JP6023986B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator structure having a high energy saving effect.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a cooling chamber of a conventional refrigerator.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the refrigerator 10 has a plurality of storage rooms, and a freezing room 11 is arranged at the bottom. On the back surface of the freezer compartment 11, there is provided a cooler 12 that has a cooler 12 inside, a defrost heater 22 at the bottom, and a blower 13 at the top to generate and blow cool air. The cold air generated by the cooler 12 is forcibly sent to each storage room by the blower 13. A part is sent to the freezer compartment 11 through the cold discharge port 15, and a part is sent to the vegetable compartment 17 and the refrigerator compartment (not shown) provided above the freezer compartment 11 through the high temperature discharge air passage 16. The cold air that has cooled the freezer compartment 11 passes from the freezer compartment return port 18, and the cold air that has cooled the refrigerator compartment and the vegetable compartment 17 sequentially passes through the return port 19 and the high temperature return air passage 20, and then passes from the high temperature suction port 21 to the cooling chamber 14. It returns and is cooled again by the cooler 12. At this time, the cool air leaked from the cooler 12 to the back without being used to generate cool air is absorbed by the relatively warm return cold flowing through the high-temperature return air passage 20, so that heat does not leak from the back of the refrigerator 10 to the outside air. Power consumption can be reduced by forcibly returning the cool air of the cooler 12 to the cooling chamber 14. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

JP 2012-159239 A

  However, there is room for improvement in the conventional configuration. During the cooling operation, the return cold air from the freezer compartment 11 below the cooler 12 has a large backward wind speed, and the return cold air from the vegetable compartment 17 and the refrigerator compartment has a large forward wind speed, so that the flow of each other is inhibited. The cooling capacity was reduced by reducing the amount of air circulating inside. Further, during the defrosting operation, the defrosting operation for melting the frost attached to the cooler 12 with the blower 13 stopped is performed by high-temperature natural convection (updraft) generated from the surface of the defrosting heater 22. In the conventional configuration, a part of the ascending airflow flows into the high temperature return air passage 20 from the high temperature suction port 21, and the defrosting efficiency of the cooler 12 is lowered.

  The present invention solves the conventional problem, increases the air volume circulating in the warehouse by suppressing the mutual interference of a plurality of return cold air during the cooling operation, improves the cooling capacity, and returns during the defrost operation. It aims at providing the refrigerator which suppressed the fall of the defrost efficiency by reducing the partial flow volume of the natural convection to an air path.

In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, a refrigerator according to the present invention includes a cooler that generates cold air, a blower that forcibly circulates the cold air generated by the cooler, and frost and ice below the cooler. A defrosting heater for melting, a cooling chamber for storing the cooler, the blower and the defrosting heater, a low temperature storage chamber having the cooling chamber on the back surface, and at least one high temperature different from that of the low temperature storage chamber A low-temperature inlet for introducing low-temperature return cold air from the low-temperature storage chamber into the cooling chamber, and a high-temperature inlet for introducing high-temperature return cold air from the high-temperature storage chamber into the cooling chamber, The suction port is provided in the front of the cooling chamber, the high temperature suction port is provided in the back of the cooling chamber,
A lower end of the high temperature suction port is located above the defrosting heater, and a lower end surface of the high temperature suction port includes a protruding portion that protrudes from the upper end surface into the cooling chamber. Thus, during the cooling operation, the low temperature intake port is positioned below the high temperature intake port, so that the low temperature return cold air having a large backward speed and the high temperature return cold air having a large forward speed are shifted in the vertical direction. Thus, the mutual interference can be suppressed and the air volume circulating in the cabinet can be increased, so that the cooling capacity can be further improved. Moreover, since the inflow amount to the said high temperature suction inlet of the updraft generated from the said defrost heater surface can be reduced at the time of a defrost operation, the fall of defrost efficiency can be suppressed.

