JP2001116421A - refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To form a dedicated refrigeration room and a switching room capable of switching to a temperature zone other than freezing without using a heat insulating partition in the freezing room. SOLUTION: A cooler 18 is arranged behind a freezing room, and a partition plate 28 provided with a blower 20 is erected in front of the cooler 18 to form a cool air generating chamber.
A cold air distribution chamber 21 comprising partition plates 28, 29 in front of the cold air generation chamber 19, having upper and lower cold air outlets 29a, 28e, and having a damper 30 inside the lower cool air outlet 28e. And an upper case 23 comprising an inner case 23A and an outer case 23B, which allows cool air to pass between them, at a position higher than the lower cool air outlet 28e. By providing a gasket 27 that shuts off the flow of cool air between the two, the upper part is a refrigeration room 9A and the lower part is a switching room 9B capable of switching room temperature, between the upper container 23 and the cool air generating room 19, and behind the switching room 9B. A cool air return duct 29b, 31 is provided between the cold air generation chamber 19 and the cool air generation chamber 19, respectively.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a switching room capable of switching between freezing and a temperature zone other than freezing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An outer box as shown in FIG.
The inside of a heat-insulating box 51 composed of 52, an inner box 53, and a heat-insulating material 54 is partitioned by a heat-insulating partition 55, 56 into a refrigerator compartment 57, a vegetable compartment 58, and a freezing compartment.
59, and the opening of the freezing compartment 59 is divided into upper and lower parts by a heat insulating partition body 60, and dedicated doors 61, 6 are respectively provided.
2, 63, 64 are provided, and the door 61 of the refrigerator compartment 57 is located at the upper part, so that one side is pivotally opened and closed freely, and the door 62 of the vegetable compartment 58 and the door 63, 64 of the freezer compartment 59 are either The drawers are also of a drawer type, and frame-shaped supports 68, 69, and 70 for supporting drawer containers 65, 66, and 67, respectively, are integrally provided behind them.

[0003] Behind the vegetable room 58 is a cold air generation room 71,
A cooler 72 for generating cold air for the refrigerator compartment 57 and the vegetable compartment 58, and a blower 73 for forcibly circulating the generated cool air are arranged, and the generated cool air is passed through a duct 74 to the refrigerator compartment. It is supplied from 57 to a vegetable room 58, and returns to the lower part of the cool air generation room 71. Further, behind the freezing room 59, there is another cool air generating room 75, in which a cooler 76 and a blower 77 dedicated to the freezing room 59 are arranged, and the generated cool air is supplied from a cool air outlet in front of the blower 77. The temperature is supplied to the freezer compartment 59, and the temperature in the freezer compartment 59 is detected by a temperature sensor (not shown), and the compressor 78 is turned on / off so as to reach a predetermined temperature.
It is supposed to.

[0004] As another example, in addition to the above-described refrigerator compartment, vegetable compartment, and freezer compartment, the user can adjust the room temperature (inside temperature) according to the intended use by freezing and other than freezing. Some rooms have a switching room that can be switched to a belt.

[0005]

However, in the two examples described above, the former is inconvenient for the user because there is no switching room capable of switching the room temperature between freezing and a temperature zone other than freezing. In addition, the latter is convenient because it has a switching room, but the switching room is also provided with a dedicated door, so the amount of work required for assembling and installing the door is large, and in terms of productivity, It is disadvantageous, and a gasket is installed around the door inner plate to prevent cold air from leaking.However, the more doors, the more gasket is used and the cost increases. . Therefore, in the present invention, provided with a switching room that can be switched to a temperature zone other than freezing and freezing,
It is another object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator capable of improving productivity and reducing costs.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has a plurality of heat insulating partitions formed by filling a heat insulating material between an outer box and an inner box. The body is divided into a refrigerator compartment, a vegetable compartment, and a freezer compartment, a cooler is installed behind the freezer compartment, and a first partition plate provided with a blower for a forced air circulation blower is provided in front of the cooler. A cool air generation chamber provided with the cooler, and the first and second partition plates are provided in front of the cool air generation chamber, and the cool air blown by the blower is blown up and down by cold air. A cool air distribution chamber for distributing to the outlet is formed, and a damper is provided in a cool air outlet passage at a lower part of the cool air distribution chamber, and an upper container is provided at a position higher than a lower position of the cool air outlet, and a lower container is provided at a lower position. And the upper container is placed in the inner case. An air gap is formed between the outer case and the outer case, and a cool air inlet is provided at the front and left and right upper end surfaces, while an outlet is provided at the lower rear portion, and a gasket is provided at the outer peripheral lower end of the outer case. The upper part of the upper container is provided with a cooling chamber for shutting off the flow of cold air between the upper and lower portions of the freezing chamber, and a lower portion dedicated to freezing, and a lower portion capable of switching to a temperature zone other than freezing and freezing. A first return duct is provided between the outlet and the cold air generation chamber for returning the cold air in the refrigeration chamber to the cold air generation chamber, and a second air duct for returning the cold air in the switching chamber to the cold air generation chamber behind the switching chamber.
Is provided.

