JP2006234212A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a refrigerator with an automatic ice maker having reduced power consumption without freezing water in the water supply tank without the need for a heater to be arranged on the lower side of a water supply tank. <P>SOLUTION: A partition wall 104 between a refrigerating chamber 102 and a freezing chamber 103 is built with foam urethane, the water supply tank 201 is placed on the partition wall and a water supply pipe 206 is arranged there. The water supply pipe 206 is arranged on the lower side of the water supply tank 201, and an upper part of the water supply pipe on the partition wall is formed with a heat insulating member 207 of a foam material. The heat insulating member 207 has a heat insulating thickness such that there is no need for the heater on the lower side of the water supply tank. It is arranged through the side of the refrigerating chamber where the water supply tank is installed to insulate heat from the freezing chamber, eliminating the need for the heater to be arranged on the upper face of the partition wall on the lower side of the water supply tank. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator provided with an automatic ice making device.

  Conventionally, in this type of refrigerator, a heater is disposed at the lower portion of the water supply tank to prevent freezing of the water supply tank and the water in the water supply tank placed on the partition wall between the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment.

  FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional automatic ice making device described in Patent Document 1, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a heater disposed on a conventional partition wall described in Patent Document 1.

  In FIG. 6, reference numeral 601 denotes a refrigerating room, and a freezing room 602 is provided in the lower part of the refrigerating room 601. Between the refrigerating room 601 and the freezing room 602, foaming is performed as a heat insulating material due to the ease of assembly and the fluidity of urethane. A partition wall 603 containing a material is provided. In the upper part of the partition wall 603, a water supply tank 604 for storing water and a member for supplying the water to the freezer compartment 602 side are provided. The water supply tank 604 is a tank for changing water, has a structure that can be freely inserted into and removed from the refrigerator compartment 601, and has a suction pipe portion 605 for supplying water in the water supply tank 604.

  A member for supplying water to the freezer compartment 602 side is constituted by a water supply pump 606 for sucking up water from the water supply tank 604 and a pipe joint member 607 for connecting a suction pipe portion 605 of the water supply tank 604. A water supply pipe 609 leading to the water supply pump 606 and the water supply tray 608 is disposed on the side through the partition wall 603 from the back side of the water supply pump 606, and a cover made of a foam material that insulates the water supply pipe 609 is provided above the water supply pipe 609. The heat insulating member 610 is covered. On the other hand, on the freezer compartment 602 side, a water tray 608 for making ice and a temperature detecting means 611 for detecting the temperature in the water tray 608 are configured. An ice removing motor 612 for rotating the water tray 608 is disposed, and an ice tray 613 for receiving the formed ice is disposed below the water tray 608. In the above configuration, the water stored in the water supply tank 604 is sucked up by the water supply pump 606, passes through the suction pipe portion 605 and the pipe joint member 606, passes through the water supply pump 606, passes through the water supply pipe 609, and is fixed to the water supply tray 608. A quantity of water is supplied. The water tray 608 detects that the ice has been purified when the temperature of the water tray 608 falls below a certain temperature by the temperature detection means 611 that detects the temperature in the water tray 608, and the water tray 611 is rotated and deiced by the ice removal motor 612. It is a mechanism for dropping ice onto the tray 613.

Next, a conventional heater disposed on the partition wall will be described with reference to FIG. A heater 701 is disposed on the upper surface of the partition wall 603 and below the water supply tank 604. The heater 701 is disposed so that the water in the water supply tank 604 is not frozen by the cold air received from the freezer compartment 602 side. In the mode in which automatic ice making is used, power is supplied as appropriate so that water in the water supply tank 604 does not freeze.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-83271

  However, in the above-described conventional configuration, the thickness of the partition wall 603 and the heat insulating member 610 are not sufficient to suppress the cool air from the freezer compartment 602, so that the heater on the upper surface of the partition wall 603 located at the lower part of the water supply tank 701 is provided to prevent water in the water supply tank 604 from freezing. That is, the user has a problem that power consumption increases due to an increase in heater input.

