JP2772173B2 - 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 refrigerator for preserving freshness by cooling food or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, two-door and three-door refrigerators, in which separate cooling chambers are independently openable and closable so that the temperature can be classified according to the purpose of use, occupy the mainstream. ing.

In general, the above refrigerator has a refrigerator compartment 41 and a freezer compartment 42 as shown in FIG. An evaporator 45 is provided on the back of the freezer 42, and the evaporator 45 exchanges heat between the refrigerant sent from the compressor 46 provided at the lowermost end of the refrigerator and the air in the refrigerator. As a result, cold air is generated. The cold room 41 and the freezer room 42 are maintained at a low temperature by the circulation of the cold air.

Conventionally, the above-mentioned refrigerator circulates cool air by a cool air circuit shown in FIG. That is, the cool air supplied from the evaporator 45 is boosted by the operation of the fan motor 49, and cools the inside of the freezing chamber 42.
The freezer compartment circuit returned to the evaporator 45 through the freezer compartment return duct 55 is boosted by the fan motor 49 and is introduced into the refrigerator compartment duct 50 communicating the refrigerator compartment 41 and the refrigerator compartment 42. After passing through a refrigerating room damper 52 and a refrigerating room duct 53 provided near the opening of the duct 50 on the refrigerating room 41 side, the inside of the refrigerating room 41 is cooled. The refrigeration room 41 and the freezing room 42 are cooled by circulating the refrigeration room circuit returned to the refrigeration room, respectively.

In the refrigerator as described above, as shown in FIG. 6, the temperature in the freezer compartment 42 is sensed by a freezer compartment temperature sensor 56 provided in the freezer compartment 42.
By switching ON / OFF of the compressor 46 and the fan motor 49 according to the temperature, the temperature in the freezing room 42 is controlled. On the other hand, the temperature in the refrigerator compartment 41 is controlled by the refrigerator compartment 4 sensed by the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 51.
The refrigerator compartment damper 52 is opened and closed according to the temperature inside the refrigerator 1,
This is performed by controlling the amount of cool air introduced from the freezing room 42.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional refrigerator, the temperature in the freezer compartment 42 is controlled by switching the switch of the fan motor 49 in accordance with the temperature in the freezer compartment 42. The temperature control in the chamber 41
Irrespective of the amount of cool air passing through the refrigerator compartment duct 50, it depends only on the opening and closing operation of the refrigerator compartment damper 52.

Therefore, for example, when the freezer compartment 42 is sufficiently cooled and the fan motor 49 is turned off, a large amount of food or the like is stored in the refrigerator compartment 41 and the temperature in the refrigerator compartment 41 rises. In addition, it is difficult to secure the amount of cool air required to cool the refrigerator compartment 41. As a result, since the cooling time of the refrigerator compartment 41 increases, a problem arises in maintaining the freshness of the food stored in the refrigerator compartment 41.

Therefore, it is possible to increase the amount of cold air introduced into the refrigerator compartment 41 by reducing the resistance of the refrigerator compartment duct 50 in the refrigerator compartment circuit, but in this case, it is sufficient for the freezer compartment circuit. Cold air cannot be sent out, and the cooling efficiency of the freezing room 42 decreases.

Further, in the conventional refrigerator, as shown in FIG. 8, for example, a cooling room such as a thawing room having a different temperature setting from the refrigerator room 41 is provided in the refrigerator room 41 together with a fan. In this case, the fan motor 5
If the refrigerator compartment damper 52 is in an open state when 8 is ON, the amount of cool air into the thawing compartment can be increased.

[0010] However, the above-mentioned fan is intended to circulate the indoor air, and is provided with a refrigerating room damper 5.
Since it is not related to the opening and closing of 2, the air conditioner may not operate when cold air is required, and the cooling efficiency cannot be sufficiently improved.

[0011] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a high-performance refrigerator having improved cooling efficiency of a refrigerator compartment without lowering the cooling efficiency of a freezer compartment and having excellent power for keeping freshness of foods and the like. .

[0012]

In order to solve the above problems, the refrigerator of the present invention is provided with a cooling means for supplying cool air, and a sending means for circulating the cool air supplied from the cooling means into the refrigerator. A first cooling chamber and switching means for opening and closing the opening of the communication path according to the temperature in the refrigerator, cooled by cold air supplied from the first cooling chamber side through the communication path. A second cooling chamber, wherein the operation of the delivery means is controlled in accordance with the temperature of the first cooling chamber in synchronization with the switching means.
Cold air introduction hand that draws cool air into the cooling chamber 2 through the communication passage
A step is provided, when the temperature in the first cooling chamber rises
Close the switching means and stop the cold air introducing means.
Thus, the introduction of cold air into the second cooling chamber is stopped .