  The refrigerator of the present invention suppresses mutual interference of a plurality of return cold air in the cooling chamber during the cooling operation, improves the cooling capacity by increasing the amount of air circulating in the warehouse, and returns air during the defrost operation. The refrigerator which suppressed the fall of defrost efficiency can be provided by preventing the diversion of the natural convection to a road.

The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the refrigerator in Embodiment 1 of this invention 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cooling chamber in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Longitudinal sectional view of the refrigerator in the second embodiment of the present invention A-A 'front view in FIG. Longitudinal sectional view of the cooling chamber of a conventional refrigerator

  The first invention includes a cooler that generates cold air, a blower that forcibly circulates the cold air generated by the cooler, a defrost heater that melts frost and ice below the cooler, and A cooling chamber containing a cooler, a blower and a defrosting heater; a low-temperature storage chamber provided with the cooling chamber on the back; at least one high-temperature storage chamber having a temperature range different from that of the low-temperature storage chamber; In a refrigerator comprising a low-temperature inlet for introducing low-temperature return cold air into the cooling chamber and a high-temperature inlet for introducing high-temperature return cold air from the high-temperature storage chamber into the cooling chamber, the low-temperature inlet is provided in front of the cooling chamber. The high temperature suction port is provided in the back of the cooling chamber, the lower end of the high temperature suction port is located above the defrosting heater, and the lower end surface of the high temperature suction port protrudes into the cooling chamber from the upper end surface. Be prepared Characterized in that was. Thus, during the cooling operation, the low-temperature return cold air having a large backward speed and the high-temperature return cold air having a large forward speed are shifted in the vertical direction, thereby suppressing mutual interference and increasing the amount of air circulating in the interior. Therefore, the cooling capacity can be further improved. Moreover, since the inflow amount to the high temperature inlet of the updraft generated from the surface of the defrost heater can be reduced during the defrost operation, it is possible to suppress a decrease in defrost efficiency.

  A second invention is characterized in that, in the first invention, the low-temperature suction port is located below the high-temperature suction port. As a result, by returning the cool air from the low temperature storage room where the greatest cooling effect is required from the lower part to the cooling room, the distance that the low temperature return cold air passes through the cooler becomes longer, and the heat exchange amount is increased to further cool the air. Ability can be improved.

  A third invention is characterized in that, in the first or second invention, the projecting portion is inclined upward. Thereby, at the time of a defrost operation, the inflow amount to the high temperature inlet of the updraft generated from the defrost heater surface can be reduced more efficiently.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, in the vertical section of the refrigerator, the maximum value of the distance from the defrost heater to the tip of the protruding portion is a spatial distance in the vertical direction of the low temperature suction port. It is characterized by being set larger than the maximum value. As a result, a large space between the defrost heater and the tip of the protrusion can be secured during the cooling operation, so that the low-temperature return cold air flowing from the low-temperature suction port is smoother than the high-temperature return cold air without increasing the pressure loss. Can join.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals are given to the same configurations as those of the conventional example or the embodiments described above, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cooling chamber according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  1 and 2, a heat insulating box 31 of a refrigerator 30 is mainly composed of an outer box 32 using a steel plate and an inner box 33 molded of a resin such as ABS, and the inside thereof is, for example, a hard foam as a heat insulating material. A foam insulation material 34 such as urethane is filled, insulated from the surroundings, and divided into a plurality of storage rooms.

  The plurality of storage rooms have a refrigeration room 35 at the top, a vegetable room 36 at the bottom of the refrigeration room 35, and a freezing room 37 at the bottom.

  A refrigerator compartment door 38 is opened at the front opening of the refrigerator compartment 35, a vegetable compartment door 39 is opened at the front opening of the vegetable compartment 36, and a freezer compartment door 40 is opened and closed at the front opening of the freezer compartment 37. It is supported freely.

