JP5698647B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and particularly relates to a refrigerator including a decompression storage chamber.

  As a conventional refrigerator, there exists what was shown by Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2011-58670 (patent document 1). In this refrigerator, the food storage container is controlled in a low oxygen state to maintain the freshness of the food inside the container.

JP 2011-58670 A

  In the refrigerator described in the above-described patent document, the food stored in the storage container can be cooled indirectly in a reduced pressure state, which is effective in preventing oxidative deterioration and drying of the food. However, even if it is in the ice temperature zone, it is considered that the quality deteriorates if it is stored for a long time. Therefore, for example, if the user forgets that food such as meat and fish is being stored in the storage container for about a week due to various circumstances, the deterioration of the quality will progress and the food will be discarded. You won't get.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can improve the usability by automatically changing the set temperature of the decompression storage room according to the use situation.

  In order to solve the above problems, a refrigerator according to the present invention is a refrigerator including a decompression storage chamber for storing at a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, and a cooling device for controlling the temperature of the decompression storage chamber to a set temperature. And a control device that outputs a control signal to the cooling device and adjusts the temperature of the decompression storage chamber to a set temperature, and the control device is configured to reduce the decompression storage chamber when a predetermined condition set in advance is satisfied. Change the set temperature.

  The control device sets the set temperature of the decompression storage chamber to a first temperature that is a chilled temperature or a refrigeration temperature, and when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the set temperature of the decompression storage chamber is lower than the first temperature. It changes to the 2nd temperature which is freezing temperature.

  The predetermined condition can be set as that the food has not been used for a predetermined period after the food is stored in the reduced pressure storage chamber. The control device determines from the information from the predetermined device whether the decompression storage chamber has not been used for a predetermined period. If it is determined that the decompression storage chamber has not been used for the predetermined period, the control device sets the preset temperature of the decompression storage chamber to Change from 1 temperature to 2nd temperature.

  As the predetermined device, for example, a pressure detection unit for detecting the pressure of the decompression storage chamber, an opening / closing switch for detecting opening / closing of a door that covers the opening of the decompression storage chamber so as to be openable / closable, and the like are used. Can do.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the preset temperature of a pressure-reduction storage chamber can be changed automatically according to a use condition, and usability improves.

The front view of the refrigerator which concerns on a present Example. The longitudinal cross-sectional view of a refrigerator. The front view of the state which removed the door of the refrigerator main body. The longitudinal cross-sectional view near the decompression storage room of a quick freezing room. The perspective view near the decompression storage room of a quick freezing room. The perspective view which looked at the storage container of the decompression storage room from the upper left. The perspective view which shows the reinforced glass plate and annular packing of a decompression storage chamber. The perspective view which looked at the door of the decompression storage room from the back side. The cross-sectional perspective view of a decompression storage chamber. The perspective view which looked at the storage container of the decompression storage room from the upper left. Explanatory drawing of the control structure which changes the preset temperature of a decompression storage room automatically. The graph which shows the value which measured the vitamin C by the case where it freezes with a conventional freezing method and the case where it freezes in a vacuum. The graph which shows the amount of vitamin C measured after 3 days, 10 days, and 2 weeks after storing lemon at chilled temperature and freezing temperature.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, as will be described in detail below, the usage status of the refrigerator (specifically, the usage status of the decompression storage chamber in the refrigerator) is determined, and the set temperature of the decompression storage chamber is automatically set according to the usage status. change.

  First, the whole refrigerator will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 is a front view of the refrigerator of the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the refrigerator of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a front view of the refrigerator main body of FIG.

  The refrigerator includes a refrigerator body 1 and a plurality of doors 6 to 10. The refrigerator body 1 includes a urethane foam heat insulating material 13 and a vacuum heat insulating material (not shown) between a steel plate outer box 11 and a resin inner box 12. The refrigerator has a plurality of storage rooms in the order of the refrigerator compartment 2, the freezer compartments 3, 4, and the vegetable compartment 5 from the top. In other words, the refrigerator compartment 2 is arranged at the top and the vegetable compartment 5 is arranged at the bottom. Between the refrigerator compartment 2 and the vegetable compartment 5, freezing compartments 3 and 4 that are partitioned from these two compartments 2 and 5 in an adiabatic manner are arranged. The refrigerator compartment 2 and the vegetable compartment 5 are storage compartments in a refrigerated temperature zone, and the freezer compartments 3 and 4 are storage compartments in a freezing temperature zone of 0 degrees or less (for example, a temperature zone of about -20 degrees to -18 degrees). is there. The freezer compartment 3 is divided into an ice making room 3a and a quick freezer room 3b, and a reduced pressure storage room 24 is provided in the quick freezer room 3b. These storage chambers 2 to 5 are partitioned by partition walls 34, 35, and 36.

