prevention heater can also be used. Moreover, since the vegetable compartment is between the refrigerating compartment where the water supply tank is arranged and the ice making compartment where the ice tray is arranged, it is easy to arrange the water supply pipe.

According to the ninth aspect of the invention, there is provided an air blower for circulating cold air to the vegetable compartment, or an air blower for agitating the cold air in the vegetable compartment, and the antifreezing heater is energized based on the temperature of the vegetable compartment. In this case, when the vegetable compartment is too cold and the antifreeze heater is energized, the blower can stir the cold air in the vegetable compartment, and the vegetable compartment can be swiftly heated. The temperature of can be controlled to an appropriate temperature.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a state in which the door of the refrigerator of the present invention is removed.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an automatic ice maker incorporated in the refrigerator.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 refrigerator 2 Insulation box 9 Refrigerating room (refrigerating temperature zone room) 11 Vegetable room (refrigerating temperature zone room) 12 Ice making room (freezing temperature zone room) 14 Ice Box (Ice Making Stock Dish) 17 Water tank 18 Water pipe 24 blower 34 Antifreeze heater

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 3L045 BA01 CA02 DA02 EA01 NA25                       PA04                 3L110 AA07 AB01 AC03 BA06

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A refrigerating temperature zone chamber and a freezing temperature zone chamber formed by partitioning an insulating box, a vegetable compartment formed at the bottom of the refrigeration temperature zone chamber, and a maximum temperature of the freezing temperature zone chamber. An ice making chamber formed in the upper part, a water supply tank installed in the refrigerating temperature zone chamber, a water supply pipe passing through the vegetable chamber for supplying water from the water supply tank to the ice tray of the ice making chamber, and In a refrigerator provided with a freeze prevention heater attached to the water supply pipe in order to prevent freezing of the water supply pipe in the vicinity of the ice making chamber, in order to prevent overcooling of the vegetable chamber, when there is a risk of overcooling A refrigerator characterized in that the freeze prevention heater is energized even when ice making is stopped. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the ice-making stop is a time when it is detected that the ice stock tray is full of ice. 3. The ice-making stop is a time when the ice-making stop is operated by the operation unit.
Alternatively, the refrigerator according to claim 2. 4. The time when there is a risk of supercooling is determined by the detected temperature of the outside air temperature.
The refrigerator according to any one of 1 to 3. 5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the antifreezing heater is also extended to the water supply pipe portion arranged in the vegetable compartment. 6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a blower that circulates cold air in the vegetable compartment is operated when the antifreezing heater is energized. 7. A heat-insulating box is partitioned to form a refrigerating compartment, a vegetable compartment, and an ice making compartment, and a water supply tank is arranged in the refrigerating compartment or the vegetable compartment, and the ice making compartment extends from the water supply tank. In a refrigerator having an ice tray to be supplied with water from a water supply pipe, the water supply pipe is arranged so as to pass through the vegetable compartment, and an antifreezing heater is attached to the water supply pipe. A refrigerator characterized in that a mounting position or a size is set so that heat is transmitted to the refrigerator, and the antifreezing heater is controlled according to the temperature of the ice making room and the temperature of the vegetable room. 8. A refrigerating compartment, a vegetable compartment, and an ice-making compartment are formed from above by partitioning the heat-insulating box, and a water supply tank is arranged in the refrigerating compartment, and the vegetable compartment is cooled by cooling the refrigerating compartment. In a refrigerator in which an ice tray for supplying water from a water supply pipe from the water supply tank is arranged in the ice making chamber, the water supply pipe is arranged so as to penetrate through the vegetable chamber, and antifreeze attached to the water supply pipe. A refrigerator characterized in that heat is transferred to the vegetable compartment and the antifreezing heater is controlled based on the temperature of the ice making compartment and the temperature of the vegetable compartment. 9. An air blower for circulating cold air to the vegetable compartment, or an air blower for agitating cold air in the vegetable compartment, wherein when the antifreezing heater is energized based on the temperature of the vegetable compartment, The refrigerator according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the blower is also controlled to operate.