JP7502982B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a refrigerator.

A refrigerator equipped with an ultraviolet light source in the chilled compartment has been proposed. It is expected that the sterilization function of refrigerators will be further improved.

JP 2020-112295 A

The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a refrigerator that can easily increase the capacity of the storage compartment while improving the virus or bacteria suppression function.

A refrigerator according to an embodiment has a housing, a duct part, and a light irradiation part. The housing has a storage compartment that can be used as a vegetable compartment. The duct part is provided in the housing, and cold air flows inside the housing. The light irradiation part is provided inside the duct part, and irradiates light having an effect of suppressing viruses or bacteria into the storage compartment. The refrigerator further has a cooler provided in the housing. The housing has a first storage compartment that is the storage compartment, and a second storage compartment provided above the first storage compartment. The duct part is a duct part that guides cold air heated in the second storage compartment toward the cooler through the rear of the first storage compartment. The light irradiation part irradiates the light into the first storage compartment. The duct part has a cold air return port that opens into the second storage compartment. The light irradiation part is disposed in a position that overlaps at least a part of the cold air return port in the vertical direction inside the duct part.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1 taken along line F2-F2. 3 is an oblique cross-sectional view taken along line F3-F3 of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a portion of the refrigeration duct component of the first embodiment. A cross-sectional view showing the area surrounded by line F5 of the refrigerator shown in Figure 2. A cross-sectional view showing the area surrounded by line F6 of the refrigerator shown in Figure 5. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the irradiation center of ultraviolet light by the light irradiation unit according to the first embodiment. 7 is a plan view of the light irradiation unit shown in FIG. 6 as viewed from the direction of arrow F8. FIG. 2 is a partially exploded cross-sectional view showing the light irradiation unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an irradiation range after limiting ultraviolet light in the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator according to a first modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator according to a second modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator according to a third modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator according to a fourth modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator according to a first modified example of the first referential embodiment. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator according to a second modified example of the first reference embodiment. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator according to a second embodiment. A cross-sectional view taken along line F19-F19 of the refrigerator shown in Figure 18. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the refrigerator according to the second reference embodiment.

Below, a refrigerator according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, components having the same or similar functions will be given the same reference numerals. Duplicate descriptions of these components may be omitted. In this specification, left and right are defined based on the direction in which the refrigerator is viewed from a user standing in front of the refrigerator. Additionally, the side closer to the user standing in front of the refrigerator as viewed from the refrigerator is defined as the "front," and the side furthest from the user is defined as the "rear." "The left-right direction of the refrigerator" has the same meaning as "the width direction of the refrigerator." "The front-rear direction of the refrigerator" has the same meaning as "the depth direction of the refrigerator."

In this specification, "sterilization" is a term used for convenience of explanation, and is used in a broad sense to mean suppressing viruses or bacteria (for example, reducing or inactivating the infectivity of viruses, and suppressing the growth of bacteria). In other words, in this specification, "sterilization" is not limited to removing (reducing) bacteria, but is used to mean suppressing the growth of bacteria and/or suppressing the spread of viruses and other substances other than bacteria. "Suppressing the spread of viruses and other substances" is not limited to suppressing the spread of viruses inside the refrigerator, but can also apply to cases where the infectivity of the virus is weakened and the spread of the virus after it has left the refrigerator is suppressed.

First Embodiment
[1. Overall configuration of the refrigerator]
A refrigerator 1 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 10. First, the overall configuration of the refrigerator 1 will be described.

Figure 1 is a front view showing a refrigerator 1. The refrigerator 1 has, for example, a housing 10 and multiple doors 20.

The housing 10 has an upper wall 10a, a lower wall 10b, left and right side walls 10c, 10d, and a rear wall 10e (see FIG. 2). The upper wall 10a and the lower wall 10b extend horizontally. The left and right side walls 10c, 10d rise upward from the left and right ends of the lower wall 10b and are connected to the left and right ends of the upper wall 10a. The left side wall 10c includes a left side wall portion S1 that is exposed to the vegetable room 11B described later and forms the left side of the vegetable room 11B. The right side wall 10d includes a right side wall portion S2 that is exposed to the vegetable room 11B and forms the right side of the vegetable room 11B. The rear wall 10e rises upward from the rear end of the lower wall 10b and is connected to the rear end of the upper wall 10a. The housing 10 includes an inner box 10i that forms the inner surface of the housing 10, an outer box 10j that is located outside the inner box 10i and forms the outer surface of the housing 10, and a foam insulation material 10k such as urethane foam that is provided between the inner box 10i and the outer box 10j (see FIG. 2), and has thermal insulation properties.

A plurality of storage compartments 11 are provided inside the housing 10. The plurality of storage compartments 11 include, for example, a refrigerator compartment 11A, a chilled compartment 11Aa, a vegetable compartment 11B, an ice-making compartment 11C, a small freezer compartment 11D, and a main freezer compartment 11E. The refrigerator compartment 11A is cooled, for example, to a chilled temperature range of about 2°C to 6°C. The chilled compartment 11Aa is cooled, for example, to a chilled temperature range of about -1°C to +1°C. The vegetable compartment 11B is cooled, for example, to a vegetable compartment temperature range of about 3°C to 7°C. The ice-making compartment 11C, the small freezer compartment 11D, and the main freezer compartment 11E are cooled, for example, to a freezer temperature range of about -20°C to -18°C.

In this embodiment, the refrigerator compartment 11A is located at the top, the vegetable compartment 11B is located below the refrigerator compartment 11A, the ice-making compartment 11C and the small freezer compartment 11D are located below the vegetable compartment 11B, and the main freezer compartment 11E is located below the ice-making compartment 11C and the small freezer compartment 11D. However, the arrangement of the storage compartments 11 is not limited to the above example. The housing 10 has an opening on the front side of each storage compartment 11 that allows food to be put in and taken out of each storage compartment 11.

The vegetable compartment 11B is an example of a "storage compartment that can be used as a vegetable compartment" and an example of a "first storage compartment." In this specification, a "storage compartment that can be used as a vegetable compartment" is not limited to a storage compartment 11 that is provided exclusively as a vegetable compartment, but may be a switchable compartment in which the temperature range can be switched depending on a number of uses (e.g., a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment, or a vegetable compartment), and may be a storage compartment 11 that can be switched to at least the temperature range of the vegetable compartment. A "vegetable compartment" is a storage compartment that has a higher temperature range than the refrigerator compartment.

The chilled compartment 11Aa is located in a section below the refrigerator compartment 11A. The chilled compartment 11Aa is an example of a "special storage compartment" and an example of a "second storage compartment." In this specification, a "special storage compartment" is a storage compartment with a lower temperature range than the refrigerator compartment and a higher temperature range than the freezer compartment. The "special storage compartment" is not limited to the chilled compartment 11Aa, but may be a partial compartment that is cooled to a partial temperature range (approximately -4°C to -2°C). For this reason, "chilled compartment 11Aa" in the following description may be read as "special storage compartment" or "partial compartment."

The housing 10 has first and second partitions 15, 16 (see FIG. 2). The first and second partitions 15, 16 are, for example, partition walls that are approximately horizontal. The first partition 15 is located between the refrigerator compartment 11A and the chilled compartment 11Aa and the vegetable compartment 11B, and separates the refrigerator compartment 11A and the chilled compartment 11Aa from the vegetable compartment 11B. For example, the first partition 15 is a partition wall that does not have thermal insulation. The first partition 15 may be provided integrally with the housing 10, or may be provided separately from the housing 10 and attached inside the housing 10. The first partition 15 has an air hole that guides the cold air that has passed through the refrigerator compartment 11A or the chilled compartment 11Aa to the vegetable compartment 11B. On the other hand, the second partition 16 is located between the vegetable compartment 11B and the ice-making compartment 11C and small freezer compartment 11D, and separates the vegetable compartment 11B from the ice-making compartment 11C and small freezer compartment 11D. The second partition 16 is, for example, integral with the housing 10 and has thermal insulation properties.

