WO2021093713A1

WO2021093713A1 - Defrosting device and refrigerator comprising same

Info

Publication number: WO2021093713A1
Application number: PCT/CN2020/127645
Authority: WO
Inventors: 仓谷利治; 奥原直
Original assignee: 青岛海尔电冰箱有限公司; 海尔智家股份有限公司; Aqua 株式会社
Priority date: 2019-11-11
Filing date: 2020-11-10
Publication date: 2021-05-20
Also published as: JP2021076307A; JP7486864B2; JP7374464B2; EP4060261A1; EP4060261A4; JP2024001226A; CN114761747A

Abstract

Disclosed are a defrosting device (2) and a refrigerator comprising same. The defrosting device (2) comprises: a defrosting heater (10) which is provided with a heating element within a single-layer glass tube (12); a roof section (22) which is arranged above the glass tube (12) and extends in the longitudinal direction of the glass tube (12), with the roof section (22) being made of a metal thin plate and having an upwardly convex shape; a tray (30) which is arranged below the glass tube (12) and provided with an opening in the bottom thereof; and a drain pipe (40) which extends downwards from the opening.

Description

Defrosting device and refrigerator including defrosting device

Technical field

The present invention relates to a defrosting device for removing frost from an evaporator of a refrigerator and a refrigerator including the defrosting device.

Background technique

In order to remove the frost of the evaporator, a defrosting device is widely used, and the defrosting device includes a glass tube heater under the evaporator. In such a refrigerator, the temperature of the outer surface of the glass tube heater needs to be sufficiently lower than the flammable temperature of the solvent flowing in the evaporator. However, when the input power of the glass tube heater is lowered in order to lower the outer surface temperature of the glass tube heater, sufficient defrosting performance may not be obtained. In particular, even if the frost of the upper evaporator is melted by natural convection heat transfer by the glass tube heater, the water melted and dropped from the evaporator may be frozen again in the tray arranged below the glass tube heater.

In order to solve this problem, a defrosting device using a defrosting heater having a heating element in a double glass tube has been proposed (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). In the defrosting device described in Patent Document 1, by using a double glass tube, even though the temperature of the outer surface of the glass tube heater is low, it is possible to apply sufficient heat to melt the frost that has been re-frozen in the tray.

Patent Document 1: JP 2004-198097 A.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, the glass tube heater including the double glass tube has a problem of high manufacturing cost, and there is a problem that the manufacturing cost of the defrosting device including the glass tube heater or the refrigerator including the defrosting device becomes high.

Summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and provide a defrosting device that can be manufactured at low cost and having a sufficient defrosting function, and a refrigerator including the defrosting device.

[Means used to solve the problem]

The defrosting device of the present invention includes: a defrosting heater, which has a heating element in a single-layer glass tube with a circular cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction; and the top part is arranged above and along the glass tube. The length direction of the glass tube extends, and the top part is formed of a metal thin plate and has an upwardly convex shape; a tray is arranged below the glass tube and extends along the length direction of the glass tube with an opening formed at the bottom; and The drain pipe extends downward from the opening, in a cross-section perpendicular to the length of the glass tube, the top of the top is located on a vertical line passing through the approximate center of the glass tube, and the top is on the vertical line of the vertical line. At least a predetermined range on both sides is symmetrical with respect to the vertical line. In the cross section along the length of the glass tube including the vertical line, the end regions on both sides of the top in the length direction are inclined downward to The radiant heat from the lower side is reflected to the lower side, and the opening is located directly below the glass tube.

According to the present invention, by using a single-layer glass tube, the manufacturing cost of the device can be reduced. Even if the input power to the defrost heater is suppressed in order to lower the outer surface temperature of the glass tube, the radiant heat from the defrost heater can be reflected toward the tray 30 through the roof to melt the frost in the tray. In particular, in a cross section perpendicular to the length direction of the glass tube, the upwardly convex shape of the roof portion is symmetrical with respect to the vertical line within at least a predetermined range on both sides of the vertical line passing through the approximate center of the glass tube, and further, In a cross-section along the length direction of the glass tube including the above-mentioned vertical line, the upwardly convex shape of the roof portion is formed obliquely in the end regions on both sides so that the radiant heat from the lower side is directed downward. reflection. In other words, the roof portion has four corners formed in a shape that improves reflection. As a result, radiant heat with a small deviation or deflection can be incident on the tray except for the main part directly below the glass tube.

In addition, the opening of the tray is located directly below the glass tube, so the radiant heat from the defrosting device is directly incident on the opening and its periphery. As a result, the frost that has been re-frozen in the tray can be melted and reliably discharged through the opening and the drain pipe.

As described above, it is possible to provide a defrosting device that is manufactured at low cost and has sufficient defrosting performance.

