WO2024111073A1

WO2024111073A1 - Refrigerator

Info

Publication number: WO2024111073A1
Application number: PCT/JP2022/043261
Authority: WO
Inventors: 沙織杉▲崎▼; 正勝剱持
Original assignee: 三菱電機株式会社
Priority date: 2022-11-24
Filing date: 2022-11-24
Publication date: 2024-05-30

Abstract

This refrigerator comprises: a refrigerator body having, in the interior thereof, a storage space in which articles being cooled are stored, and a cooling chamber that generates cold air, the cooling chamber being formed closer to the rear-surface side than the storage space; a partition provided inside the refrigerator body, the partition segmenting the storage space into a plurality of storage chambers; and an air channel guide positioned on a rear surface inside a first storage chamber that is formed above the partition and that is controlled to within a refrigeration temperature band, the air channel guide communicating with a partition-internal air channel that is formed inside the partition and having formed therein a guide-internal air channel for sending cold air from the cooling chamber into the first storage space. The upper surface of the partition is provided with: a water channel that receives condensation water produced on the surface of the air channel guide; a water retention part linked to the water channel, a bottom surface of the water retention part being lower than the water channel, and the water retention part retaining the condensation water; and a return air channel inlet through which the cold air within the first storage chamber passes when returning to the cooling chamber. The water retention part is disposed adjacent to the return air channel inlet.

Description

refrigerator

This disclosure relates to a refrigerator equipped with a structure that collects and evaporates condensation water.

　Conventionally, there are refrigerators in which an air passage for sending cold air to the refrigerator compartment is formed inside an air passage guide, and the air passage guide is attached to the back of the refrigerator compartment, which is formed by an inner box. When assembling this refrigerator, a sealant is adhered to the back of the air passage guide, and the air passage guide is attached to the back of the refrigerator compartment via the sealant, and the air passage guide and the inner box are tightly attached to each other to integrate them, thereby insulating the back side of the refrigerator.

In such refrigerators, the gap between the back of the air duct guide and the back of the refrigerator compartment is sealed with a sealant, but due to unevenness in the sealant, unevenness on the back of the air duct guide, and unevenness in the inner box that occur during manufacturing, the gap between the back of the air duct guide and the back of the refrigerator compartment may not be completely sealed, and a gap may form between the inner box and the sealant. When such a gap is formed, the insulation of the back of the air duct guide decreases, and condensation is likely to occur in the gap due to the temperature difference between the cold air in the refrigeration temperature range that flows through the gap and the cold air flowing through the air duct inside the air duct guide. If condensation water generated by this type of condensation accumulates in the refrigerator compartment, it can cause mold, posing a hygiene problem for the refrigerator compartment.

In order to deal with this type of condensation water, there are conventional refrigerators that are equipped with a structure that collects and evaporates the condensation water (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, a dew tray with a storage section is placed under a condensation plate made of aluminum or the like, and a heater is placed below the dew tray, so that the dew adhering to the condensation plate is stored in the storage section of the dew tray, and the dew stored in the storage section is evaporated by passing electricity through the heater.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-89379

In Patent Document 1, a structure is constructed that uses a condensation plate, a dew tray, and a heater to collect and evaporate condensation water, but there is an issue with the large number of parts, which increases costs.

This disclosure has been made to solve the problems described above, and provides a refrigerator that has a structure for collecting and evaporating condensation water that is configured with fewer parts than conventional structures, thereby reducing costs.

The refrigerator according to the present disclosure comprises a refrigerator body having a storage space in which an object to be cooled is stored and a cooling chamber formed on the rear side of the storage space and generating cold air, a partition provided inside the refrigerator body and dividing the storage space into a plurality of storage chambers, and an air passage guide provided on the rear side of a first storage chamber formed above the partition and controlled to a refrigeration temperature range, communicating with an air passage inside the partition and having an air passage inside the guide formed therein for sending cold air from the cooling chamber into the first storage chamber, the upper surface of the partition is provided with a water passage for receiving condensation water generated on the surface of the air passage guide, a water storage section connected to the water passage and having a bottom surface lower than the water passage and storing the condensation water, and a return air passage inlet through which the cold air in the first storage chamber passes when returning to the cooling chamber, the water storage section being disposed adjacent to the return air passage inlet.

According to the present disclosure, the upper surface of the partition is provided with a water channel for receiving condensation water generated on the surface of the air passage guide, a water storage section connected to the water channel and having a lower bottom than the water channel for storing the condensation water, and a return air passage inlet through which the cold air in the first storage chamber passes when returning to the cooling chamber, and the water storage section is disposed adjacent to the return air passage inlet. Therefore, when the cold air circulated in the first storage chamber flows into the return air passage inlet, the water vapor from the condensation water stored in the water storage section is collected by the cold air passing over the water storage section. Therefore, the cold air in the first storage chamber can be used to evaporate the condensation water in the water storage section. In other words, the structure for collecting and evaporating the condensation water is composed of the water channel and water storage section provided on the upper surface of the partition, so that the number of parts is smaller than before, and costs can be reduced.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the refrigerator according to the first embodiment. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1 taken along the line AA in the direction of the arrows. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing the refrigeration chamber and its surroundings in the view shown in FIG. 2 . FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of area C of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 2 . 1 is a cross-sectional oblique view showing a refrigeration compartment and its surroundings in a refrigerator body of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a front view showing a refrigeration compartment and its surroundings in a refrigerator body of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. FIG. This is a view of the YY cross section of the refrigerator shown in Figure 6 as viewed in the direction of the arrows. This is a view of the BB cross section of the refrigerator shown in Figure 2 as viewed in the direction of the arrows. FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the water storage section of the refrigerator compartment partition and its surroundings in the view shown in FIG. 8 . This is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator shown in Figure 8 taken along the line EE. This is a view of the ZZ cross section of the refrigerator shown in Figure 6 as viewed in the direction of the arrows. FIG. 11 is an enlarged side view of the shelf and the water storage unit and their surroundings in the view shown in FIG. 10 . A plan view of a cross section of a refrigerator according to embodiment 2. A side view of a vertical cross section of a refrigerator according to embodiment 2.

Refrigerators according to embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, the size relationships of the components in the drawings may differ from the actual relationships. Furthermore, in the following description, terms indicating directions (e.g., "up," "down," "right," "left," "front," "rear," etc.) are used as appropriate to facilitate understanding, but these terms are for the purpose of explanation and do not limit the present disclosure. Unless otherwise specified, these directional terms refer to the directions when the refrigerator is viewed from the front. Furthermore, in each drawing, items with the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent, and this is common throughout the entire specification.

