JPS5818584B2 - Freezer refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a refrigerator-freezer that is forcibly cooled by a fan.

Conventional refrigerator-freezers are commercially available that have dedicated freezer and refrigerator compartments with a fixed internal volume, and users select and purchase one with a desired internal volume from among them.

However, once a refrigerator/freezer is selected, both the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment are still limited to a certain volume.

Due to future dietary trends, the spread of frozen foods, and items that require refrigeration, etc., even if the overall volume is limited, there is a strong need for refrigerators and freezers that can change the volume of each compartment in the freezer and refrigerator compartments within that volume range. It is requested.

However, in order to meet this demand, even if you currently have a refrigerator-freezer, you must purchase a new refrigerator or freezer, which requires extra space and increases costs.

Although it would be good to have a refrigerator-freezer with a large internal volume, it would be necessary to cool unnecessary parts that do not store food, which would only increase power consumption, which is a problem.

In other words, there is a need for a refrigerator-freezer that has a chamber dedicated to freezing and refrigeration and a refrigerator-freezer chamber that can be freely switched between freezing and refrigeration within the internal volume of the entire refrigerator-freezer.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional refrigerator-freezer by independently providing three compartments: a freezer compartment, a refrigerator compartment, and a refrigerator-freezer compartment that can be switched between the refrigerator compartment and the freezing compartment. One evaporator and one fan are provided for forced convection cooling of the room, and the partition between the freezer compartment and the freezer/refrigerator compartment includes a freezer compartment side partition plate and a freezer/refrigerator compartment side partition plate. Two mutually parallel partition plates are provided to form an air path, and when the freezer/refrigerator compartment is used as a refrigerator, most of the cold air from the freezer compartment is returned to the evaporator via the air path. At the same time, the remaining cold air is sent to the freezer/refrigerator compartment from the cold air outlet provided at the tip of the refrigerator compartment side partition plate, and when the freezer/refrigerator compartment is used as a freezing compartment, the freezer/refrigerator compartment side partition plate is displaced. To provide a refrigerator-freezer which can control the volumes of the freezing and refrigerating compartments by opening the air passage and sending all the cold air from the freezing compartment to the refrigerating and freezing compartments.

The present invention will be explained below with reference to Examples.

Figures 1 to 3 show the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 is a front view of a three-door refrigerator-freezer. In order to make the interior of the refrigerator easier to see, the left side of the door of each compartment and the inner partition 7 are Remove half.

FIG. 2 shows a case where the freezer/refrigerator compartment 3 is used as a refrigerator compartment (referred to as a refrigerator compartment control), and FIG. 3 shows a case where the freezer/refrigerator compartment 3 is used as a freezer compartment (referred to as a freezer compartment control).

In each figure, 1 is a freezer compartment, 2 is a refrigerator compartment, and 3 is a freezer/refrigerator compartment that can be switched between a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment.

4 is an evaporator that is housed in a cooling chamber 21 partitioned by a fan guard 22 and constitutes a part of the refrigeration cycle; 5 is a fan driven by a fan motor 8 to perform forced convection cooling; 12 is fan guard 2
2 is a cold air discharge port that connects the discharge side of the cooling chamber 21 and the inside of the freezing chamber 1.

6 is a damper thermometer for controlling the amount of cold air discharged to the refrigerator compartment 2 according to the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 2; 20 is a damper thermometer for controlling the amount of cold air discharged to the refrigerator compartment 2;
It is provided in a partition wall 25 that partitions the refrigerator compartment 2 and the freezer/refrigerator 3 as a cold air return port for discharging the return cold air from the refrigerator compartment 3 to the freezer/refrigerator compartment 3.

Reference numeral 7 designates a middle partition that partitions the freezer compartment 1 and the freezer/refrigerator compartment 3, 9 a partition top plate of the middle partition 7, and 13 a cold air suction port provided on the partition top plate 9 to suck in cold air from the freezer compartment 1. .

