JPH04161775A - Freezer and refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a freezer and refrigerator having a superior freezing efficiency capable of starting a rapid freezing just after inserting a food by a method wherein the freezer refrigerator is provided with a compressor control means for operating the compressor cooperating with an evaporator for a specified period of time when a judgment means judges it as YES. CONSTITUTION:A door 2 of a rapid freezing chamber 1 is opened or closed and a food not yet freezed is placed on a metallic plate 3. An opening or closing sensor 9 outputs a sensing signal. A micro-computer 10 outputs a control signal to a fan 11 and operates it for a specified period of time (ta). Then, cold air sucked into the freezing chamber is made to flow from a cold air inlet port 4 into the rapid freezing chamber 1, resulting in that the food is cooled and warmed then the air is flow out of the cold air discharging outlet port 6. Due to this operation, a temperature difference (theta2-theta1) at the cold air inlet or outlet port inputted to the microcomputer 10 detected by temperature sensors 7 and 8 is rapidly increased and when a specified time (ta) elapses, it becomes more than a specified value To. At this time, the micro-computer 10 judges it as a relation of (theta2-theta1)> To, and then a control signal is outputted to each of a fan 11 and a compressor 12 and they are operated for a specified period of time (tb). Accordingly, the evaporator 26 is operated only for a specified of time (tb) substantially just after insertion of the food into the rapid freezing chamber 1 and then the food is rapidly frozen.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a refrigerator-freezer equipped with a quick-freezing compartment within the freezing compartment.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as this type of refrigerator-freezer, one shown in FIG. 6, for example, is known. This refrigerator-freezer has two main units surrounded by insulation material! Inside, the upper freezer compartment 2 is separated by an insulating wall 22.
3 and a lower refrigerator compartment 24, and a front door 2. Cold air inlet 4. A quick freezing chamber 25 having a cold air outlet 5 is provided. Then, the fan 11 installed at the back of the freezer compartment 23 sucks the air in the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment through the evaporator 26, as shown by the arrow in the figure, and most of the cold air is sent to the quick freeze 125. Freezer compartment 23
At the same time, a part of the blown cold air is guided to the refrigerator compartment 24 through a vertical duct 27. Now, to quickly freeze food in such a refrigerator-freezer, after opening and closing the RII 2 and inserting the food into the quick-freezing chamber 25, the user presses the quick-freezing start switch on the front of the main body 21, or This is done by starting the compressor of the refrigeration cycle including the evaporator 26 when a temperature sensor (not shown) provided in the freezer compartment 25 detects a predetermined high temperature.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, with the former quick freezing method, the user has to press the start switch every time, which is cumbersome and inconvenient for the user, and the disadvantage is that it requires space on the front of the main unit to install the start switch. be. In addition, in the latter quick freezing method, the predetermined high temperature is set high in order to distinguish it from simply opening and closing the front door 2 without inserting food, so it takes a considerable amount of time to detect it. There is a drawback that quick freezing cannot be started immediately after freezing, resulting in poor efficiency when freezing a large number of foods. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to accurately and quickly detect the insertion of food into a quick freezing chamber using a temperature sensor.
To provide a refrigerator-freezer with good freezing efficiency that can start quick freezing immediately after insertion without the user pressing a quick freezing start switch.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the refrigerator-freezer of the present invention is equipped with a deep freezing compartment having a door, a cold air inlet, and a cold air outlet, in which indoor air that has passed through an evaporator is circulated by a fan. , a first temperature sensor that detects the temperature of cold air flowing into the quick freezing chamber, and a second temperature sensor that detects the temperature of cold air flowing out from the quick freezing chamber;
an opening/closing sensor that detects the opening/closing movement of the door and outputs a detection signal; and a fan control means that outputs a fan control signal to the fan to operate the fan for a certain period of time when the detection signal from the opening/closing sensor is received. When the above-mentioned certain period of time has elapsed, the above-mentioned 1. A determining means receives the detection signal from the second temperature sensor and determines whether the difference between the two detection signals is greater than or equal to a certain value; and when the determining means determines in the affirmative, the compressor connected to the evaporator The present invention is characterized in that it includes a compressor control means that outputs a compressor control signal for operating the compressor for a certain period of time.

