JP2004271047A

JP2004271047A - Refrigerator

Info

Publication number: JP2004271047A
Application number: JP2003062258A
Authority: JP
Inventors: Makoto Oyamada; 真小山田; Toyoshi Kamisako; 豊志上迫; Tadashi Adachi; 正足立; Yoshihiro Kuwari; 義博桑理; Yasuki Hamano; 泰樹浜野; Toshikazu Sakai; 寿和境
Original assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd
Current assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
Priority date: 2003-03-07
Filing date: 2003-03-07
Publication date: 2004-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 2023-03-07
Also published as: JP4186654B2

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air trunk of an ice making compartment capable of efficiently cooling an ice tray, with respect to an automatic ice plant wherein the ice tray can be attached and detached. <P>SOLUTION: An ice-making driving source 41 and the ice tray 30 as components of the automatic ice plan are arranged in a state that the ice tray 40 is positioned this side, a cool air passage 43 is formed by wall faces and partitioning walls 26, 31 forming an ice-making unit 38, and the air trunk is formed in a state of being communicated with an upper face of the ice tray 40 to improve the efficiency in cooling. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

【０００１】
【発明の属する技術分野】
本発明は、自動製氷装置を有する冷蔵庫に関するものである。
【０００２】
【従来の技術】
近年、冷蔵庫においては、自動製氷装置を備えたものがある（例えば、特許文献１参照。）。
【０００３】
以下、図面を参照しながら上記従来の自動製氷装置付き冷蔵庫を説明する。
【０００４】
図７は従来の製氷機の分解斜視図である。図８は図７の製氷機の横断面図である。
【０００５】
製氷室（図示しない）の天井部に製氷機１を構成する皿支持装置２が設けられ、この後面には製氷皿３が回転自在に配置されている。また皿支持装置２の側面下部には回転自在に氷検知レバー４が設けられている。
【０００６】
また皿支持装置２及び製氷皿３は製氷室の天井面に近接か接触して配される製氷カバー５に装着されるようになっている。製氷皿３の端面には複数の開口部６、７，８が設けられ、これら開口部を通して冷気が製氷カバー５内に送り込まれる。
【０００７】
また製氷皿３の一方の断面を略円弧状とした側壁９に横長状の冷気案内口１０が開口している。そして冷気案内口１０を覆うように略Ｌ型のダクトカバー１１が設けられている。そして製氷皿３の外側の縁の回転軌跡よりやや外側に沿って冷気案内口１０が設けられている。
【０００８】
つまり、製氷皿３の斜め上方に冷気が吹出される冷気案内口１０が開口している。そして冷気吹出口からの冷気の一部はダクトカバー１１の内側の冷気案内路１２を通り、さらに冷気案内口１０を介して製氷皿３に送り込まれる。これにより効率的に製氷皿３を冷却することができて、製氷時間を短縮することができる。
【０００９】
