JP7292503B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to refrigerators equipped with fresh water generators.

2. Description of the Related Art A large household refrigerator is generally provided with an automatic ice-making device that supplies water stored in a water supply tank in advance to an ice-making tray to make ice and store ice grains. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a refrigerator equipped with an ice crushing mechanism for crushing automatically ice-made ice particles and a dispenser mechanism for ejecting crushed fine ice particles from the door surface of the refrigerator. Also known is a refrigerator equipped with a mechanism for temporarily storing ice that has been made and for crushing the ice.

Further, in Patent Document 1, as a method of supplying water necessary for making ice to an ice maker, a user previously stores water in a water tank provided in a refrigerator at a position separate from the ice maker, and the water is supplied from the water tank. Methods have been proposed for supplying water to the ice maker.

JP 2010-203658 A

In the water supply method of Patent Document 1, the user needs to refill the water supply tank each time, but a situation may occur in which ice cannot be obtained because the user forgets to fill the empty water supply tank with water. In particular, when the refrigerator has a dispenser mechanism, the ice maker is installed at a higher position than usual in order to arrange the dispenser. It is necessary to supply water to the machine.

As a method of supplying water necessary for making ice to an ice-making machine, a method of supplying water to the ice-making machine by directly connecting a water pipe to a refrigerator is known. However, in the method of supplying water to the ice making machine by connecting a water pipe, it is necessary to provide a dedicated water supply pipe, but if the water supply pipe is long, cleaning becomes difficult and maintainability deteriorates. Moreover, although the water supply pipe can be installed in the foamed heat insulating material in the gap between the outer plate and the inner plate of the refrigerator, there is a possibility that the heat insulating performance will be deteriorated. In this case, if an attempt is made to ensure heat insulating performance, the thickness of the heat insulating material either expands to the inside of the refrigerator, reducing the capacity inside the refrigerator, or expands to the outside of the refrigerator, increasing the size of the refrigerator.

As described above, it cannot be said that a refrigerator equipped with an automatic ice-making device has good user-friendliness and maintainability in terms of the water supply method for ice-making.

The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a refrigerator that eliminates the inconvenience of supplying water for making ice.

A refrigerator according to the present disclosure includes a first storage compartment with a refrigerating temperature range, a second storage compartment with a freezing temperature range, a fresh water generator, and an ice-making device, wherein the fresh water generator is for taking in outside air. A heat transfer plate crossing one side provided with ventilation holes, two sides provided with cold air outlets for blowing out cold air in the refrigerating temperature zone, and a ventilation passage connecting between the one side and the two sides. and a water collecting portion provided below the heat transfer plate for receiving water condensed on the heat transfer plate, wherein the ice making device is provided below the water collecting portion of the fresh water generator, An ice tray is provided to which the water is supplied from the water collecting part and to which cold air in the freezing temperature range is blown.

According to the refrigerator according to the present disclosure, the generated water is collected and ice is made, so the inconvenience caused by supplying water for making ice is eliminated.

1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 1; FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 1; FIG. Fig. 2 is a front view showing a state in which the right door and left door are opened in the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1; It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the left door side of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the freezer compartment and the fresh water generator in a cross section taken along line AA of FIG. 2; 3 is a perspective view of a heat transfer plate of the fresh water generator according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating ice making in the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining fresh water generation processing in the fresh water generator according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining ice making processing in the ice making apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining determination as to whether or not to supply water to the ice tray in the ice making apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a heat transfer plate of a fresh water generator according to Embodiment 2; FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a fresh water generator and a freezer compartment of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 3; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a fresh water generator of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 4;

A refrigerator according to the present embodiment will be described below. In the drawings below, the size relationship of each component may differ from the actual size. Moreover, in the following drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or corresponding parts, and this applies throughout the specification. Furthermore, the forms of the components shown in the entire specification are merely examples, and are not limited to these descriptions.

Also, in the following figures, the X direction indicates the lateral direction of the refrigerator, and arrows indicate the direction from right to left. The Y direction indicates the front-to-rear direction of the refrigerator, and an arrow indicates the direction from the front to the rear. The Z direction indicates the vertical direction of the refrigerator, and arrows indicate the direction from the bottom to the top.

Embodiment 1.
<Configuration of refrigerator 101>
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of refrigerator 101 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view of refrigerator 101 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the refrigerator 101 is configured by a box-shaped housing.

A right door 102 , a left door 103 , and a ventilation hole 501 above the left door 103 are provided on the front surface of the refrigerator 101 . Ventilation hole 501 is an opening formed in front surface 50 a of fresh water generator 50 provided in the upper left portion of refrigerator 101 . The right door 102 and the left door 103 are opened and closed by rotating about hinges. Illustration of the hinge is omitted.

An outside air temperature and humidity sensor 302 is attached above the ventilation hole 501 . A signal from outside air temperature and humidity sensor 302 is transmitted to control device 200 . A receiving portion 107 is formed by cutting out a portion of the left door 103 . The receiving portion 107 is a space for placing a container such as a cup for receiving ice particles.

