JPH06253800A - Thawing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a thawing apparatus capable of favorably thawing a frozen food in a thawing chamber and preventing also deterioration of the equipment. CONSTITUTION:A cooler 24, a defrosting heater 27, a heater 28 are installed in the upper part of a storage chamber 8 and air which is thermally exchanged therewith is circulated in the storage chamber 8 by a cooling fan 32. Operation of a compressor 17 is controlled based on a set temperature in the storage chamber 8 and the defrosting heater 27 and the heater 28 are operated in stopping the compressor 17. A duct member 36 having good heat conductivity, extending from the upper part of the storage chamber 8 to the lower part and spaced from a heat-insulating box body 2 is installed. The air passing through the space and thermally exchanged with the cooler 24, the defrosting heater 27 and the heater 28 is discharged from the end of a duct member 36 into the storage chamber 8.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thawing device for thawing frozen food or the like while cooling it in a thawing chamber.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when thawing a frozen food or the like, the surface of the food is severely deteriorated if it is simply heated. Therefore, for example, as in Japanese Patent Application No. 3-236395 filed by the applicant earlier, while cooling. The structure of heating is adopted. Next, the conventional structure according to FIG. 7 will be described. That is, the cooling storage 100 in FIG. 7 has a thawing function described later, and is configured by the heat insulating box 2 having an opening on the front surface. The heat-insulating box body 2 includes a metal outer box 3 and a metal inner box 4 which are also spaced apart from each other.
It is formed by filling a heat insulating material 7 such as foamed polyurethane in the space between them by an in-situ foaming method, and a storage chamber 8 as a thawing chamber is formed in the inner box 4. A plurality of upper and lower shelves 9, 9 ... Are installed in the storage chamber 8, and the front opening of the storage chamber 8 is closed by heat insulating doors 11 and 12 so as to be openable and closable.

On the other hand, a rectangular window hole 13 is opened in the top wall 2A of the heat insulating box 2, and a mounting base 14 made of a heat insulating plate is attached so as to close the window hole 13 from above. . A compressor 17 and a condenser 18 constituting a cooling device 16 are installed on the upper surface of the mounting base 14, and a condenser fan 19 is further installed. In front of these, a grill 22 having a control panel 21 and the like is arranged.
A defrosting switch 23, which will be described later and is operated by the control panel 21, is provided behind the control panel 21.

The compressor 1 is mounted on the lower surface of the mounting base 14.
7. A cooler 24 that constitutes a refrigeration cycle of the cooling device 16 is attached together with the condenser 18 and faces the ceiling in the storage chamber 8, and a drain pan 26 is arranged below the cooler 24. A defrost heater 27 is provided in the cooler 24.
And a heater 28 is attached to the lower surface of the drain pan 26. Drain pan 26
A cooler cover 29 is attached to the lower side of the storage compartment 8 to partition the inside of the storage chamber 8 below, and a cooling fan 32 is attached to the front of the cooler 24 corresponding to a suction port 31 formed in the front portion thereof. ing. A thermostat 33 for temperature control is provided at the suction port 31, and the rear end portion of the cooler cover 29 is spaced from the back surface 4A of the inner box 4 of the heat insulating box body 2 and the discharge port 34 is provided there. Are formed.

With such a configuration, in the cooling storage 100, the operation of the compressor 17 and the cooling fan 32 is always controlled by the contact opening / closing operation of the thermostat 33. That is, the set temperature of the thermostat 33 is, for example, -1 ° C,
Based on the temperature of the suction air that returns after circulating through the storage chamber 8, for example, rises to 0 ° C. to close the contact, operates the compressor 17 and the cooling fan 32, and lowers to −2 ° C. to open the contact. The compressor 17 and the cooling fan 32 are stopped. In the cooler 24 during operation of the compressor 17, the refrigerant evaporates and exerts a cooling effect, and the air cooled by exchanging heat with the cooler 24 is discharged from the discharge port 34 into the storage chamber 8, Circulation in the storage chamber 8 as indicated by the arrow with a medium wavy line is performed so as to return from the suction port 31 to the cooling fan 32, whereby the inside of the storage chamber 8 is maintained in an ice temperature zone of -1 ° C on average. The ice temperature zone is a temperature zone (0 ° C to -3 ° C) below the freezing point before the food is frozen.