Embodiment 1.
FIG. 1 is a front view showing a refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a view of the A-A cross section of the refrigerator 100 shown in FIG. 1 as viewed in the direction of the arrows. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing the refrigerator compartment 2 and its periphery in the view shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a C region of the refrigerator 100 shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the refrigerator compartment 2 and its periphery in the refrigerator body 1 of the refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a front view showing the refrigerator compartment 2 and its periphery in the refrigerator body 1 of the refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a view of the Y-Y cross section of the refrigerator 100 shown in FIG. 6 as viewed in the direction of the arrows. The cross sections of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are cross sections perpendicular to the depth direction of the refrigerator 100 on the right side of the water storage section 58 (the front side of the figure). Hereinafter, the refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment includes a refrigerator body 1 having a substantially rectangular box shape, which is made up of an outer box 51 constituting the outer shell, an inner box 50 provided inside the outer box 51, and insulating material 52 filled between the outer box 51 and the inner box 50. The outer box 51 is made of, for example, steel. The inner box 50 is made of, for example, thin and hard ABS resin. The insulating material 52 is, for example, hard urethane foam.

Furthermore, inside the refrigerator body 1, a storage space 1c is formed. A plurality of partition members extending horizontally are provided in the storage space 1c, which divide the storage space 1c into a plurality of storage chambers. The storage chambers are spaces in which food or other objects to be cooled are stored, and are composed of the refrigerator chamber 2, which is the first storage chamber, the ice-making chamber 3, the switching chamber 4, which is the first switching chamber, the vegetable chamber 5, and the freezer chamber 6. The plurality of partition members are composed of a refrigerator chamber partition 16 that partitions the refrigerator chamber 2, the ice-making chamber 3, and the switching chamber 4, and forms the bottom surface 2c of the refrigerator chamber 2, a first partition 17 that partitions the ice-making chamber 3 and the switching chamber 4, and the vegetable chamber 5, and a second partition 18 that partitions the vegetable chamber 5 and the freezer chamber 6. The front surface 1a of the refrigerator body 1 is covered with a plurality of doors that open and close each storage chamber. The doors consist of a left refrigerator door 10, a right refrigerator door 11, an ice-making compartment door 12, a switchable compartment door 13, a vegetable compartment door 14, and a freezer compartment door 15. Door opening/closing detectors 19a to 19d that detect the opening and closing of each door are also provided inside the refrigerator body 1.

(Refrigerator compartment 2)
The refrigerator compartment 2 is located at the top of the multiple storage compartments, and cools and stores food and the like. The refrigerator compartment 2 is maintained at a refrigeration temperature range of, for example, about 3° C. by a temperature adjustment unit (not shown). A food storage shelf (not shown) is installed horizontally in the refrigerator compartment 2. Food and the like are placed on the food storage shelf (not shown) and refrigerated. A left refrigerator compartment door 10 and a right refrigerator compartment door 11 are located in front of the refrigerator compartment 2. The left refrigerator compartment door 10 and the right refrigerator compartment door 11 are supported by the refrigerator body 1 by hinges (not shown) and are double-door doors that open and close the refrigerator compartment 2. In addition, the left refrigerator compartment door 10 or the right refrigerator compartment door 11 is provided with a setting operation unit (not shown) that allows a user to operate the temperature setting in the storage compartment and the like.

(Refrigerator interior switching compartment 41)
A second selectable compartment, a refrigerator compartment selectable compartment 41 (chilled compartment), is formed below the refrigerator compartment 2. The refrigerator compartment selectable compartment 41 is formed by partitioning the lower part of the refrigerator compartment 2, and is partitioned from the refrigerator compartment 2 by a shelf 76 and a storage container 75. The storage container 75 is made of, for example, polystyrene. The refrigerator compartment selectable compartment 41 is kept at a temperature range selected from a freezing temperature range of about -18°C, a soft freezing temperature range of -10°C to -4°C, or a chilled temperature range of -3°C to 3°C by a temperature adjustment unit. The temperature of the refrigerator compartment selectable compartment 41 is controlled by opening and closing a refrigerator compartment selectable compartment airflow regulator (not shown) described later or by heating by a heating device 70.

(Ice-making room 3)
The ice-making compartment 3 is disposed below the refrigerator compartment 2, and produces and stores ice. The ice-making compartment 3 is maintained at a freezing temperature range, for example, at about -18°C, by a temperature adjustment unit. An ice-making compartment door 12 is located in front of the ice-making compartment 3. The ice-making compartment door 12 is a pull-out door that opens and closes the ice-making compartment 3.

(Switching Room 4)
The switchable compartment 4 is disposed to the side of the ice making compartment 3. The temperature regulator keeps the switchable compartment 4 at a temperature range selected from a freezing temperature range of about -18°C or a soft freezing temperature range of about -7°C. The soft freezing temperature range may be any temperature between -10°C and -4°C. A switchable compartment door 13 is located in front of the switchable compartment 4. The switchable compartment door 13 is a drawer-type door that opens and closes the switchable compartment 4.

(Vegetable compartment 5)
The vegetable compartment 5 is disposed below the ice-making compartment 3 and the switchable compartment 4, and mainly stores vegetables. The vegetable compartment 5 is kept in a refrigerated temperature range, for example, at about 6°C, by a temperature adjustment unit. Note that the humidity of the vegetable compartment 5 may be adjusted in addition to the temperature. A vegetable compartment door 14 is located in front of the vegetable compartment 5. The vegetable compartment door 14 is a pull-out door that opens and closes the vegetable compartment 5.

(Freezer 6)
The freezer compartment 6 is disposed below the vegetable compartment 5, and freezes and stores food and the like. The freezer compartment 6 is maintained at a freezing temperature range, for example, at about -18°C, by a temperature adjustment unit. A freezer compartment door 15 is located in front of the freezer compartment 6. The freezer compartment door 15 is a drawer-type door that opens and closes the freezer compartment 6.

Note that the number and arrangement of the storage compartments described above are merely examples and are not limited to these numbers and arrangements.

(Cooling chamber 20)
Inside the refrigerator body 1, a cooling chamber 20 and an air passage are formed on the rear surface 1b side of the storage space 1c. The cooling chamber 20 is a space in which a cooler 21 and a blower fan 22 are arranged. The air passage is a space through which the cold air generated by the cooler 21 and sent by the blower fan 22 passes.