  The refrigerator compartment 35 is normally set to 1 ° C to 5 ° C at the lower limit of the temperature at which it is not frozen for refrigerated storage, and the vegetable compartment 36 can be set to 3 to 8 ° C. The freezer compartment 37 is set in a freezing temperature zone and is usually set at −22 ° C. to −15 ° C. for frozen storage, but for example, −30 ° C. or −25 ° C. to improve the frozen storage state. It may be set at a low temperature.

  Moreover, the vegetable compartment 36 and the freezer compartment 37 are divided up and down by the 1st division wall 41 which is a partition wall, and the refrigerator compartment 35 and the vegetable compartment 36 are divided up and down by the 2nd division wall 42 which is a partition wall. Yes.

  A cooling chamber 43 for generating cool air is provided on the back of the freezing chamber 37, and a cooler 44 is provided inside. The cooling chamber 43 is insulated from the freezing chamber 37 by a vertical partition wall 45. A blower 46 that forcibly blows cool air generated above the cooler 44 is disposed, and a defrost heater 47 that defrosts frost and ice adhering to the cooler 44 is provided below the cooler 44. Yes. Furthermore, a drain pan 48 for receiving defrosted water generated at the time of defrosting, a drain tube 49 penetrating from the deepest part to the outside of the cabinet are configured at the lower part, and an evaporating dish 50 is configured outside the warehouse on the downstream side. .

  Specifically, the defrost heater 47 is a glass tube heater made of glass, and in particular, when the refrigerant is a hydrocarbon-based refrigerant gas, a double glass tube heater in which glass tubes are formed in a double manner is adopted for explosion protection. Has been.

  The drain pan 48 constitutes a part of the bottom surface and the back surface of the cooling chamber 43. The bottom surface is configured such that the connection portion with the drain tube 49 is the lowest in order to collect the defrost water in the drain tube 49, and is farthest from the defrost heater 47 at the connection portion with the drain tube 49 (distance L). It will be. The back surface rises to a height that exceeds the height at which the amount of water stored in the drain pan 48 can be secured, and the angle formed between the bottom surface and the back surface is a gently curved surface.

  The vertical partition wall 45 includes a front partition wall 45 a that forms the outer shell of the freezing chamber 37 and a rear partition wall 45 b that forms the outer shell of the cooling chamber 43. A space between the front partition wall 45a and the rear partition wall 45b is a distribution air passage 51 that branches cold air toward each storage chamber.

  The front partition wall 45 a has a freezer compartment discharge port 52 on the upper side, and communicates the distribution air passage 51 and the freezer compartment 37. There is a freezer return air passage 53 protruding downward from the freezer compartment 37 side, and the return cold air from the freezer compartment 37 is introduced into the cooling chamber 43 through an inlet 53a provided in front of the freezer return air passage 53.

  The distribution air passage 51 is also connected to a high temperature discharge air passage 54 provided in the first partition wall 41. Further, the high temperature discharge air passage 54 is connected to the refrigerator compartment 35 and the vegetable compartment 36.

  The rear partition wall 45 b includes a blower 46 on the upper side, and has a rib 55 that partitions the freezer return air passage 53 and the cooling chamber 43 on the lower side. A region surrounded by the freezing chamber return air passage 53 by the rib 55 and the drain pan 48 is a freezing chamber suction port 56, and the freezer compartment return air passage 53 and the cooling chamber 43 communicate with each other.

  The area of the freezer compartment suction port 56 is configured to be larger than the area of the entrance 53a. Further, in the longitudinal section passing through the center of the drain tube 49, the distance L between the defrost heater 47 and the drain tube 49 is configured to be larger than the height H of the freezer compartment suction port 56 in the same longitudinal section. .

  The bottom surface of the freezing chamber return air passage 53 is constituted by a part of the drain pan 48 and the bottom surface of the cooling chamber 43. The drain pan 48 starts from the lower end of the inlet 53a, passes through the lower end of the freezing chamber suction port 56, inclines downward to the drain tube 49, and then gradually turns upward to connect to the back surface of the cooling chamber 43.