[Effect]

Now, suppose that the user opens and closes the door and inserts unfrozen food into the quick-freezing chamber. The opening/closing sensor detects the opening/closing movement of the door and outputs a detection signal, and upon receiving this detection signal, the fan control means outputs a fan control signal to operate the fan for a certain period of time. Then, the cold air drawn into the freezer by the fan flows into the quick-freezing chamber from the cold air inlet, cools the food and warms it, and then flows out from the cold air outlet. Therefore, the first. The difference between the detection signals of the second temperature sensor, that is, the temperature difference between the inflowing cold air and the outflowing cold air, increases rapidly and reaches a certain value or more after a short period of time when the above-mentioned certain period of time has elapsed. At this time, the determination means makes a positive determination, and based on this determination result, the compressor control means outputs a compressor control signal to operate the compressor for a certain period of time. Therefore, substantially immediately after the food is inserted into the deep freezing chamber, the evaporator operates for a certain period of time to quickly freeze the food. In addition, if you simply open and close the door of the deep freezer compartment without inserting food, there will be no food to warm the cold air even if the fan operates for a certain period of time. , the difference between the detection signals of the second temperature sensor becomes less than the above-mentioned constant value. Therefore, the determination means makes a negative determination, the compressor control means does not start the compressor, and unnecessary rapid freezing is prevented.

【Example】

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an example of a quick-freezing compartment of a refrigerator-freezer according to the present invention. is provided in place of. Therefore, the same members are given the same numbers and their explanations will be omitted. The quick freezing chamber 1 has a metal plate 3 on which food is placed at the bottom of the box having a door 2 that opens downward on the front, and a cold air outlet 6 is formed along the front edge of the metal plate 3. Cold air inlet 4 with air guide blades 5 on the upper rear surface of the box body
It forms. A first temperature sensor 7 is placed in contact with the cold air inlet 4 to detect the temperature of the incoming cold air (see the arrow in the figure), and a first temperature sensor 7 is placed in contact with the cold air outlet 6 to detect the temperature of the outgoing cold air (see the arrow in the figure). A second temperature sensor 8 for detection is provided, and an opening/closing sensor 9 for detecting the opening/closing movement of H2 and outputting a detection signal is provided near the pivot joint of H2. Fig. 2 shows the freezing compartment 2 based on the output signals of the above-mentioned sensors.
3 (see Figure 6) fans! 1. Compression of the refrigeration cycle including the evaporator! 112 is shown. A microcomputer is the main part of this control circuit.
O is a fan control means. It plays the role of determination means and compressor control means, has a clock oscillator 17, and has a built-in memory. That is, the microcomputer IO controls the opening/closing sensor 9 based on the control program and data stored in the memory.
When a detection signal of When the time La elapses, the first . Detection signal θ1 of second temperature sensor 7.8. In response to θ, it is determined whether the difference θ between both detection signals, -θ1 (difference in temperature at the entrance and exit of the rapid freezing chamber) is greater than a certain value ΔTo (see FIG. 3). When it is determined that (θ, -θ1) is greater than or equal to a certain value ΔTo, the fan drive circuit 1 sends a control signal to the fan +1 and the compressor 12 to operate them for a certain period of time tb.
4 and a compressor drive circuit 15. In addition, the microcomputer IO also operates the freezer compartment 23 (sixth
Based on the detection signal of the third temperature sensor 16 (see FIG. 2) provided in the
As shown in the parts other than b, the fan 11 and the compression fl! 1
2 is synchronously turned on and off to control the temperature of the freezer compartment 23 to a preset temperature. The operation of the refrigerator-freezer having the above configuration will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. Now, the user is using quick freezing chamber 1! Assume that an unfrozen food is placed on the metal plate 3 by opening and closing the I12 (see time Pa in FIG. 3). The opening/closing sensor 9 detects the opening/closing movement of the door 2 and outputs a detection signal to the microcomputer 10 (see step SL in FIG. 5). Upon receiving this, the microcomputer IO outputs a control signal to the fan 11. This is operated for a certain period of time ta (see FIG. 3) (see step S2 in FIG. 5). Note that during this fixed time ta, the compressor I2 is in an off period of on/off control. Then, the fan 11 started and the freezer compartment 23 was sucked in.
The cold air inside flows into the quick freezing chamber l from the cold air inlet 4, cools the food, becomes warm, and flows out from the cold air outlet 6. Therefore, the first. The temperature difference (θ, -〇,) at the cold air inlet and outlet detected by the second temperature change sensor 7.8 and input to the microcomputer 10 increases rapidly, and when the above-mentioned fixed time ta (short time) has elapsed, As shown in the figure, the constant value ΔTO is exceeded. At this time, microcomputer 1
0 is determined as (θ, -θ1)>△To (see step S3 in FIG. 5), and outputs control signals to the fan 11 and compressor 12, respectively, for a certain period of time tb (see FIG. 3). ) (see step S4 in FIG. 5). Therefore, almost immediately after the food is inserted into the quick freezing chamber 1, the microcomputer! The evaporator 26 (see FIG. 6) operates for a predetermined period of time tb due to the automatic activation of the refrigeration cycle by 0, thereby rapidly freezing the food. In other words, the user does not have to press the quick freezing start switch on the front of the main unit, unlike conventional methods.
Rapid freezing of food can be started immediately after insertion, and many foods can be efficiently frozen without any complication. Next, the user closes the door 2 of the quick-freezing compartment 1 without inserting food.
Assume that only the opening and closing are performed (see time Pa in FIG. 4). Then, step S1. of FIG. 5 is performed as described above. Proceeding to step S2, the fan 11 operates for a certain period of time ta, but since there is no food in the deep freezing chamber 1 to heat the circulating cold air, the first step. Second
The temperature difference (θ, -01) detected by the temperature sensor 7.8 is
As shown in FIG. 4, it becomes less than a certain value ΔTo. Therefore,
The microcomputer IO determines that (θ, -θ,)<ΔTo in step S3 of FIG. 5, and ends the process without outputting a control signal to the fan 11 or compressor 12. In other words,
Merely opening and closing the door does not start quick freezing in the quick freezing chamber 1, and wasteful rapid cooling is definitely prevented, and after a certain period of time (ta) has elapsed, the micro Fan 11 by computer lO
Then, normal on/off control of compression 112 begins. Note that in the above embodiment, the first. The second temperature sensor 7.8 is connected to the inlet 4. They were installed at each outlet 6, but
It is also possible to provide these at different m locations, or to make them serve as a temperature sensor for the freezing room or a temperature sensor for defrosting.