When the frozen foods F are thawed, they are stored on the shelf 9 and the control panel 21
Is operated to close the defrosting switch 23. Then, the compressor 17 is operated / stopped between 0 ° C. and −2 ° C., but the cooling fan 32 is continuously operated, and further, the compressor 1
During deactivation of 7, the defrosting heater 27 and the heating heater 28 are energized (operated) to generate heat.

Defrosting heater 27 and heating heater 28
The heat generated by the defroster defrosts the cooler 24, and the air discharged from the discharge port 34 into the storage chamber 8 while the compressor 17 is stopped is the defrost heater 27 and the heater 28.
Since the temperature is increased by exchanging heat with, the frozen food F in the storage chamber 8 is gradually thawed by the air having the high temperature. In particular, since thawing is performed while maintaining the temperature of the storage compartment 8 in the ice temperature zone, there is an effect that drip outflow from the frozen food F can be suppressed to be lower than that in the case of simply heating, and good thawing can be performed.

[0008]

However, while the compressor 17 is stopped, the defrosting heater 27 and the heating heater 28 are provided.
The temperature of the air that is heat-exchanged with and is discharged from the discharge port 34 becomes an abnormally higher temperature than the set temperature (-1 ° C). Therefore, since the high temperature air is directly blown to the frozen food F stored in the position close to the discharge port 34 of the uppermost shelf 9, the temperature difference between the surface and the inside becomes remarkable, and in the frozen food F concerned. It becomes impossible to thaw the inside uniformly, and the deterioration of the surface becomes significant. Especially when food is stored in the ice temperate zone after thawing, the discharge port 3
Since the low temperature air is directly blown to the food close to 4, the temperature change width of the food due to the operation / stop of the compressor 17 becomes large, and it becomes difficult to maintain the freshness.

Further, the temperature of the discharge air near the discharge port 34 is high, and as it goes down, it is cooled by the air in the storage chamber 8 and the temperature drops sharply. The temperature of the upper part near is high, and the temperature of the lower part far from the discharge port 34 is low. As described above, the conventional storage room 8
Since the temperature unevenness inside becomes severe, it is difficult to evenly thaw the frozen food F stored in the entire storage room 8.

Further, when a substantially full frozen food F is stored in the storage chamber 8, the frozen food F on the upper side closes the lower portion of the discharge port 34, so that it is discharged from the discharge port 34 as shown by a thick arrow in FIG. The generated air does not go to the lower part of the storage chamber 8 but goes directly to the suction port 31 through the lower surface of the cooler cover 29. Therefore, while the compressor 17 is stopped, the high-temperature air that has exchanged heat with the defrosting heater 27 and the heating heater 28 reaches the thermostat 33 portion as described above, so that after the compressor 17 is stopped, the thermostat 33 immediately contacts. Will come to close. For this reason, the time during which the defrosting heater 27 and the heating heater 28 generate heat is shortened, the thawing efficiency is significantly reduced in the lower portion of the storage chamber 8, and the compressor 17 is frequently operated / stopped. However, there is a problem that the life of the compressor 17 is shortened, its starting current is also increased, and power consumption is also increased.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned conventional technical problems, and is capable of thawing frozen foods and the like in the thawing chamber satisfactorily and preventing deterioration of equipment. The purpose is to provide a device.

[0012]

That is, the thaw device (cooling storage) 1 of the invention of claim 1 has a cooling means (cooling device 16, cooler 24) at the top of the thaw chamber formed in the heat insulating wall. A heating means (defrosting heater 27, heating heater 28) is provided, and air that has exchanged heat with these cooling means and heating means is circulated in the thawing chamber by the blowing means (cooling fan) 32. A control means (thermostat) 33 for controlling the operation of the cooling means based on the set temperature and for operating the heating means when the cooling means is stopped, and a space (discharging duct) extending from the upper portion of the thawing chamber to the lower surface of the heat insulating wall. ) 37
And a duct member 36 having good heat conductivity, which is disposed in the defrosting chamber from the end of the duct member 36 from the end of the duct member 36 to exchange heat with the cooling means and the heating means. It is what is discharged.

In the thaw apparatus of the second aspect of the present invention, cooling means and heating means are provided in the thaw chamber formed in the heat insulating wall, and the air that has exchanged heat with these cooling means and heating means is blown by the blowing means. A control means (microcomputer) 43 is provided which circulates in the thawing chamber, controls the operation of the cooling means based on the set temperature in the thawing chamber, and operates the heating means when the cooling means is stopped. Is to prohibit the operation of the cooling means regardless of the set temperature until the operating time of the heating means reaches a certain time.

