JP7470902B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a refrigerator equipped with a humidification unit.

Patent document 1 discloses a refrigerator that expels moisture from the vegetable case to the outside when the humidity level is high, and prevents moisture from escaping from the vegetable case when the humidity level is low.

JP 2014-800 A

The refrigerator in Patent Document 1 is designed to prevent moisture from escaping from the vegetable case when the humidity level drops, but cannot humidify the container when the humidity level drops.

Therefore, this disclosure provides a refrigerator that can humidify the inside of the vegetable compartment.

The refrigerator of the present disclosure comprises a vegetable compartment, a storage container provided in the vegetable compartment, a humidification unit provided on an inner wall surface of the storage container, and an outlet provided in the vegetable compartment for discharging cold air, the humidification unit being provided on a first wall surface of the inner wall surface of the storage container onto which the cold air discharged from the outlet is blown, the first wall surface absorbing moisture generated by condensation inside the storage container and releasing the moisture into the interior of the storage container , and the humidification unit releasing the moisture as the cold air flows .

The refrigerator disclosed herein can absorb moisture generated by condensation inside the storage container and release the moisture into the storage container. This makes it possible to humidify the inside of the storage container.

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a vegetable compartment of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a vegetable compartment of a refrigerator according to a second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a vegetable compartment of a refrigerator according to a third embodiment. FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a vegetable compartment of a refrigerator according to a fourth embodiment.

(Knowledge and other information that forms the basis of this disclosure)
At the time the inventors came up with the idea of this disclosure, there was a technology available that could maintain a high humidity state while preventing water spoilage due to condensation even when vegetables and fruits were stored in a vegetable case.This involved installing a moisture-sensing and moisture-permeable device in the vegetable case, which would expel moisture from the vegetable case to the outside when the humidity level became high, and would prevent moisture from escaping when the humidity level became low.

When there are many vegetables and the like inside the storage container and the humidity inside is high, releasing moisture to the outside is useful as it reduces the risk of water spoilage due to condensation. However, when there are few vegetables and the humidity inside the storage container is low, the humidity cannot be increased. The inventors discovered that this poses the problem of the vegetables drying out and becoming of low quality, and came to constitute the subject of the present disclosure in order to solve this problem.

Therefore, the present disclosure provides a refrigerator that maintains a high humidity state inside the storage container while reducing the risk of water spoilage due to condensation.

Below, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or duplicate explanation of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming unnecessarily redundant and to make it easier for those skilled in the art to understand.

The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[1-1. Configuration]
In Figures 1 and 2, the insulated box 2 of the refrigerator 1 is composed of an outer box 3 mainly made of steel plate, an inner box 4 molded from a resin such as ABS, and a foam insulation material such as rigid foamed urethane that is filled and foamed in the space between the outer box 3 and the inner box 4, and is insulated from the surroundings and divided into multiple storage compartments.

The refrigerator 1 has a refrigerator compartment 5, a switchable compartment 6, an ice-making compartment 7, a vegetable compartment 8, and a freezer compartment 9.

At the top is a refrigerator compartment 5 serving as the first storage compartment. Below the refrigerator compartment 5, a switchable compartment 6 serving as the fourth storage compartment and an ice-making compartment 7 serving as the fifth storage compartment are provided side-by-side on the left and right. Below the switchable compartment 6 and the ice-making compartment 7, a vegetable compartment 8 serving as the second storage compartment is provided. Finally, a freezer compartment 9 serving as the third storage compartment is located at the bottom.

The refrigerator compartment 5 is normally set at a temperature between 1°C and 5°C, which is the lower limit at which food does not freeze, and the vegetable compartment 8 is set at a temperature between 2°C and 7°C, which is equal to or slightly higher than that of the refrigerator compartment 5. The freezer compartment 9 is set to the freezing temperature range, and is normally set at -22°C to -15°C for freezing, but may be set at a lower temperature, such as -30°C or -25°C, to improve the frozen storage condition. The switchable compartment 6 can be switched to a preset temperature range between the refrigerator and freezing temperature ranges, in addition to the refrigerator temperature range set at 1°C to 5°C, the vegetable temperature range set at 2°C to 7°C, and the freezer temperature range normally set at -22°C to -15°C. The switchable compartment 6 is a storage compartment with an independent door installed next to the ice-making compartment 7, and often has a pull-out door.