  On the front surface of the refrigerator main body 1, doors 6 to 10 that close the front opening portions of the storage chambers 2 to 5 are provided. The refrigerator compartment door 6 is a door that closes the front opening of the refrigerator compartment 2. The ice making room door 7 is a door that closes the front opening of the ice making room 3a. The quick freezer door 8 is a door that closes the front opening of the quick freezer 3b. The freezer compartment door 9 is a door that closes the front opening of the freezer compartment 4. The vegetable compartment door 10 is a door that closes the front opening of the vegetable compartment 5. The refrigerator compartment door 6 is constituted by a double door type door known as a so-called double door type. Each door of the ice making room 3a, the quick freezing room 3b, the freezing room 4 and the vegetable room 5 is constituted by a drawer type door, and the container in the storage room is pulled out together with the drawer type door.

  The refrigerator main body 1 is provided with a refrigeration cycle 180 (see FIG. 11) as a “cooling device”. The refrigeration cycle 180 is configured, for example, by connecting the compressor 14, a condenser (not shown), a capillary tube (not shown), the evaporator 15, and the compressor 14 in this order. The compressor 14 and the condenser are installed in a machine room provided at the lower back of the refrigerator body 1. The evaporator 15 is installed in a cooler chamber provided behind the freezing chambers 3 and 4. A blower fan 16 is installed above the evaporator 15 in the cooler chamber.

  The cold air cooled by the evaporator 15 is sent to the storage rooms of the refrigerator compartment 2, the ice making compartment 3a, the quick freezer compartment 3b, the freezer compartment 4 and the vegetable compartment 5 by the blower fan 16. Specifically, a part of the cool air sent by the blower fan 16 is sent to a storage room in the refrigerator temperature zone of the refrigerator room 2 and the vegetable room 5 through a damper device that can be opened and closed, and the other part. Are sent to the ice making room 3a, the quick freezing room 3b, and the freezing temperature zone storage room of the freezing room 4. In other words, the damper device that can be opened and closed allows the cold air from the cooling room to be selected as one or both of the refrigeration outlet to the storage room in the refrigeration temperature zone and the refrigeration outlet to the storage room in the refrigeration temperature zone. It is a selection means to distribute.

  The cool air sent to the storage rooms of the refrigerator compartment 2, the ice making room 3a, the quick freezing room 3b, the freezing room 4 and the vegetable room 5 by the blower fan 16 is cooled through the cold air return passage after cooling each storage room. Returned to the chamber. Thus, the refrigerator of this embodiment has a cold air circulation structure, and maintains each of the storage chambers 2 to 5 at an appropriate temperature.

  A plurality of shelves 17 to 20 made of transparent plates are detachably installed in the refrigerator compartment 2. The lowermost shelf 20 is installed in contact with the back surface and both side surfaces of the inner box 12, and divides the lowermost space 21, which is the lower space, from the upper space. The lowermost space 21 is provided with a chilled chamber 2a. A plurality of door pockets 25 to 27 are installed inside each refrigerator compartment door 6. These door pockets 25 to 27 are provided so as to protrude into the refrigerator compartment 2 with the refrigerator compartment door 6 being closed.

  With reference to FIG. 2, arrangement | positioning of the apparatus in the quick freezer 3b is demonstrated. A reduced pressure storage chamber 24 is disposed in the quick freezing chamber 3b. A partition is provided between the ice making chamber 3a and another partition is provided between the ice making chamber 3a and an independent space is formed. The temperature can be switched by a damper provided on the back surface of the quick freezing chamber 3b. The quick freezing chamber 3b has a drawer-type door, so that cold air is difficult to escape. Therefore, it is easy to maintain the quick freezer 3b at a low temperature.

