JP2004011931A - Cooling chamber - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent an ice block and the like from being formed of defrosting water on the surface of a partition cover. <P>SOLUTION: The front surface of a cooler 21 is openably/closably provided with a cooler cover 31 having multiple inlets 35 opened therein. A bent plate 46 in the lower end part of the cooler cover 31 is closely fixed to a side plate of a drain pan 42 disposed in the lower part of the cooler 21 by a screw 49, a narrow, long, and rectangular-hole-shaped fitting hole 45 is laterally opened in the lower part in the formation region of the inlets 35, a guide plate 50 with an inverse V-shaped cross section is attached thereto, and its slope part 51 is upward diagonally projected to the surface side from a lower side mouth edge of the fitting hole 45. The defrosting water on the surface of the formation region of the inlets 35 is received by the slope part 51 of the guide plate 50, reaches the rear surface of the cooler cover 31 via the fitting hole 45, and inflows in the drain pan 42 along the bent plate 46 from the guide plate 50. This constitution can suppress the frosting water from being left on the cooler cover 31 as much as possible and eliminate the formation of the ice block even by a subsequent restart of the cooling operation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cooling box such as a quick freezing box.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as an example of a quick freezer, the one shown in FIG. 8 is known. In this apparatus, a storage chamber 2 is provided in a freezer main body 1 formed of a heat insulating box, and a cooler chamber 4 is formed on the right side of the figure with a partition cover 3 interposed therebetween, and a cooler 5 is provided therein. At the center height position, the inside fan 6 is accommodated on the upper and lower sides thereof, and the partition cover 3 has a plurality of suction ports 3A in front of the cooler 5 and outlets 3B in front of the inside fan 6. Are formed respectively. In the cooling operation, cool air is generated by heat exchange while the inside air sucked through the suction port 3A passes through the cooler 5, and this cool air is blown out from the outlet 3B into the storage chamber 2 by the inside fan 6. As a result, a circulating flow is generated, and foodstuffs and the like stored in the storage chamber 2 are rapidly frozen.
During this time, in addition to the cooler 5, the surface of the partition cover 3 near the area where the suction port 3A is formed also advances frost x to block the suction port 3A. Therefore, the defrosting operation is appropriately performed by energizing the defrost heater 7 provided in the cooler 5, and the frost x on the surface of the partition cover 3 is melted together with the vicinity of the cooler 5.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
On the other hand, in this type of cooling box, as shown in FIG. 8, there is a case where a wind direction plate 8 is provided at the front edge of the outlet 3B for the purpose of rectifying cool air from the fan 6 in the box. is there. In that case, the defrost water from the surface of the partition cover 3 acts to collect on the wind-facing plate 8 and then overflow from there to drop onto the bottom of the compartment. Then, when the defrosting operation is completed and the cooling operation is restarted, the water droplets accumulated on the wind direction plate 8 freeze to form ice blocks, and the dripping water droplets also freeze, and the defrosting operation and the cooling operation are repeated. Every time, as shown by a solid line in the figure, there is a possibility that the ice block y1 grows and icicle-like ice y2 is generated.
[0004]
When the ice block y1 on the wind direction plate 8 grows larger, the quality of the ice block comes into contact with the foodstuffs stored in the storage chamber 2 and the quality thereof is impaired, or the suction area is reduced by closing the suction port 3A, thereby lowering the cooling performance. Invite. Also, when the icicle-like ice y2 grows, it protrudes into a part of the outlet 3B, so that the blowout area decreases and the blowout resistance increases, which also leads to a decrease in cooling performance. The direction in which the cool air is blown also changes, and there is a possibility that uniform cooling of foods and the like may be hindered.
Even if the wind direction plate 8 is not provided as described above, if there is unevenness on the surface of the partition cover 3 at a position below the formation area of the suction port 3A, there is a possibility that ice blocks and whirl-like ice are similarly generated. is there.
The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to prevent the formation of ice blocks and the like from defrost water on the surface of a partition cover.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
As means for achieving the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a cooler in which a cooler and a fan inside the cooler are housed on one side wall side of a cooler main body having an interior for storing foodstuffs and the like. A chamber is provided with a partition cover interposed therebetween, and a suction port is formed at the front of the cooler in the partition cover, and cool air is generated while air in the refrigerator sucked through the suction port passes through the cooler. In a cooling box in which the cool air is blown into the storage chamber by a fan in the storage box to be cooled, below the area where the suction port is formed in the partition cover, the cooling air is removed from the surface near the formation area. A feature is that a defrost water guide plate that receives frost water and guides it to a drain pan provided on the back side of the partition cover is provided to penetrate the partition cover.