The multiple storage compartments 11 are closed by multiple doors 20 so that they can be opened and closed. The multiple doors 20 include, for example, left and right refrigerator compartment doors 20Aa and 20Ab that close the opening of the refrigerator compartment 11A, a vegetable compartment door 20B that closes the opening of the vegetable compartment 11B, an ice-making compartment door 20C that closes the opening of the ice-making compartment 11C, a small freezer compartment door 20D that closes the opening of the small freezer compartment 11D, and a main freezer compartment door 20E that closes the opening of the main freezer compartment 11E. The left and right refrigerator compartment doors 20Aa and 20Ab form, for example, French doors (double doors). Each of the vegetable compartment door 20B, the ice-making compartment door 20C, the small freezer compartment door 20D, and the main freezer compartment door 20E is a pull-out door that can be pulled out to the front side of the refrigerator 1.

Here, the vegetable compartment door 20B will be described in detail. The vegetable compartment door 20B includes, for example, a door body 21 and a rail member 22. The door body 21 is located outside the housing 10 and faces the opening of the vegetable compartment 11B from the front side of the refrigerator 1. The door body 21 has an outer shape larger than the opening of the vegetable compartment 11B and closes the opening of the vegetable compartment 11B in an openable and closable manner. The upper end of the door body 21 is provided with a handle that the user places his or her hand on when opening the vegetable compartment door 20B. The rail member 22 is attached to the inner surface (rear surface) of the door body 21 and extends rearward from the door body 21. The rail member 22 is supported by rail receiving portions provided on the left side wall portion S1 and the right side wall portion S2 of the housing 10. As a result, the vegetable compartment door 20B can slide in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1 relative to the housing 10.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator 1 shown in Figure 1 taken along line F2-F2. The refrigerator 1 includes, for example, a plurality of shelves 30, a plurality of containers 40, a flow path forming part 50, a cooling unit 60, a light irradiation unit 70, and a control device 80. The plurality of shelves 30 are arranged in the refrigerator compartment 11A.

The multiple containers 40 include first and second chilled compartment containers 41, 42 housed in chilled compartment 11Aa, first and second vegetable compartment containers 43, 44 housed in vegetable compartment 11B, an ice-making compartment container (not shown) housed in ice-making compartment 11C, a small freezer container 46 housed in small freezer compartment 11D, and first and second main freezer containers 47, 48 housed in main freezer compartment 11E.

First, the first and second chilled chamber containers 41, 42 will be described. The first chilled chamber container 41 is the lower container of the two-tiered chilled chamber containers 41, 42. The second chilled chamber container 42 is the upper container of the two-tiered chilled chamber containers 41, 42. The second chilled chamber container 42 is located above the first chilled chamber container 41. The first and second chilled chamber containers 41, 42 can each be pulled out independently forward. It is noted that only one chilled chamber container may be placed in the chilled chamber 11Aa.

Next, the first and second vegetable compartment containers 43, 44 will be described. The first vegetable compartment container 43 is a container located at the lower side of the two-tiered vegetable compartment containers 43, 44. The first vegetable compartment container 43 is supported by the vegetable compartment door 20B and can be pulled out to the front side of the refrigerator 1 together with the vegetable compartment door 20B. The front end 43a of the first vegetable compartment container 43 is located near the door body 21 of the vegetable compartment door 20B. A partition 43p is provided inside the first vegetable compartment container 43. A storage area CR that can store a PET bottle upright is formed between the front end 42a of the first vegetable compartment container 43 and the partition 43p. The storage area CR is a storage area adjacent to the front end 43a of the first vegetable compartment container 43 inside the first vegetable compartment container 43. On the other hand, the rear end 43b of the first vegetable compartment container 43 is located near the rear wall 10e of the housing 10 when the first vegetable compartment container 43 is stored in the vegetable compartment 11B. The first vegetable compartment container 43 is an example of the "first container."

The second vegetable compartment container 44 is the upper one of the two-tiered vegetable compartment containers 43, 44. The second vegetable compartment container 44 is disposed above the first vegetable compartment container 43. The dimension of the second vegetable compartment container 44 in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1 is smaller than the dimension of the first vegetable compartment container 43 in the same direction. The front end 44a of the second vegetable compartment container 44 is located directly above the partition 43p of the first vegetable compartment container 43, or is located behind the partition 43p. That is, the front end 44a of the second vegetable compartment container 44 is located behind the front end 43a of the first vegetable compartment container 43. The front end 44a of the second vegetable compartment container 44 is provided with a handle H that the user places his/her hand on when pulling the second vegetable compartment container 44 forward. The rear end 44b of the second vegetable compartment container 44 is located forward compared to the rear end 43b of the first vegetable compartment container 43. The second vegetable compartment container 44 is an example of a "second container".

In this embodiment, the second vegetable compartment container 44 is an example of "a container located at the top of at least one container housed in a certain storage compartment (vegetable compartment 11B)". However, there may be only one vegetable compartment container placed in the vegetable compartment 11B. In this case, the one vegetable compartment container placed in the vegetable compartment 11B corresponds to an example of "a container located at the top of at least one container housed in a certain storage compartment (vegetable compartment 11B)".

The flow path forming part 50 includes a refrigeration duct part 51 and a freezing duct part 52. The refrigeration duct part 51 is provided in the housing 10 and extends vertically along the rear wall 10e. The refrigeration duct part 51 forms a duct space D1, which is a passage through which cold air (air), near the rear wall 10e of the housing 10. In this specification, the "duct part" is not limited to a cylindrical part, and may include a part that defines at least a part of the cold air passage by cooperating with another part (e.g., the rear wall 10e of the housing 10). For example, the refrigeration duct part 51 of this embodiment is a cover that is attached to the rear wall 10e of the housing 10 and forms the duct space D1 between the rear wall 10e of the housing 10 and the cover.

The refrigeration duct part 51 has cold air outlets 51a, 51b and cold air return ports 51c, 51d. The cold air outlet 51a opens into the refrigerator compartment 11A and supplies cold air cooled by the refrigerator cooler 62 described later to the refrigerator compartment 11A. The cold air outlet 51b opens into the chilled compartment 11Aa and supplies cold air cooled by the refrigerator cooler 62 described later to the chilled compartment 11Aa. The cold air return port 51c opens into the chilled compartment 11Aa and guides the cold air that has been warmed by passing through the chilled compartment 11Aa toward the duct space D1. The cold air return port 51d opens into the vegetable compartment 11B and guides the cold air that has been warmed by passing through the refrigerator compartment 11A, the vegetable compartment 11B, etc., to the duct space D1. The refrigeration duct part 51 will be described in detail later.

The refrigeration duct part 52 is provided in the housing 10 and extends vertically along the rear wall 10e. The refrigeration duct part 52 forms a duct space D2, which is a passage through which cold air (air) flows, near the rear wall 10e of the housing 10. The refrigeration duct part 52 has a cold air outlet 52a and a cold air return port 52b. The cold air outlet 52a opens into the ice making chamber 11C, the small freezing chamber 11D, or the main freezing chamber 11E, and supplies cold air cooled by the refrigeration cooler 64 described below to the ice making chamber 11C, the small freezing chamber 11D, or the main freezing chamber 11E. The cold air return port 52b opens into the lower part of the main freezing chamber 11E, and guides the cold air that has been warmed by passing through one or more of the ice making chamber 11C, the small freezing chamber 11D, and the main freezing chamber 11E to the duct space D2.

The cooling unit 60 includes, for example, a compressor 61, a refrigeration cooler 62, a refrigerator fan 63, a freezer cooler 64, and a freezer fan 65. The refrigeration cooler 62 and the refrigerator fan 63 are arranged in the duct space D1. The refrigeration cooler 62 is supplied with the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 61 and cools the cold air flowing through the duct space D1. When the refrigerator fan 63 is driven, the cold air cooled by the refrigeration cooler 62 is supplied from the cold air outlets 51a, 51b to the refrigerator chamber 11A and the chilled chamber 11Aa. A portion of the cold air that has passed through the refrigerator chamber 11A or the chilled chamber 11Aa flows into the vegetable chamber 11B. Then, the cold air that has been warmed in one or more of the refrigerator chamber 11A, the chilled chamber 11Aa, and the vegetable chamber 11B returns to the duct space D1 from the cold air return ports 51c, 51d.

