JPH04283379A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform a rapid cooling of drinks and prevent deterioration of quality by a method wherein a convection promoting device for rotating a container containing the drinks to be cooled around its axis is provided in a refrigerator chamber acting as one chamber of a refrigerator and then the container is rotated. CONSTITUTION:A convection flow promoting device 1 is composed of a driving motor 2, two connection gears 3b each of which is engaged with a connection gear 3a directly connected to the driving motor 2, and a set of rollers 4 each of which is connected to a connection gear 3B, parallel to each other and set in a horizontal orientation. As a power supply switch 7 for the convection flow promoting device 1 is turned on, the driving motor 2 is operated, its power is transmitted to two rollers 4 through the connection gears 3 and then the rollers 4 are rotated. Due to this arrangement, foods 9 disposed on the rollers 4 are also rotated and then convection flow is forcedly generated at liquid in the foods 9. With such an arrangement, a thermal transfer of the liquid in the foods 9 generates a heat transfer caused by the convection and cooling of the liquid in the foods 9 is promoted.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator suitable for rapidly cooling beverages stored in a refrigerator compartment.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In conventional refrigerators, most of the cold air from the cooler is sent to the freezer compartment, and only a small amount of air is sent to the refrigerator compartment and vegetable compartment. Therefore, it sometimes takes time to cool the beverages (beer, wine, juice, etc.) stored in the refrigerator compartment.

[0003] As a countermeasure, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-20556
As described in Publication No. 4, when an auxiliary blower is provided in the refrigerator compartment to rapidly cool drinks, there is a known method in which the auxiliary blower is driven to increase the amount of cold air blowing onto the drinks than usual. be.

[0004] As another countermeasure, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-25577
As described in Publication No. 7, several rooms are provided in the refrigerator room, one of which is designated as a rapid cooling room, and during rapid cooling, the supply of cold air to other rooms is stopped, and the supply of cold air to the rapid cooling room is stopped. Methods of increasing the supply of cold air are known.

Furthermore, in the method of quick freezing in a refrigerator, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-42569, an auxiliary cooler is provided in the freezer compartment in addition to the normal cooler, and in the case of quick freezing, A method is known in which both types of coolers are used in combination to rapidly lower the surface temperature of food.

[0006] As another countermeasure, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-15698
As described in Publication No. 5, a plurality of cold storage agents housed in containers made of heat conductive material are installed in the freezer compartment, the air inside the freezer compartment is cooled, and a blower placed in the corner of the freezer compartment is operated. There is a known method of rapidly lowering the temperature inside the freezer by forcing circulation.

[0007]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In conventional refrigerators, most of the cold air from the cooler was sent to the freezer compartment, and the amount of air blown to the refrigerator compartment was small. Therefore, when rapidly cooling beverages stored in the refrigerator, install an auxiliary fan, rapid cooling chamber, or auxiliary cooler in the refrigerator to increase the amount of cold air blown onto the beverages, or increase the temperature of the cold air. This was done by either lowering the temperature or promoting heat transfer on the surface of the beverage.

[0008] However, in these methods, the flow rate of cold air to storage compartments other than the rapid cooling compartment is extremely reduced, resulting in a deterioration in the quality of foods and beverages stored therein. In addition, there is a problem that even foods and beverages that do not require rapid cooling in the refrigerator room may cool down too much and freeze, and there is a limit to the time for rapid cooling.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can rapidly cool only necessary beverages in the refrigerator compartment and maintain other foods and beverages at appropriate temperatures.

0010

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the refrigerator of the present invention has a refrigerating chamber that cools foods and beverages with cold air from a cooler, in which drinks stored in the refrigerating chamber The beverage container is characterized by being equipped with a convection accelerator that rotates the container for the beverage around the axis of the container to forcibly generate convection in the beverage inside.

