JP2024062082A - refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator in which a compressor can be suitably arranged.SOLUTION: A refrigerator comprises a main body for forming storage chambers, and a door for openably closing an opening part of the main body, and is provided with a compressor to be used for cooling of the storage chambers. The storage chambers are provided in the order of a first storage chamber, a second storage chamber, and a third storage chamber from the upper side. At least a portion of the compressor is provided behind the second storage chamber. The main body comprises a front heat insulation wall, an upper heat insulation wall, and a lower heat insulation wall for covering the compressor from the front side, the upper side, and the lower side, and formed of a heat insulation material. The heat insulation effect of the lower heat insulation wall is higher than that of the front heat insulation wall and the upper heat insulation wall.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a refrigerator.

Most refrigerators have a compressor at the bottom of the main body that forms the storage compartment. Insulation is required around the compressor. In the case of refrigerators with a freezer compartment located at the bottom, the thickness of the insulation between the freezer compartment and the compressor becomes thicker, reducing the capacity of the freezer compartment and reducing volumetric efficiency. There is also a known refrigerator in which the storage compartment is divided by a door into two levels, one above the other, and the compressor is located in the vertical center behind the storage compartment. However, in recent refrigerators, the storage compartment tends to be divided into three or more levels, and there is still room for improvement in terms of efficiently arranging the compressor.

JP 2007-178103 A

The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a refrigerator that allows the compressor to be conveniently positioned.

The refrigerator of the embodiment is configured to include a main body forming a storage compartment, a door that can be opened and closed to cover an opening of the main body, and a compressor used to cool the storage compartment. The storage compartments are arranged in the order of a first storage compartment, a second storage compartment, and a third storage compartment from the top, and the first storage compartment, the second storage compartment, and the third storage compartment are each separated by a different door. At least a part of the compressor is arranged behind the second storage compartment.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line F1-F1 of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the refrigerator seen diagonally from the rear. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the cooling unit shown in FIG. 3 . FIG. 13 is a front view of a refrigerator according to a second embodiment. A cross-sectional view taken along line F2-F2 of the refrigerator shown in Figure 5.

First Embodiment
Hereinafter, a refrigerator according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, components having the same or similar functions are denoted by the same reference numerals. Further, duplicated descriptions of those components may be omitted.

In this specification, left and right are defined based on the direction in which the refrigerator is viewed from a user standing in front of the refrigerator. Additionally, the side closer to the user standing in front of the refrigerator is defined as the "front," and the side furthest from the user is defined as the "rear." In this specification, "width direction" means the left-right direction as defined above. In this specification, "depth direction" means the front-rear direction as defined above. In this specification, "width direction" means the left-right direction as defined above. In this specification, "up-down direction" means the height direction of the refrigerator.

Refrigerator 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. First, the overall configuration of refrigerator 1 will be described. However, refrigerator 1 does not need to have all of the configurations described below, and some of the configurations may be omitted as appropriate.

Figure 1 is a front view of refrigerator 1. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of refrigerator 1 taken along line F1-F1 in Figure 1. Refrigerator 1 includes, for example, a main body 10 and multiple doors 20.

The main body 10 has an upper wall 10a, a lower wall 10b, left and right side walls 10c and 10d, and a rear wall 10e (see FIG. 2). The upper wall 10a and the lower wall 10b extend horizontally. The left and right side walls 10c and 10d rise upward from the left and right ends of the lower wall 10b and are connected to the left and right ends of the upper wall 10a. The left side wall 10c includes a left side wall portion that is exposed to the vegetable room 11B described below and forms the left side of the vegetable room 11B. The right side wall 10d includes a right side wall portion that is exposed to the vegetable room 11B and forms the right side of the vegetable room 11B. The rear wall 10e rises upward from the rear end of the lower wall 10b and is connected to the rear end of the upper wall 10a.

The main body 10 includes an inner box 10i that forms the inner surface of the main body 10, an outer box 10j that is located outside the inner box 10i and forms the outer surface of the main body 10, and a foam insulation material 10k such as urethane foam that is provided between the inner box 10i and the outer box 10j (see FIG. 2), and has thermal insulation properties. As shown in FIG. 2, plate-shaped vacuum insulation plates 55A and 55B are provided in the insulation space between the inner box 10i and the outer box 10j in the rear wall 10e. The vacuum insulation plates 55A and 55B are disposed in two locations, on the back side of the refrigerator compartment 11A and the back side of the freezer compartment. That is, the vacuum insulation plates 55A and 55B disposed at the top and bottom are disposed above and below, respectively, sandwiching the cooling unit 60 described later.