またダクトカバー１１にて案内された冷気を送り込む冷気案内口１０は製氷皿３の回転軌跡よりやや外側に沿って設けているために、冷気案内口１０から製氷皿３までの距離を最短にでき、かつ製氷皿３を均等に冷却することができる。これにより冷気の吹出しロスが無くなり製氷時間を短縮することができる。
【００１０】
【特許文献１】
特開平１１−１７３７３６号公報
【００１１】
【発明が解決しようとする課題】
しかしながら、上記従来の構成では扉を開放したとき皿支持装置２が製氷皿３の手前にあるため製氷皿３を使用者が取外すためには皿支持装置２をまず取外さなければならず、実際には皿支持装置２に電源を供給するリード線２ａや先端のコネクタ２ｂまでも外すという問題があった。
【００１２】
本発明は従来の課題を解決するもので、製氷皿の後方に製氷駆動部が配置し、製氷皿の脱着が可能で効率的に製氷皿内の水を冷却する冷却風路構造を備えた冷蔵庫を提供することを目的とする。
【００１３】
【課題を解決するための手段】
本発明の請求項１に記載の発明は、製氷室の後方から順番に、製氷室へ冷気を送る製氷室冷却風路、強制的に製氷室へ冷気を送る製氷室ファン、前記製氷皿を回転駆動させる駆動源そして前記製氷皿の順に配置される冷蔵庫において、前記駆動源と前記製氷皿は冷気通路の一部を形成する製氷ユニットに装着され、前記冷気通路によって前記製氷室ファンから吐出される冷気は前記駆動源を迂回する通路を構成し、前記製氷皿へ冷気を吐出するものであり、吐出された冷気を効率よく製氷皿に導くことができる。
【００１４】
本発明の請求項２に記載の発明は、請求項１に記載の発明において、製氷室ファンから製氷室に吐出された冷気を製氷皿に導くために備えた冷気口と、製氷皿上面に吐出される冷気案内口とを製氷ユニットと一体に形成し、前記冷気口は駆動源と製氷室吐出口との間に形成し、前記冷気案内口は製氷皿の側部上面に形成されるものであり、製氷室の空間部を風路に使うことで無効容積を最小限にすることができる。
【００１５】
本発明の請求項３に記載の発明は、請求項１に記載の発明において、製氷室ファンから吐出される冷気は、駆動源の両側部をまわり込んで製氷皿に導かれるものであり、さらに製氷効率を向上することができる。
【００１６】
本発明の請求項４に記載の発明は、請求項１に記載の発明において、製氷皿に冷気を導く冷気通路は、製氷ユニットと、製氷室の上面と側面を形成する断熱仕切り壁によって形成しているものであり、ダクトのために新たな別部品を加えることなくコストを抑えることができる。
【００１７】
本発明の請求項５に記載の発明は、請求項３に記載の発明において、製氷室は他の貯蔵室と並んで縦断熱仕切り壁で区画され、前記縦断熱仕切り壁が冷気通路の一部を形成するものであり、冷気通路構造を簡単に形成することができる。
【００１８】
本発明の請求項６に記載の発明は、請求項１から３のいずれか１項に記載の発明において、２つの製氷皿が併設配置したものであり製氷量を倍にすることができる。
【００１９】
本発明の請求項７に記載の発明は、請求項６に記載の発明において、製氷ユニットに形成し、２つの製氷皿の上部に配置した製氷カバーと一体に前記製氷皿の上面空間を区画する区画壁を形成したものであり、２つの製氷皿上面の冷気の流れを均一化することがで、製氷効率を向上することができる。
【００２０】
【発明の実施の形態】
以下、本発明による冷蔵庫の実施の形態について、図面を参照しながら説明する。
【００２１】
（実施の形態１）
図１は本発明の実施の形態１による冷蔵庫の外観傾斜図、図２は同実施の形態で図１のＡ−Ａ断面図、図３は同実施の形態の製氷ユニットの分解斜視図、図４は同実施の形態で製氷ユニット内風路の要部斜視図、図５は同実施の形態で製氷室の平面図、図６は同実施の形態で製氷室の正面図である。
【００２２】
図１において、冷蔵庫２０は上部から冷蔵室２１、製氷室２２、製氷室２２の横に冷蔵温度帯から冷凍温度帯まで切替え可能な切替室２３、その下に野菜室２４、最下部には冷凍室２５を配置構成している。また製氷室２２と切替室２３は縦断熱仕切り壁２６によって左右に仕切られている。
【００２３】
図２は図１のＡ−Ａ断面図であり、冷凍室２５の後方に冷凍室冷却器２５ａと、その上部に冷凍室冷却器ファン２７を備え冷凍室冷却器カバー２８によって冷凍室２５を区画している。野菜室２４と冷凍室２５は第１断熱仕切り壁２９によって上下に区画され、第２断熱仕切り壁３０によって製氷室２２、切替室２３と野菜室２４を上下に仕切っている。
【００２４】
また、第３断熱仕切り壁３１によって冷蔵室２１と下部の製氷室２２、切替室２３とを仕切り、第３断熱仕切り壁３１を通して冷気の出入りはない。冷蔵室２１の後方には冷蔵室冷却器３２が配置し、その上部に冷蔵室冷却ファン３３が備えられている。そして冷蔵室冷却器カバー３４によって冷蔵室２１と冷却器室を区画している。
