JP5833346B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator provided with a defrost heater and a temperature sensor.

  A conventional refrigerator is disclosed in Patent Document 1. This refrigerator has a refrigerator compartment at the top and a freezer compartment below the refrigerator compartment. A cold air duct is provided behind the freezer compartment, and a cooler is disposed in the cold air duct. The cooler is connected to a compressor that operates the refrigeration cycle and is maintained at a low temperature.

  A blower is disposed above the cooler in the cold air duct. Airflow flows through the cool air duct by driving the blower, and cool air is generated by heat exchange with the cooler. A defrost heater is arranged below the cooler in consideration of heat transfer efficiency such as radiation and conduction. Above the cooler, a temperature sensor for detecting the stop timing of the defrost heater is provided.

  When the cooler is frosted, the cooling capacity is reduced due to clogging. Therefore, the defrosting operation of the cooler is performed at a predetermined time. When the defrosting operation is started, the compressor and the blower are stopped, and the defrosting heater is driven. The cooler is heated from below by the radiant heat of the defrost heater, and the defrost heater is stopped when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor reaches a predetermined stop temperature (for example, 10 ° C.) for melting frost. Thereby, it becomes higher than a stop temperature from the lower part to the upper part of a cooler, and a cooler is defrosted.

JP 2011-58742 A

  However, according to the above conventional refrigerator, there has been a problem that a malfunction of the temperature sensor occurs when water droplets condensed in the cooling duct drop and adhere to the temperature sensor.

  An object of this invention is to provide the refrigerator which can reduce generation | occurrence | production of the malfunctioning of a temperature sensor.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a cooler that generates cool air, a cool air duct in which the cooler is circulated through the cool air, and a cooler duct that is disposed below the cooler in the cool air duct. A defrost heater that defrosts the cooler, a temperature sensor that is disposed above the cooler to detect the temperature and detect the stop timing of the defrost heater, and is provided on the front wall or the rear wall of the cold air duct And a holding unit that holds the temperature sensor, and the temperature sensor is covered by the holding unit.

  According to this configuration, the storage chamber is cooled by the cold air generated by heat exchange with the cooler. When the defrost heater is driven, the frost that has formed on the cooler is defrosted. Further, the temperature sensor held by the holding unit detects the temperature above the cooler, and the defrost heater is stopped when the temperature sensor detects a predetermined temperature. The temperature sensor is protected from water droplets dripping in the cooling duct by a holding portion that covers the upper side.

  Moreover, the present invention is characterized in that, in the refrigerator having the above-described configuration, the temperature sensor is formed in a columnar shape, and the holding portion has an insertion portion for inserting and clamping the temperature sensor.

  Moreover, the present invention is characterized in that, in the refrigerator configured as described above, the insertion portion has an opening that exposes the lower side of the temperature sensor. According to this configuration, even when a water droplet adheres to the temperature sensor, the water droplet falls out through the opening.

  Moreover, the present invention is characterized in that, in the refrigerator having the above-described configuration, the holding portion has a recess recessed in the axial direction from one end of the insertion portion, and the opening extends below the recess. . According to this configuration, the temperature sensor is positioned in contact with the periphery of the opening surface of the recess. Further, the lead wire of the temperature sensor is drawn out through the opening extending below the recess.

  In the refrigerator configured as described above, the temperature sensor includes a first region covered by the holding portion and a second region exposed upward.

  In the refrigerator having the above-described configuration, the area of the first region with respect to the area of the temperature sensor is 40% to 60% by planar projection.

  According to the present invention, when a water droplet condensed in the cooling duct has dropped, the holding unit that covers the temperature sensor protects the temperature sensor from the water droplet. Thereby, the malfunction of a temperature sensor can be reduced and the stop time of a defrost heater can be detected appropriately.

Side surface sectional drawing which shows the refrigerator of embodiment of this invention The perspective view which shows the holding | maintenance part which concerns on the refrigerator of embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing which shows the attachment state of the temperature sensor of the refrigerator of embodiment of this invention The perspective view which shows the holding | maintenance part which concerns on the refrigerator of embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing which shows the attachment state of the temperature sensor of the refrigerator of embodiment of this invention

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a refrigerator 1 according to the present embodiment. The refrigerator 1 is provided with a refrigerator compartment 2 in which stored items are refrigerated and opened on the front by a door 2a. Below the refrigerating room 2, a freezing room 3 is stored via a heat insulating wall 6. A machine room 5 provided with a compressor 17 for operating a refrigeration cycle is provided at the lower rear of the freezer room 3.