  The user can easily pull out the food tray 60 (see FIG. 4) in the decompression storage chamber 24 only by opening the quick freezer compartment door 6. A cold storage material 80 is installed at the bottom of the food tray 60. When the food having a temperature higher than the temperature (set temperature) in the reduced pressure storage chamber 24 is stored in the reduced pressure storage chamber 24, the cold storage material 80 quickly cools the food to the set temperature and maintains the freshness of the food. Is.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a vacuum pump 29, which is an example of a means for depressurizing the decompression storage chamber 24, is disposed behind the side surface of the decompression storage chamber 24. The vacuum pump 29 can be easily connected to a pump connection portion 42i (see FIG. 6) provided on the side surface of the decompression storage chamber 24 via a conduit 29a (see FIG. 5). Further, by taking out the storage case 23 (see FIG. 3), the vacuum pump 29 can be easily maintained from the front.

  The configuration of the decompression storage chamber 24 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 is a perspective view of the decompression storage chamber 24, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the storage container 42 of the decompression storage chamber 24 seen from the upper left, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the reinforcing glass plate and the annular packing of the decompression storage chamber 24. is there.

  The decompression storage chamber 24 includes, for example, a box-shaped storage container 42 having a food in / out opening 42 a, a decompression storage chamber door 50 that opens and closes the food in / out opening 42 a, and a food tray in and out of the storage container 42. 60.

  In the storage container 42, the food storage opening 42 a is closed by the reduced pressure storage chamber door 50, thereby forming a space surrounded by the reduced pressure storage chamber door 50 and the food tray 60. This space is formed as a low-pressure space 41 that is decompressed by the vacuum pump 29. The food tray 60 is attached to the back side of the decompression storage chamber door 50 and can move back and forth with the movement of the decompression storage chamber door 50.

  The storage container 42 is made of a resin outer shell excellent in chemical resistance, impact resistance and moldability, a glass plate 43 (for example, tempered glass) made of transparent tempered glass, and a metal plate such as a steel plate. A member 44 and a resin door engaging member 48 are provided.

  The outer shell of the storage container 42 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped basic shape, and a food in / out opening 42a is formed on the front surface, and a glass plate placement opening 42b is formed on the upper surface. On the outer surfaces of the side wall 42c, the bottom wall 42d, and the back wall 42e constituting the outer shell, outer shell reinforcing ribs 42f are formed to protrude in order to increase the strength of the outer shell.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the glass plate 43 is airtightly placed on the glass plate placement opening 42 b via the annular packing 45, and forms the upper wall of the storage container 42. The glass plate 43 has strength to prevent the glass plate placement opening 42b from being deformed inward by the negative pressure in the storage container 42. Further, by providing the transparent glass plate 43 on the upper surface of the storage container 42, the user can look inside the decompression storage chamber 24 without opening the decompression storage chamber door 50.

  The plate-like member 44 has both side walls 42c, bottom wall 42d and back wall 42e to prevent deformation of the side walls 42c, bottom wall 42d and back wall 42e of the storage container 42 due to negative pressure in the storage container 42. It is installed so that it may extend along.

  The storage container 42 is formed in a box shape having an opening 42a for taking in and out food from a resin material, and metal plate-like members 44 are provided on both side walls 42c, the bottom wall 42d and the back wall 42e. . Accordingly, the manufacturing cost can be reduced as compared with the case where the entire storage container 42 is formed of a metal plate. Moreover, since the storage container 42 is formed from a resin material, the mounting structure and the like can be simplified.

  The decompression storage chamber door 50 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5, 8, 9, and 10. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the back side of the decompression storage chamber door 50.

  The decompression storage chamber door 50 includes, for example, a door main body 51, a door handle 52, a sealed state release valve 53, a rubber indicator 54, and a magnet gasket 55. The door body 51 is formed from a resin material having excellent chemical resistance, impact resistance, and moldability. The magnet gasket 55 is for hermetically sealing the storage container 42 to enhance hermeticity.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the door engaging member 48 is installed on the upper surface of the food loading / unloading opening 42a. The door engaging member 48 includes a U-shaped portion 48a housed in a recess formed in the upper surface of the food loading / unloading opening 42a and a door engaging claw portion 48b extending forward from the U-shaped portion 48a. It is molded into. The door engagement claw portion 48b is provided with a width substantially the same as the width of the door handle 52, and is engaged with the front / rear positioning upper end portion 51e (see FIG. 8).