In addition, the present invention also provides a defrosting device. In the height direction, the position of the lower end of the roof portion is arranged at the same position as or above the position of the upper end of the glass tube. In the height direction, The position of the top of the roof portion is arranged at the same position as or below the position of the upper end of the glass tube plus a length equivalent to 1.5 times the outer diameter of the glass tube.

According to the present invention, the position of the lower end of the roof is arranged at or above the position of the upper end of the glass tube. Therefore, the frost attached to the evaporator above can be reliably melted by heat transfer caused by natural convection. In addition, in the height direction, the position of the top of the roof portion is arranged at or below the position of the upper end of the glass tube plus a length equivalent to 1.5 times the outer diameter of the glass tube, Therefore, the glass tube can be arranged near the evaporator, and the effect of melting the frost attached to the evaporator can be improved. At the same time, the top of the roof part is not too far away from the tray, so the radiant heat from the defrost heater can be strongly reflected to the tray side through the roof part to improve the effect of melting the frost in the tray.

With the arrangement of the roof as described above, the frost on the evaporator and the tray can be effectively melted, and high defrosting performance can be exhibited.

In addition, the present invention also provides a defrosting device. In a cross section perpendicular to the length direction of the glass tube, the width of the lower end of the roof portion is at least 2 times and 3 times the outer diameter of the glass tube. Within the following range.

The width dimension at the lower end of the roof portion is set within the range of 2 times or more and 3 times or less of the outer diameter of the glass tube, so that the frost on both the evaporator and the tray can be well balanced and effectively melted.

In addition, the present invention also provides a defrosting device, further comprising a defrosting member formed by a bent metal rod, the defrosting member having: formed at one end of the metal rod and freely rotating The state is inserted into the hook portion provided in the hole at the top; the heated portion connected to the hook and extending obliquely downward while being connected to the top; connected to the heated portion and bent A detour part that bypasses the glass tube; and a heat dissipation part connected to the detour part and extending downward to the inside of the tray and the inside of the drain pipe.

According to the present invention, in the defrosting member rotatably attached to the roof by the hook, the heat receiving part contacts the roof due to gravity and can receive heat from the defrosting heater via the metal roof. In addition, when the detour portion does not interfere with the glass tube, the heat dissipation portion can be arranged in the tray and the drain pipe due to gravity. The heat received from the roof portion is conducted to the heat dissipation portion extending downward through the detour portion, and the heat can be supplied from the heat dissipation portion to the frost or water in the tray or the drain pipe.

As described above, by using the defrosting member, it can be manufactured at a low manufacturing cost and the heat from the defrosting heater can be efficiently supplied to the frost or water in the tray or the drain pipe.

In addition, the refrigerator of the present invention is characterized in that it includes the above-mentioned defrosting device.

The refrigerator of the present invention can also achieve any of the above-mentioned functions and effects.

[Effects of the invention]

As described above, in the present invention, it is possible to provide a defrosting device that can be manufactured at low cost and having sufficient defrosting performance, and a refrigerator including the defrosting device.

Description of the drawings

Fig. 1 schematically shows a side sectional view of a refrigerator with a defrosting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the outline of the defrosting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube viewed from the X-axis direction of FIG. 2 and is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the defroster according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a cross-sectional view along the length direction of the glass tube, the cross-sectional view includes a vertical line passing through the approximate center of the circular outer shape of the glass tube, and schematically shows the first embodiment of the present invention. Side cross-sectional view of the defrosting device.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube viewed from the X-axis direction of Fig. 2 and is a side cross-sectional view for explaining the layout of the roof portion according to the embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube viewed from the X-axis direction of FIG. 2 and is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the defrosting device according to the second embodiment of the present invention .

7 is a view showing a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube viewed from the X-axis direction of FIG. 2 and schematically shows a side cross-section of the defrosting device according to the third embodiment of the present invention Figure.

8 is a view showing a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube viewed from the X-axis direction of FIG. 2 and schematically showing a side cross-section of the defrosting device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention Figure.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view for explaining the defrosting member according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of reference signs

2-defrost device, 10-defrost heater, 12-glass tube, 14-lid, 20-heater cover, 22-roof, 22A-first zone, 22B-second zone, 22C-third zone , 22D-fourth area, 24-bracket, 26-hole part, 30-tray, 30A-bottom, 30B-side wall, 32-opening, 40-drain pipe, 50-defrosting part, 52-hook, 54 -Heat-receiving part, 56- Detour part, 58- radiator part, 100- Refrigerator, 102A- Freezer compartment, 102B- Refrigerator compartment, 104A, B inlet flow path, 106- Partition plate, 106A- Blowing outlet, 110- Evaporator , 120-compressor, 130-fan, 140-damper, 150-drain pipe, 160-evaporator plate, G-approximate center of glass tube, VL-vertical line, S-specified range.