In this embodiment, the switchable compartment 6 is a storage compartment that includes both refrigeration and freezing temperature zones, but it may be a storage compartment specialized in switching only between the above temperature zones between refrigeration and freezing, with refrigeration left to the refrigerator compartment 5 and vegetable compartment 8, and freezing left to the freezer compartment 9. It may also be a storage compartment that is fixed to a specific temperature zone.

The top surface of the insulated box 2 has a stepped recess toward the back of the refrigerator 1, and this stepped recess forms a machine room 2a to house the high-pressure side components of the refrigeration cycle, such as the compressor 10 and a dryer (not shown) that removes moisture. In other words, the machine room 2a, which houses the compressor 10, is formed by embedding itself into the uppermost rear area inside the refrigerator compartment 5.

Note that the matters relating to the main parts of the invention described below in this embodiment may also be applied to a type of refrigerator in which a machine room is provided in the rear area of the storage room at the bottom of the insulated box 2, as was previously common, and the compressor 10 is located there. Also, the refrigerator 1 may have a so-called mid-freezer configuration in which the freezer room 9 and vegetable room 8 are swapped.

Next, a cooling chamber 11 that generates cold air is provided at the rear of the vegetable chamber 8 and the freezer chamber 9. Between the vegetable chamber 8 and the cooling chamber 11, or between the freezer chamber 9 and the cooling chamber 11, there are thermally insulated air ducts (not shown) for transporting cold air to each chamber, and a rear partition wall 12 that is configured to provide thermal insulation between each chamber.

A cooler 13 is disposed within the cooling chamber 11. A cooling fan 14 is disposed in the space above the cooler 13, which uses a forced convection system to blow the cold air cooled by the cooler 13 to the refrigerator chamber 5, the switching chamber 6, the ice-making chamber 7, the vegetable chamber 8, and the freezer chamber 9. A radiant heater 15 made of glass tubes is disposed in the space below the cooler 13 to remove frost and ice that adheres to the cooler 13 and its surroundings during cooling. Further below this is a drain pan 16 for receiving defrost water generated during defrosting, and a drain tube 17 that penetrates from its deepest part to the outside of the chamber, with an evaporator dish 18 disposed downstream outside the chamber.

The vegetable compartment 8 is provided with a lower storage container 20 placed on a frame attached to the drawer door 19 of the vegetable compartment 8, and an upper storage container 21 placed on top of the lower storage container 20.

Between the upper storage container 21 and the first partition wall 22a, there is an air passage for the cool air discharged from the outlet 23 for the vegetable compartment 8 formed in the rear partition wall 12. A vegetable compartment heater 24 is arranged near the outlet 23 to adjust the temperature inside the vegetable compartment 8.

Furthermore, a space is provided between the lower storage container 20 and the second partition wall 22b below the lower storage container 20, forming a cold air passage. The vegetable compartment 8 is provided with an intake port 25 for the vegetable compartment 8, through which the cold air that has cooled the vegetable compartment 8 and exchanged heat is returned to the cooler 13. A temperature sensor 26 is installed near the intake port 25.

In FIG. 2, the humidification unit 28 includes an absorption section 29, a discharge section 30, and a transport section 31. The humidification unit 28 is configured integrally with the absorption section 29, the discharge section 30, and the transport section 31. The humidification unit 28 is provided on the inside of the wall surface that defines the lower storage container 20. For example, the humidification unit 28 is provided on the wall surface on the inside of the lower storage container 20, onto which the cold air discharged from the discharge port 23 is blown.

The absorption section 29 is responsible for absorbing and storing moisture generated by condensation inside the lower storage container 20. The lower side of the back surface inside the lower storage container 20 is cooled by the cold air discharged from the outlet 23 to a temperature lower than the dew point temperature of the air inside the lower storage container 20, making it prone to condensation. The absorption section 29 is provided on the lower side of the back surface inside the lower storage container 20 so that it can absorb moisture generated by this condensation. The absorption section 29 is also made of a fibrous material such as nonwoven fabric, for example, to make it easier to absorb moisture generated by condensation, and has a large surface area.

