JPH05288452A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To equivalently and efficiently cool a plurality of containing boxes. CONSTITUTION:Two containing boxes 22, 24 are vertically arranged in a heat insulation box body 18 through a back surface passage 36, a bottom space 44 and side passages 46, 46 for circulating chilled gas. Shielding members 38, 38 are arranged on opposed upper and lower surfaces of the boxes 22, 24, and a horizontal passage 40 having a predetermined size is formed. The passage 40 communicates with the passage 36. A plurality of vent holes 50 communicating with the passage 46 are opened at a front surface side separate from the passage 36 of the member 38. Part of the gas moving down in the passage 36 is brought into contact with a bottom of the box 22 and a ceiling of the box 24 to cool it while being fed into the passage 40 and discharged from the holes 50 to the passage 46.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator in which a plurality of storage boxes are arranged in a vertical relationship with a required space interposed in a heat-insulating box body so that each storage box can be quickly and uniformly cooled. It is about.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, when fresh food such as vegetables, fruits, meat and fish (hereinafter referred to as "ingredients") is stored in a refrigerator for a long period of time or frozen foods are thawed gradually, a refrigerator is generally used. It is necessary to control the temperature change in the interior to a minimum and also to control the evaporation of water from food materials.

In order to meet this demand, there is, for example, a device "perishable food storage device" according to Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-147678. This apparatus is provided with a storage box for storing foodstuffs inside a storage room having a heat insulating structure via a required space. Further, the space is composed of a horizontal partition plate and a vertical partition plate, and an air passage on the casing side for circulating cold air without contacting the storage box, and an air passage on the storage box side for circulating cold air in contact with the storage box. Is defined in. Then, the cool air cooled by the evaporator arranged in the air passage on the casing side is first allowed to flow down the air passage on the casing side to be dropped to the bottom of the storage chamber, and then the air passage on the storage box side is raised. The storage box is configured to be cooled by performing heat exchange with the storage box.

In the fresh food storage device, the cooled cold air is lowered to the bottom of the storage chamber, and then the storage box is cooled when the cold air rises. Therefore, in the type in which the single storage box is stored in the storage chamber, the cold air is transmitted to the entire storage box and rises, so that the storage box can be efficiently cooled.

However, in the model in which a plurality of storage boxes are stored in the storage chamber in a vertical relationship, the upper storage box is cooled by the cold air that has exchanged heat with the lower storage box, so that the upper and lower storage boxes are cooled. Therefore, the temperature inside the refrigerator becomes uneven, and it takes time to cool the upper storage box. It is also pointed out that once the cool air is lowered to the bottom of the storage chamber, the cold air stays without rising and the lower storage box is overcooled. In this way, if the internal temperatures of the upper and lower storage boxes become non-uniform, there is a problem that some of the stored food materials are deteriorated in freshness.

Further, when a plurality of storage boxes are arranged in a vertical relationship, the cold air rising from the bottom of the storage chamber does not spread sufficiently between the bottom surface of the upper storage box and the ceiling surface of the lower storage box. Each storage box could not be cooled efficiently. Therefore, it takes a considerable amount of time to cool the insides of the upper and lower storage boxes until the set temperature (the storage temperature of the food material) is reached, and thus there is a drawback that the power consumption increases.

Therefore, one proposal for coping with the above-mentioned various problems has been filed by the applicant of the present invention as the invention "refrigerator". The refrigerator according to the previous application is configured such that a horizontal passage is defined in a facing portion of the storage boxes arranged in a vertical relationship, and the horizontal passage is vertically divided into two by a partition. Then, the cool air blown from the cooler to the rear passage is forcibly guided to the upper horizontal passage by the partition, so that the cool air is brought into contact with the bottom surface of the upper storage box to be cooled. Then, the cool air is guided back to the lower horizontal passage, and the cool air is brought into contact with the ceiling surface of the lower storage box to cool it, and then is made to flow down to the rear passage again. That is, since cold air can be made to come into contact with the bottom surface of the upper storage box and the ceiling surface of the lower storage box without exception, each storage box can be efficiently cooled.

[0008]

The refrigerator is capable of cooling a plurality of storage boxes uniformly and efficiently, and can be highly evaluated as such. However, this refrigerator has a drawback that the number of parts is increased and the assembling work is complicated because a partition for forcibly guiding the cool air is required in the horizontal passage. Further, the cool air guided by the partition into the horizontal passage reciprocates above and below the partition so that the cool air passage becomes long, which increases the flow path resistance and hinders the smooth circulation of the cool air, thus lowering the cooling capacity. A new problem to be solved was how to solve the problem. Although the flow path resistance can be reduced by setting the height dimension of the horizontal passage sufficiently large, in this case, the amount of foodstuffs stored in the storage box must be reduced.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks inherent in a refrigerator having a double structure in which a plurality of storage boxes are installed in a vertical relation in the heat insulating box, and therefore, it is proposed to solve the problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator having a simple configuration that can cool each storage box uniformly and efficiently.