3 is a front view showing a state in which right door 102 and left door 103 are opened in refrigerator 101 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the interior of the refrigerator 101 is partitioned into a right door 102 side and a left door 103 side by a vertically extending partition 203 .

A right door 102 side of the refrigerator 101 is a refrigerating compartment 30 in which the internal temperature is maintained within a refrigerating temperature range. Refrigerator compartment 30 is an example of a first storage compartment. The left door 103 side of the refrigerator 101 is a freezer compartment 40 in which the internal temperature is maintained in the freezing temperature range. Freezer compartment 40 is an example of a second storage compartment. The fresh water generator 50 is arranged above the freezer compartment 40 .

The refrigerator compartment 30 and the freezer compartment 40 each include a shelf 201 and a case 202 for storing food. Moreover, the refrigerator compartment 30 and the freezer compartment 40 each have a plurality of storage compartments. Refrigerator 101 may be provided with a vegetable compartment as a storage compartment in addition to refrigerator compartment 30 and freezer compartment 40 , and the type and number of storage compartments provided in refrigerator 101 are not limited.

Inside the left door 103, an ice storage container 602, an ice crushing mechanism 603 for crushing ice, and a dispenser 604 for discharging finely crushed ice are provided. Ice crushed by the ice crushing mechanism 603 is discharged by the dispenser 604 toward the receiving portion 107 provided outside the left door 103 .

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the left door 103 side of refrigerator 101 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in FIG. FIG. 4 shows a cross section along line AA in FIG. Arrows indicate the flow of cold air. As shown in FIG. 4, the refrigerator 101 includes, for example, an outer box 101a made of steel, an inner box 101b made of resin, a heat insulating material 101c filled in the space between the outer box 101a and the inner box 101b, Prepare. A control device 200 for controlling the refrigerator 101 is mounted at the upper corner of the rear surface of the refrigerator 101 .

A freezer compartment 40 and a fresh water generator 50 arranged above the freezer compartment 40 are provided on the left door 103 side of the refrigerator 101 . An ice making device 60 is provided inside the freezer compartment 40 . The ice making device 60 is composed of an ice storage container 602 attached to the inner surface of the left door 103 , an ice crushing mechanism 603 , a dispenser 604 , and an ice tray 601 provided below the fresh water generator 50 . Ice storage container 602 , ice crushing mechanism 603 , and dispenser 604 of ice making device 60 are attached to the inner surface of left door 103 , and ice making device 60 does not extend in the depth direction inside refrigerator 101 . This prevents refrigerator 101 from increasing in size.

A cooler 204 , a machine room 208 formed below the cooler 204 , and a fan 205 arranged above the cooler 204 are provided on the rear side of the refrigerator 101 . A duct 207 is provided on the back side of the refrigerator 101 to form an air passage through which cool air generated by the cooler 204 flows.

Cooler 204 circulates a low-temperature coolant to generate cool air. Specifically, the low-temperature refrigerant passing through the cooler 204 exchanges heat with the air around the cooler 204 to cool the air around the cooler 204 and generate cool air. A fan 205 arranged above the cooler 204 blows the cool air generated by the cooler 204 toward the duct 207 provided on the back side of the refrigerator 101 .

The duct 207 supplies cool air adjusted to an optimum temperature for each storage compartment from a plurality of outlets communicating with each of the storage compartments toward each storage compartment. Cold air in the freezing temperature range is supplied toward the freezing compartment 40 from the duct 207 on the back surface of the freezing compartment 40 . Cold air in the refrigerating temperature range is supplied to the refrigerating chamber 30 from the duct 207 on the back side of the refrigerating chamber 30 . A first outlet 502 formed in the duct 207 is provided on the rear surface 50b of the fresh water generator 50 provided in the upper portion of the freezer compartment 40 . The first blowout port 502 blows off the cool air in the refrigerating temperature range supplied from the duct 207 toward the fresh water generator 50 . The first outlet 502 is an example of a cool air outlet.

A machine room 208 formed below the cooler 204 is provided with a compressor, an air-cooled condenser, a dryer, and a decompression device. A compressor, an air-cooled condenser, a dryer, and a decompression device are connected to a refrigerant circuit together with a heat radiation pipe to form a refrigeration cycle. The heat radiation pipes are provided around the storage compartment and the heat insulating material 101c arranged between the outer box 101a and the inner box 101b of the refrigerator 101. As shown in FIG. Illustrations of the compressor, air-cooled condenser, heat radiation pipe, dryer, and decompression device are omitted.

The refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat and condenses in the air-cooled condenser and the heat radiation pipe. After passing through the air-cooled condenser and the heat radiation pipe, the refrigerant is supplied to the cooler 204 through the decompression device after passing through the dryer. The refrigerant evaporates in the cooler 204, exchanges heat with air passing over the surface of the cooler 204, and then exits the cooler 204 and returns to the compressor. The air that has exchanged heat with the refrigerant in cooler 204 is cooled and supplied to each storage compartment by fan 205 .

