JPH01193578A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To properly control the temperature without causing the icing by disposing a fan in a mouth ring whose inner diameter is made increasingly smaller from the front wall of a duct toward the front, and forming a water receptacle which is located below the mouth ring and extends rearwardly beyond the mouth ring in the wall that is exposed to the cold air in the duct. CONSTITUTION:A fan F is disposed in a mouth ring 70 attached to the opening of an inner casing I, and a water receptacle 71 is formed opposite to a duct D directly under the mouth ring 70 or sideways including the afore-said area. The water receptacle 71 is integrally formed with the inner casing I as a horizontal groove or a downward recess to easily collect water droplets. When the fan F is stopped to start the defrosting of a cooling unit 14, the evaporated moisture generated by this defrosting operation sticks to the nearby mouth ring, etc., to become water droplets. The water droplets flows downwardly and rearwardly from the fan F along the inclination of the inner surface of the mouth ring 70, and enters into the water receptacle 71 from the rear bottom of the mouth ring 71 along the rear of the inner casing I, where it is evaporated by the cold air flowing through the duct D upon starting the cooling operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to a refrigerator in which the interior of the refrigerator is divided into upper and lower storage chambers by a partition wall housing a cooler, and cool air is circulated by a blower.

(b) Conventional technology The inside of the refrigerator is divided into upper and lower storage chambers by a partition wall housing a cooler, and a cold air suction type blower is installed at the rear of the cooler, and the cold air sent from this blower is sent to both storage chambers. A refrigerator that is provided with a distribution duct and that uses a damper device to control the cold air discharged to the lower storage compartment is disclosed in Utility Model Application Publication No. 51-13, for example.
Known from No. 3861.

In this type of refrigerator, when the blower is stopped and the cooler is defrosted, the moisture that evaporated during the defrost adheres to the blower and surrounding parts and condenses, forming dew. and flows downward. This dew adheres to the cold air outlet to the storage chamber below and the damper device that opens and closes the cold air outlet, causing freezing during cooling operation, or creating an unfavorable sanitary condition.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the above-mentioned conventional technology, a damper device is provided to control the cold air to the lower storage chamber in correspondence with the air path that guides the cold air sent from the blower to the lower storage chamber. If dew flowing down from the blower or its surroundings adheres to the cold air outlet that is opened and closed by the damper device, it will freeze and cause the damper to fail to close.
Cold air begins to leak through the gap, causing the temperature in the lower storage chamber to drop too much, making it impossible to properly control the temperature. This phenomenon is remarkable in cases where the lower storage compartment is maintained in the freezing temperature range (a temperature below 0°C, just before the product freezes) or in the freezing temperature range.

The present invention provides a refrigerator of this type that can provide appropriate temperature control without causing freezing as described above.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems The refrigerator of the present invention divides the inside of the refrigerator into upper and lower storage chambers by a partition wall housing a cooler, and includes a cold air suction type blower installed at the rear of the cooler and In the refrigerator, the refrigerator is provided with a duct that distributes cold air sent from the blower to both storage chambers, and the cold air discharged to the lower storage chamber is controlled by a damper device, and the blower is directed forward from the front wall of the duct. The mouth ring is disposed within a mouth ring whose inner diameter is gradually narrowed, and a dew receiving portion extending rearward from the mouth ring is provided on a wall that comes into contact with the cold air in the duct below the mouth ring.

(*) When the blower is in operation, cold air is distributed to the upper and lower storage chambers through ducts, and the cold air to the lower storage chambers is controlled by a damper device. Dew adhering to the blower, mouth ring, and even the front wall of the duct flows down and collects in the dew receiving section, where it is evaporated by the cold air during cooling operation. Even if it freezes in this dew receiving part, it will sublimate in this part and will not adversely affect the damper device.

(f) Example The invention will now be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the duct (D), Figure 2 is a perspective view of the duct (D), Figure 3 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the refrigerator (1), and Figure 4 is a refrigerator compartment. (10) and the front view of the upper part of the switching chamber (4) excluding the damper cover (2), and FIG. 5 shows a front view of the damper cover (2) excluding the front heat insulating plate (6).

