JP6902415B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to refrigerators.

The refrigerator has an outer box made of steel plate and an inner box made of plastic, and a heat insulating member is arranged between the outer box and the inner box in order to ensure heat insulating performance. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a heat insulating structure for a refrigerator door device. A vacuum heat insulating material is arranged inside the door device, and the foamed polyurethane material is filled by the on-site foaming method to obtain the heat insulating performance of the door device (see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-90649

By the way, since the heat insulating performance of the vacuum heat insulating material is higher than that of the polyurethane foam material, the thickness formed by the outer box and the inner box of the refrigerator can be reduced by using the vacuum heat insulating material, and the refrigerator can be assembled easily. improves. By reducing the thickness of the refrigerator, the volume inside the inner box of the refrigerator can be increased while maintaining the size of the outer box of the refrigerator, so that the capacity of the refrigerator can be increased. However, it is difficult to secure the rigidity of the entire refrigerator using the vacuum heat insulating material.

Therefore, if you try to increase the rigidity of the refrigerator by injecting the foamed polyurethane material into the gap while using the vacuum heat insulating material, the foamed polyurethane material will adhere to the vacuum heat insulating material, so it is necessary to replace the vacuum heat insulating material. If there is, the vacuum heat insulating material cannot be replaced. Further, since the polyurethane foam material is injected into the gap while using the vacuum heat insulating material, the workability at the time of assembling the refrigerator is poor.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to increase the rigidity of the refrigerator while ensuring the heat insulating performance by using the vacuum heat insulating material, and to improve the assembly workability. It is to provide a refrigerator that can be used.

The refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention is a refrigerator having an outer box, an inner box arranged in the outer box, and a vacuum heat insulating material provided between the outer box and the inner box. Reinforcing members for increasing rigidity are arranged at some corners of the outer box, and one of the outer surfaces of the adjacent outer surfaces of the reinforcing members is the ceiling surface of the inner surface of the outer box constituting the corners. The other outer surface is in contact with the side surface portion of the inner surface of the outer box, and the reinforcing member is at least the depth of the corner portion over a range in which the vacuum heat insulating material is arranged. In addition to being arranged in the direction, at the corner portion, the vacuum heat insulating material and the reinforcing member are arranged so as to face each other with a predetermined distance between the vacuum heat insulating material and the reinforcing member. In the vacuum heat insulating material and the reinforcing member, heat insulating members different from the preformed vacuum heat insulating material are arranged with gaps at least in the upward direction and the left and right direction, and are arranged from the front-rear direction. It is said that it can be inserted .

It is a perspective view which shows the whole of the refrigerator which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a cross-sectional view in the vertical direction in line AA of the main body of the refrigerator shown in FIG. FIG. 3A is a developed view of the metal plate constituting the outer box, and FIG. 3B is a perspective view showing the outer box formed by bending the metal plate shown in FIG. 3A. It is a figure which shows the example of the cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing member shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the 2nd Embodiment and 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the 4th Embodiment and 5th Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the 6th Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the 7th embodiment and 8th embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the 9th embodiment and the 10th embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the other embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the manufacturing method of another embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the entire refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

The refrigerator 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a main body 2. At the uppermost position of the main body 2, a refrigerating chamber 5 opened and closed by double-door left and right Kannon doors (revolving doors) 3 and 4 is provided. These Kannon doors 3 and 4 are attached so as to be openable and closable around the rotation shafts 3A and 4A of the main body 2, respectively.

Below the refrigerator compartment 5, a vegetable compartment 7 opened and closed by a drawer-type door 7a is provided. Below the vegetable compartment 7, an ice making chamber 8 and an upper freezing chamber 9 are provided side by side in the horizontal direction. The ice making chamber 8 is opened and closed by the drawer type door 8a, and the upper freezing chamber 9 is opened and closed by the drawer type door 9a.

A main freezing chamber 10 is provided at the lowermost part of the main body 2 and below the ice making chamber 8 and the upper freezing chamber 9. The main freezing chamber 10 is opened and closed by the drawer type door 10a. At the lower part of the Kannon doors 3 and 4, concave handles 3b and 4b for hanging fingers are provided inside the doors, respectively. Recessed handles 7b, 8b, 9b, and 10b for hanging fingers are provided on the upper portions of the drawer-type doors 7a, 8a, 9a, and 10a, respectively.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of the main body 2 of the refrigerator 1 shown in FIG.