The first convection promoting device includes a driving motor and a first motor connected to the rotating shaft of the driving motor.
A gear, two second gears meshing with the first gear, and rollers connected to the shafts of the second gears and installed parallel to each other and horizontally are supported on a frame. Furthermore, it is preferable to provide a control device for rotating the drive motor in forward and reverse directions.

[0012] A second convection accelerator in place of the first convection accelerator includes a drive motor, a first pulley connected to the rotating shaft of the drive motor, and a belt connected to the first pulley. The second pulley may be supported by a frame, and rollers may be connected to the shafts of the first pulley and the second pulley and installed parallel to each other and horizontally.
Furthermore, it is preferable to provide a control device for rotating the drive motor in forward and reverse directions.

[0013] Another third convection accelerator includes a drive motor and a first motor connected to the rotating shaft of the drive motor.
a pulley, at least one second pulley strapped to the first pulley, a first gear connected to the shaft of the second pulley, and two gears meshing with the first gear. A second gear and rollers connected to the shafts of the second gear and installed parallel to each other and horizontally may be supported on a frame, and furthermore, the drive motor may be mounted in the correct position. It is preferable to provide a control device for reverse rotation.

Furthermore, in any of the first to third convection promoters described above, the drive motor is activated by signals from the door switch and the power switch of the drive motor, which indicate the opening/closing status of the refrigerator compartment. Better to control.

[0015] Whichever of the above convection promoters is used, it is preferable that the convection promoter is removable from the refrigerator compartment, that the refrigerator compartment is equipped with a power outlet, and that the convection promoter is provided with a power plug. In addition, it is good to be equipped with a rechargeable battery.

[0016] Still another fourth convection accelerator is composed of a driving motor with a rotating shaft directed vertically upward, and a storage box attached to the upper part of the rotating shaft and storing beverage containers vertically, It is preferable to provide a sensor that turns on and off depending on the presence or absence of beverages in the storage box, and to connect this sensor to a drive motor.

[0017] In the fourth another convection accelerator, a door switch indicating the opening/closing state of the refrigerator compartment, a power switch for the drive motor, and a sensor for turning the drive motor on and off depending on the presence or absence of beverages are provided. It is recommended to control the operation using the − signal.

[0018]

[Function] In the refrigerator of the present invention, the convection accelerator installed in the refrigerator compartment rotates the beverage container around the axis of the container and forcibly generates convection in the beverage inside. Heat transfer is dominated by heat transfer, and the beverage cools rapidly.

[0019] When any of the first to third convection accelerators is placed in a refrigerating room, the beverage container is placed across the rollers, aligning the axis of the container with the axial direction of the roller. do.

According to the first convection accelerator, the power of the drive motor is transmitted to the rollers via the first gear and the second gear, and each roller rotates in the same direction. Row
The beverage container placed between the containers rotates around its axis, creating forced convection in the beverage inside, and the heat transfer within the beverage is dominated by heat transfer, causing the beverage to rapidly Cool to

According to the second convection promoter, the power of the drive motor is transmitted to the rollers through the first pulley and the second pulley, and the rollers rotate in the same direction. , the beverage container placed between the rollers rotates around its axis, creating forced convection in the beverage inside, and the heat transfer within the beverage is dominated by heat transfer. Cool the product rapidly.

According to the third convection promoting machine, the power of the drive motor is transferred from the first pulley and the second pulley to the first pulley.
At least four rollers are rotated through a second gear and a second gear, and a beverage container placed between each roller is rotated about its axis, causing forced convection to flow through the beverage inside. As a result, heat transfer in the beverage product is dominated by heat transfer, and the beverage product cools rapidly.

In the first to third convection promoters, the drive motor is driven when the power switch is on and the door switch is on when the refrigerator door is closed. In this way, when the door of the refrigerator is opened, the driving motor of the convection accelerator is stopped, so that items can be safely taken in and taken out.