Detailed ways

Hereinafter, embodiments for implementing the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The defrosting device described below is used to embody the technical idea of the present invention, and unless otherwise specified, the present invention is not limited to the following content.

In the drawings, components having the same function may be marked with the same reference numeral. In order to facilitate the description or understanding of the main points, there are cases where the description is divided into embodiments or examples for convenience. However, parts of the structures shown in different embodiments may be replaced or combined. In the embodiments described later, descriptions of matters common to the foregoing are omitted, and only different points will be described. In particular, the same action and effect caused by the same structure will not be mentioned in turn in each embodiment or each example. In order to clarify the description, the size or positional relationship of the members shown in each drawing may be shown in an expanded manner. In the following description and drawings, it is assumed that the refrigerator is arranged on the floor, and the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are shown. The Z axis is used to indicate the vertical direction, and the X axis is used to indicate the longitudinal direction of the glass tube 12 constituting the defrost heater 10 described later.

(Refrigerator including the defrosting device of the present invention)

Fig. 1 is a side sectional view schematically showing an example of a refrigerator 100 including a defrosting device 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The refrigerator 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a freezing compartment 102A and a refrigerating compartment 102B. Inflow passages 104A, B partitioned by partition plates 106 are provided on the rear sides of the freezing compartment 102A and the refrigerating compartment 102B. The evaporator 110 is arranged in the inflow channel 104A on the side of the freezing compartment 102A, and the fan 130 is arranged above the evaporator 110. Below the evaporator 110, the defroster 2 according to each embodiment described below is arranged.

A compressor 120 communicating with the evaporator 110 is arranged in the external machine room on the rear side of the freezing compartment 102A. The following cycle is repeated: the refrigerant (gas) compressed by the compressor 120 is liquefied by the condenser, the liquefied refrigerant absorbs the heat of the gas in the tank in the evaporator 110 and vaporizes, and the vaporized refrigerant is compressed The device 120 compresses again. A damper 140 is arranged between the inflow channel 104A on the side of the freezing compartment 102A and the inflow channel 104B on the side of the refrigerating compartment 102B. In FIG. 1, the damper 140 is shown in a closed state.

As shown by the dotted arrow in FIG. 1, when the air door is closed, when the compressor 120 and the fan 130 are driven, the air in the freezer compartment 102A flows, and the cold air passing through the evaporator 110 is removed from the partition plate 106. 106A of blower outlets of this flow into the freezer compartment 102A. The inflowing gas circulates in the freezer compartment 102A, and returns to the lower side of the evaporator 110 in the inflow channel 104A again. The inside of the freezer compartment 102A is cooled by the circulation of the gas cooled by the evaporator 110. In a state where the damper 140 is open, cold air also circulates on the side of the refrigerating compartment 102B.

The moisture contained in the cooled air condenses into frost and adheres to the surface of the heat exchange tube of the evaporator 110. When a large amount of frost adheres to the heat exchange tube, the cooling performance decreases. Therefore, the evaporator 110 needs to be defrosted periodically. Therefore, the defroster 2 is arranged below the evaporator 110. The defrosting device 2 includes a defrosting heater 10, and when the compressor 120 and the fan 130 are not operating, the defrosting heater 10 is turned on, whereby the heat exchange tube can be heated and defrosted. The frost melted and dropped water of the evaporator 110 is discharged from the drain pipe 40 of the defroster 2, flows through the drain pipe 150 of the refrigerator 100, and is discharged to the steam pan 160 arranged in the machine room.

(Defrosting device according to the first embodiment)

FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the outline of the defrosting device 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a view showing a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from the X-axis direction of FIG. 2 and schematically shows the side surface of the defrosting device 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention Sectional view. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a vertical line passing through the approximate center of the circular outer shape of the glass tube and along the length direction of the glass tube, and is a schematic diagram showing the division according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Side cross-sectional view of the frost device. In Fig. 4, the description of the tray is omitted. Next, referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the defrosting device 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The defrosting device 2 according to this embodiment includes a defrosting heater 10 having a heating element in a single-layer quartz glass tube 12. In addition, the defrosting device 2 includes a heater cover 20 that includes an upwardly protruding roof portion formed of a metal sheet and arranged above the glass tube 12 and extending along the length direction of the glass tube 12 twenty two. In addition, the defrosting device 2 further includes a tray 30 arranged below the glass tube 12 and extending in the longitudinal direction of the glass tube 12, and a drain tube 40 extending downward from an opening 32 provided at the bottom of the tray 30. In FIG. 3, the drain pipe 40 shown in FIG. 2 is schematically shown.