The release section 30 has the role of releasing the absorbed moisture into the inside of the lower storage container 20. Dry cold air discharged from the discharge port 23 is introduced into the upper part of the back surface inside the lower storage container 20 through the gap between the upper storage container 21 and the lower storage container 20. Therefore, the atmosphere around the upper part of the back surface inside the lower storage container 20 has a lower humidity than the atmosphere around the absorption section 29 and the conveying section 31. The release section 30 is provided on the upper part of the back surface inside the lower storage container 20 so that it can release the absorbed moisture. The release section 30 is also made of a fibrous material such as nonwoven fabric to facilitate the release of moisture, and has a large surface area.

The transport section 31 is responsible for transporting the moisture absorbed and stored in the absorption section 29 to the release section 30 by capillary force. Here, capillary force is the force that causes capillary action. The transport section 31 is provided at a position that connects the absorption section 29 and the release section 30. The transport section 31 is made of a fibrous material such as a nonwoven fabric.

[1-2. motion]
The operation and function of the refrigerator 1 configured as above will be described below.

Based on FIG. 2, the operation of the humidification unit 28 of the refrigerator 1 to absorb, move, and release moisture generated by condensation will be described. First, the operation of the refrigeration cycle will be described. The refrigeration cycle operates in response to a signal from a control board (not shown) according to the set temperature inside the refrigerator, and cooling operation is performed. The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged by the operation of the compressor 10 is condensed and liquefied to a certain extent in the condenser (not shown). It is further condensed and liquefied while preventing condensation in the refrigerator 1 through refrigerant piping (not shown) arranged on the side and rear surface of the refrigerator 1 and at the front opening of the refrigerator 1, and reaches the capillary tube (not shown). After that, in the capillary tube, the refrigerant is decompressed while exchanging heat with the suction pipe (not shown) to the compressor 10, and becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant and reaches the cooler 13.

Here, the low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant exchanges heat with the air transported in each storage compartment by the operation of the cooling fan 14, and the refrigerant in the cooler 13 evaporates. At this time, cold air is generated in the cooling compartment 11 to cool each storage compartment.

The low-temperature cold air generated in the cooling compartment 11 is diverted from the cooling fan 14 to the refrigerator compartment 5, the switching compartment 6, the ice-making compartment 7, the vegetable compartment 8, and the freezer compartment 9 using air ducts and cooling dampers 27, and is adjusted by the cooling dampers 27 so that it is cooled to the respective target temperature ranges.

The air cooled to -20°C or less by the cooler 13 rises in temperature to an average of 2-7°C in the vegetable compartment 8. Therefore, the air outside the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21 in the vegetable compartment 8 is dry with an average relative humidity of about 15-29% RH. On the other hand, the vegetables in the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21 are physiologically active and continue to evaporate moisture even during storage, so the air in the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21 becomes more humid. The dry air around the periphery of the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21 is replaced by the high humidity air inside the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21 through the gap between the first partition wall 22a and the upper storage container 21 and the gap between the upper storage container 21 and the lower storage container 20. Therefore, some of the moisture is discharged from the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21.

If the humidity inside the lower storage container 20 becomes too high, condensation will occur, and if the moisture produced by the condensation comes into contact with vegetables, etc., there is a risk that the vegetables will rot. On the other hand, if the humidity inside the lower storage container 20 becomes too low, there is a risk that the evaporation of the vegetables will be promoted, causing them to wilt. Considering the balance between these two risks, a storage humidity of 90 to 95% RH is considered to be appropriate for most vegetables. In this embodiment, a humidification unit 28 is installed to absorb and store moisture produced by condensation in the lower storage container 20, thereby reducing the risk of water spoilage. In addition, when the lower storage container 20 becomes low-humidity, the absorbed and stored moisture is released into the lower storage container 20. Therefore, the risk of water spoilage due to condensation can be reduced while maintaining a high humidity state inside the lower storage container 20.

In FIG. 2, the humidification unit 28 absorbs moisture generated by condensation in the lower storage container 20 in the absorption section 29, transports the absorbed moisture in the transport section 31, and releases the transported moisture in the release section 30.