(Temperature adjustment unit)
The temperature adjustment unit is a device that adjusts the temperature of the storage compartment. The temperature adjustment unit has a compressor 39, a condenser (not shown), an expansion unit (not shown), a cooler 21, a blower fan 22, and an airflow regulator. The compressor 39, the condenser, and the expansion unit are arranged in a machine room 38 provided in the lower part of the back 1b side inside the refrigerator main body 1. The compressor 39 sucks in a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, compresses the sucked refrigerant, and discharges it into a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant. The condenser exchanges heat between the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant and air. The expansion unit is a pressure reducing valve or an expansion valve that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant and expands it. The cooler 21 is provided upstream of the air passage and serves as an evaporator to exchange heat between the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant and air, generating cold air. The blower fan 22 blows the cold air generated by the cooler 21 into the storage space 1c. The airflow regulator is, for example, a damper, and controls the amount of cold air sent to the storage space 1c by adjusting the opening degree. The air volume regulators consist of a refrigerator compartment air volume regulator 23, an ice-making compartment air volume regulator (not shown), and a switchable compartment air volume regulator (not shown). The refrigerator compartment air volume regulator 23 is installed in refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26, which is the outlet air duct for refrigerator compartment 2. The ice-making compartment air volume regulator (not shown) is installed in ice-making compartment outlet air duct (not shown), which is the outlet air duct for ice-making compartment 3. The switchable compartment air volume regulator (not shown) is installed in switchable compartment outlet air duct (not shown), which is the outlet air duct for switchable compartment 4.

Now, the operation of the temperature adjustment unit will be described. When the refrigerator 100 is in operation, the refrigerant sucked into the compressor 39 is compressed by the compressor 39 and discharged in a high-temperature, high-pressure gas state. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas state refrigerant discharged from the compressor 39 flows into the condenser. The refrigerant that flows into the condenser exchanges heat with the air, condenses, and liquefies. The liquid state refrigerant flows into the expansion section, where it is decompressed and expanded to become a low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant. The two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant flows into the cooler 21, which acts as an evaporator. The refrigerant that flows into the cooler 21 exchanges heat with the air, evaporates, and gasifies. At this time, the cooled air cools the inside of the refrigerator body 1. The evaporated low-temperature, low-pressure gas state refrigerant is then sucked into the compressor 39.

The cold air generated by the cooler 21 is shaped into a flow by the rotation of the blower fan 22 provided above the cooler 21. The cold air passes through the refrigerator compartment air volume regulator 23, the ice compartment air volume regulator (not shown), and the switchable compartment air volume regulator (not shown), and is blown out from the outlets, which are openings provided in each storage compartment, via the refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26, the ice compartment outlet air duct (not shown), and the switchable compartment outlet air duct (not shown). The cold air is blown out from the vegetable compartment outlet air duct (not shown) to the vegetable compartment 5. The cold air is blown out from the freezer compartment outlet air duct 30 to the freezer compartment 6, via the freezer compartment outlet air duct 31.

A fan grill 32 is provided between the ice-making compartment 3, the switchable compartment 4, and the vegetable compartment 5 and the rear surface 1b of the refrigerator body 1. The fan grill 32 has therein the refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26, the ice-making compartment outlet air duct (not shown), the switchable compartment outlet air duct (not shown), and the freezer compartment outlet air duct 30.

As shown in FIG. 3, the refrigerator compartment 2 has an opening on the front surface 2a, and the top surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 forms the bottom surface 2c of the refrigerator compartment 2. An attachment portion 62 is provided behind the top surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16. The air duct guide 35 is attached to the attachment portion 62 with screws or the like. The air duct guide 35 is also attached to the back surface 2b of the refrigerator compartment 2 formed by the inner box 50 with screws or the like. As shown in FIG. 4, inside the air duct guide 35, a third refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26c for sending cold air to the refrigerator compartment 2, and a refrigerator compartment switchable compartment outlet air duct 42 (see FIG. 8 described later) for sending cold air to the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment 41 are formed.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a plurality of refrigerator compartment air outlets 36 are formed on the front side of the air duct guide 35. The refrigerator compartment air outlets 36 are openings that communicate with the third refrigerator compartment air outlet duct 26c and allow the cold air flowing through the third refrigerator compartment air outlet duct 26c to be blown out into the refrigerator compartment 2. In addition, a refrigerator compartment switchable compartment air outlet 60 is formed on the front side of the air duct guide 35. The refrigerator compartment switchable compartment air outlet 60 is openings that communicate with the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment air outlet duct 42 and allow the cold air flowing through the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment air outlet duct 42 to be blown out into the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment 41 (chilled compartment) provided below the refrigerator compartment 2.

In the refrigerator compartment 2, the cold air passes through the third refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26c provided inside the air duct guide 35, and is blown into the refrigerator compartment 2 from multiple refrigerator compartment outlets 36 formed on the front side of the air duct guide 35, as shown by the arrows in Figure 7. The cold air that has been blown out from the multiple refrigerator compartment outlets 36 and circulated inside the refrigerator compartment 2 returns to the cooling compartment 20 through the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 (see Figure 8, described later) provided in the refrigerator compartment partition 16. In the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment 41, the cold air passes through the refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 42 provided inside the air duct guide 35, and is blown into the refrigerator compartment 41 from the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment outlet 60 formed on the front side of the air duct guide 35, as shown by the arrows in Figure 7. The cold air blown out from the refrigerator compartment switching compartment outlet 60 and circulated inside the refrigerator compartment switching compartment 41 returns to the cooling compartment 20 through the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 (see FIG. 8 described later) provided in the refrigerator compartment partition 16. In the following, the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 is also referred to as the return air duct inlet.

As shown in FIG. 2, a refrigerator compartment temperature detector 43 is provided in the refrigerator compartment 2 to detect the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 2. The refrigerator compartment temperature detector 43 is, for example, a thermistor. As shown in FIG. 4, a refrigerator compartment air volume regulator 23 capable of adjusting the amount of cold air flowing in is provided in the third refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26c. As shown in FIG. 2, a refrigerator compartment switchable compartment temperature detector 46 is provided in the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment 41 to detect the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 41. The refrigerator compartment temperature detector 46 is, for example, a thermistor. A refrigerator compartment switchable compartment air volume regulator (not shown) capable of adjusting the amount of cold air flowing in is provided in the refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 42.

(Control unit 48)
A control unit 48 is provided at an upper portion on the rear surface 1b side inside the refrigerator body 1. The control unit 48 controls opening and closing of the refrigerator compartment air volume regulator 23 and the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment air volume regulator (not shown) based on temperature information detected by the refrigerator compartment temperature detector 43 and the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment temperature detector 46.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a sealant 55 is attached to the back surface 35a of the air passage guide 35. The sealant 55 is pressed against the inner box 50 that forms the back surface 2b of the refrigerator compartment 2, and the air passage guide 35 is screwed to the refrigerator compartment partition 16 and the inner box 50 (back surface 2b of the refrigerator compartment 2). The sealant 55 is provided to cover the back surface protrusion 57a of the upper outer casing 56a that forms the upper part of the outer casing 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, and the lower side of the back surface 35a of the air passage guide 35, and seals the gap between the air passage guide 35 and the inner box 50. Separate sealants 59 are provided between the refrigerator compartment partition 16 and the air passage guide 35, and between the refrigerator compartment partition 16 and the fan grill 32, respectively, to prevent cold air from leaking from each air passage.