Furthermore, the defrosting device 2 according to this embodiment includes a defrosting member 50 formed by bending a metal rod. The defrosting member 50 includes a hook portion 52 formed at one end of a metal rod and inserted into a hole 26 provided in a metal sheet forming the roof portion 22 in a freely rotatable state, connected to the hook portion 52 and connected to one side The metal sheet forming the roof portion 22 is connected to the heat receiving portion 54 extending obliquely downward on one side, the detour portion 56 connected to the heat receiving portion 54 and bent so as to bypass the glass tube 12, and the detour portion 56 connected to the detour portion 56 and downward. The heat dissipation part 58 extends to the inside of the tray 30 and the inside of the drain pipe 40.

The glass tube 12 constituting the defrost heater 10 according to the present embodiment has an elongated cylindrical shape. A heating element made of a metal wire such as a nickel-chromium alloy wire is arranged inside the glass tube 12. In the heating area in the center of the glass tube 12, a coil-shaped heater wound in a coil shape with a metal wire is arranged, and the metal wire extends outward from both ends thereof. Both ends of the glass tube 12 are covered with a cover 14 made of a material excellent in heat resistance and electrical insulation, such as silicone rubber. The metal wires extending from both sides of the coil heater extend to the outside of the glass tube 12 via the cover 14 and are electrically connected to external cables.

In order to comply with the IEC standard, the input power is controlled so that the temperature of the outer surface of the glass tube 12 during heating is 360°C or less. Even if the input power is controlled in this way, the evaporator 110 can actually be sufficiently defrosted, which will be described in detail later.

The heater cover 20 includes an upwardly protruding roof portion 22 formed of a metal thin plate extending along the length direction of the glass tube 12, and brackets 24 provided on both sides of the length direction of the roof portion 22. The covers 14 at both ends of the glass tube 12 are inserted into the substantially C-shaped openings provided in the bracket 24, and the heater cover 20 is connected to the defrost heater 10.

As the metal thin plate constituting the roof portion 22, in the present embodiment, an aluminum thin plate having high reflectance and high thermal conductivity is used. However, it is not limited to this, and other arbitrary metal thin plates such as copper can be used. The aluminum thin plate may be bent to form an upwardly convex shape, or two aluminum thin plates may be joined to form an upwardly convex shape.

In the cross section perpendicular to the length direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from the X-axis direction, the metal thin plate of the roof portion 22 is formed in an upwardly convex shape, and the upwardly convex shape is formed in a circular shape passing through the glass tube 12 At least a predetermined range S on both sides of the vertical line VL of the approximate center G of the outer shape is symmetrical with respect to the vertical line VL. Here, the predetermined range S on both sides of the vertical line VL refers to the left and right widths from the vertical line VL in the Y-axis direction perpendicular to the vertical line VL in two areas divided along the Z-axis direction by the vertical line VL The range of S. The upwardly convex shape of the roof portion 22 has two flat plates, that is, a first area 22A and a second area 22B. As described below, the reflection surfaces of the first area 22A and the second area 22B may be formed by flat surfaces, or the reflection surfaces of the first area 22A and the second area 22B may be formed by smoothly curved curved surfaces.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, in a cross section along the longitudinal direction of the glass tube 12, the roof portion 22 has a third region 22C and a fourth region 22D inclined downward in the end regions on both sides of the longitudinal direction. To reflect the radiant heat from the lower side to the lower side. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the roof portion 22 has a structure like a hip roof composed of four thin plate-like members of the first to fourth regions 22A to 22D, and all side surfaces are shaped to improve reflection. The reflection surfaces of the third region 22C and the fourth region 22D may be formed of flat surfaces, or the reflection surfaces of the third region 22C and the fourth region 22D may be formed of smoothly curved curved surfaces.

With the above structure, the radiant heat from the defrost heater 10 can be reflected to the lower side and be incident on the main part of the tray 30 below. As a result, the frost that has been re-frozen in the tray 30 can be melted.

The tray 30 extends along the length direction of the glass tube 12, and the tray 30 has a bottom 30A and a side wall 30B surrounding the bottom 30A, and is open upward. An opening 32 is provided at a substantially center position in the longitudinal direction of the bottom 30A of the tray 30. The bottom 30A of the tray 30 is inclined so that the height of the opening 32 is the lowest. Thereby, the water falling from the upper evaporator 110 flows in the bottom 30A of the tray 30 and flows into the opening 32. A drain pipe 40 is attached to the opening 32 provided in the bottom 30A of the tray 30, and the drain pipe 40 extends downward from the opening 32.

In the cross section perpendicular to the length direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from the X-axis direction, the opening 32 of the tray 30 is located directly below the glass tube 12. With this configuration, the opening 32 and the surrounding area can directly receive radiant heat from the defrost heater 10, and the frost that has been re-frozen in the tray 30 can be melted.