The amount of air supplied from the cooler 204 to each storage compartment is controlled by a signal sent from the control device 200 to the fan 205, and is supplied to each storage compartment at an appropriate amount. The amount of air to be supplied is controlled, for example, by receiving, by the control device 200, the temperature detected by a temperature sensor (not shown) installed in each storage, and performed according to the received temperature detection. will be

The control device 200 is composed of, for example, dedicated hardware or a CPU that executes a program stored in a memory. CPU is also called Central Processing Unit, central processing unit, processing unit, arithmetic unit, microprocessor, microcomputer, processor.

<Fresh water generator>
FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the freezer compartment 40 and fresh water generator 50 taken along line AA in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the fresh water generator 50 includes a front surface 50a provided with a ventilation hole 501, a rear surface 50b provided with a first outlet 502, and a transmission provided between the front surface 50a and the rear surface 50b. It has a heat plate 503 and a water collecting portion 504 provided below the heat transfer plate 503 .

Fresh water generator 50 is separated from freezer compartment 40 by partition wall 206 . The fresh water generator 50 generates water from water vapor contained in the outside air and collects the water. The partition wall 206 that separates the fresh water generator 50 and the freezer compartment 40 has, for example, an outer shell made of resin and an inside made of foamed heat insulating material or the like. The partition wall 206 is formed with a cold air discharge path 10 connecting the fresh water generator 50 and the refrigerator compartment 30 arranged on the right door 102 side.

An external air damper 508 is provided on the front surface 50 a of the fresh water generator 50 . The outside air damper 508 opens and closes the ventilation holes 501 to adjust the amount of outside air flowing into the fresh water generator 50 through the ventilation holes 501 .

A cool air damper 301 is provided on the rear surface 50 b of the fresh water generator 50 . The cool air damper 301 opens and closes the first outlet 502 on the rear surface 50 b of the fresh water generator 50 to adjust the amount of cold air in the refrigerating temperature range flowing into the fresh water generator 50 from the first outlet 502 . The cool air blown out from the first blowout port 502 is blown against the rear surface of the heat transfer plate 503 , passes through the cool air discharge path 10 formed in the partition wall 206 , and is exhausted toward the refrigerator compartment 30 . Here, the rear surface of the heat transfer plate 503 refers to the surface of the heat transfer plate 503 that is closer to the rear surface 50 b of the fresh water generator 50 . The front surface of the heat transfer plate 503 refers to the surface of the heat transfer plate 503 that is closer to the front surface 50 a of the fresh water generator 50 . The outside air damper 508 and the cold air damper 301 are controlled to open and close by the control device 200 . The outside air damper 508 and the cold air damper 301 may be configured such that their opening degrees are controlled by the control device 200 .

A front surface 50a and a rear surface 50b of the fresh water generator 50 are connected by a tubular frame 505 extending in the front-rear direction. A ventilation passage 507 defined by a frame 505 is formed between the front surface 50 a and the rear surface 50 b of the fresh water generator 50 .

The heat transfer plate 503 crosses the ventilation passage 507 between the front surface 50a and the rear surface 50b of the fresh water generator 50 so as to block the ventilation passage 507. As shown in FIG. The heat transfer plate 503 is fitted into and fixed to the frame 505 . The front surface of the heat transfer plate 503 is in contact with outside air flowing in through the ventilation holes 501 . Cold air blown from the first outlet 502 is blown to the rear surface of the heat transfer plate 503 . The heat transfer plate 503 is provided to cool the water vapor contained in the outside air contacting the front surface of the heat transfer plate 503 with cold air blown to the back surface of the heat transfer plate 503 to cause condensation. The front surface 50a of the fresh water generator 50 is an example of one surface. The back surface 50b of the fresh water generator 50 is an example of two surfaces.

6 is a perspective view of heat transfer plate 503 of fresh water generator 50 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. As shown in FIG. 6 , fins 503 a are provided on the rear surface of the heat transfer plate 503 . The heat transfer plate 503 is preferably inclined with respect to the vertical direction so that the upper portion is closer to the ventilation holes 501 than the lower portion. As a result, the heat transfer plate 503 having a larger area can be arranged to increase the area to which condensed water droplets adhere. For the heat transfer plate 503, for example, aluminum having good heat transfer performance and corrosion resistance may be used.

The water collecting portion 504 is located below the heat transfer plate 503 . The water collecting portion 504 is embedded inside the partition wall 206 . The water collecting portion 504 is provided below the frame 505 . The water collecting part 504 has, for example, a cubic box shape. The frame 505 is formed with connection holes 509 through which the water purified by the heat transfer plate 503 passes. The water collecting portion 504 stores the water purified by the heat transfer plate 503 and dropped through the connection hole 509 . The water collecting portion 504 is provided with a weight sensor 504a for measuring the weight of the stored water.

The periphery of the water collecting portion 504 is covered with a foamed heat insulating material filled in the partition wall 206 . The foam insulation prevents the water in the water collection part 504 from freezing due to cold air in the freezing temperature range. The partition wall 206 is provided with a heater 504 b for heating the surroundings of the water collecting portion 504 . The heater 504b may be provided on the lower surface in addition to or alternatively around the water collecting portion 504 . As a result, freezing of water in the water collecting portion 504 can be more effectively prevented. The heater 504b is turned on and off by the controller 200 .

