JP6314956B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator.

  As an operation for thawing the frozen food, there are, for example, a method of standing at room temperature and a microwave oven. However, standing at room temperature is unfavorable for hygiene, such as bacterial growth, because it is left in a high temperature environment for a long time. Although the method using a microwave oven can be thawed in a short time, there are problems such as thawing unevenness or partial heat denaturation. Against this background, refrigerators are required not only to store food at low temperatures but also to thaw frozen food with high quality without failure.

  The refrigerator disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a cooler, a refrigerating room, a storage room provided in an upper part of the refrigerating room, a thawing heater installed in a ceiling duct of the storage room, a storage room It is equipped with a cross-flow fan installed on the back, and by operating the thawing heater and the cross-flow fan, the air heated by the thawing heater is discharged into the storage room to supply the food with warm air. Thaw quickly.

  In the refrigerator disclosed in Patent Document 2, at least one of the storage chambers is different from the first storage compartment, which is maintained in a preset temperature range preset in the storage chamber, and the preset temperature range. The compartment storage room has a second storage compartment having a temperature region, and the second storage compartment has a function of thawing food.

Japanese Patent No. 3251275 International Publication No. 2011/135865

  However, in the refrigerator of Patent Document 1, air heated by a heater and having a temperature equal to or higher than the temperature of the refrigerator compartment is introduced. For this reason, if food other than the object to be thawed is put in the same room, the temperature of the food also rises to the same level or higher as the refrigerator temperature, and the quality may be lowered.

  In Patent Document 2, the storage compartment having a thawing function and the storage compartment for storage are separate spaces divided by a partition. For this reason, the effort which moves foodstuffs other than the thawing | decompression object from the storage compartment provided with the thawing | decompression function to the storage compartment for preservation | save is required. In addition, the storage space that can be effectively used is reduced by the amount of the partition.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can store food stored at different temperatures without reducing the storage space and is excellent in usability.

The refrigerator according to the present invention includes a refrigerator body having a storage room, and a mass of storage compartments inside the storage room, and the internal temperature rises or falls from the left space inside the storage compartment toward the right space. Temperature gradient generating means capable of generating left and right temperature gradients, and in a state where the left and right temperature gradients are generated, the internal temperature of at least a part of the space on the high temperature side of the left space and the right space is a temperature higher than the freezing point of the food, at least a portion of the inside temperature of the cold side of the space of the left space and right space is low temperature der shall above freezing point.
In the refrigerator according to the present invention, in the refrigerator main body having a storage room and a single storage compartment inside the storage room, the internal temperature increases from the left space inside the storage compartment toward the right space. Or a temperature gradient generating unit capable of generating a decreasing left and right temperature gradient, wherein the temperature gradient generating unit supplies the cold air to the left space in preference to the right space, and the cold air to the left A cool air control device capable of selecting a second state to be supplied with priority to the right-side space.
In the refrigerator according to the present invention, in the refrigerator main body having a storage room and a single storage compartment inside the storage room, the internal temperature increases from the left space inside the storage compartment toward the right space. Or a temperature gradient generation means capable of generating a decreasing left and right temperature gradient, wherein the temperature gradient generation means includes a first left and right temperature gradient in which the inside temperature rises from the left space toward the right space, and the left It is possible to select the second left-right temperature gradient in which the internal temperature decreases toward the right-side space.
In the refrigerator according to the present invention, in the refrigerator main body having a storage room and a single storage compartment inside the storage room, the internal temperature increases from the left space inside the storage compartment toward the right space. Or a temperature gradient generating means capable of generating a decreasing left and right temperature gradient, and after thawing the object to be thawed placed in the storage compartment, the temperature gradient generating means relaxes or eliminates the left and right temperature gradient.
In the refrigerator according to the present invention, in the refrigerator main body having a storage room and a single storage compartment inside the storage room, the internal temperature increases from the left space inside the storage compartment toward the right space. Or a temperature gradient generating means capable of generating a decreasing left and right temperature gradient, and the storage compartment has a shape that is longer in the left-right direction than in the depth direction, and the storage compartment can be pulled out to the near side It is what is.

  According to the refrigerator of the present invention, by including a temperature gradient generating means capable of generating a left-right temperature gradient in which the internal temperature rises or falls from the left space inside the same storage compartment toward the right space, It becomes possible to store food at different temperatures in the left space and right space inside the same storage compartment. Thereby, the food stored at different temperatures can be stored without reducing the storage space, and the usability can be improved.

3 is a front view of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of a refrigerator compartment portion of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of the control system with which the refrigerator of Embodiment 1 is provided. It is a top view (figure seen from the top) of the low temperature room with which the refrigerator of Embodiment 1 is provided. It is a figure which shows the temperature on the straight line A-A 'in FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of the ultimate temperature of a foodstuff when the frozen and frozen foodstuff is set | placed for about 8 hours in the low temperature room, for example. It is a cross-sectional side view of the part of the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator of Embodiment 2. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of the control system with which the refrigerator of Embodiment 2 is provided. It is a top view (figure seen from the top) of the low temperature room with which the refrigerator of Embodiment 2 is provided. It is a top view (figure seen from the top) of the low temperature room with which the refrigerator of Embodiment 2 is provided. It is a figure which shows an example of the internal temperature in the state in which the 2nd right-and-left temperature gradient was produced | generated. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process which the control apparatus of the refrigerator of Embodiment 2 performs. It is a figure which shows the example of the hardware constitutions of the control apparatus 7 with which the refrigerator of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 is provided. It is a figure which shows the other example of the hardware constitutions of the control apparatus 7 with which the refrigerator of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 is provided.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Elements common to the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is simplified or omitted. Note that the number, arrangement, orientation, shape, and size of the devices, instruments, and components in the present invention are not limited to the number, arrangement, orientation, shape, and size shown in the drawings in principle. Moreover, the positional relationship (for example, up-down relationship etc.) of each structural member in a specification is a thing when installing a refrigerator in the usable state in principle. In addition, the present invention can include all combinations of configurations that can be combined among the configurations described in the following embodiments.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a front view of the refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment. In this specification, the left and right of the refrigerator 1 are defined as follows. The left in FIG. 1 is “left”, and the right in FIG. 1 is “right”. That is, the left hand side of the person facing the front of the refrigerator 1 is “left”, and the right hand side is “right”.