As shown in FIG. 4, the refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26 is composed of a first refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26a formed in the fan grill 32, a second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26b formed in the refrigerator compartment partition 16, and a third refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26c formed in the air duct guide 35. In the following, the second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26b is also referred to as the partition air duct, and the third refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26c is also referred to as the guide air duct.

The refrigerator compartment partition 16 is filled with polystyrene foam 54a and urethane foam 54b (see FIG. 10 described later) as heat insulating materials. The outer casing 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 is made of resin. The refrigerator compartment partition 16 has a water channel 53 formed in the upper part of the upper outer casing 56a constituting the outer casing 56. The water channel 53 is formed by recessing the upper part of the upper outer casing 56a downward, and is disposed below the back surface 35a of the air passage guide 35 and the sealing material 55. The water channel 53 is provided on the upper surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 along the back surface 35a of the air passage guide 35. As shown in FIG. 5, the refrigerator compartment partition 16 has a water storage section 58 on the right side of the air passage guide 35 on the upper surface 16a. The bottom surface 53a of the water channel 53 is an inclined surface that slopes toward the water storage section 58. In addition, the bottom surface of the water storage section 58 is lower than the bottom surface 53a of the water channel 53.

As shown in FIG. 4, the rear projection 57a is provided behind the water passage 53 and serves as a guide to guide condensation water that occurs between the rear surface 35a of the air passage guide 35 and the sealing material 55 to the water passage 53. The rear projection 57a also constitutes part of the rear surface 57 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 and is provided on the rear side of the upper outer casing 56a, with part of the rear surface 57 projecting upward. The lower part of the sealing material 55 is provided between the rear projection 57a and the rear surface 35a of the air passage guide 35, and the part of the sealing material 55 above the upper end of the rear projection 57a is provided between the inner box 50 (the rear surface 2b of the refrigerator compartment 2) and the rear surface 35a of the air passage guide 35.

In the refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment, the gap between the inner box 50 and the rear surface 35a of the air passage guide 35 is sealed with a sealant 55. However, due to unevenness of the sealant 55, unevenness of the rear surface 35a of the air passage guide 35, and unevenness of the inner box 50 (rear surface 2b of the refrigerator compartment 2) that occur during manufacturing, the gap between the inner box 50 and the rear surface 35a of the air passage guide 35 may not be completely sealed, and a gap D (see the enlarged view of FIG. 4) may be partially formed between the inner box 50 and the sealant 55. When such a gap D is formed, the insulation property of the rear surface 35a side of the air passage guide 35 decreases, so that condensation is likely to occur in the gap D due to the temperature difference between the cold air in the refrigeration temperature range that flows through the gap D during normal use of the refrigerator 100 and the cold air that flows through the third refrigerator compartment outlet air passage 26c and the refrigerator compartment switchable air passage 42. If the condensation water generated by such condensation remains in the refrigerator compartment 2, it can cause mold, which has been a hygiene problem for the refrigerator compartment 2. Therefore, in the first embodiment, a water channel 53 that receives condensed water below the sealing material 55 is formed on the upper surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16. This allows the condensed water to flow between the inner box 50 and the rear surface 35a of the air passage guide 35 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 4, and drop down the rear surface protrusion 57a into the water channel 53. The bottom surface 53a of the water channel 53 has an inclined surface that slopes toward the water storage section 58, and the bottom surface of the water storage section 58 is lower than the bottom surface 53a of the water channel 53. Therefore, the condensed water that falls into the water channel 53 easily flows into the water storage section 58, and is easily stored in the water storage section 58.

Figure 8 is a view of the B-B cross section of the refrigerator 100 shown in Figure 2, viewed in the direction of the arrows. Figure 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the water storage section 58 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 and its surroundings in the view shown in Figure 8. Figure 10 is a view of the E-E cross section of the refrigerator 100 shown in Figure 8, viewed in the direction of the arrows. Figure 11 is a view of the Z-Z cross section of the refrigerator 100 shown in Figure 6, viewed in the direction of the arrows. Figure 12 is a side view of an enlarged view of the shelf 76 and the water storage section 58 and their surroundings in the view shown in Figure 10. Note that the outer box 51, the insulation material 52, and the air duct guide 35 are omitted in Figures 8 and 9.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9, a mounting portion 62 is provided on the rear side of the top surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, part of which protrudes upward. The mounting portion 62 is the portion where the air duct guide 35 is attached to the refrigerator compartment partition 16. The dashed line X1 in Figure 8 is the area where the air duct guide 35 is attached, and the inside of the dashed line X1 corresponds to the mounting portion 62.

The mounting portion 62 has an opening 63 inside, and the second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26b and the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment outlet air duct 42 are arranged inside this opening 63. The second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26b and the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment outlet air duct 42 are formed by penetrating the polystyrene foam 54a filled in the refrigerator compartment partition 16 from top to bottom.

On the left side of the mounting section 62, a wiring storage section 64 and a wiring restraining section 65 are provided adjacent to the mounting section 62. The wiring storage section 64 is a section formed by partially recessing the rear side of the upper surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 downward, and stores multiple wirings. The multiple wirings include a wiring having one end connected to an electronic board (not shown) and the other end connected to the heating device 70, and a wiring having one end connected to the electronic board and the other end connected to the refrigerator compartment air volume regulator 23 that adjusts the air volume of the second refrigerator compartment blowing air duct 26b within the air duct guide 35. The wiring restraining section 65 is a member that stores the multiple wirings in the wiring storage section 64 so that they do not derail to the front side of the refrigerator compartment 2, and is a member that covers the multiple wirings from above so that they are not visible to the user.

A water passage 53 is formed on the rear side of the mounting portion 62, extending to the left and right adjacent to the mounting portion 62. This water passage 53 is provided on the upper surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 so as to overlap at least the left and right ends of the third refrigerator compartment outlet air passage 26c formed inside the air passage guide 35 and the left and right ends of the refrigerator compartment switchable air passage 42 when viewed from the front. Therefore, the water passage 53 can receive condensation water generated between the inner box 50 (the rear surface 2b of the refrigerator compartment 2) and the rear surface 35a of the air passage guide 35 without leaking. The water passage 53 is also provided up to the right end of the mounting portion 62, and is further extended from there so as to be connected to the water storage section 58 adjacent to the right side of the mounting portion 62. With this structure, condensation water that occurs between the inner box 50 (rear face 2b of the refrigerator compartment 2) and the rear face 35a of the air path guide 35 due to the temperature difference between the cold air passing through the air path guide 35 and the cold air inside the refrigerator compartment 2 can be received by the water path 53 and then flowed to the water storage section 58 for storage.

