JP2588023B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a refrigerator in which a plurality of storage boxes are arranged in a vertical relationship with a required space interposed in a heat insulating box body, and each storage box is quickly and uniformly arranged. The present invention relates to a refrigerator that can be cooled rapidly.

Conventional technology Vegetables and fruits, fresh foods such as meat and fish (hereinafter "foodstuffs")
In the case of refrigerated storage in a refrigerator for a long period of time or when frozen foods are gradually thawed, it is generally necessary to reduce the temperature change in the refrigerator and to suppress and control the evaporation of water from the foods. There is.

To meet this demand, refrigerators using brine (antifreeze) as a cooling medium are known. This is done by cooling the brine stored in the brine tank with an evaporator connected to the refrigeration system, and circulating the cooled brine through a cooling pipe arranged outside the storage box for storing foodstuffs. Cooling is performed.

However, the refrigerator using the above-described brine has a drawback that the cooling mechanism and the piping of the brine are complicated, and the manufacturing cost is increased. In order to perform a defrosting operation in this refrigerator, it is necessary to warm the brine to a predetermined temperature and circulate the brine through the cooling pipe. In this case, there is a serious problem that a large amount of heat is required to heat the brine, or the circulation of the brine raises the internal temperature more than necessary due to the circulation of the brine, thereby lowering the freshness of the stored foodstuffs.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, there is, for example, a device "perishable food storage device" according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-147678. This device includes a storage box for storing foodstuffs through a required space inside a storage room having a heat insulating structure. Further, the space is a horizontal partition plate and a vertical partition plate, an air passage on the casing side that allows cool air to flow without contacting the storage box, and an air passage on the storage box side that allows cool air to flow while contacting the storage box. Is defined. Then, the cool air cooled by the evaporator disposed in the air passage on the casing side is first caused to flow down the air passage on the casing side to descend to the bottom of the storage room, and then the air passage on the storage box side is raised. The storage box is configured to be cooled by causing heat exchange with the storage box.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the above-described fresh food storage device, the cooled cold air is lowered to the bottom of the storage room, and then the storage box is cooled when the cold air rises. Therefore, in the type in which a single storage box is stored in the storage room, the storage box can be efficiently cooled because the entire storage box is raised by cold air. However, in a type in which a plurality of storage boxes are stored in a storage room in a vertical relationship, the cool air rising from the bottom of the storage room does not sufficiently spread between the bottom surface of the upper storage box and the ceiling surface of the lower storage box. Therefore, each storage box could not be efficiently cooled. Therefore, it takes a considerable amount of time to cool the inside of the storage box until it reaches the set temperature (the storage temperature of foodstuffs), and thus there is a disadvantage that the power consumption increases.

Furthermore, once the cool air is lowered to the bottom of the storage room, the cool air stays without ascending, and only the lower storage box is cooled, so that the temperatures in the upper and lower storage boxes are not uniform. Become. Therefore, it is pointed out that, in particular, the cooling of the upper storage box is insufficient, and the freshness of stored foodstuffs is reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been proposed in view of the above-described drawbacks inherent in a refrigerator having a double structure in which a plurality of storage boxes are provided in a vertical relationship within the above-described heat-insulating box body, and it is proposed to appropriately solve the drawbacks. It is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator capable of rapidly cooling the inside of a refrigerator to a set temperature and uniformly cooling each storage box.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to overcome the above-mentioned problems and appropriately achieve the intended purpose, the present invention provides a heat-insulating box including a plurality of openings and a heat-insulating door provided at each of the openings. A plurality of storage boxes arranged in a vertical relationship through a required space inside the box and having openings that open corresponding to the openings, and provided above the upper storage box in the heat insulating box. In the refrigerator, the internal space of the heat-insulating box is communicated with a cool air blowing side of the cooler, and the cooling air blown from the cooler is lowered to guide the cooling of the storage box. And a second passage communicating with the cool air suction side of the cooler and raising the cool air descending to the bottom of the heat insulating box, cooling the storage box, and guiding the cooler to return to the cooler again. A horizontal passage communicating with the first passage, The horizontal passage and the first passage are divided into upper and lower portions by a partition, respectively, and the upper passage and the lower passage defined by the horizontal passage are defined by the first passage and the second passage. It is characterized in that it is configured to communicate on the side opposite to the side communicating with one passage.