<Ice maker>
The ice making device 60 includes an ice tray 601 , an ice storage container 602 , an ice crushing mechanism 603 and a dispenser 604 . The ice making device 60 is located below the fresh water generator 50 . The ice making device 60 is provided inside the freezer compartment 40 .

The ice tray 601 is a tray that receives water stored in the water collecting portion 504 . Ice tray 601 is provided below water collecting portion 504 . A water supply path 9 extending from the bottom surface of the water collecting portion 504 and passing through the partition wall 206 is formed above the ice tray 601 . The lower end of the water supply path 9 is positioned above the ice tray 601 . At the lower end of the water supply path 9, an open/close valve 9a that is controlled to be opened/closed by the control device 200 is attached. The water stored in the water collecting portion 504 passes through the water supply path 9 and is supplied to the ice tray 601 .

Ice tray 601 is supplied with cold air in a freezing temperature range for ice making from the back surface 50 b side of refrigerator 101 . Cold air in a freezing temperature range for making ice is supplied from a second outlet 605 formed in the duct 207 . The second outlet 605 is, for example, the uppermost outlet among the plurality of outlets formed in the duct 207 for blowing out cold air in the freezing temperature range. The cool air supplied from the second outlet 605 flows along the air passage plate 605 a extending from the second outlet 605 toward the ice tray 601 . The water in the ice tray 601 is solidified by being exposed to cold air in the freezing temperature range supplied from the second outlet 605 .

A thermometer 601 a is arranged on the lower surface of the ice tray 601 . A detection signal from the thermometer 601 a is transmitted to the control device 200 . A thermometer 601a is provided to detect that the ice making in the ice tray 601 has been completed.

The ice tray 601 is equipped with a rotation mechanism 601b such as a gearbox. The rotating mechanism 601b is a mechanism for turning the ice tray 601 upside down. The rotation mechanism 601 b is controlled by the control device 200 . When the ice making in the ice tray 601 is completed, the ice tray 601 is rotated 180 degrees and reversed by driving the rotation mechanism 601b.

The ice storage container 602 is arranged below the ice tray 601 . The ice storage container 602 receives and stores ice that has fallen when the ice tray 601 is inverted. Ice storage container 602 is attached to the inner surface of left door 103 of refrigerator 101 . The ice container 602 is provided with a lever for detecting when the ice storage is full. Information that the ice storage amount is full is transmitted to the control device 200 . Illustration of the lever is omitted.

The ice stored in the ice storage container 602 falls into the ice breaking mechanism 603 arranged below the ice storage container 602 , is crushed, and is discharged by the dispenser 604 arranged below the ice breaking mechanism 603 .

<Ice making operation>
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating ice making in refrigerator 101 according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 7, arrows indicate the flow of outside air and cool air.

As shown in FIG. 7 , when the outside air damper 508 is open, outside air taken in through the ventilation holes 501 provided in the front surface 50 a of the fresh water generator 50 flows toward the front surface of the heat transfer plate 503 . In addition, when cold air damper 301 is open, cold air supplied from first outlet 502 provided on rear surface 50 b of fresh water generator 50 flows toward the rear surface of heat transfer plate 503 .

The outside air in contact with the front surface of the heat transfer plate 503 contains water vapor. When the temperature of outside air in contact with heat transfer plate 503 is higher than the temperature of cold air blown out from the refrigerating temperature zone, water vapor contained in the outside air condenses on the front surface of heat transfer plate 503 due to the temperature difference between the outside air and the cold air. The water vapor condensed on the heat transfer plate 503 becomes water droplets and falls downward.

Water droplets fall into the water collecting portion 504 through the connection holes 509 formed in the frame 505 below the heat transfer plate 503 and are stored in the water collecting portion 504 . The water stored in the water collecting portion 504 passes through the water supply path 9 below the water collecting portion 504, is received by the ice tray 601, and is made into ice. When the ice making in the ice tray 601 is completed, the ice tray 601 is turned upside down by the rotation mechanism 601b and dropped from the ice tray 601 . The fallen ice is stored in the ice storage container 602 .

On the other hand, when the outside air damper 508 is closed, outside air is not taken into the fresh water generator 50, so fresh water is not actively generated. Also, when the cold air damper 301 is closed, cold air is not blown out to the fresh water generator 50, so fresh water is not generated.

In this manner, the fresh water generator 50 can switch whether to perform fresh water generation by opening and closing the outside air damper 508 and the cold air damper 301 . In addition, when fresh water generation is not required, the cold air damper 301 is closed to stop the supply of cold air to the fresh water generator 50 side. When fresh water is to be generated, cold air is sent to the heat transfer plate 503 simply by opening the cold air damper 301, and fresh water generation can be restarted.

