JP2769298B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a forced-ventilated refrigerator having a low-temperature chamber whose temperature is independently controlled.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recent home refrigerators are provided with a low-temperature room whose temperature is controlled independently. Of those low-temperature rooms provided in a part of a refrigerator room, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. One example is shown in JP-A-71848. Hereinafter, description will be made with reference to FIG.

[0003] Reference numeral 1 denotes a refrigerator body, which is formed by partitioning walls 2 and 3 to form a drawer-type freezer compartment 4 at the center, a refrigerator compartment 5 at an upper portion, and a drawer-type vegetable compartment 6 at a lower portion. Reference numeral 7 denotes a low-temperature room provided at the lower part of the refrigerator 5 for the purpose of preserving fresh foods and the like with good freshness.

[0004] 8 is a compressor of the refrigeration cycle, 9 is a cooler,
Reference numeral 10 denotes a condenser, and reference numeral 11 denotes a blower for forcibly ventilating the cool air cooled by the cooler 9 to the freezing room 4, the refrigerating room 5, the vegetable room 6, and the low-temperature room 7. Reference numeral 12 denotes a temperature detector which is provided in one section of the freezer compartment 4 and controls the operation of the compressor 8 and the blower 11.

[0005] Reference numeral 13 denotes a damper device for adjusting the amount of cold air flowing into the low temperature chamber 7. Reference numeral 14 denotes a cool air ventilation duct formed on the top surface of the low temperature chamber 7 for communicating with the damper device 13 to send cool air, and reference numeral 15 denotes a cool air discharge hole opened into the room.

Reference numeral 16 denotes a temperature detector which is provided in a part of the low-temperature chamber 7 and controls opening and closing of the damper device 13. 17 is a slide type container for placing food, 1
Numeral 8 denotes a door hanging down from the front opening.

In such a configuration, the cool air cooled by the cooler 9 by the operation of the compressor 8 is forcibly ventilated to each chamber by the blower 11 operated in synchronization with the compressor 8. That is, the opening and closing of the damper device 13 for the low-temperature chamber 7 is controlled by the temperature detected by the temperature detector 16,
A required amount of cool air is sent from the top of the room through the cool air ventilation duct 14 and the cool air discharge hole 15, and a predetermined temperature (for example,-
3 ° C.).

[0008]

However, while a low-temperature room is usually required to be able to store fresh foods and the like with good freshness, temperature unevenness occurs in the room depending on the use conditions of the refrigerator and the food storage conditions. For example, when the outside air temperature is high, the opening ratio of the damper device increases in order to maintain the room at a predetermined temperature, and the introduction time of the cool air becomes relatively long.

For this reason, the temperature difference between the vicinity of the cold air discharge hole and the other portion is increased, and the temperature becomes uneven. In addition, when the amount of food stored is large, or when foods are stacked and stored, etc., the cold air does not sufficiently spread to various places in the room, and therefore, the temperature unevenness of the foods stored in the room before, after, up and down, and further increases.

[0010] For these reasons, there is a problem that the temperature unevenness occurs in the low-temperature room due to various conditions in actual use, and as a result, the preservation quality of the stored food varies, and a certain freshness cannot be maintained. .

On the other hand, a wide range of foods to be stored in a low-temperature room can be fried, but the appropriate temperatures are not always uniform, but only one storage section or set temperature is prepared. However, there was also a problem that sufficient storage quality could not be provided.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator having a low-temperature room for suppressing unevenness in indoor temperature under actual use conditions and improving the quality of food storage at an appropriate storage temperature.

[0013]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a refrigerator according to the present invention has an air circulation air passage for circulating indoor air separately from a cool air discharge air passage for cooling a low-temperature room. A second blower for forced circulation is provided in the low-temperature room with respect to the air circulation air passage.

Further, a cool air discharge hole is provided on the top surface of the low-temperature room, and a good heat conducting plate is provided on the bottom surface in opposition to the cool air discharge hole.

The low-temperature chamber is divided into a first and a second low-temperature chamber having different temperatures.

Further, the second blower is configured to control the operation when the compressor is stopped.

Further, an outside air temperature detector is provided, and the operating ratio of the second blower is gradually reduced by a decrease in the outside air temperature.

[0018]

According to the refrigerator of the present invention, the air in the low-temperature room is circulated by the forced ventilation of the second blower, and the temperature converges irrespective of the food storage state.