  Behind the refrigerator compartment 2 and the freezer compartment 3 are provided cold air ducts 12 and 13 partitioned by back plates 12a and 13a, respectively. The cold air ducts 12 and 13 communicate with each other through a damper 16 provided on the heat insulating wall 6. The cold air duct 12 is provided with a refrigerator compartment fan 14, and the cold air duct 13 is provided with a freezer compartment fan 15 and a cooler 20.

  The cooler 20 is connected to the compressor 17 and disposed on the low temperature side of the refrigeration cycle, and generates heat by exchanging heat with the air flowing through the cold air duct 13. The freezer compartment fan 15 is disposed above the cooler 20 and generates an air flow in the cold air duct 13.

  In the upper part of the back plate 12a of the refrigerator compartment 2, a cold air outlet 2b is opened. A cool air discharge port 3b is opened above the back plate 13a of the freezer compartment 3, and a return port 3c is opened below the back plate 13a so as to face the cooler 20 and return the cool air to the cool air duct 13. Since the freezer compartment fan 15 is arranged above the cooler 20 and the return port 3c faces the lower part of the cooler 20, the distance between the cooler 20 and the air for heat exchange is ensured to be long and the heat exchange efficiency is improved. be able to.

  A defrost heater 40 is disposed in the cold air duct 13 below the cooler 20 in consideration of heat transfer efficiency such as radiation and conduction. The cooler 20 is defrosted by energization of the defrost heater 40. Above the cooler 20, a temperature sensor 25 that detects the stop timing of the defrost heater 40 is provided. The defrost heater 40 is stopped based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 25.

  The temperature sensor 25 is held by a holding portion 30 that protrudes from the back plate 13 a that is the front wall of the cold air duct 13. The holding | maintenance part 30 is formed in a part of resin molded product which comprises the backplate 13a. The temperature sensor 25 is positioned at a predetermined position by the holding unit 30. The same effect can be obtained even if the holding portion 30 is provided on the rear wall of the cold air duct 13 facing the back plate 13.

  2 is a perspective view showing the holding unit 30 from above, and FIG. 3 is a top cross-sectional view of the holding unit 30 showing a state in which the temperature sensor 25 is attached. In addition, Y shown in FIG. 3 shows the left-right direction of the refrigerator 1, and X shows the front-back direction of the refrigerator 1. FIG. The holding | maintenance part 30 protrudes in the front-back direction X of the refrigerator 1 from the backplate 13, and is formed in the cylinder shape which open | released the rear end. The holding part 30 has an insertion part 31 and a concave part 34 having different inner diameters. The insertion part 31 inserts and holds the columnar temperature sensor 25. The insertion part 31 has a cover part 32 that covers the upper side of the temperature sensor 25, and protects the temperature sensor 25 from water droplets that drip into the cold air duct 13 during defrosting or condensation. Thereby, the malfunction of the temperature sensor 25 by a water droplet can be reduced.

  The recess 34 is provided in the axial direction from one end of the insertion part 31. The temperature sensor 25 inserted through the insertion portion 31 is positioned in contact with the periphery of the rear end surface of the recess 34. Accordingly, the temperature sensor 25 is disposed in the cold air duct 13 at a substantially central portion in the front-rear direction of the cooler 20. For this reason, the temperature of the upper part of the cooler 20 can be accurately detected during defrosting. Further, it is not necessary to recess the front surface of the back plate 13a in front of the holding portion 30 when forming the back plate 13a, and the temperature sensor 25 can be disposed away from the cold air in the freezer compartment 3. Therefore, the influence of the temperature in the freezer compartment 3 can be reduced and the detection accuracy of the temperature sensor 25 can be improved.

  A slit-like opening 33 is provided on the peripheral surface of the insertion part 31 so as to face downward and open. The opening 33 exposes the lower side of the temperature sensor 25. Thereby, even when a water droplet adheres on the temperature sensor 25, the water droplet can be discharged downward through the opening 33. The opening 33 is formed to extend from the insertion portion 31 to the recess 34. Thereby, the lead wire of the temperature sensor 25 can be pulled out from the concave portion 34, and adhesion of water droplets to the lead wire can be reduced.