The water storage section 58 is provided adjacent to the right side of the mounting section 62, and has a refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 provided adjacent to the water storage section 58 on its right side. In other words, the water storage section 58 is provided in a position sandwiched between the mounting section 62 and the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 in the left-right direction. By providing the water storage section 58 adjacent to the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 in this way, when the cold air circulating in the refrigerator compartment 2 flows into the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66, the cold air passing over the water storage section 58 collects water vapor from the condensed water in the water storage section 58, and the water vapor collected by the cold air finally returns to the cooling chamber 20 together with the cold air. Thus, the cold air in the refrigerator compartment 2 can be used to evaporate the condensed water. In addition, the water storage section 58 is located adjacent to the cold air return duct inlet (refrigerator compartment return duct inlet 66), but the cold air flowing through the return duct inlet is at a higher temperature than the cold air flowing through the outlet, so condensed water is easier to evaporate compared to when the water storage section 58 is located adjacent to the cold air outlet, and the evaporation speed can be increased.

Also, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, an opening 76a is formed in the shelf 76 that divides the refrigerator compartment 2 and the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment 41 into upper and lower compartments. This opening 76a is formed above the water storage section 58, and the cold air circulated in the refrigerator compartment 2 flows in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 12 and flows through this opening 76a to the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66. In other words, when the cold air circulated in the refrigerator compartment 2 flows to the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66, it is easy for it to pass over the water storage section 58 formed below the opening 76a, so that the cold air passing over the water storage section 58 can easily collect water vapor from the condensed water in the water storage section 58. Therefore, the evaporation speed can be further increased by using the cold air in the refrigerator compartment 2.

As shown in Figure 8, a first wall portion 67 protruding upward from the top surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 is provided in front of the water storage portion 58. A second wall portion 68 protruding upward from the top surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 is provided between the water storage portion 58 and the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66. The water storage portion 58 is surrounded by the first wall portion 67, the second wall portion 68, and the side surface 62a of the mounting portion 62. The second wall portion 68 acts as a dam to prevent condensation water stored in the water storage portion 58 from leaking into the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66. The height (vertical width) of the first wall portion 67 is lower than that of the second wall portion 68. In this way, by setting the height of the first wall portion 67 and the second wall portion 68, if the water generated by condensation cannot be stored in the water storage portion 58 and overflows, the condensed water flows to the front side of the water storage portion 58 through the first wall portion 67, which is lower than the second wall portion 68. This makes it possible to prevent condensed water from flowing into the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66, and to prevent poor cooling due to frost caused by condensation in the refrigerator compartment return air duct, odor transfer to other storage compartments through condensation, and condensed water from getting on the compressor 39 of the machine compartment 38, etc.

In the first embodiment, the water storage section 58 is located to the right of the mounting section 62, but this is not limiting. The water storage section 58 may be located on either the right or left side of the mounting section 62. The inclination direction of the water passage 53 is determined by the position of the water storage section 58, and may be downward to the right or downward to the left. The water storage section 58 is formed next to the mounting section 62 behind the storage container 75 placed in the refrigerator compartment 2, so that the water storage section 58 is hidden behind the storage container 75 and difficult for the user to see, making it difficult for the user to see the condensation water.

A heating device 70 is provided in the refrigerator compartment partition 16, and the heating device 70 includes a metal part 71 and a heating wire 72. The dashed line X2 in FIG. 8 is the metal part 71 provided in the refrigerator compartment partition 16. The metal part 71 is attached to the back side of the upper surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 and fixed inside the refrigerator compartment partition 16. The metal part 71 is, for example, a plate-shaped aluminum material. The dashed line X3 in FIG. 8 is the heating wire 72 provided in the refrigerator compartment partition 16. The heating wire 72 is electrically connected to an electronic board (not shown), and generates heat when power is supplied from the electronic board, providing heat to the metal part 71. The heating wire 72 is provided so as to be in contact with the metal part 71 and to meander inside it. The heating device 70 is a heater that adjusts the temperature to prevent food stored in the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment 41 in the refrigerator compartment 2 from freezing. In the first embodiment, the heating device 70 uses the current generated by the heating device 70 to remove the supercooling of food, and to heat the refrigerator compartment partition 16 in which the water storage section 58 is formed, thereby indirectly heating and evaporating the condensed water.

As shown in FIG. 8, the left and right sides of the top surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 are provided with protrusions 73 that protrude upward from the top surface 16a. These left and right protrusions 73 extend in the front-to-rear direction. The left and right protrusions 73 are members that support the bottom surface of the storage container 75, and the storage container 75 is inserted and removed from the refrigerator compartment 2 back and forth so that it slides along the protrusions 73. The interior of the storage container 75 corresponds to the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment 41.

　Door opening/closing detectors 19a-19d are provided on the inside of the front portion 16b of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, respectively, to detect the opening and closing of the refrigerator compartment left door 10, refrigerator compartment right door 11, ice-making compartment door 12, and switch compartment door 13. The door opening/closing detectors 19a-19d are installed in the refrigerator compartment partition 16 so that when the refrigerator 100 is viewed from the front, the refrigerator compartment left door 10, refrigerator compartment right door 11, ice-making compartment door 12, and switch compartment door 13 overlap with the door opening/closing detectors 19a-19d when each door is closed. The door opening/closing detectors 19a-19d are, for example, reed switches, and detect when each door is opened or closed. A magnet (not shown) is provided on each door in a position facing the door opening/closing detectors 19a-19d.

In the first embodiment, the control unit 48 uses the door opening/closing detectors 19a to 19d to set non-use time periods for the refrigerator 100. During non-use time periods, the user has few opportunities to use the refrigerator 100, and the left and

right refrigerator doors

10 and 11 are rarely opened or closed. For this reason, food and other items stored in the refrigerator interior switchable compartment 41 are unlikely to be released from a supercooled state due to temperature changes caused by the opening and closing of the left and

right refrigerator doors

10 and 11. Therefore, the control unit 48 controls the food and other items stored in the refrigerator interior switchable compartment 41 to be in a supercooled state, and maintains the food and other items from freezing.