Further, the air is cooled uniformly in a plane by the discharge of cool air from the top surface of the room, and the coolness of the heat conductive plate provided on the bottom surface suppresses the temperature unevenness of the lower foods during stacking and storage.

Further, by setting the low-temperature chamber to have two different temperature divisions, it becomes possible to approach proper storage of stored food.
Furthermore, the operation of the second blower is controlled when the compressor is stopped, and the temperature equalizing operation is performed without interrupting the operation of discharging the cold air to the low-temperature chamber.

Further, the operating ratio of the second blower is gradually reduced due to the decrease in the outside air temperature, and unnecessary air circulation is avoided.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The same components as those in the related art are denoted by the same reference numerals, detailed description thereof will be omitted, and only different portions will be described.

Reference numeral 19 denotes a refrigerator main body. Reference numerals 20 and 21 denote first and second low-temperature chambers provided at a lower portion of the refrigerator compartment 5 and divided into two chambers by a partition plate 22 and having different temperatures. For example, the first low-temperature chamber 20 is approximately -1. 0.5 ° C., and the temperature of the second low-temperature chamber 21 is set to about −3 ° C.

Reference numeral 23 denotes a damper device for adjusting the amount of cool air flowing into the first and second low temperature chambers 20, 21. 24 is
The first and second low temperature chambers 2 communicate with the damper device 23.
This is a discharge air path composed of a cool air ventilation duct 25 formed on the top surface of the air conditioners 0 and 21 and a cool air discharge hole 26 opened into the room.

Reference numeral 27 denotes the first and second low-temperature chambers 20,
21 is a second blower provided at the back of the low temperature chamber 20. 28
Is an air circulating air passage that is provided separately from the cool air discharge air passage 24 and that includes an air discharge hole 29 and an air suction hole 30 that communicate with the second blower 27 and open to the interior of the room.

Reference numerals 31 and 32 denote containers provided in the first and second low-temperature chambers 20 and 21 with vent holes at the front, respectively, and reference numerals 33 and 34 are provided on the bottom surfaces of the containers 31 and 32, respectively. It is a heat conductive plate such as an aluminum plate.

Reference numerals 35 and 36 denote doors which are attached to the front of each room. Further, reference numeral 37 denotes a temperature detector which is provided in a part of the first low-temperature chamber 20 and controls opening / closing of the damper of the damper opening / closing device 23;
Is an outside air temperature detector provided in a part of the outer shell.

The basic control of the operation of the second blower 27 is such that the compressor is operated for a predetermined intermittent operation time t1 / t2 when the compressor 8 of the refrigeration cycle is stopped.

Further, the ratio of the intermittent operation time t1 / t2 is configured to gradually decrease as the outside air temperature T decreases.

That is, as shown in the time chart of FIG. 4, for example, when the outside air temperature T> T1 (T1 = 30 ° C.), t1
/ T2 = 20/10 minutes, T2 <T ≦ T1 (T1 = 30
T / t2 = 15/20 min.
When 2 ≧ T (T2 = 10 ° C.), t1 / t2 = 10/40 minutes. Reference numeral 39 denotes control means such as a microcomputer for controlling these operations.
Are first, second, and third timers for counting the intermittent operation time t1 / t2 that changes depending on the outside air temperature.

In this configuration, when the compressor 8 is operating, the temperature detector 37 detects the temperature in the first low-temperature chamber 20 and if the temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the damper of the damper device 23 is opened and the cooler is opened. The cool air from 9 is blown into the room by the blower 11 from the top surface of the first low-temperature room 20 and the second low-temperature room 21 through the cool air ventilation duct 25 and the cool air discharge holes 26.

When the temperature detector 28 detects a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature, the damper of the damper device 23 is closed, and the flow of the cool air into the room is stopped. Thus, the first low temperature chamber 2
The 0 and second low temperature chambers 21 are maintained at a predetermined temperature, for example, about -1.5 ° C and about -3 ° C, respectively.

Next, when the compressor 8 stops, the second blower 27 is operated at an intermittent operation time ratio corresponding to the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detector 38. For this reason, the room air is forcibly circulated in the circulation path from the air discharge hole 29 to the air suction hole 30 through the ventilation holes at the front portions of the containers 31 and 32, and the first low temperature chamber 20 and the second low temperature chamber 21 are circulated. Are made uniform.

At this time, since the second blower 27 is not operated during the operation of the compressor 8, the cooling operation from the damper device 23 is not hindered and the temperature equalizing operation can be performed efficiently. In addition, since the required cooling action is sufficiently performed in each of the low-temperature chambers and air is circulated after a temperature difference is obtained, two low-temperature chambers can be simultaneously temperature-equalized by one circulation blower. .

