JPS58136962A - Quick cooling device for refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a rapid cooling device for the freezer compartment of a forced draft type refrigerator that circulates cold air inside the freezer compartment using an electric blower.

Conventionally, in this type of refrigerator, it has been common practice to continuously operate a compressor, an electric blower, etc. as a means of increasing the freezing speed. Also, this continuous operation is generally configured to run for a certain period of time using a timer, etc.
The time required to freeze food varies depending on the load condition of the food and the load condition from the surroundings of the refrigerator, and there is a drawback that sufficient rapid freezing cannot be achieved simply by setting a forced continuous operation time. In other words, when the temperature of the food is high, it naturally requires a lot of time to freeze it, and when the ambient temperature of the refrigerator is high, it naturally requires a lot of load, so it also takes a lot of time to freeze it.

In view of this, the present invention has been made to provide a refrigerator that can perform quick freezing in accordance with the load.One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the figure, 1 is the refrigerator main body, a compressor 2 at the bottom,
Each is equipped with a condenser 3 on the back.

The interior of the main body 1 is divided into two compartments, an upper freezing compartment 7 and a lower cooling compartment 8, by a partition wall e having an evaporator 4 and an electric blower 6 for forced ventilation. Reference numeral 9 denotes a thermostat placed in the freezer compartment 7, which opens and closes depending on the temperature of the freezer compartment to control the compressor 2 and electric blower 6. Reference numeral 10 denotes a damper thermostat disposed at the cold air outlet of the refrigerator compartment 8, which controls opening and closing of the damper according to the temperature of the refrigerator compartment, thereby maintaining the temperature of the refrigerator compartment at a desired temperature. This damper thermostat 1o is provided with a temperature compensation heater 11 that compensates for the operation of this damper thermostat. The cold air cooled by the evaporator 4 is forcedly circulated to the freezer compartment 7 and the refrigerator compartment 8 by the electric blower 5 as shown by the arrows in the figure.

Next, a schematic electrical circuit diagram of the refrigerator will be explained.

12 is a two-circuit switch with manual closing 2 and automatic opening 1
2a and a timer drive electric motor 12b. When the switch 12a is manually closed, it short-circuits the thermostat 9 and at the same time stops power supply to the temperature compensation heater 11.
It has a circuit B that starts energizing the circuit B. This timer drive motor 12b senses the surrounding temperature so that each circuit of the switch 12a is automatically opened via a cam plate or the like that responds to the rotation of the payment drive motor 12b for a predetermined time when energized. It is a positive characteristic heat-sensitive resistance element whose own specific resistance value changes, and is connected in series with the timer drive motor 12b and provided in a part of the exterior of the main body 1.

In such a configuration, when it is desired to quickly freeze food, etc. in the freezer compartment 7, the thermostat 9 is short-circuited by manually closing the switch 12a, and the compressor 2 and the electric blower 5 are operated continuously, and at the same time, the damper thermostat 1 is
The power supply to the temperature compensation heater 11 of o is stopped, the heat retention state of the damper thermostat main body 1o is released, the damper is automatically closed, and the supply of cold air to the refrigerator compartment 8 is almost stopped, and the air is forcedly ventilated by the electric blower 5. The cold air is intensively and continuously sent almost exclusively to the freezer compartment 7 to start rapid freezing. On the other hand, at the same time as the start of quick freezing, power supply to the timer drive motor 12b of the timer device 12 is started and time integration starts; When the outside temperature changes, the specific resistance of the heat-sensitive resistance element 13 also changes accordingly.
The voltage applied to the voltage also changes depending on the voltage division ratio. That is, when the outside air temperature is high, the partial pressure applied to the drive motor 12b becomes low and the rotation speed decreases, and conversely, when the outside air temperature is low, the partial pressure applied to the drive motor 12b becomes high and the rotation speed decreases. Since the temperature increases, the time required for the switch 12a to automatically open is automatically controlled and changed depending on the outside temperature. Thereafter, as described above, when the food in the freezer compartment 7 has been completely frozen within the time set according to the outside temperature and a predetermined time has elapsed, the switch 12a is turned on via a cam plate etc. that responds to the rotation of the drive motor 12b. Each contact is automatically returned to its original state to end and release the quick freezing.

In other words, the quick freezing switch 12a for manual closing and automatic opening is incorporated into the timer device 12, and when manually closed, the thermostat 9 is short-circuited, and at the same time, the power supply to the temperature compensation heater 11 of the f7 per thermostat 10 is stopped. The compressor 2 and the electric blower 6 are operated continuously,
In addition, since the cold air blowing to the refrigerator compartment 8 is almost blocked, the cold air is intensively and continuously blown only to the freezer compartment 7,
This has the effect of allowing rapid freezing to be performed much more quickly and efficiently than in the conventional example. On the other hand, the reset mechanism for quick freezing is basically a method in which the timer device 12 automatically resets the switch 12a after a predetermined time has elapsed via a cam plate or the like that responds to the rotation of the timer drive motor 12b. By connecting a PTC heat-sensitive resistance element 13 provided outside the main body 1 in series with the electric motor 12b, it is possible to automatically change the time required to reset the quick freezing according to the outside temperature. That is, the temperature of the frozen article itself is high, and
When the outside temperature is high and there is no margin in the cooling capacity of the refrigerator 1, the time required to reset the quick freezing is automatically extended, and conversely, when the temperature of the frozen item itself is low and there is no margin in the cooling capacity of the refrigerator 1. When the outside temperature is low, the time required to reset the quick freeze automatically is shortened, allowing efficient quick freezing to be performed in the required time given the outside temperature, and without continuing quick freezing for longer than necessary. As is clear from the above description, the present invention allows rapid freezing of the freezer compartment, that is, forced energization of the compressor and electric blower. Since the time is set according to the outside temperature, extremely efficient rapid freezing is possible, and unnecessary forced freezing and insufficient forced freezing are eliminated, contributing to power savings, which has great practical effects. It is something.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic electrical circuit diagram of the refrigerator. 2...Compressor, 5...Electric blower, 7...
...Freezer compartment, 9...Thermostat), 12
a...Switch, 12b...Timer driving electric motor (means), 13...Positive characteristic heat sensitive resistance element (means). Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person
1 Figure! /-

Claims (1)

[Claims] A freezer compartment, an electric blower that forcibly circulates cold air into the freezer compartment, a thermostat that senses the temperature of the freezer compartment and controls the operation of the compressor and the electric blower, and short-circuits the thermostat for a predetermined period of time to control the compressor. A rapid cooling device for a refrigerator, comprising a switch for forcibly energizing an electric blower and an electric blower, and means for setting a closing time of the switch in response to outside temperature.