If the heat transfer plate 503 is inclined with respect to the vertical direction so that the upper side is closer to the front surface 50a of the fresh water generator 50 than the lower side, the heat transfer plate 503 can transmit a larger area within a limited height dimension. A hot plate 503 can be placed. In addition, since the heat transfer plate 503 is tilted, dew condensation water droplets easily fall into the water collecting portion 504 . Further, by increasing the area of the heat transfer plate 503, the amount of dew condensation water adhering to the heat transfer plate 503 can be increased.

The cold air supplied to the rear surface of the heat transfer plate 503 may be cold air in a freezing temperature range depending on the temperature of the outside air. A heater may also be attached to the lower surface of the water collecting portion 504 . As a result, the water stored in the water collecting portion 504 can be prevented from freezing.

<Fresh water generation process in fresh water generator 50>
FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the fresh water generation process in the fresh water generator 50 according to the first embodiment. When the control device 200 determines that fresh water generation is necessary, the control device 200 starts the fresh water generation process. The control device 200 may determine whether fresh water generation is necessary based on, for example, whether the amount of ice stored in the ice storage container 602 has reached a specified value. The control device 200 may determine the amount of ice stored in the ice storage container 602 based on the detection signal received from the lever attached to the ice storage container 602 .

As shown in FIG. 8, when the desalination process starts, the control device 200 opens the cool air damper 301 in step 11 . By opening the cold air damper 301 only when water generation is required, cold air is supplied to the fresh water generator 50 side only when necessary, and wasteful power consumption is reduced.

At step 12, the control device 200 determines whether or not the amount of water stored in the water collecting portion 504 has reached the specified value W. The prescribed value W is, for example, the amount of stored water necessary for making ice once. The amount of water stored in the water collecting portion 504 receives a detection signal from a weight sensor 504a provided in the water collecting portion 504, for example.

When the control device 200 determines in step 12 that the amount of water stored in the water collecting section 504 has not reached the prescribed value W, in step 13 the outside air damper 508 is opened, and the process proceeds to step 14 . By opening the outside air damper 508, outside air containing water vapor is taken in, and desalination starts.

On the other hand, when the control device 200 determines in step 12 that the amount of water stored in the water collecting section 504 has reached the specified value W, the process proceeds to step 17 and the cool air damper 301 is closed. If the amount of stored water reaches the specified value W, there is no need to generate fresh water.

After a certain period of time has elapsed after the start of fresh water generation, in step 14, the control device 200 again determines whether or not the amount of water stored in the water collecting section 504 has reached the specified value W. The fixed time is, for example, 5 minutes. When the control device 200 determines that the amount of water stored in the water collecting portion 504 has not reached the specified value W, in step 15, the process returns to step 14 while the outside air damper 508 remains open. The control device 200 maintains the open state of the outside air damper 508 until the amount of water stored in the water collecting portion 504 reaches a specified value W.

In step 14, when the control device 200 determines that the amount of water stored in the water collecting section 504 has reached a specified value, the process proceeds to step 16, the outside air damper 508 is closed, and the process proceeds to step 17.

At step 17, the control device 200 closes the cold air damper 301 and ends the fresh water generation process.

Note that the cold air damper 301 and the outside air damper 508 may have a configuration in which not only the opening/closing operation but also the degree of opening can be adjusted by the control device 200 .

Further, the control device 200 may be configured to simultaneously control the cold air damper 301 and the outside air damper 508 based on the outside air information obtained from the outside air temperature/humidity sensor 302 and the amount of water stored in the water collection unit 504. good. For example, when the outside air temperature is high and the humidity is high, if the opening of the outside air damper 508 is maximized, it is considered that sufficient water can be collected even if the opening of the cold air damper 301 is not so large. On the other hand, if too much outside air is taken in, the temperature inside refrigerator 101 may rise.

Therefore, the control device 200 controls the opening degrees of the cool air damper 301 and the outside air damper 508 based on the outside air information obtained from the outside air temperature/humidity sensor 302 and the amount of water stored in the water collection unit 504, and supplies cool air. It is good to balance with the outside air taken in. As a result, it is possible to prevent temperature rise inside refrigerator 101 due to excessive intake of outside air from outside air damper 508 , or insufficient cooling inside refrigerator 101 due to excessive supply of cold air from cold air damper 301 .

<Ice-making process in ice-making device 60>
FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining ice making processing in ice making device 60 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9 , in the ice making process, control device 200 determines whether or not water supply to ice tray 601 is necessary in step 21 .

When control device 200 determines in step 21 that ice tray 601 needs to be supplied with water, it proceeds to step 22 to supply ice tray 601 with a certain amount of water, and proceeds to step 23 . Water is supplied by, for example, opening an on-off valve 9a attached to the water supply path 9 for a certain period of time. When control device 200 determines in step 21 not to supply water to ice tray 601, the process ends.

At step 24, control device 200 determines whether ice making in ice tray 601 has been completed. Whether or not the ice making is completed is determined based on the detection signal received from the thermometer 601a attached to the back side of the ice tray 601, for example.

When control device 200 determines in step 24 that ice making in ice tray 601 has been completed, the process proceeds to step 25 . In step 24, if control device 200 determines that ice making in ice tray 601 is not completed, step 24 is repeated until it is completed. The interval of judgment in step 24 can be, for example, about one minute.