During non-use periods, the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment 41 drops to the supercooling temperature. After the supercooling time has elapsed, the control unit 48 sets the target temperature of the refrigerator compartment 41 to the normal temperature and turns on the heating device 70 to heat the refrigerator compartment 41. The control unit 48 repeats this procedure at regular intervals. The control unit 48 learns periods when the door is opened and closed less frequently, and performs the heating process for the refrigerator compartment 41 during periods when the door is expected to be opened and closed less frequently.

When the heating device 70 is turned ON, that is, during the temperature rise process, the rotation speed of the blower fan 22 is reduced, and the opening of the refrigerator compartment air volume regulator 23 and the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment air volume regulator is closed more than during normal operation, reducing the amount of cold air flowing toward the refrigerator compartment 2. In this way, even when the heating device 70 is turned ON, the heating of the cold air circulating inside the refrigerator 100 is suppressed, making it less likely that the effects of a rise in temperature will be felt. Note that when the heating device 70 is ON, the operation of the compressor 39 is stopped.

As shown in FIG. 10, the outer shell 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 is composed of an upper outer shell 56a constituting the upper part of the outer shell 56 and a lower outer shell 56b constituting the lower part of the outer shell 56. Inside the outer shell 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, that is, between the upper outer shell 56a and the lower outer shell 56b, a space in which polystyrene foam 54a, which is a heat insulating material, is provided and a space in which urethane foam 54b, which is a heat insulating material, is filled are formed, and a partition wall portion 74 is provided between these spaces. The partition wall portion 74 divides the space in which polystyrene foam 54a is filled from the space in which urethane foam 54b is filled so that pressure is not applied to the polystyrene foam 54a when the urethane foam 54b is filled. Inside the outer shell 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, the space in front of the partition wall portion 74 is filled with urethane foam 54b, and the space behind the partition wall portion 74 is filled with polystyrene foam 54a.

Here, as shown in FIG. 8, the second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26b, the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment outlet air duct 42, and the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 are provided at the rear side of the refrigerator compartment partition 16. Therefore, when filling with foamed urethane 54b, the second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26b, the refrigerator compartment switchable compartment outlet air duct 42, and the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 may be deformed by the pressure of foamed urethane 54b. In addition, since the wiring storage section 64 is provided at the rear side of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, the shape becomes complex, and it is difficult to hold the outer shell 56 with a jig around the wiring storage section 64. Therefore, in the space inside the outer shell 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, polystyrene foam 54a is provided at the rear side where the air duct and wiring storage section 64 are provided, and foamed urethane 54b with high thermal insulation performance is filled at the front side. By configuring the refrigerator compartment partition 16 in this way, in the area where the polystyrene foam 54a is provided in the outer casing 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, deformation of the second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26b, the refrigerator compartment switchable room outlet air duct 42, and the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66 is suppressed even if the upper outer casing 56a and the lower outer casing 56b are not held down with a jig. In addition, since a jig is not required in this area, the freedom of the structure of the upper outer casing 56a and the lower outer casing 56b is increased, and the cost associated with processing the jig is reduced. In other words, the polystyrene foam 54a is provided around the air duct in the space inside the outer casing 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16.

Also, as shown in Figure 10, the heating device 70, which includes a metal part 71 and a heating wire 72, is provided in the space filled with urethane foam 54b inside the refrigerator compartment partition 16, and in Figure 10, the cross section of the metal part 71 and the heating wire 72 can be seen in the cross section of the urethane foam 54b. Note that in the first embodiment, polystyrene foam 54a is provided in part of the space inside the outer casing 56 to obtain the effect described above, but the entire space inside the outer casing 56 may be a space filled with urethane foam 54b.

As described above, the first wall 67, which is lower than the second wall 68, is provided in front of the water storage section 58. Therefore, when the water generated by condensation cannot be stored in the water storage section 58 and overflows, the condensed water flows through the first wall 67 to the front of the water storage section 58. As a result, the condensed water can be prevented from flowing to the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66, and the poor cooling caused by frost due to condensation in the refrigerator compartment return air duct, the transfer of odors to other storage compartments through condensation, and the condensed water can be prevented from splashing on the compressor 39 of the machine compartment 38. The condensed water that flows to the front of the water storage section 58 is indirectly heated by the heat of the heating device 70 provided in front of the water storage section 58 in the refrigerator compartment partition 16, that is, the heating device 70 located below the condensed water that flows to the front of the water storage section 58. This can speed up the evaporation speed of the condensed water.

As shown in FIG. 8, the partition wall 74 is provided at the boundary between the wiring storage section 64, the mounting section 62, and the water storage section 58, and the bottom surface 2c of the refrigerator compartment 2 in which the storage container 75 is stored. As shown in FIG. 10, the partition wall 74 is provided linearly on the left and right sides inside the outer casing 56 of the refrigerator compartment divider 16, along the first wall section 67 of the water storage section 58. Providing the partition wall 74 in this manner makes it easier to shape the polystyrene foam 54a, and makes it possible to insulate the areas below the wiring storage section 64 and the mounting section 62, and below the water storage section 58 with a single piece of polystyrene foam 54a.

As described above, in the first embodiment, the refrigerator compartment partition 16 has the water passage 53 formed in the upper part of the upper outer casing 56a constituting the outer casing 56. The water passage 53 is formed by recessing the upper part of the upper outer casing 56a downward, and is formed below the back surface 35a of the air passage guide 35 and the sealing material 55. The refrigerator compartment partition 16 also has a water storage section 58 on the right side of the air passage guide 35 on its upper surface 16a. The bottom surface 53a of the water passage 53 is an inclined surface that slopes toward the water storage section 58. The bottom surface of the water storage section 58 is lower than the bottom surface 53a of the water passage 53. The water passage 53 and the water storage section 58 are also provided adjacent to the mounting section 62. In this way, the distance of the water passage 53 can be reduced compared to a configuration in which the water passage 53 is routed to the refrigerator compartment return air passage inlet 66. In addition, the drainage distance of condensation water is shortened by providing the water storage section 58 in the refrigerator compartment 2. Furthermore, the water channel 53 and the water storage section 58 are provided on the upper surface 16a of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, so the number of parts is reduced and the cost of the manufacturing process can be reduced.

The bottom surface of the water storage section 58 may be flat or may be sloped so that it becomes lower as it approaches the front. If it is sloped so that it becomes lower as it approaches the front, the condensed water will be guided in a direction approaching the heating device 70, and the evaporation speed of the condensed water can be increased.

In addition, a heating device 70 is provided in front of the water storage section 58 inside the refrigerator compartment partition 16, so the bottom surface of the water storage section 58 is indirectly heated by the heat from the heating device 70 through the outer casing 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, which speeds up the evaporation of condensed water.