The main body 10 is provided with a plurality of storage compartments 11. The plurality of storage compartments 11 include, for example, a refrigerator compartment 11A (first storage compartment), a chilled compartment 11Aa (first storage compartment), a vegetable compartment 11B (second storage compartment), an ice-making compartment 11C, a small freezer compartment 11D, and a main freezer compartment 11E. The refrigerator compartment 11A is cooled, for example, to a chilled temperature range of about 2°C to 6°C. The chilled compartment 11Aa is cooled, for example, to a chilled temperature range of about -1°C to +1°C. The vegetable compartment 11B is cooled, for example, to a vegetable compartment temperature range of about 3°C to 7°C. The ice-making compartment 11C, the small freezer compartment 11D, and the main freezer compartment 11E are freezer compartments (third storage compartments), and are cooled, for example, to a freezer temperature range of about -20°C to -18°C.

In this embodiment, the refrigerator compartment 11A is arranged in the upper space, the vegetable compartment 11B is arranged below the refrigerator compartment 11A, the ice-making compartment 11C and the small freezer compartment 11D are arranged below the vegetable compartment 11B, and the main freezer compartment 11E is arranged below the ice-making compartment 11C and the small freezer compartment 11D. However, the arrangement of the storage compartments 11 is not limited to the above example. The main body 10 has an opening on the front side of each storage compartment 11 that allows food to be put in and taken out of each storage compartment 11. The vegetable compartment 11B is an example of a storage compartment. The refrigerator compartment 11A, the vegetable compartment 11B, and the freezer compartment (the small freezer compartment 11D, the main freezer compartment 11E) of the storage compartment 11 are each separated by a heat-insulating wall, and a different door 20 is provided for each compartment. That is, the refrigerator compartment 11A, the vegetable compartment 11B, and the freezer compartment (small freezer compartment 11D, main freezer compartment 11E) are separated by different doors 20 (refrigerator compartment doors 20Aa, 20Ab, vegetable compartment door 20B, ice-making compartment door 20C, small freezer compartment door 20D, and main freezer compartment door 20E, which will be described later).

The chilled compartment 11Aa is located in a section below the refrigerator compartment 11A. The chilled compartment 11Aa is an example of a "special storage compartment." In this specification, a "special storage compartment" is a storage compartment with a lower temperature range than the refrigerator compartment and a higher temperature range than the freezer compartment. The "special storage compartment" is not limited to the chilled compartment 11Aa, but may be a partial compartment that is cooled to a partial temperature range (approximately -4°C to -2°C). For this reason, "chilled compartment 11Aa" in the following description may be read as "special storage compartment" or "partial compartment."

The main body 10 has a first partition 15 and a second partition 16 (see FIG. 2). The first partition 15 and the second partition 16 are, for example, partition walls that are approximately horizontal. The first partition 15 is located between the refrigerator compartment 11A and the chilled compartment 11Aa and the vegetable compartment 11B, and separates the refrigerator compartment 11A and the chilled compartment 11Aa from the vegetable compartment 11B. For example, the first partition 15 is a partition wall that does not have thermal insulation. The first partition 15 may be provided integrally with the main body 10, or may be provided separately from the main body 10 and attached to the main body 10. The first partition 15 has an air hole that guides the cold air that has passed through the refrigerator compartment 11A or the chilled compartment 11Aa to the vegetable compartment 11B. On the other hand, the second partition 16 is located between the vegetable compartment 11B and the ice-making compartment 11C and small freezer compartment 11D, and separates the vegetable compartment 11B from the ice-making compartment 11C and small freezer compartment 11D. The second partition 16 is, for example, integral with the main body 10 and has thermal insulation properties.

The first partition 15 and the second partition 16 are made of molded insulation material such as bead-type polystyrene foam (EPS), but may also be manufactured by pouring foam insulation material such as urethane into the outer shell of the partitions when the refrigerator 1 is manufactured.

As shown in FIG. 1, the multiple storage compartments 11 are closed by multiple doors 20 so that they can be opened and closed. The multiple doors 20 include, for example, left and right refrigerator compartment doors 20Aa and 20Ab that close the opening of the refrigerator compartment 11A, a vegetable compartment door 20B that closes the opening of the vegetable compartment 11B, an ice-making compartment door 20C that closes the opening of the ice-making compartment 11C, a small freezer compartment door 20D that closes the opening of the small freezer compartment 11D, and a main freezer compartment door 20E that closes the opening of the main freezer compartment 11E. The left and right refrigerator compartment doors 20Aa and 20Ab form, for example, French doors (double doors). Each of the vegetable compartment door 20B, the ice-making compartment door 20C, the small freezer compartment door 20D, and the main freezer compartment door 20E is a pull-out door that can be pulled out to the front side of the refrigerator 1.