Embodiment Next, a refrigerator according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, showing preferred embodiments. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a vertical refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention in a partially longitudinal view, FIG. 2 is a vertical side view of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. It is a longitudinal front view of the refrigerator shown.

As shown in the drawing, a refrigerator 10 has an outer box 12 having rectangular openings 12a, 12a which are largely opened to the front side with a predetermined interval vertically separated from each other, and is incorporated in the outer box 12 while maintaining a required gap. The inner box 14 also opens greatly to the front side, and both boxes 1
There is a heat insulating box 18 made of a heat insulating material 16 such as urethane foam filled between the two. Inside the inner box 14 in the heat-insulating box 18, the upper storage box 2 which holds an inner wall thereof and a required space 20 and is stacked via shielding plates 38, 38 described later.
2 and a lower storage box 24 are provided. In addition, storage box 22,
24 is formed of a heat conductive metal plate such as stainless steel.

As shown in FIG. 3, a support member 19 projecting from the bottom surface by a predetermined height from the bottom in the width direction is provided on the inner bottom surface of the inner box 14, and a lower storage box 24 is provided on the support member 19. The bottom space is placed between the lower storage box 24 and the bottom of the inner box 14.
44 are defined. In addition, the inner back of the inner box 14 has a fourth
As shown in the figure, a pair of storage box guides formed in an L-shaped cross section
34, 34 are disposed facing each other with a distance of the width of the storage box 22 therebetween. The guides 34, 34 extend over substantially the entire vertical length of the internal space in the inner box 14, and the rear portions of the storage boxes 22, 24 are fitted together between the guides 34, 34. ing.

As described later, as a first passage for guiding the cooling boxes 22 and 24 to cool while lowering the cool air, between the back surfaces of the storage boxes 22 and 24 and the inner walls of the storage box guides 34 and 34 and the inner box 14. A functioning back passage 36 is defined. In addition, storage boxes 22, 24
Is set smaller than the inner size of the inner box 14, thereby, as shown in FIG. 4, the storage boxes 22 and 24 are placed on both sides of the storage boxes 22 and 24 while raising the cool air. Side passages 46, 46 are defined which function as second passages for guiding cooling. That is, the inner wall of the inner box 14 and both storage boxes 2
The space 20 defined between the outer walls 2 and 24 includes a back passage 36, a bottom space 44, and side passages 46 and 46.

The storage boxes 22 and 24 have rectangular openings 22a and 24a that open forward, corresponding to the rectangular openings 12a and 12a that are formed in the heat-insulating box 18. As shown in FIG. 2, an insulating door 26 for opening and closing the opening 12a is provided on the front surface of the insulating box 18, corresponding to each opening 12a opened in the insulating box 18. Has been established.

The space defined between the inner ceiling surface of the inner box 14 and the ceiling surface of the upper storage box 22 is defined, as shown in FIG. A cooler 28, which communicates with a refrigeration device (not shown) and circulates a refrigerant from the refrigeration device to a built-in evaporator, is provided in a chamber 37 communicating with the back passage 36. The other chamber 39 communicates with the side passages 46, 46. In this chamber 39, a blower fan 32 is provided corresponding to a plurality (two in the embodiment) of openings 30a opened in the picture wall 30. ing. Since the blower fan 32 is arranged to blow air in the direction of the chamber 37, by driving the blower fan 32, the inside air sucked from the side passages 46, 46 side passes through the opening 30a. After being cooled by contact with the cooler 28, the air is blown out to the rear passage 36.