[0010]

[Means for Solving the Problems] Overcoming the above-mentioned problems,
In order to preferably achieve the intended purpose, the present invention is a heat-insulating box body having a plurality of openings and heat-insulating doors provided in each opening,
Above the upper storage box in the heat insulation box, a plurality of storage boxes that are arranged in a vertical relationship inside the heat insulation box and have an opening that opens corresponding to the opening. And a second passage for guiding the cool air blown out from the cooler and returning to the cooler by guiding the rise of the cool air that has descended through the first passage. And a horizontal passage that is defined by shielding members arranged on the upper and lower opposing surfaces of the storage box and communicates with the first passage, and a portion of the shielding member that is separated from the communication portion of the first passage. And the horizontal passage and the second
It is characterized by comprising a through hole communicating with the passage.

[0011]

The preferred embodiments of the refrigerator according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view of a vertical refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a vertical front view of the vertical refrigerator.

As shown in the drawings, a vertical refrigerator (hereinafter referred to as "refrigerator") 10 includes an outer box 12 having rectangular openings 12a, 12a which are vertically spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and which are largely opened to the front side, and an outer box 12 having a rectangular opening 12a. The inner box 14 which is incorporated in the box 12 with a required gap and which is also largely opened to the front side, and the both boxes 1
It has a heat insulating box 18 composed of a heat insulating material 16 such as urethane foam filled between 2 and 14. Inside the inner box 14 of the heat insulating box 18, there are an upper storage box 22 and a lower storage box 24 which hold the inner wall and a required space 20 and are stacked via shielding members 38, 38 described later. It is arranged. The storage boxes 22 and 24 are made of a heat conductive metal plate such as stainless steel.

Both the storage boxes 22 and 24 are heat-insulating box bodies 18.
Corresponding to the rectangular openings 12a, 12a formed in
It has rectangular openings 22a and 24a that open to the front. Further, on the front surface of the heat insulating box body 18, as shown in FIG. 1, in correspondence with each opening 12a opened in the heat insulating box body 18,
A heat insulating door 26 is provided to openably and clog the opening 12a.

As shown in FIG. 2, the inner bottom surface of the inner box 14 is provided with a support member 19 projecting at a predetermined height from the bottom surface at the center in the width direction. 24 is placed, the lower storage box 24 and the inner box 14
And a bottom space 44 is defined between the bottom space 44 and the bottom surface. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, rear surface mounting bodies 34, 34 formed in a U-shape in a plan view are provided on the inner rear surface of the inner box 14 so as to be opposed to each other with a predetermined gap therebetween. Is attached with the left and right ends of its rear surface abutting the attachment members 34, 34. As a result, a rear passage that functions as a first passage between the rear surface of the storage boxes 22, 24 and the inner rear surface of the inner box 14 to guide the cooling of the storage boxes 22, 24 while lowering the cool air, as described later. 36 are defined.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, side mounting bodies 42, 42 are disposed opposite to each other on both inner side surfaces of the inner box 14 at positions corresponding to the two storage boxes 22, respectively. The side attachments 42, 42 support the side surface of each storage box 22 (24). By this, both storage boxes 22, 24
Between the both side surfaces of the inner box 14 and both inner side surfaces of the inner box 14 to guide the cooling of the storage boxes 22 and 24 while raising the cool air.
Side passages 46, 46 that function as passages are defined.
That is, the space 20 defined between the inner wall of the inner box 14 and the outer walls of the storage boxes 22 and 24 is composed of the back passage 36, the bottom space 44, and the side passages 46 and 46. In addition,
The rear passage 36 and the side passages 46, 46 are provided in the bottom space 44.
Through the.