Here, the vegetable compartment door 20B will be described in detail. The vegetable compartment door 20B includes, for example, a door body 21 and a rail member (not shown). The door body 21 is located outside the main body 10 and faces the opening of the vegetable compartment 11B from the front side of the refrigerator 1. The door body 21 has an outer shape larger than the opening of the vegetable compartment 11B and closes the opening of the vegetable compartment 11B in an openable and closable manner. The upper end of the door body 21 is provided with a handle that a user can hold when opening the vegetable compartment door 20B. The rail member is attached to the inner surface (rear surface) of the door body 21 and extends rearward from the door body 21. The rail member 22 is supported by rail receiving portions provided on the left and right side walls of the main body 10. As a result, the vegetable compartment door 20B can slide in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1 relative to the main body 10.

As shown in FIG. 2, the refrigerator 1 includes, for example, a plurality of shelves 30, a plurality of containers 40, a flow path forming component 50, a cooling unit 60, and a control board 17.

Multiple shelves 30 are arranged in the refrigerator compartment 11A.

The multiple containers 40 include first and second chilled compartment containers 41, 42 housed in chilled compartment 11Aa, first and second vegetable compartment containers 43, 44 housed in vegetable compartment 11B, an ice-making compartment container (not shown) housed in ice-making compartment 11C, a small freezer container 46 housed in small freezer compartment 11D, and first and second main freezer containers 47, 48 housed in main freezer compartment 11E.

First, the first and second chilled chamber containers 41, 42 will be described. The first chilled chamber container 41 is the lower container of the two-tiered chilled chamber containers 41, 42. The second chilled chamber container 42 is the upper container of the two-tiered chilled chamber containers 41, 42. The second chilled chamber container 42 is located above the first chilled chamber container 41. The first and second chilled chamber containers 41, 42 can each be pulled out independently forward. It is noted that only one chilled chamber container may be placed in the chilled chamber 11Aa.

Next, the first and second vegetable compartment containers 43, 44 will be described. The first vegetable compartment container 43 is the lower one of the two-tiered vegetable compartment containers 43, 44. The first vegetable compartment container 43 is supported by the vegetable compartment door 20B and can be pulled out to the front side of the refrigerator 1 together with the vegetable compartment door 20B. The front end 43a of the first vegetable compartment container 43 is located near the door body 21 of the vegetable compartment door 20B. Meanwhile, the rear end 43b of the first vegetable compartment container 43 is located near the rear wall 10e of the main body 10 when the first vegetable compartment container 43 is housed in the vegetable compartment 11B.

The second vegetable compartment container 44 is the upper one of the two-tiered vegetable compartment containers 43, 44. The second vegetable compartment container 44 is disposed above the first vegetable compartment container 43. The dimension of the second vegetable compartment container 44 in the front-to-rear direction of the refrigerator 1 is smaller than the dimension of the first vegetable compartment container 43 in the same direction.

The flow path forming part 50 includes a refrigeration duct 51 and a freezing duct 52. The refrigeration duct 51 is provided in the refrigeration chambers 11A and 11B in the main body 10 and extends vertically along the rear wall 10e. The refrigeration duct 51 forms a first duct space D1, which is a passage through which cold air flows, near the rear wall 10e of the main body 10. In this specification, the term "duct" is not limited to a cylindrical part, and may include a part that defines at least a part of the cold air passage by cooperating with another part (e.g., the rear wall 10e of the main body 10). For example, the refrigeration duct 51 in this embodiment is a plate-shaped cover member that is attached to the rear wall 10e of the main body 10 and forms the first duct space D1 between the rear wall 10e of the main body 10.

The refrigeration duct 51 has a cold air outlet 51a and a cold air return port 51b. The cold air outlet 51a supplies cold air cooled by a refrigeration heat exchanger (not shown) to the space of the refrigerator compartment 11A and the chilled compartment 11Aa. The cold air return port 51b opens into the vegetable compartment 11B and guides the cold air that has been warmed by passing through the refrigerator compartment 11A and the vegetable compartment 11B toward the first duct space D1.

The refrigeration duct 51 is preferably made of an insulator having a thickness of 1 mm or more, which is sufficient to ensure basic insulation. Specifically, the refrigeration duct 51 may be made of a resin such as polypropylene (PP) or ABS.