Next, the operation of absorbing and storing moisture generated by condensation in the absorbing section 29 using the humidifying unit 28, moving the absorbed moisture to the releasing section 30 by the transporting section 31, and releasing the moved moisture in the releasing section 30 will be described. When vegetables are placed in the lower storage container 20, the vegetables release moisture over time. If any of the surfaces that divide the lower storage container 20 at this time are below the dew point temperature, condensation will occur on that surface.

The surface on which condensation occurs may vary slightly depending on the design position of the vegetable compartment 8 and the operating conditions of the refrigerator, but in this case, condensation basically occurs on part of the back surface of the lower storage container 20, which is relatively cold as the cold air discharged from the discharge port 23 is blown onto it. The upper side of the lower storage container 20, where the vegetable density is low, is also affected by the intrusion of the dry cold air discharged from the discharge port 23 and becomes in a low humidity state. Therefore, the lower side of the lower storage container 20, where the vegetable density is high, is relatively more humid than the upper side of the lower storage container 20, so condensation is expected to occur on the lower side of the back surface of the lower storage container 20.

At this time, by installing the absorption section 29 of the humidification unit 28 in the area where condensation occurs, it is possible to absorb and store moisture generated by condensation in the lower storage container 20. The moisture absorbed and stored in the absorption section 29 is moved by the transport section 31 to the release section 30 provided on the upper side of the back surface of the lower storage container 20. Compared to the absorption section 29 and the transport section 31, the area around the release section 30 is convected with low-humidity air due to the intrusion of dry cold air discharged from the discharge port 23. Therefore, the moisture that has moved to the release section 30 is released from the humidification unit 28 here. In particular, the humidity difference between the air in the lower storage container 20 and the atmosphere around the release section 30 increases as the number of vegetables in the lower storage container 20 decreases. Therefore, moisture is released more actively, and as a result, the lower storage container 20 can maintain a high humidity state regardless of the amount of vegetables.

[1-3. Effects, etc.]
As described above, in this embodiment, the refrigerator 1 includes the vegetable compartment 8, the lower storage container 20, the upper storage container 21, and the humidifying unit 28. The humidifying unit 28 is integrally configured with the absorbing section 29, the conveying section 31, and the discharging section 30. When there are many vegetables in the lower storage container 20 and the humidity level is high, the absorbing section 29 first absorbs and stores the moisture generated by condensation on the lower side of the inner back surface of the lower storage container 20. Next, the moisture absorbed by the conveying section 31 is moved to the discharging section by utilizing capillary force. Finally, when the inside of the lower storage container 20 becomes a low humidity state, the discharging section 30 discharges the moisture into the lower storage container 20.

As a result, when the lower storage container 20 becomes low-humidity due to the intrusion of dry cold air or a decrease in the amount of vegetables, moisture is supplied from the humidification unit 28 into the lower storage container 20. Therefore, the lower storage container 20 can maintain a high humidity state whether there are a lot of vegetables or not. It also reduces the risk of vegetables spoiling due to condensation.

In order to maintain the freshness of vegetables, it is necessary to increase the airtightness of the storage container. If the gap between the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21 is reduced to increase the airtightness of the storage container, the exchange of the dry cold air outside the lower storage container 20 with the high humidity air inside the lower storage container 20 will be reduced. As a result, condensation is more likely to occur inside the lower storage container 20. In response to this, the humidification unit 28 can absorb the moisture generated by condensation inside the lower storage container, making it possible to further reduce the gap between the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21. Therefore, it is possible to increase the airtightness of the storage container of the vegetable room 8 more than ever before, and to further increase the humidity inside the lower storage container 20.

In this embodiment, the lower storage container 20 has been described as an example of a location where the humidification unit 28 is installed, but the location where the humidification unit 28 is installed is not limited to the lower storage container 20. As another example, the humidification unit 28 may be installed in the upper storage container 21, for example.

This allows moisture generated by condensation inside the upper storage container 21 to be absorbed by the absorption section 29 and released into the upper storage container 21 by the release section 30. As a result, the inside of the upper storage container 21 is maintained in a high humidity state, reducing the risk of water spoilage due to condensation.