[0014]

According to the thaw apparatus of the present invention, the operation of the cooling means is controlled based on the set temperature in the thaw chamber, the heating means is operated when the cooling means is stopped, and the cooling means and the heating means are The heat-exchanged air passes through the space between the duct member extending downward from the upper portion of the thawing chamber and the heat insulating wall and is discharged from the end of the duct member into the thawing chamber, so the frozen food in the thawing chamber is concerned. It is thawed at the set temperature by alternate operation of the cooling means and the heating means.

While the cooling means is stopped, the air whose temperature has risen due to heat exchange with the heating means is cooled by the low temperature air in the thawing chamber through the duct member in the process of passing through the interval, so that the end portion of the duct member is cooled. When it is discharged from the thaw chamber,
The temperature is not abnormally higher than the set temperature. Therefore, the frozen food located near the end of the duct member will not be abnormally heated, and the inside of one frozen food can be thawed uniformly. At the same time, the duct member is heated by the air passing through the space, so that the inside of the thawing chamber is gently heated from the surface of the duct member.

Also, since the air that has exchanged heat with the heating means is discharged from the end of the duct member into the thawing chamber, the discharged air does not concentrate only in the upper portion of the thawing chamber even if a large amount of frozen food is stored, and the duct is used. In addition to heating from the surface of the member, the entire thawing chamber can be heated evenly, and the entire frozen food stored can be thawed evenly. Also, since the air that has exchanged heat with the heating means does not immediately return to the blowing means when the cooling means is stopped,
It is possible to prevent the operation of the heating means from being stopped immediately and the operation and stop of the cooling means to be frequently performed, improve the thawing efficiency, and suppress the occurrence of equipment damage.

Further, during operation of the cooling means, the duct member is cooled by the air having a low temperature which exchanges heat with the cooling means and passes through the interval, so that the entire duct member serves as a cooler, which also defrosts. In addition to being able to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness in the room, the heat capacity of the duct member slows down the temperature change inside the thawing room, and in particular when there are few stored foods, prevents the quality deterioration of those foods due to rapid temperature changes. Will be able to.

According to the thaw device of the second aspect of the present invention, the operation of the cooling means is controlled based on the set temperature in the thaw chamber, the heating means is operated when the cooling means is stopped, and the cooling means and the heating are performed. Since the air that has exchanged heat with the means is circulated in the thawing chamber by the blowing means, the frozen food in the thawing chamber is thawed at the set temperature by alternate operation of the cooling means and the heating means.

In particular, the control means prohibits the operation of the cooling means regardless of the set temperature until the operation time of the heating means reaches a certain time, so that the operation time of the heating means is kept at a minimum, thereby improving the thawing efficiency. In addition to being improved, it is possible to prevent the cooling means from being frequently operated / stopped, and to suppress the occurrence of damage to the equipment.

[0020]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view of a cooling storage cabinet 1 with a thawing function as an embodiment of a thawing device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an electric circuit diagram thereof. In each figure, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 7 are the same. In FIG. 1, the cooling storage 1 of the present invention is constituted by a heat insulating box 2 having an opening on the front surface. The heat-insulating box 2 has a metal outer box 3 and a metal inner box 4 arranged at intervals, and a heat insulating material 7 such as foamed polyurethane is provided between the inner and outer boxes 4 and 3 in the on-site foaming method. The inner box 4 has a storage chamber 8 as a thawing chamber. A plurality of upper and lower shelves 9, 9 ... Are installed in the storage chamber 8, and the front opening of the storage chamber 8 is closed by heat insulating doors 11 and 12 so as to be openable and closable.

On the other hand, a rectangular window hole 13 is opened in the top wall 2A of the heat insulating box 2, and a mounting base 14 made of a heat insulating plate is attached so as to close the window hole 13 from above. . A compressor 17 and a condenser 18 which constitute a cooling device 16 as a cooling means are installed on the upper surface of the mounting base 14, and a condenser fan 19 is further installed. A front side of these is hidden by a grill 22 having a control panel 21 and the like, and a rear side of the control panel 21 is provided with a thawing switch 23 which will be described later and is operated by the control panel 21.

