KR100878823B1 - Kimchi refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

A kimchi refrigerator is provided to reduce the temperature variation of kimchi, thereby allowing the desired taste of kimchi to be maintained for a long time. A kimchi refrigerator comprises a storage room(30) which is installed inside a main body constituting the outer appearance; a storage container(60) which is accommodated in the storage room to store kimchi; and a basket(40) which is provided with an aperture and a lid covering the aperture, accommodates the storage container so as to allow the storage container to be separated from the inner side of the storage room, and isolates the inner space from the outside.

Description

Kimchi refrigerator

The present invention relates to a kimchi refrigerator, and more particularly to a kimchi refrigerator that can maintain the taste of kimchi for a long time by keeping the temperature deviation of kimchi small.

Kimchi is a complex food with various seasonings added to the basic ingredients such as cabbage, radish, cucumber, and radish, depending on the type. It produces ingredients that are beneficial to the human body, such as large amounts of lactic acid bacteria and various vitamins.

Kimchi changes during the fermentation process as the various bacteria such as lactic acid continue to change. In addition, after the kimchi is fermented to the desired taste, the kimchi is stored at an appropriate temperature to maintain the taste of the kimchi for a long time. At this time, depending on whether the kimchi was stored at an appropriate temperature is a difference in the period that can maintain the taste of kimchi.

Unlike conventional refrigerators, the kimchi refrigerator is a device specially proposed to properly store fermented foods by maintaining homeostasis with respect to the temperature inside the refrigerator in order to meet the kimchi ripening and storage principles.

These kimchi refrigerators can be divided into direct-cooled kimchi refrigerator and inter-cooled kimchi refrigerator according to the temperature maintaining method.

In the direct-cooled Kimchi refrigerator, since the tube passing through the refrigerant surrounds the outside of the storage room where the kimchi is stored, the temperature deviation inside the storage room is small and the temperature of the kimchi can be quickly lowered to a low temperature. However, according to the direct cooling, there is a problem in that frost is trapped inside the storage compartment.

On the other hand, the inter-cooled kimchi refrigerator has a merit that the frost does not stick well by cooling the kimchi by supplying the cold air passing through the evaporator to the kimchi using a cooling fan. However, since the cooling fan is used, it is difficult to maintain the temperature of kimchi because the temperature deviation is larger than that of direct cooling.

Therefore, in the conventional liver-cooled kimchi refrigerator, kimchi cannot be aged or stored at an appropriate temperature, and thus there is a problem in that the desired taste of kimchi cannot be maintained for a long time.

The present invention is to solve the above problems, the present invention is to provide a kimchi refrigerator that can be stored so that the temperature deviation of kimchi is kept small even in the intercooled kimchi refrigerator.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a storage chamber provided in the main body forming an appearance; and a storage container accommodated in the storage chamber is stored kimchi; And it provides a kimchi refrigerator including a basket (Basket) for receiving the storage container so that the storage container is spaced apart from the inner surface of the storage chamber.

In addition, a first space portion may be formed between the outer side surface of the basket and the inner side surface of the storage compartment, and may further include a cold air passage for supplying cold air to the first space portion.

On the other hand, the basket includes a suction opening and the opening and closing device for opening and closing the suction opening and the cold air flows into the basket, it is preferable that the suction opening and the opening and closing device is a plurality respectively.

The apparatus may further include a heating device for supplying warmth to the first space.

In addition, it is preferable that the basket further includes an outer basket for receiving the basket so as to be spaced apart from the storage compartment.

A second space portion may be formed between the outer side surface of the outer basket and the inner side surface of the storage compartment, and may further include a cold air passage that supplies cold air to the second space portion.

On the other hand, the basket is provided with a plurality of different sizes, the plurality of baskets can be overlapped to form a space between the inner surface of the large basket and the outer surface of the small basket among them.

According to the present invention described above it is possible to maintain the desired taste of kimchi for a long time by reducing the deviation of the temperature in which the kimchi is stored even in the intercooled kimchi refrigerator.

In addition, it is also possible to directly change the temperature of the kimchi by directly contacting the hot and cold air to the kimchi storage container.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention that can specifically realize the above object will be described.

First, the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

In general, kimchi refrigerator can be classified into lid type, drawer type, mixed type, etc. according to its form.