The main body 2 of the refrigerator 1 shown in FIG. 2 includes an outer box 11, an inner box 12, a plurality of vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, 33 provided between the outer box 11 and the inner box 12, and an outer box. It has a reinforcing member 40 provided at each of the four corners C between the box 11 and the inner box 12. In FIG. 2, the middle part of the main body 2 is omitted. The corner portion C can also be referred to as a corner portion or a corner portion. In FIG. 2, the upper right corner portion C is enlarged and shown as an example, but the structures of the four corner portions C are substantially the same.

First, an example of the shape of the outer box 11 shown in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the shape of the outer box 11, FIG. 3 (A) is a developed view of the metal plate 13 constituting the outer box 11, and FIG. 3 (B) is the metal shown in FIG. 3 (A). It is a perspective view which shows the outer box 11 which was formed by bending a plate 13.

The metal plate 13 shown in FIG. 3A is formed by, for example, bending a strip-shaped steel plate, and has a ceiling surface portion 14, left and right side surface portions 15, 16 and a bottom surface portion 17. A mountain fold portion 18 between the ceiling surface portion 14 and the left side surface portion 15, a mountain fold portion 19 between the ceiling surface portion 14 and the right side surface portion 16, and a right side surface portion 16 and a bottom surface portion 17. Fold each of the mountain folds 20 between them at 90 degrees. Moreover, the vertically elongated outer box 11 shown in FIG. 3B can be formed by welding the end portion 21 of the left side surface portion 15 and the end portion 22 of the bottom surface portion 17. The outer box 11 is a rectangular parallelepiped box with openings 55 and 56 on the front and back being vertically long.

Returning to FIG. 2, the inner box 12 is vertically long like the outer box 11, and is a rectangular parallelepiped box body arranged in the outer box 11. The inner box 12 is made, for example, by molding plastic. The size of the inner box 12 is smaller than the size of the outer box 11 so as to fit inside the outer box 11. The inner box 12 has a ceiling surface portion 24, left and right side surface portions 25 and 26, and a bottom surface portion 27. The ceiling surface portion 24 of the inner box 12 is parallel to the ceiling surface portion 14 of the outer box 11 and faces the ceiling surface portion 14 separated by the dimension T.

The left side surface portion 25 of the inner box 12 is parallel to the left side surface portion 15 of the outer box 11 and faces the outer box 11 at a distance of the dimension T. The right side surface portion 26 of the inner box 12 is parallel to the right side surface portion 16 of the outer box 11 and faces the outer box 11 at a distance of the dimension T. The bottom surface portion 27 of the inner box 12 is parallel to the bottom surface portion 17 of the outer box 11 and faces the bottom surface portion 17 at a distance of the dimension T. In this way, the inner box 12 is arranged in the outer box 11, and a gap S having a dimension T is provided between the outer box 11 and the inner box 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, plate-shaped vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, and 33 are arranged in the gap S between the outer box 11 and the inner box 12 in order to secure the heat insulating performance. The vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, 33 have a high vacuum porosity (for example, 90%) by wrapping a plate-shaped core material of glass wool with a laminated film and forming the inside thereof into a vacuum porous structure. (Beyond) is held. Therefore, the vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, 33 can exhibit high heat insulating performance by vacuum.

Since the heat insulating performance of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, 33 is considerably higher than the heat insulating performance of the foamed polyurethane material, the heat insulating performance of the main body 2 even if the thin vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, 33 are used. Can be secured. Therefore, as compared with the case of using the foamed polyurethane material, by using the vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, 33, the gap S between the outer box 11 and the inner box 12 can be made smaller, and the outer box 11 can be made smaller. Since the inner dimensions of the inner box 12 can be expanded when the outer dimensions of the refrigerator 1 are the same, the storage volume of the main body 2 of the refrigerator 1 can be increased.