Furthermore, a first wall portion 67 is provided in front of the water storage portion 58, and a second wall portion 68 is provided between the water storage portion 58 and the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66. The height (vertical width) of the first wall portion 67 is lower than that of the second wall portion 68. In this way, when the water generated by condensation cannot be stored in the water storage portion 58 and overflows, the condensed water flows through the first wall portion 67 to the front side of the water storage portion 58. This makes it possible to prevent the condensed water from flowing to the refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet 66, and to prevent poor cooling due to frost caused by condensation in the refrigerator compartment return air duct, odor transfer to other storage compartments via condensation, and condensed water from getting on the compressor 39 of the machine compartment 38, etc. The condensation water that flows to the front of the water storage section 58 is indirectly heated through the outer shell 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16 by the heat of the heating device 70 provided in front of the water storage section 58 in the refrigerator compartment partition 16, that is, the heating device 70 located below the condensation water that flows to the front of the water storage section 58. This makes it possible to speed up the evaporation of the condensation water.

As described above, the refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment includes a refrigerator body 1 having a storage space 1c in which objects to be cooled are stored, and a cooling chamber 20 formed on the rear side 1b side of the storage space 1c and generating cold air, a partition provided inside the refrigerator body 1 to divide the storage space 1c into a plurality of storage chambers, an air passage guide 35 provided on the rear side of the first storage chamber formed above the partition and controlled to a refrigeration temperature range, communicating with an air passage inside the partition, and having an air passage inside the guide formed therein for sending cold air from the cooling chamber 20 into the first storage chamber, and the upper surface of the partition is provided with a water passage 53 for receiving condensation water generated on the surface of the air passage guide 35, a water storage section 58 connected to the water passage 53 and having a bottom surface lower than the water passage 53 for storing the condensation water, and a return air passage inlet through which the cold air in the first storage chamber passes when returning to the cooling chamber 20, and the water storage section 58 is provided adjacent to the return air passage inlet.

According to the refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment, the upper surface of the partition is provided with a water passage 53 for receiving condensation water generated on the surface of the air passage guide 35, a water storage section 58 connected to the water passage 53 and having a lower bottom than the water passage 53 for storing condensation water, and a return air passage inlet through which the cold air in the first storage chamber passes when returning to the cooling chamber 20, and the water storage section 58 is disposed adjacent to the return air passage inlet. Therefore, when the cold air circulated in the first storage chamber flows into the return air passage inlet, the water vapor from the condensation water stored in the water storage section 58 is collected by the cold air passing over the water storage section 58. Therefore, the condensation water in the water storage section 58 can be evaporated using the cold air in the first storage chamber. In other words, the structure for collecting and evaporating the condensation water is composed of the water passage 53 and the water storage section 58 provided on the upper surface of the partition, so that the number of parts is smaller than in the past, and costs can be reduced. In addition, the water storage section 58 is located adjacent to the return air duct inlet, but the temperature of the cold air flowing through the return air duct inlet is higher than that of the cold air flowing through the outlet, so condensed water is easier to evaporate compared to when the water storage section 58 is located adjacent to the cold air outlet, and the evaporation speed can be increased.

In addition, in the refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1, the bottom surface 53a of the water channel 53 has an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the water storage section 58.

The refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment makes it easier for the condensation water that has fallen into the water channel 53 to flow into the water storage section 58 and to be stored in the water storage section 58.

In addition, in the refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment, a sealant 55 is provided between the rear surface of the first storage compartment and the rear surface 35a of the air passage guide 35.

In the refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment, the gap between the rear surface of the first storage compartment and the rear surface 35a of the air passage guide 35 can be sealed with a sealing material 55, thereby suppressing condensation.

In addition, in the refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1, the water passage 53 is provided on the top surface of the partition along the rear surface 35a of the air passage guide 35, and is provided so as to overlap at least the left and right ends of the air passage within the partition and the left and right ends of the air passage within the guide when the refrigerator body 1 is viewed from the front.

The refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment can receive condensation water that occurs between the rear surface of the first storage compartment and the rear surface 35a of the air passage guide 35 without leakage.

The refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment also includes a heating device 70 provided inside the partition and in front of the water storage section 58.

In the refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment, the bottom surface of the water storage section 58 is indirectly heated by the heat of the heating device 70 through the outer shell of the partition, so that the evaporation speed of the condensed water can be increased.

In addition, in the refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment, the upper surface of the partition is provided with a first wall portion 67 located between the water storage portion 58 and the heating device 70 and protruding upward, and a second wall portion 68 located between the water storage portion 58 and the return air duct inlet and protruding upward, and the first wall portion 67 is lower than the second wall portion 68.

According to the refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment, when the water generated by condensation cannot be stored in the water storage section 58 and overflows, the condensed water flows through the first wall section 67 to the front side of the water storage section 58. As a result, the condensed water can be prevented from flowing to the return air duct inlet, and poor cooling due to frost caused by condensation in the return air duct, odor transfer to other storage compartments via condensation, and condensed water from splashing on the compressor 39 of the machine compartment 38, etc. can be prevented. The condensed water that flows to the front side of the water storage section 58 is indirectly heated by the heat of the heating device 70 provided in front of the water storage section 58 inside the partition, that is, the heating device 70 located below the condensed water that flows to the front side of the water storage section 58. This can speed up the evaporation speed of the condensed water.

Furthermore, the refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment is provided with a shelf 76 that divides the first storage compartment into upper and lower compartments, and the shelf 76 has an opening 76a above the water storage section 58 through which the cold air in the first storage compartment passes when returning to the cooling compartment 20.

According to the refrigerator 100 of the first embodiment, the cold air circulated in the first storage compartment flows through the opening 76a formed above the water storage section 58 to the return air duct entrance. In other words, when the cold air circulated in the first storage compartment flows to the return air duct entrance, it is easy for it to pass over the water storage section 58 formed below the opening 76a, so that the cold air passing over the water storage section 58 can easily collect water vapor from the condensed water in the water storage section 58. Therefore, the evaporation speed can be further increased by using the cold air in the first storage compartment.

Embodiment 2.
Hereinafter, the second embodiment will be described, but explanations of parts that overlap with the first embodiment will be omitted, and parts that are the same as or equivalent to the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a horizontal cross section of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 2. FIG. 14 is a side view of a vertical cross section of refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 2. Note that FIG. 13 is a view of a cross section at the same position as cross section B-B in FIG. 2, seen in the direction of the arrows. Also, FIG. 14 is a view of a cross section at the same position as cross section E-E in FIG. 8, seen in the direction of the arrows.