【００２５】
次に製氷室２２の構造を説明すると、製氷室２２の後方には製氷室ファン３５が製氷室冷却風路３６内に配置され、前方に製氷室冷却風路カバー３７を形成して製氷室２２と区画している。
【００２６】
図３から図６において、製氷室２２の天面となる第３断熱仕切り壁３１の下部に製氷ユニット３８が取付けられ自動製氷装置３９を形成する。製氷ユニット３８には２つの製氷皿４０ａ、４０ｂと、製氷皿４０ａ、４０ｂをそれぞれ軸支し反転させて離氷動作させる１つの駆動源４１が配置されている。そして駆動源４１には製氷皿４０ａ、４０ｂにそれぞれ対応する軸部４１ａ、４１ｂが形成されている。また駆動源４１には氷が満氷かどうか検知する検知レバー４１ｃ、４１ｄが製氷皿４０ａ、４０ｂに対応して備えられている。
【００２７】
また上記２つの製氷皿４０は１つの枠体４２に並べて載置された状態で製氷ユニット３８に着脱自在に係合される。製氷皿４０と駆動源４１の位置関係は製氷室２２の奥側から順に製氷室ファン３５、駆動部４１、製氷皿４０が配置されており、製氷皿４０は冷蔵庫２０の前方へ引出して着脱できるように枠体４２に載置している。
【００２８】
製氷ユニット３８は両側面にガイド部３８ａ、３８ｂと冷気案内口３８ｃ、３８ｄと冷気出口３８ｅ、３８ｆを形成している。ガイド部３８ａは冷気通路４３の底面部を構成し、縦断熱仕切り壁２６と製氷ユニット３８の側板３８ｇは側面部を、第３断熱仕切り壁３１は天面部を形成して製氷ユニット３８の一側面に冷気通路４３を構成している。
【００２９】
またガイド部３８ｂを底面部、冷蔵庫本体２０の側壁２０ａと製氷ユニット３８の側板３８ｈを側面部、第３断熱仕切り壁３１は天面部として製氷ユニット３８の他側面に冷気通路４３を構成している。
【００３０】
製氷皿４０ａ、４０ｂの上部には二股の給水パイプ４４があり、給水経路に切換バルブ４５を備え、第３断熱仕切り壁３１を貫通して配置されている。そして冷蔵室２１に着脱自在の給水タンク４６から給水ポンプ４７を介して給水され製氷皿４０ａ、４０ｂの下部に配置した１つの貯氷箱４８に貯氷される。
【００３１】
次に製氷室２２の風路構造について説明すると、製氷室冷却風路３６は下方の冷凍室冷却器２５ａと製氷室２２への冷気風量を調節するダンパ４９を介して連通し形成されている。製氷室冷却風路カバー３７は冷気吐出部３７ａを備えており、吐出部３７ａの前方には製氷ユニット３８に固定された駆動源４１があり、吐出部３７ａと駆動源４１の間に製氷ユニット４１に一体の冷気ダクト３８ｉが形成され、両側部から冷気通路４３に連通する冷気口５０ａ、５０ｂが形成されている。また製氷皿４０ａと４０ｂの上面空間を２つに仕切る仕切り板５１が製氷ユニット３８の製氷カバー３８ｊと一体に形成されている。貯氷箱４８は製氷皿４０ａ、４０ｂでそれぞれ製氷した氷を区画するように分ける仕切り板４８ａを形成してもよい。
【００３２】
また製氷室冷却風路カバー３７の下部には冷気吸込み部３７ｂが形成され、下面の第２断熱仕切り壁３０は内部に冷気戻り通路３０ａが形成されており、冷凍室冷却器２８に連通している。
【００３３】
以上のように構成された冷蔵庫について、以下にその動作を説明する。
【００３４】
冷凍室冷却器２８によって生成された冷気はダンパ４９により制御されて製氷室冷却風路３６に導かれ、製氷室ファン３５から吐出され吐出部３７ａから製氷室２２内へ吐出される。そして一旦、冷気ダクト３８ｉに吐出された冷気は冷気口５０ａ、５０ｂに導かれ冷気通路４３を通って製氷皿４０ａ、４０ｂの上面で両側部に位置する冷気案内口３８ｃ、３８ｄに導かれ、製氷皿４０ａ、４０ｂの上面を冷気が通り、冷気出口３８ｅ、３８ｆを通って冷気吸込み部３７ｂまたは冷気戻り通路３０ａに導かれる。
【００３５】
冷気吸込み部３７ｂに導かれた冷気は再び製氷室ファン３５から吐出され、上記通路を通って製氷室２２内を循環する。また冷気戻り通路３０ａに導かれた冷気は野菜室２４の背面を通って背面板２４ａの熱伝導によって間接的に野菜室２４を冷却しながら冷凍室冷却器２８に戻る。
【００３６】
上記のように製氷室ファン３５から吐出された冷気は前方に配置した駆動源４１の両側面から回り込む冷気通路４３を通って製氷皿４０ａ、４０ｂの側面から冷気を吐出する構成にし、製氷ユニット３８の製氷カバー３８ｊと製氷皿４０ａ、４０ｂの上面との間を冷気が通るので、駆動源４１が製氷室２２の奥側にあって手前に着脱可能な製氷皿４０ａ、４０ｂがあっても均等に製氷皿４０を冷却することができる。また製氷皿４０ａ、４０ｂの上部空間を長手方向に仕切る仕切り部３８ｋを製氷カバー３８ｊと一体に形成することでそれぞれの製氷皿４０を個別に冷却する風路を形成し冷気の流れを規制することができるので冷却効率を高めることができる。