[0013]

According to the above arrangement, the switching means and the cold air introducing means operating in synchronization with the switching means are operated together in accordance with the temperature in the refrigerator, thereby introducing the cooling air into the second cooling chamber. The amount of cold air to be supplied is controlled. That is, the switching means and the cool air introducing means are related to ON / OFF of the sending means.
Instead, when the temperature in the second cooling chamber in the first cooling chamber is equal to or higher than the set temperature, the operation is performed such that cool air is introduced into the second cooling chamber, and conversely, the temperature in the second cooling chamber is reduced. When the temperature falls below the set temperature, the operation is performed so that cool air is not introduced into the second cooling chamber.

Therefore, for example, the temperature in the first cooling chamber
Even if the temperature drops below the set temperature and the delivery means stops, sufficient cold air is introduced into the second cooling chamber by the switching means and the cold air introduction / pulling means. Since the temperature can be controlled for each of the provided second cooling chambers, the cooling efficiency of the second cooling chamber is improved.

[0015]

Embodiment 1 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator according to the present embodiment has a freezing compartment (first
Cooling room) 2 and another one provided below the freezing room 2.
And a cooling chamber (second cooling chamber) 1 as one cooling chamber . A refrigerating compartment door 3 and a freezing compartment door 4 for opening and closing are respectively provided on the front portions of the refrigerating compartment 1 and the freezing compartment 2 so as to be freely opened and closed.

An evaporator is provided on the rear side of the freezer 2.
(Cooling means) 10 is provided. The evaporator 10 is cooled by circulating a refrigerant through a refrigeration cycle shown in FIG. That is, the refrigerant is supplied from the compressor 7 provided at the lowermost end of the refrigerator, and is supplied through the condenser 8 and the capillary tube 9 to the evaporator 1.
0 and is returned to the compressor 7 again. The evaporator 10 cooled in this way is
By performing heat exchange with the air in the refrigerator introduced into the evaporator 10, cool air is supplied.

As shown in FIG. 1, a fan motor (delivery means) 11 is provided above the evaporator 10.
A fan (sending means) 27 driven by the fan motor 11 is provided. The pressure chamber 6 into which the cool air from the evaporator 10 is introduced by the fan 27 is provided on the side of the freezer compartment door 4 (hereinafter referred to as the front) of the fan 27.
Is provided. Above the pressure chamber 6, a freezer 2
A freezing room temperature sensor 14 for sensing the temperature inside the refrigerator is attached, and a fan louver 23 having a cool air outlet formed in front of the pressure chamber 6 is provided.

The ON / OFF switching of the compressor 7 and the fan motor 11 is performed according to the temperature in the freezer compartment 2 detected by the freezer compartment temperature sensor 14. That is, when the temperature in the freezing room 2 is equal to or higher than the set temperature, the refrigerant is supplied from the compressor 7 and the fan motor 11 is turned on. Conversely, when the temperature in the freezing room 2 is equal to or lower than the set temperature, The supply of the refrigerant from the compressor 7 is stopped, and the fan motor 11 is also turned off.

A refrigerating compartment duct 19 for connecting the freezing compartment 2 and the refrigerating compartment 1 is provided behind the fan motor 11 and the evaporator 10. This refrigerator compartment duct 19
The opening on the freezer compartment 2 side is connected to the upper part of the pressure chamber 6, and the opening on the refrigerating compartment 1 side is connected to the upper part on the back of the refrigerating compartment 1. Further, a refrigerating compartment damper (switching means) 17 is provided near the opening on the refrigerating compartment 1 side.

Then, above the refrigerator compartment damper 17,
The refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 15 for detecting the temperature in the refrigerator compartment 1 is provided. Also, in front of the refrigerator compartment damper 17,
A refrigerating room fan motor (cold air introducing means) 12 and a refrigerating room fan (cold air introducing means) 28 driven by the refrigerating room fan motor 12 are provided. Further, in front of the refrigerator compartment fan 28, a refrigerator compartment duct 21 provided with an air outlet is provided.

The refrigerating compartment fan motor 12 responds to the temperature in the refrigerating compartment 1 sensed by the refrigerating compartment temperature sensor 15 and the temperature in the freezing compartment 2 sensed by the freezing compartment temperature sensor 14. , ON-OFF switching is performed, and the refrigerator compartment damper 17 operates in synchronization with the refrigerator compartment fan motor 12. That is, when the refrigerator compartment fan motor 12 is OFF, the refrigerator compartment damper 17 closes the opening of the refrigerator compartment duct 19 and the refrigerator compartment fan motor 12 is turned off.
In the case of N, the opening of the refrigerator compartment duct 19 is opened.