(Composition of refrigerator)
As shown in FIG. 2, the refrigerator 1 of this Embodiment is equipped with the heat insulation box 90 as a refrigerator main body. The heat insulation box 90 has a storage space inside, and has an opening on the front surface (front surface). The heat insulating box 90 includes an outer box, an inner box arranged inside the outer box, and a heat insulating material filled in a space between the outer box and the inner box. The outer box is made of steel, for example. The inner box is made of resin, for example. Examples of the heat insulating material include urethane foam and vacuum heat insulating material. The storage space formed inside the heat insulation box 90 is partitioned into a plurality of storage chambers for storing and storing food by one or a plurality of partition members.

  As shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2, the refrigerator 1 of this Embodiment is provided with the refrigerator compartment 100, the switching room 200, the ice making room 300, the freezer compartment 400, and the vegetable compartment 500 as several storage rooms, for example. These storage chambers are arranged in a four-stage configuration in the vertical direction in the heat insulating box 90.

  The refrigerator compartment 100 is disposed on the uppermost stage of the heat insulation box 90. The switching chamber 200 is arranged on one of the left and right sides of the refrigerator compartment 100 (on the right side in the example of FIG. 1). The cold insulation temperature zone of the switching chamber 200 can be switched by selecting one of a plurality of temperature zones. The plurality of temperature zones that can be selected as the cool temperature zone of the switching chamber 200 are, for example, a freezing temperature zone (for example, about −18 ° C.), a refrigeration temperature zone (for example, about 3 ° C.), a chilled temperature zone (for example, about 0 ° C.), And a soft freezing temperature zone (for example, about −7 ° C.). The ice making chamber 300 is disposed adjacent to the side of the switching chamber 200 in parallel with the switching chamber 200, that is, on the left and right other sides (the left side in the example of FIG. 1) below the refrigeration chamber 100. The freezing room 400 is disposed below the switching room 200 and the ice making room 300. The vegetable room 500 is arranged at the lowermost stage below the freezer room 400.

  The refrigerator 1 includes a rotary door 8 that opens and closes an opening on the front surface of the refrigerator compartment 100. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the door 8 is a double door type (double door type) and includes a right door 8 a and a left door 8 b. An operation panel 6 is provided on the outer surface of the front door 8 (for example, the left door 8b) of the refrigerator 1. The operation panel 6 includes an operation unit and a display unit. The operation unit may include an operation switch for setting a cold temperature of each storage room and an operation mode (such as a thawing mode) of the refrigerator 1. A display part is comprised with the display apparatus (for example, liquid crystal display) which displays various information, such as the temperature of each store room. Further, the operation panel 6 may include a touch panel that serves as both an operation unit and a display unit. The internal configuration of the refrigerator compartment 100 will be described later.

  Each storage room (the switching room 200, the ice making room 300, the freezing room 400, and the vegetable room 500) other than the refrigerator room 100 is opened and closed by a drawer-type door. These drawer-type doors slide in the depth direction (front-rear direction) of the refrigerator 1 by sliding a frame fixed to the door with respect to rails formed horizontally on the left and right inner wall surfaces of each storage room. Can be opened and closed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a switching chamber storage case 201 and a freezing chamber storage case 401 that can store food and the like are stored in the switching chamber 200 and the freezing chamber 400 so that they can be pulled out. Similarly, in the vegetable compartment 500, a vegetable compartment storage case 501 capable of storing foods and the like is stored therein so that it can be pulled out. The vegetable compartment storage case 501 is connected to the door frame, and slides in the front-rear direction in conjunction with opening and closing of the door. The number of storage cases provided in each storage chamber may be one, but may be two or more in order to improve the organization and the like in consideration of the capacity of the entire refrigerator 1.

(Cooling mechanism)
On the back side of the refrigerator 1, a cooling mechanism for cooling the air supplied to each storage room is provided. The cooling mechanism includes a refrigeration cycle circuit. The refrigeration cycle circuit is configured by connecting a compressor 2, a condenser (not shown), a decompression device (not shown), a cooler 3 and the like with refrigerant piping. The compressor 2 compresses and discharges the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle circuit. The condenser condenses the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 2. The decompression device decompresses and expands the refrigerant flowing out of the condenser. The cooler 3 cools the air supplied to each storage chamber by the refrigerant expanded by the decompression device. The compressor 2 is arrange | positioned at the lower part of the back side of the refrigerator 1, for example.

  The refrigerator 1 is formed with an air passage 5 for supplying the air cooled by the refrigeration cycle circuit to each storage chamber. The air passage 5 is mainly disposed on the back side in the refrigerator 1. The cooler 3 of the refrigeration cycle circuit is installed in the air path 5. Further, a blower fan 4 for sending the air cooled by the cooler 3 to each storage chamber is also installed in the air passage 5.

  When the blower fan 4 operates, the air (cold air) cooled by the cooler 3 is sent to the freezing room 400, the switching room 200, the ice making room 300, and the refrigerating room 100 through the air path 5, and these storage rooms are passed through. Cooling. The vegetable room 500 is cooled by introducing the return cold air from the refrigerating room 100 into the vegetable room 500 through the return air passage for the refrigerating room. The cold air that has cooled the vegetable compartment 500 is returned to the air passage 5 with the cooler 3 through the vegetable compartment return air passage (these return air passages are not shown). And it cools again by the cooler 3, and cold air is circulated through the refrigerator 1.

  Dampers are provided in midway from the air passage 5 to the respective storage rooms. Each damper opens and closes a portion of the air passage 5 that leads to each storage chamber. By changing the open / closed state of the damper, the amount of cold air supplied to each storage room can be adjusted. The temperature of the cold air can be adjusted by controlling the operation of the compressor 2.