【００３７】
上記のように着脱自在の製氷皿４０が２つある場合の製氷室風路であるが、製氷皿４０が１つの場合でも片側の風路で同様に構成することで、着脱可能な製氷皿に対する製氷室の風路を形成することができ、均等に冷却することができる。
【００３８】
【発明の効果】
以上のように請求項１に記載の発明は、製氷室の後方から順番に、製氷室へ冷気を送る製氷室冷却風路、強制的に製氷室へ冷気を送る製氷室ファン、前記製氷皿を回転駆動させる駆動源そして前記製氷皿の順に配置される冷蔵庫において、前記駆動源と前記製氷皿は冷気通路の一部を形成する製氷ユニットに装着され、前記冷気通路によって前記製氷室ファンから吐出される冷気は前記駆動源を迂回する通路を構成し、前記製氷皿へ冷気を吐出するものであり、製氷効率を高めることができる。
【００３９】
請求項２に記載の発明は、請求項１に記載の発明において、製氷室ファンから製氷室に吐出された冷気を製氷皿に導くために備えた冷気口と、製氷皿上面に吐出される冷気案内口とを製氷ユニットと一体に形成し、前記冷気口は駆動源と製氷室吐出口との間に形成し、前記冷気案内口は製氷皿の側部上面に形成されるものであり、無効空間を低減できる。
【００４０】
請求項３に記載の発明は、請求項１に記載の発明において、製氷室ファンから吐出される冷気は、駆動源の両側部をまわり込んで製氷皿に導かれるものであり、さらに製氷効率を向上することができる。
【００４１】
請求項４に記載の発明は、請求項１に記載の発明において、製氷皿に冷気を導く冷気通路は、製氷ユニットと、製氷室の上面と側面を形成する断熱仕切り壁によって形成しているものであり、有効利用を図ることができる。
【００４２】
請求項５に記載の発明は、請求項３に記載の発明において、製氷室は他の貯蔵室と並んで縦断熱仕切り壁で区画され、前記縦断熱仕切り壁が冷気通路の一部を形成するものであり、製造工数を低減することができる。
【００４３】
請求項６に記載の発明は、請求項１から３のいずれか１項に記載の発明において、２つの製氷皿が併設配置したものであり製氷量を倍にすることができる。
【００４４】
請求項７に記載の発明は、請求項６に記載の発明において、製氷ユニットに形成し、２つの製氷皿の上部に配置した製氷カバーと一体に前記製氷皿の上面空間を区画する区画壁を形成したものであり、製氷効率を向上することができる。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】本発明の実施の形態１による冷蔵庫の外観傾斜図
【図２】同実施の形態で図１のＡ−Ａ断面図
【図３】同実施の形態の製氷ユニットの分解斜視図
【図４】同実施の形態で製氷ユニット内風路の要部斜視図
【図５】同実施の形態で製氷室の平面図
【図６】同実施の形態で製氷室の正面図
【図７】従来の製氷機の分解斜視図
【図８】図７の製氷機の横断面図
【符号の説明】
２０冷蔵庫
２２製氷室
２６縦断熱仕切り壁
３５製氷室ファン
３６製氷室冷却風路
３７ａ製氷室吐出口
３８製氷ユニット
３８ｃ、３８ｄ冷気案内口
３８ｊ製氷カバー
４０ａ、４０ｂ製氷皿
４１駆動源
４３冷気通路
５０ａ、５０ｂ冷気口[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a refrigerator having an automatic ice making device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, some refrigerators include an automatic ice making device (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
Hereinafter, the conventional refrigerator with an automatic ice making device will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0004]
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional ice making machine. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the ice making machine of FIG.