The freezer cooler 64 and the freezer fan 65 are arranged in the duct space D2. The freezer cooler 64 is supplied with refrigerant compressed by the compressor 61 and cools the cold air flowing through the duct space D2. When the freezer fan 65 is driven, the cold air cooled by the freezer cooler 64 is supplied from the cold air outlet 52a to the freezer compartments (ice-making compartment 11C, small freezer compartment 11D, main freezer compartment 11E), and the air warmed in the freezer compartments returns to the duct space D2 from the cold air return port 52b.

The light irradiation unit 70 is provided in the housing 10. In this embodiment, the light irradiation unit 70 is disposed behind the vegetable compartment 11B and irradiates the inside of the vegetable compartment 11B with ultraviolet light. The light irradiation unit 70 will be described in detail later.

The control device 80 has a circuit board and electronic components mounted on the circuit board. The control device 80 controls the entire refrigerator 1. For example, the control device 80 controls the operation of the compressor 61, the refrigerator compartment fan 63, and the freezer compartment fan 65 described above. The control device 80 also controls the irradiation of ultraviolet rays by the light irradiation unit 70. In this embodiment, the control device 80 controls the light irradiation unit 70 based on the detection result of a door switch that detects the open/closed state of the vegetable compartment door 20B. For example, when the control device 80 detects that the vegetable compartment door 20B is open, it stops the irradiation of ultraviolet rays by the light irradiation unit 70. On the other hand, when the control device 80 detects that the vegetable compartment door 20B is closed, it resumes the irradiation of ultraviolet rays by the light irradiation unit 70.

[2. Details of the surrounding structure of the vegetable compartment]
Next, the peripheral structure of the vegetable compartment 11B will be described in detail.
Fig. 3 is a perspective cross-sectional view taken along line F3-F3 of the refrigerator 1 shown in Fig. 1. Note that in Fig. 3, the refrigeration cooler 62 and the refrigerator compartment fan 63 are omitted from the illustration.

[2.1 First partition section]
First, the first partition 15 will be described. As described above, the first partition 15 is provided between the refrigerator compartment 11A and the chilled compartment 11Aa and the vegetable compartment 11B, and separates the refrigerator compartment 11A and the chilled compartment 11Aa from the vegetable compartment 11B. The first partition 15 is formed in a relatively thin plate shape. The first partition 15 forms the bottom wall of the refrigerator compartment 11A and the chilled compartment 11Aa, and forms the ceiling of the vegetable compartment 11B. The first partition 15 includes, from the front side, a first portion 15a, a second portion 15b, a third portion 15c, a fourth portion 15d, and a fifth portion 15e. Each of the first to fifth portions 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, and 15e is provided so as to span the entire width of the vegetable compartment 11B in the width direction of the refrigerator 1.

The first portion 15a is located forward of the first chilled compartment container 41 and forms part of the bottom wall of the refrigerator compartment 11A. The first portion 15a is a wall portion that extends in the horizontal direction. The second portion 15b is adjacent to the rear end of the first portion 15a. The second portion 15b is located below the first chilled compartment container 41 and forms part of the bottom wall of the chilled compartment 11Aa. The second portion 15b is an inclined wall that is inclined relative to the horizontal direction. The second portion 15b is inclined so that it is positioned downward as it proceeds rearward from the rear end of the first portion 15a (i.e., it is inclined downward toward the rear).

The third portion 15c is adjacent to the rear end of the second portion 15b. The third portion 15c is located below the first chilled chamber container 41 and forms part of the bottom wall of the chilled chamber 11Aa. The third portion 15c is a wall portion that extends horizontally from the rear end of the second portion 15b. In other words, the third portion 15c is provided at a lower height position than the first portion 15a and the fifth portion 15d described below. For example, the third portion 15c forms the lowest part of the first partition portion 15.

The fourth portion 15d is adjacent to the rear end of the third portion 15c. The fourth portion 15d is located below the first chilled chamber container 41 and forms part of the bottom wall of the chilled chamber 11Aa. The fourth portion 15d is an inclined portion that is inclined relative to the horizontal direction. The fourth portion 15d is inclined so that it is positioned higher as it moves rearward from the rear end of the third portion 15c (i.e., it is inclined upward toward the rear).

The fifth portion 15e is adjacent to the rear end of the fourth portion 15d. The fifth portion 15e is located below the first chilled chamber container 41 and forms part of the bottom wall of the chilled chamber 11Aa. The fifth portion 15e is a wall portion that includes a portion that extends horizontally from the rear end of the fourth portion 15d. The fifth portion 15e forms the rear end portion of the first partition portion 15. In this embodiment, the fifth portion 15e (i.e., the rear end portion of the first partition portion 15) is located forward compared to the rear end portion 44b of the second vegetable chamber container 44.

[2.2 Refrigeration duct parts]
Next, the refrigeration duct part 51 will be described.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a part of a refrigeration duct part 51 (hereinafter simply referred to as "duct part 51"). Fig. 4 shows the part of the duct part 51 that is exposed to the chilled compartment 11Aa and the vegetable compartment 11B. The duct part 51 has, for example, a first front wall portion 91, a protruding portion 92, a second front wall portion 93, a left side wall portion 94, a right side wall portion 95, and a bottom wall 96.

The first front wall portion 91 is a wall portion facing the front side of the refrigerator 1. The first front wall portion 91 is exposed to the chilled compartment 11Aa and forms part of the rear wall portion of the chilled compartment 11Aa (see FIG. 5). The first front wall portion 91 is provided with a plurality of cold air outlets 51b. The cold air outlets 51b are arranged, for example, at a position higher than the upper edge of the second chilled compartment container 42 (see FIG. 5).

The protruding portion 92 protrudes forward from the lower end of the first front wall portion 91. The protruding portion 92 is provided over most of the entire width of the duct part 51 in the width direction of the refrigerator 1. The protruding portion 92 is provided at a height position corresponding to the height position between the chilled chamber 11Aa and the vegetable chamber 11B (see FIG. 5). In this embodiment, the protruding portion 92 is connected to the fifth portion 15e of the first partition portion 15. As a result, the protruding portion 92 works together with the first partition portion 15 to function as a partition wall that separates the chilled chamber 11Aa and the vegetable chamber 11B. In this embodiment, the fifth portion 15e of the first partition portion 15 is placed on the tip portion 92e of the protruding portion 92 (see FIG. 5). As a result, the protruding portion 92 supports the fifth portion 15e of the first partition portion 15 from below.

In this embodiment, the projection 92 is inclined so that the height position becomes lower as it moves from the lower end of the first front wall 91 to the front (i.e., it is inclined downward toward the front). The projection 92 is provided with a plurality of cold air return ports 51c (return ports for cold air from the chilled compartment 11Aa). The cold air return ports 51c are arranged in a line in the width direction of the refrigerator 1. Each of the cold air return ports 51c is an elongated hole extending along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1. The rear end of the first chilled compartment container 41 located above the projection 92 is provided with an air vent 41h that passes the cold air that has flowed inside the first chilled compartment container 41 toward the cold air return port 51c of the projection 92 (see FIG. 5).

The second front wall portion 93 is provided below the overhang portion 92. The second front wall portion 93 is a wall portion facing the front side of the refrigerator 1, and forms at least a part of the front surface of the duct part 51. The second front wall portion 93 is exposed to the vegetable compartment 11B, and forms a part of the rear wall portion of the vegetable compartment 11B (see FIG. 5). The second front wall portion 93 extends downward from a middle portion 92m of the overhang portion 92 in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1. The middle portion 92m is a portion of the overhang portion 92 adjacent to the front end of the cold air return port 51c. The second front wall portion 93 is an example of a "front wall." The second front wall portion 93 will be described in detail later in conjunction with the explanation of the light irradiation unit 70.