The freezing duct 52 is provided in the freezing chambers 11C, 11D, and 11E in the main body 10, and extends vertically along the rear wall 10e. The freezing duct 52 forms a second duct space D2, which is a passage through which the cold air E flows, near the rear wall 10e of the main body 10. The freezing duct 52 has a cold air outlet 52a and a cold air return port 52b. The cold air outlet 52a opens into the ice making chamber 11C, the small freezing chamber 11D, or the main freezing chamber 11E, and supplies the cold air E cooled by the freezing cooler 64 described below to the ice making chamber 11C, the small freezing chamber 11D, or the main freezing chamber 11E. The cold air return port 52b opens into the lower part of the main freezing chamber 11E, and guides the cold air that has been warmed by passing through one or more of the ice making chamber 11C, the small freezing chamber 11D, and the main freezing chamber 11E to the duct space D2.

The cooling unit 60 (compressor assembly) is located behind the vegetable compartment 11B, and the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 61 is supplied to the first duct space D1 and the second duct space D2, and is used in the cooling cycle to cool the refrigerator compartment 11A, the vegetable compartment 11B, the ice-making compartment 11C, the small freezer compartment 11D, and the main freezer compartment 11E.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the refrigerator 1 seen diagonally from the rear, showing the state in which the cooling unit 60 is assembled. As shown in Figure 3, the cooling unit 60 includes, for example, a compressor 61, a condenser 62, and a cooling fan 63 (blower). That is, the compressor 61 is provided behind the vegetable compartment 11B. The compressor 61 is provided in a position below the chilled compartment 11Aa, which has a lower temperature range than the refrigerator compartment 11A and a higher temperature range than the freezer compartment 11C, and above the refrigerator compartment 11A (see Figure 2).

The cooling unit 60 is provided with a plate-shaped support plate 67 that extends in the width direction. A compressor 61, a condenser 62, and a cooling fan 63 are integrally assembled on the upper surface of the support plate 67. The cooling unit 60 is attached to a storage section 10h that has an opening on the rear side at the rear side of the vegetable compartment 11B in the rear wall 10e. In other words, the cooling unit 60 is provided so that it can be easily attached to the storage section 10h from the rear.

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the cooling unit 60 shown in Figure 3. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the rear wall 10e covers the front, upper and lower sides of the compressor 61, and has a front insulating wall 101, an upper insulating wall 102 and a lower insulating wall 103 filled with foamed insulating material 56 (first insulating material) such as urethane foam. The front insulating wall 101, the upper insulating wall 102 and the lower insulating wall 103 form a U-shaped storage section 10h with an opening on the rear side when viewed from the width direction.

The front insulation wall 101, the upper insulation wall 102, and the lower insulation wall 103 may be integral or separate. The height of the lower surface 103a of the lower insulation wall 103 is approximately the same as the height of the lower surface 16a of the second partition 16. The second partition 16 extends forward from the front part 103b of the lower insulation wall 103 (and/or the lower part of the front insulation wall 101). In this embodiment, the second partition 16 and the lower insulation wall 103 are provided separately, but the lower insulation wall 103 may be a part of the second partition 16. The height of the lower surface 103a of the lower insulation wall 103 does not need to be approximately the same as the height of the lower surface 16a of the second partition 16, and it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the second partition 16 extends from a position higher than the lower surface 103a of the lower insulation wall 103 (for example, the front part 101a of the front insulation wall 101). In this case, the lower surface 16a of the second partition 16 is positioned higher than the lower surface 103a of the lower insulation wall 103. In this way, it is preferable that the partition 16 overlaps at least a portion of any of the front insulation wall 101, the upper insulation wall 102, and the lower insulation wall 103 in the front-to-rear direction.

The lower insulating wall 103 has a higher insulating effect than the front insulating wall 101 and the upper insulating wall 102. As shown in FIG. 4, the thickness t3 of the foam insulating material 56C forming the lower insulating wall 103 is greater than the thickness t1 of the foam insulating material 56A forming the front insulating wall 101 and the thickness t2 of the foam insulating material 56B forming the upper insulating wall 102. In addition, the insulating rate of the foam insulating material 56C of the lower insulating wall 103 is greater than the insulating rate of the second partition 16 between the vegetable compartment 11B and the freezer compartments 11C, 11D, and 11E.

The thickness t3 of the foam insulation material 56 of the lower insulation wall 103 is greater than the thickness t4 of the foam insulation material 57 (first insulation material) provided in the second partition 16. The insulation rate of the foam insulation material 56C of the lower insulation wall 103 is greater than that of the second partition 16. In this embodiment, the thickness is proportional to the insulation effect, but this is not limited to this. In short, as described above, it is sufficient that the lower insulation wall 103 has a higher insulation effect than the front insulation wall 101 and the upper insulation wall 102. For example, even if the thickness t3 of the lower insulation wall 103 is the same as or thinner than the thickness t1 of the front insulation wall 101 and the thickness t2 of the upper insulation wall 102, it is sufficient that the insulation effect of the lower insulation wall 103 is higher than that of the front insulation wall 101 and the upper insulation wall 102.