[0005]
A tray supporting device 2 constituting the ice maker 1 is provided on a ceiling of an ice making room (not shown), and an ice tray 3 is rotatably arranged on a rear surface thereof. An ice detection lever 4 is rotatably provided at a lower portion of the side surface of the dish support device 2.
[0006]
The tray support device 2 and the ice tray 3 are mounted on an ice-making cover 5 which is arranged close to or in contact with the ceiling of the ice-making room. A plurality of openings 6, 7, 8 are provided on the end face of the ice making tray 3, and cool air is sent into the ice making cover 5 through these openings.
[0007]
A horizontally long cold air guide opening 10 is opened in a side wall 9 having one cross section of the ice tray 3 having a substantially circular arc shape. A substantially L-shaped duct cover 11 is provided so as to cover the cool air guide port 10. Further, a cool air guide port 10 is provided slightly outside the rotation locus of the outer edge of the ice tray 3.
[0008]
That is, a cool air guide port 10 through which cool air is blown is opened diagonally above the ice tray 3. Then, part of the cool air from the cool air outlet passes through the cool air guide path 12 inside the duct cover 11 and is further sent to the ice tray 3 through the cool air guide port 10. Thereby, the ice tray 3 can be efficiently cooled, and the ice making time can be shortened.
[0009]
In addition, since the cool air guide port 10 for sending the cool air guided by the duct cover 11 is provided along the rotation path of the ice tray 3 slightly outside, the distance from the cool air guide port 10 to the ice tray 3 can be minimized. In addition, the ice tray 3 can be cooled uniformly. This eliminates the loss of blowing out cold air and shortens the ice making time.
[0010]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-11-173736
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described conventional configuration, when the door is opened, the tray support device 2 is located in front of the ice tray 3, so that the user must first remove the tray support device 2 in order for the user to remove the ice tray 3. There is a problem in that the lead wire 2a for supplying power to the dish support device 2 and the connector 2b at the end are also disconnected.
[0012]
An object of the present invention is to solve the conventional problem, and a refrigerator having a cooling air passage structure in which an ice making drive unit is disposed behind an ice making tray, the ice making tray can be detached and the water in the ice making tray is efficiently cooled. The purpose is to provide.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is characterized in that, in order from the rear of the ice making room, an ice making room cooling air passage for sending cool air to the ice making room, an ice making room fan for forcibly sending cool air to the ice making room, and rotating the ice making tray In a refrigerator in which a driving source to be driven and the ice tray are arranged in this order, the driving source and the ice tray are mounted on an ice making unit forming a part of a cold air passage, and are discharged from the ice making chamber fan by the cold air passage. The cool air forms a passage that bypasses the drive source, and discharges the cool air to the ice tray, so that the discharged cool air can be efficiently guided to the ice tray.
[0014]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a cool air port provided to guide cold air discharged from the ice making chamber fan to the ice making chamber to the ice tray, and discharged to an upper surface of the ice tray. The cold air guide port is formed integrally with the ice making unit, the cold air port is formed between the driving source and the ice making chamber discharge port, and the cold air guide port is formed on the side upper surface of the ice tray. Yes, the useless space in the ice making room can be used for the wind path to minimize the ineffective volume.
[0015]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the cool air discharged from the ice making chamber fan is guided to the ice tray by wrapping around both sides of the drive source. Ice making efficiency can be improved.