[0024] Furthermore, by making the first to third convection promoters removable and using the power plug of the convection promoter and the power outlet provided in the refrigerator, the convection promoter can be inserted into the refrigerator compartment as needed. A rechargeable battery installed in the convection accelerator enables rapid cooling of beverages.
This allows it to be used even in current refrigerators that do not have a power plug inside the refrigerator.

According to the fourth convection accelerator, the drive motor rotates the storage box, and forced convection occurs in the beverages in the storage box, so that heat transfer becomes dominant, and the beverages This enables rapid cooling of products. Furthermore, a sensor installed in the storage box can determine whether there is a beverage in the storage box, and the convection accelerator can be operated when necessary. In addition, by driving the drive motor with signals from the door switch that indicates the closing of the refrigerator compartment door, the power switch for the drive motor, and the sensor that indicates the placement of beverages, the Moreover, this convection accelerator can be operated safely.

[0026]

[Embodiment] The first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
This will be explained with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of the refrigerator of this embodiment. In FIG. 1, the refrigerator 11 includes a freezer compartment 13 in order from the top.
, a refrigerator compartment 12 and a vegetable compartment 14, and in one section of the refrigerator compartment 12 there is disposed a convection accelerator that causes convection of the liquid in the beverage product, which is the main body of the present invention. Refrigerator 1
1, cold air 10 from a cooler 15 installed on the upper part of the back wall is sent to a freezer compartment 13, then to a refrigerator compartment 12 through a damper 16, and further from the refrigerator compartment 12 to a vegetable compartment 14.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the convection promoting device 1. As shown in FIG. The convection promoter 1 includes a drive motor 2, a connection gear 3a directly connected to the drive motor 2, two connection gears 3b that mesh with the connection gear 3a, and two connection gears 3B that are connected to each other and are parallel to each other and horizontal. The driving motor 2 is configured to have a set of rollers 4 installed in the drive motor 2, and the power of the drive motor 2 is transmitted to the rollers 4, so that the set of rollers 4 rotate in the same direction. The beverage product 9 is placed on these rollers 4 such that the axial direction of the rollers and the axial direction of the container of the beverage product 9 are the same. This convection promoting device 1 is housed in a storage case 5 so that the other parts, except for the upper part of the roller 4 on which the beverage is placed, are not exposed to the cold air 10. A rotating shaft 6 at the tip of the roller 4 is supported in a hole provided in the storage case 5, and is rotated by the operation of the drive motor 2. The storage case 5 is provided with a power switch 7, and when the switch 7 is turned on, the drive motor 2 is operated. Further, a motor control device 8 is provided within the storage case 5, and this control device 8 controls the direction of rotation of the drive motor 2 in forward and reverse directions.

The surface of the beverage 9 on the roller 4 of the convection accelerator 1 disposed in the refrigerator compartment 12 is cooled by the cold air 10 from the damper 16. Here, when the power switch 7 of the convection promoter 1 is turned on, the drive motor 2 is activated, and its power is transmitted to the two rollers 4 through the connecting gear 3.
La4 rotates. Therefore, the beverage 9 placed on the roller 2 also rotates, and convection is forced into the liquid within the beverage 9. Thereby, heat transfer of the liquid within the beverage product 9 occurs through convection, which facilitates cooling of the liquid in the beverage product 9.

The effectiveness of cooling the beverage 9 by heat transfer will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

In FIG. 3, the beverage product 9 has a height of 30 cm.
, a glass bottle 17 with a diameter of 10 cm and an internal liquid 18
Consists of. FIG. 3 shows a two-dimensional cross section of a cylindrical beverage product 9. Here, the internal liquid 18 is assumed to be water with clear physical properties.

Heat transfer in this system can generally be defined by the following equation 1.

[0033]

[Math 1]

Here, C is the specific heat of the internal liquid 18, G is the volume of the internal liquid 18, t is time, T is the average temperature of the internal liquid, T1 is the cold air temperature, and K is the effective heat transfer rate.

