JP2020125882A - refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a user with a new method for using a rapid cooling function of a refrigerator.SOLUTION: A refrigerator 100 comprises at least a refrigerating chamber 101, an ice making chamber 102, and an upper freezing chamber 103. The refrigerator 100 receives a start instruction for a rapid cooling function of cooling food put into the upper freezing chamber 103 from a user, and starts the rapid cooling function in response to the start instruction. The rapid cooling function has at least a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, the cooling of the food is promoted by the rapid cooling function, and a center temperature of the food passes through a maximum ice crystal generation zone in approximately 30 minutes. In the second mode, a time during which the cooling of the food is promoted by the rapid cooling function is shorter than in the first mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerator.

Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a refrigerator that detects that hot food has been stored in a storage chamber automatically starts cooling the food.

JP, 2010-025532, A

The refrigerator of Patent Document 1 simply cools hot food. An object of the present invention is to provide a user with a new usage method of a new usage method of the rapid cooling function regarding the rapid cooling function of the refrigerator.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a refrigerator provided by the present invention is a refrigerator having at least a refrigerating room, an ice making room, and a storage room, and a start instruction of a rapid cooling function for cooling food put in the storage room. And a control means for starting the rapid cooling function in response to the start instruction, the rapid cooling function having at least a first mode and a second mode, and the first mode. Is a mode in which cooling of the food is promoted by the quenching function, and the central temperature of the food passes through the maximum ice crystal formation zone in about 30 minutes, and the second mode is the mode of the food by the quenching function. It is characterized in that the time during which the cooling is accelerated is shorter than the first mode.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide the user with a new method of utilizing the rapid cooling function.

It is an external view of the refrigerator 100. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the refrigerator 100. It is a figure explaining the ice making room 102 and the upper stage freezing room 103. It is a figure explaining the upper part freezer compartment 103. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an operation panel 500. It is a flowchart which shows the process which the refrigerator 100 performs.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and all combinations of the features described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the means for solving the invention.
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an external view of the refrigerator 100. The refrigerator 100 includes a plurality of storage rooms, specifically, a refrigerating room 101, an ice making room 102, an upper freezing room 103, a lower freezing room 104, and a vegetable room 105. The refrigerating chamber 101 is maintained in a refrigerating temperature zone (3°C to 6°C). The vegetable compartment 105 is maintained in a temperature zone (3° C. to 8° C.) slightly higher than the refrigerating compartment 101. The upper freezing chamber 103 and the lower freezing chamber 104 are maintained in a freezing temperature range (-20°C to -18°C). Further, inside the refrigerating chamber 101, there is provided a switching chamber 210 capable of switching between a partial temperature zone (-3°C to -1°C) and a chilled temperature zone (0°C to 2°C). The door that closes the refrigerator compartment 101 is a double door type door. Further, the doors that close the ice making chamber 102, the upper freezing chamber 103, the lower freezing chamber 104, and the vegetable chamber 105 are drawer-type doors.

Next, the air passage structure of the refrigerator 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the refrigerator 100. The left side of FIG. 2 corresponds to the front side of the refrigerator 100, and the right side of FIG. 2 corresponds to the back side of the refrigerator 100.

A compressor 201 is provided above the refrigerator 100 and on the back side of the refrigerator 100. Further, behind the lower freezing chamber 104, a cooling chamber 202 having at least a cooler 203, a cooling fan 204, and a defrost heater 205 is provided. The partition plate 206 for partitioning the refrigerating compartment 101, the ice making compartment 102, and the upper freezing compartment 103 is provided with a twin damper composed of a refrigerating compartment damper and a switching compartment damper. A part of the cool air generated by the cooler 203 is supplied to the refrigerating compartment duct 207 via the refrigerating compartment damper. Then, the cold air is supplied from the refrigerating compartment duct 207 to the refrigerating compartment 101 via the outlets 208 and 209. Further, a part of the cool air generated by the cooler 203 is supplied to the switching chamber duct via the switching chamber damper, and the cool air is supplied to the switching chamber 210 from the switching chamber duct via the discharge port. Refrigerating chamber 101 and switching chamber 210 are respectively provided with temperature sensors, and the opening/closing operations of the cooling chamber damper and the switching chamber damper are controlled based on the temperatures detected by these temperature sensors.