【Effect of the invention】

As is clear from the above explanation, the refrigerator-freezer of the present invention is
The temperature of the cold air flowing into and out of the deep freezing compartment in the freezer compartment is set to 1. The opening/closing movement of the room door is detected by the second temperature sensor, the opening/closing sensor detects the opening/closing movement of the room door, and the fan control means that receives the detection signal from the opening/closing sensor operates the ventilation fan for a certain period of time. It is determined whether the difference in the detection signal of the temperature sensor is greater than a certain value, and based on the determination that the difference is positive, the compressor control means operates the compressor of the refrigeration cycle for a certain period of time, so that rapid freezing is started. By installing a switch, quick freezing can be started quickly and automatically by simply inserting food into the deep freezing chamber without requiring the user to press the switch, so many foods can be used without the user having to press the switch. It can be efficiently frozen without feeding.
Usability is significantly improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an example of a quick freezing chamber of a refrigerator-freezer according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing the main part of the control circuit of the above embodiment, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are the above embodiments. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the control operation in the above embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the main parts of a conventional refrigerator-freezer. ■... Rapid freezing chamber, 2... Door, 4... Cold air inlet, 6... Cold air outlet, 7... First temperature sensor, Death...
2nd temperature sensor, 9... opening/closing sensor, lO... microcomputer, If... fan, 12... compressor, △TO... fixed value, ta, tb... fixed time.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a refrigerator-freezer equipped with a quick-freezing chamber having a door, a cold air inlet, and a cold air outlet in the freezing chamber through which room air passes through an evaporator and is circulated by a fan, the temperature of the cold air flowing into the quick-freezing chamber. a first temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the cold air flowing out from the deep freezing chamber; a second temperature sensor that detects the opening/closing movement of the door and outputs a detection signal; fan control means for outputting a fan control signal to the fan to operate the fan for a certain period of time when the detection signal is received; a determining means for determining whether or not the difference between the signals is greater than or equal to a certain value; and when the determining means determines in the affirmative, outputting a compressor control signal to a compressor connected to the evaporator to operate the compressor for a certain period of time; A refrigerator-freezer characterized by being provided with a compressor control means.