10 is connected to the box body 2 by pins 11 attached to both sides of the rear part.
6 and the partition wall 25, the partition lower plate 10 is movable from a horizontal position (FIG. 2) to a vertical position (FIG. 3) using the pin 11 as a fulcrum.

When the lower partition plate 10 is in the horizontal position, the upper partition plate 9 is secured to the partition upper plate 9 by means of a stopper 24.
and in the vertical position, it is fixed to the box body 26 with a stopper 23.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a cold air discharge port provided at the tip of the lower partition plate 10, through which a part of the cold air from the cold air suction port 13 is discharged into the freezing/refrigerating compartment 3.

15 is a cold air suction port that sucks the return cold air from the freezer/refrigerator compartment 3 into the cooling compartment 21.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

First, the case where the freezing/refrigerating compartment 3 is controlled as a refrigerating compartment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The lower partition plate 10 is fixed in a horizontal position as shown in FIG.

When the refrigerator-freezer is energized, a compressor (not shown) and a fan motor 8 are driven, and the air cooled by the evaporator 4 is discharged from the cold air outlet 12 into the freezer compartment 1 by the fan 5 .

After the cold air discharged to the freezing compartment 1 cools the freezing compartment 1, a part of the cold air is discharged to the refrigerator compartment 2 via the damper thermometer 6,
After cooling the refrigerator compartment 2, the cold air is discharged from the cold air return port 20 to the freezer/refrigerator compartment 3, and further sucked into the cooling compartment 21 from the cold air suction port 15.

On the other hand, the remaining cold air enters the partition part 1 from the cold air suction port 13, and a part of it is discharged from the cold air discharge port 14 to the freezer/refrigerator compartment 3. After cooling the freezer/refrigerator compartment 3, It is sucked into 21.

The remaining cold air that enters the inner partition 7 and is not discharged from the cold air outlet 14 passes through the air path formed between the partition upper plate 9 and the partition lower plate 10, and is sucked into the cooling chamber 21 as it is and circulated. .

In this way, the freezer/refrigerator compartment 3 is cooled to a temperature range suitable for a refrigerator compartment.

Next, a case where the freezing/refrigerating compartment 3 is controlled as a freezing compartment will be explained with reference to FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 3, the lower partition plate 10 is tilted vertically downward using the pin 11 as a fulcrum and fixed to the box body 26 with the stopper fittings 23.

In this way, the air path between the partition upper plate 9 and the partition lower plate 10 is opened, and all the cold air entering the cold air suction port 13 from the freezer compartment 1 is discharged into the freezer/refrigerator compartment 3.

Therefore, the freezing/refrigerating compartment 3 is cooled to almost the same temperature as the freezing compartment 1, and the cold air passes through the cold air suction port 15 located at the bottom and returns to the cooling compartment 21 along with the return cold air from the refrigerator compartment 2 coming out from the cold air return port 20. It is sucked into and circulated.

In the case of freezer compartment control, the lower partition plate 10 is tilted vertically downward, so the cold air return port 20 exits the freezer/refrigerator compartment 3.

Therefore, the cold air returned from the refrigerator compartment 2 is not discharged into the freezer/refrigerator compartment 3, and the frozen foods stored in the freezer/refrigerator compartment 3 are not adversely affected.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment, which is a modification of the first embodiment.

The cold air discharge port 14 is provided with a damper thermometer 16 that can adjust the amount of cold air discharged by a temperature detection section 1γ that detects the temperature of the freezing/refrigerating compartment 3.

In the first embodiment, when the freezer/refrigerator compartment 3 is controlled as a refrigerator compartment (FIG. 2), the amount of cold air discharged is constant.

Therefore, when the ambient temperature outside the refrigerator changes, the temperature inside the freezer/refrigerator compartment 3 may also change.