The left side wall portion 94 extends rearward from the left end of the first front wall portion 91 and the left end of the second front wall portion 93. On the other hand, the right side wall portion 95 extends rearward from the right end of the first front wall portion 91 and the right end of the second front wall portion 93. The left side wall portion 94 and the right side wall portion 95 close the left and right sides of the duct space D1. The bottom wall 96 extends rearward from the lower end of the second front wall portion 93. The bottom wall 96 closes the lower part of the duct space D1. In this embodiment, the bottom wall 96 is provided with multiple cold air return ports 51d (return ports for cold air from the vegetable compartment 11B) (see FIG. 5).

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the area surrounded by line F5 of refrigerator 1 shown in Figure 2. The arrows in the figure indicate the flow of air (cold air). An insulating member 55 is provided inside duct part 51. Insulating member 55 is a foam insulating material such as bead method polystyrene foam (EPS: Expanded Poly-Styrene), and has high insulating properties. Insulating member 55 is an insulating member with better insulating properties per unit thickness than duct part 51.

The insulating member 55 is provided along the inner surface (rear surface) of the first front wall portion 91. The insulating member 55 is located between the first front wall portion 91 and the duct space D1 inside the duct part 51, and defines a part of the front surface of the duct space D1. In other words, the insulating member 55 is located between the first front wall portion 91 and the refrigeration cooler 62. The insulating member 55 extends below the first front wall portion 91 along the front surface of the refrigeration cooler 62.

In this embodiment, the insulating member 55 is located between the protruding portion 92 and the refrigeration cooler 62, and between at least a part of the second front wall portion 93 and the refrigeration cooler 62. The second front wall portion 93 is located away from the insulating member 55. Between the second front wall portion 93 and the insulating member 55, a cold air passage A1 is formed through which air (cold air) flowing from the chilled chamber 11Aa into the cold air return port 51c flows downward.

Air that flows into the duct part 51 from the cold air return port 51c passes through the cold air passage A1 between the second front wall portion 93 and the heat insulating member 55, and is guided to a space A2 (hereinafter referred to as the "confluence space A2" for convenience of explanation) located behind the vegetable compartment 11B and below the refrigeration cooler 62. The air that flows into the confluence space A2 from the cold air return port 51c merges with the air that flows into the confluence space A2 from the vegetable compartment 11B through the cold air return port 51d, and flows from the confluence space A2 toward the refrigeration cooler 62.

[3. Light irradiation unit]
[3.1 Configuration of the light irradiation unit]
Next, the configuration of the light irradiation unit 70 will be described in detail.
6 is a cross-sectional view showing the area surrounded by the line F6 of the refrigerator 1 shown in FIG. 5. In this embodiment, the light irradiation unit 70 is provided inside the duct part 51 (for example, a space surrounded from three directions by the second front wall part 93, the left side wall part 94, and the right side wall part 95). That is, the light irradiation unit 70 is exposed to the cold air passage A1 inside the duct part 51 and is exposed to cold air (so-called return cold air) that flows from the cold air return port 51c through the merging space A2 toward the refrigeration cooler 62. In other words, the cold air passage A1 is formed between the light irradiation unit 70 and the heat insulating member 55. In this embodiment, the light irradiation unit 70 has a light irradiation part 71, a case 72, and a sealing member 73.

[3.1.1 Light Irradiation Unit]
The light irradiation unit 71 includes a circuit board 101 and an ultraviolet LED 102. The circuit board 101 is disposed parallel to the inner surface (rear surface) of the second front wall portion 93. The circuit board 101 has a first surface 101a facing the second front wall portion 93 and a second surface 101b located on the opposite side to the first surface 101a. The ultraviolet LED 102 is mounted on the first surface 101a of the circuit board 101, and irradiates ultraviolet light toward the front of the refrigerator 1. The ultraviolet LED 102 is an example of an "ultraviolet light source." Note that the ultraviolet light source is not limited to the ultraviolet LED 102, and may be an ultraviolet lamp or the like.

Ultraviolet light is an example of "light that has the effect of suppressing viruses or bacteria." In this specification, "ultraviolet light" means electromagnetic waves with a central wavelength in the range of 10 nm to 400 nm. In other words, "ultraviolet light" may be electromagnetic waves with a central wavelength of UVA (wavelength 320 nm to 400 nm), UVB (wavelength 280 nm to 320 nm), or UVC (wavelength 100 nm to 280 nm). In addition, "ultraviolet light" may have a central wavelength in the range of 10 nm to 400 nm, and some of the electromagnetic waves irradiated from the ultraviolet LED 102 may have a wavelength of 400 nm or more (i.e., a wavelength in the visible light range). The ultraviolet light irradiated by the ultraviolet LED 102 may include light visible to humans, or may not include light visible to humans. Note that "light that has the effect of suppressing viruses or bacteria" is not limited to ultraviolet light, and may be light of other wavelengths.

In this embodiment, the ultraviolet LED 102 emits electromagnetic waves with a central wavelength of UVA. Electromagnetic waves with such a wavelength can suppress viruses or bacteria while suppressing deterioration of the first and second plastic vegetable compartment containers 43, 44, for example, compared to electromagnetic waves of UVC.

As shown in FIG. 6, a window portion (light-transmitting portion) 103 that transmits ultraviolet light is provided in a portion of the second front wall portion 93 facing the ultraviolet LED 102. The window portion 103 is formed of a light-transmitting material that transmits ultraviolet light, such as acrylic or glass. The ultraviolet LED 102 irradiates ultraviolet light to the inside of the vegetable compartment 11B through the window portion 103. As a result, at least a portion of the inside of the vegetable compartment 11B is within the irradiation range of the ultraviolet light irradiated by the light irradiator 71.

In this embodiment, the light irradiation unit 71 is provided at the back of the vegetable chamber 11B, which is behind the second vegetable chamber container 44. The light irradiation unit 71 is disposed above at least a portion of the upper edge 44u of the second vegetable chamber container 44 (for example, the upper edge 44u of the rear end portion 44b of the second vegetable chamber container 44).

In more detail, the second vegetable compartment container 44 is formed in a box shape with an open top. The second vegetable compartment container 44 has a left end and a right end in addition to the front end 44a and rear end 44b described above. In this embodiment, the light irradiation unit 71 is disposed above the upper edges 44u of all ends of the second vegetable compartment container 44 (i.e., the upper edges 44u of the front end 44a, rear end 44b, left end, and right end). In this specification, "the light irradiation unit is located above the upper edge of the container" means that the ultraviolet LED 102 included in the light irradiation unit 71 is located above the upper edge of the container, and may also include a case where a part of the circuit board 101 included in the light irradiation unit 71 is located below the upper edge of the container.

In this embodiment, the light irradiation unit 71 is disposed behind the second vegetable compartment container 44 and irradiates ultraviolet light diagonally downward relative to the horizontal direction. For example, the light irradiation unit 71 irradiates ultraviolet light toward the inside of the second vegetable compartment container 44. As a result, at least a portion of the inside of the second vegetable compartment container 44 is within the irradiation range of the ultraviolet light irradiated by the light irradiation unit 71.

Figure 7 is a diagram showing the irradiation center C of ultraviolet rays by the light irradiation unit 71. The light irradiation unit 71 irradiates ultraviolet rays in a direction at a relatively small angle with respect to the horizontal direction. For example, the light irradiation unit 71 is tilted with respect to the horizontal direction so that the irradiation center C of ultraviolet rays (i.e., the optical axis CA corresponding to the irradiation center) faces a direction at an angle smaller than 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction. In this embodiment, the light irradiation unit 71 is tilted so that the irradiation center C of ultraviolet rays faces a direction tilted by 25 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction. By tilting the light irradiation unit 71 in this way, the light irradiation unit 71 can irradiate ultraviolet rays over a wider area in the vegetable compartment 11B.

In this embodiment, the irradiation center C of the ultraviolet light from the light irradiation unit 71 is set in the region FR forward of the center of the bottom surface of the second vegetable compartment container 44 in the front-to-rear direction of the refrigerator 1 when the second vegetable compartment container 44 is housed in the vegetable compartment 11B.