Embodiment 2 differs from embodiment 1 in the following three respects. The first is that inside the outer shell 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, there is no partition wall at the boundary between the water storage section 58 and the bottom surface 2c of the refrigerator compartment 2 in which the storage container 75 is stored, i.e., at the front side of the water storage section 58. The second is that a heating device 70, i.e., a metal section 71 and a heating wire 72, is provided not only in front of but also below the water storage section 58. The third is that the space below the water storage section 58 is filled with urethane foam 54b.

Regarding the first point, in the refrigerator compartment partition 16 according to the second embodiment, in order to place the heating device 70 below the water storage section 58 inside the outer casing 56, as shown in FIG. 13, the partition wall is divided into two parts, a first partition wall part 79 and a second partition wall part 80, and no partition wall part is provided in front of the water storage section 58. The first partition wall part 79 has an L-shape bent along the side surface 62a of the mounting section 62, as shown by the dashed line X4 in FIG. 13. The second partition wall part 80 has an L-shape bent along the second wall part 68, as shown by the dashed line X5 in FIG. 13. Regarding the second point, in the refrigerator compartment partition 16 according to the second embodiment, in the outer casing 56, no partition wall part is provided in front of the water storage section 58, and part of the heating device 70, i.e., part of the metal part 71 and the heating wire 72, is extended from the front side of the water storage section 58 to below the water storage section 58. Regarding the third point, in the refrigerator compartment partition 16 according to embodiment 2, since no partition wall is provided in front of the water storage section 58 inside the outer shell 56, the lower part of the water storage section 58 is filled with urethane foam 54b instead of polystyrene foam 54a.

As described above, in the second embodiment, a part of the heating device 70 is modified so that the heating device 70 is provided in the refrigerator compartment partition 16 so that it overlaps at least a part of the water storage section 58 in a plan view. Therefore, the bottom surface of the water storage section 58 is indirectly heated not only from the front side of the water storage section 58 but also from below the water storage section 58 by the heat of the heating device 70 via the outer casing 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, so that the evaporation of condensation water can be made faster than in the first embodiment. Furthermore, even if the water storage section 58 and the heating device 70 overlap partially, polystyrene foam 54a is provided as a heat insulating material between the second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26b and the heating device 70. Therefore, the thermal effect of the heating device 70 on the cold air flowing through the refrigerator compartment outlet air duct 26 can be suppressed.

As described above, in the refrigerator 100 according to the second embodiment, the heating device 70 is arranged so as to overlap at least a portion of the water storage section 58 when the refrigerator body 1 is viewed in plan.

In the refrigerator 100 according to the second embodiment, the bottom surface of the water storage section 58 is indirectly heated not only from the front side of the water storage section 58 but also from below the water storage section 58 by the heat of the heating device 70 via the outer casing 56 of the refrigerator compartment partition 16, so that the evaporation of condensation water can be made faster than in the first embodiment.

1 Refrigerator body, 1a front, 1b rear, 1c storage space, 2 Refrigerator compartment, 2a front, 2b rear, 2c bottom, 3 Ice maker compartment, 4 Switching compartment, 5 Vegetable compartment, 6 Freezer compartment, 10 Left refrigerator compartment door, 11 Right refrigerator compartment door, 12 Ice maker compartment door, 13 Switching compartment door, 14 Vegetable compartment door, 15 Freezer compartment door, 16 Refrigerator compartment partition, 16a Top, 16b Front, 17 First partition, 18 Second partition, 19a Door opening/closing detector, 19b Door opening/closing detector, 19c door opening/closing detector, 19d door opening/closing detector, 20 cooling compartment, 21 cooler, 22 blower fan, 23 refrigerator compartment air volume regulator, 26 refrigerator compartment outlet air duct, 26a first refrigerator compartment outlet air duct, 26b second refrigerator compartment outlet air duct, 26c third refrigerator compartment outlet air duct, 30 freezer compartment outlet air duct, 31 freezer compartment outlet, 32 fan grill, 35 air duct guide, 35a rear, 36 refrigerator compartment outlet, 38 machine room, 39 compressor, 41 refrigerator interior selectable compartment, 42 refrigerator interior selectable compartment blowing air duct, 43 refrigerator interior temperature detector, 46 refrigerator interior selectable compartment temperature detector, 48 control unit, 50 inner box, 51 outer box, 52 insulation material, 53 water channel, 53a bottom surface, 54a polystyrene foam, 54b urethane foam, 55 sealing material, 56 outer casing, 56a upper outer casing, 56b lower outer casing, 57 rear surface, 57a rear protrusion, 58 water storage part, 59 sealing material, 60 refrigerator interior switching compartment air outlet, 62 mounting part, 62a side, 63 opening, 64 wiring storage part, 65 wiring holding part, 66 refrigerator compartment return air duct inlet, 67 first wall part, 68 second wall part, 70 heating device, 71 metal part, 72 heating wire, 73 protrusion part, 74 partition wall part, 75 storage container, 76 shelf, 76a opening, 79 first partition wall part, 80 second partition wall part, 100 refrigerator.

Claims

a refrigerator body having a storage space in which an object to be cooled is stored and a cooling chamber formed on a rear side of the storage space and for generating cold air;
A partition provided inside the refrigerator body and dividing the storage space into a plurality of storage compartments;
an air passage guide provided on a rear surface of a first storage compartment formed above the partition and controlled to a refrigeration temperature range, communicating with an air passage inside the partition, and having an air passage inside the guide formed therein for sending cold air from the cooling compartment into the first storage compartment;
The upper surface of the partition is
a water channel for receiving condensation water generated on a surface of the air passage guide;
A water storage section that is connected to the water channel, has a bottom surface lower than the water channel, and stores the condensation water;
a return air duct inlet through which the cold air in the first storage chamber returns to the cooling chamber,
The water storage section is disposed adjacent to the return air duct inlet.
The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the water channel has an inclined surface that descends toward the water storage section.
The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a sealant provided between a rear surface of the first storage compartment and a rear surface of the air passage guide.
The waterway is
The partition is provided on an upper surface thereof along a rear surface of the air passage guide,
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the partition air passage is provided so as to overlap at least the left and right ends of the partition air passage and the left and right ends of the guide air passage when the refrigerator body is viewed from the front.
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a heating device provided inside the partition and in front of the water storage section.
The upper surface of the partition is
a first wall portion located between the water storage portion and the heating device and protruding upward;
a second wall portion located between the water storage portion and the return air passage inlet and protruding upward;
The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the first wall portion is lower than the second wall portion.
The heating device includes:
The refrigerator according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the water storage section is at least partially overlapped with the water storage section when the refrigerator body is viewed in a plan view.
a shelf that divides the first storage chamber into upper and lower compartments;
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the shelf has an opening above the water storage section through which the cold air in the first storage compartment passes when returning to the cooling compartment.