  When opening the decompression storage chamber door 50, when the user pulls the door handle 52, the door handle 52 rotates upward around a hinge portion (not shown), and the upper portion of the door handle 52 pushes the door engagement claw portion 48b. Push up. As a result, the engagement between the door engagement claw portion 48b and the front and rear positioning upper end portion 51e is released. When the user pulls the door handle 52 further, the decompression storage chamber door 50 can be opened.

  The decompression storage chamber door 50 is connected to a link mechanism 70 (see FIG. 10), and is rotatable and movable back and forth. The door handle 52 is provided with a valve 53 for releasing the sealed state. The valve 53 is for releasing the sealed state of the storage container 42 so that the user with weak finger power can easily open and close the door 50 and bringing the pressure in the storage container 42 close to atmospheric pressure. The pressure inside the storage container 42 is slightly reduced (for example, about 0.8 atm) by the operation of the vacuum pump 29 or when the stored food and air are cooled and contracted. Therefore, a force is required to open the door 50 of the storage container 42 in the decompressed state. Therefore, in this embodiment, a valve 53 for introducing atmospheric pressure into the storage container 42 is provided.

  The door body 51 has substantially the same outer shape as the opening 42a of the storage container 42, and includes a handle recess 51a, a handle hinge receiver 51c, a link mechanism connection portion 51d, a front / rear positioning upper end 51e, and a front / rear positioning lower end 51f. Etc.

  The operation of the decompression storage chamber 24 will be described. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the decompression storage chamber. When opening the door main body 51, the user puts a finger into the handle recess 51 a and pulls the lower part of the door handle 52 in the state shown in FIG. 5. Thereby, the sealed state release valve 53 operates to release the sealed state of the decompression storage chamber 24. Therefore, even if the user is not particularly conscious, the sealed state of the decompression storage chamber 24 can be released at the beginning of the opening operation of the door body 51.

  Further, when the user pulls the door handle 52, the upper link side 70 a (see FIG. 5) is pulled forward via the door body 51. As a result, the connecting portion between the upper link side 70a and the rear link side 70d is moved forward and downward along the inclination of the link upper support portion 42k, and the door body 51 is inclined. Accordingly, the front / rear positioning lower end 51f of the door main body 51 of FIG. 8 is released from the front / rear positioning groove 34a of the partition wall 34 of FIG. 4, and the door main body 51 can be pulled forward.

  Further, when the user pulls the door handle 52, the upper link side 70 a is pulled forward via the door body 51. As a result, the door switch 130 (see FIG. 11), which is arranged in the vicinity of the upper link side 70a and detects the open / closed state of the door body 51 of the decompression storage chamber 24, changes the open state of the door body 51 of the decompression storage chamber 24. Will be detected.

  Further, when the user pulls the door handle 52, the door body 51 is pulled forward together with the link mechanism 70 and the food tray 60 in a state where the door body 51 is inclined. Thereby, the upper surface of the food tray 60 is opened. The user can put food in and out of the food tray 60.

  The user simply pulls the door handle 52 to execute the above series of operations. The user does not have to be conscious of special efforts and is easy to use.

  When the door body 51 is closed, the user presses the upper part of the door handle 52 in the state shown in FIG. The door switch 130 detects that the door body 51 of the decompression storage chamber 24 is closed.

  The link mechanism 70 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 10. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the decompression storage chamber door 50 is pulled forward. The link mechanism 70 is disposed between the side surface of the adjacent quick freezing chamber 3 b and the side surface of the storage container 42.

  With reference to FIG. 11, the temperature control of the decompression storage chamber 24 will be described. The control device 100 for controlling the operation of the refrigerator can be configured as a microcomputer system, for example.

  For example, a pressure switch 110, an optical sensor 120, a decompression storage chamber door switch 130, an operation switch 150, a temperature sensor 160, and the like are connected to the input side of the control device 100. In some cases, a home energy management system (HEMS) 170 described later may be connected to the control device 100.