3.1.2 Case
Returning to FIG. 6, the case 72 will be described. The case 72 is formed in a rectangular flat box shape with an open front side. The light irradiation unit 71 is housed inside the case 72. The case 72 is attached to the inner surface (rear surface) of the second front wall portion 93 with a sealing member 73 sandwiched between the second front wall portion 93 and the case 72. By attaching the case 72 to the inner surface of the second front wall portion 93, the periphery of the light irradiation unit 71 is sealed. This prevents cold air from flowing around the light irradiation unit 71, and prevents condensation from occurring on the light irradiation unit 71. The case 72 is an example of a "cover".

In more detail, the case 72 has a back wall portion 72a, a peripheral wall portion 72b, and a pressing portion 72c. The back wall portion 72a covers the light irradiation portion 71 from the side opposite to the second front wall portion 93. The peripheral wall portion 72b extends from the peripheral end of the back wall portion 72a toward the inner surface of the second front wall portion 93. The peripheral wall portion 72b is formed in a rectangular ring shape (cylindrical shape) surrounding the light irradiation portion 71 from above, below, left and right. The peripheral wall portion 72b is attached to the inner surface of the second front wall portion 93 separately from the light irradiation portion 71. This will be described later. The pressing portion 72c is provided on the inner periphery side of the peripheral wall portion 72b. The pressing portion 72c contacts the sealing member 73 and presses the sealing member 73 toward the inner surface of the second front wall portion 93. The back wall portion 72a is an example of a "first part". The peripheral wall portion 72b is an example of a "second part". The pressing portion 72c is an example of the "third portion." However, the peripheral wall portion 72b and the pressing portion 72c may be provided integrally.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the light irradiation unit 70 shown in FIG. 6, as viewed in the direction of the arrow F8.
The sealing member 73 is an elastic member such as a soft tape. The sealing member 73 is formed in a ring shape along the entire circumference of the peripheral wall portion 72b. The peripheral wall portion 72b of the case 72 is attached to the inner surface of the second front wall portion 93, so that the sealing member 73 is sandwiched between the inner surface of the second front wall portion 93 and the pressing portion 72c of the case 72, and seals the gap between the inner surface of the second front wall portion 93 and the peripheral wall portion 72b of the case 72. This more reliably suppresses the flow of cold air around the light irradiation portion 71.

In this embodiment, the case 72 is a general plastic member. The heat insulation per unit thickness of the case 72 is lower than that of the heat insulating member 55. The thickness of each of the back wall portion 72a and the peripheral wall portion 72b of the case 72 is thinner than that of the heat insulating member 55. However, the cold air flowing through the cold air passage A1 in the duct part 51 is cold air that has been warmed by flowing through the chilled room 11Aa, and is higher in temperature than cold air that has just been cooled by the refrigeration cooler 62. Therefore, the above-mentioned case 72 can also prevent condensation from occurring on the light irradiation part 71. In addition, the above-mentioned case 72 can be manufactured relatively inexpensively, and even if it is provided inside the duct part 51, it can also prevent the duct part 51 from becoming large.

[3.2 Arrangement of light irradiation units]
Next, returning to Fig. 6, the arrangement structure of the light irradiation unit 70 will be described. In this embodiment, at least a part of the light irradiation unit 70 (for example, at least a part of the case 72) is arranged above the lowest part of the first partition part 15 (for example, the third part 15c). More specifically, at least a part of the light irradiation section 71 (for example, at least a part of the circuit board 110) is arranged above the lowest part of the first partition part 15 (for example, the third part 15c). That is, the light irradiation section 71 irradiates ultraviolet light obliquely downward in a state where at least a part of the light irradiation section 71 is arranged above the lowest part of the first partition part 15.

In other words, the light irradiation unit 70 of this embodiment is a mounting structure in which part of the mounting structure for mounting the ultraviolet LEDs 102 that irradiate ultraviolet light into the vegetable compartment 11B is arranged using the space of the chilled compartment 11Aa. This makes it possible to prevent the internal volume of the vegetable compartment 11B from becoming smaller when the ultraviolet LEDs 102 that irradiate ultraviolet light are provided in the vegetable compartment 11B.

In this embodiment, the rear end of the second chilled chamber container 42 has an inclined portion 41i that is inclined upward. The inclined portion 41i is inclined so that it is positioned upward as it proceeds rearward (i.e., it is inclined upward toward the rear). At least a part of the case 72 of the light irradiation unit 70 is arranged in a position that overlaps with the inclined portion 41i at the rear end of the second chilled chamber container 42 in the vertical direction. From this perspective, the light irradiation unit 70 of this embodiment uses the space of the chilled chamber 11Aa to arrange a part of the mounting structure that mounts the ultraviolet LED 102 that irradiates ultraviolet rays to the vegetable chamber 11B. This makes it possible to prevent the internal volume of the vegetable chamber 11B from becoming smaller when the ultraviolet LED 102 that irradiates ultraviolet rays is provided in the vegetable chamber 11B.

In this embodiment, the light irradiation unit 71 is disposed inside the duct part 51 at a position that overlaps with at least a portion of the cold air return port 51c in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the light irradiation unit 71 overlaps with multiple cold air return ports 51c in the vertical direction.

In this embodiment, at least a portion of the duct part 51 extends above the lowest part of the first partition part 15 (e.g., the third part 15c). At least a portion of the light irradiation part 71 is disposed above the lowest part of the first partition part 15 inside the duct part 51, and irradiates ultraviolet light diagonally downward relative to the horizontal direction.

[3.3 Light irradiation unit mounting structure]
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the light irradiation unit 70 in an exploded state. First, the second front wall 93 of the duct part 51 will be described in detail. The second front wall 93 has a first part 93a and a second part 93b. The first part 93a is connected to a middle part 92m of the overhang part 92 in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1, and extends downward from the middle part 92m of the overhang part 92. The first part 93a is inclined with respect to the vertical direction at the same inclination angle as the inclination angle of the light irradiation part 71 with respect to the vertical direction. That is, the first part 93a is inclined with respect to the vertical direction, so that the light irradiation part 71 is inclined. The second part 93b extends downward from the lower end of the first part 93a. The second part 93b is connected to a lower wall 96 of the duct part 51.

In this embodiment, the first portion 93a of the second front wall portion 93 is provided with a first fixing portion 93c and a second fixing portion 93d. The first fixing portion 93c is, for example, a claw portion provided on the inner surface of the first portion 93a. The first fixing portion 93c protrudes rearward along the horizontal direction from the inner surface of the second front wall portion 93. The circuit board 101 of the light irradiation unit 71 is engaged with the first fixing portion 93c and fixed to the second front wall portion 93. In other words, the light irradiation unit 71 is not fixed to the second front wall portion 93 via the case 72, but is fixed directly to the second front wall portion 93.

The second fixing portion 93d is, for example, an engagement hole provided in the first portion 93a of the second front wall portion 93. In this embodiment, the peripheral wall portion 72b of the case 72 has a claw portion 72d that engages with the second fixing portion 93d, which is an engagement hole. The case 72 is fixed to the second front wall portion 93 by the claw portion 72d provided on the peripheral wall portion 72b engaging with the first portion 93a of the second front wall portion 93. In other words, the light irradiation portion 71 and the case 72 are not in direct contact with each other, and are each independently fixed to the second front wall portion 93.

[3.4 UV protection]
Next, returning to Fig. 6, the shielding portion 111 provided for blocking ultraviolet rays will be described. In this embodiment, the refrigerator 1 is provided with the shielding portion 111 that blocks part of the irradiation range SR of ultraviolet rays from the light irradiation portion 71 within the housing 10.

More specifically, the ultraviolet LED 102 has an ultraviolet irradiation range of nearly 180 degrees vertically and horizontally. Therefore, the ultraviolet light irradiated from the ultraviolet LED 102 through the window portion 103 into the inside of the vegetable compartment 11B is irradiated in a relatively wide direction. The shielding portion 111 shields a portion of the ultraviolet light irradiated from the ultraviolet LED 102 into the inside of the vegetable compartment 11B, for example, to prevent the ultraviolet light from entering the user's eyes, or for another purpose.