At step 25, the control device 200 drives the rotation mechanism 601b of the ice tray 601 to reverse the ice tray 601, and the ice making process ends.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining determination as to whether or not to supply water to ice tray 601 in ice making device 60 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in FIG. Steps 211 to 213 are specific examples of control for determining whether water supply to ice tray 601 in step 21 is necessary.

As shown in FIG. 10, at step 211, the control device 200 determines whether or not the ice storage container 602 has an empty space that is equal to or more than the amount of ice that can be made once. If it is determined that there is space, the process proceeds to step 212 . In step 211, when the control device 200 determines that there is no empty space in the ice storage container 602 for one ice making, it determines that water is not supplied to the ice tray 601, and the process ends. Whether or not the ice storage container 602 has an empty space for ice making once or not is determined based on a detection signal from a lever attached to the ice storage container 602 .

At step 212 , controller 200 determines whether ice tray 601 is making ice or removing ice. In step 212, when controller 200 determines that ice tray 601 is making ice or removing ice, controller 200 determines not to supply water to ice tray 601, and terminates the process. Whether or not the ice tray 601 is making ice or removing ice is determined based on the detection signal of the thermometer 601a attached to the ice tray 601. FIG.

At step 213, the control device 200 determines whether or not the water collecting portion 504 stores water equal to or more than one ice-making amount, and determines that the water collecting portion 504 stores water equal to or more than one time. Then, it is determined that water is to be supplied to the ice tray 601, and the processing ends. In step 213, if the control device 200 determines that the water collecting portion 504 does not store enough water for one time or more, it determines that the ice tray 601 is not supplied with water, and the process ends. It is determined based on the detection position of the weight sensor 504a in the water collecting portion 504 whether or not the water collecting portion 504 is filled with water for one time or more.

In this way, when the conditions in all steps 211 to 213 are satisfied, the control device 200 determines to supply water to the ice tray 601, and the process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the conditions are not satisfied in any of steps 211 to 213, control device 200 determines not to supply water to ice tray 601, and the process ends.

Note that the order of steps 211 to 213 is not limited to the above example, and may be different. The amount of ice stored in the ice storage container 602 is detected based on the detection signal received from the lever attached to the ice storage container 602, but the amount of ice stored in the ice storage container 602 is detected by the weight sensor 504a. The method for detecting the amount of ice stored in the ice storage container 602 is not limited.

Further, although the detection of the amount of water stored in the water collecting portion 504 is performed based on the detection signal of the weight sensor 504a provided in the water collecting portion 504, the amount of water stored in the water collecting portion 504 is detected from the water surface sensor. The method for detecting the amount of water stored in the water collecting portion 504 is not limited.

Also, water is supplied to the ice tray 601 by opening the on-off valve 9a attached to the water supply path 9 for a certain period of time. The water supply method is not limited.

Also, although the determination as to whether or not the ice making is completed is based on the detection signal of the thermometer 601a attached to the back side of the ice tray 601, the determination as to whether or not the ice making is completed is based on a timer. method, and the method for determining whether or not ice making is completed is not limited. The timer may be provided as a function of control device 200 .

Also, an example is shown in which whether the ice tray 601 is not making ice or removing ice is determined based on the detection signal of the thermometer 601a attached to the ice tray 601, but the ice tray 601 is neither making ice nor removing ice. The method for determining this is not limited.

Refrigerator 101 may be configured such that water can be added to water collection unit 504 of fresh water generator 50 at the discretion of the user. As a result, even if water production is insufficient for the amount of ice used, it is possible to make up for the shortage of water.

<Calculation example>
The inventor calculated the amount of stored water obtained by the fresh water generator 50 . The method described in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 54-16372) was applied to calculate the amount of stored water. Patent Document 2 discloses a method of generating fresh water from water vapor in the atmosphere by condensing water vapor on the surface of the cooler itself.

According to the calculation method described in Patent Document 2, assuming that the heat transmission rate of the heat transfer surface is 30 W/(m ² K) in an environment with an ambient temperature of 27° C. and a relative humidity of 80%, approximately As a result, it was possible to obtain water for one time of general ice making in 2 hours.

According to the refrigerator 101 according to the first embodiment described above, the outside air taken in from the ventilation holes 501 in the fresh water generator 50 is cooled by the cool air in the refrigerating temperature range flowing in from the first outlet 502 to generate fresh water, Ice is made from purified water which is collected in the water collecting portion 504 . Therefore, there is no need for the user to store water in the water supply tank in advance. In addition, it is not necessary for the user to pump up water for making ice from the water supply tank storing water to the ice tray 601 with a pump. In addition, since the trouble of connecting the water pipe to the refrigerator 101 is eliminated, the burden of installing the refrigerator 101 can be reduced. In addition, since a water supply pipe connecting the refrigerator 101 and the water pipe is not required, maintainability is improved. In addition, since it is not necessary to maintain the insulation performance that has deteriorated due to the water supply piping, the internal capacity can be maintained, and an increase in the size of the refrigerator 101 can be avoided. As described above, according to refrigerator 101 according to Embodiment 1, the inconvenience of supplying water for making ice can be eliminated.