In Fig. 3, (7> is a heat insulating box body that opens at the front, and (8) is a heat insulating partition wall that partitions the inside of the refrigerator, forming a freezer compartment (3) above it. Partition wall (8) The lower interior space is further divided into upper and lower sections by a heat-insulating partition plate (9).
The lower part is a refrigerating room (10), and the switching room (4) has a transparent inner door (11) between the partition plate (9) and the partition wall (8).
). A cooling chamber (12) is formed within the partition wall (8), and a cooler (14) included in the refrigeration cycle is installed here.
is stored and arranged. A duct (D) is attached to the inner box (I) behind the cooler (14). The duct (D) is located immediately behind the cooling chamber (12) and has a blower chamber (15) communicating therewith, a corresponding integrally molded motor storage section (15A) that protrudes rearward, and an upper freezing chamber (15). 3), and discharge air passages (17) and (18) to the lower refrigerator compartment (10) and switching compartment (4), respectively. In the blower room (15), a blower (F) consisting of a cold air suction type propeller fan rotating clockwise in Fig. 2 is arranged in a mouth ring (70) attached to the opening of the inner box <I). The motor (FM) that drives this is housed in the motor housing (15A). This motor storage chamber (15A) is closed by a heat insulating cover (19) having an inclined surface so as to gradually widen toward the rear. The blower (F) rotates and sends cold air from the cooler (14) to the discharge air passages (16), (17), and (18), and discharges it to the freezer compartment (3) from the discharge port (13). .

The discharge air passages (17) and (18) are connected to the discharge ports (20) and (2), respectively, in the inner box (I) behind the switching chamber (4).
Open at 1).

The damper cover (2) is attached to the back of the switching chamber (4) so as to cover the discharge ports (20) and (21).

- The damper cover (2) has a front insulation board (6) and a rear insulation board (
22). The rear insulation board (22) has through holes (23) corresponding to the discharge ports (20) and (21).
, (24) are provided, and furthermore, this through hole (23)
, (24) Motor-driven damper that opens and closes <25)
, (26) can be built in parallel on the left and right. The damper cover (2) has dampers (25) and (2), respectively.
6) are provided with operating spaces (30), (31) and a duct (32), and as shown in Figure 5, the duct (32)
) communicates with the upper part of the space (30), and the space (30)
and (31), and the lower part expands left and right to provide air outlets (33), (33), (34),
It opens downward at 4). In addition, the space (31) is open to the front from the upper discharge port (35).
6) On the front is a sensor (
41) is provided, and a groove (42) for holding the rear end of the partition plate (9) has been formed.

(50) is a sensor that detects the temperature of the freezing compartment (3), and (51) is a sensor that detects the temperature of the refrigerator compartment (10). In addition, the air outlet (33), (33) is located in the refrigerator compartment (
10) It is located on the left and right sides to improve the circulation of cold air inside. The partition plate (9) is supported and attached to the damper cover (2) and the partition front member (53). Discharge port (1
3) and (35) respectively and are discharged from the freezer compartment (3).
The cold air circulated in the switching chamber (4) is then passed through the cooling chamber (1) through the suction holes (54) and (55) provided in the front part of the partition wall (8).
The cold air that returned to 2) and circulated in the refrigerator compartment (10) passes through the passage (57) formed in the side wall of the insulation box (7) from the suction hole (56) formed in the front upper part of the refrigerator compartment (10). and returns to the cooling chamber (12). (58), (59),
<60) is a heat insulating door that closes the front opening of each chamber (3), (4), and (10), and (61) is a compressor of the refrigeration cycle. The temperature of the refrigerator is controlled by a microcomputer that controls the compressor (6) based on the output of the sensor (50).
1) and the blower (F) motors, and the freezer compartment (3)
For example, the average temperature within the range is -20°C. In addition, the changeover switch (
sensor (41) when the sensor (not shown) is not operated.
By controlling the motor for driving the damper (26) based on the output of the damper (26) and opening and closing the damper (26), the temperature of the switching chamber (4) is brought to an ice temperature storage temperature of -1°C on average.