Further, a part of the cool air generated by the cooler 203 is supplied to the vegetable compartment duct. A vegetable compartment damper is provided in the vegetable compartment duct, and cold air is supplied to the vegetable compartment 105 via the vegetable compartment damper. The vegetable compartment 105 is provided with a temperature sensor, and the opening/closing operation of the vegetable compartment damper is controlled based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

In addition, a part of the cool air generated by the cooler 203 is supplied to the freezer compartment duct 211. Then, cold air is supplied from the freezing compartment duct 211 to the lower freezing compartment 104 via the outlets 212 and 213. Further, a discharge port 214 is provided on the upper portion of the freezing compartment duct 211 and on the back surface of the upper stage freezing compartment 103. The cold air discharged from the discharge port 214 is supplied to the ice making chamber 102 and the upper freezing chamber 103. A duct cover 301, which will be described later, is attached to the top surface of the upper freezer compartment 103 by using a screw, and the duct cover 301 forms a cool air duct 215. A quenching fan 216 is provided in front of the duct cover 301, and the cool air supplied from the discharge port 214 to the upper freezing compartment 103 is guided to the quenching fan 216 by the cool air duct 215. The method of attaching the duct cover 301 to the top surface of the upper freezer compartment 103 is not limited to screws, and other methods such as welding may be used.

Next, the upper freezer compartment 103 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a view of the ice making chamber 102 and the upper freezing chamber 103 as seen from above. FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the upper freezing compartment 103. The left side of FIG. 4 corresponds to the front side of the refrigerator 100, and the right side of FIG. 4 corresponds to the back side of the refrigerator 100.

A duct cover 301 is attached to the top surface of the upper freezing chamber 103, and a cool air duct 215 is formed in the space between the duct cover 301 and the top surface of the upper freezing chamber 103. A part of the cool air discharged from the discharge port 214 is supplied to the ice making chamber 102 as shown by an arrow 302, and a part of the cool air discharged from the discharge port 214 is supplied to the cold air flow passage 215 as shown by an arrow 303. It

A quenching fan 216 is provided in front of the cool air passage 215. When the quench fan 216 starts rotating, most of the cool air discharged from the discharge port 214 is concentrated on the quench fan 216 along the cool air passage 215. Then, the quench fan 216 discharges cool air vertically downward from the quench fan 216. This cold air is cold air in the freezing temperature range, and the user can quickly cool the food product by placing the food product under the rapid cooling fan 216. In the following description, the function of rapidly cooling using the quench fan 216 may be referred to as a quench function.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a portion of the top surface of the upper freezer compartment 103 facing the quenching fan 216 has a shape that is recessed upward. With this shape, a space 401 is formed between the quenching fan 216 and the top surface of the upper freezing chamber 103. The space 401 guides the cool air to the quench fan 216 with a low resistance.

A discharge port 304 is provided in the duct cover 301. The ejection port 304 is provided near the ejection port 214. When the quench fan 216 is stopped, the cool air supplied to the cool air passage 215 is supplied to the upper freezing chamber 103 from the discharge port 304. The cool air discharged from the discharge port 304 into the upper freezing chamber 103 flows along the surface of the duct cover 301. Thereby, the frost generated on the duct cover 301 can be removed.

The operation panel 500 of FIG. 5 is provided in the refrigerator compartment 101. The user uses the operation panel 500 to change the temperature setting of the storage room of the refrigerator 100, set the ice-making function, and input an instruction to the refrigerator 100 to execute the rapid cooling function.

The user can use the rapid cooling function at a time corresponding to any of "cooling", "quick cooling", and "quick freezing" according to the purpose of use of the user. When the user presses the rapid cooling button 501, the LED 502 corresponding to “cool” is turned on, and “5 minutes” is displayed on the display unit 505 as the rapid cooling time indicating the time for executing the rapid cooling function. Furthermore, when the user presses the rapid cooling button 501 while "5 minutes" is displayed on the display unit 505, the LED 502 is turned off and the LED 503 corresponding to "quick cooling" is turned on. Then, “10 minutes” is displayed on the display unit 505 as the quenching time. Furthermore, when the user presses the rapid cooling button 501 while "10 minutes" is displayed on the display unit 505, the LED 503 corresponding to "quick cooling" remains lit and "15 minutes" is displayed on the display unit 505 as the rapid cooling time. Is displayed. Further, when the user presses the rapid cooling button 501 while "15 minutes" is displayed on the display unit 505, the LED 503 is turned off and the LED 504 corresponding to "quick freezing" is turned on. Then, "45 minutes" is displayed on the display unit 505 as the quenching time. Further, when the user presses the quenching button 501 in a state where “45 minutes” is displayed on the display unit 505, “60 minutes” is displayed as the quenching time while the LED 504 corresponding to “quick freezing” remains lit. Is displayed in. Further, when the user presses the rapid cooling button 501 while “60 minutes” is displayed on the display unit 505, the LED 504 is turned off, and the display of the rapid cooling time on the display unit 505 ends. The state where the display unit 505 does not display the quenching time indicates that the refrigerator 100 does not execute the quenching function.