In addition, by providing the water collecting portion 504 with a heater 504b for keeping warm, the water in the water collecting portion 504 can be prevented from freezing.

Also, since there is no water tank for storing water by the user, a pump for pumping water from the water tank is unnecessary. As a result, even if the ice storage container 602 is arranged below the water collecting portion 504 and the ice breaking mechanism 603 and the dispenser 604 are further arranged in the ice storage container 602, there is no restriction on the height of the water collecting portion 504. A dispenser 604 can be provided at the height.

In addition, since a plurality of fins 503a are attached to the rear surface of the heat transfer plate 503, the heat exchange area of the heat transfer plate 503 is enlarged, and the heat transmission rate of the heat transfer plate 503 can be increased.

In addition, since the heat transfer plate 503 is inclined with respect to the vertical direction so that the upper portion is closer to the front surface 50a of the fresh water generator 50 than the lower portion, the area of the heat transfer plate 503 is equal to the height It can be increased within the constraints.

Embodiment 2.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of heat transfer plate 503 of fresh water generator 50 according to the second embodiment. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the heat transfer plate 503 of the fresh water generator 50, and the rest of the configuration is the same as in the first embodiment. Parts are given the same reference numerals.

As shown in FIG. 11, the front surface of the heat transfer plate 503, that is, the surface in the -Y direction, is subjected to a surface treatment 503b such as fine unevenness processing, coating for adhering fine particles, or chemical surface treatment processing. It is The fine unevenness processing is, for example, unevenness processing of about several nanometers to several micrometers.

By applying the surface treatment 503 b to the heat transfer plate 503 , the surface of the heat transfer plate 503 is rendered water-repellent, so that the generated dew drops quickly and easily, and the water vapor can be collected in the water collecting portion 504 more easily. Moreover, since the surface area of the heat transfer plate 503 is increased, the desalination action can be efficiently obtained.

In addition, even if the front surface of the heat transfer plate 503 is exposed to the outside air and is likely to be contaminated with dust in the air, the surface is coated to provide an antifouling effect. In addition, the above-described surface treatment may be performed in combination with any one of fine unevenness processing, coating for adhering fine particles, or chemical surface treatment processing.

According to the refrigerator 101 according to Embodiment 2 described above, by increasing the water repellency of the front surface of the heat transfer plate 503 that comes into contact with the outside air, it is easy to collect the water generated on the heat transfer plate 503. Become.

Embodiment 3.
FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing fresh water generator 50 and freezer compartment 40 of refrigerator 101 according to the third embodiment. Embodiment 3 differs from Embodiment 1 in the configuration of connection hole 509 of fresh water generator 50, and other configurations are the same as those in Embodiment 1. are given the same reference numerals.

As shown in FIG. 12 , in refrigerator 101 according to the third embodiment, filter 509 a is attached to connection hole 509 of fresh water generator 50 . The filter 509a is provided to filter impurities contained in the condensed water. Even if the outside air taken into the fresh water generator 50 contains impurities, the water condensed on the heat transfer plate 503 is filtered by the filter 509a, so that cleaner water can be used for making ice. .

As the filter 509a, a method such as activated carbon or an ion exchange membrane may be used. Moreover, it is preferable that the filter 509a is replaceable.

Embodiment 4.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of fresh water generator 50 of refrigerator 101 according to the fourth embodiment. The fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the ventilation passage 507 of the fresh water generator 50, and the rest of the configuration is the same as in the first embodiment. are given the same reference numerals.

As shown in FIG. 13 , in refrigerator 101 according to Embodiment 4, ventilation passage 507 of fresh water generator 50 is provided with partition wall 507 a. The partition wall 507a divides the ventilation path 507 from the front surface 50a of the fresh water generator 50 to the heat transfer plate 503 into an outward path 507c from the ventilation hole 501 to the heat transfer plate 503 and a return path 507d from the heat transfer plate 503 to the ventilation hole 501. It is set up so that it can be divided into The partition 507a is a rectangular plate-like member. The upper ridge of the partition wall 507 a is in contact with the upper surface of the frame 505 . The upper barb of the partition wall 507 a contacts the lower surface of the frame 505 . The end portion of the partition wall 507a closer to the heat transfer plate 503 does not completely contact the heat transfer plate 503, and a ventilating gap is formed between the partition wall 507a and the heat transfer plate 503. As shown in FIG.

In addition, an intake fan 507b whose on/off is controlled by the control device 200 is provided on an outward path 507c from the ventilation hole 501 of the ventilation passage 507 to the heat transfer plate 503 . The air intake fan 507b is arranged on the side of the rear surface 50b of the ventilation hole 501 so that the air blowing direction is directed toward the heat transfer plate 503 .