[0016]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the cold air passage for guiding the cold air to the ice tray is formed by an ice making unit and a heat insulating partition wall forming the upper surface and side surfaces of the ice making room. The cost can be reduced without adding another new part for the duct.
[0017]
In the invention according to claim 5 of the present invention, in the invention according to claim 3, the ice making room is partitioned by a vertical heat insulating partition wall along with another storage room, and the vertical heat insulating partition wall is a part of a cold air passage. The cold air passage structure can be easily formed.
[0018]
In the invention described in claim 6 of the present invention, in the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 3, two ice trays are provided side by side, and the amount of ice making can be doubled.
[0019]
The invention according to claim 7 of the present invention is the invention according to claim 6, wherein the upper surface space of the ice tray is formed integrally with an ice making cover formed on the ice making unit and disposed above the two ice trays. A partition wall is formed, and the flow of cool air on the upper surfaces of the two ice trays is made uniform, so that the ice making efficiency can be improved.
[0020]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of a refrigerator according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0021]
(Embodiment 1)
1 is an external perspective view of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an ice making unit according to Embodiment 1. 4 is a perspective view of an essential part of an air passage in the ice making unit in the embodiment, FIG. 5 is a plan view of the ice making room in the embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a front view of the ice making room in the embodiment.
[0022]
In FIG. 1, a refrigerator 20 has a refrigerator compartment 21, an ice making compartment 22, a switching compartment 23 which can be switched from a refrigeration temperature zone to a freezing temperature zone beside the ice making compartment 22, a vegetable compartment 24 thereunder, and a freezing compartment at the bottom. A chamber 25 is arranged and configured. The ice making room 22 and the switching room 23 are separated from each other by a vertical heat insulating partition wall 26.
[0023]
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1. The freezer compartment cooler 25 a is provided behind the freezer compartment 25, and a freezer compartment cooler fan 27 is provided above the freezer compartment cooler 25. are doing. The vegetable room 24 and the freezing room 25 are vertically divided by a first heat insulating partition wall 29, and the ice making room 22, the switching room 23 and the vegetable room 24 are vertically divided by a second heat insulating partition wall 30.
[0024]
In addition, the refrigerator compartment 21 and the lower ice-making compartment 22 and the switching compartment 23 are partitioned by the third heat-insulating partition wall 31, so that no cool air flows through the third heat-insulating partition wall 31. A refrigerator compartment cooler 32 is disposed behind the refrigerator compartment 21, and a refrigerator compartment cooling fan 33 is provided above the refrigerator compartment cooler 32. The refrigerator compartment cover 34 divides the refrigerator compartment 21 from the refrigerator compartment.
[0025]
Next, the structure of the ice making room 22 will be described. An ice making room fan 35 is disposed in the ice making room cooling air passage 36 behind the ice making room 22, and an ice making room cooling air passage cover 37 is formed in front of the ice making room 22. And sectioned.
[0026]
3 to 6, an ice making unit 38 is attached to a lower part of a third heat insulating partition wall 31 which is a top surface of the ice making chamber 22, to form an automatic ice making device 39. The ice making unit 38 is provided with two ice trays 40a, 40b, and one drive source 41 for pivotally supporting the ice trays 40a, 40b, respectively, and inverting the ice trays 40a, 40b to perform the ice separating operation. The drive source 41 has shaft portions 41a and 41b corresponding to the ice trays 40a and 40b, respectively. The drive source 41 is provided with detection levers 41c and 41d for detecting whether or not the ice is full, corresponding to the ice trays 40a and 40b.
[0027]
The two ice trays 40 are detachably engaged with the ice making unit 38 while being placed side by side on one frame 42. With respect to the positional relationship between the ice tray 40 and the drive source 41, an ice tray fan 35, a drive unit 41, and an ice tray 40 are arranged in this order from the back side of the ice tray 22, and the ice tray 40 can be pulled out to the front of the refrigerator 20 to be detachable. So that it is placed on the frame 42 as shown in FIG.