  A high-temperature return air passage 57 is disposed on the back surface of the cooler 44. It passes through the first partition wall 41 and the second partition wall 42 and communicates with the vegetable compartment 36 and the refrigeration compartment 35, respectively, and the cold air that has cooled the refrigeration compartment 35 and the vegetable compartment 36 merges in the high-temperature return air passage 57. . The high temperature return air passage 57 includes a high temperature suction port 58 that communicates with the cooling chamber 43 below. The lower end surface of the high temperature suction port 58 is provided above the defrosting heater 47 and the freezer compartment suction port 56, and has a protruding portion 58a that protrudes into the cooling chamber 43 from the upper end surface. It is inclined to. Further, the distance B between the defrost heater 47 and the tip of the protrusion 58 a is configured to be larger than the height H of the freezer compartment suction port 56.

  About the refrigerator comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  First, the cooling operation will be described. A part of the cold air generated by the cooler 44 in the cooling chamber 43 is forcibly blown forward by the blower 46 in the distribution air passage 51. The freezer compartment 37 is cooled by the cold air discharged from the freezer compartment discharge port 52, and the cold air is below the cooler 44 from the freezer compartment suction port 56 via the freezer return air passage 53 provided at the lower part of the vertical partition wall 45. Then, heat is exchanged in the cooler 44, and fresh cold air is circulated again by the blower 46. As a result, the freezer compartment 37 is cooled to an appropriate temperature under the control of a freezer sensor (not shown).

  Further, the cold air discharged upward in the distribution air passage 51 is discharged to the refrigerator compartment 35 and the vegetable compartment 36 through the high temperature discharge air passage 54 in the first partition wall 41. The circulated cold air becomes the air in the refrigerator compartment 35 and the vegetable compartment 36 and the humid air contained in the stored product, passes through the high temperature return air passage 57 and is led to the lower part of the cooler 44 through the high temperature suction port 58. Heat exchange with the cooler 44 and dehumidification are performed, and fresh cool air is forcibly blown by the blower again. At this time, frost is generated in the cooler 44.

  Thereby, even if the refrigerator compartment 35 and the vegetable compartment 36 are in the position away from the cooler 44, the air can be forcedly circulated by the blower 46 to cool the storage compartment to the set temperature.

  Here, when the cool air discharged from the blower 46 circulates through all the storage rooms of the refrigerating room 35, the vegetable room 36, and the freezing room 37, the cooling room 43 returns the refrigerating air from the freezing room 37 and the refrigerating room. Two flows of hot return cold air from the chamber 35 and the vegetable chamber 36 will flow simultaneously.

  The return cold air from the freezer compartment 37 passes through the freezer compartment return air passage 53 from the entrance 53 a and enters the cooling compartment 43 from the freezer compartment suction port 56. The high temperature return cold air from the refrigerator compartment 35 and the vegetable room 36 passes through the high temperature return air passage 57 and enters the cooling chamber 43 from the high temperature suction port 58.

  At this time, the freezer return air flows downward into the cooling chamber 43 along the drain pan 48 constituting the bottom surface of the freezer return air passage 53 because the freezer inlet 56 is located below the inlet 53a. Furthermore, since the distance L between the defrost heater 47 and the drain pan 48 and the distance B between the rear surface of the cooling chamber 43 are larger than the height of the freezer inlet 56, the freezing chamber return cold air has a wide space. Flows down. After that, it flows through the bottom surface of the cooling chamber 43 as it is and changes direction according to the shape of the drain pan 48, and flows upward along the back surface of the cooling chamber 43.

  The high-temperature return cold air from the refrigerator compartment 35 and the vegetable compartment 36 flows downward in the high-temperature return air passage 57, but is turned forward on the lower surface of the high-temperature return air passage 57 and installed on the back surface of the cooling chamber 43. It flows into the cooling chamber 43 from the high temperature suction port 58.