The tray 30 is preferably formed of a metal material having high thermal conductivity such as aluminum. When considering the ease of installation of the defroster 2 to the refrigerator 100, etc., the drain pipe 40 is preferably formed of a resin material or the like having elasticity.

(Layout of the roof)

5 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube viewed from the X-axis direction of FIG. 2 and is a side cross-sectional view for explaining the arrangement of the roof portion 22 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 5 and Figs. 6 to 8 described later, the dashed arrow indicates the radiant heat emitted from the defrost heater 10, and the dashed arrow indicates that the surrounding gas heated by the defrost heater 10 is due to The upward flow caused by natural convection. In FIG. 5, the defrosting device according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is illustrated. However, in the defrosting device according to the second to fourth embodiments described in FIGS. 6 to 8, the roof portion The function of 22 is basically the same.

In a cross section perpendicular to the length direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from the X-axis direction, the upwardly convex shape of the roof portion 22 is on both sides of the vertical line VL passing through the approximate center G of the circular outer shape of the glass tube 12 The predetermined range S is symmetrical with respect to the vertical line VL. In the first embodiment, the predetermined range S is uniform in the entire area of the roof portion 22, and all areas are symmetrical with respect to the vertical line VL. However, it is not limited to this, and other cases will be described in detail later.

The predetermined range S is preferably determined corresponding to the width dimension of the tray 30 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction when viewed from the X-axis direction. In the case where the two ends in the width direction of the tray 30 are located at equal distances from the vertical line VL, it is preferable that the upwardly convex shape of the roof portion 22 is symmetrical with respect to the vertical line VL until the reflected light reaches the two ends of the tray 30 Range. In the case where the two end portions in the width direction of the tray 30 are at different distances from the vertical line VL, it is preferable that the upwardly convex shape of the roof portion 22 is symmetrical with respect to the vertical line VL until the reflected light reaches at least the side close to the vertical line VL. The scope of the end. Thereby, the radiant heat with small deviation or deviation can be incident on the main part of the tray 30, and the frost in the tray 30 can be melt|dissolved efficiently.

In a cross section perpendicular to the length direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from the X-axis direction, the first area 22A and the second area 22B are shown as two side surfaces connected at the top P located on the vertical line VL. Also, the angle θ formed by the first region 22A and the vertical line VL is substantially the same as the angle θ formed by the second region 22B and the vertical line VL. Furthermore, in the example shown in FIG. 5, the lengths of the first region 22A and the second region 22B are also the same.

In this case, it can also be considered that on a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from the X-axis direction, the first region 22A and the second region 22B constitute an isosceles with the vertex P located on the vertical line VL as the vertex. 2 equilateral triangles.

As shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 5, when the first area 22A and the second area 22B are respectively extended diagonally downward, they are extended to intersect the horizontal line of the bottom surface of the tray 30. Thus, the upper half of the parallelogram is formed. Moreover, the center of the opening 32 of the tray 30 is substantially coincident with the position of the vertical line VL. That is, the opening 32 of the tray 30 is located at the center of a parallelogram with the roof 22 of the upwardly convex shape and its extension line as two sides.

With this arrangement, the radiant heat emitted upward from the defrost heater 10 can be reflected downward through the roof 22, and the radiant heat with small deviation or deflection can be incident on the tray except directly below the glass tube 12. The main part of 30. There is an area directly below the glass tube 12 where the reflected light from the roof portion 22 does not reach, but the radiant heat emitted downward from the defrost heater 10 directly enters such an area. As a result, the frost that has been re-frozen in the main part on the tray 30 can be efficiently melted. The melted water flows into the drain pipe 40 via the switch 32, flows through the drain pipe 150 of the refrigerator 100, and is discharged to the evaporation pan 160 arranged in the machine room.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, the position H1 of the lower end part of the roof part 22 is arrange|positioned above the position H0 of the upper end of the glass tube 12 in the height direction (Z-axis direction). However, it is not limited to this, and the position H1 of the lower end part of the roof part 22 can also be arrange|positioned at the same position as the position H0 of the upper end of the glass tube 12. That is, in the height direction (Z-axis direction), the position H1 of the lower end of the roof portion 22 is arranged at the same as or above the position H0 of the upper end of the glass tube 12.

With such a setting, the gas around the glass tube 12 heated by the defrost heater 10 can efficiently flow upward by natural convection. As a result, heat can be supplied to the evaporator 110 by natural convection heat transfer, and therefore, the frost attached to the evaporator 110 can be reliably melted.