Lid-type Kimchi Refrigerator means that the lid of Kimchi Refrigerator is at the top, and it is characterized by good cold control.The drawer-type Kimchi Refrigerator is easy to use and neatly prepared by opening the drawer, and the bottom is And to utilize side spaces. In addition, a mixed type generally means a kimchi refrigerator with a lid at the top and a drawer at the bottom.

The present invention may be applied to all of the drawer type, lid type, mixed kimchi refrigerator, but in the present embodiment will be described with respect to the drawer type kimchi refrigerator.

Kimchi refrigerator is preferably provided with a main body 10 to form an appearance, the main body 10 preferably comprises a storage chamber 30 for receiving kimchi.

The main body 10 generally has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and protects mechanical devices installed inside the main body from the outside. A plurality of storage chambers 30 may be formed in the main body 10. In this case, different types of kimchi may be stored in one kimchi refrigerator by varying the temperature and temperature holding time of the storage compartment 30 for each storage compartment 30.

In addition, a storage container 60 accommodated in the storage room 30 and storing kimchi is provided. The storage container 60 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, but the lower surface of the storage container 60 may have a smaller cross-sectional area than the upper surface thereof. In general, the storage container 60 has an opening for putting kimchi in the upper portion and a lid for opening and closing the opening. The storage container 60 can be produced by injection molding of a material such as plastic.

A plurality of storage containers 60 may be accommodated in one storage room 30. That is, by storing different kimchi for each storage container 60, even if only one storage room 30 can be used to store various kinds of kimchi at once.

In addition, the storage container 60 preferably includes a basket 40 for receiving the storage container 60 so as to maintain a state spaced apart from the inner surface of the storage chamber 30. That is, the basket 40 is installed in the storage chamber 30, and the storage container 60 is accommodated in the basket 40.

The lower surface of the basket 40 is provided with a support 48 to support the load of the basket 40. In addition, the bottom surface of the basket 40 may be spaced apart from the bottom surface of the storage chamber 30 by the support part 48. Therefore, when the storage container 60 is accommodated in the basket 40, there is a space filled with air between the storage container 60 and the basket 40.

With reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the component provided in the said storage room 30 is demonstrated.

The basket 40 is preferably slightly smaller in size than the storage compartment 30. In addition, an opening 47 having a rectangular shape is formed on an upper surface of the basket 40, and a lid 41 that opens and closes the opening 47 is mounted. That is, after opening the lid 41, the storage container 60 accommodated through the opening 47 of the basket 40 may be taken out of the basket 40.

A space is formed between an inner side surface of the storage compartment 30 and an outer side surface of the basket 40. In this case, this space is referred to as a first space part 32 for convenience. That is, the first space part 32 refers to a space between the storage compartment 30 and the basket 40, and the first space part 32 is preferably filled with air so that the air circulates well. . In other words, the first space 32 refers to a space in which the outer surface of the basket 40 and the inner surface of the storage chamber 30 face each other. Cold air may stay in the first space 32.

In addition, it is preferable to further include a cold air flow path 34 for supplying cold air to the first space (32). The cold air flow path 34 may be installed on the side or the rear of the storage compartment 30. Of course, the plurality of cold air flow paths 34 may be installed to smoothly supply cold air.

Inside the main body 10, a refrigerant cycle device (not shown) such as a compressor, an evaporator, and an expander is installed. In the refrigerant cycle device, a refrigerant is circulated in accordance with a general refrigerant cycle. The refrigerant is converted into a liquid state of high temperature and high pressure while passing through a compressor and then phase-converted into a gas state of low temperature and low pressure while passing through an evaporator. At this time, the cold air generated around the evaporator is supplied into the storage compartment 30, thereby lowering the temperature of the kimchi. Of course, the cold air flow path 34 may be provided with a fan (not shown) to guide the cold air into the storage compartment 30.

In general, kimchi refrigerator cool water is directly in contact with the storage container 60 to cool kimchi. However, according to the present embodiment, the cold air of the cold air flow path 34 is circulated only in the first space part 32. Therefore, the temperature is buffered in the space between the storage container 60 and the basket 40, and the cold air does not directly contact the storage container 60, thereby reducing the temperature deviation of kimchi.