  This invention solves the said conventional subject, and it aims at providing the refrigerator provided with the automatic ice making apparatus which reduced the power consumption by eliminating the heater of the lower part of a water supply tank.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, a refrigerator according to the present invention includes a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment or an ice making chamber, wherein the refrigerator compartment is arranged at the upper part and the freezer compartment or the ice making department is arranged at the lower part. And the partition wall of the freezer compartment is foamed with urethane, a water supply tank placed on the partition wall, a water supply tray arranged in the freezer compartment, a water supply pump and a water supply pipe for guiding the water in the water supply tank to the water supply tray The water supply pipe is disposed below the water supply tank, the water pipe upper portion of the partition wall is formed of a heat insulating member made of a foam material, and the heat insulating member is a heater below the water tank. The heat insulation thickness is such that it does not require water, and is disposed from the refrigerator compartment side where the water supply tank is installed.

  Thereby, since the heat from the freezer compartment can be insulated, the heater disposed on the upper surface of the partition wall below the water supply tank can be eliminated.

  The refrigerator equipped with the automatic ice making device of the present invention has a partition wall and a heat insulating member made of a foaming material to insulate to ensure a sufficient thickness to suppress cold air from the freezer compartment and prevent freezing of water in the water supply tank. I can do it.

  The invention according to claim 1 has a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment or an ice making room, wherein the refrigerator compartment is arranged at the upper part, and the freezer compartment or ice making room is arranged at the lower part. A water supply tank foamed with urethane and placed on the partition wall, a water supply tray disposed in the freezer compartment, a water supply pump and a water supply pipe for introducing water from the water supply tank to the water supply tray are provided, and the water supply pipe Is disposed below the water supply tank, and the upper portion of the partition wall water supply pipe is formed of a heat insulating member made of foam material, and the heat insulating member is insulated to the extent that a heater is not required below the water supply tank. It has a thickness and is arranged from the side of the refrigerator compartment where the water supply tank is installed. Since heat from the freezer compartment can be insulated, the heater disposed on the upper surface of the partition wall below the water supply tank can be eliminated.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the heat insulating member is arranged at least at a lower portion of the water supply tank and has a thickness penetrating the partition wall, resulting in an assembling work variation. Even when the heat insulating member is not completely inserted, water in the water supply tank can be prevented from freezing.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a rib is provided on the partition wall so as not to contact a heat insulating member made of foam material on the upper portion of the water supply pipe. By raising the installation part one step above the upper surface line of the heat insulating member, it is possible to prevent the heat effect directly from the freezer compartment, so that the water in the water supply tank can be prevented from freezing.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, by providing a suction portion at the lower part of the duct for air passage configuration and the inner surface of the water supply tank, the temperature in the vicinity of the water supply tank is reduced due to return air. Since it rises, the water in the water tank can be prevented from freezing.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the fourth aspect, a rib is provided on the partition wall so as not to contact a heat insulating member made of a foam material on the upper portion of the water supply pipe. By raising the installation part one step above the upper surface line of the heat insulating member, it is possible to prevent the influence of heat directly from the freezer compartment, and further, the contact area of the air sucked into the bottom surface of the water supply tank increases, so that the water in the water supply tank is frozen. It can be prevented.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited by this embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, the refrigerator main body 101 is partitioned into a refrigerator compartment 102 arranged at the upper part and a freezer compartment 103 arranged at the lower part, and between the refrigerator compartment 101 and the freezer compartment 102, sufficient fluidity of urethane is obtained. A wall thickness hmm or more (for example, 60 mm or more) that can be maintained at a certain level is secured, and a partition wall 104 foamed with urethane is provided. The refrigerator compartment 102 is a room that is cooled by a direct cooling method using natural convection of cold air, and an evaporator 106 is disposed on the inner surface of the inner box 105. The freezer compartment 103 is an indirect cooling method using a blower 107, and the evaporator 108 is disposed on the inner surface of a duct 109 for constructing an air passage. Reference numeral 110 denotes an automatic ice making unit.