  4 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the holding unit 30, and FIG. 5 is a top sectional view of the holding unit 30 shown in FIG. The cover part 32 does not have to cover the entire temperature sensor 25. When the area covered with the cover part 32 above the temperature sensor 25 is the first area 25a and the exposed area not covered with the cover part 32 is the second area 25b, the area of the first area 25a is projected in plane. It is preferable to form 40% to 60% of the area above the temperature sensor 25. When the first region 25a is smaller than 40%, the temperature sensor 25 cannot be sufficiently protected from water droplets. On the other hand, the sensitivity of the temperature sensor 25 can be increased by setting the first region 25a to 60% or less.

  According to this embodiment, the temperature sensor 25 is disposed above the cooler 20 by the cover portion 32 of the holding unit 30 that holds the temperature sensor 25 that detects the temperature and detects the stop timing of the defrost heater 40. By covering, the temperature sensor 25 can be protected from dripping water droplets. Thereby, the malfunction of the temperature sensor 25 can be reduced and the stop time of the defrost heater 40 can be detected appropriately.

  Moreover, the temperature sensor 25 can be stably hold | maintained because the holding | maintenance part 30 has the insertion part 31 which penetrates and clamps the column-shaped temperature sensor 25. As shown in FIG.

  Moreover, the insertion part 31 has the opening part 33 which exposes the lower side of the temperature sensor 25, and even if a water droplet should adhere to the temperature sensor 25, the water droplet transmitted below the temperature sensor 25 is discharged from the opening part 33. Can do.

  Further, the holding part 30 has a recess 34 that is recessed from the one end of the insertion part 31 in the axial direction, so that the temperature sensor 25 inserted through the insertion part 31 is positioned in contact with the periphery of the rear end surface of the recess 34. The Accordingly, the temperature sensor 25 is disposed in the cold air duct 13 at a substantially central portion in the front-rear direction of the cooler 20. Further, it is not necessary to recess the front surface of the back plate 13a in front of the holding portion 30 when forming the back plate 13a, and the temperature sensor 25 can be disposed away from the cold air in the freezer compartment 3. For this reason, the temperature of the upper part of the cooler 20 can be accurately detected during defrosting. Further, the insertion portion 31 has the opening 33 that exposes the lower side of the temperature sensor 25, so that water droplets transmitted to the lower side of the temperature sensor 25 can be discharged from the opening 33.

  Further, the temperature sensor 25 includes the first region 25a covered by the holding unit 30 and the second region 25b exposed upward, thereby increasing the sensitivity of the temperature sensor 25 while protecting the temperature sensor 25 from water droplets. be able to.

  Further, by making the area of the first region 25a with respect to the area of the temperature sensor 25 by plane projection to be 40% to 60%, the sensitivity of the temperature sensor 25 can be increased while protecting the temperature sensor 25 from water droplets.

  According to this invention, it can utilize for the refrigerator provided with the temperature sensor which detects the stop time of a defrost heater.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigerator 2 Refrigerating room 2a, 3a Door 2b, 3b Outlet 3 Freezing room 3c Return port 5 Machine room 12, 13 Cold air duct 14 Refrigerating room fan 15 Freezing room fan 16 Damper 17 Compressor 20 Cooler 25 Temperature sensor 30 Holding part 31 Insertion part 32 Cover part 33 Opening part 34 Concave part 40 Defrost heater

Claims (3)

A cooler that generates cool air, a cool air duct through which the cool air is circulated, a defrost heater that is disposed in the cool air duct to defrost the cooler, and detects the temperature of the cooler And a temperature sensor that
The temperature sensor has an exposed region on one side facing the cooler and the other side opposite to the one side,
Exposed region of the temperature sensors planar projection from said one side of widely than the exposed region of the temperature sensors planar projection from the side of the other,
The defrost heater is disposed below the cooler, the temperature sensor is disposed above the cooler ,
A holding part for holding the temperature sensor covers the upper side of the temperature sensor,
A refrigerator, wherein a part of the holding part is opened to form an exposed area on the other side . The temperature sensor is formed in a columnar shape, and a holding portion that holds the temperature sensor has an insertion portion that inserts and clamps the temperature sensor, and has an end surface at one end of the insertion portion, and the temperature sensor The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the refrigerator is positioned in contact with the end face. Holder for holding the temperature sensor is characterized in that it is formed such that the temperature sensor is located away from the front wall or rear wall of the cold air duct, according to claim 1 or claim 2 refrigerator.

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