  The high temperature return cold air that has come out of the high temperature suction port 58 merges with the freezer compartment return cold air that has risen along the back surface of the cooling chamber 43. The high temperature return cold air is pushed by the upward freezer return cold air, smoothly turns upward, and can enter the cooler 44 together with the freezer return cold air. Therefore, since the two flows of the freezer return cold air and the high temperature return cold air do not interfere with each other and interfere with each other, increasing the air volume of the two flows increases the heat exchange amount of the cooler 44 and increases the cooling capacity. Can be improved.

  Since the refrigerator 30 needs to cool the freezer compartment 37 having the largest temperature difference from the outside temperature among the three storage rooms, the refrigerator 30 can be frozen by closing the high-temperature discharge air passage 54 with an on-off valve (not shown). It is necessary to circulate cold air only to the chamber 37. When the cool air discharged from the blower 46 circulates only in the freezer compartment 37, only the return cool air from the freezer compartment 37 flows into the cooler chamber 43.

  At this time, the freezing room return cold air passes through the freezing room return air passage 53 from the entrance 53a and enters the cooling room 43 through the freezing room suction port 56 as in the case where the cold air circulates in all the storage rooms. It passes under the heater 47 and enters the cooler 44 along the drain pan 48 from the back surface. Therefore, the freezer return cold air can flow diagonally in the cooler 44, and the heat exchange distance can be increased, so that the heat exchange amount can be increased and the cooling capacity can be improved.

  Furthermore, since the suction port installed on the front surface of the cooling chamber 43 is only the freezing chamber suction port 56, the width of the freezing chamber suction port 56 can be expanded to the same as the width of the cooler 44. Therefore, even when the cold air is circulating only in the freezer compartment 37, the entire cooler 44 can be used, and the cooling capacity can be further improved.

  Moreover, since the freezer compartment suction inlet is larger than the entrance 53a of the freezer compartment return air path 53, the pressure loss here can also be suppressed and the air volume can be increased.

  In general, a low-temperature cooler 44 is disposed on the back surface of the refrigerator 30, so that the temperature difference from the outside air becomes large and much heat enters through the heat insulating wall on the back side. Since the high-temperature return air passage is configured between the heat insulating walls, the amount of heat entering through the heat insulating wall on the back surface of the refrigerator 30 can be reduced.

  Next, the defrosting operation will be described. As described above, the circulated cold air becomes the air in the refrigerator compartment 35 and the vegetable compartment 36 and the moisture contained in the stored product, passes through the high temperature return air passage 57 and passes through the high temperature suction port 58 to the lower part of the cooler 44. The heat is exchanged with the cooler 44 and dehumidified. At this time, frost is generated on the surface of the cooler 44. As the frost grows, the ventilation resistance and thermal resistance of the cooler 44 increase and the heat exchange capacity decreases, so it is necessary to perform the defrosting operation with good timing.

  The defrosting of the cooler 44 is performed in a state in which the blower 46 is stopped, and is mainly performed by heat transfer by high-temperature natural convection (updraft) generated from the surface of the defrosting heater 47 that has become high temperature due to energization. At this time, the ascending airflow that has flowed to the vicinity of the high-temperature suction port 58 flows along the protruding portion 58a, and thus is guided to the cooler 44. Thereby, a part of the ascending airflow does not flow into the high-temperature suction port 58 and is guided to the cooler 44, so that the defrosting operation can be performed without reducing the defrosting efficiency.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, during the cooling operation, the freezer compartment suction port 56 is provided on the front surface of the cooling chamber 43, the high temperature suction port 58 is provided on the rear surface of the cooling chamber 43, and the freezer compartment suction port 56 is provided on the high temperature suction port. By being positioned below 58, the freezer return cold air having a large backward speed and the high temperature return cold air having a large forward speed are displaced in the vertical direction to suppress mutual interference and increase the amount of air circulating in the cabinet. Therefore, the cooling capacity can be further improved. Further, even when the cold air is circulating only in the freezer compartment 37 that needs to be cooled most, the freezer compartment suction port 56 is located further downward, so that the distance that the freezer return cold air passes through the cooler is increased and heat exchange is performed. Further cooling capacity can be improved by increasing the amount.