Reference numeral 33 denotes a drain tray disposed below the cooler 28, and water drops dropped from the cooler 28 are discharged to the outside through the drain tray 33.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upper storage box 22 and the lower storage box 24 are laminated via U-shaped shielding plates 38, 38 disposed on the left and right side edges thereof so as to face each other. , 38 is storage box 22,2
It functions to define a horizontal passage 40 of required dimensions between the four. The shielding plate 38 extends over the entire length of the storage box 22 in the depth direction, and prevents cold air introduced from the back passage 36 into the horizontal passage 40 from escaping to the side passages 46, 46, as described later. It also has the function of doing. The front side of the horizontal passage 40 is closed, and the passage 40 is located on the back side of the rear passage 36.
Only communicates with

On the inner wall of the inner box 14 facing the horizontal passage 40,
As shown in FIG. 2, an intermediate partition 42 for projecting the horizontal passage 40 into an upper passage 40a and a lower passage 40b is provided. In addition, the back passage 36 is also formed by an upper back passage by a partition 42.
36a and a lower back passage 36b. This partition 42
The outer diameter is set so that both sides abut against the shielding plates 38, 38, and a gap of a required size is provided at the protruding tip side for communicating the upper passage 40a and the lower passage 40b.

Therefore, the upper back passage of the back passage 36 from the cooler 28
The cool air blown out to 36a collides with the middle partition 42 and is sent to the upper passage 40a of the horizontal passage 40. After passing through the lower passage 40b from the tip of the middle partition 42, it flows into the lower back passage 36b. In this way, by flowing the cool air flowing through the rear passage 36 to the horizontal passage 40, the cool air can be brought into contact with the bottom surface of the upper storage box 22 and the ceiling surface of the lower storage box 24, so that both storage boxes 22, 24 cooling efficiency can be improved.

The cool air that has passed through the lower passage 40b flows into the lower back passage 36b in the back passage 36, and the lower back passage 3b.
After flowing down 6b, the bottom space defined on the bottom surface of the lower storage box 24 is blown out to 44 as shown in FIG. Further, the cool air cools each of the storage boxes 22, 24 while ascending the side passages 46, 46 communicating with the bottom space 44, and returns to the cooler 28 again.

Next, FIG. 5 shows a modification of the embodiment,
A plurality of through holes 42a communicating the upper rear passage 36a and the lower rear passage 36b are formed in a portion of the middle partition 42 facing the rear passage 36. Therefore, the upper rear passage 36a
A part of the cool air flowing down flows into the lower rear passage 36b without flowing into the horizontal passage 40. Thereby, the cooling efficiency of the bottom surface of the upper storage box 22 is reduced, and the lower part of the upper storage box 22 can be effectively prevented from being excessively cooled.

That is, since the cool air has a property of flowing downward from above, the cool air in the upper storage box 22 accumulates at the bottom in the refrigerator. At this time, since the cooling from the bottom of the upper storage box 22 is suppressed, the lower part of the storage box 22 is not overcooled, and the temperature in the storage can be made uniform. Further, since the cool air that does not pass through the horizontal passage 40 comes into contact with the rear side of the lower storage box 24, the advantage that the cooling efficiency of the lower storage box 24 is improved can be obtained.

Operation of Embodiment According to the refrigerator according to the embodiment configured as described above, when the refrigerator is operated, the air in the refrigerator on the side passages 46 and 46 side is sucked by the blower fan 32 and the opening of the picture wall 30 is opened. 30a
Is cooled by heat exchange and then blown out to the rear passage 36. A part of the cool air blown out from the cooler 28 circulates through a passage defined between the drainage tray 33 and the ceiling surface of the upper storage box 22,
A so-called short cycle of cooling the ceiling surface of the storage box 22 is achieved.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cool air blown out to the upper rear passage 36a of the rear passage 36 flows down while performing heat exchange by contacting the rear surface of the upper storage box 22, and collides with the inner partition 42 to flow. Deflected. After flowing through the upper passage 40a of the horizontal passage 40 along the partition 42, the cool air
0b flows into the lower rear passage 36b below the partition 42. At this time, the cold air contacts the bottom surface of the upper storage box 22 and the ceiling surface of the lower storage box 24 to perform heat exchange and cool both storage boxes 22, 24, so that the cooling efficiency of each storage box 22, 24 is reduced. Improves.

The cold air flowing into the lower back passage 36b contacts the back surface of the lower storage box 24 and flows down while performing heat exchange, and is then blown out to the bottom space 44, where it contacts the bottom of the storage box 24. . Furthermore, when the cool air rises up the side passages 46, 46, it contacts both sides of both storage boxes 22, 24, and the storage box 2
After cooling 2,24, the cycle of returning to the cooler 28 again is repeated. Since the cool air blown out to the bottom space 44 is heated by exchanging heat between the upper and lower storage boxes 22 and 24, the cool air does not stay at the bottom of the heat insulating box 18 and the cool air is Circulates efficiently.