The first return duct is provided integrally with the second partition plate, and the first partition plate is provided with an opening through which the first return duct passes.

[0008] Further, an opening for connecting the outlet of the second return duct is provided on the bottom surface on the outlet side of the first return duct.

In addition, the cold air outlet is provided on the lower left and right sides of the back of the outer case, the first return duct communicating with the outlet, and the opening of the first partition plate passing the return duct. And the second return duct are provided on the left and right, respectively.

The left and right side walls of the cold air distribution chamber are formed integrally with one or both of the first partition plate and the second partition plate.

The door for the freezing chamber and the door for the switching chamber are integrated into a drawer, and a support for supporting the upper container so that the upper container can be freely taken in and out is provided at the rear upper part, and the lower container is detachably mounted at the lower rear part. A configuration is provided in which a supporting tool for supporting is provided.

A switching operation unit for switching the room temperature of the switching room between freezing and a temperature zone other than freezing, in front of a door of the refrigerating room or around an opening of the dedicated freezing room, which pivotally supports one of the upper and lower sides so as to be freely opened and closed. Is provided.

Further, the upper end of the second partition plate is bent and extended forward to form a cool air passage between the second partition plate and the upper heat insulating partition body. The configuration is provided.

Further, a heating device is provided between the bottom surface of the lower container and the switching chamber to raise the temperature of the switching chamber to a temperature zone other than freezing.

It is to be noted that the heating device comprises a heater portion and a support member for supporting the heater portion.

[0016]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a side view showing an internal configuration of a refrigerator of a forced air circulation system. In the figure, 1 is an outer box 2 made of a steel plate, an inner box 3 made of a synthetic resin,
A heat-insulating box made of a heat-insulating material 4 and the like.
And a freezing compartment (denoted with a reference numeral omitted). The upper portion of the freezing compartment is a dedicated freezing compartment 9A, and the lower portion is in a temperature zone other than freezing and freezing (eg, -3 ° C, 0 ° C, + 3 ° C, etc.). The switching room 9B can be switched.

The cold air generating chamber 10 provided behind the vegetable chamber 8
Has a cooler for generating cold air to the refrigerator compartment 7 and the vegetable compartment 8
A blower 13 for sending cool air to a cool air supply passage 12 and circulating the cool air from the refrigerator compartment 7 to the vegetable compartment 8 and further to the lower portion of the cool air generating chamber 10
The refrigerator compartment 7 is provided with a door 14 pivotally supported so as to be openable and closable, and the vegetable compartment 8 is provided with a drawer-type door 17 provided with a support 16 for supporting a drawer container 15.

On the other hand, behind the freezing room where the dedicated freezing room 9A and the switching room 9B coexist, a cool air generating chamber 19 provided with a cooler 18 is forcibly circulating the generated cold air to the freezing dedicated room 9A and the switching room 9B. Cool air distribution chamber with blower 20
21, a first return duct for returning the cold air in the refrigeration chamber 9A to the cold air generation chamber 19, a second return duct for returning the cold air in the switching chamber 9B to the cold air generation chamber 19, and the like are provided. However, these will be described later in detail.

Note that the refrigeration room 9A and the switching room 9
B front door 22 is an integrated drawer type,
A pair of left and right supports 24 are provided at the rear upper portion to freely support a drawer container (also referred to as an upper container) 23 of the freezing dedicated room 9A, and a lower portion thereof is provided at a lower portion thereof. A support 26 for detachably supporting the support 25 is provided.

FIG. 2 shows a drawer-type door 22 and a freezing room 9A.
Drawer container 23 and switch room 9B drawer container
The three-dimensional relationship with 25 is shown, and when the door 22 is pulled, only the lower drawer container 25 is pulled out while being supported by the support 26, and the upper drawer container 23 suppresses unnecessary temperature rise. Is left in the freezing room 9A so that it can be pulled out as needed.

The upper and lower drawer containers 23 and 25 will be described below. Figure 3 shows the upper drawer container (upper container)
The drawer container 23 has a double structure including an inner case 23A and an outer case 23B, and a gap is formed between the drawer container 23 and the slope 23a in front of the inner case 23A and the left and right sides. Are provided with a plurality of cool air intakes 23c and 23d respectively.
23B, a handle 23e as shown in FIG. 2 is provided on the front surface thereof, a flange 23f is provided on the left and right sides of the opening, and a cool air outlet 23g is provided on the lower left and right sides of the back. A gasket 27 is provided to block the air. Note that the front surface of the drawer container 23 is higher than the other surfaces, but this is for preventing cold air leakage when the door 22 is opened.