[0035] The differential equation of Equation 1 is calculated using the initial value t=0, T
=T0, it becomes like the following formula 2, and the internal liquid 1
The influence of temperature over time can be evaluated.

[0036]

[Math 2]

[0037] Now, the temperature of the cold air 10 is 3°C, and the internal liquid 18
The initial temperature of is 30°C, and the temperature of the internal liquid 18 is 5°C.
Evaluate the time required to reach the goal.

First, the heat transfer mechanism when the internal liquid 18 is stationary will be explained. Considering that when the internal liquid 18 is stationary, heat transfer within the internal liquid 18 is dominated by thermal conduction, the effective heat transfer rate K is defined by Equation 3.

[0039]

[Math 3]

Here, h0 is the external heat transfer coefficient, λ1 is the thermal conductivity of the glass 17, L1 is the thickness of the glass 17, λ2 is the thermal conductivity of the internal liquid 18, and L2 is the effective thermal conductivity of the internal liquid 18. It is the length.

For example, the external heat transfer coefficient h0 due to the cold air 10
is 50W/m2℃, and the thermal conductivity λ1 of glass 17 is 0.7
54 W/m°C, the thickness L1 of the glass 17 is 5 mm, the thermal conductivity λ2 of the internal liquid 18 (water) is 0.593 W/m°C, and the effective length L2 of the internal liquid 18 is 25 mm. From these, if formula 3 is used, the effective heat transfer rate K is 14.
It becomes 5W/m2℃. This effective heat transfer rate K and temperature conditions,
By substituting the physical property values into Equation 2 and calculating backwards, the time t1 required for the internal liquid 18 to reach 5°C from the initial temperature of 30°C is approximately 5°C.
It will take 10 minutes.

Next, a case where the internal liquid 18 is convecting under the same conditions will be explained. When convection occurs in the internal liquid 18, heat transfer within the internal liquid 18 is dominated by heat transfer, and the effective heat transfer rate K is defined by the following equation 4.

[0043]

[Math 4]

[0044] Here, hi is the internal heat transfer coefficient.

Now, suppose that the rotation of the roller 4 causes a convection current of about 5 cm/s in the internal liquid 18 of the beverage 9. When calculated as a laminar heat transfer coefficient of a flat plate, in the case of water, the internal heat transfer coefficient hi is about 133 W/m2°C. Therefore, if Equation 4 is used, the effective heat transfer rate K is 29.3 W/m2°C. By substituting this effective heat transfer rate K, temperature conditions, and physical property values into Equation 2 in the same way as above and calculating backwards, the time t2 required for the internal liquid 18 to reach 5°C from the initial temperature of 30°C is approximately 2 hours and 34 minutes. Become.

In this way, by creating convection in the internal liquid 18 of the beverage product 9, in the case of this trial calculation, the cooling time of the beverage product 9 can be reduced to approximately half of that in the static state, as shown in FIG. This makes it possible to rapidly cool the beverage 9.

FIG. 5 shows an operation control block diagram of the convection promoter 1. Switch 1 indicating the opening/closing status of the door of the refrigerator compartment 12
9 and the operation signal from the power switch 7 of the motor 2 are ANDed.
The output of the AND circuit 20 is input to the drive motor 2. The drive motor 2 is adapted to operate upon receiving a signal from an AND circuit. In this way, signals are input to the AND circuit 20 when the door switch 19 is closed and the power switch 7 is ON, so when the door of the refrigerator compartment 12 is opened,
No signal is output to the drive motor 2, ensuring safety even when hands are inserted.

Furthermore, a control device 8 is connected to the drive motor 2, and the direction of rotation of the drive motor 2 can be reversed by signals from the control device 8. By periodically rotating the driving motor 2 in forward and reverse directions, the internal liquid 18 within the beverage product 9 is disturbed and the temperature of the internal liquid 18 is made uniform, so that it is possible to further shorten the cooling time.