The compressor 1 is mounted on the lower surface of the mounting base 14.
7. A cooler 24 that constitutes the refrigeration cycle of the cooling device 16 is attached together with the condenser 18 and faces the ceiling portion inside the storage chamber 8, and a drain pan 26 is arranged below the cooler 24. A defrost heater 27 as a heating means is attached to the cooler 24, and the drain pan 2
A heater 28 as a heating means is attached to the lower surface of 6. A cooler cover 29 is attached below the drain pan 26 to partition the inside of the storage chamber 8 below, and in front of the cooler 24 as a blowing means corresponding to a suction port 31 formed in the front part thereof. A cooling fan 32 is attached. Further, a thermostat 33 for temperature control as a control means is provided in the suction port 31, and the rear end of the cooler cover 29 is spaced apart from the inner box 4 rear surface 4A of the heat insulating box 2 and there. The discharge port 34 is formed in the.

On the back surface 4A of the inner box 4, a duct member 36 made of a plate having good heat conductivity such as a stainless steel plate is attached vertically. The duct member 36 extends downward from the rear end portion of the cooler cover 29 and reaches below the upper and lower central portions of the storage chamber 8, and the rear surface 4A of the inner box 4.
And the discharge duct 37 is installed within this interval. The discharge duct 37 communicates with the discharge port 34 at the upper end, and is open to the inside of the storage chamber 8 at the lower end by outlets 38, 38 formed on the lower end surface and the front surface of the lower end portion of the duct member 36. .

In the electric circuit of FIG. 2, the coil 41C of the relay 41 is connected in series with the thermostat 33 to the AC power source AC, and the coil 42C of the relay 42 is connected to the normally open contact 41A of the relay 41. It is connected in series. The defrosting heater 27 and the heating heater 28 are connected in parallel, and they are normally closed contacts 42B of the relay 42.
And the normally open contact 23A of the defrosting switch 23 is connected in series. The compressor 17 is connected to the normally open contact 42A of the relay 42 in series, and the cooling fan 32 is connected.
Is connected in series with the normally open contact 23B of the defrosting switch 23. In addition, the defrosting switch 2 is provided between the compressor 17 and the normally open contact 42A and between the cooling fan 32 and the normally open contact 23B.
3 normally closed contacts 23C.

The operation of the cooling storage 1 having the above configuration will be described. Now, assuming that the defrosting switch 23 is not operated, the normally open contacts 23A and 23B are opened and the normally closed contact 23C is opened.
Is closed. The set temperature of the thermostat 33 is set to, for example, −1 ° C., and the suction air temperature is, for example, 0 ° C. based on the temperature of the suction air that circulates in the storage chamber 8 and then returns.
Rise to and close the contacts. When the thermostat 33 closes the contact, the coil 41C is energized and the normally open contact 41A is closed, so the coil 42C is energized and the relay 42 is closed to the normally open contact 42A. As a result, the compressor 17 and the cooling fan 32 are energized so that they are operated.
Further, when the intake air temperature drops to, for example, −2 ° C., the thermostat 33 opens the contact, so the coil 41C is de-energized and the normally open contact 41A is opened, so that the coil 42C is de-energized and the relay 42 is the normally closed contact. Close to 42B. As a result, the compressor 17 and the cooling fan 32 are de-energized and stopped. On the other hand, since the normally open contact 23A is open, even if the normally closed contact 42B is closed, the defrost heaters 27, 2
8 is not energized.

During operation of the compressor 17, the refrigerant evaporates in the cooler 24 to exert a cooling effect, and the air cooled by exchanging heat with the cooler 24 is discharged from the discharge port 34 into the discharge duct 37. Is ejected. The air discharged into the discharge duct 37 passes therethrough and descends, and then is blown out from the blow-out port 38 at the lower end of the duct member 36 to the lower part inside the storage chamber 8, and
As shown by the solid line arrow, the inside of the storage chamber 8 is circulated to return from the suction port 31 to the cooling fan 32, whereby the inside of the storage chamber 8 is maintained in an ice temperature zone of -1 ° C on average. This ice temperature zone is below the freezing point and is the temperature zone before food is frozen (0
C. to -3.degree. C.).

During operation of the compressor 17 and the cooling fan 32, the duct member 36 is cooled by the air having a low temperature which exchanges heat with the cooler 24 and passes through the inside of the discharge duct 37. The member 36 becomes a cooler as a whole. Further, since the duct member 36 is provided vertically in the storage chamber 8, the cooling from the surface of the duct member 36 suppresses the occurrence of temperature unevenness in the storage chamber 8 and cools the whole uniformly. Like In addition, the duct member 36
Since the heat capacity of the storage compartment makes the temperature change in the storage chamber 8 slow, it is possible to prevent the quality deterioration of the food due to the rapid temperature change, especially when the stored food is small, and the food is generally well kept in the ice temperature range. It will be possible to store it under cooling.