By providing the intake fan 507b, even if the amount of fresh water generated is insufficient when the outside air damper 508 of the ventilation hole 501 is in an open state, outside air is forcibly taken in and discharged to promote heat exchange. You can increase the amount of water. Also, by providing the partition wall 507a, the flow of the airflow toward the heat transfer plate 503 and the air flow returning from the heat transfer plate 503 are not hindered. Thereby, desalination can be performed efficiently.

According to the refrigerator 101 according to the fourth embodiment described above, since the partition wall 507a is provided in the ventilation passage 507 from the front surface 50a of the fresh water generator 50 to the heat transfer plate 503, the sucked air and the discharged air are discharged. The air flow does not interfere with each other. In addition, since the air circulation can be forcibly promoted by the intake fan 507b, fresh water can be produced efficiently.

It should be noted that Embodiments 1 to 4 can be combined with each other.

9 water supply path 9a on-off valve 10 cold air discharge path 30 refrigerator compartment 40 freezer compartment 50 fresh water generator 50a front surface 50b rear surface 60 ice making apparatus 101 refrigerator 101a outer box 101b inner box 101c heat insulator , 102 right door, 103 left door, 107 receiving part, 200 control device, 201 shelf, 202 case, 203 partition, 204 cooler, 205 fan, 206 partition wall, 207 duct, 208 machine room, 301 cold air damper, 302 outside air temperature and humidity sensor, 501 ventilation hole, 502 first outlet, 503 heat transfer plate, 503a fin, 503b surface treatment, 504 water collecting portion, 504a weight sensor, 504b heater, 505 frame, 507 ventilation path, 507a partition wall, 507b Intake fan, 507c outward trip, 507d return trip, 508 outside air damper, 509 connection hole, 509a filter, 601 ice tray, 601a thermometer, 601b rotation mechanism, 602 ice storage container, 603 ice crushing mechanism, 604 dispenser, 605 second outlet, 605a airway plate.

Claims (13)

a first storage compartment in a refrigeration temperature zone;
a second storage compartment in a freezing temperature zone;
a fresh water generator;
an ice-making device;
with
The fresh water generator is
One side provided with ventilation holes for taking in outside air,
Two sides provided with cold air outlets for blowing cold air in the refrigerating temperature range;
a heat transfer plate that traverses a ventilation passage connecting between the one surface and the two surfaces;
a water collecting portion provided below the heat transfer plate for receiving water condensed on the heat transfer plate;
with
The ice making device
A refrigerator comprising an ice tray provided below the water collecting portion of the fresh water generator, to which the water is supplied from the water collecting portion and to which cold air in the freezing temperature range is blown. The ice making device
an ice storage container arranged below the ice tray;
an ice crushing mechanism disposed below the ice storage container for crushing the ice stored in the ice storage container;
The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a dispenser arranged below the ice crushing mechanism and discharging ice crushed by the ice crushing mechanism. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of fins are attached to the two sides of the heat transfer plate. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heat transfer plate is inclined such that the distance from the top to the one surface is shorter than the distance from the bottom to the one surface. On the one surface side of the heat transfer plate,
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the refrigerator is subjected to one or a combination of uneven processing, coating treatment with fine particles attached, and chemical surface treatment. The fresh water generator is
Having a frame that defines the ventilation passage,
The frame interposed between the ventilation passage and the water collecting portion includes:
A connection hole is formed to connect the ventilation passage and the water collecting portion and through which the water passes,
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a filter for purifying water is arranged in the connection hole. In the section from the one surface of the ventilation passage to the heat transfer plate,
A partition is provided to partition between an outward path from the ventilation hole to the heat transfer plate and a return path from the heat transfer plate to the ventilation hole,
The outward path and the return path are in communication between the heat transfer plate and the partition wall,
7. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein an intake fan is provided on the outward path. an outside air damper that is provided on the one surface and opens and closes the ventilation hole;
a cold air damper provided on the two surfaces for opening and closing the cold air outlet;
a control device that controls the outside air damper and the cold air damper;
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: The control device is
The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the outside air damper and the cold air damper are controlled based on the temperature and humidity of the outside air and the amount of water in the water collecting portion. The fresh water generator is arranged above the second storage chamber,
The fresh water generator is separated from the second storage chamber by a partition wall,
The water collecting part is embedded inside the partition wall,
The partition wall is provided with a heater for heating the periphery of the water collecting portion.
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1-9. Having a door that opens and closes the second storage chamber,
A receiving portion is provided outside the door,
Ice crushed by the ice crushing mechanism is discharged by the dispenser toward the receiving section.
The refrigerator according to claim 2. an outside air damper that is provided on the one surface and opens and closes the ventilation hole;
a cold air damper provided on the two surfaces for opening and closing the cold air outlet;
a control device that controls the outside air damper and the cold air damper;
a lever attached to the ice bin;
The control device judges the amount of ice stored in the ice storage container based on the detection signal received from the lever, and determines whether fresh water generation is necessary based on whether the amount of ice storage in the ice storage container has reached a specified value. determine whether there is
The refrigerator according to claim 2. When the control device determines that desalination is necessary, the control device controls the outside air damper to open the ventilation hole.
The refrigerator according to claim 12.

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