At least the front insulation wall 101 is not provided with a vacuum insulation material. The upper insulation wall 102 and the lower insulation wall 103 are also not provided with a vacuum insulation material. Note that a vacuum insulation material (second insulation material) may be provided in any of the front insulation wall 101, the upper insulation wall 102, and the lower insulation wall 103. Here, the "vacuum insulation material" is also called a VIP (Vacuum Insulation Panel), and is, for example, an insulation material including an outer packaging material forming a bag and a core material sealed and contained in the outer packaging material under reduced pressure. The core material is, for example, a fiber material such as glass wool, or a porous material such as a foam. Furthermore, it is also possible to adopt a specific insulation material (second insulation material) including one or more of aerogel, xerogel, and cryogel instead of the vacuum insulation material.

As shown in FIG. 2, a freezer cooler 64 and a cooling fan 66 are disposed on the rear of the freezer compartments 11C, 11D, and 11E below the compressor 61. The freezer cooler 64 is disposed in the second duct space D2. The freezer cooler 64 is supplied with the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 61 and cools the cold air flowing through the second duct space D2. When the cooling fan 66 is driven, the cold air cooled by the freezer cooler 64 is supplied from the cold air outlet 52a to the freezer compartments (ice-making compartment 11C, small freezer compartment 11D, and main freezer compartment 11E). An evaporator dish 65 is also provided at the rear lower portion of the refrigerator 1.

The control board 17 shown in FIG. 1 controls the entire refrigerator 1. For example, the control board 17 controls the operation of the cooling unit 60 and the compressor based on the detection results of temperature sensors (not shown) installed in the multiple storage compartments 11. The control board 17 is preferably placed in a location that can avoid moisture. In this embodiment, it is placed on the rear outer box 10j above the refrigerator compartment 11A.

Next, we will explain the operation and function of refrigerator 1.

The refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment includes a main body 10 that forms a storage compartment 11, a door 20 that can be opened and closed to cover an opening of the main body 10, and a compressor 61 used to cool the storage compartment 11. The storage compartment 11 is provided in the order of refrigerator compartment 11A, vegetable compartment 11B, and freezer compartments 11C, 11D, and 11E from the top. The refrigerator compartment 11A, vegetable compartment 11B, and freezer compartments 11C, 11D, and 11E are each provided with the compartments separated by different doors 20. At least a part of the compressor 61 is provided behind the vegetable compartment 11B.

In general, the temperature difference between the refrigerator compartment and the machine compartment equipped with the compressor is smaller than the temperature difference between the freezer compartment and the machine compartment. The refrigerant compressed by the compressor 61 arranged behind the vegetable compartment 11B is evaporated when passing through the cooler, lowering the temperature of the cooler and cooling the air in the first duct space D1 and the second duct space D2. The cold air passing through the first duct D1 cools the refrigerator compartment 11A and the vegetable compartment 11B. At this time, the cold air passing through the refrigerator compartment 11A and the vegetable compartment 11B flows in contact with the insulating walls (front insulating wall 101, upper insulating wall 102, lower insulating wall 103) covering the compressor 61. The cold air passing through the second duct D2 cools the freezer compartments 11C, 11D, and 11E. At this time, the cold air passing through the freezer compartments 11C, 11D, and 11E flows without directly contacting the insulating walls (front insulating wall 101, upper insulating wall 102, and lower insulating wall 103) that cover the compressor 61.

In this way, in the refrigerator 1 equipped with three storage compartments 11 (from the top: refrigerator compartment 11A, vegetable compartment 11B, freezer compartments 11C, 11D, 11E), the compressor 61 is disposed behind the vegetable compartment 11B (second storage compartment) located in the center in the vertical direction, so that the insulation thickness of the insulation walls (front insulation wall 101, upper insulation wall 102, lower insulation wall 103) around the compressor 61 can be made thin. Therefore, the reduction in the capacity of the storage compartment (vegetable compartment 11B) located in front of the compressor 61 can be kept small, and the capacity efficiency of the lower storage compartments (here, freezer compartments 11C, 11D, 11E) that do not have a compressor 61 behind the main body 10 can be greatly ensured. In this way, in this embodiment, the lowest storage compartment (freezer compartment) of the three storage compartments provided in the vertical direction can be effectively used.