When the frozen foods F are thawed, they are stored on the shelf 9 and the control panel 21
To operate the thawing switch 23 to open the normally open contacts 23A, 2
3B is closed and the normally closed contact 23C is opened. Then, the compressor 1
7 is the same as the above by opening and closing the contacts of the thermostat 33.
Normally open contact 2 although it is operated / stopped between ℃ and -2 ℃
When 3B is closed, the cooling fan 32 operates continuously, and when the normally open contact 23A is closed, the compressor 1 is closed.
7 is stopped, that is, while the relay 42 is closed to the normally closed contact 42B, the defrosting heater 27 and the heating heater 28 are energized (operated) to generate heat.

Defrosting heater 27 and heating heater 28
The air heated by the heat generated by the
Is discharged into the discharge duct 37. The air discharged into the discharge duct 37 passes therethrough and descends, and is eventually blown out from the blow-out port 38 at the lower end of the duct member 36 to the lower part inside the storage chamber 8, and similarly circulates in the storage chamber 8 and the suction port. The circulation from 31 to the cooling fan 32 is performed. As a result, the inside of the storage chamber 8 is maintained in an ice temperature zone of -1 ° C on average, and the cooler 24 is defrosted. Further, the air discharged from the outlet 38 into the storage chamber 8 while the compressor 17 is stopped is heated by exchanging heat with the defrosting heater 27 and the heating heater 28. The frozen food F in 8 is gradually thawed under the ice temperature environment.

At this time, the air whose temperature has risen by exchanging heat with the defrosting heater 27 and the heating heater 28 while the compressor 17 is stopped is initially abnormally higher than the set temperature (-1 ° C.), In the process of passing through the discharge duct 37, it is cooled by the low-temperature air in the storage chamber 8 via the duct member 36, so that the temperature decreases when the air is blown into the storage chamber 8 from the outlet 38, and the abnormal condition is caused. It's no longer at high temperature. Therefore, the frozen food F located in the vicinity of the blowout port 38 is not abnormally heated, and it becomes possible to uniformly thaw the inside of one frozen food F. At the same time, the duct member 36 is heated by the air passing through the discharge duct 37, so that the upper half of the inside of the storage chamber 8 is gently heated from the surface of the duct member 36 as indicated by the broken line arrow in FIG. Become.

Further, the air that has exchanged heat with the defrosting heater 27 and the heating heater 28 is blown out from the air outlet 38 at the lower end of the duct member 36 to the lower part inside the storage chamber 8, so that even if a large amount of frozen food F is stored, it is stored. The discharged air is not concentrated only in the upper part of the chamber 8, and the entire interior of the storage chamber 8 can be heated evenly by the heating from the surface of the duct member 36, and the entire frozen food F stored can be evenly distributed. You will be able to unzip it. As a result, the frozen food F can be thawed while being kept in the ice temperature zone, the drip outflow from the frozen food F can be suppressed to a low level, and good defrosting can be performed. Further, with this configuration, the air that has exchanged heat with the defrosting heater 27 and the heating heater 28 does not immediately return to the cooling fan 32 when the compressor 17 is stopped, so that the defrosting heater 27 and the heating heater 28 are immediately energized. It is possible to prevent the compressor 17 from being frequently stopped and operated, improve the defrosting efficiency, prevent defrosting of the cooler 24, and prevent damage to the compressor 17. Will be able to.

Next, FIG. 3 shows another electric circuit of the cooling storage 1. In the figure, the same symbols as those in FIG. 2 are the same. In this case, the thermostat 33 includes a microcomputer 43, a thermistor 44, and a switch 46. The thermistor 44 is provided in the suction port 31 and connected to the microcomputer 43. The microcomputer 43 is a secondary device of the power transformer 47. Power is supplied from the side. The coil 41C of the relay 41 is the switch 4
It is connected to the secondary side of the power transformer 47 via 6. Other configurations are the same as those in FIG.

The microcomputer 43 is the thermistor 4
Based on the intake air temperature detected by No. 4, as in the above, for example, 0
Close the switch 46 at ℃, energize the coil 41C, -2
The compressor 46 and the cooling fan 32 are controlled to be operated / stopped by opening the switch 46 at 0 ° C. and turning off the coil 41C. Similarly, when the defrosting switch 23 is operated, the normally open contacts 23A and 23B are closed, the normally closed contact 23C is opened, the cooling fan 32 is continuously operated, and the defrosting heater 27 and the heater 28 while the compressor 17 is stopped. The frozen food is thawed by being energized.