  Further, the drain pan 48 constituting the bottom surface of the cooling chamber 43 has a shape inclined downward from the freezing chamber suction port 56 to the drain tube 49, so that the freezing chamber return cold air flows downward along the drain pan 48 on the rear surface. Therefore, the speed of the freezer compartment return cold air is increased in front of the high temperature inlet 58 and can smoothly merge with the high temperature return cold air, so that the air volume can be increased and the cooling capacity can be improved.

  Further, the freezer compartment suction port 56 is provided with a freezer compartment return air passage 53 on the upstream side, and an inlet 53a of the freezer compartment return air passage 53 is located above the freezer compartment suction port 56, so that Since the freezing chamber return cold air flows downward into the cooling chamber 43, it becomes easier to flow along the drain pan 48, and interference with the low temperature return cold air can be suppressed while reducing the pressure loss. Furthermore, since the area of the inlet 53a of the freezer return air passage 53 is smaller than the area of the freezer compartment inlet 56, pressure loss at the freezer compartment inlet 56 can be further reduced.

  The cooling chamber 43 includes a defrost heater 47 for melting frost and ice below the cooler 44, and the distance L between the defrost heater 47 and the drain pan 48 from the freezer inlet 56 and the cooling chamber 43. Since the distance B from the back surface is large, the freezer return cold air flows under the defrost heater 47 having a large space. After that, it flows through the bottom surface of the cooling chamber 43 as it is and changes its direction according to the shape of the drain pan 48, and the pressure loss can be kept small even when it flows upward through the back surface of the cooling chamber 43. Accordingly, the cooling capacity can be improved because the air volume can be increased and the distance passing through the cooler can be increased.

  Further, during the defrosting operation, the lower end surface of the high temperature suction port 58 is provided with a protruding portion 58a that protrudes into the cooling chamber 43 from the upper end surface, so that it is generated from the surface of the defrost heater 47 and near the high temperature suction port 58. Ascending airflow that has flown into the airflow flows along the projecting portion 58a, so that part of the ascending airflow does not flow into the high-temperature suction port 58 and is guided to the cooler 44 without deteriorating the defrosting efficiency. Defrosting operation can be performed.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the refrigerator according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a front view of the cooling chamber according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  In addition, although description is abbreviate | omitted about the part which can apply the structure similar to Embodiment 1, and the same technical idea, as long as there is no malfunction, it can apply combining this Embodiment with the structure of Embodiment 1. Is possible.

  3 and 4, the plurality of storage rooms of the refrigerator 30 includes a refrigeration room 35 at the top, a vegetable room 36 at the bottom, and a freezing room 37 between the refrigeration room 35 and the vegetable room 36.

  Moreover, the vegetable compartment 36 and the freezer compartment 37 are divided up and down by the 1st division wall 71 which is a partition wall, and the refrigerator compartment 35 and the freezer compartment 37 are divided up and down by the 2nd division wall 72 which is a partition wall. Yes.

  The distribution air passage 51 is connected to a vegetable room discharge air passage (not shown) provided in the first partition wall 71 and communicates the distribution air passage 51 and the vegetable compartment 36. In addition, the distribution air passage 51 and the refrigerating chamber 35 are communicated with each other by connecting to a refrigerating chamber discharge air passage 85 provided in the second partition wall 72.

  A refrigeration chamber return air passage 87 is disposed on the back surface of the cooler 44. The refrigeration chamber return air passage 87 passes through the second partition wall 72 and communicates the refrigeration chamber 35 and the cooling chamber 43, and cold air that has cooled the refrigeration chamber 35 flows therethrough. The refrigerating room return air passage 87 includes a refrigerating room suction port 88 communicating with the cooling room 43 below.

