JP5127804B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator having defrosting means for defrosting frost attached to a cooler using a heater.

  In a conventional refrigerator defrosting device using a metal pipe and a pipe heater with a heater inserted therein, the defrosting means is a so-called inner melting type in which the frost adhering to the cooler is melted from the inside. And a so-called external melting type in which a radiant heater is provided below the cooler (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In the inner melting type defrosting, the pipe heater is energized, the heat heats the cooler body, and the heat causes the frost to melt from the inside. To go. And the frost which slides down is melt | dissolved by external melting type defrost. That is, the frost in the sleet is melted by a radiant heater provided below the cooler. For this reason, the problem that the frost of the state of stagnation accumulates in the drain pan, the drain hole is clogged, and the water leaks to the inside of the warehouse, and the water leaks to the outside as the worst situation is solved.

JP 2000-121233 A (FIGS. 1 and 6)

  However, as for the control of a plurality of heaters, the amount of frost is determined based on the detection value of the temperature detection sensor of the radiant heater and the detection value of the temperature detection sensor of the pipe heater, and optimum control is attempted. Since the generated heat is not efficiently used for defrosting, there is a problem that power consumption is wasted. In a state where the temperature around the cooler is cold, that is, in a state where defrosting is started, the cooler is at a temperature of, for example, about −20 ° C. However, when the radiant heater generates heat, the periphery of the radiant heater is temporarily Therefore, convection occurs between the cooler and the radiant heater. At the start of defrosting, the frost blocks most of the cooling fins. There was a problem that the temperature in the freezer compartment and the warehouse would rise unnecessarily. At the same time, food may be damaged.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and is a refrigerator capable of suppressing power consumption while maintaining the defrosting quality of a cooler and further improving the quality maintenance of food. The purpose is to provide.

The refrigerator according to the present invention is
A refrigerant circuit including at least a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device, and a cooler;
A drain pan provided below the cooler and receiving drain water dripping from the cooler;
A radiant heater disposed between the cooler and the drain pan;
A pipe heater provided with a metal pipe and a heater inserted in the metal pipe, and arranged in thermal contact with the cooler;
Control means for controlling energization of the radiant heater and the pipe heater,
The pipe heater includes an upper pipe heater disposed on the upper side of the cooler, and a lower pipe heater disposed on the lower side of the cooler, which are independently energized and controlled.
The control means in the defrosting operation,
A process of energizing each of the upper pipe heater and the lower pipe heater;
A process of energizing the radiant heater;
A process of stopping energization of the upper pipe heater;
A process of stopping energization of the lower pipe heater and the radiant heater is sequentially performed.

  According to the refrigerator according to the present invention, by adopting the above configuration, while maintaining the defrosting quality of the cooler, the power consumption is suppressed, and further, the quality maintenance of the food is improved. .

It is a front view of the refrigerator which shows Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the refrigerator which shows Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a sectional side view of the refrigerator room | chamber of the refrigerator which shows Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the block diagram which showed the control system of the defrost operation of the refrigerator of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the defrost control of the refrigerator which shows Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a sectional side view of the refrigerator room | chamber of the refrigerator which shows Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the defrost control of the refrigerator which shows Embodiment 3 of this invention.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator showing Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the refrigerator showing the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG.1 and FIG.2, 11 is a refrigerator main body. The refrigerator main body 11 includes a refrigerator compartment 12 at the top. An ice making chamber 3 and a switching chamber 4 are provided below the refrigerator compartment 12. The bottom of the refrigerator body 11 is provided with a vegetable compartment 6, and the vegetable compartment 6 is provided with a freezing compartment 5. Of course, the arrangement of each chamber does not limit the present embodiment. Reference numeral 7 denotes a refrigerating room door 7 that can freely open and close the opening of the refrigerating room 12, 7A is a so-called kannon type door, such as the refrigerating room door left, and 7B the refrigerating room door right. Of course, a single door may be used instead of the Kannon door. An ice making chamber door 8 can freely open and close the opening of the ice making chamber 3, and a switching chamber door 9 can open and close the opening of the switching chamber 4 freely. 10 is a freezer compartment door that can freely open and close the opening of the freezer compartment 5, and 13 is a vegetable compartment door that can freely open and close the opening of the vegetable compartment 6.