However, the microcomputer 43
Until the suction air temperature reaches −2 ° C. and a certain period (for example, 3 minutes) elapses after opening the switch 46, regardless of the suction air temperature detected by the thermistor 44, the switch 4
Prohibit closing 6. That is, the compressor 17 is stopped,
The compressor 17 is not started even if the intake air temperature rises to 0 ° C. until a certain period of time elapses after the energization of the defrosting heater 27 and the heating heater 28 is started. by this,
Since damage to the compressor 17 due to frequent operation and stop of the compressor 17 and increase in power consumption due to a large starting current are prevented, and the heat generation time of the defrost heater 27 and the heating heater 28 is secured, The defrosting efficiency can be prevented from lowering, and the defrosting of the cooler 24 can be prevented.

Next, FIGS. 4 to 6 show another embodiment of the structure of the cooling storage 1. FIG. 4 is a front view of the upper portion of the cooling storage 1 excluding the door 74, FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. A compressor 52, which constitutes a cooling unit, is provided on the outer wall of the cold storage 1.
A condenser 53 and a condenser cooling fan 54 are provided. Further, a cooler 56 is provided in the upper rear part of the inside 55, and a cooling fan 57 as a blower is installed in front of this cooler 56, and the front opening of the inside 55 is the door 7.
It is closed by means of 4.

The cooling device 56 and the cooling fan 57 have a first suction port 58 facing the front of the cooling fan 57 and a cooling cover 60 in which a first blow-out port 59 is formed behind the cooling device 56 so as to extend over substantially the entire width. A defrost heater 61 as a heating means is provided below the cooler 56. Further, a drain pan 62 is arranged below the defrosting heater 61, and a heating heater 63 as a heating means is attached to the lower surface of the drain pan 62.

The cooling cover 60 is further covered by unit covers 64 which are provided at the front and the bottom with a space therebetween. The unit cover 64 has a second suction port 65A located upstream and upstream of the first suction port 58 of the cooling cover 60, and a top plate extending rearward with a space from the cooling cover 60. 64A and a rear plate 64B extending from the rear end of the upper plate 64A downwardly at a distance from the back wall 1A in the refrigerator and communicating with the second outlet 65B to form the rear cool air passage 66. is doing. The back plate 64B is made of a heat conductive material such as stainless steel.

On the other hand, the back plate 64B forming the second air outlet 65B at the lower end located on the downstream side of the first air outlet 59, and the side wall 1 of the inside of the warehouse from both side ends of the top plate 64A and the back plate 64B.
The side cold air passage 68 is formed by a pair of side plates 64C that extend forward with a distance from B and communicate with the second outlet 65B.
Are formed. The side plate 64C is also made of a material having good thermal conductivity.

Further, in the side cold air passage 68, the air discharged from the first outlet 59 is discharged from the second outlet 65B and the third outlet 65C provided in the side plate 64C to the inside 55.
A plurality of wind direction plates 69 are attached to the interior 55 so as to uniformly blow out in the horizontal and vertical directions. A defrosting switch 71 is attached to the upper part of the outside of the refrigerator, and the top plate 64
A thermostat 72 is attached on A.

The operation of the cooling storage cabinet 1 in this case with the above configuration will be described. The electric circuit is the same as that described above, and the compressor 52 is always opened / closed by the contact opening / closing operation of the thermostat 72.
Also, the operation of the cooling fan 57 is controlled. That is, the set temperature of the thermostat 72 is set to, for example, −1 ° C., and based on the temperature of the suction air that circulates in the chamber 55 and then returns, the temperature is raised to 0 ° C. and the contacts are closed, and the compressor 52 and the cooling fan are closed. While operating 57, the temperature is lowered to −2 ° C. to open the contact, and the compressor 52 and the cooling fan 57 are stopped. During operation of the compressor 52, the refrigerant evaporates in the cooler 56 to exert a cooling effect, and the air cooled by exchanging heat with the cooler 56 is cooled from the first outlet 59 to the rear cool air passage 66 and the side cool air. The second and third outlets 6 are blown out into the passage 68.
It is blown from 5B and 65C to the inside 55 as shown by the arrow in the figure.