By using the operation panel 500, the user can set a desired time as a time for using the rapid cooling function of the refrigerator 100 according to his/her purpose of use. Specifically, the desired time is selected from 5 candidates corresponding to "cool", 10 minutes and 15 minutes corresponding to "quick cooling", and 45 minutes and 60 minutes corresponding to "quick freezing". Can be set. For example, when the user wants to remove the heat from the cooked food, the user may select 5 minutes corresponding to “cool”. In addition, regarding the cooling of food that has conventionally been cooled in the refrigerator room for some time, if the user wants to shorten the time required for this cooling, the user needs 10 minutes or 15 minutes corresponding to “quick cooling”. Just choose. When the user wants to freeze-store foods such as rice and meat, the user may select 45 minutes or 60 minutes corresponding to “quick freezing”.

Next, the processing when the refrigerator 100 executes the rapid cooling function will be described using the flowchart of FIG. The refrigerator 100 includes a control board including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like. Each step shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6 is realized by the CPU developing the program stored in the ROM into the RAM and executing the program.

First, in step 601, the refrigerator 100 determines whether to start the rapid cooling function. In the present embodiment, when the door of the upper freezer compartment 103 is closed while the rapid cooling time is displayed on the display unit 505 of the operation panel 500, the refrigerator 100 determines to start the rapid cooling function.

When the refrigerator 100 determines in step 601 that the rapid cooling function is started, the process proceeds to step 602. Then, in step 602, the refrigerator 100 starts the quenching function. More specifically, the refrigerator 100 specifies the quenching time designated by the user and starts the rotation of the quenching fan 216. At this time, in the refrigerator 100, the rotation speed of the cooling fan 204 is made lower than usual, further, all the refrigerator compartment damper, the switching compartment damper, and the vegetable compartment damper are closed, and further, the rotation speed of the compressor 201 is increased. By these controls, the cool air is easily concentrated on the quench fan 216, and the cooling efficiency by the quench function is improved. The display unit 505 displays the remaining time of the rapid cooling time.

Next, step 603 will be described. In step 603, the refrigerator 100 determines that the time elapsed after starting the rotation of the quench fan 216 in step 602 (this time may be referred to as elapsed time in the following description) is the quench rate specified in step 602. Determine if the time has been reached. When the refrigerator 100 determines that the elapsed time has reached the quenching time specified in step 602, the process proceeds to step 604.

Next, step 604 will be described. In step 604, the refrigerator 100 completes the quench function. More specifically, the refrigerator 100 stops the rotation of the quenching fan 216 and sends a voice message indicating that the quenching function is completed or a predetermined melody to notify the user that the quenching function is completed. At this time, the refrigerator 100 returns the rotation speed of the cooling fan 204 to the normal rotation speed, returns the control of the refrigerating compartment damper, the switching compartment damper, and the vegetable compartment damper to the normal control, and sets the rotation speed of the compressor 201 to the normal rotation speed. Return to speed.

Next, a procedure when the user uses the rapid cooling function and an effect realized by the rapid cooling function will be described. In the present embodiment, the amount of cold air discharged from the quenching fan 216 per unit time is irrespective of whether the user selects “quick freezing”, “quick cooling”, or “cooling” on the operation panel 500. And the rotation speed of the quenching fan 216 is the same.

First, a case where the user selects “quick freezing” on the operation panel 500 will be described. The user puts the food to be frozen in the upper freezing compartment 103 of the refrigerator 100. At this time, the user needs to place the food product just below the quenching fan 216. Therefore, it is desirable that the area of the bottom surface of the upper freezing compartment 103, which is located immediately below the quench fan 216, be configured so that the user can distinguish it from other areas. In addition, the food that the user puts in the upper freezer compartment 103 is assumed to be hot rice, fresh fried tempura, freshly boiled pasta, meat, and the like. Next, the user selects 45 minutes or 60 minutes corresponding to “quick freezing” by using the quick cooling button 501 on the operation panel 500, and instructs the refrigerator 100 to start the rapid cooling function by closing the door of the refrigerator compartment 101. .. The refrigerator 100 that has received the instruction to start the rapid cooling function starts the rapid cooling function in response to the start instruction. The process performed by the refrigerator 100 at this time is the process described in the flowchart of FIG.