  In the present embodiment, the refrigeration cycle circuit including the compressor 2 and the cooler 3, the blower fan 4, the air path 5, and the damper are examples of cooling means for cooling the inside of the storage chamber.

  The refrigerator 1 includes a control device 7. The control apparatus 7 is arrange | positioned at the upper part of the back side of the refrigerator 1, for example. The control device 7 is provided with a control circuit and the like for performing various controls necessary for the operation of the refrigerator 1. As a control circuit with which the control apparatus 7 is provided, for example, a circuit for controlling the operation of the compressor 2 and the blower fan 4 and the opening degree of the damper based on the temperature in each storage chamber and information input to the operation panel 6 or the like. Can be mentioned. The control device 7 constitutes control means for controlling the cooling means described above. The temperature in each storage chamber can be detected by a temperature sensor (for example, a thermistor) installed in each storage chamber.

(Configuration of the refrigerator compartment 100)
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the refrigerator compartment 100 of the refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment. The refrigerator compartment 100 includes a door open / close detection switch 9, a door pocket 10, and a shelf 11. The door open / close detection switch 9 detects the open / closed state of the door 8. The door open / close detection switch 9 is in a position facing the door 8 at the edge of the front opening of the refrigerator compartment 100. The door pocket 10 is attached to the inside of the door 8.

  The shelf 11 partitions the inside of the refrigerating room 100 into a plurality of parts. The lowermost section partitioned by the shelf 11 is further configured in two upper and lower stages, and a chilled chamber 12 is provided in the upper stage, and a low temperature chamber 13 is provided in the lower stage. The chilled chamber 12 can maintain a lower temperature than the refrigerated chamber 100. The temperature in the chilled chamber 12 is maintained at 0 ° C. or higher. The low greenhouse 13 can store food without freezing below the freezing point.

  The temperature inside the refrigerator compartment 100 can be detected by the refrigerator compartment thermistor 14. The temperature inside the refrigerator compartment 100 can be controlled by adjusting the opening degree of the refrigerator compartment damper 16 installed in the air passage 5. The temperature inside the low greenhouse 13 can be detected by the cold room thermistor 15. The temperature inside the low temperature chamber 13 can be controlled by adjusting the opening degree of the low temperature chamber damper 17 installed in the air passage 5.

(Control system of refrigerator 1)
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a control system included in the refrigerator 1 of the first embodiment. From the refrigerator compartment thermistor 14 and the cold compartment thermistor 15, detection signals of the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment 100 and the temperature inside the cold compartment 13 are input to the control device 7. An operation signal from the operation unit of the operation panel 6 is also input to the control device 7. A detection signal from the door opening / closing detection switch 9 is also input to the control device 7. Based on the input signal, the control device 7 performs the compressor 2 according to the operation program stored in advance in the storage device so that the inside of the refrigerator compartment 100 and the inside of the low temperature compartment 13 are maintained at the set temperatures. The operation or state of the blower fan 4, the refrigerator compartment damper 16, the low temperature compartment damper 17, etc. can be controlled. In addition, the control device 7 outputs a display signal to the display unit of the operation panel 6.

(Configuration of the low temperature chamber 13)
FIG. 5 is a plan view (viewed from above) of the low temperature chamber 13 provided in the refrigerator 1 of the first embodiment. The lower side in FIG. 5 is the front side of the refrigerator 1, and the upper side in FIG. 5 is the back side of the refrigerator 1. The horizontal direction in FIG. 5 corresponds to the left-right direction of the refrigerator 1. The low temperature chamber 13 in the present embodiment is formed by a shallow box-shaped storage case (storage tray) 13a capable of storing food. The storage case 13a can be pulled out to the front side. Thereby, food can be easily taken in and out of the low temperature chamber 13. The space inside the low greenhouse 13 becomes a single storage compartment without partitions. The plan view shape of the cryogenic chamber 13 in the present embodiment is generally rectangular and has a length in the left-right direction that is longer than the length in the depth direction (front-rear direction). Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the height of the space inside the low temperature chamber 13 in the present embodiment is smaller than the length of the low temperature chamber 13 in the depth direction (front-rear direction). However, the shape of the storage compartment in the present invention is not limited to such a shape.

  The refrigerator 1 according to the present embodiment generates a temperature gradient that can generate a left-right temperature gradient that is a spatial temperature gradient in which the internal temperature rises from the left space 13b inside the low temperature chamber 13 toward the right space 13c. Means. As shown in FIG. 5, the temperature gradient generating means includes a cold air outlet 18 and an outlet 19. In the following description, the left space 13b inside the low temperature chamber 13 is referred to as a left space 13b, and the right space 13c inside the low temperature chamber 13 is referred to as a right space 13c.

  The cold air outlet 18 blows out the cold air that has passed through the air passage 5 and the low temperature chamber damper 17 toward the low temperature chamber 13. The cold air outlet 18 opens in a wall on the back side of the low temperature chamber 13 (a wall at the back of the low temperature chamber 13). The discharge port 19 sucks the air in the low temperature chamber 13 and discharges it to the outside of the low temperature chamber 13. The discharge port 19 is below the storage case 13a. The discharge port 19 is located near the back surface of the low temperature chamber 13.

  The cold air outlet 18 is located at a position shifted to the left with respect to the center in the left-right direction of the low temperature chamber 13. In the present embodiment, the cold air outlet 18 is located closer to the left end 13 d of the low temperature chamber 13 than the center in the left-right direction of the low temperature chamber 13. The cold air outlet 18 blows out cold air toward the left space 13b. The cold air blown out from the cold air outlet 18 does not directly flow into the right space 13c. The cool air outlet 18 supplies the cool air with priority to the left space 13b rather than the right space 13c.

