JP2004183998A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow the thawing of freeze arising in a drain gutter portion as well as preventing the deterioration of draining performance. <P>SOLUTION: On the bottom face of a second cooler storage chamber 19, a drain gutter 32 is provided which has a drain port 32a at the lowest bottom portion. A metal plate inner gutter 33 is arranged in the drain gutter 32. A water outlet 33a is formed in the lowest bottom portion of the inner gutter 33. A heat transfer portion 34 in a rising plate shape is integrally provided extending from the rear end of the inner gutter 33, and a semicircular contact portion 34a is integrally formed at the upper end of the heat transfer portion 34. The contact portion 34a is provided in face contact with a rear pipe of the lowest stage portion 30a of a frost removing heater 30, namely, to be heat transferable to the frost removing heater 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a refrigerator having an improved defrosting water drainage structure.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in a refrigerator, frost attached to a cooler is melted and removed by a defrost heater. In order to discharge the water (defrost water) generated in the cooler by this defrost to the outside, a drain gutter is provided at the lower part of the cooler storage room, the defrost water is received by the drain gutter, and the drain outlet is used to drain the outside of the refrigerator. To the evaporating dish.
[0003]
Conventionally, a glass tube heater has been used as a defrost heater. The glass tube heater is provided below the cooler, and the radiant heat melts the frost of the cooler, and at the same time, heats the drain gutter to melt the ice attached to the drain.
[0004]
By the way, recently, from the viewpoint of environmental protection, it has been considered that a refrigerant of a refrigeration cycle is converted from a CFC-based refrigerant to a hydrocarbon-based (hereinafter, referred to as an HC-based) refrigerant.
[0005]
Since the HC-based refrigerant is flammable, it is not preferable to use a glass tube heater having a temperature higher than the ignition temperature of the HC refrigerant as a heater for defrosting a refrigerator in a refrigerator using the HC-based refrigerant. Therefore, when using an HC-based refrigerant, it is conceivable that a pipe heater configured by inserting a resistance heating wire into a non-glass pipe, for example, a metal pipe, is attached to an evaporating pipe of a cooler to serve as a defrost heater. (For example, Patent Document 1).
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2002-267332
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In this apparatus, as shown in FIG. 10, an inner gutter 102 made of a heat conductive material is provided inside a drain gutter 101, a cut-and-raised piece 103 is formed in the inner gutter 102, and a defrost heater 104 is connected to the inner gutter. It extends to 102 and is caulked and fixed by the cut-and-raised piece 103. Thus, the heat of the defrost heater 104 is transmitted to the inner gutter 102 so that the ice attached to the drain gutter 101 is melted by the inner gutter 102 so that the drain outlet is not blocked by the growth of ice. I have.
[0008]
However, in this configuration, since the defrost heater 104 exists on the inner surface of the drain gutter 101, the defrost water stops due to the defrost heater 104, and the drainage performance is poor. There is a problem that water remains and freezes. Furthermore, there is a problem that defrost water enters the back side of the inner gutter 102 from the notch portion and adheres and remains between the inner gutter 102 and the drain gutter 101, and also has poor drainage.
[0009]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of melting icing generated in a drain gutter portion and not lowering drainage.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention according to claim 1 is provided in a refrigerator main body using a combustible refrigerant as a refrigerant of a refrigeration cycle, and a cooler storage chamber storing a cooler;
A defrost heater provided near the cooler,
A drain gutter provided at a lower portion of the cooler storage chamber and having a drain port,
An inner gutter made of a heat conductive material is provided inside the drain gutter and receives defrost water from the cooler and guides it to the drain.
It is characterized in that it comprises a heat transfer section integrally formed so as to extend upward from the end of the inner gutter and in contact with the defrost heater so as to be able to transfer heat.
[0011]
According to this, an inner gutter made of a heat conductive material is provided inside a drain gutter, and a heat transfer portion is integrally formed so as to extend upward from the inner gutter. , The heat of the defrost heater is transmitted to the inner gutter through this heat transfer section. Therefore, even if icing occurs in the drain gutter, it can be melted and the defrost water can be drained reliably. In this case, the defrost heater is not disposed in the inner gutter, but the heat transfer portion is extended upward and is brought into contact with the defrost heater. Therefore, drainage is not hindered by the defrost heater. Furthermore, since the heat transfer section also extends from the end of the inner gutter, the heat transfer section itself does not hinder drainage. In addition, since the defrost heater does not extend to the inner gutter, the material cost and the power consumption of the defrost heater can be reduced.