  For example, a vacuum pump 29, a refrigeration cycle 180, an operation panel (not shown), and the like are connected to the output side of the control device 100.

  The control device 100 automatically changes the set temperature of the decompression storage chamber 24 from the first temperature to the second temperature when a predetermined condition set in advance is satisfied. The first temperature is, for example, a chilled temperature or a refrigeration temperature. The second temperature is a refrigeration temperature set to a value lower than the first temperature.

  As an example of the predetermined condition, the food is not used for a predetermined period after the food is stored in the decompression storage chamber 24 (for example, the quick freezing compartment door 6 is opened and closed after the food is introduced into the decompression storage chamber 24, the decompression storage chamber For example, a state in which there is no operation from the user for a certain period of time, such as opening and closing of the door 60 and taking in and out of food. If the decompression storage chamber 24 has not been used for a predetermined period, the quality of food stored therein may deteriorate and become unusable.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, when the decompression storage chamber 24 is not used for a predetermined period, the set temperature of the decompression storage chamber 24 is lowered to the freezing temperature, and the long-term storage mode (refrigeration temperature) is changed from the freshness preservation priority mode (chilled temperature). ).

  Whether or not the decompression storage chamber 24 has not been used for a predetermined period can be known from information from a predetermined apparatus. As an example, the control device 100 can know from the detection signal of the pressure switch 110 whether the door 50 of the decompression storage chamber 24 has been opened or closed. This is because when the door 50 is opened and closed, the pressure in the decompression storage chamber 24 changes, and the pressure change is detected by the pressure switch 110.

  As another example of detecting that the decompression storage chamber 24 has not been used for a predetermined period, the signal of the optical sensor 120 can also be used. The optical sensor 120 can be provided on the surface of the refrigerator, for example, and outputs a signal corresponding to the light around the refrigerator. Based on the signal from the optical sensor 120, the control device 100 can determine whether the user is at home or away. Although it differs depending on the position of the window where the refrigerator is installed, etc., when the user is absent due to travel or business trip, the ambient brightness where the refrigerator is placed is compared to when the user is at home, Poor change. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether or not the user is at home by managing the history data of the signal output from the optical sensor 120 or referring to the output of the calendar timer provided in the control device 100. When it is determined that the user is absent for a predetermined period, the control device 100 estimates that the decompression storage chamber 24 has not been used for a predetermined period, and lowers the set temperature of the decompression storage chamber 24 to the freezing temperature.

  As yet another example of detecting that the decompression storage chamber 24 has not been used for a predetermined period of time, a signal of a door switch 130 that detects opening / closing of the decompression storage chamber door 50 can be used.

  Further, it may be determined whether or not the user is at home based on a signal from the door switch 140 for detecting opening and closing of the doors 6 to 10 of the refrigerator. As described for the optical sensor 120, when it is determined that the user is absent for a predetermined period, the control device 100 determines that the decompression storage room 24 has not been used for a predetermined period, and sets the set temperature of the decompression storage room 24. Reduce to freezing temperature.

  Moreover, you may determine whether a user is at home based on the operation state of the operation switch 150 for performing various settings to a refrigerator. Also in this case, as described above, when the control device 100 determines that the user is absent for a predetermined period, it determines that the decompression storage chamber 24 has not been used for a predetermined period.

  Furthermore, by receiving a signal from the HEMS 170, it is possible to know a change in power consumption of the building where the refrigerator is installed. When the user is absent, power consumption is low and does not change much throughout the day and night. Therefore, the control device 100 can determine whether or not the user is absent for a predetermined period based on the signal from the HEMS 170.

  Although illustration is omitted, in addition to the above method, for example, using the signal from the human body detection sensor for detecting the open / closed state of the entrance door of the building where the refrigerator is placed and the human body in the building The structure to do may be sufficient.

  The operation of the control device 100 will be described. The control device 100 controls the temperature by setting the set temperature of the decompression storage chamber 24 to the chilled temperature or the refrigeration temperature (S10). The control device 100 acquires information (signals) from any one or more of the predetermined devices 110 to 170 (S11). Based on the acquired information, the control device 100 determines whether or not the decompression storage chamber 24 has not been used for a predetermined period (S12). When it is determined that the decompression storage chamber 24 has not been used for a predetermined period (S12: YES), the control device 100 reduces the set temperature of the decompression storage chamber 24 to the freezing temperature (S13).