  Further, on the back surface of the cooler 44, there is a vegetable room suction port 89 next to the refrigerator compartment suction port 88. The vegetable room suction port 89 communicates with the vegetable room 36 via a vegetable room return air passage 90 provided in the first partition wall 71.

  The refrigerator compartment suction port 88 and the vegetable compartment suction port 89 are provided in the vicinity of the lower end of the cooler 44 and are configured at a position higher than the freezer compartment suction port 56. Further, the lower end surfaces of the refrigerator compartment suction port 88 and the vegetable chamber suction port 89 are provided above the defrost heater 47 and the freezer compartment suction port 56, and the protrusions protruded into the cooling chamber 43 from the upper end surface. Each has a portion 88a and 89a and is inclined upward.

  About the refrigerator comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  First, the cooling operation will be described. The cold air discharged upward in the distribution air passage 51 is discharged to the refrigerating chamber 35 through the refrigerating chamber discharge air passage 84 in the second partition wall 72. The cold air that has cooled the inside of the refrigerating chamber 35 becomes humid air, passes through the refrigerating chamber return air passage 87, is led from the refrigerating chamber suction port 88 to the lower part of the cooler 44, and is heat exchanged and dehumidified with the cooler 44. The fresh cold air is forced to be blown again by the blower.

Further, the cold air discharged to the inside of the distribution air passage 51 is discharged to the vegetable compartment 36 through the vegetable compartment discharge air passage 84 in the first partition wall 71. The cold air that has cooled the inside of the vegetable compartment 36 becomes humid air, passes through the vegetable compartment return air passage 90, is led from the vegetable compartment suction port 89 to the lower part of the cooler 44, and is heat-exchanged and dehumidified with the cooler 44. The fresh cold air is forced to be blown again by the blower. At these times, frost is generated in the cooler 44.

  The refrigerated room return cold air from the refrigeration room 35 flows downward in the refrigeration room return air passage 87, but the high temperature is installed on the back surface of the cooling room 43 by changing the direction forward on the lower surface of the refrigeration room return air passage 87. It flows into the cooling chamber 43 from the suction port 58.

  The cold room return cold air that has come out of the cold room suction port 88 merges with the freezer compartment return cold air that has risen along the back surface of the cooling chamber 43. The cold air returning from the refrigerator compartment is pushed by the upward freezing room return air, smoothly turning upward, and can enter the cooler 44 together with the freezing room return cold air.

  On the other hand, since the vegetable room return cold air from the vegetable room 36 flows upward in the vegetable room return air passage 90, the vegetable room return cold air that has come out from the vegetable room suction port 89 runs along the back of the cooling room 43. The freezing room return cold air that has come up can smoothly merge and enter the cooler 44 together with the freezing room return cold air.

  Here, since the refrigerator compartment inlet 88 and the vegetable compartment inlet 89 are arranged side by side, they do not interfere with each other in the cooling chamber 43 that flows upward.

  Even when the refrigeration room suction port 88 and the vegetable room suction port 89 are arranged one above the other according to the air path configuration, since all the flows are directed upward in all the cooling chambers 43, they interfere with each other and reduce the air volume. I will not let you.

  Accordingly, since all the return cold air does not interfere with each other, the amount of heat exchange of the cooler 44 can be increased by increasing the amount of circulating air, and the cooling capacity can be improved.

  Next, the defrosting operation will be described. As described above, the circulated cold air becomes the air in the refrigerator compartment 35 and the vegetable compartment 36 and the humid air contained in the storage, and passes through the refrigerator compartment return air passage 87 and the vegetable compartment return air passage 90, respectively. Heat is exchanged with the cooler 44 and dehumidified through the refrigerator compartment suction port 88 and the vegetable compartment suction port 89 to the lower part of the cooler 44. At this time, frost is generated on the surface of the cooler 44. As the frost grows, the ventilation resistance and thermal resistance of the cooler 44 increase and the heat exchange capacity decreases, so it is necessary to perform the defrosting operation with good timing.