As shown in FIG. 2, the vacuum heat insulating material 30 is arranged in the gap S between the ceiling surface portion 24 of the inner box 12 and the ceiling surface portion 14 of the outer box 11, and another vacuum heat insulating material 31 is the left side surface of the inner box 12. It is arranged in the gap S between the portion 25 and the side surface portion 15 on the left side of the outer box 11. Yet another vacuum heat insulating material 32 is arranged in the gap S between the right side surface portion 26 of the inner box 12 and the right side surface portion 16 of the outer box 11. Another vacuum heat insulating material 33 is arranged in the gap S between the bottom surface portion 27 of the inner box 12 and the bottom surface portion 17 of the outer box 11. For example, the outer surface of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33 can be attached to the inner surface 11A of the outer box 11 with an adhesive, but the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33 are arranged between the outer box 11 and the inner box 12 without using an adhesive. You can also do it.

As shown in FIG. 2, the outer box 11 and the inner box 12 of the main body 2 have four corners C, and each corner C has the same structure. The vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33 are not arranged on the four corners C, and the inner surface 11A of the outer box 11, the inner surface 12A of the inner box 12, and the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33 are arranged on the four corners C. Spaces 35 are formed by the end faces 34, respectively. In the space 35 of each corner C, the reinforcing member 40 is perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 2 in order to strongly reinforce and hold the structure composed of the outer box 11, the inner box 12, and the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33. It is arranged along the direction. By arranging the reinforcing members 40 at the four corners C, the rigidity of the main body 2 can be increased when the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33 are used.

As shown in FIG. 2, the reinforcing member 40 is, for example, a member made of metal or plastic having an L-shaped cross section, and the reinforcing member 40 is adhered to, for example, the inner surface 11A of the outer box 11 at the corner portion C. It can be fixed with an agent. The thickness of the reinforcing member 40 is considerably smaller than the thickness of the vacuum heat insulating material 30, and the inner surface 40A of the reinforcing member 40 is arranged at a position retracted along the direction DR toward the inner surface 11A side of the outer box 11. Has been done. Similarly, the inner surface 40A of another reinforcing member 40 is arranged at a position retracted along the direction DR toward the inner surface 11A side of the outer box 11. The inner surface 40A of yet another reinforcing member 40 is arranged at a position retracted along the direction DR toward the inner surface 11A side of the outer box 11. The inner surface 40A of yet another reinforcing member 40 is arranged at a position retracted along the direction DR toward the inner surface 11A side of the outer box 11.

As described above, the inner surface 40A on the inner box 12 side of the reinforcing member 40 is located closer to the outer box 11 than the inner surfaces 30A to 33A on the inner box 12 side of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33. Thereby, when the heat insulating performance of the main body 2 is secured by using the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33, the reinforcing member 40 can increase the rigidity of the refrigerator 1 having the vacuum heat insulating material at each corner portion C. Moreover, the weight of the main body 2 can be reduced by using the reinforcing member 40 having a small thickness.

As shown in FIG. 2, since the reinforcing member 40 is arranged at a position retracted along the direction DR toward the outer box 11 side from the inner surfaces 30A to 33A of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33, each reinforcing member No. 40 does not protrude from the inner surfaces 30A to 33A of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33 toward the inner box 12. Therefore, since each reinforcing member 40 does not protrude toward the inner surface 12A side of the inner box 12 and is arranged closer to the outer box 11 side, even if the reinforcing member 12 is arranged at the corner portion C, the reinforcing member 40 It does not interfere with the assembly of the outer box 11 and the inner box 12. Therefore, the main body 2 composed of the outer box 11, the inner box 12, the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33, and the plurality of reinforcing members 40 is used at the assembly site even though the reinforcing member 40 is additionally used. Can be easily assembled in.

The main body 2 of the refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention can increase the rigidity of the main body 2 of the refrigerator 1 while ensuring the heat insulating performance by using the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33, and further improves the assembly workability. be able to. After arranging the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33 between the outer box 11 and the inner box 12, the reinforcing member 40 easily performs the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33 in the longitudinal direction along the vertical direction of the paper surface without damaging the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33. Can be inserted and placed. Therefore, when it is necessary to replace the reinforcing member 40, it can be easily performed.