In addition, in the height direction (Z-axis direction), the position H2 of the top P of the roof portion 22 is arranged at the position H0 at the upper end of the glass tube 12 plus a length equivalent to 1.5 times the outer diameter of the glass tube 12 The location is the same or below. With such a setting, the defrost heater 10 can be relatively close to the evaporator 110, and therefore, the effect of melting the frost attached to the evaporator 110 can be improved. At the same time, the top P of the roof 22 is not far away from the tray 30. Therefore, the radiant heat from the defrost heater 10 can be strongly reflected to the tray 30 through the roof 22 to improve the melting of the frost in the tray 30. Effect. With the arrangement of the roof portion 22 as described above, the frost on the evaporator 110 and the tray 30 can be effectively melted, and high defrosting performance can be exhibited.

In addition, in this embodiment, in the cross section perpendicular to the length direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from the X-axis direction, the width dimension W at the lower end of the roof portion 22 is at least twice the outer diameter D of the glass tube 3 Times below the range. In addition, if the distance between the end portion in the width direction of the lower end of the roof portion 22 and the outer shape of the glass tube 12 is set to M, then there is a relationship of 0.5D≦M≦D.

When the width dimension W at the lower end of the roof portion 22 is not so large compared to the outer diameter of the glass tube 12, the heat generated by the defrost heater 10 cannot be sufficiently reflected downward. On the other hand, when the width dimension W at the lower end of the roof portion 22 is considerably larger than the outer diameter of the glass tube 12, it is difficult to supply heat to the upper evaporator 110 side by natural convection. Therefore, by setting the width dimension W at the lower end of the roof portion 22 to be within a range of not less than 2 times and not more than 3 times the outer diameter of the glass tube 12, it is possible to balance and effectively melt the evaporator 110 and the tray 30. Frost. The same relationship is also shown in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from a direction 180 degrees opposite to the X-axis direction.

(Defrosting device according to the second embodiment)

6 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube viewed from the X-axis direction of FIG. 2 and schematically shows a side cross-sectional view of the defroster according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the defroster 2 according to the second embodiment, the roof portion 22 also has an upwardly convex shape after two flat-plate-shaped first regions 22A and second regions 22B are connected. However, in the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from the X-axis direction, the length of the second region 22B is the same as that of the first embodiment, but the length of the first region 22A is longer than that of the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 6, in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from the X-axis direction, the upwardly convex shape of the roof portion 22 is at the approximate center G passing through the circular outer shape of the glass tube 12 The predetermined range S on both sides of the vertical line is symmetrical with respect to the vertical line VL, but is not symmetrical with respect to the vertical line VL in all areas. In one first area 22A of the roof portion 22, the width is extended by the amount T.

In the above-mentioned first embodiment, in the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from the X-axis direction, the widthwise end of the lower tray 30 is in the Y-axis direction perpendicular to the vertical line VL. The distance of the upper part from the vertical line VL is approximately the same, but in the second embodiment, the distance between the two ends of the tray 30 in the width direction relative to the vertical line VL is different. The upwardly convex shape of the roof portion 22 is symmetrical with respect to the vertical line VL in the range of the end on the vertical line VL side (the end on the right side of the drawing) in the width direction of the reflected light incident on the tray 30. Then, by adjusting the length of the roof portion 22, the reflected light also enters the other end portion (the end portion on the left side of the drawing). The cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from a 180-degree direction opposite to the X-axis direction shows a relationship in which the left and right are reversed but the same.

(Defrosting device according to the third embodiment)

7 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from the X-axis direction of FIG. 2, and is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the defroster 2 according to the third embodiment of the present invention .

In the defroster according to the first and second embodiments described above, the roof portion 22 is composed of two flat plate-shaped first regions 22A and second regions 22B. However, in the third embodiment, the roof portion 22 Consists of a smooth curved surface.

In this case, by appropriately determining the curvature of the curved surface of the roof 22, the radiant heat emitted upward from the defrost heater 10 can be reflected downward by the roof 22 and incident as shown in FIG. To the main part of the tray 30 except for the area covered by the glass tube 12. In the third embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the entire area of the roof portion 22 is symmetrical with respect to the vertical line VL passing through the approximate center G of the circular outer shape of the glass tube 12. The same relationship is also shown in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from a direction 180 degrees opposite to the X-axis direction.

(Defrosting device according to the fourth embodiment)

8 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from the X-axis direction of FIG. 2, and is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the defroster 2 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention .

In the fourth embodiment, the roof portion 22 is also composed of a smooth curved surface. In the cross section perpendicular to the length direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from the X-axis direction, the upwardly convex shape of the roof portion 22 is predetermined on both sides of the vertical line passing through the approximate center G of the circular outer shape of the glass tube 12 The range S is symmetrical with respect to the vertical line VL, but the roof portion 22 is not symmetrical with respect to the vertical line VL in all areas. In one first area 22A of the roof portion 22, the width is extended by the amount T.