  A compressor 21 is disposed at the bottom of the back surface of the refrigerator body 11. The compressor 21 is a component that constitutes the refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator main body 11 and has an action of compressing the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle. The refrigerant compressed by the compressor 21 is condensed in a condenser (not shown). The condensed refrigerant is decompressed in a capillary tube (not shown). Reference numeral 24 denotes a cooler, which is one component constituting the refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator main body 11. The decompressed refrigerant is evaporated in the cooler 24, and the periphery of the cooler 24 is cooled by the endothermic action during the evaporation. Reference numeral 32 denotes a cooling fan for blowing cool air cooled around the cooler 24 to each chamber of the refrigerator main body 11. A radiant heater 15 is disposed below the cooler 24, and a heater cover 16 is disposed between the radiant heater and the cooler 24. Reference numeral 42 denotes a freezer compartment return port, which is an air passage between the freezer compartment 5 and the cooler 24, and wind flows from the freezer compartment 5 toward the cooler 24 while the cooling fan 32 is in operation. Conversely, when the cooling fan 32 is stopped, convection may occur from the cooler 24 to the freezer compartment 5 due to the temperature balance of the surroundings.

  By the way, in the defrosting operation of the refrigerator, for example, a bypass circuit having an electromagnetic valve is provided between the compressor 21 and the cooler 24, and the high-temperature and high-pressure discharged from the compressor 21 by opening the electromagnetic valve. There is a method of supplying refrigerant to the cooler 24 and removing frost attached to the cooler 24. In this embodiment, in addition to or in addition to such defrosting operation, there is a feature in defrosting operation by energization control of the radiant heater 15 and the pipe heater 41. explain.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the refrigerator room of the refrigerator showing the first embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 3, the pipe heater 41 is disposed in contact with the cooler 24 and in thermal contact therewith. Reference numeral 33 denotes a drain pan that receives drain water that is generated by the frost adhering to the cooler 24 being melted and dripped. The drain pan 33 is provided with a drain hole 34, and drain water dripped onto the drain pan 33 is discharged through the drain hole 34.

  The pipe portion forming the outer portion of the pipe heater 41 is preferably an aluminum tube (metal tube) from the viewpoint of cost and workability, and a silicon heater is preferably used inside from the viewpoint of heat resistance, but is not limited thereto. . The pipe heater 41 includes an upper pipe heater 39 disposed on the upper side of the cooler 24 and a lower pipe heater 40 disposed on the lower side of the cooler 24, and these are independently energized and controlled. The

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control system of the defrosting operation of the refrigerator.
A cooler temperature sensor (temperature detection means) 51 for detecting the temperature is attached to the cooler 24, and the output of the cooler temperature sensor 51 is supplied to the control means 52. The control means 52 is composed of, for example, a microcomputer, and the upper pipe heater 39, the lower pipe heater 40, and the radiant heater 15 are controlled by the drive circuits 53, 54, 55 based on the output of the cooler temperature sensor 51. Are controlled respectively. Details of this control will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process of defrosting control of the refrigerator. Hereinafter, the process of the defrost control by the control means 52 is demonstrated according to this flowchart.
In step S1, defrost control is started. The defrosting control start condition is, for example, when the accumulated operation time of the compressor 21 has passed a predetermined time. When the defrost control is started, first, in step S2, the two pipe heaters 41 (39, 40) are energized. The cooler 24 itself is heated by the heat generated by the pipe heater 41. In step S3, it is determined whether or not the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 has reached a predetermined temperature T1. The predetermined temperature T1 is, for example, 0 ° C. or lower and −13 ° C. or higher, but is not limited thereto. In step S3, if it is determined (N) that the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 is lower than the predetermined temperature T1, the process returns to step S3. If it is determined in step S3 that the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature T1 (Y), the process proceeds to step S4, and energization of the radiant heater 15 is started.

  After step S4, it is determined in step S5 whether or not the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 has reached a predetermined temperature T2. The predetermined temperature T2 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature T1, and is 5 ° C., for example. In step S5, if it is determined (N) that the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 is lower than the predetermined temperature T2, the process returns to step S5. If it is determined in step S5 that the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature T2 (Y), the process proceeds to step S6, and energization of the upper pipe heater 39 is terminated. After step S6, in step S7, it is determined whether or not the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 has reached a predetermined temperature T3 (T3> T2). The predetermined temperature T3 is, for example, 14 ° C., but is not limited thereto. If it is determined in step S7 that the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 is lower than the predetermined temperature T3 (N), the process returns to step S7. If it is determined in step S7 that the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature T3 (Y), the energization of the lower pipe heater 40 and the radiant heater 15 is terminated and the defrosting control is terminated in step S8. (Step S9).