  2A is a cross-sectional view of the automatic ice making device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a plan cross-sectional view taken along line AB of the automatic ice making device. In FIG. 2, a water supply tank 201 for storing water and a member for supplying the water to the freezer compartment 103 side are provided on the upper part of the partition wall 104. The water supply tank 201 is a tank that changes water, has a structure that can be freely inserted into and removed from the refrigerator compartment 102, and has a suction pipe portion 202 for supplying water in the water supply tank 201. A member for supplying water to the freezer compartment 103 side is constituted by a water supply pump 203 for sucking up water from the inside of the water supply tank 201 and a pipe joint member 204 that connects the suction pipe portion 202 of the water supply tank 201. A water supply pipe 206 that leads to the water supply pump 203 and the water supply tray 205 is disposed on the side through the partition wall 104 from the back side of the water supply pump 203, and a heat insulating member 207 that insulates the water supply pipe 206 is refrigerated above the water supply pipe 206. The configuration is arranged from the room side.

  The heat insulating member 207 can suppress the intrusion heat from the freezer compartment 103 and the water supply pipe 206, and has a heat insulating thickness hmm or more (for example, 60 mm or more) to the extent that a heater is not required below the water supply tank. In addition, a heater 211 is disposed on the surface of the water supply pipe 206 and the surface of the water supply pipe 206 in order to cut the cool air that transfers heat from the air. On the other hand, on the freezer compartment 103 side, a water tray 205 for making ice and a temperature detecting means 208 for detecting the temperature in the water tray 205 are configured. An ice removing motor 209 for rotating the water tray 205 is disposed, and an ice tray 210 for receiving the formed ice is disposed below the water tray 205.

  The operation and action of the above configuration will be described below.

  Water stored in the water supply tank 201 is sucked up by the water supply pump 203, passes through the suction pipe portion 202 and the pipe joint member 204, passes through the water supply pump 203, passes through the water supply pipe 206, and is supplied to the water tray 205. The water tray 205 detects that the ice has been purified when the temperature is below a certain temperature by the temperature detection means 208 that detects the temperature in the water tray 205, and the water tray 205 is rotated and deiced by the ice removal motor 209, and the ice It is a mechanism for dropping ice into the tray 210.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the partition wall of the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment has a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment. A water supply tank foamed with urethane and placed on the partition wall, a water supply tray disposed in the freezer compartment, a water supply pump and a water supply pipe for introducing water from the water supply tank to the water supply tray are provided, and the water supply pipe is a water supply In order to make the water supply pipe detachable, the upper part of the water supply pipe of the partition wall is composed of a heat insulating member made of foam material, and the heat insulating member insulates the heat of the freezer compartment. Since the heat from the freezer compartment can be insulated by having a sufficient thickness, the heater disposed on the upper surface of the partition wall below the water supply tank can be eliminated.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the automatic ice making device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, and FIG. 3B is a plan cross-sectional view of the automatic ice making device.

  The difference from the first embodiment is that the heat insulating member 207 is disposed at least in the lower part of the water supply tank 201 and has a thickness that penetrates the partition wall 104. As a result, variations in assembly work occur, and water in the water supply tank can be prevented from freezing even when the heat insulating member 301 is not completely inserted.

(Embodiment 3)
4 (a) is a cross-sectional view of the automatic ice making device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, FIG. 4 (b) is a cross-sectional plan view taken along line AB of the automatic ice making device, and FIG. It is sectional drawing in the CD line of the automatic ice making apparatus part.

  The difference from the first embodiment is that ribs 401 are provided on the partition wall so as not to contact the heat insulating member 207 made of foam material on the upper portion of the water supply pipe 206, and the arrangement portion of the water supply tank 206 is arranged on the upper surface of the heat insulating member 207. By raising it one step from the line, the heat effect can be prevented directly from the freezer compartment, so that the water in the water supply tank can be prevented from freezing.

