JP7558770B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a refrigerator.

There is a known refrigerator that is equipped with a sealing member that is disposed to the side of the cooler and seals the gap between the cooler and the wall of the cooling compartment. However, if there is a structure to the side of the cooler, it may not be possible to provide a sealing member, making it difficult to improve cooling performance.

JP 2017-166788 A

The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a refrigerator that can improve cooling performance.

A refrigerator according to an embodiment includes a duct part, a cooler, a structure, and a seal member. The duct part defines at least a part of a wall surface of a cooling chamber. The cooler is disposed in the cooling chamber, and a refrigerant is supplied to the cooler. The structure is disposed between the cooler and the duct part on the side of the cooler, and the refrigerant is not supplied to the structure. The seal member closes at least a part of a gap between the cooler and the duct part at a position above or below the cooler. The cooler includes a pipe through which the refrigerant flows, a plurality of fins, and an end plate disposed on the side of the plurality of fins and extending in a vertical direction. The end plate has a through hole through which the pipe passes. The seal member includes a fixing part that is fixed to a region of the end plate that is forward of the through hole in the depth direction of the refrigerator, and a wind shielding part that extends from the fixing part to a position rearward of the through hole in the depth direction of the refrigerator and is fixed to the end plate by the fixing part.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the refrigerator according to the embodiment. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1 taken along line F2-F2. A cross-sectional view taken along line F3-F3 of the refrigerator shown in Figure 2. A cross-sectional view taken along line F4-F4 of the refrigerator shown in Figure 3. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion surrounded by line F5 of the cooling chamber shown in FIG. 3 . FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a sealing member according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a sealing member before being attached to the cooler of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the seal member after being attached to the cooler of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the sealing member of the embodiment as viewed obliquely from below. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cooler and the seal member shown in FIG. 3 taken along line F10-F10. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a seal member according to a first modified example of the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a sealing member according to a second modified example of the 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. In addition, 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." In this specification, the "width direction of the refrigerator" refers to the left-right direction of the refrigerator. In this specification, the "depth direction of the refrigerator" refers to the front-to-rear direction of the refrigerator.

(Embodiment)
[1. Overall configuration of the refrigerator]
A refrigerator 1 according to an 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 and 10d, and a rear wall 10e (see FIG. 2). The upper wall 10a and the lower wall 10b extend substantially horizontally. The left and right side walls 10c and 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 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 foamed urethane that is provided between the inner box 10i and the outer box 10j, and has thermal insulation properties (see FIG. 2).

The housing 10 has a plurality of storage compartments 11 inside. 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. 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 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 vegetable compartment 11B, and separates the refrigerator compartment 11A from 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 the small freezer compartment 11D, and separates the vegetable compartment 11B from the ice-making compartment 11C and the small freezer compartment 11D.

The multiple storage compartments 11 are closed by multiple doors 20 in an openable and closable manner. The multiple doors 20 include, for example, left and right refrigerator compartment doors 20Aa, 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.

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 31, a plurality of containers 35, a flow path forming component 40, a cooling unit 50, and a control device 60. The plurality of shelves 31 are arranged in the refrigerator compartment 11A. The plurality of containers 35 are arranged separately in the chilled compartment 11Aa, the vegetable compartment 11B, the ice making compartment 11C, the small freezer compartment 11D, and the main freezer compartment 11E.

The flow path forming part 40 includes a refrigerator compartment duct part 41 and a freezer compartment duct part 42. The refrigerator compartment duct part 41 is provided along the rear wall 10e of the housing 10 and extends vertically. The refrigerator compartment duct part 41 forms a refrigerator compartment duct space D1, which is a passage through which cold air (air) flows, near the rear wall 10e of the housing 10. The refrigerator compartment duct space D1 includes a cooling compartment D1a in which a cooler 52 (described later) is arranged to cool the air. The refrigerator compartment duct part 41 has a cold air outlet 41a that opens into the refrigerator compartment 11A or the chilled compartment 11Aa, and a cold air return port 41b that opens into the vegetable compartment 11B.

Similarly, the freezer duct part 42 is provided along the rear wall 10e of the housing 10 and extends vertically. The freezer duct part 42 forms a freezer duct space D2, which is a passage through which cold air (air) flows, near the rear wall 10e of the housing 10. The freezer duct space D2 includes a cooling chamber D2a in which a cooler 54 (described later) is disposed to cool the air. The freezer duct part 42 has a cold air outlet 42a that opens to the top of the ice making chamber 11C, the small freezer chamber 11D, or the main freezer chamber 11E, and a cold air return port 42b that opens to the bottom of the main freezer chamber 11E.