[0028]
The ice making unit 38 has guide portions 38a, 38b, cool air guide ports 38c, 38d, and cool air outlets 38e, 38f formed on both side surfaces. The guide portion 38a forms a bottom portion of the cold air passage 43, the vertical heat insulating partition wall 26 and the side plate 38g of the ice making unit 38 form side surfaces, and the third heat insulating partition wall 31 forms a top surface portion to form one side surface of the ice making unit 38. A cold air passage 43 is formed.
[0029]
Further, the guide portion 38b is a bottom portion, the side wall 20a of the refrigerator main body 20 and the side plate 38h of the ice making unit 38 are side portions, and the third heat insulating partition wall 31 is a top surface portion and forms a cool air passage 43 on the other side surface of the ice making unit 38. .
[0030]
A bifurcated water supply pipe 44 is provided above the ice trays 40a and 40b, a switching valve 45 is provided in the water supply path, and is disposed so as to penetrate the third heat insulating partition wall 31. Water is supplied to the refrigerator compartment 21 from a water supply tank 46 which is detachable via a water supply pump 47, and is stored in one ice storage box 48 disposed below the ice trays 40a and 40b.
[0031]
Next, the air path structure of the ice making chamber 22 will be described. The ice making chamber cooling air path 36 is formed so as to communicate with a lower freezing room cooler 25a via a damper 49 for adjusting the amount of cool air to the ice making chamber 22. The ice making room cooling air path cover 37 includes a cool air discharge unit 37a, and a drive source 41 fixed to the ice making unit 38 is provided in front of the discharge unit 37a. An ice making unit 41 is provided between the discharge unit 37a and the drive source 41. Is formed with cold air ducts 38i, and cold air ports 50a and 50b communicating with the cold air passage 43 from both sides are formed. Further, a partition plate 51 for dividing the upper surface space of the ice trays 40a and 40b into two is formed integrally with the ice making cover 38j of the ice making unit 38. The ice storage box 48 may be formed with a partition plate 48a that divides the ice made by the ice trays 40a and 40b so as to partition the ice.
[0032]
Further, a cool air suction portion 37b is formed at a lower portion of the ice making room cooling air passage cover 37, and a cool air return passage 30a is formed inside the second heat insulating partition wall 30 on the lower surface, and communicates with the freezing room cooler 28. I have.
[0033]
The operation of the refrigerator configured as described above will be described below.
[0034]
The cool air generated by the freezer compartment cooler 28 is guided by the ice making compartment cooling air passage 36 under the control of the damper 49, is discharged from the ice making compartment fan 35, and is discharged from the discharge portion 37 a into the ice making compartment 22. The cool air once discharged to the cool air duct 38i is led to the cool air ports 50a and 50b, passes through the cool air passage 43, and is guided to the cool air guide ports 38c and 38d located on both sides of the upper surfaces of the ice trays 40a and 40b, and makes ice. The cool air passes through the upper surfaces of the plates 40a and 40b, and is guided to the cool air suction part 37b or the cool air return passage 30a through the cool air outlets 38e and 38f.
[0035]
The cool air guided to the cool air suction part 37b is discharged again from the ice making chamber fan 35, and circulates in the ice making chamber 22 through the above passage. The cool air guided to the cool air return passage 30a passes through the back of the vegetable room 24 and returns to the freezing room cooler 28 while indirectly cooling the vegetable room 24 by heat conduction of the back plate 24a.
[0036]
As described above, the cool air discharged from the ice making chamber fan 35 is configured to discharge the cool air from the side surfaces of the ice trays 40a and 40b through the cool air passage 43 wrapping around from both sides of the driving source 41 disposed in front of the ice making unit 38. Since the cool air passes between the ice making cover 38j and the upper surfaces of the ice trays 40a and 40b, even if the drive source 41 is located on the back side of the ice making chamber 22 and the removable ice trays 40a and 40b are located in front, the drive source 41 is evenly distributed. The ice tray 40 can be cooled. Further, by forming a partition portion 38k for partitioning the upper spaces of the ice trays 40a and 40b in the longitudinal direction integrally with the ice tray 38j, an air path for individually cooling the ice trays 40 is formed, thereby restricting the flow of cool air. , Cooling efficiency can be increased.