The inner ceiling surface of the inner box 14 and the upper storage box 2
As shown in FIG. 1, the space defined between the second ceiling surface and the ceiling surface is defined by two walls 37 and 39 through a wall 30.
A cooler 28, which is connected to a refrigerating apparatus (not shown) and circulates the refrigerant from the refrigerating apparatus to an internal evaporator, is provided in the first chamber 37 communicating with the back passage 36. Further, the second chamber 39 communicates with the side passages 46, 46, and the blower fan 32 is provided at a position corresponding to a plurality (two in the embodiment) of openings 30a formed in the image wall 30 in the second chamber 39. Are arranged respectively. Since the blower fan 32 is arranged so as to blow the air in the second chamber 39 toward the first chamber 37, by driving the blower fan 32, the inside of the chamber sucked from the side passages 46, 46 is sucked. Air is
After contacting the cooler 28 of the first chamber 37 to form cool air, the cool air is blown to the back passage 36.

Below the cooler 28 provided in the first chamber 37, as shown in FIG. 1, a drain tray 33 is provided which functions to discharge the water droplets dropped from the cooler 28 to the outside of the machine. There is. Since the cooler 28 is located near the ceiling surface of the upper storage box 22, the upper storage box 22 is efficiently cooled.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, front and rear sides are integrally formed on the left and right edges of the upper and lower storage boxes 22 and 24 on the upper and lower opposing surfaces, respectively. Shielding members 38, 38 extending in the opposite direction are interposed so as to face each other. This shielding member 38 is used for the storage box 22 (24).
Both storage boxes 2 that extend almost the entire length in the depth direction of
A horizontal passage 40 having a required size, which is closed on both side surfaces, is defined between the upper and lower facing surfaces 24 and 24. The front surface of the horizontal passage 40 is closed by a shielding plate 48 which is provided between both inner side surfaces of the inner box 14, and the rear passage side thereof communicates with the rear passage 36.

As shown in FIG. 1, each of the shielding members 38 has a plurality of through holes 5 in the vicinity of the front surface which is separated from the rear passage 36.
No. 0 is bored, and the through hole 50 is provided in the horizontal passage 40 and the side passage 4
Function to communicate with 6. Further, since the through hole 50 is formed at a position separated from the rear passage 36, when the negative pressure is formed in the side passage 46 by operating the blower fan 32, a negative acting through the through hole 50 is formed. A part of the cool air flowing through the rear surface passage 36 can be drawn into the horizontal passage 40 by the pressure. As a result, the cool air that has flowed into the horizontal passage 40 from the rear passage 36 passes through the through hole 50 and the side passage 4
By the time it flows out to 6, the bottom surface of the upper storage box 22 and the ceiling surface of the lower storage box 24 can be contacted and cooled.

[0020]

Next, the operation of the refrigerator having the above-mentioned structure will be described. When the operation of the refrigerator is started, the air inside the side passages 46, 46 is sucked by the blower fan 32 and blown toward the cooler 28 through the opening 30a of the image wall 30, where it is cooled by heat exchange. After being sprayed, it is blown out to the back passage 36. Since the cooler 28 is located close to the ceiling surface of the upper storage box 22,
Cools well.

The cold air blown into the back passage 36 is
It comes in contact with the back surface of the upper storage box 22 to perform heat exchange and descend. The blower fan 32 is installed in the side passages 46, 46.
Since a negative pressure is formed by the operation of, the shielding member 3
Negative pressure is formed on the front surface side of the horizontal passage 40 by the through holes 50, 50 formed in the holes 8, 38. Therefore, a part of the cool air descending through the rear passage 36 flows into the horizontal passage 40 and contacts the bottom surface of the upper storage box 22 and the ceiling surface of the lower storage box 24 for heat exchange, as shown in FIG. After that, it flows out from the through holes 50, 50 to the side passages 46, 46.
Further, the cool air rises while contacting the side passages 46, 46 with both side surfaces of the upper storage box 22 while exchanging heat and returning to the cooler 28 again. The through holes 50, 5
Since 0 is provided at a position separated from the back passage 36, the cool air flows from the back side toward the front side,
The bottom surface of the upper storage box 22 and the ceiling surface of the lower storage box 24 can be cooled substantially uniformly over the entire surface.

The cool air that descends in the rear passage 36 without flowing into the horizontal passage 40 comes into contact with the rear surface of the lower storage box 24 and flows down while exchanging heat, and then is blown into the bottom space 44. Here, the bottom of the storage box 24 is contacted. Further, when the cool air rises in the side passages 46, 46, it comes in contact with both side surfaces of the storage boxes 22, 24 to cool the storage boxes 22, 24, and then returns to the cooler 28 again. In addition, since the cold air blown into the bottom space 44 is warmed by heat exchange with the lower storage box 24, the cool air does not stay at the bottom of the heat insulating box body 18, and the cool air is efficiently supplied. Circulate.