In this embodiment, the protruding portion 92 of the duct part 51 includes a front portion 92a located forward of the intermediate portion 92m to which the second front wall portion 93 is connected, and a rear portion 92b located rearward of the intermediate portion 92m. In this embodiment, the front portion 92a of the protruding portion 92 of the duct part 51 and the third to fifth portions 15c, 15d, and 15e of the first partition portion 15 form a shielding portion 111 that shields at least a portion of the upper portion of the ultraviolet irradiation range SR. In this specification, the "upper portion" means an irradiation range that is located above the virtual optical axis CA corresponding to the ultraviolet irradiation center C. As shown in FIG. 6, the shielding portion 111 limits the ultraviolet irradiation range SR to the ultraviolet irradiation range SR' by shielding a portion of the upper portion of the ultraviolet irradiation range SR. As a result, in the illumination range SR', the upper illumination range (illumination angle SRa') and the lower illumination range (illumination angle SRb') relative to the optical axis CA are different.

In this embodiment, the shielding portion 111 is provided at a position away from the second front wall portion 93 (i.e., the window portion 103) of the duct part 51. For example, the shielding portion 111 is provided above the second vegetable compartment container 44.

In this embodiment, the bottom of the shielding portion 111 (e.g., the third portion 15c of the first partition portion 15) is located below a portion of the light irradiation unit 70 (e.g., a portion of the case 72). Furthermore, the bottom of the shielding portion 111 is located below a portion of the circuit board 101 of the light irradiation portion 71.

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the irradiation range SR' after the ultraviolet rays are limited. Figure 10 shows the state in which the vegetable compartment door 20B is pulled out to the front to the maximum extent. In this embodiment, the shielding portion 111 shields the upper part of the ultraviolet irradiation range SR so that the upper end SRe' of the ultraviolet irradiation range SR' for the door body 21 of the vegetable compartment door 20B is lower than the upper end 21e of the door body 21 of the vegetable compartment door 20B when the vegetable compartment door 20B is pulled out to the maximum extent relative to the vegetable compartment 11B. Therefore, unless the user looks into the vegetable compartment door 20B with their face lower than the upper end 21e of the door body 21 of the vegetable compartment door 20B, there is little chance that the ultraviolet rays will directly enter their eyes.

4. Advantages
In this embodiment, the light irradiator 71 is disposed above at least a portion of the upper edge of the second vegetable compartment container 44, which is the topmost container housed in the vegetable compartment 11B, and irradiates ultraviolet light into the vegetable compartment 11B. With this configuration, ultraviolet light can be efficiently irradiated into the interior of the vegetable compartment 11B without being significantly hindered by one or more containers housed in the vegetable compartment 11B. This can improve the virus or bacteria suppression function.

Here, if the light irradiation unit 71 is mounted on the ceiling of the vegetable room 11B or on the rear wall of the vegetable room 11B, the variation in the illuminance of ultraviolet light will be large between the area close to the light irradiation unit 71 and the area far from the light irradiation unit 71 inside the container (e.g., the second vegetable room container 44) housed in the vegetable room 11B. Therefore, in this embodiment, the light irradiation unit 71 is disposed behind the second vegetable room container 44 and irradiates ultraviolet light at an angle downward from the horizontal direction. With this configuration, ultraviolet light can be irradiated over a wide area inside the container (e.g., the second vegetable room container 44) housed in the vegetable room 11B, and the variation in illuminance can be reduced.

In this embodiment, the light irradiation unit 71 is tilted with respect to the horizontal direction so that the light irradiation center C faces in a direction at an angle smaller than 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction. With this configuration, ultraviolet light can be irradiated over a wider area inside the container (e.g., the second vegetable compartment container 44) housed in the vegetable compartment 11B.

In this embodiment, the irradiation center C of the ultraviolet light by the light irradiation unit 71 is set forward of the center of the bottom surface of the second vegetable compartment container 44 in the front-to-rear direction of the refrigerator 1 when the second vegetable compartment container 44 is housed in the vegetable compartment 11B. With this configuration, ultraviolet light can be irradiated more efficiently onto the contents in the second vegetable compartment container 44, where ingredients, containers, and other contents are likely to be placed in the area forward of the center.

In this embodiment, at least a portion of the light irradiating section 71 is positioned above the bottom of the first partition section 15. In other words, at least a portion of the light irradiating section 71 that irradiates ultraviolet light to the vegetable compartment 11B is positioned using space (e.g., dead space) in the chilled compartment 11Aa. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent a reduction in the internal volume of the vegetable compartment 11B caused by providing the light irradiating section 71.

In this embodiment, the rear end of the first chilled chamber container 41 has an inclined portion 41i that is inclined upward. At least a portion of the case 72 of the light irradiation unit 70 is arranged in a position that overlaps the first chilled chamber container 41 and the inclined portion 41i in the vertical direction. In other words, at least a portion of the light irradiation section 71 that irradiates ultraviolet light to the vegetable chamber 11B is arranged by utilizing the dead space created by the inclined portion 41i at the rear end of the chilled chamber container 41. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress a reduction in the internal volume of the vegetable chamber 11B caused by providing the light irradiation section 71.

In this embodiment, the refrigerator 1 has a shielding section 111 that shields a part of the irradiation range SR of the ultraviolet rays from the light irradiation section 71 within the housing 10. This configuration can more reliably reduce the possibility of ultraviolet rays entering the user's eyes. This provides the user with a sense of security.

In this embodiment, the shielding portion 111 shields at least a portion of the upper portion of the ultraviolet irradiation range SR. This configuration makes it possible to suppress irradiation of ultraviolet rays upward in the front direction.

In this embodiment, the shielding portion 111 shields at least a portion of the upper portion of the ultraviolet irradiation range SR so that the upper end SRe' of the ultraviolet irradiation range SR' on the door body 21 of the vegetable compartment door 20B is lower than the upper end 21e of the door body 21 of the vegetable compartment door 20B when the vegetable compartment door 20B is fully pulled out relative to the vegetable compartment 11B. With this configuration, unless the user peers with their face lower than the upper end 21e of the door body 21 of the vegetable compartment door 20B, there is little chance that the ultraviolet rays will directly enter their eyes. This provides the user with a greater sense of security.

In this embodiment, the shielding portion 111 is provided above the second vegetable compartment container 44. With this configuration, the shielding portion 111 is provided by utilizing the dead space that exists above the second vegetable compartment container 44. This makes it possible to prevent a reduction in the internal volume of the vegetable compartment 11B.

When mounting a light irradiation unit 71 that irradiates ultraviolet light to the vegetable compartment 11B, it is conceivable that the capacity of the first and second vegetable compartment containers 43, 44 and the internal volume of the vegetable compartment 11B may be reduced due to the structure that holds the light irradiation unit 71. However, in this embodiment, the light irradiation unit 71 is provided inside the duct part 51. With this configuration, it is possible to mount the light irradiation unit 71 that irradiates ultraviolet light to the vegetable compartment 11B while suppressing the reduction in the capacity of the first and second vegetable compartment containers 43, 44 and the internal volume of the vegetable compartment 11B.

In this embodiment, the duct part 51 is a duct part that guides the cold air heated in the chilled compartment 11Aa toward the refrigeration cooler 62. With this configuration, the light irradiating section 71 that irradiates ultraviolet light to the vegetable compartment 11B can be provided by utilizing the duct part that forms the return duct for the cold air from the chilled compartment 11Aa, which is another storage compartment. This can further suppress the reduction in the internal volume of the vegetable compartment 11B.

In this embodiment, the duct part 51 has a cold air return port 51c that opens into the chilled compartment 11Aa. The light irradiation unit 71 is disposed inside the duct part 51 at a position that overlaps with at least a portion of the cold air return port 51c in the vertical direction. Generally, no components are mounted in the area inside the duct part 51 that overlaps with the cold air return port 51c. However, in this embodiment, such an area is effectively utilized to provide the light irradiation unit 71. This configuration can further suppress the reduction in the internal volume of the vegetable compartment 11B.

In this embodiment, a case 72 is provided that is attached to the inner surface of the duct part 51 and covers the light irradiation part 71 inside the duct part 51. With this configuration, the cold air flowing through the duct part 51 is less likely to flow around the light irradiation part 71, which is a heat-generating part, and condensation can be suppressed from occurring on the light irradiation part 71.