A second embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG. The drive motor 2 of the convection promoting device 1 is provided with a power plug 21. Furthermore, a rechargeable battery is built in the storage case 5. Furthermore, a 100V power outlet is provided in the refrigerator compartment 12. The drive motor 2 has a structure in which it can be operated by inserting a power plug 21 into a power outlet in the refrigerator compartment 12 or by using a rechargeable battery. As a result, the convection accelerator 1 can be freely removed and set in the refrigerator compartment only when it is used, so that the space in the refrigerator compartment can be used effectively. Further, if a power outlet is provided in the refrigerator compartment 12, various equipment such as an ultrasonic deodorizer can be installed as an option. Further, since the convection promoting device 1 has a rechargeable internal battery 22, it can be easily installed in current refrigerators that do not have a power outlet.

A third embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG. In addition to the connecting gear 3, a transmission gear is connected to the drive motor 2, and four rollers are provided on which beverages 9 are placed. The two transmission gears are connected by a belt 24. Therefore, the power of the motor 2 is transferred to the transmission gear 23 and the belt 24.
, the transmission is transmitted to four rollers 4 through a connecting gear 3. Therefore, the three beverage products 9 placed on the roller 4 all receive the same rotational force, and convection can be generated within all the beverage products 9. With such a structure, it is possible to rapidly cool many beverage products 9 at once.

A fourth embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG. This convection promoting machine has a drive motor 2 with its rotating shaft facing upward, and a storage box 25 in which beverages 9 are placed at the upper end of the rotating shaft. The actuation of the motor 2 likewise rotates the storage box 25, creating convection within the beverage product 9 within the storage box 25. Therefore, it has a simple structure and has the same rapid cooling effect as the first embodiment. Furthermore, since the cold air 10 is evenly blown onto the surface of the beverage product 9, the surface of the beverage product 9 can be uniformly cooled.

A fifth embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. In FIG. 9, a sensor 26 is installed in the storage box 25, which is activated when the beverage 9 is stored. For example, it is a weight sensor that responds to weight. sensor
26 consists of a plate 27 for placing the beverage 9, contacts 28 and springs 29 installed on the plate 27 and the storage box 25, respectively. As shown in FIG. 9A, beverages 9 are placed on the board 27.
When it is not placed, the two upper and lower contacts 28 do not touch each other due to the repulsive force of the spring 29. On the other hand, storage box 25
When the beverage 9 is placed on the inner board 26, (B
As shown in ), the spring 29 contracts due to the weight of the beverage 9,
The two upper and lower contacts 28 touch each other. The operation of this sensor 26 is utilized to perform the following operation control.

FIG. 10 shows an operation control block diagram of the present invention. Here, the sensor 26 has a mechanism in which a signal is input to the AND circuit 20 when two upper and lower contacts touch each other. Therefore, the drive motor 2 operates when the outputs of the door switch 19 of the refrigerator compartment 12, the power switch 7 of the drive motor 2, and the sensor 26 are all satisfied. Even if the door is closed and the power switch of motor 2 is
Even if it is N, if there is no beverage 9 in the storage box 25, the drive motor 2 will not operate. Therefore, there is no need to consume unnecessary electricity, making it an efficient beverage product9.
can be rapidly cooled.

[0054]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention,
The refrigerator is constructed by installing a convection promoter in the refrigerator compartment, which rotates the container of the target beverage around its axis, so that by rotating the container, the inside of the beverage can be By forcing convection to occur, heat transfer within the beverage can be controlled by heat transfer, allowing for rapid cooling of beverages compared to conventional non-rotating systems. This has the effect of preventing beverages from freezing due to too much cold air in the refrigerator compartment, and from deteriorating the quality of foods and beverages due to stopping the cold air blowing to other freezer compartments and vegetable compartments.

[0055] Furthermore, since the beverage rotates, the cold air from the cooler is evenly blown onto the surface of the beverage.
It also has the effect of uniformly cooling the surface of the beverage.