The cooling unit 50 includes, for example, a compressor 51, a cooler 52, a fan 53, a cooler 54, and a fan 55. The cooler 52 is arranged in the cooling chamber D1a of the refrigerator chamber duct space D1. The cooler 52 is supplied with the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 51 and cools the cold air flowing through the cooling chamber D1a. The fan 53 is arranged in the refrigerator chamber duct space D1. When the fan 53 is driven, the cold air cooled by the cooler 52 is supplied from the cold air outlet 41a to the refrigerator chamber 11A and the chilled chamber 11Aa. The cold air supplied to the refrigerator chamber 11A and the chilled chamber 11Aa passes through the vegetable chamber 11B and returns to the refrigerator chamber duct space D1 from the cold air return port 41b.

The cooler 54 is disposed in the cooling chamber D2a of the freezer duct space D2. The cooler 54 is supplied with the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 51, and cools the cold air flowing through the cooling chamber D2a. The fan 55 is disposed in the freezer duct space D2. When the fan 55 is driven, the cold air cooled by the cooler 54 is supplied from the cold air outlet 42a to the ice making chamber 11C, the small freezer chamber 11D, and the main freezer chamber 11E. The cold air supplied to the ice making chamber 11C, the small freezer chamber 11D, and the main freezer chamber 11E passes through the main freezer chamber 11E and returns to the freezer duct space D2 from the cold air return port 42b.

The control device 60 has a circuit board 61 and electronic components 62 mounted on the circuit board. The control device 60 performs overall control of the entire refrigerator 1. For example, the control device 60 controls the operation of the compressor 51, the fan 53, and the fan 55 described above.

[2. Configuration of the freezer cooling compartment]
[2.1 Duct parts]
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line F3-F3 of the refrigerator 1 shown in Fig. 2. In Fig. 3, in order to make the freezer duct space D2 easier to understand, the portions other than the freezer duct space D2 are hatched. For ease of explanation, the "freezer duct part 42" will be referred to as the "duct part 42" and the "freezer duct space D2" will be referred to as the "duct space D2" below.

The duct parts 42 include, for example, a rear cover 71, a bottom cover 72, and a front cover 73 (see FIG. 4). The rear cover 71 is disposed behind the cooler 54 and forms at least a part of the rear wall surface of the duct space D2 (the rear wall surface of the cooling chamber D2a). Note that all or a part of the rear cover 71 may be formed by a part of the inner box 10i of the housing 10, instead of being formed by a part separate from the housing 10. In this embodiment, the left region R1 of the rear cover 71 is formed by a cover part 71A attached to the housing 10. On the other hand, the right region R2 of the rear cover 71 is formed by the inner box 10i of the housing 10.

In this embodiment, the rear cover 71 has a recess 71r recessed toward the rear of the refrigerator 1. When the rear cover 71 and the front cover 73 are joined together, a space formed between the recess 71r of the rear cover 71 and the front cover 73 becomes the duct space D2. In this embodiment, the space located around the cooler 54 in the duct space D2 is referred to as the "cooling chamber D2a". The duct part 42 includes a first side wall portion 71a located on the first side (left) of the cooler 54 and a second side wall portion 71b located on the second side (right) of the cooler 54. The rear cover 71 is an example of a "first duct part".

The bottom cover 72 is disposed below the cooler 54 and forms at least a portion of the bottom wall surface of a portion of the duct space D2 (the bottom wall surface of the cooling chamber D2a).

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of refrigerator 1 taken along line F4-F4 in FIG.
The front cover 73 is disposed in front of the cooler 54 and forms at least a part of the front wall surface of the duct space D2 (front wall surface of the cooling chamber D2a). The front cover 73 has a first member 73a that defines the front wall surface of the first duct space D2, a second member 73b that defines the inner surface of the storage chamber 11 (the ice making chamber 11C, the small freezing chamber 11D, and the main freezing chamber 11E) of the refrigerator 1, and a heat insulating member 73c provided between the first member 73a and the second member 73b. The front cover 73 has a cold air return port 42b at a height position corresponding to the lower part of the cooler 54. The front cover 73 also has an internal ventilation port 73d at a height position above the cooler 54 through which the cold air that has passed through the cooler 54 passes toward the cold air outlet 42a. The front cover 73 is an example of a "second duct part".

In this embodiment, the fan 55 is located above the cooler 54 in the duct space D2. The air that returns to the duct space D2 from the cold air return port 42b passes through the cooler 54 from bottom to top, and in the process, the air is cooled by the cooler 54. The air that has passed through the cooler 54 and been cooled is sent by the fan 55 from the internal air vent 73d to the cold air outlet 42a, and is supplied from the cold air outlet 42a to the storage compartment 11 (ice-making compartment 11C, small freezer compartment 11D, and main freezer compartment 11E).