In the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from the X-axis direction of FIG. 2, in the fourth embodiment, the distance between the two ends in the width direction of the tray 30 with respect to the vertical line VL is different. The upwardly convex shape of the roof portion 22 is symmetrical with respect to the vertical line VL in the range of the end on the vertical line VL side (the end on the right side of the drawing) in the width direction of the reflected light incident on the tray 30. Then, by adjusting the length of the roof portion 22, the reflected light also enters the other end portion (the end portion on the left side of the drawing). A cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube 12 viewed from a direction 180 degrees opposite to the X-axis direction shows the same relationship in which the left and right are reversed.

As described above, any defroster 2 according to the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention described above includes: a heating element is provided in a single-layer glass tube 12 having a circular cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction The defrost heater 10 is arranged above the glass tube 12 and extends along the length of the glass tube 12 and is formed of a metal thin plate, and the upwardly convex roof 22 is arranged below the glass tube 12 and The tray 30 extending along the length direction of the glass tube 12 and forming an opening 32 at the bottom, and the drain tube 40 extending downward from the opening 32, in a cross section perpendicular to the length direction of the glass tube 12, the top P of the roof portion 22 Located on the vertical line VL passing through the approximate center G of the glass tube 12, the roof portion 22 is symmetrical with respect to the vertical line VL within at least a predetermined range on both sides of the vertical line VL. In the cross section in the longitudinal direction, the end regions on both sides of the longitudinal direction of the roof portion 22 are inclined downward to reflect radiant heat from the lower side to the lower side, and the opening 32 is located directly below the glass tube 12.

By using the single-layer glass tube 12, the manufacturing cost of the device can be reduced. Even if the power input to the defrost heater 10 is suppressed in order to reduce the temperature of the outer surface of the glass tube 12, it is possible to reflect the radiant heat from the defrost heater 10 toward the tray 30 through the roof portion 22 to reflect the heat in the tray 30. The frost melts. In particular, the upwardly convex shape of the roof portion 22 is symmetrical with respect to the vertical line VL within at least a predetermined range S on both sides of the vertical line VL passing through the approximate center G of the glass tube 12, in the length direction of the glass tube 12 ( In the X-axis direction shown in FIG. 2), the end regions on both sides (refer to 22C and 22D in FIG. 4) are inclined to reflect the radiant heat from the lower side to the lower side, and the opening 32 of the tray 30 is located in the glass tube Just below 12. Thereby, the reflected heat from the roof portion 22 and the radiant heat directly received from the defrost heater 10 can be used to cause the radiant heat with a small deviation or deflection to enter the main part of the tray 30. Therefore, the frost attached to the evaporator 110 can be melted and discharged through the opening 32 of the tray 30 and the drain pipe 40. According to the above, it is possible to provide the defrosting device 2 that can be manufactured at low cost and has sufficient defrosting performance.

In addition, according to the defroster 2 according to the first to fourth embodiments, in the height direction (Z-axis direction), the position H1 of the lower end of the roof portion 22 is arranged at the same position as the position H0 of the upper end of the glass tube 12 Therefore, the frost attached to the evaporator 110 can be effectively melted by natural convection heat transfer. Furthermore, in the height direction (Z-axis direction), the position H2 of the top P of the roof portion 22 is arranged at the position H0 at the upper end of the glass tube 12 plus a length equivalent to 1.5 times the outer diameter of the glass tube 12 Since the position is the same or below, the effect of melting the frost attached to the evaporator 110 can be improved, and the effect of melting the frost in the tray 30 can be improved. According to the arrangement of the roof portion 22 as described above, the frost on the evaporator 110 and the tray 30 can be effectively melted to provide high defrosting performance.

In addition, according to the defrosting device 2 according to the first to fourth embodiments, the width dimension W at the lower end of the roof portion 22 is in the range of 2 to 3 times the outer diameter D of the glass tube 12, and therefore, it is possible to The frost in both the evaporator 110 and the tray 30 is well balanced and effectively melted.

(Defrosting parts)

Fig. 9 is a perspective view for explaining the defrosting member according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 9, the shape of the roof portion 22 is schematically shown. Any one of the defrosting devices 2 according to the above-mentioned embodiment includes a defrosting member 50 formed by bending a metal rod. As shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 9, the defrosting member 50 has a hook portion 52 formed at one end of a metal rod and inserted into the hole portion 26 of the metal thin plate constituting the roof portion 22 in a rotatable state. Furthermore, the defrosting member 50 has a heat receiving portion 54 which is connected to the hook portion 52 and extends obliquely downward while being in contact with the metal thin plate constituting the roof portion 22. The defrosting member 50 rotatably attached to the roof 22 at one end by the hook 52 is suspended due to gravity, and the heat receiving part 54 extends diagonally downward while being in contact with the metal thin plate constituting the roof 22.