Here, the freezing temperature storage temperature is a temperature range between O''C and -3°C, which is below the freezing point, but just before meat and vegetables freeze.By storing food at this freezing temperature, it is possible to freeze it. It suppresses the growth of internal bacteria without causing any damage, and can be used for a relatively long period of time (
In experiments, it can be stored for about a week).

The microcomputer further controls a motor for driving the damper (25) based on the output of the sensor (51),
The refrigerator compartment (10) is opened and closed by opening and closing the damper (25).
For example, let the average value be +5°C. Further, the microcomputer operates the damper (26) when the changeover switch is operated.
) is kept open continuously, and switching chamber 4) is switched so that it can be used in the freezing temperature range.

On the other hand, the duct (D) has a discharge air passage (16) to the freezer compartment (3) above, and discharge air passages (17) and (18) to the refrigerator compartment (10) and the switching room (4) below. However, the arrangement of the discharge air passage (17) and the discharge air passage (18) is such that the discharge air passage (17) to the refrigerator compartment (10) is on the windward side with respect to the rotation direction of the blower (F). A discharge air passage (18) to the switching chamber (4) is arranged on the leeward side.

In addition, an exposed portion 71) is formed directly below the mouth ring (70) or over the left and right areas including the mouth ring (70), corresponding to the duct (D). This exposure receiving part (71) is formed integrally with the inner box (I) as a substantially horizontal step or a recess depressed downward so as to easily collect water droplets. The exposure part (71) is connected to the inner box (1
) and a separate member.

The blower (F) is located inside the mouth ring (70), and the tips of the blower blades correspond to the inner surface of the mouth ring (70), and the mouth ring (70) is located at the opening of the inner box (I). The inner diameter gradually narrows from the front toward the front.

In the above configuration, the cold air cooled by the cooler (14) is sent to each discharge air path (16), (17) by the blower (F).
, (18) to corresponding rooms (3), (10)
, and (4) respectively. If the blower (F) is now stopped and the cooler (14) begins defrosting operation, the water evaporated during this defrosting will adhere to the blower (F) and the mouth ring around it and become water droplets. The water droplets separated from the blower (F) fall on the inner surface of the mouth ring (70) and flow along the slope, and the water droplets on the inner surface of the mouth ring (70) flow downward and backward along the slope of the inner surface of the mouth ring (70). These water droplets flow from the lower rear end of the mouth ring (70) to the rear surface of the inner box (I) and reach the dew receiving part (71). Since these water droplets are relatively small, they are evaporated by the cold air flowing through the duct (D) when the cooling operation is restarted. Also, even if it freezes, it will sublimate in the cold air. For this reason, the lower through hole (2
3) There is no possibility that ice will reach the parts (24) and freeze there, causing problems in opening and closing the damper.

(G) Effects of the Invention In the present invention, the blower is located inside the mouth ring, and the mouth ring gradually narrows its inner diameter toward the front.
Water droplets on the blower and the inner surface of the mouth ring are guided backward from the bottom of the mouth ring and can be reliably introduced into the dew receiving portion below. Therefore, by using a special member, the air can be smoothly blown without being exposed to dew from the air blower. Therefore, even if the damper device is placed below the blower, accurate operation of the damper device can be achieved, which is highly effective in damper device type refrigerators.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS] Each figure shows an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the duct, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the duct, and FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the refrigerator. FIG. 4 is a front view of the refrigerator excluding the heat insulating door, damper cover, etc., and FIG. 5 is a front view of the damper cover excluding the front heat insulating plate. (3>...Freezing room, (4)...Switching room, (10)
)...Refrigerating room, (14)...Cooler, (16)
, (17), (18)...discharge air path, (7
0)...Mouse ring, (71)...Exposure part, (
F)...Blower, (D)...Duct.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. The inside of the refrigerator is divided into upper and lower storage chambers by a partition wall that houses a cooler, and a cold air suction type blower installed behind the cooler and a duct that distributes the cold air sent from the blower to both storage chambers. In the refrigerator, in which the cold air discharged into the lower storage compartment is controlled by a damper device, the blower is disposed within a mouth ring whose inner diameter gradually narrows toward the front from the front wall of the duct. 2. A refrigerator, characterized in that a wall below the mouth ring that comes into contact with the cold air in the duct is provided with a dew receiving part extending rearward from the mouth ring.