  In this embodiment configured as described above, when the decompression storage chamber 24 is not used for a predetermined period, the set temperature is automatically lowered, so that the quality deterioration of the food in the decompression storage chamber 24 can be suppressed. Enables long-term storage. Accordingly, waste of discarded food can be reduced and usability is improved.

  With reference to FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, the preservation | save effect of a refrigerator is demonstrated. First, the effect of vacuum freezing will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 is a graph showing the values measured for vitamin C when the komatsuna was frozen by a conventional freezing method and when it was frozen in a vacuum.

  The bar graph 84 shows vitamin C when komatsuna is stored and frozen in a vacuum container brought to a quick freezing temperature. Bar graph 85 shows vitamin C when komatsuna is stored and frozen in a vacuum container that is normally set at a freezing temperature. Bar graph 86 shows vitamin C when komatsuna is frozen in the quick freezing mode. Bar graph 87 shows the amount of vitamin C when komatsuna is frozen in the normal freezing mode. In addition, it preserve | saved raw | naturally at the time of freezing, and it thawed by putting in boiling water for 1 minute.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the largest amount of residual vitamin C is when the vacuum container is set to the quick freezing temperature (graph 84). The amount of vitamin C remaining next is the highest when the vacuum vessel is at the normal freezing temperature (graph 85). Next, the amount of residual vitamin C is large when it is rapidly frozen (graph 86). The case where the remaining amount of vitamin C is the smallest is the case of normal freezing (graph 87).

  From this, it can be seen that the effect of retaining nutrient components is higher when frozen in vacuum than when frozen at atmospheric pressure. This is considered to be due to indirect cooling by freezing in vacuum, and temperature fluctuations are reduced, so that moisture in the food is difficult to escape and the freshness is maintained. Moreover, although chemical reaction becomes slow at freezing temperature, since oxygen has decreased in a vacuum state, it turns out that the oxidation reaction of food was suppressed and the effect which maintains freshness increased.

  Furthermore, since quick-frozen has a higher vitamin C retention effect than normal freezing, it can be seen that the quick-frozen method has a higher nutritional component retention effect. Therefore, by providing a member with high thermal conductivity or the cold storage material 80 in the vacuum vessel, the cooling rate can be improved in indirect cooling, and the maximum ice crystal forming temperature zone can be passed through around -1 degree to -5 degree early. it can. Thereby, the cell destruction by an ice crystal can be suppressed and the freshness degradation by the enzyme reaction of food can be reduced.

  With reference to FIG. 13, the relationship between a preservation | save period and the nutrient component residual amount of a freezing temperature zone and a chilled temperature zone is demonstrated. FIG. 13 is a graph showing the amount of vitamin C measured after 3 days, 10 days, and 2 weeks after storing lemon at the chilled temperature and the freezing temperature.

  A line graph 89 in FIG. 13 shows the change over time in the amount of vitamin C when the vacuum container is kept at the chilled temperature and the lemon is stored. A line graph 89 shows the change over time in the amount of vitamin C when the vacuum container is kept in the freezing temperature zone (−18 degrees) and the lemon is stored. The horizontal axis 0 of the graph indicates the amount of vitamin C in the initial lemon before storage.

  As can be seen from FIG. 13, after 3 days, the chilled temperature has more vitamin C than the freezing temperature. However, after 10 days, the amount of vitamin C at the chilled temperature is the same as the amount of vitamin C at the freezing temperature. After two weeks, the amount of vitamin C remaining is higher when stored at the freezing temperature than when stored at the chilled temperature.

  When stored at a freezing temperature, the water freezes and destroys the cells of the foodstuff, so the reaction between vitamin C-degrading enzyme and vitamin C is activated, so that vitamin C is considered to decrease even if the storage period is short. On the other hand, since there is no freezing at the chilled temperature, the decomposition reaction of vitamin C is suppressed by the cell membrane. Furthermore, since the oxidation reaction is suppressed by vacuum storage, the decomposition rate of vitamin C decreases and the storage stability increases.