[0037]
Although the ice making chamber has two detachable ice trays 40 as described above, even if there is only one ice tray 40, the same configuration can be adopted in one side of the air path, so that the detachable ice tray can be used. The air path of the ice making room can be formed, and cooling can be performed uniformly.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the invention according to claim 1 includes, in order from the rear of the ice making room, an ice making room cooling air passage that sends cool air to the ice making room, an ice making room fan that forcibly sends cool air to the ice making room, and the ice making tray. In a refrigerator arranged in the order of a drive source to be driven to rotate and the ice tray, the drive source and the ice tray are mounted on an ice making unit forming a part of a cold air passage, and are discharged from the ice making chamber fan by the cold air passage. The cool air forms a passage that bypasses the driving source, and discharges the cool air to the ice tray, thereby improving ice making efficiency.
[0039]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a cool air outlet provided to guide cold air discharged from the ice making chamber fan to the ice making chamber to the ice tray, and cold air discharged to the upper surface of the ice tray. The guide port is formed integrally with the ice making unit, the cold air port is formed between the driving source and the ice making chamber discharge port, and the cold air guide port is formed on the upper surface of the side of the ice tray. Space can be reduced.
[0040]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the cool air discharged from the ice making chamber fan is guided to the ice tray by wrapping around both sides of the driving source, and further reducing the ice making efficiency. Can be improved.
[0041]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the cool air passage for guiding the cool air to the ice tray is formed by an ice making unit and a heat insulating partition wall forming the upper surface and side surfaces of the ice making room. Therefore, effective utilization can be achieved.
[0042]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, the ice making room is partitioned by a vertical heat insulating partition wall along with other storage rooms, and the vertical heat insulating partition wall forms a part of a cool air passage. Therefore, the number of manufacturing steps can be reduced.
[0043]
The invention according to claim 6 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein two ice trays are arranged side by side, so that the amount of ice making can be doubled.
[0044]
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the sixth aspect, a partition wall formed in the ice making unit and integrally defining an upper surface space of the ice tray with an ice making cover disposed above two ice trays is provided. It is formed, and the ice making efficiency can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
1 is an external perspective view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 1 in the embodiment; FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an ice making unit according to the embodiment; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an essential part of an air passage in an ice making unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a plan view of an ice making room in the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a front view of an ice making room in the embodiment. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional ice maker. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the ice maker of FIG.
Reference Signs List 20 refrigerator 22 ice making room 26 vertical heat insulating partition wall 35 ice making room fan 36 ice making room cooling air passage 37a ice making room discharge port 38 ice making units 38c, 38d cold air guide opening 38j ice making covers 40a, 40b ice making tray 41 drive source 43 cold air passage 50a, 50b cold air outlet

Claims

In order from the rear of the ice-making room, an ice-making room cooling air passage for sending cool air to the ice-making room, an ice-making room fan for forcibly sending cool air to the ice-making room, a driving source for rotating and driving the ice-making plate, and the ice-making plate are arranged in this order. In the refrigerator, the drive source and the ice tray are mounted on an ice making unit forming a part of a cool air passage, and the cool air discharged from the ice making chamber fan by the cool air passage forms a passage that bypasses the drive source. A refrigerator for discharging cold air to the ice tray.

A cold air outlet provided for guiding cool air discharged from the ice making room fan into the ice making room to the ice tray and a cold air guide opening discharged on the upper surface of the ice tray are formed integrally with the ice making unit, and the cold air outlet is provided with a drive source. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the cold air guide port is formed between the ice tray and the ice making chamber, and the cold air guide port is formed on an upper surface of a side portion of the ice tray.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the cool air discharged from the ice making chamber fan is guided to the ice tray by circling around both sides of the drive source.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the cool air passage for guiding the cool air to the ice tray is formed by an ice making unit and a heat insulating partition wall forming an upper surface and a side surface of the ice making room.

The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the ice making room is partitioned by a vertical heat insulating partition wall along with other storage rooms, and the vertical heat insulating partition wall forms a part of a cool air passage.

The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein two ice trays are provided side by side.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein a partition wall that is formed in the ice making unit and that partitions an upper surface space of the ice tray is formed integrally with an ice making cover disposed above two ice trays.