Further, between the refrigerator compartment 1 and the freezer compartment 2, there are provided a refrigerator return duct 22 and a freezer return duct 24 for sucking air in the refrigerator compartment 1 and the freezer compartment 2, respectively. The refrigerator compartment return duct 22 is connected to the evaporator 10.
Below, the freezer compartment return duct 24 joins the freezer compartment return duct 24, and the freezer compartment return duct 24 communicates with a suction port provided at a lower portion of the evaporator 10.

Next, the order in which the cool air circulates in the refrigerator of this embodiment will be described with reference to the cool air circuit shown in FIG.

The cool air circuit is composed of a freezer compartment circuit and a refrigerating compartment circuit. In the freezer compartment circuit, the cool air discharged from the evaporator 10 is boosted by the operation of the fan motor 11, and is cooled in the freezer compartment 2. After cooling, it enters the freezer return duct 24 and is returned to the evaporator 10.

On the other hand, in the refrigerating room circuit, the cool air boosted by the operation of the fan motor 11 is introduced into the refrigerating room duct 19 by the operation of the refrigerating room fan motor 12. Since the refrigerator compartment damper 17 operates in synchronization with the refrigerator compartment fan motor 12 as described above, when the refrigerator compartment fan motor 12 is operating, the refrigerator compartment damper 17 is in the open state. Has become. Then, the cold air is introduced into the refrigerator compartment 1 through the refrigerator compartment duct 21, cools the refrigerator compartment 1, passes through the refrigerator compartment return duct 22, and joins the cold air in the freezer compartment return duct 24. Is returned to the evaporator 10.

In the above configuration, for example, when the temperature in the freezer compartment 2 rises, for example, when the inside of the refrigerator compartment 1 is cooled below a set temperature or when a large amount of food is stored in the freezer compartment 2. Then, the refrigerator compartment fan motor 12 is turned off, and the refrigerator compartment damper 17 that operates in synchronization with the refrigerator compartment fan motor 12 is closed. That is, since the opening on the side of the refrigerator compartment 1 of the refrigerator compartment duct 19 communicating with the freezer compartment 2 is closed, no cool air is sent out to the refrigerator compartment 1 and the cooling of the refrigerator compartment 1 is temporarily stopped. I do.

Therefore, most of the cool air sent into the pressure chamber 6 by the fan 27 is introduced into the freezing chamber 2, and the cooling efficiency of the freezing chamber 2 is improved.

On the other hand, when the temperature in the refrigerator compartment 1 rises above the set temperature, such as when a large amount of food is stored in the refrigerator compartment 1, the refrigerator compartment fan motor 12 is turned on,
By opening the refrigerating room damper 17, cool air is introduced into the refrigerating room 1. Further, even when the freezing room 2 is cooled to a temperature lower than the set temperature and the fan motor 11 is turned off,
Since the refrigerating room fan motor 12 is ON, sufficient cold air is sent to the refrigerating room 1 and the cooling in the refrigerating room 1 is continued.

As described above, in the refrigerator of the present embodiment, the refrigerator compartment fan motor 12 which operates according to the temperature in the refrigerator compartment 1 and the freezer compartment 2 is provided in the refrigerator compartment 1 and the refrigerator compartment fan motor 12 is provided. The amount of cool air introduced into the refrigerator compartment 1 is controlled by the refrigerator compartment damper 17 which operates in synchronization with the motor 12. Therefore, the temperature of each of the refrigerator compartment 1 and the freezer compartment 2 can be controlled, thereby improving the cooling efficiency and improving the freshness holding power of the food and the like stored in the refrigerator.

Embodiment 2 Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those shown in the drawings of the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 4, the refrigerator of the present embodiment has a refrigerator compartment 1 at the upper part of the refrigerator compartment 1 having a refrigerator compartment fan motor 12 which operates in synchronization with the refrigerator compartment damper 17.
A chilled chamber 5 is provided as a cooling chamber having a different temperature setting from that of the first embodiment. The temperature of the chilled room 5 is normally set at 0 ° C. to −3 ° C., which is slightly lower than the temperature of the refrigerator room 1 (about 3 ° C.).

A chilled chamber duct 20 for communicating the pressure chamber 6 in the freezing chamber 2 with the chilled chamber 5 is provided beside the refrigerator compartment duct 19.
A chilled room damper 18 is provided near the opening on the side of the chilled room 5. A chilled room temperature sensor 16 for detecting the temperature in the chilled room 5 is mounted above the chilled room damper 18.
8 operates according to the temperature in the chilled chamber 5 detected by the chilled chamber temperature sensor 16 to open and close the opening of the chilled chamber duct 20.