This is because the thermal conductivity of air is low.

The term 'thermal conductivity' is also referred to as 'thermal conductivity', and is the ratio of the amount of heat passing in a unit time perpendicular to the unit area of the isothermal surface at any point inside the object and perpendicularly to it and the temperature gradient in this direction. Say. That is, it is a constant regarding a substance which shows the degree of heat transfer, and also varies depending on the temperature and pressure.

In other words, the thermal conductivity means that 1 kcal of heat moves 1 m for 1 hour, denoted by lambda (lambda) and expressed by lambda = Kcal / (m x h x ° C). Thermal conductivity has values of platinum [420], copper [320], aluminum [195], steel [45], wood [0.075], and air [0.02], so that the thermal conductivity of air is low.

Between the basket 40 and the storage container 60 is filled with air, the filled air may reduce the thermal conductivity by reducing the temperature deviation according to the drive of the cold air flow path (34).

In addition, the basket 40 preferably includes an intake port 43 through which cold air flows into the basket 40 and an opening and closing device 42 for opening and closing the intake port 43. This is because it is efficient to make the cold air directly contact the storage container 60 when the storage temperature of kimchi is rapidly lowered.

For example, when storing the kimchi for the first time to put the storage container 60 in the storage room 30, it will be preferable to sharply lower the temperature of the kimchi using the opening and closing device 42.

The suction port 43 is formed to communicate the outside and the inside of the basket 40 through a plurality of small holes. That is, the suction port 43 is formed on one side of the basket 40, and the opening and closing device 42 is installed corresponding to the formation position of the suction port 43. The opening and closing device 42 will be composed of a door 44 for opening and closing the suction port 43 and a hinge 46 for rotating the door 44. One side of the hinge 46 is coupled to the door 44, the other side is coupled to the basket 40.

Of course, the opening and closing device 42 may be provided with a rack gear and a pinion gear. One side of the door 44 is equipped with a pinion gear. In addition, a rack gear is mounted on a position corresponding to the pinion gear of the door 44 on the basket 40 so that the rack gear and the pinion gear mesh with each other so that the door 44 is opened and closed so that the suction port 43 is opened. It is also possible for the cold air to flow into the basket 40 through.

Of course, one door 44 may also open and close the plurality of suction ports 43.

On the other hand, the suction port 43 and the opening and closing device 42 is preferably a plurality of each. The suction port 43 may be formed on various surfaces of the basket 40 to allow the cold air of the cold air flow path 34 to quickly reach the storage container 60. This may be useful when kimchi needs to be rapidly cooled.

Of course, the first space portion 32 may be provided with a heating device 36 for supplying warmth. The heating device 36 may include a heater (not shown) capable of heating the inside of the storage compartment 30. The warmth generated in the vicinity of the heater is supplied into the first space 32 to increase the temperature of the kimchi. Of course, the heating device 36 may include a fan (not shown) that guides the warmth of the heater into the storage compartment 30. That is, warmth may stay in the first space part 32.

Hereinafter, the second embodiment will be described focusing on the differences between the above-described first embodiment. 4 is a perspective view illustrating main parts of a storage compartment according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a front sectional view of FIG. 4.

An outer basket 140 may be further provided to accommodate the basket 40 so that the basket 40 may be spaced apart from the storage compartment 30.

That is, in the first embodiment, the storage chamber 30, the basket 40, and the storage container 60 overlap the kimchi, but in the second embodiment, the storage chamber 30, the outer basket 140, the basket 40 The container 60 surrounds the kimchi superimposed.

In this case, a space portion is formed between the outer side surface of the outer basket 140 and the inner side surface of the storage chamber 30. Hereinafter, for convenience, the space part is referred to as a second space part 100.

The second space portion 100 is preferably filled with air so that the air can be circulated well in the second space portion 100.

Of course, an outer surface of the outer basket 140 may support the outer basket 140 so that the second space part 100 may be formed between the storage compartment 30 and the outer basket 140. Basket support 148 may be formed. In addition, a support part 48 capable of supporting the basket 40 may be mounted on the outer bottom surface of the basket 40 so that a space is formed between the outer basket 140 and the basket 40. .