  The discharge port 19 is at a position shifted to the right with respect to the center in the left-right direction of the low temperature chamber 13. In the present embodiment, the discharge port 19 is located closer to the right end 13 e of the low temperature chamber 13 than the center of the low temperature chamber 13 in the left-right direction. The discharge port 19 discharges the air in the right space 13c.

  The flow of cold air (air) in the low greenhouse 13 is as follows. The cold air blown out from the cold air outlet 18 first advances forward as indicated by the solid line arrow in FIG. Thereafter, the course is changed and the vehicle proceeds in the right direction and moves from the left space 13b to the right space 13c. Thereafter, the course is further changed, and the vehicle flows backward toward the discharge port 19 as indicated by a broken-line arrow in FIG. The temperature of the cold air rises until the cold air blown from the cold air outlet 18 reaches the outlet 19. The temperature of the air (returned cold air) sucked into the discharge port 19 from the right space 13c is higher than the temperature of the cold air blown from the cold air outlet 18 to the left space 13b. In this embodiment, such a configuration can generate a left-right temperature gradient in which the internal temperature rises from the left space 13b toward the right space 13c.

  FIG. 6 is a graph showing the temperature on the straight line A-A ′ in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 is an example of the internal temperature in a state where a left-right temperature gradient is generated. As shown in FIG. 6, the internal temperature increases from the point A at the left end 13 d of the low temperature chamber 13 toward the point A ′ at the right end 13 e of the low temperature chamber 13. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the gradient of the temperature gradient is steep near the center of the cold chamber 13 in the left-right direction, and the temperature is substantially uniform in the regions on both sides thereof. The left-right temperature gradient in the present invention is not limited to such an example. The left-right temperature gradient in the present invention may be, for example, a temperature gradient in which the temperature increases or decreases substantially continuously from the left end 13d to the right end 13e of the low temperature chamber 13.

  Hereinafter, although the left and right temperature gradient generated by the temperature gradient generation means will be further described, the internal temperature in a state where the left and right temperature gradient is generated can be measured as follows, for example. The internal temperature can be measured as a temperature when a thermometer such as a thermocouple is installed in the low temperature chamber 13 and left for several hours without opening the door 8 and becomes stable. By arranging a plurality of thermometers in the cold chamber 13 along the left-right direction, the left-right temperature gradient can be measured. In this case, the position where the plurality of thermometers are placed in the depth direction (front-rear direction) can be the center position of the depth of the low temperature chamber 13.

  The left space 13b is, for example, a space on the left side of the left and right center of the low temperature chamber 13. The right space 13c is, for example, a space on the right side of the center of the low temperature chamber 13 in the left-right direction. The space from the position where the slope of the left and right temperature gradient is steepest to the left end 13d of the low temperature chamber 13 is the left space 13b, and the space from the position where the slope of the left and right temperature gradient is steepest to the right end 13e of the low temperature chamber 13 is May be the right space 13c.

  In the example shown in FIG. 6, the temperature at the point A at the left end 13d of the low temperature chamber 13 is a storage temperature TL (eg, −2 ° C.) that is lower than the freezing point Tf (eg, −1 ° C.) of the food. The temperature at the point A ′ at the right end 13e of the chamber 13 is a thawing temperature TH (for example, 0 ° C.) that is higher than the freezing point Tf. In the following description, an area having a temperature lower than the freezing point Tf is referred to as a “storage area”, and an area having a temperature higher than the freezing point Tf is referred to as a “thawing area”. When the thawing object is placed in the thawing area, the temperature of the thawing object is raised to a temperature TH higher than the freezing point Tf, so that the thawing object can be sufficiently thawed. Since the food entered in the storage area can be stored at a storage temperature TL lower than the freezing point Tf, high quality can be maintained for a long time by low temperature storage.

  According to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained by generating a left-right temperature gradient in the low temperature chamber 13. In the same space, both the thawing of the food to be thawed and the low temperature storage of the food that is not the thawed object can be performed. Since no partition or the like is provided in the low greenhouse 13, the storage space in the low temperature chamber 13 can be used effectively. In addition, since it is not necessary to heat or raise the temperature in the low temperature chamber 13 for thawing, it does not adversely affect the storage quality other than the thawing target. By generating a temperature gradient along the left and right direction, food that is to be thawed and food that is not to be thawed can be arranged in the left and right direction, and there is no need to arrange them in the depth direction. Easy to put in and out.

  In the present embodiment, the left side space 13b is a low temperature side space (storage area) and the right side space 13c is a high temperature side space (thawing area). On the contrary, the right side space 13c is a low temperature side space (storage area). Needless to say, the left space 13b may be a high-temperature space (defrosting area). By arranging the cold air outlet 18 at a position shifted to the right with respect to the center in the left-right direction of the low greenhouse 13, the cold air outlet 18 supplies the cold air with priority to the right space 13c rather than the left space 13b. The right side space 13c can be a low temperature side space, and the left side space 13b can be a high temperature side space. In this case, the discharge port 19 may be arranged at a position shifted to the left with respect to the center of the cold chamber 13 in the left-right direction.

  In the state where the left-right temperature gradient is generated, the internal temperature of at least a part of the high-temperature side space of the left space 13b and the right space 13c becomes higher than the freezing point Tf of the food, and the left space 13b and the right space The effect similar to the effect mentioned above is acquired because the internal temperature of at least a part of the space on the low temperature side of 13c is lower than the freezing point Tf.

  In the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained by setting the thawing temperature TH, which is the temperature of the thawing area, to around 0 ° C. This thawing temperature TH (around 0 ° C.) is a temperature higher than the freezing point Tf (about −1 ° C.) of the food and lower than the refrigeration temperature (about 3 ° C.). For this reason, the object to be thawed placed in the thawing area can be thawed almost completely, and even after thawing, a good quality state can be maintained by low-temperature storage.