(Embodiment 4)
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator in the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 5, a refrigerator main body 501 includes a refrigerator compartment 502 arranged at the uppermost part, a second refrigerator compartment 503 (for example, a vegetable room, a fine fresh room, etc.) arranged at the middle part, and a freezer arranged at the lowermost part. The chamber 504 is divided into a second refrigerator compartment 503 and a freezer compartment 504 disposed at the bottom, and between the refrigerator compartment 502 and the freezer compartment 504, sufficient fluidity of urethane can be maintained. A possible wall thickness hmm or more (for example, 60 mm or more) is secured, and a partition wall 505 foamed with urethane is provided. The refrigerator compartment 502 is a room that is cooled by a direct cooling method using natural convection of cold air, and an evaporator 507 is disposed on the inner surface of the inner box 506. The freezer compartment 504 and the second refrigerator compartment 503 are an indirect cooling method using a blower 508, and are divided into an air passage led into the freezer compartment 504 and an air passage led into the second refrigerator compartment 503, and led to the second refrigerator compartment 503. The air path to be blown is controlled by a damper 509. The evaporator 510 is disposed on the inner surface of the duct 511 for constructing the air passage. The second refrigerator compartment 503 is also provided with an air duct constituting duct 512, and a part of the return air passage of the air duct constituting duct 512 is formed by the air duct constituting duct 512 at the back of the automatic ice making device 513. A suction part 514 is arranged in the lower part. Since the automatic ice making device 513 is the same as that of the first embodiment, the detailed description is omitted.

  As described above, since the temperature in the vicinity of the water supply tank rises due to the return air, the water in the water supply tank can be prevented from freezing.

(Embodiment 5)
The difference from the fourth embodiment is that the automatic ice making device of FIG. 4 shown in the third embodiment is used to prevent the influence of heat directly from the freezer, and the air sucked into the bottom surface of the water supply tank Since the contact area of the water increases, water in the water supply tank can be prevented from freezing.

  As described above, the refrigerator with an automatic ice making device according to the present invention reduces the heater input as a means for solving freezing and dew condensation, and therefore can be applied not only to a household refrigerator but also to various refrigeration devices.

Sectional drawing of the refrigerator in Embodiment 1 of this invention (A) Sectional view of the automatic ice making device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention (b) Plan sectional view taken along line AB of the automatic ice making device (A) Sectional view of the automatic ice making device in Embodiment 2 of the present invention (b) Plan sectional view of the automatic ice making device (A) Cross-sectional view of the automatic ice making device in Embodiment 3 of the present invention (b) Cross-sectional view taken along the line AB of the automatic ice making device (c) Figure Sectional drawing of the refrigerator in Embodiment 4 of this invention Cross section of conventional automatic ice making equipment A perspective view of a heater disposed on a conventional partition wall

Explanation of symbols

102 cold storage room 103 freezing room 104 partition wall 201 water supply tank 205 water supply tray 206 water supply pipe 207 heat insulation member 301 heat insulation member 401 rib 512 duct for air path calibration 514 suction part

Claims (5)

  In the configuration in which the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment or the ice making compartment are provided, the refrigerator compartment is arranged at the upper part, and the freezer compartment or the ice making department is arranged at the lower part, the partition walls of the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment are foamed with urethane, and the partition walls A water tank to be placed, a water tray placed in the freezer compartment, a water pump and a water pipe that lead water from the water tank to the water tray are disposed, and the water pipe is disposed below the water tank. The upper portion of the water supply pipe of the partition wall is made of a heat insulating member made of foam material, and the heat insulating member has a heat insulating thickness that does not require a heater below the water supply tank, and the water supply tank is A refrigerator characterized by being arranged from the side of the refrigerator compartment to be installed.   The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the heat insulating member is disposed at least in a lower portion of the water supply tank and has a thickness penetrating the partition wall.   A rib is provided on the partition wall so as not to contact a heat insulating member made of a foam material on an upper portion of the water supply pipe, and an arrangement portion of the water supply tank is raised by one step from an upper surface line of the heat insulating member. The refrigerator according to claim 1.   The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a suction portion is provided in a lower portion of a duct for constructing an air passage and in a back surface of the water supply tank.   A rib is provided on the partition wall so as not to contact a heat insulating member made of a foam material on an upper portion of the water supply pipe, and an arrangement portion of the water supply tank is raised by one step from an upper surface line of the heat insulating member. The refrigerator according to claim 4.

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