[0006]
The invention according to claim 2 is the device according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the partition cover corresponding to a front surface of the cooler is a separated cooler cover, and is supported so as to be swingably openable and closable. The cooler cover is characterized in that the defrost water guide plate is provided.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the defrost water guide plate is formed integrally with the partition cover by cutting and raising the partition cover.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the drain pan is a drain pan disposed below a cooler for receiving defrost water from the cooler or the like. It is characterized by being shared.
[0007]
Function and effect of the present invention
<Invention of claim 1>
When the frost adhering to the surface near the area where the suction port is formed in the partition cover is melted by the defrosting operation, defrost water flowing down along the surface is received by the defrost water guide plate, and then the back side of the partition cover. And discharged to the drain pan.
Since defrost water remains on the surface of the partition cover during the defrosting operation as much as possible, ice blocks are not formed even when the cooling operation is subsequently resumed, thereby preventing the growth of ice blocks on the surface of the partition cover. Is done.
[0008]
<Invention of Claim 2>
When necessary, the cooler cover can be opened independently while the function of guiding the defrost water by the defrost water guide plate is ensured. This is convenient for repairing or replacing the cooler.
<Invention of Claim 3>
The number of parts can be reduced, and the production cost can be reduced.
<Invention of Claim 4>
The drain pan that receives the defrost water from the surface of the partition cover is also used as the drain pan that receives the defrost water near the cooler, so the structure is simple.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
<First embodiment>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. This embodiment exemplifies a case in which the present invention is applied to a quick freezer.
In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 10 denotes a freezer main body formed of a vertically long heat-insulating box with a front opening, which is supported by legs 11 provided at four corners of a bottom surface, and whose front opening has a central height. Upper and lower entrances and exits 13 are formed by being partitioned by a partition frame 12 at the positions, and a heat insulating door 14 is supported at each entrance and exit 13 so as to be swingably openable and closable.
[0010]
As shown in FIG. 1, the inside of the main body 10 has a storage room 15 in a slightly more than 2/3 region on the left side as viewed from the front, and a cooler room 16 in the remaining region on the right side.
Shelf columns 18 are set up at four corners in the storage room 15, and a pair of rails 19 having an L-shaped cross section are at the same height between the front and rear shelf columns 18 on the left and right sides in a facing position. It is handed over and supported. A pair of these rails 19 are arranged in a plurality of stages, and a tray 20 in the form of a rectangular shallow dish is put in and out of the pair of rails 19 while placing both side edges thereof.
[0011]
On the other hand, in the cooler room 16, a cooler 21 is disposed at a position substantially at the center of the cooler room 16, and in-compartment fans 25 are mounted on both upper and lower sides thereof.
The cooler 21 is circulated and connected by a refrigerant pipe to a refrigerating device 23 in a machine room 22 provided on the upper surface of the main body 10 to form a well-known refrigerating cycle.
The upper and lower in-compartment fans 25 are housed in open fan cases 26 on both upper and lower sides, respectively, and are disposed facing the storage room 15 side. A bell mouth 27 is formed on the surface of the fan case 26.
[0012]
On the front surface of the cooler room 16, front covers 29 are respectively provided on upper and lower sides of the partition frame 12. On the other hand, a cooler cover 31 and two upper and lower in-compartment fan covers 32 are stretched between the front and rear shelf columns 18 on the right side on a side surface of the cooler room 16 which is a boundary with the storage room 15. I have.
The cooler cover 31 is arranged in front of the cooler 21 (the left side in FIG. 1), and has a large number of suction ports 35 aligned in a region 34 slightly smaller than the entire surface. . The in-compartment fan covers 32 are arranged in front of the upper and lower in-compartment fans 25, respectively, and at the center of the back surface, a cylindrical outlet 36 that can be fitted into the bell mouth 27 is provided. Is formed.
[0013]
Each of the covers 31 and 32 has its back edge attached to the back shelf 18 via a hinge 37, and is swingably supported toward the back surface of the storage chamber 15. The part is fixed to the shelf column 18 on the front side with a screw 38.