By the way, as for the order of attaching the reinforcing members 40, when assembling the outer box 11, the inner box 12, the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33 and the reinforcing member 40 shown in FIG. 2, the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33 are first attached to the outer box. After being attached to the inner surface 11A of 11 using, for example, an adhesive, the reinforcing member 40 is installed on the inner surface 11A of each corner C of the outer box 11. Alternatively, the reinforcing member 40 is first arranged on the inner surface 11A of the outer box 11 at each corner C, and then the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33 are attached to the inner surface 11A of the outer box 11 with an adhesive. Is also good.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing member 40 shown in FIG. In the reinforcing member 40 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4A, the length L1 in the horizontal direction and the length L1 in the vertical direction are the same, and the reinforcing member 40 is composed of one member. On the other hand, another reinforcing member 40 shown in FIG. 4B is configured by joining the two members 40F and the member 40G. In another reinforcing member 40 shown in FIG. 4C, the length L1 in the horizontal direction is longer than the length L2 in the vertical direction. In another reinforcing member 40 shown in FIG. 4D, the length L1 in the vertical direction is longer than the length L2 in the horizontal direction.

(Second and third embodiments)
Next, a second embodiment and a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

5 (A) and 5 (B) show the second embodiment and the third embodiment of the present invention, respectively. In FIGS. 5 (A) and 5 (B), the main body 2 shown in FIG. 2 is shown. Although one corner C of the outer box 11 and the inner box 12 is shown as a representative, the four corners C have the same structure. The second and third embodiments of the present invention have the effects of the first embodiment of the present invention, and further have the following effects.

The structure of the corner portion C shown in FIGS. 5 (A) and 5 (B) is different from the structure of the corner portion C shown in FIG. 2 in that the heat insulating members 60 and 61 correspond to the reinforcing member 40 having an L-shaped cross section. Are additionally provided. As the heat insulating members 60 and 61, a material having heat insulating properties, for example, preformed molded expanded polystyrene (EPS) or the like can be adopted. In addition, as the heat insulating members 60 and 61, a silicon material, a soft tape, or the like can be adopted. The heat insulating members 60 and 61 are respectively arranged in the space 35 of the corner portion C, and are fixed to the inner surface 40A side of the reinforcing member 40 by using, for example, an adhesive, thereby filling the space 35 and improving the heat insulating property. can do.

In the example shown in FIG. 5A, the heat insulating member 60 has a square cross section. As a result, the heat insulating member 60 can substantially fill the space 35 and maintain the heat insulating property at the corner portion C. Further, the connection end portion 24T of the ceiling surface portion 24 of the inner box 12 and the connection end portion 26T of the right side surface portion 26 are connected so as to overlap each other. The structure of the connection end portions 24T and 26T at the corner portion C is the same at each corner portion C.

In the example shown in FIG. 5B, the heat insulating member 61 has an L-shaped cross section. As a result, the heat insulating member 61 can fill a part of the space 35 and improve the heat insulating property at the corner portion C. Further, the connection end portion 24T of the ceiling surface portion 24 of the inner box 12 and the connection end portion 26T of the right side surface portion 26 are joined so as to overlap each other. The structure of the connection end portions 24T and 26T at the corner portion C is the same at each corner portion C. As a result, the ceiling surface portion 24 of the inner box 12, the left and right side surface portions 25 and 26, and the bottom surface portion 27 can be divided into four parts and joined by plastic molding. It can be made more easily than when it is molded.

(Fourth and fifth embodiments)
Next, a fourth embodiment and a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

6 (A) and 6 (B) show the fourth embodiment and the fifth embodiment of the present invention, respectively. In FIGS. 6 (A) and 6 (B), the main body 2 shown in FIG. 2 is shown. Although one corner C of the outer box 11 and the inner box 12 is shown as a representative, the four corners C have the same structure.

The structure of the corner portion C shown in FIGS. 6 (A) and 6 (B) is different from the structure of the corner portion C shown in FIGS. 5 (A) and 5 (B) from the ceiling surface portion 24 of the inner box 12. The right side surface portion 26 is continuous. The structure at such corners C is the same at each corner C. As a result, the structure of the corner portion C shown in FIGS. 6 (A) and 6 (B) is a component of the inner box 12 as compared with the structure of the corner portion C shown in FIGS. 5 (A) and 5 (B). You can reduce the score.