FIG. 4 shows a lower drawer container (lower container) 25.
This drawer container 25 is characterized in that the rear wall is lowered to make it easier for cool air from a cool air outlet described later to pass through the drawer container 25.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a main part for explaining the embodiment of the present invention in more detail, and FIG. 6 is a drawing for generating cool air and circulating the cool air to the dedicated refrigeration room 9A and the switching room 9B. 1 illustrates an example of a constituent member. By the way, as shown in FIG.
B is formed by first installing the cooler 18 behind one of the compartments originally partitioned as a freezing room, and arranging the first partition plate 28 in front of the cooler 18 to cool the refrigerator. A cold air generation chamber 19 equipped with a vessel 18 is completed.

In front of the cool air generating chamber 19, cool air generated by the cooler 18 is taken in by a blower 20 for forced air circulation,
There is a cold air distribution chamber 21 for distributing (supplying) to the refrigeration room 9A and the switching room 9B. The cold air distribution chamber 21 is composed of the first partition plate 28, the second partition plate 29 erected in front of the first partition plate 28, and the like. It consists of.

The first partition plate 28 has a blower opening 28a corresponding to the blower 20, left and right side walls 28b and 28c for guiding the cool air taken in by the blower 20 in the vertical direction,
Opening 28d for passing the outlet side of the return duct (29b)
And a groove 28e 'serving as a cool air outlet 28e toward the switching chamber 9B is provided in the lower center, and a damper 30 is attached thereto. The inner box 3 is located on the left and right of the groove 28e '.
There is a duct cover 28g having a U-shaped cross section provided with a plurality of locking sides 28f corresponding to the plurality of locking holes 3a provided in the (rear slope of the switching chamber 9B), which is fixed to the inner box 3,
A second return duct 31 for returning the cold air in the switching chamber 9B to the cold air generation chamber 19 is provided.

With respect to the first partition plate 28 described above,
Of the partition plate 29 is bent forward at the upper end thereof to form a cold air passage 32 between the partition plate 29 and the adiabatic partition 6 above the freezing compartment (freezing compartment 9A). A cold air outlet 29a, a front end corresponding to a cool air outlet 23g provided in the upper drawer container 23 at the lower left and right, and an opening 28d provided at the rear end of the first partition plate 28. And a first return duct 29b for returning cold air in the refrigeration chamber 9A to the cold air generation chamber 21 is provided, and the lower end is inclined and extended toward the switching chamber 9B. The surface 29c is formed with a groove 28e 'provided in the lower front of the first partition plate 28.
To form a lower cool air outlet 28e.

As shown in FIG. 5, the upper drawer container 23 is located at the front of a position higher than the cool air outlet 28e formed at the lower part of the cool air distribution chamber 21, and is provided at the lower end of the outer case 23B. The gasket 27 contacts the left and right side walls of the inner box 3, the inclined surface 29 c below the second partition plate 29, the inner surface plate 22 a of the door 22, and the like, so that the flow of cold air between the upper and lower freezer compartments is blocked, and The exclusive room 9A and the switching room 9B are completed below.

Further, behind the switching chamber 9B, there is a second return duct 31 for returning the cold air in the switching chamber 9B to the cold air generation chamber 19, which is, as described above, a first partition plate.
The upper end opening of the duct cover 28g is formed by fixing the left and right ends of a duct cover 28g provided integrally with the lower part of the inner cover 3 to the surface of the inner box 3. The cooling air is combined with the opening formed in the bottom surface on the outlet side of the return duct 29b, where the return cool air from the refrigeration dedicated room 9A and the switching room 9B merge, and returns to the lower part of the cool air generation chamber 19.

Although not shown, a dedicated temperature sensor is provided in each of the freezing chamber 9A and the switching chamber 9B, and the bottom of the switching chamber 9B and the drawer container are provided.
A heating device 33 including a heater that is energized when the temperature of the switching chamber 9B is raised from, for example, freezing to a temperature zone other than freezing, and a support member that supports the heater is provided between the switching device 9 and the switching chamber 9B. The switching of the temperature of the switching chamber 9B is performed, for example, by an operation unit 34 provided in front of the heat insulating partition 6 above the freezing dedicated chamber 9A.

As mentioned above, the freezing room 9A and the switching room 9B
Although the door 22 has been described, in the above-described configuration, the refrigeration chamber 9A is cooled by the cool air supplied from the cool air outlet 29a, and the returning cool air passes through the gap between the inner case 23A and the outer case 23B. It is returned to the lower part of the cool air generation chamber 19 via a first return duct 29b provided in the second partition plate 29. On the other hand, cold air to the switching room 9B is supplied to the cold air distribution room 21.
The return cool air is supplied from a cool air outlet 28e provided at the lower part of the cool air generation chamber 21 through the second return duct 31 behind the switching chamber 9B.