(Embodiment 2)
The second embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

[2-1. Configuration]
Refrigerator 1 according to the second embodiment differs from refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment at least in that humidification unit 28 is installed on the wall surface of the bottom surface of upper storage container 21 facing lower storage container 20. As in the first embodiment, humidification unit 28 is composed of absorption section 29, release section 30, and conveying section 31. In the present embodiment, humidification unit 28 is provided on the wall surface of the bottom surface of upper storage container 21 facing lower storage container 20, and is composed of absorption section 29, conveying section 31, and release section 30 arranged in this order from the back side of upper storage container 21.

The absorption section 29 is cooled by the cold air entering the lower storage container 20 and is installed on the wall surface that becomes below the dew point temperature.

The discharge section 30 is located on the front side of the upper storage container 21, on a wall surface that is heated by the outside air that enters the vegetable compartment 8 when the drawer door 19 is opened, and is in a lower humidity state than the absorption section 29 and the transport section 31.

The transport section 31 is provided to connect the absorption section 29 and the release section 30.

[2-2. motion]
In this embodiment, the operations other than the operation of the humidification unit 28 are similar to those in the first embodiment.

The operation of the humidification unit 28 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 3.

The absorption section 29 is located on the wall surface that is cooled by the cold air entering the lower storage container 20 and reaches a temperature below the dew point, so if there are vegetables in the upper storage container 21, condensation will occur and the absorption section 29 will absorb the moisture generated by the condensation.

When moisture is absorbed in the absorption section 29, the transport section 31 transports the moisture to the release section 30 by capillary force.

The release section 30 is located on the front side of the upper storage container 21, on a wall surface that is heated by the outside air that enters the vegetable compartment 8 when the drawer door 19 is opened, and is in a lower humidity state than the absorption section 29 and the transport section 31. Therefore, if there is moisture in the release section 30, the release section 30 releases the moisture into the air by diffusion due to the humidity difference.

In this embodiment, dry, cool air passes between the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21, causing convection around the release section 30, which promotes the release of moisture.

[2-3. Effects, etc.]
As described above, in the present embodiment, the refrigerator 1 has the humidification unit 28 installed on the wall surface of the bottom of the upper storage container 21 on the side of the lower storage container 20 .

This makes it possible to enhance the release effect of the release section 30 even in a situation where condensation occurs on the bottom surface of the upper storage container 21 on the wall surface facing the lower storage container 20. This reduces the risk of vegetables spoiling due to moisture generated by condensation on the wall surface falling into the lower storage container 20, and also makes it possible to maintain a high humidity level inside the lower storage container 20.

In addition, the area where the humidification unit 28 is installed is unlikely to be touched by a user's hands when removing vegetables, etc. from the lower storage container 20, making it easier to prevent the humidification unit 28 from being damaged or soiled.

(Embodiment 3)
Hereinafter, the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[3-1. Configuration]
The refrigerator 1 according to the third embodiment differs from the refrigerator 1 according to the first and second embodiments in that at least in the humidifying unit 28, the absorbing unit 29 is provided on the bottom surface of the lower storage container 20, the discharging unit 30 is provided on the upper side of the front surface inside the lower storage container 20, and they are connected by a conveying unit 31. The humidifying unit 28 is composed of the absorbing unit 29, the discharging unit 30, and the conveying unit 31, similarly to the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, the absorption section 29 is provided on the bottom surface of the lower storage container 20, on a wall surface that is cooled by heat transfer from other rooms and by cold air flowing outside the lower storage container 20, including between the lower storage container 20 and the second partition wall 22b, and is below the dew point temperature.

The discharge section 30 is located on the front side of the interior of the lower storage container 20, on a wall surface that is heated by the outside air that enters the vegetable compartment 8 when the drawer door 19 is opened, and is in a lower humidity state than the absorption section 29 and the transport section 31.

The transport section 31 is provided to connect the absorption section 29 and the release section 30.

[3-2. motion]
In this embodiment, the operations of the parts other than the operation of the humidification unit 28 are similar to those of the first embodiment.

The operation of the humidification unit 28 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 4.

The absorption section 29 is cooled by the effect of heat absorption from the freezer compartment 9 below the vegetable compartment 8 and by the cold air flowing outside the lower storage container 20, including between the lower storage container 20 and the second partition wall 22b, and is provided on the wall surface that is below the dew point temperature. Therefore, if there are vegetables in the lower storage container 20, condensation will occur, and the absorption section 29 will absorb and store the moisture generated by the condensation.