(Sixth Embodiment)
FIG. 7 shows a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a structural example of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, 33 already described. FIG. 7 (A) is a perspective view showing the vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, 33, and FIG. 7 (B) shows the cross-sectional structure of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, 33. C) is an example in which the vacuum heat insulating material 32 of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, 33 is arranged between the right side surface portion 16 of the outer box 11 and the right side surface portion 26 of the inner box 12. Is shown on behalf of.

As shown in FIGS. 7 (A) and 7 (B), the vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, 33 have a glass wool core material 70 wrapped with a laminate film 71, and the inside thereof has a vacuum porous structure. By forming in, a high vacuum porosity (for example, exceeding 90%) is maintained. The laminated film 71 has one sealing portion 72 that seals the core material 70 and the other sealing portion 73. One sealing portion 72 and the other sealing portion 73 can be formed, for example, by applying heat.

A method of accommodating the sealing portions 72 and 73 when assembling the outer box 11 and the vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, 33 is illustrated in FIG. 7 (C). As shown in FIG. 7C, for example, the sealing portion 72 of the laminated film 71 is bent toward the inner surface 16A side of the right side surface portion 16 of the outer box 11, and the sealing portion 72 is bent toward the inner surface 16A. It is stored by sandwiching it between the and the laminate film 71. That is, the sealing portion 72 is not bent toward the inner surface 26A side of the side surface portion 26 of the inner box 12. This also applies to the sealing portion 73.

The sealing portion 72 is bent and stored in this way because the outer box 11 is a metal plate having a high rigidity, while the inner box 12 is a plastic plate having a lower rigidity than the metal. .. If the sealing portions 72 and 73 are bent toward the inner box 12, the inner box 12 swells inward and the inner box 12 is affected by the thickness of the bent sealing portions 72 and 73. It may lose its flatness and look unattractive.

Therefore, in order to prevent the inner box 12 from being affected by the thickness of the bent sealing portions 72 and 73, the sealing portions 72 and 73 are bent toward the outer box 11 so that the outer box 11 and the inner box are not affected. The flatness of the 12 can be ensured, and the inner box 12 can be neatly attached to the vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, 33. The structure in which the sealing portions 72 and 73 are bent and housed in the outer box 11 is the same for all of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, and 33.

(7th and 8th embodiments)
Next, a seventh embodiment and an eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

8 (A) and 8 (B) show the seventh embodiment and the eighth embodiment of the present invention, respectively. In FIGS. 8 (A) and 8 (B), the main body 2 shown in FIG. 2 is shown. Although one corner C of the outer box 11 and the inner box 12 is shown as a representative, the four corners C have the same structure. The seventh and eighth embodiments of the present invention have the effects of the first embodiment of the present invention, and further have the following effects.

The structure of the corner portion C shown in FIG. 8A is different from the structure of the corner portion C shown in FIG. 2 in that the end portion 32T of the vacuum heat insulating material 32 extends into the space 35 of the corner portion C. , The end portion 32T has a stepped portion 32R. The step portion 32R is a stepped portion formed on the outside of the end portion 32T. The end portion 32T faces the inner surface 40A of the reinforcing member 40 at intervals, and the step portion 32R also faces the inner surface 40A of the reinforcing member 40 at intervals.

By adopting such a structure, the end portion 32T of the vacuum heat insulating material 32 can be made to enter the space 35 of the corner portion C. In other words, the reinforcing member 40 can be positioned within the stepped portion 32R of the vacuum heat insulating material 32. Thereby, the usable volume of the vacuum heat insulating material 32 can be increased without reducing the size of the reinforcing member 40 or increasing the size of the reinforcing member 40. As a result, the reinforcing member 40 can increase the heat insulating effect of the vacuum heat insulating material 32 at the corner C while maintaining or increasing the strength at the corner C. This structure is the same at each corner C.

Further, the structure of the corner portion C shown in FIG. 8B is different from the structure of the corner portion C shown in FIG. 2 in that the ends 30T and 32T of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32 are both the space 35 of the corner portion C. The ends 30T and 32T have stepped portions 30R and 32R, respectively. The stepped portions 30R and 32R are stepped portions formed on the outer sides of the end portions 30T and 32T, respectively. The ends 30T and 32T face the inner surface 40A of the reinforcing member 40, respectively, and the stepped portions 30R and 32R also face the inner surface 40A of the reinforcing member 40.