[0012]
The invention according to claim 2 is provided in a refrigerator body using a combustible refrigerant as a refrigerant of a refrigeration cycle, and a cooler storage chamber storing a cooler;
A defrost heater provided near the cooler,
A drain gutter provided at a lower portion of the cooler storage chamber and having a drain outlet and receiving defrost water from the cooler and draining from the drain outlet;
A tubular body made of a thermally conductive material inserted inside the drainage port of the drainage gutter,
It is characterized in that it comprises a heat transfer portion integrally formed so as to extend upward from the upper end portion of the cylindrical body and in contact with the defrost heater so as to be able to transfer heat.
[0013]
According to this, a tubular body made of a heat conductive material is provided inside the drainage outlet of the drain gutter, and a heat transfer section is integrally formed so as to extend upward from an upper end portion of the tubular body. Since the heater is in heat contact with the defrost heater, the heat of the defrost heater is transmitted to the cylinder through the heat transfer section. Therefore, even if icing occurs at the drain outlet of the drain gutter, it can be melted and the defrost water can be reliably drained. In this case, since the defrost heater is not extended to the cylindrical body, that is, since the heat transfer portion is extended upward and brought into contact with the defrost heater, drainage is not hindered by the defrost heater. . Further, since the heat transfer section also extends from the end of the cylindrical body, the heat transfer section itself does not hinder drainage. Moreover, since the defrost heater does not extend to the cylindrical portion, the material cost and the power consumption of the defrost heater can be reduced.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, in FIG. 5, the refrigerator main body 1 is composed of an outer box 2 made of a steel plate and an inner box 3 made of a plastic, and a space between them is filled with a heat insulating material 4 made of, for example, urethane foam. It is configured as a body. In the refrigerator main body 1, a plurality of storage rooms, in this embodiment, a refrigerator room 5, a vegetable room 6, a specification switching room 7 (see FIG. 4) arranged side by side, an ice making room 8, and a freezing room 9 are arranged in this order from the top. Is provided. In this case, the refrigerating room 5 and the vegetable room 6 constitute a storage room in the refrigeration temperature zone, and the ice making room 8 and the freezing room 9 constitute a storage room in the freezing temperature zone. As shown in FIG. 6, a hinge-openable heat-insulating door 10 is provided on the front surface of the refrigerator compartment 5. , Drawer-type heat-insulating doors 11 to 14 are provided.
[0015]
A first cooler storage room (cooler storage room) 15 is provided at the back of the vegetable room 6, and a refrigerator cooler (cooler) 16, refrigeration is provided in the first cooler storage room 15. An R fan 17 and the like constituting a cooling air circulation fan for use are provided. When the R fan 17 is driven, the cool air cooled by the refrigerator cooler 16 is supplied to the refrigerator compartment 5 and then returned to the first cooler storage room 15 via the vegetable compartment 6. Thus, the refrigerator compartment 5 and the vegetable compartment 6 are cooled.
[0016]
A second cooler storage room (cooler storage room) 19 is provided at the back of the freezing room 9. In the second cooler storage room 19, a cooler for the freezer room (cooler) 20, An F fan 21 and the like constituting a cooling air circulation fan for use are provided. When the F fan 21 is driven, the cool air cooled by the freezing room cooler 20 is supplied to the ice making room 8 and the freezing room 9 and also to the specification switching room 7 via a damper (not shown). After that, circulation is performed so as to be returned to the second cooler storage chamber 19, whereby the ice making chamber 8, the freezing chamber 9 and the specification switching chamber 7 are cooled. At this time, the supply amount of cool air to the specification switching chamber 7 is adjusted by a damper (not shown), and the temperature of the switching chamber 7 is adjusted.
[0017]
A machine room 22 is formed outside the bottom of the refrigerator main body 1, and a compressor 23, a condenser (not shown) including a wire condenser, and a cooling device for cooling the compressor 23 and the condenser are formed in the machine room 22. A C fan 23a, an evaporating dish 24, and the like constituting a fan are provided.