When moisture is absorbed in the absorption section 29, the transport section 31 transports the absorbed moisture to the release section 30 by capillary force.

The release section 30 is located on the front side of the interior of the lower storage container 20, on the wall surface of the lower storage container 20 that is heated by the outside air that enters the vegetable compartment 8 when the drawer door 19 is opened, and is in a lower humidity state than the absorption section 29 and the transport section 31. Therefore, if there is moisture in the release section 30, the release section 30 releases the moisture into the air by diffusion due to the humidity difference.

In this embodiment, dry, cool air passes between the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21, causing convection around the release section 30, which promotes the release of moisture.

[3-3. Effects, etc.]
As described above, in the present embodiment, the absorbing section 29 of the humidifying unit 28 of the refrigerator 1 is provided near the rear surface of the bottom surface of the lower storage container 20, and the discharging section 30 is provided on the front side inside the lower storage container 20.

As a result, even if condensation occurs on a surface other than the bottom surface of the lower storage container 20, such as the back surface, the absorption section 29 can absorb and store the moisture that occurs as a result of the condensation running down the back surface. This can also reduce the risk of vegetables spoiling due to condensation on the back surface. At the same time, the inside of the lower storage container 20 can be maintained at a high humidity level.

In this embodiment, the lower storage container 20 is described as the location where the humidification unit 28 is installed, but the location where the humidification unit 28 is installed is not limited to the lower storage container 20. As another example, the humidification unit 28 may be installed in the upper storage container 21, for example.

This allows moisture generated by condensation inside the upper storage container 21 to be absorbed by the absorption section 29 and released into the upper storage container 21 by the release section 30. As a result, the inside of the upper storage container 21 is maintained in a high humidity state, reducing the risk of water spoilage due to condensation.

(Embodiment 4)
Hereinafter, the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[4-1. Configuration]
The refrigerator 1 according to the fourth embodiment differs from the refrigerator 1 according to the first to third embodiments in that the refrigerator 1 according to the fourth embodiment has a lid 32 for the purpose of suppressing the intrusion of cold air into the storage container 33, and that the humidifying unit 28 is provided on the wall surface of the lid 32 on the storage container 33 side. The humidifying unit 28 is composed of an absorbing section 29, a releasing section 30, and a conveying section 31, similar to the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, the absorption section 29 is provided on the wall surface of the lid 32 facing the storage container 33, which is cooled by the heat absorption from the switchable compartment 6 and ice-making compartment 7 above the vegetable compartment 8 and by the cold air flowing outside the storage container 33, and is below the dew point temperature.

The discharge section 30 is located on the front side of the lid 32, on the wall surface on the side of the storage container 33, which is heated by the outside air that enters the vegetable compartment 8 when the drawer door 19 is opened, and which is in a lower humidity state than the absorption section 29 and the transport section 31.

The transport section 31 is provided to connect the absorption section 29 and the release section 30.

[4-2. motion]
In this embodiment, the operations of the parts other than the operation of the humidification unit 28 are similar to those of the first embodiment.

The operation of the humidification unit 28 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 5.

The absorption section 29 is cooled by the heat absorption from the switchable compartment 6 and ice-making compartment 7 above the vegetable compartment 8, and by the cold air flowing outside the storage container 33, and is provided on the wall surface of the lid 32 facing the storage container 33, which is below the dew point temperature. Therefore, if there are vegetables in the storage container 33, condensation will occur, and the absorption section 29 will absorb and store the moisture generated by the condensation.

When moisture is absorbed in the absorption section 29, the transport section 31 transports the absorbed moisture to the release section by capillary force.

The release section 30 is provided on the wall surface on the front side of the lid 32 facing the storage container 33, which is heated by the outside air that enters the vegetable compartment 8 when the drawer door 19 is opened, and is in a lower humidity state than the absorption section 29 and the transport section 31. Therefore, if there is moisture in the release section 30, the release section 30 releases the moisture into the air by diffusion due to the difference in humidity. The side surface on the front side of the lid 32 facing the storage container 33 is generally near the vent through which air escapes to the outside of the storage container 33, and convection of dry air occurs in that vicinity. This improves the ability to release moisture from the release section 30.