In addition, it is preferable to include a cold air flow path 34 for supplying cold air to the second space part 100. In the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the cold air flow path 34 is provided between the storage compartment 30 and the outer basket 140.

That is, cold air is supplied to the second space part 100 and circulated in the second space part 100. Therefore, the cold air is buffered twice by air in the space between the basket 40 and the outer basket 140 and the space between the basket 40 and the storage container 60. In other words, the temperature deviation caused by cold air in the cold air flow path 34 is reduced in kimchi stored in the storage container 60.

Of course, as in the first embodiment, the opening and closing devices 142 and 42 capable of opening and closing the suction ports 143 and 43 and the suction ports 143 and 43 on respective side surfaces of the outer basket 140 and the basket 40, respectively. ) Is preferable. In this case, although the suction port 43 and the opening and closing device 42 are installed only in the basket 40 in the first embodiment, it may be preferable to install in both the outer basket 140 and the basket 40 in the second embodiment. .

This is because, in the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the outer basket 140 and the basket 40 surround the storage container 60 in an overlapping manner.

On the other hand, by installing the heating device 36 in the second space 100, the kimchi stored in the storage container 60 can reduce the temperature deviation caused by the warmth of the heating device (36).

Hereinafter, the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6 with the differences from the first and second embodiments described above.

In the third embodiment, unlike the first and second embodiments, the baskets 240, 250, and 260 surround the storage container 60 once more. For convenience of description, the first basket 240 has the largest size among the baskets 240, 250, and 260, the second basket 250 has the middle size, and the third basket 260 has the smallest size among the baskets 240, 250, and 260. Decided.

That is, in the third embodiment, the storage chamber 30, the first basket 240, the second basket 250, the third basket 260, and the storage container 60 overlap the kimchi. In addition, between the storage compartment 30 and the first basket 240, between the first basket 240 and the second basket 250, between the second basket 250 and the third basket 260. A space portion is formed between the third basket 260 and the storage container 60. The space portion is filled with air can reduce the temperature deviation of the kimchi stored in the storage container (60).

On the other hand, the first basket 240, the second basket 250, the third basket 260, each of the inlet is formed and the opening and closing devices (242, 252, 262) for opening and closing the respective inlet are respectively installed. At this time, the opening and closing devices 242, 252, 262 may be provided with a door and a hinge as in the first and second embodiments.

In addition, the cold air flow path 34 and the heating device 36 is located between the storage compartment 30 and the first basket 240 to supply cold air and warmth to the kimchi. The space between the storage compartment 30 and the first basket 240 is filled with air so that the cold air and the warm air are freely circulated in the space.

Of course, unlike the third embodiment, a fourth basket, a fifth basket, or the like may be provided. In this case, since there are more air layers between the storage container 60 of the kimchi and the space where cold and warm air is supplied, the temperature deviation of the kimchi may be reduced.

Referring to the operation of the embodiment according to the present invention described above are as follows.

First, the operation according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, and the second and third embodiments will be briefly described.

After holding the hand on the handle formed on the front surface of the storage compartment 30 of the main body 10, the storage compartment 30 is slid out of the front surface of the main body 10. At this time, the basket 40 accommodated in the storage compartment 30 is withdrawn to the front of the main body 10 together.

Thereafter, the lid 41 of the basket 40 is opened, and the storage container 60 in which the kimchi is stored is introduced into the basket 40. Again, the opening 47 is closed with the lid 41 to seal the inside of the basket 40 from the outside. Then, the storage chamber 30 is slid into the main body 10 to be drawn in.

When the temperature of the kimchi stored in the storage container 60 is higher than the temperature of the already set kimchi, cold air is supplied to the kimchi by using the cold air flow path 34. On the other hand, when the temperature of the kimchi is lower than the temperature of the set kimchi heating device 36 is driven.

At this time, the cold air supplied by the cold air flow path 34 and the warm air supplied by the heating device 36 are circulated only in the first space part 32. Therefore, when the first space 32 is cold or hot, the cold or warm air is transferred to the space between the storage container 60 and the basket 40. Subsequently, the storage container 60 receives the cold or warm air to cool or heat the kimchi.

At this time, the temperature of the first space portion 32 is slowly transmitted to the kimchi because the thermal conductivity of the air filled between the storage container 60 and the basket 40 is reduced to reduce the temperature deviation of the kimchi.