In this specification, the term "duct part" is not limited to a cylindrical part, but refers broadly to a part that defines an air passage. In this specification, the term "wall surface" is not limited to a flat wall surface, but may also include a wall surface that has bosses, insertion holes, etc., and has irregularities.

2.2 Cooler
The cooler 54 is a component that constitutes the refrigeration cycle device together with the compressor 51. The cooler 54 is an evaporator that receives the refrigerant from the compressor 51 and evaporates at least a part of the supplied refrigerant within the cooler 54 to cool the air passing through the cooling chamber D2a.

As shown in FIG. 3, the cooler 54 is disposed in the cooling chamber D2a. The cooler 54 has, for example, a cooling pipe 81, a plurality of fins 82, a first end plate 83, and a second end plate 84. The cooling pipe 81 extends in the horizontal direction and is folded back at the left and right ends of the cooler 54, thereby extending back and forth between the left and right ends of the cooler 54 multiple times. In other words, the cooling pipe 81 has a plurality of straight portions 81a extending in the horizontal direction and a plurality of folded back portions 81b connecting two adjacent straight portions 81a among the plurality of straight portions 81a at the left end or right end of the cooler 54. A plurality of fins 82 are attached to each straight portion 81a. Each of the plurality of fins 82 is a plate-shaped portion extending vertically and along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1.

The first end 81c (upstream end) of the cooling pipe 81 is connected to the refrigerant discharge port of the compressor 51 via a capillary tube, a three-way valve, a dryer, and a condenser. On the other hand, the second end 81d (downstream end) of the cooling pipe 81 is connected to the refrigerant return port of the compressor 51 via an accumulator 92 (described later) and a suction pipe.

The first end plate 83 is provided at the left end of the cooler 54 and is disposed on the first side (left) of the fins 82. The second end plate 84 is provided at the right end of the cooler 54 and is disposed on the second side (right) of the fins 82. Each of the first end plate 83 and the second end plate 84 has a through hole 83a (see FIG. 4) through which the straight portion 81a of the cooling pipe 81 passes, and the straight portion 81a is fixed. That is, the folded portion 81b of the cooling pipe 81 is folded back at a position to the left of the first end plate 83 or to the right of the second end plate 84. Each of the first end plate 83 and the second end plate 84 is a plate-shaped plate extending vertically and along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1. Each of the first end plate 83 and the second end plate 84 has a larger area than each of the fins 82 and is thicker than each of the fins 82.

As shown in FIG. 4, the multiple straight sections 81a of the cooling pipe 81 are arranged in multiple stages (e.g., four stages) in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the multiple straight sections 81a include two straight sections 81a arranged in the top stage, three straight sections 81a arranged in the second stage from the top, three straight sections 81a arranged in the third stage from the top, and three straight sections 81a arranged in the bottom stage.

Here, when the two straight sections 81a at the top are considered as one unit, the center C1 in the front-to-rear direction of these two straight sections 81a is positioned rearward of the center C2 in the front-to-rear direction of the first end plate 83. This is because the air flowing from the front side of the lower end of the cooler 54 toward the cooler 54 flows diagonally upward toward the rear inside the cooler 54 and passes through the cooler 54. As a result, a relatively wide area RF is provided at the front end of the upper part of the cooler 54 where a seal member 97, described later, can be attached.

[2.3 Other configurations related to the cooler]
Next, returning to Fig. 3, other configurations related to the cooler 54 will be described. In addition to the configurations described above, the refrigerator 1 includes a defrost water receiver 91, an accumulator 92, a pipe heater 93, a wire bundle 94 of the pipe heater 93 (electrical wiring of the pipe heater 93), a fuse component 95, a fuse fixture 96, a first seal member 97, and a second seal member 98. Here, the defrost water receiver 91, the pipe heater 93, and the second seal member 98 will be described first, and then the remaining configurations will be described.

The defrost water receiver 91 is disposed below the cooler 54. The defrost water receiver 91 is formed in a flat bowl shape, and collects the water that melts in the cooler 54 when the cooler 54 is defrosted. The water collected by the defrost water receiver 91 is sent to the evaporator dish via a drainage gutter.

The pipe heater 93 is a heating device that is fixed to the cooler 54 and heats the cooler 54 when defrosting the cooler 54. For example, the pipe heater 93 has a pipe fixed to the first end plate 83 and the second end plate 84, and a heat transfer wire provided inside the pipe. The pipe heater 93 is an example of a "heater".