By adopting such a structure, the end portions 30T and 32T of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32 can enter into the space 35 of the corner portion C. In other words, the reinforcing member 40 can be located both in the stepped portion 30R of the vacuum heat insulating material 30 and in the stepped portion 32R of the vacuum heat insulating material 32. Thereby, the usable volume of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32 can be increased without reducing the size of the reinforcing member 40 or increasing the size of the reinforcing member 40. As a result, the reinforcing member 40 can increase the heat insulating effect of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32 at the corner C while maintaining or increasing the strength at the corner C. This structure is the same at each corner C.

(9th and 10th embodiments)
Next, a ninth embodiment and a tenth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

9 (A) and 9 (B) show the ninth embodiment and the tenth embodiment of the present invention, respectively. In FIGS. 9 (A) and 9 (B), the main body 2 shown in FIG. 2 is shown. Although one corner C of the outer box 11 and the inner box 12 is shown as a representative, the four corners C have the same structure. The ninth and tenth embodiments of the present invention have the effects of the seventh embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 8 (A), and further have the following effects.

The structure of the corner portion C of the ninth embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 9 (A) is different from the structure of the corner portion C shown in FIG. 8 (A) in that the heat insulating member 80 is additionally arranged in the space 35. That is what has been done. The heat insulating member 80 is a member long in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 9A, and is made of a material having heat insulating properties, for example, pre-molded expanded polystyrene (EPS) or the like. The heat insulating member 80 has, for example, a rectangular cross section, and is arranged between the inner surface 40A of the reinforcing member 40 and the ends 30T and 32T of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32. As a result, the added heat insulating member 80 can increase the heat insulating effect at the corner portion C.

In the tenth embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 9B, the heat insulating member 80 is additionally arranged in the space 35 of the corner portion C. The heat insulating member 80 is a member long in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 9B, and is made of a material having heat insulating properties, for example, pre-molded expanded polystyrene (EPS) or the like. The heat insulating member 80 has, for example, a rectangular cross section, and is arranged between the inner surface 40A of the reinforcing member 40 and the ends 30T and 32T of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32. As a result, the added heat insulating member 80 can increase the heat insulating effect at the corner portion C.

Moreover, the end portions 30T and 32T of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32 shown in FIG. 9B have stepped portions 30R and 32R as shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B and 9A. Is not formed. That is, the ends 30T and 32T of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32 do not enter the space 35 of the corner C, and the ends 30T and 32T of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32 are separated from the reinforcing member 40. ..

Therefore, at the time of assembly, after the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32 are arranged between the outer box 11 and the inner box 12, the reinforcing member 40 is inserted in the longitudinal direction along the paper surface vertical direction of FIG. 9B. At that time, the reinforcing member 40 does not damage the laminated film 71 which is the outer coating of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32.

As a result, the reinforcing member 40 does not damage the laminated film 71 of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32 even after the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32 are arranged between the outer box 11 and the inner box 12, and the corners thereof are formed. It can be easily installed by inserting it into C. That is, after the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33 are arranged between the outer box 11 and the inner box 12, the reinforcing member 40 does not damage the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33 in the longitudinal direction along the paper surface vertical direction. It can be easily inserted and placed. Therefore, the reinforcing member 40 can be easily replaced. Step portions 30R and 32R as shown in FIGS. 8 (A), 8 (B) and 9 (A) are formed on the ends 30T and 32T of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32 shown in FIG. 9 (B). The fact that this is not done is the same in the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG.

(Other embodiments)
10 (A) to 10 (C) show still other embodiments of the present invention, respectively.

In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 10A, the reinforcing member 120 has a rectangular cross section, the inner box 12 is composed of a plurality of inner plates, and the thickness G1 of the reinforcing member 120 is adjacent to each other. The thickness of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32 is smaller than that of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32, and the reinforcing member 120 is sized so as to be separated from the inner box 12.

In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 10B, the reinforcing member 130 has a substantially rectangular cross section, but the corner portion facing the inner box 12 has an inclined surface 131. By providing the inclined surface 131 on the reinforcing member 130, the width FH of the side surface portion 132 of the reinforcing member 130 facing the ends of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32 can be made larger than the thickness of the member of the inner box 12. The width FG of the reinforcing member 130 can be made larger than the width of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 and 32. A heat insulating member 170 is arranged on the position side of the corners of the ceiling surface portion 24 and the side surface portion 26 of the inner box 12.