The quench fan 216 discharges cold air to the food to accelerate the cooling of the food, and the central temperature of the food passes through the maximum ice crystal formation temperature zone (-1°C to -5°C). At this time, the time required for the central temperature of the food to pass through the maximum ice crystal formation temperature zone is about 30 minutes. If the time required for the central temperature of the food to pass through the maximum ice crystal formation temperature zone becomes long (for example, 180 minutes), the ice crystals generated outside the cells of the food become large, and the damage of the cells by the ice crystals may occur. It will grow. If the damage to the cells becomes large, for example, drip may occur during thawing, which may cause discomfort in the taste and texture of the food after thawing. On the other hand, if the cooling capacity is strengthened so that the time required for the central temperature of food to pass through the maximum ice crystal formation temperature range becomes shorter (for example, several seconds), ice nuclei are formed inside the cells, leading to cell destruction. .. This causes discomfort in the taste and texture of the thawed food. By setting the time required for the central temperature of food to pass through the maximum ice crystal formation temperature zone to be about 30 minutes, the ice crystals generated outside the cells of the food will have a fine size, and the taste of the food after thawing And the texture can be brought closer to the taste and texture of the food before freezing.

Next, a case where the user selects “quick cooling” on the operation panel 500 will be described. The user puts the food to be cooled in the upper freezer compartment 103 of the refrigerator 100. Here, the food that the user puts in the upper freezing compartment 103 is assumed to be food (eg, teriyaki chicken) soaked in a seasoning liquid containing salt, sugar, and the like. Next, the user selects 10 minutes or 15 minutes corresponding to “quick cooling” using the quick cooling button 501 of the operation panel 500, and instructs the refrigerator 100 to start the rapid cooling function by closing the door of the refrigerating room 101. The refrigerator 100 that has received the instruction to start the rapid cooling function starts the rapid cooling function in response to the start instruction. The process executed by the refrigerator 100 at this time is the process described in the flowchart of FIG.

The quench fan 216 discharges cold air to the food, so that the surface of the food is slightly frozen. When the surface of the food is in a slightly frozen state, the penetration of the seasoning liquid into the food is promoted, and the food is soaked in the taste. For example, when the food to be cooled is meat, fine ice crystals are generated on the surface of the meat, and the ice crystals form gaps in the muscle fibers to promote the penetration of the seasoning liquid.

Next, a case where the user selects “cool” on the operation panel 500 will be described. The user puts the food to be cooled in the upper freezer compartment 103 of the refrigerator 100. Next, the user selects 5 minutes corresponding to “cool” using the rapid cooling button 501 of the operation panel 500, and closes the door of the refrigerating room 101 to instruct the refrigerator 100 to start the rapid cooling function. The refrigerator 100 that has received the instruction to start the rapid cooling function starts the rapid cooling function in response to the start instruction. The process performed by the refrigerator 100 at this time is the process described in the flowchart of FIG.

The quench fan 216 discharges cold air to the food, which promotes the cooling of the food. In the present embodiment, the rapid cooling fan 216 can be used in a short time to cool the food, which has been conventionally performed by placing the food in a refrigerating room or a freezing room.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the user uses the quick cooling function of the refrigerator 100 in one of the “cooling”, “quick cooling”, and “quick freezing” modes according to the purpose of use of the user. can do.

100 Refrigerator 103 Upper freezer 215 Cold air duct 216 Quenching fan 500 Operation panel

Claims (4)

A refrigerator having at least a refrigerating room, an ice making room, and a storage room,
Receiving means for accepting from the user an instruction to start the rapid cooling function for cooling the food put in the storage room,
A control means for starting the rapid cooling function in response to the start instruction,
The quenching function has at least a first mode and a second mode,
The first mode is a mode in which cooling of the food is promoted by the rapid cooling function, and the central temperature of the food passes through the maximum ice crystal formation zone in about 30 minutes,
The refrigerator according to the second mode is characterized in that a time period during which the cooling of the food is accelerated by the rapid cooling function is shorter than that in the first mode. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the second mode is a mode in which the surface of the food is frozen slightly by the quenching function. The quenching function further has a third mode,
The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the third mode is a mode in which the cooling time of the food by the rapid cooling function is shorter than that in the second mode. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising notifying means for notifying a user of the completion of the rapid cooling function when the rapid cooling function is completed.

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