Furthermore, the defrosting member 50 has a roundabout portion 56 connected to the heat receiving portion 54 and bent so as to bypass the glass tube 12. Due to gravity, the heat receiving portion 54 is in contact with the metal thin plate constituting the roof portion 22 to fix the position, and therefore, the detour portion 56 can be reliably separated from the glass tube 12. Furthermore, the defrosting member 50 has a heat dissipation part 58 connected to the detour part 56 and extending downward to the inside of the tray 30 and the inside of the drain pipe 40. The defrosting component 50 terminates at the end of the heat dissipation part 58.

In the defrosting member 50 rotatably attached to the roof 22 by the hook 52, the heat receiving part 54 is in contact with the roof 22 due to gravity. Therefore, the heat receiving part 54 passes through the metal roof 22 at the contact point. The heat from the defrost heater 10 is received. In addition, the heat received by the heat receiving portion 54 is conducted to the heat dissipation portion 58 extending downward via the detour portion 56. As a result, heat is supplied from the radiator 58 to the frost or water in the tray 30 or the drain pipe 40. Thereby, the frost in the tray 30 or the drain pipe 40 can be melted and discharged through the drain pipe 40.

As described above, by using the defrosting member 50 in addition to the roof portion 22, the heat from the defrosting heater 10 can be efficiently supplied to the frost or water in the tray 30 or the drain pipe 40 at a low manufacturing cost. .

Furthermore, as shown by arrows A and B in FIG. 9, the defrosting member 50 can be rotated and arranged along the surface of the roof portion 22. Therefore, when installing the defrosting device 2 in the refrigerator 100, disassembling, replacing parts, etc., the defrosting part 50 is placed along the surface of the roof 22 and fixed with tape or the like, thereby, Prevent the defrosting part 50 from interfering with other components, thereby improving work efficiency.

(refrigerator)

The refrigerator 100 including the defrosting device 2 according to the above-mentioned embodiment as shown in FIG. 1 can also exhibit any of the above-mentioned functions and effects.

Although the embodiments and implementations of the present invention have been described, the disclosure may also be changed in the details of the structure, and the elements of the embodiments and implementations can be implemented without departing from the scope and ideas of the requirements of the present invention. The combination or order of changes, etc.

Claims

A defrosting device, characterized in that it comprises:

A defrost heater, which has a heating element in a single-layer glass tube with a circular cross-section perpendicular to the length direction;

The roof part is arranged above the glass tube and extends along the length direction of the glass tube, and the roof part is formed of a metal thin plate and has an upwardly convex shape;

A tray arranged under the glass tube and extending along the length direction of the glass tube with an opening formed at the bottom; and

The drain pipe extends downward from the opening,

In a cross section perpendicular to the length direction of the glass tube,

The top of the roof portion is located on a vertical line passing through the approximate center of the glass tube, and the roof portion is symmetrical with respect to the vertical line within at least a predetermined range on both sides of the vertical line,

In a cross section along the length direction of the glass tube including the vertical line, the end regions on both sides of the length direction of the roof portion are inclined downward to reflect radiant heat from the lower side to the lower side, and the opening is located Just below the glass tube.
The defrosting device according to claim 1, wherein in the height direction, the position of the lower end of the roof portion is arranged at the same position as or above the position of the upper end of the glass tube,

In the height direction, the position of the top of the roof portion is arranged at the same position as or below the position of the upper end of the glass tube plus the length of 1.5 times the outer diameter of the glass tube.
The defrosting device according to claim 1, wherein in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the glass tube, the width dimension at the lower end of the roof portion is at least twice the outer diameter of the glass tube Within the range of 3 times or less.
The defrosting device according to claim 1, further comprising a defrosting member made of a bent metal rod,

The defrosting component has:

A hook formed at one end of the metal rod and inserted into the hole provided in the roof in a freely rotatable state;

A heat receiving part connected to the hook part and extending obliquely downward while being connected to the roof part;

A roundabout part connected to the heated part and bent so as to bypass the glass tube; and

A heat radiating part connected to the roundabout part and extending downward to the inside of the tray and the inside of the drain pipe.
The defrosting device according to claim 1, wherein the roof portion is composed of two flat-shaped first and second areas; or, the roof portion is composed of curved first and second areas.
The defrosting device according to claim 5, wherein the first area and the second area are symmetrically arranged with respect to the vertical line.
The defrosting device according to claim 5, wherein the angle θ formed by the first area and the vertical line is consistent with the angle θ formed by the second area and the vertical line, and the first area is longer than the second area.
The defroster according to claim 1, wherein the roof portion has a third area and a fourth area that are inclined downward in end areas on both sides in the longitudinal direction.
The defrosting device according to claim 8, wherein the reflective surfaces of the third area and the fourth area are flat or curved.
A refrigerator, characterized in that it comprises the defrosting device according to claim 1.