[4-3. Effects, etc.]
As described above, in the present embodiment, the absorbing section 29 of the humidifying unit 28 of the refrigerator 1 is provided on the wall surface of the lid 32 facing the storage container 33, and the discharging section 30 is provided on the wall surface of the front side of the lid 32 facing the storage container 33.

As a result, even if condensation occurs inside the lid 32, the moisture generated by the condensation can be absorbed and stored in the absorption section 29, and the moisture can be released to the low humidity section by the release section 30. This reduces the risk of moisture generated by condensation from the lid 32 falling onto the stored vegetables. Furthermore, the risk of vegetables spoiling due to condensation can be reduced, and the inside of the storage container 33 can be maintained at a high humidity level.

In this embodiment, the discharge section 30 is provided on the wall surface of the storage container 33 on the front side of the lid 32. This section generally serves as an air passage for cool air passing through the storage container 33, and convection of the surrounding air occurs sequentially. Providing the discharge section 30 in this section can increase the discharge capacity. This allows the size of the discharge section 30 to be reduced, leading to cost reduction.

Other Embodiments
As described above, the first to fourth embodiments have been described as examples of the technology disclosed in this application. However, the technology in this disclosure is not limited to these, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. In addition, it is also possible to combine the components described in the first to fourth embodiments to create new embodiments.

Therefore, other embodiments are given below as examples.

In the first to fourth embodiments, the vegetable compartment has been described as an example of a location where the humidifying unit 28 is installed, but the location where the humidifying unit 28 is installed is not limited to the vegetable compartment. As another example, the humidifying unit 28 may be installed in another storage compartment, such as a refrigerator compartment or a freezer compartment. Also, not only vegetables but also fruits and rice may be stored in the vegetable compartment.

In the first to fourth embodiments, a fibrous material such as nonwoven fabric has been described as an example of a material constituting the absorbent portion 29. The absorbent portion 29 may be any porous material capable of absorbing as much moisture as possible that has been generated by condensation. Therefore, the absorbent portion 29 is not limited to a fibrous material such as nonwoven fabric. By making the absorbent portion 29 out of a porous material, the surface area becomes large, enabling it to absorb and store a large amount of moisture.

This allows the device to absorb the large amount of moisture that is expected to form when there are a lot of vegetables, and is effective in reducing the risk of condensation. Furthermore, this also leads to an increase in the amount of moisture released by the release section 30 when there are only a few vegetables, making it easier to respond to fluctuations in the amount of vegetables. This extends the time that the inside of the storage container can be maintained in a high humidity state, allowing the vegetables to stay fresh for a longer period of time.

The absorbing section 29 may also be configured with grooves. This allows the absorbing section 29 to retain moisture generated by condensation between the grooves. Also, simply providing grooves in the wall surface of the storage container can absorb and store moisture generated by condensation, eliminating the need to install new components and reducing costs.

In the first to fourth embodiments, a fibrous material such as nonwoven fabric has been described as an example of a material constituting the transport section 31. The transport section 31 may be any porous body that can transport the moisture absorbed in the absorption section 29 to the release section 30 by capillary force. Therefore, the transport section 31 is not limited to a fibrous material such as nonwoven fabric. By making the transport section 31 out of a porous body, a large amount of moisture absorbed in the absorption section 29 can be moved to the release section 30 by the capillary force of the porous body.

Therefore, even in cases where condensation occurs continuously, the moisture absorbed by the absorbing section 29 can be continuously transferred. This improves the absorption performance of the absorbing section 29 and reduces the risk of condensation inside the storage container.

The material constituting the transport section 31 may be anisotropic in the direction in which moisture moves from the absorption section 29 to the release section 30. By making the transport section 31 out of anisotropic material, moisture moving within the transport section 31 flows with a certain directionality, and the moisture can be quickly transported to its intended destination, the release section 30.

Therefore, even if the amount of water absorbed by the absorption section 29 becomes excessive, the water can be quickly transported to the release section 30. This improves the storage capacity of the absorption section 29, and reduces the risk of water generated by condensation falling into the storage container when the number of vegetables increases or decreases.

Furthermore, the transport section 31 may be configured with a groove. This allows the moisture absorbed by the absorption section 29 to be moved by the capillary force of the groove. Also, since moisture can be moved simply by providing a groove in the wall surface of the storage container, there is no need to install new components, and costs can be reduced.