As described above, when the cool air cooled by the cooler 28 is lowered, the cool air is passed through the horizontal passage 40 defined between the upper and lower storage boxes 22 and 24. Cold air can be distributed all over the ceiling surface of the storage box 24, and the cooling efficiency of the storage boxes 22, 24 can be improved. Therefore, the inside of the refrigerator can be quickly cooled to the set temperature.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the cool air cooled by the cooler 28 is supplied to the rear passage 36 → the horizontal passage 40 → the bottom space 44 → the side passage 4.
6, 46 → the cooling box 28 is circulated to cool the storage boxes 22, 24. However, conversely, the cool air cooled by the cooler 28 is supplied to the side passages 46, 46.
Even if the storage boxes 22 and 24 are circulated like the horizontal passage 40 → the bottom space 44 → the rear passage 36 → the cooler 28, the storage boxes 22 and 24 can be quickly cooled similarly. When circulating cool air from the back side to the side surface of the storage boxes 22 and 24, the opening 2 of the storage boxes 22 and 24
In the vicinity of 2a and 24a, it is possible to effectively prevent water droplets and the like from being generated due to the influence of outside air.

Effect of the Invention As described above, according to the refrigerator of the present invention, the horizontal passage defined between the storage boxes arranged in a vertical relationship,
Since the cool air is forcibly circulated through the middle partition, the cooling efficiency of the upper and lower storage boxes can be improved. Therefore, the time required to cool the storage box to the set temperature can be reduced, and the running cost can be reduced. In addition, since each storage box is cooled by both the descending cool air and the rising cool air, it can be uniformly cooled, and the effect of effectively preventing the freshness of the ingredients stored in the upper and lower storage boxes from being reduced can be effectively prevented. Also plays.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vertical refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is partially cut away, FIG. 2 is a vertical side view of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is FIG. Longitudinal view of the refrigerator,
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a main part showing a modification of the partition employed in the embodiment shown in FIG. 12a: Opening, 18: Insulated box 20: Space, 22: Upper storage box 22a: Opening, 24: Lower storage box 24a: Opening, 26: Insulated door 28: Cooling Vessel, 40 Horizontal passage 40a Upper passage, 40b Lower passage 42 Middle partition

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yu Hirosawa 3-16 Hoshizaki Electric Machinery Co., Ltd., Sakaemachi Minamikan, Toyoake Aichi Prefecture (72) Inventor Shinya Shinya Suzuki 16th Minamikan 3rd Sakaemachi Minamikan, Toyoake Aichi Prefecture In-house Co., Ltd. (56) References Japanese Utility Model Showa 64-31974 (JP, U)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A plurality of openings (12a) and each opening (12a).
a heat-insulating box (18) provided with the heat-insulating door (26) provided in a);
A plurality of openings (22a, 24a) which are disposed in a vertical relationship via a required space (20) inside the heat insulating box (18) and open corresponding to the opening (12a). Storage box (22,
24) and an upper storage box (22) in the heat-insulating box (18).
A refrigerator (28) provided above the refrigerator (28), wherein the internal space (20) of the heat insulating box (18) is
A first passageway (36) that communicates with the cool air outlet side to cool the storage box (22, 24) while lowering the cool air blown from the cooler (28); The storage box (22, 24) is cooled while returning to the bottom of the heat-insulating box (18) while communicating with the cool air suction side of (28), and is guided to return to the cooler (28) again. Second passage (4
6, 46), and a horizontal passage (40) communicating with the first passage (36) is defined between storage boxes (22, 24) arranged in a vertical relationship. The passage (40) and the first passage (36) are each vertically divided into two by a partition (42), and the upper passage (40a) and the lower passage (40b) defined in the horizontal passage (40) are First
A refrigerator configured to communicate with a side opposite to a side communicating with a passage (36). 2. An internal space (2) in said partition (42).
The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that a through hole (42a) communicating vertically is formed in a portion facing to (0).