As a result, the food stored in the first low-temperature chamber 20 and the second low-temperature chamber 21 is stored in each of the rooms at a low temperature unevenness, and the quality can be stably maintained. .

Further, when the outside air temperature decreases, the intermittent operation time ratio of the second blower 27 also decreases, so that unnecessary power is not consumed at a low outside air temperature where the temperature unevenness is relatively reduced. Warming can be achieved.

In a practical state, foods are often stacked and stored.
In addition to the temperature equalizing action of the blower 27, the temperature non-uniformity of the upper and lower foods is reduced by the cool keeping action of the good heat conducting plates 33 and 34 provided on the bottom surface, so that the entire room can be irrespective of the food storage amount and storage state. It is soaked.

Further, the first low-temperature chamber 20 has a capacity of about -1.5.
° C and the temperature of the second low-temperature room 21 is set to about -3 ° C, so that it is suitable for storage at a relatively low temperature such as a single fish or block meat among a group of foods desirably stored in the low-temperature room. By storing the food in the second low-temperature chamber 21 and other fresh foods and processed foods in the first low-temperature chamber 20, the food can be stably stored at a more suitable temperature, and the freshness quality can be further improved.

[0039]

As described above, according to the refrigerator of the present invention,
The following effects can be obtained.

Since the temperature in the low-temperature room is uniformly stabilized by the forced air circulation action of the second blower, a great effect can be obtained for maintaining stable quality regardless of the amount of stored food.

Further, the effect of keeping the cool heat of the heat conductive plate provided on the bottom of the room can also have the effect of suppressing the unevenness in the food temperature between the upper and lower portions even during the stacking and storage in practical use.

Further, since the operation of the second blower is controlled when the compressor is stopped, the cooling operation to the low-temperature chamber is not hindered, and the two low-temperature chambers are uniformly heated by the air circulation. Can be

Further, the intermittent operation ratio of the second blower gradually decreases due to the decrease in the outside air temperature, which tends to reduce the temperature unevenness, so that the temperature can be rationally balanced without unnecessary power consumption.

Further, since the low-temperature room is divided into two rooms having different temperatures, it can be stably stored at a temperature close to the temperature more suitable for the food group, and particularly for maintaining the quality of fresh foods such as fresh foods. A great effect can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a detailed perspective view of a low-temperature room of a refrigerator showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a refrigerator provided with the low-temperature chamber of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator of FIG. 2;

4A is a time chart of the outside air temperature T> T1 (° C.) in FIG. 2; FIG. 4B is a time chart of the outside air temperature T2 <T <T1 (° C.) in FIG. 2; Time chart of T2 (℃)

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a refrigerator showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 4 Freezer room 5 Refrigerator room 8 Compressor 9 Cooler 10 Condenser 11 Blower 20 First low temperature room 21 Second low temperature room 23 Damper device 24 Cold air discharge air passage 25 Cold air ventilation duct 26 Cold air discharge hole 27 Second air blower 28 air circulation air passage 29 air discharge hole 30 air suction hole 33,34 good heat conduction plate 37 low temperature room temperature detector 38 outside air temperature detector

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) F25D 11/02 F25D 17/08 307-308

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A refrigeration cycle including a compressor, a condenser, a cooler, etc., a freezing room, a refrigeration room, a low-temperature room, a blower for forcibly blowing cool air through each room, and an amount of cold air to the low-temperature room. And a temperature detector provided in the low-temperature room to control the damper device, a second blower provided in a part of the low-temperature room, a cool air ventilation duct communicating with the damper device, and A cool air discharge air passage formed of a cool air discharge hole opened to the low temperature chamber, the low temperature air passage communicating with the second blower, and an air discharge hole communicating with the second blower and opening into the low temperature room. And a refrigerator provided with an air circulating air passage constituted by suction holes. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the cool air discharge holes are provided on a top surface of the low temperature room, and a heat conductive plate is provided on a bottom surface of the low temperature room. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the low-temperature room is divided into a first low-temperature room and a second low-temperature room having different set temperatures. 4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the operation of the second blower is controlled when the compressor is stopped. 5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein an outside air temperature detector is provided in a part of the outer shell of the main body, and an operation ratio of the second blower is gradually reduced along with a decrease in the outside air temperature according to a signal from the outside air temperature detector.