  According to the defrost control shown in FIG. 5, the frost can be partially slid down by generating heat from the two pipe heaters 41 (39, 40). Clogging is eliminated. Thereafter, when heating by the radiant heater 15 is started, clogging between some of the fins is eliminated, so that the heat generation of the radiant heater 15 can be efficiently increased. Moreover, since the frost which fell is heated in the vicinity of the radiant heater 15, it can be efficiently thawed. If it is determined by the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 that the frost has been removed from the cooler 24 to some extent, the upper pipe heater 39 disposed on the cooler 24 having a small residual frost amount is useless if the energization is continued as it is. Since the cooler 24 is warmed up, the energization is stopped, and the waste of power consumption can be suppressed by stopping the energization. The reason why the lower pipe heater 40 and the radiant heater 15 are energized lastly is to surely melt the frost sliding down from the upper part of the cooler 24 and the frost sliding down on the drain pan 33. Further, according to the defrosting control shown in FIG. 5, the radiant heater 15 is heated after the two systems of pipe heaters 41 (39, 40) are heated to heat the cooler 24. Between the radiant heater 15 and the radiant heater 15 is suppressed, so that the heat generated by the radiant heater 15 does not wastefully enter the cabinet. For this reason, the temperature rise of foodstuffs can be suppressed and the quality maintenance of foodstuffs can be prolonged comparatively.

  The radiant heater 15 and the two systems of pipe heaters 41 (39, 40) may be controlled by providing a plurality of cooler temperature sensors 51. The output balance between the radiant heater 15 and the two-line pipe heater 41 is preferably about half the output of the radiant heater 15. This is because, when the output of the two-line pipe heater 41 is large, the frost slides faster, the melting by the radiant heater 15 is not in time, and the slid down and accumulates on the drain pan 33. On the other hand, since the frost has disappeared in the cooler 24, the heat of the two-line pipe heater 41 can efficiently heat the cooler 24. Therefore, the cooler temperature sensor 51 of the cooler 24 determines the defrosting end temperature. This is because there is a risk of losing.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
FIG. 6 is a side sectional view showing the periphery of the cooler of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
By concentrating the pipe heater 41 provided in the cooler 24 at the lower part of the cooler 24, the frost in the lower part of the cooler can be slid down in a short time by generating heat from the two pipe heaters 41. The clogging of frost between the fins near the radiant heater 15 is eliminated. Thereafter, when the radiant heater 15 is also heated, clogging between the fins in the vicinity of the radiant heater 15 is eliminated, so that the heat generated by the radiant heater 15 can be efficiently increased. Moreover, since the frost which fell is heated in the vicinity of the radiant heater 15, it can be efficiently thawed. The energization control of the two systems of pipe heaters 41 is processed according to the flowchart of FIG. Here, the pipe heater 41 has two systems, but may be one system. In that case, the pipe heater 41 is disposed such that the heater density of the pipe heater disposed on the lower side of the cooler 24 is higher than that of the pipe heater disposed on the upper side. An example of defrosting control by the pipe heater 41 configured as described above will be described as a third embodiment.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a process of defrosting control of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. Hereinafter, the process of the defrost control by the control means 52 is demonstrated according to this flowchart.
In step S1, defrost control is started. The defrosting control start condition is, for example, when the accumulated operation time of the compressor 21 has passed a predetermined time. When the defrost control is started, first, the pipe heater 41 is energized in step S2. The cooler 24 itself is heated by the heat generated by the pipe heater 41. In step S3, it is determined whether or not the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 has reached a predetermined temperature T1. The predetermined temperature T1 is, for example, 0 ° C. or lower and −13 ° C. or higher, but is not limited thereto. In step S3, if it is determined (N) that the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 is lower than the predetermined temperature T1, the process returns to step S3. If it is determined in step S3 that the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature T1 (Y), the process proceeds to step S4, and energization of the radiant heater 15 is started.

  After step S4, it is determined in step S5 whether or not the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 has reached a predetermined temperature T2. The predetermined temperature T2 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature T1, and is 5 ° C., for example. In step S5, if it is determined (N) that the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 is lower than the predetermined temperature T2, the process returns to step S5. If it is determined in step S5 that the cooler temperature sensor 51 has become equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature T2 (Y), the process proceeds to step S6, and energization of the pipe heater 41 is terminated. After step S6, in step S7, it is determined whether or not the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 has reached a predetermined temperature T3. The predetermined temperature T3 is, for example, 14 ° C., but is not limited thereto. If it is determined in step S7 that the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 is lower than the predetermined temperature T3 (N), the process returns to step S7. If it is determined in step S7 that the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature T3 (Y), energization of the radiant heater 15 is terminated in step S8, and the defrosting control is terminated (S9).