Further, heaters 40 are mounted on both front and back surfaces of the cooler 21 for defrosting. A drain pan 42 is provided below the cooler 21 to receive defrost water. As shown in FIG. 5, the bottom surface of the drain pan 42 has a downward slope from the front to the back, and a drain port 43 is provided at a position on the back side.
[0014]
Now, the cooler cover 31 is provided with a guide plate 50 for defrost water.
First, an elongated square hole-like inlet 45 having a length substantially equal to the width of the formation region 34 is opened at a position below the formation region 34 of the suction port 35 in the cooler cover 31. As shown in FIG. 6, a bent plate 46 is formed on the lower edge of the cooler cover 31. The bent plate 46 is bent obliquely downward on the back side and then bent downward. The hanging portion 48 of the bent plate 46 is in close contact with the upper edge of the side surface of the drain pan 42 on the storage chamber 15 side when the cooler cover 31 is closed, and can be fixed by screws 49.
[0015]
The guide plate 50 is formed of a horizontally long plate material having a length substantially equal to that of the above-described intake port 45 and having an inverted-V-shaped cross section in which an upper half thereof is bent at an obtuse angle toward the storage chamber 15 side. The vertical portion 52 of the guide plate 50 is applied to the back surface of the lower edge of the above-described inlet 45 and is fixed by being screwed down with the screw 49A. It protrudes obliquely upward from the edge to the surface side.
Auxiliary guide plates 55 are attached to both sides of the inlet 45 on the surface of the cooler cover 31. The auxiliary guide plate 55 is formed to be bent in a crank shape, and the hook-shaped portion 56 can receive defrost water. The two auxiliary guide plates 55 are attached in an oblique posture in which the inner ends are lowered, and the inner ends of the hook-shaped portions 56 face both ends of the inclined portion 51 protruding from the intake port 45 of the guide plate 50 described above. I have.
[0016]
Subsequently, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. At the time of operation, the tray 20 storing the food is placed on the left and right rails 19 and stored in the storage room 15. In this state, when the refrigerating device 23 and both the internal fans 25 are driven, the internal air in the storage chamber 15 passes through the suction port 35 of the cooler cover 31 as shown by the arrow in FIG. 1. The air is sucked toward the cooler 21 and is cooled by heat exchange while passing through the cooler 21. After the cool air is guided into the upper and lower fan cases 26, a circulating flow is generated such that the cool air is blown out from the outlet 36 of the in-compartment fan cover 32 into the storage chamber 15, whereby the storage chamber 15 is cooled. Ingredients are frozen.
[0017]
During this time, defrosting operation is appropriately performed to form frost on the vicinity of the cooler 21 and on the surface of the cooler cover 31. At that time, the heater 40 provided in the cooler 21 generates heat by energization, the frost attached to the cooler 21 and the like is melted, and the defrost water is received by the drain pan 42.
On the other hand, since the cooler cover 31 is also heated by the heat generated by the heater 40, the frost adhering to its surface is melted.
For example, the defrost water on the surface of the formation region 34 of the suction port 35 flows down the surface, and is received by the inclined portion 51 of the guide plate 50, as shown by arrows in FIGS. While flowing down on the inclined portion 51, it reaches the back surface of the cooler cover 31 through the inlet 45, flows along the vertical portion 52 of the guide plate 50 and the inclined portion 47 of the bent plate 46, and flows into the drain pan 42. The defrost water is discharged from the refrigerator through the drain port 43 through a drain hose (not shown) together with the defrost water from the cooler 21 and the like.
Further, the defrost water on the surface on both sides of the formation region 34 of the suction port 35 is received by the hook-shaped portion 56 of the auxiliary guide plate 55, and then guided on the inclined portion 51 of the guide plate 50 following the inclination thereof. , And similarly to the drain pan 42.
When the predetermined defrosting operation is completed, the cooling operation is restarted.
[0018]
Further, when a failure or the like of the cooler 21 or the fan 25 in the refrigerator or the like is found and the repair or replacement of parts is performed, the trays 20 are pulled out of the refrigerator and the covers 31 and 32 are individually opened. For example, when there is a failure with respect to the cooler 21, the rail 19 disposed at the position of the cooler 21 and, if necessary, the rail 19 on the opposite side are removed. At the same time, the swinging end of the cooler cover 31 is removed from the shelf 18 by loosening the screw 38, and the bent plate 46 is removed from the drain pan 42 by loosening the screw 49, and the cooler cover 31 is centered on the hinge 37. It swings toward the back of the storage room 15. Thus, the installation position of the cooler 21 is opened to the storage room 15 side, so that repair, component replacement, and the like can be performed from the storage room 15 side. After the replacement of parts, the cooler cover 31 is swung back to the original position and fixed with screws 38 and 49.