[0018]
FIG. 6 schematically shows the configuration of the refrigeration cycle 25. The refrigeration cycle 25 includes a compressor 23, a condenser 26, a switching valve (three-way valve) 27 serving as a refrigerant flow switching means, a first capillary tube 28 connected to a first outlet 27 a of the switching valve 27, and a refrigerator cooling unit. 16. The refrigerator cooler 20 is connected in order to a closed loop by a refrigerant pipe, and the second capillary tube 29 connected to the second outlet 27b of the switching valve 27 is connected to the refrigerator cooler 16 and the refrigerator cooler 20. And the second capillary tube 29 bypasses the first capillary tube 28 and the refrigerator cooler 16.
[0019]
With such a configuration, in a state where the switching valve 27 is switched to the first outlet side 27a, the refrigerant flows through the condenser 26 and the like by the driving of the compressor 23, and then passes through the first capillary tube 28 and cooler for the refrigerator compartment. 16 and the freezer compartment cooler 20 in order and returned to the compressor 23. On the other hand, in the state where the switching valve 27 is switched to the second outlet side 27b, the refrigerant flows through the condenser 26 and the like by the driving of the compressor 23, and then passes through the second capillary tube 29, and only the freezer compartment cooler 20 alone. , And then returned to the compressor 23.
Here, in the refrigeration cycle 25, an HC-based refrigerant is used as a refrigerant enclosed therein for environmental measures, and is flammable.
[0020]
The refrigerator 16 and the refrigerator 20 are provided with defrosting means, defrosting water drainage means and deicing prevention means having basically the same configuration. The part will be described.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 1, a defrost heater 30 composed of a pipe heater formed by passing a resistance heating wire in a metal pipe is provided in the freezer compartment cooler 20 in a meandering manner. Then, at a predetermined time, the defrost heater 30 is caused to generate heat to perform defrosting for melting frost attached to the freezer compartment cooler 20. The lowermost portion 30a of the defrost heater 30 is provided slightly horizontally from the fins 20a of the freezer compartment cooler 20, and is provided substantially horizontally.
[0022]
The second cooler storage chamber 19 is provided with a defrost water discharging device 31 that receives defrost water dropped from the freezer cooler 20 and discharges the defrost water to the evaporating dish 24.
[0023]
In FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the defrosted water discharge device 31 of the second cooler storage room 19, a drain gutter 32 is provided on the bottom surface of the second cooler storage room 19. The drain gutter 32 is inclined downward from both the left and right sides toward the center, and a circular drain port 32 a is formed at the lowermost portion of the drain gutter 32 such that the lower end opening faces the inside of the evaporating dish 24 and the second cooler storage chamber. It is embedded in the insulation 4 below 19.
[0024]
In the drain gutter 32, an inner gutter 33 made of a metal plate is provided. The inner gutter 33 has a horizontally long flat dish shape smaller than the drain gutter 32 and is formed so as to be inclined downward from both left and right sides toward the center similarly to the bottom surface of the drain gutter 32. A water outlet 33a is formed in the lowermost part of the inner gutter 33.
[0025]
At the rear end of the inner gutter 33, a heat transfer portion 34 is integrally formed to extend in a rising plate shape, and a contact portion 34a having a semicircular shape is integrally formed at the upper end of the heat transfer portion 34. Have been. The contact portion 31a is provided on a rear pipe of the lowermost portion 30a of the defrost heater 30 so as to be in surface contact with the rear pipe, that is, provided to be able to conduct heat to the defrost heater 30.
[0026]
By the way, at the time of defrosting when the defrost heater 30 is energized, the frost attached to the freezer compartment cooler 20 is melted, and defrost water drops from the freezer compartment cooler 20. This defrost water is directly received by the inner gutter 33.
[0027]
On the other hand, the heat of the defrost heater 30 is transmitted to the inner gutter 33 via the heat transfer unit 34. Thereby, the temperature of the inner gutter 33 rises, and ice and the like attached to the drain gutter 32 and the inner gutter 33 are melted. The defrost water and the dissolved water are discharged from the water outlet 30a along the slope of the bottom surface of the inner gutter 33 into the evaporating dish 24 through the drain port 32a.