  By making the internal temperature of at least a part of the space on the high temperature side of the left space 13b and the right space 13c to be −1 ° C. or higher, the thawing target object placed in the high temperature space is sufficient. It becomes possible to defrost.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the reached temperature of the food when the frozen and frozen food is placed in the low temperature chamber 13 for about 8 hours, for example. The foods 91 and 92 in FIG. 7 are placed in the storage area. In this example, the ultimate temperature of the food 91 is −1.9 ° C., and the ultimate temperature of the food 92 is −1.5 ° C. The foods 91 and 92 having such a temperature are in a slightly frozen state. The foods 93 and 94 in FIG. 7 are placed in the thawing area. In this example, the reaching temperature of the food 93 is −0.6 ° C., and the reaching temperature of the food 94 is −0.3 ° C. The foods 93 and 94 having such a temperature are almost completely thawed. In the present embodiment, when an object to be thawed is put in the storage area, the temperature is raised only up to the storage temperature TL, and therefore it can be stored while maintaining a finely frozen state. The user can select the thawing state of the thawing target object by using the storage area and the thawing area properly, and the convenience is improved.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
Next, the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 8 to FIG. 13. The description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment, and the description of the same or corresponding parts will be simplified or Omitted. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the refrigerator compartment 100 of the refrigerator 1 according to the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a control system included in the refrigerator 1 of the second embodiment. 10 and 11 are plan views (viewed from above) of the low temperature chamber 13 provided in the refrigerator 1 of the second embodiment. The lower side in FIGS. 10 and 11 is the front side of the refrigerator 1, and the upper side in FIGS. 10 and 11 is the back side of the refrigerator 1. The horizontal direction in FIGS. 10 and 11 corresponds to the left-right direction of the refrigerator 1.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the refrigerator 1 of the second embodiment includes a temperature sensor 20 that detects the temperature of the food in the low temperature chamber 13. In the configuration shown in the drawing, the temperature sensor 20 is disposed at the upper part on the back side of the low temperature chamber 13. The temperature sensor 20 is a sensor that can detect the temperature of an object in a non-contact manner (for example, an infrared temperature sensor). The temperature sensor 20 is a movable type provided with a drive unit that moves the temperature detection unit, and can scan the inside of the low temperature chamber 13.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the control device 7 according to the second embodiment includes a temperature gradient control unit 71 and a position detection unit 72. The refrigerator 1 according to the second embodiment includes position detection means for detecting the position of the object to be thawed placed in the low temperature chamber 13. The position detection unit includes a temperature sensor 20 and a position detection unit 72.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the temperature sensor 20 according to the second embodiment is arranged approximately at the center in the left-right direction of the low temperature chamber 13. A broken arrow in FIG. 10 indicates a direction in which the temperature detection unit of the temperature sensor 20 faces. The temperature sensor 20 can rotate the direction of the temperature detection unit to the left side and the right side from the state in which the temperature detection unit is directed to the center in the left-right direction of the low temperature chamber 13. In the following description, the direction of the temperature detection unit of the temperature sensor 20 is expressed as follows. The state in which the temperature detection unit is directed to the center in the left-right direction of the low greenhouse 13 is set to 0 °, and the state in which the direction of the temperature detection unit is rotated α ° to the left from the 0 ° position is set to + α °, and from the 0 ° position. A state in which the direction of the temperature detection unit is rotated α ° to the right is defined as −α ° (where α is a positive number).

  The temperature gradient generation means in the refrigerator 1 of the second embodiment includes the cold air outlet 18, the cold air control device 21, and the temperature gradient control unit 71. As shown in FIG. 10, the cold air outlet 18 in the present second embodiment is arranged at the approximate center in the left-right direction of the low temperature chamber 13. The cool air control device 21 of the second embodiment is configured as follows. The cold air control device 21 has a first state in which cold air is supplied to the left space 13b with priority over the right space 13c, and a second state in which cold air is supplied to the right space 13c with priority over the left space 13b, and It is possible to select a third state in which cold air is evenly supplied to the left space 13b and the right space 13c. The cold air control device 21 can change the blowing direction of the cold air from the cold air outlet 18. The cold air control device 21 includes a current plate that rectifies the cold air blown from the cold air outlet 18 and a drive unit that moves the direction of the current plate. FIG. 10 shows a state where the rectifying plate of the cool air control device 21 is directed to the left side. In the state of FIG. 10, the cold air from the cold air outlet 18 is blown out toward the left space 13b. The state in FIG. 10 corresponds to a first state in which cold air is supplied to the left space 13b with priority over the right space 13c. FIG. 11 shows a state in which the current plate of the cool air control device 21 is directed to the right side. In the state of FIG. 11, the cold air from the cold air outlet 18 is blown out toward the right space 13c. The state of FIG. 11 corresponds to a second state in which cold air is supplied to the right space 13c with priority over the left space 13b. The temperature gradient control unit 71 controls the operation of the cool air control device 21.

  In the following description, the direction of the current plate of the cool air control device 21 is expressed as follows. The state in which the current plate is directed to the center in the left-right direction of the low temperature greenhouse 13 is 0 °, and the state in which the current plate is rotated β ° to the left from the 0 ° position is defined as + β °, from the 0 ° position. A state in which the direction of the current plate is rotated β ° to the right is defined as −β ° (where β is a positive number). The state in which the direction of the current plate of the cool air control device 21 is 0 ° corresponds to a third state in which cool air is evenly supplied to the left space 13b and the right space 13c.

  The temperature gradient generating means according to the second embodiment has a first left-right temperature gradient in which the internal temperature rises from the left space 13b toward the right space 13c, and the internal temperature from the left space 13b toward the right space 13c. A second left and right temperature gradient that decreases can be selected. The temperature gradient generating means in the second embodiment is configured to be in the first state in which the cool air is supplied to the left space 13b preferentially to the right space 13c by the cool air control device 21, so that the first left and right temperature gradient is provided. Can be generated. The temperature gradient generating means in the second embodiment can generate the second left-right temperature gradient by setting the second state in which the cool air is supplied to the right space 13c with priority over the left space 13b.