  According to the defrosting control shown in FIG. 7, the pipe heater 41 generates heat, so that the frost can be partially slid down, particularly below the lower part of the cooler, in a short time. The clogging of frost in the meantime is eliminated. Thereafter, when heating by the radiant heater 15 is started, the clogging between some of the fins is eliminated, so that the heat generation of the radiant heater 15 can be efficiently increased. Moreover, since the frost which fell is heated in the vicinity of the radiant heater 15, it can be efficiently thawed. If it is determined based on the temperature detected by the cooler temperature sensor 51 that the frost has been removed from the cooler 24 to some extent, if the energization is continued as it is, the cooler 24 will be unnecessarily warmed. The waste of power consumption is suppressed by stopping. The reason why only the radiant heater 15 is energized lastly is to surely melt the frost that has fallen on the drain pan 33. By performing the defrosting control as described above, an effect equivalent to that of the first embodiment can be implemented by one heater, so that an inexpensive refrigerator can be provided. Further, according to the defrosting control shown in FIG. 7, the radiant heater 15 is heated after the pipe heater 41 is heated and the cooler 24 is heated, so that the radiant heater 15 is heated between the cooler 24 and the radiant heater 15. Since convection is suppressed and the heat generated by the radiant heater 15 does not enter the cabinet unnecessarily, the temperature rise of the food can be suppressed and the quality of the food can be maintained for a relatively long time.

  3 ice making room, 4 switching room, 5 freezing room, 6 vegetable room, 7 refrigeration room door, 7A refrigeration room door left, 7B refrigeration room door right, 8 ice making room door, 9 switching room door, 10 freezing room door, 11 refrigerator Main body, 12 Cold room, 13 Vegetable room door, 15 Radiant heater, 16 Heater cover, 21 Compressor, 24 Cooler, 32 Cooling fan, 33 Drain pan, 34 Drain hole, 39 Upper pipe heater, 40 Lower pipe heater, 41 Pipe heater, 42 freezer compartment return port, 51 cooler temperature sensor, 52 control means, 53-55 drive circuit.

Claims (5)

A refrigerant cycle comprising at least a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device and a cooler;
A drain pan provided below the cooler and receiving drain water dripping from the cooler;
A radiant heater disposed between the cooler and the drain pan;
A pipe heater provided with a metal pipe and a heater inserted inside the metal pipe, and arranged in thermal contact with the cooler;
Control means for controlling energization of the radiant heater and the pipe heater,
The pipe heater includes an upper pipe heater disposed on the upper side of the cooler, and a lower pipe heater disposed on the lower side of the cooler, which are independently energized and controlled.
The control means in the defrosting operation,
A process of energizing each of the upper pipe heater and the lower pipe heater;
A process of energizing the radiant heater;
A process of stopping energization of the upper pipe heater;
The refrigerator which performs sequentially the process which stops electricity supply of the said lower pipe heater and the said radiant heater. Comprising temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the cooler;
The control means includes
A process of energizing each of the upper pipe heater and the lower pipe heater,
When the temperature of the cooler is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature T1, a process of energizing the radiant heater is performed,
A process of stopping energization of the upper pipe heater when the temperature of the cooler is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature T2 (where T2>T1);
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein when the temperature of the cooler becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature T <b> 3 (where T <b>3> T <b> 2), a process of stopping energization of the lower pipe heater and the radiant heater is performed.   The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower pipe heater is arranged so that its heater density is higher than that of the upper pipe heater. A refrigerant circuit including at least a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device, and a cooler;
A drain pan provided below the cooler and receiving drain water dripping from the cooler;
A radiant heater disposed between the cooler and the drain pan;
A pipe heater provided with a metal pipe and a heater inserted inside the metal pipe, and arranged in thermal contact with the cooler;
Control means for controlling energization of the radiant heater and the pipe heater,
The pipe heater is disposed such that the heater density of the pipe heater disposed on the lower side of the cooler is higher than that of the pipe heater disposed on the upper side,
The control means in the defrosting operation,
A process of energizing the pipe heater;
A process of energizing the radiant heater;
A process of stopping energization of the pipe heater;
The refrigerator which performs sequentially the process which stops electricity supply to the said pipe heater. Comprising temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the cooler;
The control means includes
Processing to energize the pipe heater,
When the temperature of the cooler is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature T1, a process of energizing the radiant heater is performed,
A process of stopping energization of the pipe heater when the temperature of the cooler is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature T2 (where T2>T1);
5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein when the temperature of the cooler becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature T <b> 3 (where T <b>3> T <b> 2), the process of stopping energization of the radiant heater is performed.

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