In the first to fourth embodiments, a fibrous material such as nonwoven fabric has been described as an example of a material constituting the release section 30. The release section 30 may be any porous body that can release a larger amount of moisture generated by condensation. Therefore, the release section 30 is not limited to a fibrous material such as nonwoven fabric. By making the release section 30 out of a porous body, the surface area becomes larger and a larger amount of moisture can be released.

As a result, when there is a change in the amount of vegetables or when humidity levels drop inside the storage container due to the inflow of dry, cold air, it is possible to release a large amount of moisture in a short period of time. This makes it possible to prevent the vegetables and other items in the storage container from drying out, and to maintain their freshness.

In the second to fourth embodiments, as an example of a location for installing the release section 30, a wall surface that is heated by the outside air that enters the vegetable compartment 8 when the drawer door 19 is opened and has a lower humidity state than the absorption section 29 and the transport section 31 has been described. The release section 30 may be provided near the inlet where cold air flows into the storage container from outside. This allows convection of dry air to occur near the release section 30, improving the ability of the release section 30 to release moisture. Therefore, when trying to achieve the same release capacity, the size of the release section 30 can be made smaller, leading to cost reduction.

The cold air that enters the storage container is relatively dry compared to the air inside the storage container, and the inflowing dry air can be humidified by releasing moisture from the release section 30. This prevents the dry air from hitting vegetables, etc., and is expected to help keep them fresh for longer. In order to improve the release performance of the release section 30, the release section 30 can be provided in a part of the cold air inflow section where the inflowing cold air is particularly turbulent, thereby further improving the release performance.

In the first to fourth embodiments, the humidification unit 28 is described, which includes the absorption section 29, the conveying section 31, and the discharging section 30. The humidification unit 28 may be configured such that the absorption section 29, the conveying section 31, and the discharging section 30 are integrally formed from the same material. This simplifies the configuration compared to when the absorption section 29, the conveying section 31, and the discharging section 30 are each made from a different material and structure. This is expected to reduce the number of assembly steps, leading to cost reductions. The absorption section 29, the conveying section 31, and the discharging section 30 may be integrally formed from nonwoven fabric, and the nonwoven fabric may be stored inside a case to form the humidification unit 28.

The above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology disclosed herein, and various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. may be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

This disclosure prevents vegetables from spoiling due to condensation by absorbing moisture generated by condensation inside a storage container in a humidification unit and releasing the moisture into the storage container, and can maintain high humidity inside the storage container. Therefore, it can be used not only in household or commercial refrigerators or vegetable storage, but also in distribution, warehouses, and other applications that require high humidity storage, including for items other than vegetables.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Refrigerator 8 Vegetable compartment 20 Lower storage container 21 Upper storage container 23 Discharge port 28 Humidification unit 29 Absorption section 30 Release section 31 Conveying section 33 Storage container

Claims (7)

A refrigerator comprising: a vegetable compartment; a storage container provided in the vegetable compartment; a humidification unit provided on an inner wall surface of the storage container; and an exhaust port provided in the vegetable compartment for discharging cold air, wherein the humidification unit is provided on a first wall surface of the inner wall surface of the storage container onto which the cold air discharged from the exhaust port is blown, the humidification unit absorbs moisture generated by condensation on the first wall surface and releases the moisture into the storage container, and the humidification unit releases the moisture as the cold air flows . 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising an upper storage container provided above the storage container, the cold air being introduced through a gap between the storage container and the upper storage container, and the humidifying unit releasing the moisture as the cold air flows. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a heater provided near the outlet, the heater controlling a temperature in the vegetable compartment. 4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the humidifying unit includes an absorption section and a release section, and the moisture absorbed by the absorption section moves to the release section. The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that the outlet is provided on a rear surface of the vegetable compartment, the absorption section is provided on a lower side of the rear surface of the storage container, and the release section is provided on an upper side of the rear surface of the storage container, and the cold air flows above the release section, causing the release section to release the moisture. 6. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the moisture moves from the absorption section to the release section by capillary action. 6. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the humidifying unit has a nonwoven fabric, and the moisture moves from the absorbing section to the releasing section by capillary action.