  When food is put into the low greenhouse 13, the temperature sensor 20 scans the inside of the low temperature chamber 13 to detect the temperature and position of the food. The temperature sensor 20 can scan the inside of the low temperature chamber 13 by detecting the temperature while moving the temperature detection unit. The position detection unit 72 of the control device 7 determines whether or not it is a thawing target object based on the temperature and position of the food detected by the temperature sensor 20. When the food placed in the low temperature chamber 13 is the object to be thawed, the temperature gradient control unit 71 of the control device 7 controls the first left and right so that the temperature of the area where the object to be thawed is placed becomes high. Either the temperature gradient or the second left-right temperature gradient is generated in the low temperature chamber 13. In the present embodiment, the temperature of only the space where the object to be thawed is placed among the left space 13b and the right space 13c is raised. For this reason, the influence on the food which is not the thawing target object in the space where the thawing target object is not placed among the left side space 13b and the right side space 13c can be reliably suppressed. In the present embodiment, the object to be thawed can be thawed even when the object to be thawed is placed in any one of the left space 13b and the right space 13c.

  The temperature gradient generating means in the second embodiment generates the left and right temperature gradients, and then uses the cool air control device 21 to change to the third state in which the cool air is uniformly supplied to the left space 13b and the right space 13c. The left-right temperature gradient can be reduced or eliminated. In the present embodiment, when the temperature sensor 20 detects that the thawing object has been thawed, the temperature gradient control unit 71 of the control device 7 relaxes or eliminates the left-right temperature gradient, and the entire inside of the low temperature chamber 13 May be cooled to the storage temperature TL. Thereby, the food after thawing | decompression can be maintained at higher quality. Note that “relaxing the left-right temperature gradient” means changing the temperature gradient in a direction in which the gradient of the left-right temperature gradient becomes gentle.

  FIG. 11 shows an example in which the thawing object 95 is placed in the left space 13 b of the low temperature chamber 13. When the temperature of the food detected by the temperature sensor 20 is lower than the freezing determination temperature (for example, −5 ° C.), the position detection unit 72 of the control device 7 can determine that the food is an object to be thawed. The position detection unit 72 of the control device 7 can determine the position of the thawing target object based on the direction (angle) of the temperature detection unit of the temperature sensor 20 at that time. For example, when the direction (angle) of the temperature detection unit of the temperature sensor 20 when the thawing target is detected is a positive angle, it can be determined that the thawing target is in the left space 13b. In this case, the temperature gradient control part 71 of the control apparatus 7 controls as follows. The temperature gradient control unit 71 of the control device 7 generates the second left and right temperature gradient in which the internal temperature decreases from the left space 13b toward the right space 13c by controlling the cool air control device 21 to the second state. Let FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of the internal temperature in a state where the second left-right temperature gradient is generated. The temperature gradient control unit 71 of the control device 7 causes the temperature of the left space 13b to rise to the thawing temperature TH, for example, by causing the second left and right temperature gradient as shown by the solid line in FIG. Can be controlled.

(Example of control flow of refrigerator 1)
FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performed by the control device 7 of the refrigerator 1 according to the second embodiment. In step S101 of FIG. 13, the position detection unit 72 of the control device 7 detects that the food temperature Ts detected by the temperature sensor 20 that scans the inside of the low temperature chamber 13 is higher than a predetermined freezing determination temperature TF (for example, −5 ° C.). Determine if it is low. When the food temperature Ts is equal to or higher than the freezing determination temperature TF, it can be determined that the object to be thawed is not put in the low temperature chamber 13. In this case, the current process of this flowchart is terminated.

  If the food temperature Ts is lower than the freezing determination temperature TF in step S101 in FIG. 13, it can be determined that the object to be thawed has been placed in the low temperature chamber 13. In this case, the process proceeds to step S102. In step S102, the position detection unit 72 of the control device 7 uses the direction (angle) of the temperature detection unit of the temperature sensor 20 when detecting the food temperature Ts lower than the freezing determination temperature TF as the position information of the thawing target. get. The process proceeds from step S102 to step S103. In step S103, the position detector 72 of the control device 7 determines whether or not the position of the object to be thawed is the left space 13b as follows. When the direction (angle) of the temperature detection unit of the temperature sensor 20 when detecting the food temperature Ts lower than the freezing determination temperature TF is a plus side angle, the position of the thawing target is the left space 13b. I can judge. When the direction (angle) of the temperature detection unit of the temperature sensor 20 when detecting the food temperature Ts lower than the freezing determination temperature TF is a negative angle, the position of the thawing target is not the left space 13b but the right side. It can be determined that the space 13c. According to the present embodiment, the position of the object to be thawed can be detected with high accuracy as described above.

  When the position of the object to be thawed is the left space 13b, the process proceeds from step S103 to step S104. In step S104, the temperature gradient control unit 71 of the control device 7 changes the direction (angle θ) of the rectifying plate of the cool air control device 21 from the left space 13b toward the right space 13c. The angle θ1 (for example, θ1 = −45 °) is controlled so that a temperature gradient is generated.

  On the other hand, when the position of the object to be thawed is not the left space 13b but the right space 13c, the process proceeds from step S103 to step S105. In step S105, the temperature gradient control unit 71 of the control device 7 changes the direction (angle θ) of the rectifying plate of the cool air control device 21 from the left space 13b toward the right space 13c. The angle θ2 (for example, θ2 = + 45 °) is controlled so that a temperature gradient is generated.

  The process proceeds from step S104 or step S105 to step S106. In step S <b> 106, the control device 7 displays a character or a mark indicating “decompressing” on the display unit of the operation panel 6 to notify the user that the decompression is being performed. The process proceeds from step S106 to step S107. In step S107, the temperature gradient controller 71 of the control device 7 compares the food temperature Ts of the thawing target detected by the temperature sensor 20 with a predetermined reference value. In the present embodiment, the reference value is the freezing point Tf (for example, −1 ° C.) of the food. When the food temperature Ts of the thawing target detected by the temperature sensor 20 is lower than the freezing point Tf, it can be determined that the thawing target is not yet sufficiently thawed. In this case, the temperature gradient control unit 71 of the control device 7 maintains the left-right temperature gradient generated in step S104 or step S105. Thereby, the decompression process of the object to be decompressed is continued. In this case, the temperature gradient control part 71 of the control apparatus 7 repeats the process of step S107 again.