In this embodiment, the duct part 51 has a second front wall 93 that forms at least a part of the front surface of the duct part 51 and has a window 103 that transmits ultraviolet light, and a first fixing part 93c that is provided on the second front wall 93 and fixes the light irradiation part 71. The case 72 has a back wall 72a that covers the light irradiation part 71 from the side opposite the second front wall 93, and a peripheral wall 72b that is attached to the second front wall 93 separately from the light irradiation part 71. With this configuration, the light irradiation part 71 is not held in the case 72 that is exposed to cold air and has a low temperature. Therefore, the temperature of the light irradiation part 71 is less likely to drop, and condensation on the light irradiation part 71 can be further suppressed.

In this embodiment, a sealing member 73 is provided that is sandwiched between the inner surface of the second front wall portion 93 and the case 72 and seals the gap between the inner surface of the second front wall portion 93 and the case 72. This configuration can more reliably prevent cold air from flowing into the area around the light irradiation portion 71. This further prevents condensation from forming on the light irradiation portion 71.

In this embodiment, the cold air passage A1, through which cold air that has been warmed by passing through the chilled compartment 11Aa flows, is formed inside the duct part 51 between the light irradiation unit 71 and the refrigeration cooler 62. With this configuration, relatively warm cold air flows through the cold air passage A1, so that the cold temperature of the refrigeration cooler 62 can be prevented from being transferred to the light irradiation unit 71 by heat transfer. This further prevents condensation from occurring at the light irradiation unit 71.

In this embodiment, a heat insulating member 55 is further provided between the light irradiation section 71 and the refrigeration cooler 62. The cold air passage A1 is formed between the light irradiation section 71 and the heat insulating member 55. With this configuration, cold air flows around the light irradiation section 71 (around the light irradiation unit 70), so the temperature of the light irradiation section 71 is unlikely to drop excessively. This can further prevent condensation from occurring at the light irradiation section 71.

Below, we will explain some modified examples of the first embodiment. Note that the configuration other than that described in each modified example is the same as the configuration of the first embodiment.

(First Modification of the First Embodiment)
11 is a cross-sectional view showing the refrigerator 1 according to a first modification of the first embodiment. In this modification, at least a part of the shielding part 111 is located below the ultraviolet LEDs 102 of the light irradiation part 71. In the first modification, a part of the front part 92a of the protruding part 92 of the duct part 51 and a part of the fourth part 15d of the first partition part 15 are located below the ultraviolet LEDs 102 of the light irradiation part 71.

With this configuration, the irradiation range SR' after limiting the ultraviolet rays can be limited to a downward direction rather than a horizontal direction. This makes it possible to reduce the amount of ultraviolet rays irradiated to the outside of the vegetable compartment 11B. Also, compared to the first embodiment, unless the user lowers their face to look into the inside of the vegetable compartment 11B, there is a small chance that ultraviolet rays will directly enter the eyes. This provides the user with an even greater sense of security.

(Second Modification of the First Embodiment)
12 is a cross-sectional view showing the refrigerator 1 of the second modified example of the first embodiment. In this modified example, a part of the front portion 92a of the protruding portion 92 of the duct part 51 is located below the lowest portion of the first partition part 15 (e.g., the third portion 15c). For example, in this modified example, the front portion 92a of the protruding portion 92 of the duct part 51 includes a wall portion 92w protruding downward from the front portion 92a. The wall portion 92w protrudes downward from the lowest portion of the first partition part 15. In this modified example, at least a part of the protruding portion 92 of the duct part 51 (e.g., the lower end portion of the wall portion 92w) is located below the ultraviolet LEDs 102 of the light irradiation part 71.

With this configuration, the irradiation range SR' after limiting the ultraviolet rays can be limited to a more downward direction. This further reduces the possibility of ultraviolet rays directly entering the user's eyes.

(Third Modification of the First Embodiment)
13 is a cross-sectional view showing the refrigerator 1 according to the third modified example of the first embodiment. In this modified example, the protruding portion 92 of the duct part 51 does not have a portion corresponding to the front portion 92a, and is composed of a portion corresponding to the rear portion 92b. In this modified example, the fifth portion 15e of the first partition portion 15 extends to the vicinity of the second front wall portion 93 in the duct part 51. In this modified example, the first partition portion 15 forms a shielding portion 111. Even with such a configuration, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be achieved.

(Fourth Modification of the First Embodiment)
14 is a cross-sectional view showing the refrigerator 1 according to a fourth modification of the first embodiment. In this modification, the shielding part 111 has a reflecting member 115 that reflects at least a part of the ultraviolet light irradiated from the light irradiating part 71 toward the inside of a container (e.g., the second vegetable compartment container 44) contained in the vegetable compartment 11B.

In more detail, the reflecting member 115 is attached, for example, to the underside of the front portion 92a of the protruding portion 92 of the duct part 51 (or the underside of the fourth portion 15d of the first partition portion 15). The reflecting member 115 is formed of a material capable of reflecting at least a portion of ultraviolet light, such as glass film or aluminum foil. In this embodiment, the reflecting member 115 is arranged, for example, inclined so that it is positioned lower as it moves forward (i.e., inclined downward toward the front), and reflects at least a portion of the ultraviolet light that reaches the reflecting member 115 from the light irradiation portion 71 toward the rear region (deep region) of the second vegetable compartment container 44.

This configuration allows ultraviolet light to be irradiated to the rear area (deeper area) of the second vegetable compartment container 44, which is difficult to irradiate with ultraviolet light. This further improves the virus or bacteria suppression function.

(First Reference Form)
Next, a first reference embodiment will be described. The first reference embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a light irradiation unit 71 is provided on the ceiling portion S3 of the vegetable compartment 11B instead of/in addition to the inside of the duct part 51. Note that the configuration other than that described below is the same as the configuration of the first embodiment.

Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the refrigerator 1 of the first reference embodiment. The first partition 15 includes a ceiling portion S3 that forms the ceiling of the vegetable compartment 11B. In this embodiment, the light irradiation unit 71 has, for example, a plurality of light source modules 121, 122, and 123. Each of the plurality of light source modules 121, 122, and 123 includes a circuit board 101 and an ultraviolet LED 102. The plurality of light source modules 121, 122, and 123 are provided on the ceiling portion S3. For example, the plurality of light source modules 121, 122, and 123 are arranged at different positions from each other in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1. In this embodiment, each of the plurality of light source modules 121, 122, and 123 is located above at least a portion of the upper edge 44u of the second vegetable compartment container 44.

In this embodiment, the light source module 121 is disposed forward of the front end 44a of the second vegetable compartment container 44 housed in the vegetable compartment 11B. That is, the light source module 121 is disposed above the storage area CR of the first vegetable compartment container 43. The light source module 121 irradiates ultraviolet light from the ceiling portion S3 toward the storage area CR of the first vegetable compartment container 43. As a result, at least a portion of the storage area CR is within the irradiation range of the ultraviolet light. Also, in this embodiment, at least a portion of the handle H provided on the front end 44a of the second vegetable compartment container 44 is within the irradiation range of the ultraviolet light from the light source module 121.

The light source module 122 is provided, for example, in the first portion 15a of the first partition 15. On the other hand, the light source module 123 is provided, for example, in the fifth portion 15e of the first partition 15. In other words, the light source modules 122, 123 are provided in an area outside the third portion 15c, which is the bottom portion of the first partition 15, and the second and fourth portions 15b, 15d, which are inclined portions. The light source modules 122, 123 irradiate ultraviolet light from the ceiling portion S3 toward the inside of the second vegetable compartment container 44.

This configuration allows ultraviolet light to be irradiated inside the vegetable compartment 11B. This improves the virus or bacteria suppression function.

Below, we will explain some variations of the first reference embodiment. Note that the configuration other than that explained in each variation is the same as the configuration of the first reference embodiment.