  However, since the propagation of microorganisms proceeds as the storage temperature increases, the decomposition reaction of vitamin C by microorganisms accelerates as the day passes. In addition, the water content of the food will evaporate, and the food will be withered, the ability to retain water-soluble vitamin C will be weakened, and the residual amount of vitamin C will decrease.

  On the other hand, in the case of refrigeration, since the space temperature is low, the rate of chemical reaction is slow. In addition, at -12 degrees or less, the reaction of most microorganisms stops and the propagation of microorganisms is suppressed. Therefore, after 10 days, the result is the same as the storage at the chilled temperature. Furthermore, when the storage days extend and two weeks pass, the loss of vitamin C is less when stored at the freezing temperature than when stored at the chilled temperature.

  For this reason, for example, in the case of relatively short storage days within one week, when the food is not frozen, it is set to the chilled temperature range which is the lowest storage temperature and stored for a relatively long period of one week or more. It was found desirable to set the freezing temperature at which the food was frozen and stored.

  Therefore, by setting the chilled temperature for storage within a predetermined period and switching to the freezing temperature when stored for a predetermined period or longer, the nutritional component retention effect of the food can be further enhanced.

  In addition, even if the user forgets the presence of food being stored, the temperature is automatically lowered to enter the long-term storage mode, so that food can be disposed of less and further savings are possible. .

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, as described above, the decompression storage chamber 24 is provided in the quick freezing chamber 3b, a mechanism for switching between the chilled temperature and the freezing temperature is provided, and it is determined that there is no change over a predetermined period in storage at the chilled temperature. In the event of a failure, the chilled temperature is switched to the freezing temperature.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Refrigerator main body, 2 ... Refrigeration room, 2a ... Chilled room, 3 ... Freezing room, 3a ... Ice making room, 3b ... Quick freezing room, 4 ... Freezing room, 5 ... Vegetable room, 6 ... Cold room door, 7 ... Ice making Room door, 8 ... Quick freezer door, 9 ... Freezer door, 10 ... Vegetable room door, 11 ... Outer box, 12 ... Inner box, 13 ... Foam insulation, 14 ... Compressor, 15 ... Evaporator, 16 ... Blower fan, 17-20 ... shelf, 21 ... bottom space, 22 ... ice making water tank, 23 ... storage case, 24 ... decompression storage room, 25-27 ... door pocket, 28 ... ice making water pump, 29 ... vacuum pump, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Control apparatus, 110 ... Pressure switch, 120 ... Optical sensor, 130 ... Depressurization storage room door switch, 140 ... Cold room door switch, 150 ... Operation switch, 160 ... Temperature sensor, 170 ... HEMS.

Claims (5)

A refrigerator comprising a decompression storage chamber for storing at a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure,
A cooling device for controlling the temperature of the decompression storage chamber to a set temperature;
A control device that outputs a control signal to the cooling device and adjusts the temperature of the decompression storage chamber to a set temperature; and
Wherein the control device, when a predetermined condition set in advance is satisfied, is intended to change the set temperature of the decompression storage compartment,
The predetermined condition is that the food has not been used for a predetermined period after the food is stored in the decompression storage room,
The control device determines whether the decompression storage chamber has not been used for the predetermined period based on information from a predetermined device, and determines that the decompression storage chamber has not been used for the predetermined period. Changing the set temperature of the chamber from the first temperature to the second temperature;
refrigerator. The controller sets the set temperature of the decompression storage chamber to a first temperature that is a chilled temperature or a refrigeration temperature, and sets the set temperature of the decompression storage chamber to the first temperature when the predetermined condition is satisfied. Change to a second temperature which is a freezing temperature lower than one temperature,
The refrigerator according to claim 1. The predetermined device is a pressure detection unit for detecting the pressure of the decompression storage chamber,
The control device determines whether the decompression storage chamber has not been used for the predetermined period based on the pressure detected by the pressure detector.
The refrigerator according to claim 1 . The predetermined device is an opening / closing switch for detecting opening / closing of a door that covers the opening of the decompression storage chamber so as to be openable / closable,
The control device determines whether the decompression storage chamber has not been used for the predetermined period based on an open / close detection signal from the open / close switch;
The refrigerator according to claim 1 . In the decompression storage chamber, a heat storage member for conducting heat to the cold storage material or the wall of the decompression storage chamber is provided,
The refrigerator according to claim 1.

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