In addition, in this embodiment, the compressor 61 is located behind the vegetable compartment 11B, which is located in the vertical center of the main body 10, so the capacity of the lowest storage compartment 11 (here, freezer compartments 11C, 11D, and 11E) can be easily increased while preventing the center of gravity from becoming too high. Therefore, in the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the center of gravity from becoming too high, as would be the case if the compressor 61 were provided on the ceiling surface of the refrigerator, and the possibility of the refrigerator tipping over can be reduced.

In addition, in this embodiment, the main body 10 covers the front, upper and lower sides of the compressor 61, and has a front insulating wall 101, an upper insulating wall 102 and a lower insulating wall 103 formed from foam insulating material 56. The lower insulating wall 103 has a higher insulating effect than the front insulating wall 101 and the upper insulating wall 102.

The storage chamber below the lower insulating wall is prone to trapping heat from the compressor. In this embodiment, by increasing the insulating effect of the lower insulating wall 103 that contacts the freezing temperature zone below the compressor 61, the heat from the compressor 61 is less likely to be transmitted to the freezing chambers 11C, 11D, and 11E, eliminating the problem of heat trapping in the freezing chambers 11C, 11D, and 11E.

In the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment, the thickness of the lower insulating wall 103 is greater than the thickness of the front insulating wall 101 and the upper insulating wall 102.

In this case, by making the thickness of the lower insulating wall 103, which is in contact with the freezing temperature zone at the bottom of the compressor 61, thicker than the front insulating wall 101 and the upper insulating wall 102, the heat from the compressor 61 is less likely to be transmitted to the freezing chambers 11C, 11D, and 11E, and the problem of heat building up in the freezing chambers 11C, 11D, and 11E can be eliminated.

In the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment, the thickness of the lower insulating wall 103 is greater than the thickness t4 of the second partition 16 formed by the foam insulating material 57 between the vegetable compartment 11B and the freezer compartments 11C, 11D, and 11E.

In this case, by increasing only the thickness t3 of the foam insulation material 56C of the lower insulation wall 103 that contacts the freezing temperature zone below the compressor 61, it is possible to achieve a heat insulating effect for the freezer compartments 11C, 11D, and 11E. On the other hand, the thickness t4 of the foam insulation material 57 of the second partition 16 that does not directly contact the compressor 61 can be made thinner than the lower insulation wall 103, and it can be arranged without significantly reducing the capacity of the refrigerator compartment 11A and the vegetable compartment 11B. In addition, by increasing the thickness t3 of the lower insulation wall 103 on the lower side of the compressor 61, it is possible to ensure rigidity capable of supporting the large weight of the compressor 61 and to sufficiently absorb the vibration of the compressor 61. Furthermore, since the lower insulation wall 103 is thicker than the first partition 15, when the foam insulation material is filled during manufacturing, the foam insulation material easily flows from the back of the refrigerator 1 to the first partition 15 side through the thicker lower insulation wall 103, and it is possible to fill it reliably.

For example, the following method can be used to fill the partition with foam insulation while ensuring upper and lower cold air passages. That is, when manufacturing the second partition 16 by filling with foam insulation such as urethane foam, a filling section that connects the second partition 16 and the lower insulation wall 103 with the foamed urethane and connects them to each other at the time of filling is provided in the gap between the second partition 16 and the lower insulation wall 103, and a cylindrical member that forms a cold air passage that connects the upper and lower chambers of the second partition 16 is provided. Then, the second partition 16 and the filling section can be manufactured from urethane foam by pouring the foamed urethane into the second partition 16 through the filling section while passing through the lower insulation wall 103, and the provision of the cylindrical member can also ensure a cold air passage, ensuring the flow of cold air from the bottom to the top (refrigerator chamber 11A side) of the partition 16.

According to the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, the insulating material is at least one of a foam insulating material made of urethane foam and a second insulating material (vacuum insulating material or specific insulating material) having higher insulating properties than the foam insulating material. For example, according to the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, the front insulating wall 101 may be provided with a second insulating material, which is a vacuum insulating material or a specific insulating material.

In this case, during manufacturing, the upper insulating wall 102 and the lower insulating wall 103 can be filled with foam insulating material from the back of the refrigerator 1.

In the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment, the upper insulating wall 102 and the lower insulating wall 103 are provided with foam insulating material.

In this case, during manufacturing, the upper insulating wall 102 and the lower insulating wall 103 can be filled with foam insulating material from the back of the refrigerator 1.

The refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment is formed as a cooling unit 60 that is an integral combination of at least a compressor 61, a condenser 62, and a cooling fan 63. The cooling unit 60 is provided so as to be attachable from the rear to the rear wall 10e of the main body 10.

In this case, since the compressor 61 and other components installed in the refrigerator 1 require pipe welding, by combining the compressor 61, condenser 62, and cooling fan 63 into a single unit as in this embodiment, the installation and welding work on the line can be reduced, and work efficiency can be improved.

In the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment, the compressor 61 is located at a lower position than the chilled compartment 11Aa, which is a part of the storage compartment 11 and has a lower temperature range than the refrigerator compartment 11A and a higher temperature range than the freezer compartments 11C, 11D, and 11E, and at a higher position than the freezer compartments 11C, 11D, and 11E.

In this case, the vegetable compartment 11B can be placed between the refrigerator compartment 11A, which is equipped with the chilled compartment 11Aa, and the freezer compartments 11C, 11D, and 11E, and the compressor 61 can be placed behind the vegetable compartment 11B. In other words, this is suitable for providing a vegetable compartment 11B with a relatively small capacity, as in this embodiment.

It can also be applied to a refrigerator in which a freezer compartment is located below the refrigerator compartment 11A and is provided as a storage compartment in the vertical center, and a vegetable compartment is located below the freezer compartment. In this case, the compressor 61 can be placed behind the freezer compartment. In other words, it is suitable for cases in which a relatively small capacity freezer compartment is provided.

According to at least one of the embodiments described above, it is possible to provide a refrigerator that allows the compressor to be appropriately positioned.

Second Embodiment
FIG. 5 is a front view showing the refrigerator 1A according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator 1A shown in FIG. 1 along the line F2-F2. The storage compartment 11 of the refrigerator 1A according to the second embodiment includes a refrigerator compartment 11A incorporating a chilled compartment 11Aa and a vegetable compartment 11B, a first freezer compartment (ice-making compartment 11C, small freezer compartment 11D) located below the refrigerator compartment 11A and in the vertical center of the back surface of the main body 10, and a second freezer compartment (middle freezer compartment 11F, main freezer compartment 11E) located below the first freezer compartment. The vegetable compartment 11B is located below the refrigerator compartment 11A. The middle freezer compartment 11F is located between the ice-making compartment 11C and the small freezer compartment 11D and the main freezer compartment 11F. The first partition 18 is located between the refrigerator compartment 11A and the ice-making compartment 11C and the small freezer compartment 11D. The second partition 19 is arranged between the ice making compartment 11C and the small freezing compartment 11D and the medium freezing compartment 11F.

As shown in FIG. 6, the cooling unit 60 equipped with the compressor 61 is disposed behind the ice-making compartment 11C and the small freezer compartment 11D. The compressor 61 is accommodated in the accommodation section 10h surrounded by the front insulation wall 101, the upper insulation wall 102, and the lower insulation wall 103. The thickness t2 of the foam insulation material 56B of the upper insulation wall 102 is smaller than the thicknesses t1 and t3 of the foam insulation materials 56A and 56C of the front insulation wall 101 and the lower insulation wall 103.

Therefore, by only thinning the thickness of the foam insulation material 56B of the upper insulation wall 102 that contacts the refrigeration temperature zone above the compressor 61, it is possible to achieve an insulating effect for the freezer compartments 11C, 11D, 11E, and 11F and to arrange it without significantly reducing the capacity of the refrigerator compartment 11A. Also, by increasing the thickness of the lower insulation wall 103 on the lower side of the compressor 61, it is possible to ensure the rigidity required to support the large weight of the compressor 61 and to sufficiently absorb the vibrations of the compressor 61.

The second partition 19 is a separate member from the front insulation wall 101, the upper insulation wall 102, and the lower insulation wall 103. Therefore, the second partition 19 can be made into a highly insulating structure using only the vacuum insulation material 58 (second insulation material) or a combination of the vacuum insulation material and the foam insulation material.

Although an embodiment of the present invention has been described, this embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are within the scope of the invention and its equivalents as set forth in the claims, as well as the scope and gist of the invention.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the rear wall 10e of the main body 10 has the front insulation wall 101, the upper insulation wall 102, and the lower insulation wall 103 that cover the front, upper, and lower sides of the compressor 61 and have the foam insulation material 56 inside, but the shape and configuration of the storage section 10h of the compressor 61 are not limited to this. In addition, in this embodiment, the thickness of the foam insulation material 56C of the lower insulation wall 103 is set to a dimension larger than the thicknesses of the foam insulation materials 56A and 56C of the front insulation wall 101 and the upper insulation wall 102, but there is no limitation to such a thickness dimension. Furthermore, there is no limitation to the thickness of the foam insulation material 56C of the lower insulation wall 103 being larger than the thickness of the foam insulation material 57 provided in the first partition section 15 between the vegetable compartment 11A and the freezer compartment.