In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 10C, the reinforcing member 140 has an inclined surface 141 at a corner portion facing the inner box 12. An inclined portion 12V may be provided on the inner box 12 side in accordance with the inclined surface 141. As a result, the inclined portion 12V can escape in space in accordance with the inclined surface 141, so that the reinforcing member 140 in FIG. 10 (C) has a further cross-sectional area as compared with the reinforcing member 130 shown in FIG. 10 (B). Can be made larger.

Next, an example of a method for manufacturing the outer box and the inner box of the refrigerator of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 11A, two reinforcing members 150 and two vacuum heat insulating materials 31 and 32 are attached to the metal plate 13. The left and right side surface portions 25 and 26 for forming the inner box are attached to the vacuum heat insulating materials 31 and 32, respectively. By bending the metal plate 13 shown in FIG. 11A at the portions of the two reinforcing members 150, as shown in FIG. 11B, the ceiling surface portion 14 of the outer box 11 and the left and right side surface portions 15, 16 Can be formed. That is, the two reinforcing members 150 can be used as bending means for bending the metal plate 13. In this state, the left and right side surface portions 25 and 26 face each other. As shown in FIG. 11A, the reinforcing members 150, 150 and the vacuum heat insulating materials 31 and 32 are attached to the metal plate 13 in advance after the metal plate is bent, and then the reinforcing member and the vacuum heat insulating material are attached. This is to avoid the poor installation workability when trying to attach the material.

Next, as shown in FIG. 11C, the ceiling surface portions 24 constituting the inner box are arranged with respect to the left and right side surface portions 25 and 26. Further, the bottom surface portion 27 is arranged on the left and right side surface portions 15 and 16. As a result, as shown in FIG. 11D, the vacuum heat insulating material 30 can be arranged between the ceiling surface portions 14 and 24, and the vacuum heat insulating material 33 can be arranged between the bottom surface portions 17 and 27. Moreover, the ceiling surface portion 14, the left and right side surface portions 15, 16 and the bottom surface portion 17 of the outer box 11 can be composed of the reinforcing members 150, 150 and other reinforcing members 151, 151. The inner box 12 can be composed of a ceiling surface portion 24, left and right side surface portions 25 and 26, and a bottom surface portion 27.

The vacuum heat insulating material 30 of the ceiling surface portion 24 shown in FIG. 11C may be fixed in advance to the metal plate 13 shown in FIG. 11A.

In addition, pipes, electric wires, cold air passages, and the like may be provided in the reinforcing members arranged at the corners of the outer box and the inner box.

In the refrigerator 1 of the embodiment of the present invention, the outer box 11, the inner box 12 arranged in the outer box 11, and the vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, 33 provided between the outer box 11 and the inner box 12 are provided. It is a refrigerator having and. Reinforcing members 40 are arranged at the corners C of the outer box 11 and the inner box 12, and the inner surface 12A of the reinforcing member 40 on the inner box 12 side is the inner box of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, 33. It is located on the outer box 11 side of the inner surface on the 12 side.

As a result, when the heat insulating performance is ensured by using the vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, 33, the reinforcing member 40 can increase the rigidity of the refrigerator 1 having the vacuum heat insulating material, and the reinforcing member 40 is vacuum heat insulating. Since the reinforcing members 40 are arranged at positions retracted from the inner surfaces 30A to 33A of the materials 30 to 33 along the direction DR toward the outer box 11, the reinforcing members 40 are arranged from the inner surfaces 30A to 30A of the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33. It does not protrude from 33A toward the inner box 12. Therefore, the reinforcing member 40 does not protrude toward the inner box 12, and even if the reinforcing member 12 is arranged at the corner C, the reinforcing member 40 does not get in the way, and the outer box 11, the inner box 12, and the vacuum heat insulating member are insulated. The main body 2 composed of the materials 30 to 33 and the reinforcing member 40 can be easily assembled.

As described above, in the refrigerator 1 of the embodiment of the present invention, the rigidity of the refrigerator can be increased by using the reinforcing members arranged at the corners while ensuring the heat insulating performance by using the vacuum heat insulating material. Moreover, since the foamed polyurethane material is not used, the assembly workability of the refrigerator 1 can be improved. Since the polyurethane foam material does not adhere to the vacuum heat insulating material, the vacuum heat insulating material can be easily replaced when repairing the refrigerator.