However, by adopting the configuration as shown in FIG. 4, the temperature of the freezer/refrigerator compartment 3 can be kept constant during the refrigerator compartment control.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment, which is another modification of the first embodiment.

A temperature detection unit 17 that detects the temperature outside the refrigerator at the cold air outlet 14
A damper thermostat 16 that can adjust the amount of cold air discharged is provided.

In this case as well, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, even if the ambient temperature outside the refrigerator changes, the temperature of the freezer/refrigerator compartment 3 during the refrigerator compartment control can be kept constant.

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, by providing a refrigerator-freezer equipped with three compartments: a compartment dedicated to freezing and refrigeration, and a freezer-refrigerator compartment that can be switched between freezing and refrigeration, it is possible to replace the conventional refrigerator-freezer. It can be used for multiple purposes depending on the purpose with the same space and price.

For example, if the freezer/refrigerator room is controlled as a freezing room, processed foods and frozen foods can be stored separately, and if it is controlled as a refrigerator room, it can be used as a dedicated storage room for vegetables, fruits, beer, etc.

Furthermore, since it is a three-door refrigerator-freezer, the amount of heat leakage is reduced, resulting in a power saving effect, making it possible to provide a refrigerator-freezer with good performance and high commercial value.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of a three-door refrigerator-freezer showing one embodiment of the present invention, Figs. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views taken along the line ■-■ of Fig. 1, and Fig. 2 shows the configuration of a three-door refrigerator-freezer showing one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows the case of freezer compartment control. FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment, and FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment. 1: Freezer compartment, 2: Refrigerator compartment, 3: Freezer/refrigerator compartment, 4: Evaporator, 5: Fan, 7: Middle partition, 9: Partition top plate, 10: Partition bottom plate, 12: Cold air discharge port, 13 :Cold air inlet, 14:
Cold air discharge port, 15: Cold air suction port.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A freezer compartment, a refrigerator compartment, and a freezing/refrigerating compartment that can be switched to either a refrigerator compartment or a freezing compartment are provided independently from each other,
It has one evaporator and one fan for cooling the refrigerator compartment and the freezer/refrigerator compartment by forced convection. The room side partition plates are arranged parallel to each other, and an air passage is formed between them, so that when the freezer/refrigerator compartment is used as a refrigerator compartment, most of the cold air discharged from the freezer compartment is The cold air is returned to the evaporator through the air conditioner, and a part of the cold air is discharged from a cold air discharge port provided at the tip of the partition plate on the freezer/refrigerator side to the freezer/refrigerator, and the freezer/refrigerator is used as a freezer. In the case where the freezer/refrigerator compartment side partition plate is displaced, the air vent is opened to the freezer/refrigerator compartment, and all the cold air discharged from the freezer compartment is discharged to the freezer/refrigerator compartment. A refrigerator-freezer featuring 2. A freezer compartment, a refrigerator compartment, and a freezer/refrigerator compartment that can be switched between a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment are provided independently from each other, and the freezer compartment, the refrigerator compartment, and the freezer/refrigerator compartment are cooled by forced convection. It has one evaporator and one fan, and a freezer compartment-side partition plate and a freezer-refrigerator compartment side partition plate are arranged parallel to each other in the partition between the freezer compartment and the freezer-refrigerator compartment, An air passage is formed between these, and when the freezer/refrigerator compartment is used as a refrigerator, most of the cold air discharged from the freezer compartment is returned to the evaporator through the air passage, and some of the cold air is returned to the evaporator through the air passage. The cold air is provided at the tip of the freezer/refrigerator compartment side partition plate, and is discharged to the freezer/refrigerator compartment via a damper thermo, and when the freezer/refrigerator compartment is used as a freezing compartment, the freezer/refrigerator compartment side partition plate is A refrigerator-freezer characterized in that the air passage is opened to a refrigerator-freezer compartment by being displaced, and all cold air discharged from the refrigerator compartment is discharged to the refrigerator-freezer compartment.