As described above, when the cool air cooled by the cooler 28 is lowered, the cool air can be passed through the horizontal passage 40 defined between the upper and lower storage boxes 22, 24.
Cold air can be spread all over the bottom surface of the upper storage box 22 and the ceiling surface of the lower storage box 24.
4 can improve the cooling efficiency. Therefore, each storage box 22,
The cooling efficiency of 24 is improved, and the inside of the refrigerator can be quickly cooled to the set temperature. Further, since the through hole 50 is simply formed in the shielding member 38 at a position separated from the rear passage 36, the number of parts can be reduced and the assembling work can be simplified. Further, since the cold air passage can be shortened, the horizontal passage 40
Even if the height dimension is set low, the cool air can be circulated smoothly, and this has the advantage that the internal dimensions of the storage boxes 22 and 24 can be set large to increase the food storage amount.

In the embodiment, the cool air cooled by the cooler 28 is supplied to the rear passage 36 → the bottom space 44 → the side passage 4
In the configuration in which the cooling air is circulated in the order of 6 → cooler 28, a part of the cool air descending in the rear passage 36 is circulated in the manner of horizontal passage 40 → side passage 46 → cooler 28 to cool both storage boxes 22 and 24. It was configured to do. However, conversely, in the configuration in which the cool air cooled by the cooler 28 is circulated as in the side passage 46 → the bottom space 44 → the rear passage 36 → the cooler 28, a part of the cool air descending the side passage 46 is partially passed through the horizontal passage 40 → Even if the back passage 36 is circulated from the cooler 28, the storage boxes 22 and 24 can be quickly cooled similarly.

[0025]

As described above, according to the refrigerator of the present invention, the cool air cooled by the cooler is made to flow through the horizontal passage defined between the storage boxes arranged in the vertical relationship. Therefore, the cooling efficiency of the upper and lower storage boxes can be improved. Therefore, the time required for cooling the storage box to the set temperature can be shortened, and the running cost can be reduced.

Further, since a cold air can be circulated in the horizontal passage with a simple structure in which a through hole is formed in the shielding member which defines the horizontal passage without providing a partition in the horizontal passage, the number of parts can be reduced. The number can be reduced to reduce the number of working steps. Moreover, the flow resistance does not increase and the cold air in the horizontal passage does not stop flowing smoothly, and the cooling capacity can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view of a vertical refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional front view of a vertical refrigerator.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view of a vertical refrigerator.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a vertical refrigerator partially sectioned vertically.

[Explanation of Codes] 12a Opening 18 Insulation Box 22 Upper Storage Box 22a Opening 24 Lower Storage Box 24a Opening 26 Insulation Door 28 Cooler 36 Rear Passage 38 Shielding Member 40 Horizontal Passage 46 Side Passage 50 Through Hole

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of openings (12a) and each opening (12a)
A heat insulating box (18) provided with a heat insulating door (26) provided in, and the heat insulating box (18) is arranged in a vertical relationship inside the heat insulating box (18) through a required space (20), and the opening (12a ) Opening corresponding to
(22a, 24a) a plurality of storage boxes (22, 24), and a cooler (2 provided above the upper storage box (22) in the heat insulation box (18)
8) A refrigerator comprising: a first passage (36) for guiding the lowering of the cool air blown from the cooler (28), and a cooler for guiding the rising of the cool air descending the first passage (36). Second passage (46,46) to return to (28)
And a shielding member arranged on the upper and lower facing surfaces of the storage box (22, 24)
(38, 38), a portion separated from the communication portion between the horizontal passage (40) communicating with the first passage (36) and the first passage (36) in the shielding member (38, 38) Is drilled in the horizontal passage (40) and the second
A refrigerator characterized by being configured with through holes (50, 50) communicating with passages (46, 46). 2. A back surface of the storage box (22, 24) and an insulating box body (1)
Between the inner rear surface of 8), a rear passage (36) for guiding the downward movement of the cool air blown out from the cooler (28) is defined, and both side surfaces of the storage box (22, 24) and the heat insulating box. Between the inner side surfaces of the body (18), side passages (46, 46) for guiding the rise of the cool air that has descended through the back passage (36) and returning to the cooler (28) are defined, and the storage is provided. By means of the shielding members (38, 38) arranged on both left and right edges of the upper and lower opposite surfaces of the box (22, 24), the rear passage (3
A horizontal passage (40) communicating with 6) is defined, and the horizontal passage (40) and the side passages (46, 46) are provided in the vicinity of the front face separated from the rear passage (36) of the shielding member (38, 38). A through hole (50, 50) communicating with and is formed.
Refrigerator described.