In addition, in this embodiment, the refrigeration cooler 64 is provided below the compressor 61, but the coolers may be provided above and below the compressor 61.

In addition, in this embodiment, the compressor 61, condenser 62, and cooling fan 63 (blower) are combined together to form a cooling unit 60 as a compressor assembly, but the present invention is not limited to forming the compressor 61 as a unit in this manner.

The storage compartments 11 located in front of the compressor 61 provided in the vertical center of the back of the main body 10 are the vegetable compartment 11B in the first embodiment and the ice-making compartment 11C and small freezer compartment 11D in the second embodiment, but are not limited to these storage compartments 11. For example, the compressor 61 may be located at the lower back of the refrigerator compartment 11A that only has a chilled compartment 11Aa.

Furthermore, the configuration and partitions of the refrigerator storage compartment are not limited to this embodiment.

1, 1A...refrigerator, 10...main body, 10e...rear wall, 10h...storage section, 11...storage compartment, 11A...refrigerator compartment (storage compartment, first storage compartment), 11Aa...chilled compartment (first storage compartment), 11B...vegetable compartment (storage compartment, second storage compartment), 11C...ice maker compartment (storage compartment, third storage compartment), 11D...small freezer compartment (storage compartment, third storage compartment), 11E...main freezer compartment (storage compartment, third storage compartment), 11F...medium freezer compartment (storage compartment) , 15...first partition, 16...second partition, 101...front insulation wall, 102...upper insulation wall, 103...lower insulation wall, 20...door, 56, 56A-56C...foam insulation material (first insulation material), 57...foam insulation material (second insulation material), 58...vacuum insulation material (second insulation material), 60...cooling unit (compressor assembly), 61...compressor, 62...condenser, 63...cooling fan (blower), 64...refrigeration cooler.

Claims (13)

A refrigerator comprising a main body forming a storage compartment, a door for closing an opening of the main body in an openable and closable manner, and a compressor for cooling the storage compartment,
The storage chambers are provided in the order of a first storage chamber, a second storage chamber, and a third storage chamber from the top,
The first storage chamber, the second storage chamber, and the third storage chamber are provided by being separated from each other by different doors,
A refrigerator, wherein at least a portion of the compressor is provided behind the second storage compartment. The main body covers the front side, the upper side, and the lower side of the compressor, and has a front insulating wall, an upper insulating wall, and a lower insulating wall formed of a thermal insulating material,
The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the lower insulating wall has a higher insulating effect than the front insulating wall and the upper insulating wall. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the thickness of the lower insulating wall is greater than the thickness of the front insulating wall and the upper insulating wall. The first storage chamber has a low temperature zone,
The second storage chamber is disposed below the first storage chamber and has a higher temperature zone than the first storage chamber;
The third storage chamber is disposed below the second storage chamber and can be set to a freezing temperature range;
3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein a thickness of the lower insulating wall is greater than a thickness of a partition portion formed of an insulating material between the second storage compartment and the third storage compartment. The first storage chamber has a low temperature zone,
The second storage compartment is disposed below the first storage compartment and can be set to a refrigeration temperature range;
The third storage chamber is disposed below the second storage chamber and can be set to a freezing temperature range;
The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the thickness of the upper insulating wall is smaller than the thicknesses of the front insulating wall and the lower insulating wall. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the partition between the second storage chamber and the third storage chamber is a separate member from the front insulating wall, the upper insulating wall, and the lower insulating wall. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the partition between the second storage chamber and the third storage chamber overlaps front to back with at least a portion of the front insulating wall, the upper insulating wall, and the lower insulating wall. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the partition and at least a portion of the lower insulating wall overlap front to back. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the insulating material is at least one of a first insulating material made of a foam insulating material and a second insulating material having higher insulating properties than the first insulating material. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the front insulating wall is provided with the second insulating material. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein the upper insulating wall and the lower insulating wall are provided with the first insulating material. At least the compressor, the condenser, and the blower are integrally combined to form a compressor assembly,
9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the compressor assembly is attached to a rear wall of the main body from behind. The third storage compartment has a freezing temperature range,
The first storage chamber is
A refrigerator with a low temperature zone,
a special storage compartment having a temperature zone lower than that of the refrigeration compartment and a temperature zone higher than that of the third storage compartment;
3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the compressor is provided at a position lower than the special storage compartment and higher than the third storage compartment.

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