In the above configuration, the cool air supplied by the evaporator 10 is circulated through the cool air circuit shown in FIG. In the cold room circuit in this cold air circuit,
When the temperature in the refrigerator compartment 1 rises, the refrigerator compartment fan motor 12 is turned on, and the refrigerator compartment fan motor 12
When the refrigerator compartment damper 17 synchronized with
Cold air is introduced into the refrigerator compartment 1.

Further, in this embodiment, a chilled chamber circuit for directly introducing cold air from the freezer chamber circuit is provided in the above-mentioned cold air circuit. In the chilled room circuit, a part of the cool air generated from the evaporator 10 and boosted in the fan motor 11 is introduced into the chilled room 5 from the chilled room damper 18 via the chilled room duct 20. Then, the cool air that has cooled the inside of the chilled chamber 5 passes through the refrigerator compartment return duct 22, joins the freezer compartment return duct 24, and is returned to the evaporator 10.

For example, when the temperature in the chilled room 5 becomes equal to or higher than the set temperature, the chilled room damper 18 is opened, and cool air is introduced from the freezing room circuit through the chilled room duct 20. Further, since the cool air of the freezer compartment circuit is introduced into the chilled compartment circuit instead of the cool air of the refrigerator compartment circuit, even when the refrigerator compartment damper 17 of the refrigerator compartment circuit is closed, the chilled compartment circuit includes: Sufficient cold is introduced.

As described above, in the refrigerator of this embodiment, the refrigerator compartment fan motor 12 which operates according to the temperature in the refrigerator compartment 1 and the freezer compartment 2 is provided in the refrigerator compartment 1 and the refrigerator compartment fan motor 12 is provided. The amount of cool air introduced into the refrigerator compartment 1 is controlled by the refrigerator compartment damper 17 which operates in synchronization with the motor 12. Therefore, the temperature of each of the refrigerator compartment 1 and the freezer compartment 2 can be controlled, thereby improving the cooling efficiency and improving the freshness holding power of the food and the like stored in the refrigerator.

In the above-mentioned conventional refrigerator provided with a thawing room as a cooling room having a temperature setting different from that of the refrigeration room, the chill room is introduced with cold air in the thawing room and a part of the cold air in the thawing room. Is circulating. In addition, since the fan motor for the thawing room and the refrigerator compartment damper are not synchronized, when the refrigerator compartment damper is closed, no new cool air is introduced into the thawing room circuit, and the cool air released from the thawing room is not discharged. A closed loop that circulates through the thawing chamber circuit is caused, and there has been a problem that the cooling efficiency of the thawing chamber is reduced.

However, in the refrigerator of the present embodiment, as described above, even when the refrigerator-room fan motor 12 is stopped and the refrigerator-room damper 17 is closed, the refrigerator remains in the chilled room.
Since a sufficient amount of cool air is introduced from the freezing room 2 through the chilled room duct 20, the chilled room 5 is efficiently cooled.

[0040]

As described above, the refrigerator of the present invention has the second
Cooling air introduction means for drawing cool air into the cooling chamber is provided, and the cooling air introduction means operates in synchronization with the switching means,
When the temperature in the first cooling chamber rises, the switching means
The second cooling chamber is closed by closing the cold air introducing means.
This is a configuration in which the introduction of cool air into the interior is stopped .

Therefore, the temperature of the cooling chamber can be controlled in a short time, and the cooling efficiency is improved. Therefore, there is an effect that the freshness holding power of, for example, foods stored in the refrigerator is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a refrigerator in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a refrigeration cycle in the refrigerator.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a cooling air circuit in the refrigerator.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing a cool air circuit in the refrigerator.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a conventional refrigerator.

FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram showing a cool air circuit in the conventional refrigerator.

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram showing a cooling air circuit in another conventional refrigerator.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigerator room ( 2nd cooling room) 2 Freezer room ( 1st cooling room) 10 Evaporator (cooling means) 11 Fan motor (delivery means) 12 Refrigerator room fan motor (cool air introduction means) 17 Refrigerator room damper ( Switching means) 27 fan (delivery means) 28 fan for refrigerator compartment (cool air introduction means)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A first cooling chamber provided with a cooling means for supplying cool air, a sending means for circulating the cool air supplied from the cooling means into a refrigerator, and a communication passage from the first cooling chamber side. And a switching means for opening and closing the opening of the communication passage in accordance with the temperature in the refrigerator.
A refrigerator in which the operation of the delivery means is controlled in accordance with the temperature in the first cooling chamber, the refrigerator operates in synchronization with the switching means and the second cooling means
A cool air introduction means is provided to draw cool air into the chamber through the communication passage.
The switching is performed when the temperature in the first cooling chamber rises.
Closing the means and stopping the cold air introducing means,
A refrigerator characterized by stopping introduction of cold air into a cooling room .