  The defrosting of the cooler 44 is performed in a state in which the blower 46 is stopped, and is mainly performed by heat transfer by high-temperature natural convection (updraft) generated from the surface of the defrosting heater 47 that has become high temperature due to energization. At this time, the ascending airflow that has flowed to the vicinity of the high-temperature suction port 58 flows along the protruding portion, and thus is guided to the cooler 44. Accordingly, a part of the rising airflow does not flow into the refrigerator compartment suction port 88 and the vegetable compartment suction port 89 and is guided to the cooler 44, so that the defrosting operation can be performed without reducing the defrosting efficiency. it can.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, during the cooling operation, the freezer compartment suction port 56 is provided on the front surface of the cooling chamber 43, and the refrigerator compartment suction port 88 and the vegetable room suction port 89 are provided on the back surface of the cooling chamber 43. The suction port 56 is located below the refrigeration chamber suction port 88 and the vegetable chamber suction port 89, so that even if cold air returns from the front and rear and flows into the cooling chamber 43 at the same time, the mutual flow is hindered. Since the air volume circulating through the interior can be increased, the cooling capacity can be further improved.

  Further, at the time of the defrosting operation, the defrost heater 47 is provided with projecting portions 88a and 89a projecting from the upper end surface into the cooling chamber 43 at the lower end surfaces of the refrigerator compartment suction port 88 and the vegetable chamber suction port 89. Ascending airflow generated from the surface and flowing to the vicinity of the high-temperature suction port 58 flows along the protruding portion, so that a part of the ascending airflow does not flow into the refrigerating room suction port 88 and the vegetable room suction port 89 and is cooled. Therefore, the defrosting operation can be performed without reducing the defrosting efficiency.

  As described above, the configuration of the refrigerator according to the present invention can improve the heat exchange amount of the cooler without increasing the pressure loss of the air passage, and can prevent the defrosting efficiency from being lowered. Or it can apply also to the apparatus which circulates air forcedly, such as a commercial refrigerator.

30 Refrigerator 35 Refrigerated room (high temperature storage room)
36 Vegetable room (high temperature storage room)
37 Freezer room (cold storage room)
43 Cooling chamber 44 Cooler 46 Blower 47 Defrost heater 48 Drain pan (cooling chamber bottom)
53 Freezer return air passage 53a Entrance 56 Freezer compartment inlet (low temperature inlet)
58a Protrusion 58 High temperature inlet 57, 87 Refrigeration room return air path (high temperature return air path)
58, 88 Refrigerating room inlet (high temperature inlet)
88a Projection 89 Vegetable room inlet (high temperature inlet)
89a Protrusion 90 Vegetable room return air path (high temperature return air path)

Claims (4)

A cooler that generates cold air, a blower that forcibly circulates the cold air generated by the cooler, a defrost heater that melts frost and ice below the cooler, the cooler, the blower, and the removal device A cooling chamber containing a frost heater; a low-temperature storage chamber provided with the cooling chamber on the back; at least one high-temperature storage chamber having a temperature range different from that of the low-temperature storage chamber; and cooling the low-temperature return cold air from the low-temperature storage chamber A refrigerator having a low-temperature inlet to be introduced into the chamber and a high-temperature inlet to introduce the high-temperature return cold air from the high-temperature storage chamber into the cooling chamber, wherein the low-temperature inlet is in front of the cooling chamber, and the high-temperature inlet is Provided on the rear surface of the cooling chamber, a lower end of the high temperature suction port is located above the defrosting heater, and a lower end surface of the high temperature suction port has a protruding portion protruding from the upper end surface into the cooling chamber. The Refrigerator and butterflies. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the low-temperature suction port is positioned below the high-temperature suction port. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion is inclined upward. The maximum value of the distance from the said defrost heater to the said front-end | tip part of a protrusion is set larger in the vertical cross section of a refrigerator than the maximum value of the vertical space distance of the said low-temperature inlet. The refrigerator as described in any one.

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