As shown in FIG. 5, heat insulating members 60 and 61 for maintaining heat insulating properties at the corners C are arranged at the corners C. As a result, even if the reinforcing member 40 is arranged at the corner portion C, the heat insulating members 60 and 61 can secure the heat insulating performance at the corner portion C.

The outer box 11 is made of metal, and the inner box 12 is made of plastic. As shown in FIG. 7, the vacuum heat insulating materials 30, 31, 32, 33 have the vacuum heat insulating material 70 and the film 71 covering the vacuum heat insulating material 70, and the sealing portion 72 which is an end portion of the film 71. , 73 are arranged so as to be bent toward the inner surface 11A side of the outer box 11. As a result, since the sealing portions 72 and 73 are not arranged on the plastic inner box 12, the inconvenience that the plastic inner box 12 swells inward can be prevented, and the flatness of the inner box 12 is ensured. it can.

As shown in FIG. 8A, at each corner portion C, for example, a step portion 32R for accommodating a part of the reinforcing member 40 is provided on the outer surface side of the vacuum heat insulating material 32. As a result, the end portion 32T of the vacuum heat insulating material 32 can be extended and arranged within the space 35 of the corner portion C without reducing the size of the reinforcing member 40, and the size of each vacuum heat insulating material that can be used. The size can be increased and the heat insulating performance can be further improved.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 9B, the reinforcing member 40 is arranged at a position away from the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33. As a result, after the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33 are arranged between the outer box 11 and the inner box 12, the reinforcing member 40 does not damage the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33 in the longitudinal direction along the paper surface vertical direction. Can be easily inserted and placed in. Therefore, the reinforcing member 40 can be replaced without damaging the vacuum heat insulating materials 30 to 33.

The inner surface of the reinforcing member on the inner box side is located closer to the outer box than the inner surface of the vacuum heat insulating material on the inner box side. Therefore, the reinforcing member does not interfere with the inner box.

Since the thickness of the reinforcing member is smaller than the thickness of the vacuum heat insulating material, the reinforcing member does not interfere with the inner box and the outer box.

Since the reinforcing member has an inclined portion, a reinforcing member having a larger cross-sectional area can be arranged.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The novel embodiment can be implemented in various other embodiments, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

Each embodiment of the present invention can be used in any combination. Further, the structure of the refrigerator 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an example, and any structure can be adopted.

1 Refrigerator 2 Main body 3 Kannon door 4 Kannon door 5 Refrigerator room 7 Vegetable room 8 Ice making room 9 Upper freezer room 10 Main freezer room 30 Vacuum heat insulating material 30R Step part of vacuum heat insulating material 30T End of vacuum heat insulating material 31 Vacuum heat insulating material 32 Vacuum heat insulating material 32R Step part of vacuum heat insulating material 32T End part of vacuum heat insulating material 33 Vacuum heat insulating material 35 Square space 40 Reinforcing member 70 Core material 71 Laminate film 72 Laminate film sealing part 73 Laminate film sealing part C Corner

Claims (1)

A refrigerator having an outer box, an inner box arranged in the outer box, and a vacuum heat insulating material provided between the outer box and the inner box.
Reinforcing members for increasing rigidity are arranged at some corners of the outer box.
One of the outer surfaces of the adjacent outer surfaces of the reinforcing member is in contact with the ceiling surface portion of the inner surface of the outer box constituting the corner portion, and the other outer surface is in contact with the side surface portion of the inner surface of the outer box. And
The reinforcing member is arranged in the depth direction of the corner portion at least over the range in which the vacuum heat insulating material is arranged, and is also arranged.
At the corner,
The vacuum heat insulating material and the reinforcing member are arranged so as to face each other with a predetermined distance.
Between the vacuum heat insulating material and the reinforcing member, a heat insulating member different from the vacuum heat insulating material molded in advance is formed between the vacuum heat insulating material and the reinforcing member at least in the upward and horizontal directions. A refrigerator characterized in that it is arranged with a vacuum heat insulating panel and can be inserted from the front and back direction.

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