  On the other hand, when the food temperature Ts of the thawing target detected by the temperature sensor 20 is equal to or higher than the freezing point Tf in step S107, it can be determined that the thawing target is sufficiently thawed. In this case, the process proceeds from step S107 to step S108. In step S108, the temperature gradient control unit 71 of the control device 7 controls the direction (angle θ) of the current plate of the cool air control device 21 to θ = 0 °. That is, in step S108, the temperature gradient control unit 71 of the control device 7 controls the cold air control device 21 so as to be in the third state in which the cold air is evenly supplied to the left space 13b and the right space 13c. Thereby, the left-right temperature gradient generated in step S104 or step S105 is alleviated or eliminated. As a result, the temperature of the space where the object to be thawed is lowered to the storage temperature TL or a temperature close thereto. As a result, the food (thaw object) after thawing can be maintained at a higher quality.

  The process proceeds from step S108 to step S109. In step S109, the control device 7 deletes the “decompressing” character or mark displayed on the display unit of the operation panel 6 and ends the display. In step S <b> 109, the control device 7 may notify the user that the decompression is completed by displaying a character or a mark indicating “end of decompression” on the display unit of the operation panel 6.

  If it is the temperature gradient production | generation means of this Embodiment, the 1st left-right temperature gradient from which the internal temperature rises toward the right side space 13c from the left side space 13b, and the internal temperature from the left side space 13b toward the right side space 13c Since the second left and right temperature gradient in which the temperature is lowered can be selected, both the case where the object to be thawed is placed in the left space 13b and the case where the object to be thawed are placed in the right space 13c can be handled. Can be improved.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, it is provided with position detecting means for detecting the position of the thawing target object, and the temperature gradient generating means is the thawing target object from the space where the thawing target object is located among the left space 13b and the right space 13c. The following effects can be obtained by selecting one of the first left and right temperature gradients and the second left and right temperature gradients so that the internal temperature decreases toward the space where there is no air. Since the appropriate one of the first left and right temperature gradient and the second left and right temperature gradient can be automatically generated according to the position where the object to be thawed is placed, the usability can be further improved.

  The control device 7 scans the inside of the low temperature chamber 13 with the temperature sensor 20 because the object to be thawed may be put in the low temperature chamber 13 when the door open / close detection switch 9 detects that the door 8 is opened and closed. May be. Further, a food input button or the like is provided on the operation panel 6 so that when the object to be thawed is put into the low temperature chamber 13, the user operates the button so that the temperature sensor 20 operates at a low temperature when the button is operated. The inside of the chamber 13 may be scanned.

  The configuration of the position detection means for detecting the position of the object to be thawed is not limited to the configuration described above. For example, the position detection means may include an internal camera capable of photographing the inside of the cold room 13 and an image processing unit that detects the position of the object to be thawed by performing image processing on an image photographed by the camera. Good. For example, the position detection unit may include a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the food in the left space 13b and a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the food in the right space 13c.

  The refrigerator 1 may not include a position detection unit that detects the position of the object to be thawed. In that case, it is configured so that the user can input the position of the object to be thawed in the low temperature chamber 13 to the operation panel 6, and the temperature gradient controller 71 of the control device 7 One of the first left and right temperature gradient and the second left and right temperature gradient may be selected based on the position information.

  The method for determining the end timing of thawing is not limited to the method for determining by detecting the temperature of the object to be thawed. For example, it is possible to set in advance the expected time for the food at the freezing temperature to reach the freezing point, and end the thawing after the set time has elapsed.

  The configuration of the cool air control device 21 is not limited to the configuration of the present embodiment (the configuration in which the blowing direction of the cool air from the cool air outlet 18 is changed by a movable rectifying plate). Although illustration is omitted, the cool air control device 21 may have the following configuration, for example. A left cold air outlet that blows cold air to the left space 13b of the low greenhouse 13, a right cold air outlet that blows cold air to the right space 13c, a left flap that opens and closes an air passage connected to the left cold air outlet, and a right cold air outlet A right flap that opens and closes the connected air passage is provided. By making the opening degree of the left flap larger than the opening degree of the right flap, it is possible to select a first state in which cold air is supplied with priority to the left space 13b rather than the right space 13c. By making the opening degree of the right flap larger than the opening degree of the left flap, it is possible to select the second state in which the cool air is supplied with priority to the right space 13c rather than the left space 13b. By making the opening degree of the left flap and the opening degree of the right flap equal, it is possible to select the third state in which the cold air is uniformly supplied to the left space 13b and the right space 13c.