[0019]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, defrosting water is prevented from remaining on the surface of the cooler cover 31 during the defrosting operation as much as possible. It is possible to prevent ice blocks from growing on the surface of the cover 31 and icicle-like ice from coming out.
By preventing ice blocks from growing on the surface of the cooler cover 31, there is no risk that the ice blocks will come into contact with foodstuffs stored in the storage chamber 15 and impair the quality thereof, and the suction port 35 will be closed. Since a predetermined suction area is ensured without the need, a predetermined cooling performance can be exhibited. On the other hand, by preventing icicle-like ice from growing downward, it does not block a part of the lower outlet port 36, thereby securing a predetermined outlet area and additionally reducing outlet resistance. Since the cooling air is not received, it is effective to exhibit a predetermined cooling performance, and since the blowing direction of the cool air can be maintained in the normal direction, it is possible to uniformly cool the food material and the like.
[0020]
<Second embodiment>
FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
In the second embodiment, the inlet 45 of the cooler cover 31 is formed by press-cutting and raising a sheet metal as a raw material. A guide plate 50A that projects obliquely upward from the side edge and protrudes toward the front surface side is formed.
Other structures and operations are the same as those in the first embodiment.
According to the second embodiment, since the guide plate 50A is formed integrally with the cooler cover 31, the number of components can be reduced, the number of assembling steps can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Can be.
[0021]
<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention, and furthermore, besides the following, within the scope not departing from the gist. Can be implemented with various modifications.
(1) The drain pan for receiving the defrost water from the cooler cover may be provided separately from the drain pan for the cooler, and such a drain pan is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
(2) In the above embodiment, for the purpose of securing the strength at the lower end side of the cooler cover, etc., the length of the intake and the guide plate is limited to the range of the formation area of the suction port, and the outside of the formation area is formed. Although the defrost water is received by the auxiliary guide plate, the intake guide and the guide plate may be provided over substantially the entire width of the cooler cover to remove the auxiliary guide plate.
(3) The present invention is similarly applicable to a type in which the cooler cover and the internal fan cover are provided as an integral partition cover.
(4) The present invention is not limited to the quick-freezer described in the above embodiment, but can be widely applied to all types of refrigerators in which a refrigerator room is provided on the side of a storage room via a refrigerator cover. it can.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view as viewed from the front according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view as viewed from the side. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a structure of a defrosting water drain portion of a cooler cover. FIG. 4 is a perspective view from the front side. FIG. 5 is a perspective view from the back side. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view. FIG. 7 is a structure of a drainage portion of defrost water according to the second embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic front view of a conventional example.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Freezer main body 15 ... Storage room 16 ... Cooler room 21 ... Cooler 25 ... Internal fan 31 ... Cooler cover 32 ... Internal fan cover 34 ... (the suction port 35) formation area 35 ... Suction port 36 ... Outlet 42 ... Drain pan 43 ... Drainage port 45 ... Inlet 46 ... Bending plate 49 ... Screw 50,50A ... Guide plate 51 ... Inclination 55 ... Auxiliary guide plate

Claims (4)

On one side wall side of the cooling box main body having a storage room for foodstuffs or the like, a cooling unit room containing a cooler and a fan inside the box is provided with a partition cover interposed therebetween. A suction port is formed in the front, and cool air is generated while the inside air sucked through the suction port passes through the cooler, and the cool air is blown out into the storage chamber by the inside fan and cooled. In the cooler,
Below the formation area of the suction port in the partition cover, a defrost water guide plate that receives defrost water from a surface near the formation area and guides the defrost water to a drain pan provided on the back side of the partition cover, A cooling box provided through the partition cover. A portion of the partition cover corresponding to the front of the cooler is a separated cooler cover, which is swingably opened and closed, and the defrost water guide plate is provided on the cooler cover. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The cooling box according to claim 1, wherein the defrost water guide plate is formed integrally with the partition cover by cutting and raising the partition cover. 4. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the drain pan is also used as a drain pan disposed below the cooler to receive defrost water from the cooler or the like. 5. Warehouse.

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