[0028]
According to the present embodiment, the inner gutter 33 made of a heat conductive material is provided inside the drain gutter 32, and the heat transfer portion 34 is integrally formed so as to extend upward from the inner gutter 33. The heat of the defrost heater 30 is transmitted to the inner gutter 33 via the heat transfer unit because the heat unit 34 is in contact with the defrost heater 30 so as to be able to conduct heat. Therefore, even if icing occurs in the drain gutter 32, it can be melted and drainage of the defrost water can be reliably drained. In this case, since the defrost heater 30 is not disposed in the inner gutter 33 but the heat transfer part 34 is extended upward and is brought into contact with the defrost heater 30, drainage is impeded by the defrost heater 30. Not even. Further, since the heat transfer section 34 also extends from the end of the inner gutter 33, the heat transfer section 34 itself does not hinder drainage. In addition, since the defrost heater 30 does not extend to the inner gutter 33, the material cost and the power consumption of the defrost heater 30 can be reduced.
[0029]
FIGS. 7 and 8 show a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a drainage cylinder 41 is provided inside a drain port 32a. That is, the cylindrical body 41 is made of a heat conductive material (for example, made of aluminum), and the heat transfer portion 42 is integrally formed so as to extend upward from the cylindrical body 41. A contact portion 42a having a semicircular shape is integrally formed at the upper end portion of the heat transfer portion 42. The contact portion 42a is formed on the front pipe of the lowermost portion 30a of the defrost heater 30, The defrost heater 30 is provided so as to be in contact with the defrost heater 30.
[0030]
According to this, the heat of the defrost heater 30 is also transmitted to the cylinder 41 via the heat transfer section 42. Therefore, even if icing occurs at the drain port 32a of the drain gutter 32, it can be melted and the defrost water can be reliably drained. In this case, since the defrost heater 30 does not extend to the cylindrical body 41, that is, since the heat transfer section 42 extends upward and comes into contact with the defrost heater 30, drainage is impeded by the defrost heater 30. It will not be done. Further, since the heat transfer section 42 also extends from the end of the cylindrical body, the heat transfer section 42 itself hardly hinders drainage. In addition, since the defrost heater 30 is not extended to the cylindrical body 41, the material cost and the power consumption of the defrost heater 30 can be reduced.
[0031]
In this case, freezing and melting of the drain port 32a can be achieved without providing the inner gutter 33 as shown in FIG. 9 shown as the third embodiment of the present invention.
[0032]
【The invention's effect】
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, even if icing arises in a drainage gutter or a drainage port, this can be melt | dissolved and drainage of defrost water can be ensured.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view of a main part showing a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a vertical front view of a main part. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an inner gutter. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a refrigerator. FIG. 6 is a view showing a refrigerating cycle; FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a tubular body; FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a drain gutter showing a conventional example.
15 is a first cooler storage room (cooler storage room), 16 is a refrigerator cooler (cooler), 19 is a second cooler storage room (cooler storage room), and 20 is a freezing room cooling. A cooler, 25 is a refrigeration cycle, 30 is a defrost heater, 32 is a drain gutter, 32a is a drain outlet, 33 is an inner gutter, 34 is a heat transfer section, 41 is a cylinder, and 42 is a heat transfer section. .

Claims (2)

A cooler storage chamber that is provided in a refrigerator body using a combustible refrigerant as a refrigerant of a refrigeration cycle and stores a cooler,
A defrost heater provided near the cooler,
A drain gutter provided at a lower portion of the cooler storage chamber and having a drain port,
An inner gutter made of a heat conductive material is provided inside the drain gutter and receives defrost water from the cooler and guides it to the drain.
A refrigerator comprising: a heat transfer portion integrally formed so as to extend upward from an end portion of the inner gutter; A cooler storage chamber that is provided in a refrigerator body using a combustible refrigerant as a refrigerant of a refrigeration cycle and stores a cooler,
A defrost heater provided near the cooler,
A drain gutter provided at a lower portion of the cooler storage chamber and having a drain outlet and receiving defrost water from the cooler and draining from the drain outlet;
A tubular body made of a thermally conductive material inserted inside the drainage port of the drainage gutter,
A refrigerator comprising: a heat transfer portion integrally formed so as to extend upward from an upper end portion of the cylindrical body and in contact with the defrost heater so as to be able to transfer heat.

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