[0056] Furthermore, by providing the convection accelerator with a power plug and a rechargeable battery, the convection accelerator can be removed from the refrigerator compartment, making it possible to quickly cool beverages as needed, resulting in efficient use. It also has the effect of

[0057] Furthermore, since the drive motor can be controlled based on the opening/closing status of the refrigerator door, the status of the drive motor's power switch, and the status of the presence or absence of beverages, safety when taking out foods, etc. is improved. Furthermore, the convection accelerator can be operated only when beverages are stored, which also has the effect of saving energy.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a refrigerator equipped with a convection enhancer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a convection enhancer according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a calculation system of a heat transfer mechanism of beverages.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the cooling time of liquid within a beverage product.

FIG. 5 is an operation control block diagram of the convection enhancer according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a convection enhancer according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a convection enhancer according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a convection enhancer according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a convection enhancer according to a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an operation control block diagram of a convection accelerator according to a fifth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Convection accelerator 2 Drive motor 3 Connecting gear 4 Roller 5 Storage case 6 Rotation axis 7 Power switch 8 Motor control device 9 Beverage products 11 Refrigerator 12 Refrigerator room 15 Cooler 18 Internal liquid 19 Door switch 21 Power plug 22 Internal battery 23 Transmission gear 24 Connection belt 25 Storage box 26 Sensor

Claims (13)

[Claims] Claim 1: In a refrigerator having a refrigerating chamber that cools food and beverages with cold air from a cooler, a container for a beverage stored in the refrigerating chamber is rotated around the axis of the container to cool the beverage inside. A refrigerator characterized by being equipped with a convection accelerator that forcibly generates convection. 2. The convection promoting machine includes a driving motor;
A first gear connected to the rotating shaft of the drive motor, two second gears meshing with the first gear, and two second gears connected to the respective shafts of the second gears and installed parallel to each other and horizontally. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerator is configured such that the rollers are supported by a frame. 3. A refrigerator according to claim 2, further comprising a control device for rotating the drive motor in forward and reverse directions. 4. The convection promoting machine includes a driving motor;
a first pulley connected to the rotating shaft of the drive motor; a second pulley connected to the first pulley by a belt;
2. A refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said pulley and rollers connected to the shafts of said second pulley and installed parallel to each other horizontally are supported on a frame. 5. A refrigerator according to claim 4, further comprising a control device for rotating the drive motor in forward and reverse directions. 6. The convection promoting machine includes a driving motor;
a first pulley connected to the rotating shaft of the drive motor; and at least one second pulley connected to the first pulley by a belt.
a pulley, a first gear each connected to the shaft of the second pulley, two second gears meshing with the first gear, and two second gears each connected to the shaft of the second gear and parallel to each other. 2. A refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that said rollers are horizontally installed and are supported by a frame. 7. A refrigerator according to claim 6, further comprising a control device for rotating the drive motor in forward and reverse directions. 8. The drive motor is controlled by a signal from a door switch indicating the opening/closing state of the refrigerator compartment and a power switch for the drive motor. Refrigerator as described. 9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the convection promoter is removable from the refrigerator compartment, the refrigerator compartment is equipped with a power outlet, and the convection promoter is provided with a power plug. 10. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the convection accelerator is removable from the refrigerator compartment, and the convection accelerator is equipped with a rechargeable battery. 11. The convection promoting device is characterized in that it is comprised of a drive motor that directs a rotating shaft vertically upward, and a storage box that is attached to the upper part of the rotating shaft and accommodates beverage containers vertically. The refrigerator according to claim 1. 12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein a sensor is provided in the storage box to turn on and off depending on the presence or absence of beverages, and the sensor is connected to a drive motor. 13. The operation of the drive motor is controlled by signals from a door switch that indicates whether the refrigerator compartment is open or closed, a power switch for the drive motor, and a sensor that is turned on or off depending on the presence or absence of beverages. The refrigerator according to claim 11.