Therefore, the cold air of the cold air flow path 34 and the warmth of the heating device 36 is not directly transmitted to the storage container 60, but is buffered in the space between the storage container 60 and the basket 40. Since it is transmitted to kimchi, the temperature deviation of kimchi is reduced, so that the temperature of kimchi can be stably maintained.

That is, since kimchi can be stored at a desired temperature with a small temperature deviation, the taste of kimchi can be maintained for a long time. In addition, even in the step of fermenting kimchi can be fermented continuously at a desired temperature while the temperature deviation is small, it will be able to taste the desired kimchi.

In this case, if it is necessary to rapidly cool or rapidly heat kimchi, the door 44 is driven to open the suction port 43 so that cold and warm air in the first space part 32 directly contacts the storage container 60. To help.

Next, when the kimchi reaches the appropriate temperature, the door 44 is driven to close the suction port 43 so that cold or warm air in the first space part 32 directly contacts the storage container 60. Do not let it.

Thereafter, the cold air flow path 34 and the heating device 36 are periodically driven to maintain the temperature of the kimchi.

If the temperature of the kimchi is to be changed efficiently, the cold air flow path 34 and the heating device 36 may be driven while the suction port 43 is opened by driving the door 44.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment and the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6 based on differences from the first embodiment.

In the second and third embodiments, the suction ports 43 and 143 provided in the baskets 40, 140, 240, 250 and 260 can be opened using the opening and closing devices 42, 142, 242, 252 and 262. Of course, some of the plurality of switches 42, 142, 242, 252, 262 may be opened, and some switches 42, 142, 242, 252, 262 may be closed or all the switches 42, 142, 242, 252, 262 may be opened to adjust the temperature of the kimchi.

When the kimchi reaches the set temperature, the kimchi can be stored so that the cold air of the cold air flow path 34 and the warmth of the heating device 36 do not directly contact the kimchi while the switchgear 42, 142, 242, 252, 262 is closed.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and as can be seen in the appended claims, modifications can be made by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, and such modifications are within the scope of the present invention.

1 is a front sectional view of a kimchi refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the storage compartment of FIG. 1. FIG.

3 is a perspective view of the storage compartment of Figure 1 combined.

4 is a perspective view of main parts of a storage compartment according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a front cross-sectional view of FIG. 4.

6 is a front sectional view of a storage compartment according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

<Description of Signs for Main Parts of Drawings>

10: main body 30: storage compartment

32: first space 34: cold air flow path

36: heating device 40: basket

42: switchgear 43: inlet

44: door 46: hinge

60: container 100: second space part

140: outer basket 240: first basket

250: second basket 260: third basket

Claims (10)

A storage compartment provided inside the main body forming an appearance; A storage container accommodated in the storage room to store kimchi; And And an opening and a lid covering the opening, wherein the storage container includes a basket for accommodating the storage container so as to be spaced apart from an inner side surface of the storage chamber and sealing an inner space from the outside. The method of claim 1, Kimchi refrigerator, characterized in that the first space portion is formed between the outer surface of the basket and the inner surface of the storage compartment for cold air stays. The method of claim 2, Kimchi refrigerator further comprises a cold air passage for supplying cold air to the first space. The method of claim 3, The basket is a kimchi refrigerator, characterized in that it comprises a suction port for opening and closing the suction port and the cold air is introduced into the basket. The method of claim 4, wherein Kimchi refrigerator, characterized in that each of the suction port and the opening and closing device. The method of claim 2, Kimchi refrigerator characterized in that it further comprises a heating device for supplying warmth to the first space. The method of claim 1, Kimchi refrigerator further comprises an outer basket for receiving the basket so that the basket is spaced apart from the storage compartment. The method of claim 7, wherein Kimchi refrigerator, characterized in that the second space portion is formed between the outer surface of the outer basket and the inner surface of the storage compartment. The method of claim 8, Kimchi refrigerator further comprises a cold air passage for supplying cold air to the second space. The method of claim 1, The basket is provided with a plurality of different sizes, The plurality of baskets Kimchi refrigerator, characterized in that overlapping to form a space between the inner surface of the large basket and the outer surface of the small basket therein.

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