The air circulated in the compartment 55 passes through the second and first suction ports 65A and 58 in this order, and is circulated so as to be returned to the cooling fan 57, whereby the compartment 55 is -1 ° C. on average.
Maintained in the ice temperate zone. During operation of the compressor 52 and the cooling fan 57, heat is exchanged with the cooler 56 and the rear cool air passage 6
6. Since the rear plate 64B and the side plate 64C are cooled by the air having a low temperature which passes through the side cold air passage 68, the rear plate 64B and the side plate 64C having good heat conductivity function as a cooler as a whole. Since the back plate 64B and the side plate 64C are provided in the refrigerator 55 from the upper part to the lower part,
By the cooling from the surface of the back plate 64B and the side plate 64C, the generation of temperature unevenness in the inside of the refrigerator 55 is further suppressed, and the whole is cooled uniformly. Further, due to the heat capacity of the back plate 64B and the side plate 64C, the temperature change of the interior 55 becomes slow, so that it is possible to prevent the quality deterioration of the food due to the rapid temperature change, especially when the stored food is small.
In general, foods can be satisfactorily cooled and stored in the ice temperate zone.

When the frozen food is thawed,
They are stored in the storage 55 and the defrosting switch 71 is closed. Then, the compressor 52 operates between 0 ° C and -2 ° C.
Although stopped, the cooling fan 57 operates continuously,
Further, while the compressor 52 is stopped, the defrosting heater 61 and the heating heater 63 are energized to generate heat. The air heated by the heat generated by the defrosting heater 61 and the heating heater 63 is blown out from the first outlet 59 to the rear cool air passage 66 and the side cool air passage 68 as described above. The air discharged into the rear cool air passage 66 and the side cool air passage 68 passes therethrough and descends, and eventually from the second and third outlets 65B and 65C formed at the ends thereof to the lower part of the inside 55 and The air is blown out to the front part and is similarly circulated through the inside 55 to be returned to the cooling fan 57 from the second suction port 65A and the first suction port 58.

As a result, the inside 55 is maintained in the ice temperature zone of -1 ° C. on average, and the cooler 56 is defrosted. Further, while the compressor 52 is stopped, the second and third outlets 65B,
Since the air blown from the 65C to the interior 55 is heated by exchanging heat with the defrosting heater 61 and the heating heater 63, the frozen food in the interior 55 is gradually thawed in the ice temperature zone by the air. Go away.

At this time, the air whose temperature has risen by exchanging heat with the defrosting heater 61 and the heating heater 63 while the compressor 52 is stopped is initially abnormally higher than the set temperature (-1 ° C). In the process of passing through the rear cool air passage 66 and the side cool air passage 68, it is cooled by the low-temperature air in the cold storage 55 through the back plate 64B and the side plate 64C, so that the second and third blowout ports 65B, 65C are discharged from the cold storage. The temperature rises when it is discharged into the inside 55, and the temperature is not abnormally high. Therefore, the second and third outlets 65B, 6
Frozen foods located in the vicinity of 5C will not be abnormally heated, and likewise, thawing inside one frozen food can be performed uniformly. Further, at the same time, the rear plate 64B and the side plate 64C are heated by the air passing through the rear cool air passage 66 and the side cool air passage 68,
From the surfaces of the back plate 64B and the side plates 64C, the upper half of the compartment 55 is gently heated.

The air that has exchanged heat with the defrosting heater 61 and the heating heater 63 is used as a back plate 64B and a side plate 64C.
Second and third outlets 65B, 65 at the lower end or the front end
Since it is blown from C to the lower part or the front part of the inside 55, the discharged air does not concentrate only on the upper part of the inside 55 even if a large amount of frozen food is stored, and the heating from the surface of the back plate 64B and the side plate 64C. In addition, it becomes possible to evenly heat the entire inside of the refrigerator 55, and it becomes possible to evenly thaw the entire frozen food stored. Thereby,
The frozen food can be thawed while maintaining the surroundings in the ice temperature zone, and drip outflow from the frozen food can be suppressed to a low level, so that good thawing can be performed. Further, with this configuration, the air that has exchanged heat with the defrost heater 61 and the heating heater 63 does not immediately return to the cooling fan 57 when the compressor 52 is stopped, so that the defrost heater 61 and the heating heater 63 are immediately energized. It is possible to prevent the compressor 52 from being frequently stopped and operated, improve the defrosting efficiency, prevent defrosting of the cooler 56, and prevent damage to the compressor 52. Will be able to.

In each of the embodiments, the storage chamber is configured to be maintained in the ice temperature zone, but the storage temperature is not limited to this and may be a refrigerating temperature such as + 3 ° C to + 5 ° C. The heating means is not limited to the electric heater of the embodiment, and a heat pump or the like may be used.