When the switching chamber 9B is set to a temperature zone other than freezing, a damper provided inside the cool air outlet 28e is provided.
The supply of the cool air to the switching chamber 9B is stopped by closing 30 and the heater 33 is energized, and the temperature of the switching chamber 9B rises due to the heat generated. The temperature of the switching room 9B is detected by a temperature sensor (not shown), and the temperature is adjusted by operating the damper 30 as necessary.

[0032]

In the refrigerator as described above, the drawer container provided at the upper part of the freezer compartment has a double structure, and the flow of cold air between the upper and lower portions of the freezer compartment is controlled by the gasket provided at the lower end of the outer periphery. Because it is shut off, the upper part can be used as a dedicated refrigeration room and the lower part can be used as a switching room that can switch between freezing and temperature zones other than freezing even if there is no thick insulated partition in the freezing room. There is an advantage that the number of parts can be reduced by integrating the doors of the freezing compartment and the switching compartment, and the assembling time and product cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a refrigerator showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part showing the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an upper container showing the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a lower container showing the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side sectional view of a main part of the refrigerator showing the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a component showing the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of a refrigerator showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of Signs] 1 Insulated box 5, 6 Insulated partition 9A Dedicated freezing room 9B Switching room 18 Cooler 19 Cold air generation room 20 Blower 21 Cold air distribution room 22 Door 23 Drawer container (upper container) 23A Inner case 23B Outer case 23c, 23d Cold air inlet 23e Handle 23g Cold air outlet 25 Drawer container (lower container) 27 Gasket 28 First partition plate 28e Cold air outlet 29 Second partition plate 29a Cold air outlet 29b First return duct 29c Inclined surface 30 Damper 31 Second return duct 33 Heating device (heater)

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. An interior of a heat insulating box formed by filling a heat insulating material between an outer box and an inner box is divided into a refrigerator room, a vegetable room, and a freezing room by a plurality of heat insulating partitions. A cooler is installed, and a first partition plate provided with a blower of a cool air forced circulation blower is provided in front of the cooler to form a cool air generation chamber provided with the cooler, and a cool air generation chamber is provided in front of the cool air generation chamber. The first partition plate and the second partition plate to form a cool air distribution chamber for distributing the cool air sent by the blower to upper and lower cool air outlets, and a cool air outlet at a lower portion of the cool air distribution chamber. A damper is provided in the passage, an upper container is provided in front of a lower position of the cool air outlet so as to be higher and a lower container is provided in front of a lower position so that the lower container can be taken in and out, and the upper container is composed of an inner case and an outer case. The gap is formed between the two by making a heavy structure, A cool air inlet is provided at the upper end surface of the outer case, an outlet is provided at the lower rear portion, a gasket is provided at the lower end of the outer case to block the flow of cool air between the upper and lower freezer compartments, the upper portion is a dedicated refrigeration room, Is a switching chamber capable of switching to a temperature zone other than freezing and freezing, and returning the cold air in the dedicated refrigeration chamber to the cold air generation chamber between the cold air outlet provided in the outer case of the upper container and the cold air generation chamber. A refrigerator, comprising: a first return duct; and a second return duct, which is provided behind the switching chamber and returns cold air in the switching chamber to the cold air generation chamber. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first return duct is provided integrally with the second partition plate, and the first partition plate is provided with an opening through which the first return duct passes. refrigerator. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein an opening for connecting an outlet of the second return duct is provided on a bottom surface on an outlet side of the first return duct. 4. An outlet for the cool air is provided on the lower left and right sides of a lower surface of the outer case, the first return duct communicating with the outlet, and an opening of the first partition plate passing the return duct. 4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first return duct and the second return duct are provided on the left and right, respectively. 5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein left and right side walls of the cold air distribution chamber are formed integrally with one or both of the first partition plate and the second partition plate. 6. A drawer type in which a door for the freezing chamber and a door for the switching chamber are integrated with each other, and a support member for supporting the upper container so that the upper container can be freely taken in and out is provided at the rear upper part, and the lower container is detachably mounted at a lower rear part. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a support member for supporting the refrigerator. 7. A switching operation unit for switching the room temperature of the switching room between freezing and a temperature zone other than freezing around a front of a door of the refrigerator compartment or an opening portion of the dedicated refrigeration compartment which pivotally supports one of the upper and lower sides so as to be freely opened and closed. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising: 8. An upper end portion of the second partition plate is bent and extended forward to form a cool air passage between the second partition plate and an upper heat insulating partition body, and a plurality of cool air outlets toward a dedicated refrigeration chamber are provided. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerator is provided. 9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a heating device provided between the bottom surface of the lower container and the switching room to raise the temperature of the switching room to a temperature zone other than freezing. 10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the heating device includes a heater portion and a support member that supports the heater portion.