  The temperature gradient generating means in the present invention is not limited to a configuration that generates a left and right temperature gradient by controlling the supply of cold air. Although not shown, the temperature gradient generating means may have the following configuration. A heater is embedded under the left space 13b or the right space 13c of the low greenhouse 13. By turning on the heater, only the left space 13b or only the right space 13c can be heated to generate a left-right temperature gradient. By turning on only one of the left heater embedded under the left space 13b of the low greenhouse 13 and the right heater embedded under the right space 13c, the first left-right temperature gradient and the second left-right temperature are set. A gradient can be selected.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration including the temperature gradient generating means for generating the left and right temperature gradient in the low temperature chamber 13 has been described as an example, but the present invention is a temperature that generates the left and right temperature gradient in the storage compartment other than the low temperature chamber 13. A configuration including gradient generation means may also be used. In that case, the following effects can be obtained. It becomes possible to store food at different temperatures in the left space and right space inside the same storage compartment. Since no partition or the like is provided in the storage compartment, the storage space in the storage compartment can be used effectively. In the storage compartment, foods stored at different temperatures can be arranged in the left-right direction, and it is not necessary to arrange them in the depth direction.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the control device 7 included in the refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment and the second embodiment. Each function of the control device 7 is realized by a processing circuit. In the example illustrated in FIG. 14, the processing circuit of the control device 7 includes at least one processor 73 and at least one memory 74. When the processing circuit includes at least one processor 73 and at least one memory 74, each function of the control device 7 is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. At least one of software and firmware is described as a program. At least one of software and firmware is stored in at least one memory 74. The at least one processor 73 implements each function of the control device 7 by reading and executing a program stored in the at least one memory 74. The at least one processor 73 is also referred to as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a central processing unit, a processing unit, an arithmetic unit, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, and a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). For example, the at least one memory 74 includes a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a flash memory, an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory, etc.), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Memory, etc.). Alternatively, a volatile semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk, a mini disk, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), or the like.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating another example of the hardware configuration of the control device 7 included in the refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment and the second embodiment. In the example illustrated in FIG. 15, the processing circuit of the control device 7 includes at least one dedicated hardware 75. When the processing circuit includes at least one dedicated hardware 75, the processing circuit may be, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or an FPGA (Field). -Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof. The function of each part of the control device 7 may be realized by a processing circuit. Further, the functions of the respective units of the control device 7 may be collectively realized by a processing circuit.

  Further, a part of each function of the control device 7 may be realized by the dedicated hardware 75, and the other part may be realized by software or firmware. The processing circuit may realize each function of the control device 7 by hardware 75, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. Moreover, it is not limited to the structure by which operation | movement of the refrigerator 1 is controlled by a single control apparatus, You may make it the structure which controls the operation | movement of the refrigerator 1 by a some control apparatus cooperating.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigerator, 2 Compressor, 3 Cooler, 4 Air blower, 5 Air path, 6 Operation panel, 7 Control device, 8 Door, 8a Right door, 8b Left door, 9 Door open / close detection switch, 10 Door pocket, 11 Shelf , 12 chilled rooms, 13 low greenhouse, 13a storage case, 13b left space, 13c right space, 13d left end, 13e right end, 14 cold room thermistor, 15 low greenhouse thermistor, 16 cold room damper, 17 low greenhouse damper, 18 cold air blower Outlet, 19 outlet, 20 temperature sensor, 21 cold air control device, 71 temperature gradient control unit, 72 position detection unit, 73 processor, 74 memory, 75 hardware, 90 heat insulation box, 91, 92, 93, 94 food, 95 objects to be thawed, 100 refrigerator compartment, 200 switching room, 20 Switching compartment storage case, 300 Freezer, 400 freezer compartment, 401 freezing compartment storage case, 500 vegetable compartment, 501 vegetable compartment storage case

Claims (10)

A refrigerator body having a storage room;
A temperature gradient generating means capable of generating a right-and-left temperature gradient in which a temperature inside the storage compartment rises or falls from a left-side space inside the storage compartment toward a right-side space in a single storage compartment inside the storage room; ,
Equipped with a,
In the state where the left-right temperature gradient is generated, the internal temperature of at least a part of the space on the high temperature side of the left space and the right space is higher than the freezing point of the food, and the left space and at least a portion of the inside temperature is Ru lower temperature der than the freezing point refrigerator cold side of the space of the right space. A refrigerator body having a storage room;
A temperature gradient generating means capable of generating a right-and-left temperature gradient in which a temperature inside the storage compartment rises or falls from a left-side space inside the storage compartment toward a right-side space in a single storage compartment inside the storage room; ,
Equipped with a,
The temperature gradient generating means supplies a first state in which the cool air is supplied to the left space in preference to the right space, and a first state in which the cool air is supplied to the right space in preference to the left space. refrigerator Ru with selectable cool air control unit and a second state. The cool air control device, the a first state, said second state, claim 2 and a third state to supply evenly the cool air in and the left side of the space and the right space is selectable Refrigerator. A refrigerator body having a storage room;
A temperature gradient generating means capable of generating a right-and-left temperature gradient in which a temperature inside the storage compartment rises or falls from a left-side space inside the storage compartment toward a right-side space in a single storage compartment inside the storage room; ,
Equipped with a,
The temperature gradient generating means includes a first left-right temperature gradient in which the internal temperature increases from the left space toward the right space, and the internal temperature decreases from the left space toward the right space. second lateral temperature gradient and a selectable der Ru refrigerators. Comprising position detecting means for detecting the position of the object to be thawed placed in the storage compartment,
The temperature gradient generating means is configured to reduce the temperature in the cabinet from the space with the thawing target object to the space without the thawing target object among the left space and the right space. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein one of a left-right temperature gradient and the second left-right temperature gradient is selected. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the position detection unit detects the position of the thawing target object by detecting a temperature and a position of food stored in the storage compartment. A refrigerator body having a storage room;
A temperature gradient generating means capable of generating a right-and-left temperature gradient in which a temperature inside the storage compartment rises or falls from a left-side space inside the storage compartment toward a right-side space in a single storage compartment inside the storage room; ,
Equipped with a,
After thawing thawing objects placed in the storage compartment, the temperature gradient generating means, Ru to relax or eliminate the lateral temperature gradients refrigerator. A refrigerator body having a storage room;
A temperature gradient generating means capable of generating a right-and-left temperature gradient in which a temperature inside the storage compartment rises or falls from a left-side space inside the storage compartment toward a right-side space in a single storage compartment inside the storage room; ,
Equipped with a,
The storage compartment has a shape in which the length in the left-right direction is longer than the length in the depth direction,
It said storage compartment, Ru extendable der the front side refrigerator.   The interior temperature of at least a part of the space on the high temperature side of the space on the left side and the space on the right side is -1 ° C or higher in a state where the temperature gradient is generated in the left-right direction. The refrigerator as described in any one of. The temperature gradient generating means includes
A cold air outlet for supplying cold air in preference to either the left space or the right space;
A discharge port for discharging the other air of the left space and the right space;
The refrigerator of Claim 1 or Claim 8 provided with.

Images