(First Modification of the First Referential Embodiment)
16 is a cross-sectional view showing the refrigerator 1 of the first modified example of the first reference embodiment. In this modified example, each of the light source modules 121 and 122 is tilted backward with respect to the vertical direction (i.e., tilted toward the back side of the vegetable compartment 11B) and irradiates ultraviolet rays backward with respect to the vertical direction. With this configuration, ultraviolet rays from the light source modules 121 and 122 are less likely to be irradiated to the front side (user side) of the refrigerator 1. This can more reliably reduce the possibility that ultraviolet rays will enter the user's eyes, providing the user with a sense of security.

(Second Modification of the First Embodiment)
17 is a cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator 1 according to a second modification of the first reference embodiment. In this modification, each of the light source modules 121 and 122 is provided tilted backward with respect to the vertical direction, as in the first modification, and irradiates ultraviolet rays backward with respect to the vertical direction. In this modification, the light source module 123 is provided tilted forward with respect to the vertical direction, and irradiates ultraviolet rays forward with respect to the vertical direction. With this configuration, ultraviolet rays can be irradiated more efficiently into the inside of the vegetable compartment 11B.

(Second Reference Form)
Next, a second reference embodiment will be described. The second reference embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the light irradiation unit 71 is provided on the left side wall portion S1 or the right side wall portion S2 of the vegetable compartment 11B instead of/in addition to the inside of the duct part 51. Note that the configuration other than that described below is the same as the configuration of the first embodiment.

Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator 1 of the second reference embodiment. Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator 1 shown in Figure 18 along the line F19-F19. In this embodiment, the light irradiation unit 71 has, for example, a plurality of light source modules 131, 132, and 133. Each of the plurality of light source modules 131, 132, and 133 includes a circuit board 101 and an ultraviolet LED 102. The plurality of light source modules 131, 132, and 133 are provided on the left side wall portion S1 or the right side wall portion S2. For example, the light source modules 131, 132, and 133 are arranged at different positions from each other in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1. In this embodiment, each of the light source modules 131, 132, and 133 is located above at least a portion of the upper edge of the second vegetable compartment container 44.

In this embodiment, the light source module 131 is disposed forward of the front end 44a of the second vegetable compartment container 44 housed in the vegetable compartment 11B. In other words, the light source module 131 is disposed at a position corresponding to the storage area CR of the first vegetable compartment container 43. The light source module 131 irradiates ultraviolet light from the left side wall portion S1 or the right side wall portion S2 toward the storage area CR of the first vegetable compartment container 43.

The light source module 132 is provided, for example, at a position corresponding to the first portion 15a of the first partition 15. On the other hand, the light source module 133 is provided, for example, at a position corresponding to the fifth portion 15e of the first partition 15. In other words, the second and third light source modules 132, 133 are provided at positions corresponding to areas different from the third portion 15c, which is the bottom portion of the first partition 15, and the second and fourth portions 15b, 15d, which are inclined portions. The second and third light source modules 132, 133 irradiate ultraviolet light from the left side wall portion S1 or the right side wall portion S toward the inside of the second vegetable compartment container 44.

This configuration allows ultraviolet light to be irradiated inside the vegetable compartment 11B. This improves the virus or bacteria suppression function.

(Modification of the second embodiment)
Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator 1 according to a modification of the second reference embodiment. Configurations other than those described in this modification are similar to those of the second reference embodiment. In this modification, each of the light source modules 131, 132 is provided tilted backward with respect to the width direction of the refrigerator 1, and irradiates ultraviolet light backward with respect to the width direction of the refrigerator 1. With this configuration, ultraviolet light from the light source modules 131, 132 is less likely to be irradiated to the front side (user side) of the refrigerator 1. This makes it possible to more reliably reduce the possibility of ultraviolet light entering the user's eyes, providing the user with a sense of security.

The third light source module 133 of the second reference embodiment may be tilted forward with respect to the width direction of the refrigerator 1, similar to the light source module 123 of the second modified example of the first reference embodiment, and may irradiate ultraviolet light forward with respect to the width direction of the refrigerator 1.

Although several embodiments and variations have been described above, the embodiments and variations are not limited to the above-mentioned examples. The above-mentioned embodiment is an example in which the "second storage compartment" is the chilled compartment 11Aa. However, the "second storage compartment" is not limited to the "special storage compartment" and may be the refrigerator compartment 11A. In the above-mentioned embodiment, the ceiling portion S3 of the vegetable compartment 11B is formed by the partition portion 15. However, the ceiling portion S3 of the vegetable compartment 11B may be formed by the housing 10.

According to one aspect, in the second reference embodiment, the light source modules 131, 132, 133 provided on the left side wall portion S1 and the right side wall portion S2 are not limited to being arranged above the upper edge of the container housed in the storage chamber, and may be arranged below the upper edge of the container housed in the storage chamber. For example, if the handle H on the front end portion 44a of the second vegetable compartment container 44 is a type of handle H that the user inserts his/her hand into from below (handle H having a shape that is concave on the upper side), the light source module 131 may be provided below the handle H and irradiate ultraviolet light toward the inside of the handle H.

According to at least one of the embodiments described above, the refrigerator is disposed above at least a portion of the upper edge of the topmost container housed in the storage compartment, and irradiates the storage compartment with light that has the effect of suppressing viruses or bacteria. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a refrigerator that can improve the virus or bacteria suppression function.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are within the scope of the invention and its equivalents as set forth in the claims, as well as the scope and gist of the invention.

1...refrigerator, 10...casing, 11Aa...chilled compartment (second storage compartment), 11B...vegetable compartment (storage compartment, first storage compartment), 20B...vegetable compartment door, 21...door body, 43...first vegetable compartment container (first container), 44...second vegetable compartment container (second area), 51...duct part, 70...light irradiation unit, 71...light irradiation section, 72...case (cover), 111...shielding section, H...handle.

Claims (9)

A housing having a storage compartment that can be used as a vegetable compartment;
A duct part provided in the housing and through which cool air flows;
A light irradiation unit that is provided inside the duct part and irradiates the storage chamber with light having an effect of suppressing viruses or bacteria;
Equipped with
The cooling device further includes a cooler provided in the housing.
The housing has a first storage chamber serving as the storage chamber and a second storage chamber provided above the first storage chamber,
the duct part is a duct part that guides the cold air heated in the second storage chamber toward the cooler through a rear of the first storage chamber,
The light irradiating unit irradiates the light into the first storage chamber,
The duct part has a cool air return port that opens into the second storage chamber,
The light irradiation unit is disposed inside the duct part at a position vertically overlapping with at least a portion of the cool air return port . The device further includes a cooler provided in the housing,
The duct part is a duct part that guides cold air heated in the storage chamber or another storage chamber toward the cooler.
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1. The housing has a first storage chamber which is the storage chamber, a second storage chamber provided above the first storage chamber, and a partition portion located between the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber,
At least a portion of the duct part extends above a lowermost portion of the partition,
At least a part of the light emitting unit is disposed inside the duct part above a lowermost part of the partition unit, and irradiates the light obliquely downward with respect to a horizontal direction.
The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2 . and at least one container contained in the storage chamber;
The light irradiation unit is disposed inside the duct part at a height position higher than an upper side of at least a part of an uppermost container of the at least one container.
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . A cover is attached to an inner surface of the duct part and covers the light irradiation unit inside the duct part.
A refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . the duct part has a front wall that forms at least a part of a front surface of the duct part and is provided with a light transmitting portion that transmits the light, and a fixing portion that is provided on the front wall and fixes the light emitting portion,
The cover includes a first portion that covers the light irradiation unit from the side opposite to the front wall, and a second portion that is attached to the front wall separately from the light irradiation unit.
The refrigerator according to claim 5 . The cover further includes a sealing member sandwiched between the inner surface of the front wall and the cover to seal the gap between the inner surface of the front wall and the cover.
7. The refrigerator according to claim 6 . Further, a cooler is provided inside the duct part and arranged behind the light irradiation unit,
A cold air passage through which cold air heated in the storage chamber or another storage chamber flows is formed between the light irradiation unit and the cooler inside the duct part.
A refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 7 . A heat insulating member provided between the light irradiation unit and the cooler,
The heat insulating member is disposed between the cold air passage and the cooler.
The refrigerator according to claim 8 .

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