[0047]

As described in detail above, according to the invention of claim 1, the operation of the cooling means is controlled based on the set temperature in the thawing chamber, the heating means is operated when the cooling means is stopped, and the cooling means is also operated. Since the air that has exchanged heat with the heating means passes through the space between the duct member extending downward from the upper part of the thawing chamber and the heat insulating wall and is discharged from the end of the duct member into the thawing chamber, Frozen food is thawed at a set temperature by alternately operating the cooling means and the heating means. Then, while the cooling means is stopped, the air whose temperature has risen by exchanging heat with the heating means passes through the duct member in the process of passing through the interval,
Since it is cooled by the low temperature air in the thawing chamber, the temperature is not abnormally higher than the set temperature when discharged from the end of the duct member into the thawing chamber. Therefore, the frozen food located near the end of the duct member will not be abnormally heated, and the inside of one frozen food can be thawed uniformly.

At the same time, since the duct member is heated by the air passing through the gap, the defrosting chamber is gently heated from the surface of the duct member, and the air that has exchanged heat with the heating means is the duct member. Since it is discharged from the end into the thawing chamber, even if a large amount of frozen food is stored, the discharged air does not concentrate only on the upper part of the thawing chamber, and the heating from the duct member surface is added to make the entire thawing chamber even. It becomes possible to heat, and it becomes possible to evenly thaw the entire frozen food stored.

Further, since the air that has exchanged heat with the heating means does not immediately return to the blowing means when the cooling means is stopped, the operation of the heating means is stopped immediately and the cooling means is frequently operated / stopped. Can be prevented, the thawing efficiency can be improved, and the damage to the device can be prevented.

Furthermore, during operation of the cooling means, the duct member is cooled by the air having a low temperature which exchanges heat with the cooling means and passes through the interval, so that the entire duct member serves as a cooler, which also In addition to being able to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness inside the thawing chamber, the heat capacity of the duct member slows down the temperature change inside the thawing chamber, and prevents the quality deterioration of those food items due to a sudden temperature change, especially when the food items to be stored are small. You will be able to do that.

According to the invention of claim 2, the operation of the cooling means is controlled based on the set temperature in the thawing chamber, the heating means is operated when the cooling means is stopped, and the cooling means and the heating means and the heat Since the exchanged air is circulated in the thawing chamber by the blowing means, the frozen food in the thawing chamber is thawed at the set temperature by alternate operation of the cooling means and the heating means. In particular, the control means prohibits the operation of the cooling means regardless of the set temperature until the operation time of the heating means reaches a certain time, so that the operation time of the heating means is kept at a minimum, thereby improving the thawing efficiency. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the cooling means from being frequently operated and stopped, and prevent damage to the device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of a cooling storage with a thawing function as an embodiment of a thawing device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an electric circuit diagram of the cooling storage of FIG.

FIG. 3 is another electrical circuit diagram of the cold store of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a front view excluding a door of a cooling storage with a thawing function as another embodiment of the thawing apparatus of the present invention.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional side view of a conventional cooling storage with a thawing function.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Cooling Storage 2 Insulation Box 8 Storage Room 24 Cooler 27 Defrost Heater 28 Heating Heater 32 Cooling Fan 36 Duct Member 37 Discharge Duct 38 Outlet

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A thawing device provided with a cooling means and a heating means in an upper portion of a thawing chamber formed in a heat insulating wall, and air that has exchanged heat with the cooling means and the heating means is circulated in the thawing chamber by a blowing means. In, the control means for controlling the operation of the cooling means based on the set temperature in the thawing chamber, the control means for operating the heating means when the cooling means is stopped, and the heat insulating wall extending downward from the upper portion of the thawing chamber. A duct member having good heat conductivity and arranged at a distance from the inner surface, and air that has passed through the gap and exchanged heat with the cooling means and the heating means is defrosted from the end of the duct member. A thawing device that discharges indoors. 2. A thawing device in which a cooling means and a heating means are provided in a thawing chamber formed in a heat insulating wall, and air that has exchanged heat with the cooling means and the heating means is circulated in the thawing chamber by a blowing means. Control means is provided for controlling the operation of the cooling means based on the set temperature in the thawing chamber and for operating the heating means when the cooling means is stopped, and the control means operates the heating means at a constant time. A thaw device, wherein operation of the cooling means is prohibited regardless of the set temperature until reaching.