In this embodiment, the pipe heater 93 extends horizontally and is folded back at the left and right ends of the cooler 54, so that it extends back and forth between the left and right ends of the cooler 54 multiple times. In other words, the pipe heater 93 has multiple straight parts 93a extending horizontally and multiple folded parts 93b connecting two adjacent straight parts 93a at the left or right end of the cooler 54. The multiple straight parts 93a are arranged separately at the front end, rear end, and lower end of the first end plate 83 (see FIG. 4). That is, the vertical center C3 of the pipe heater 93 is located below the vertical center of the cooler 54 (for example, the vertical center C4 of the first end plate 83) (see FIG. 4). The folded parts 93b of the pipe heater 93 are folded back at a position to the left of the first end plate 83 or to the right of the second end plate 84.

The second seal member 98 is disposed on the second side (right side) of the cooler 54 and is located between the cooler 54 and the second side wall portion 71b of the duct part 42. The second seal member 98 is a block part in which aluminum tape is attached to a foam insulation part (e.g., polystyrene foam such as EPS (Expanded Polystyrene)). The second seal member 98 is fixed in position by being sandwiched between multiple straight parts 81a (or multiple folded parts 81b) of the cooling pipe 81 of the cooler 54. The second seal member 98 closes at least a part of the gap S2 between the cooler 54 and the duct part 42 on the second side (right side) of the cooler 54. However, the second seal member 98 may have the same configuration as the first seal member 97 described later instead of the above example.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion surrounded by line F5 of the cooling chamber D2a shown in FIG.
As described above, the accumulator 92 is connected to the second end 81d of the cooling pipe 81. The accumulator 92 is disposed on the first side (left side) of the cooler 54, between the cooler 54 and the first side wall portion 71a of the duct part 42. A vertical center C5 of the accumulator 92 is positioned upwardly shifted relative to the vertical center of the cooler 54 (e.g., the vertical center C4 of the first end plate 83). A part of the accumulator 92 is positioned above the upper end of the cooler 54 (e.g., the upper end of the first end plate 83 or the upper end of the uppermost fin 82).

The end 93c of the pipe heater 93 protrudes farther to the first side (left) of the cooler 54 than the folded portion 93b of the pipe heater 93. The end 93c of the pipe heater 93 extends at an angle to the horizontal direction, for example. The end 93c of the pipe heater 93 is disposed on the first side of the cooler 54, between the cooler 54 and the first side wall portion 71a of the duct part 42.

The wire bundle 94 of the pipe heater 93 is connected to the end 93c of the pipe heater 93 on the first side of the cooler 54. The wire bundle 94 of the pipe heater 93 extends upward through the space between the cooler 54 and the first side wall portion 71a of the duct part 42 on the first side of the cooler 54. The wire bundle 94 of the pipe heater 93 is a bundle of power wiring that supplies current to the pipe heater 93.

The fuse component 95 is a temperature fuse that reacts to the temperature of the pipe heater 93 (or the cooler 54). The fuse component 95 operates when the temperature of the pipe heater 93 (or the cooler 54) rises abnormally (when it rises above a threshold value) and cuts off the supply of current from the bundled wires 94 of the pipe heater 93 to the pipe heater 93. The fuse component 95 is disposed on the first side of the cooler 54, between the cooler 54 and the first side wall portion 71a of the duct component 42.

The fuse fixture 96 is a fixture that fixes the fuse component 95 in the cooling chamber D2a. In this embodiment, the fuse fixture 96 fixes the fuse component 95 to the first end plate 83 of the cooler 54. For example, the fuse fixture 96 includes a holding portion 96a that holds the fuse component 95 and a fixing portion 96b that is fixed to the upper end of the first end plate 83 (see FIG. 7). The fixing portion 96b is, for example, a clamping portion that clamps the upper end of the first end plate 83. The fixing portion 96b has a plate-shaped protrusion (grip portion) 96ba that allows the worker assembling the refrigerator 1 to grip the fuse fixture 96. The protrusion 96ba protrudes upward from the fixing portion 96b. That is, the protrusion 96ba protrudes above the cooler 54 (above the first end plate 83).

In this embodiment, at least one of the accumulator 92, the end 93c of the pipe heater 93, the bundled wires 94 of the pipe heater 93, the fuse component 95, and the fuse fixture 96 is disposed on the first side of the cooler 54, making it difficult to attach a seal member between the cooler 54 and the first side wall portion 71a of the duct component 42. Each of the accumulator 92, the end 93c of the pipe heater 93, the bundled wires 94 of the pipe heater 93, the fuse component 95, and the fuse fixture 96 is an example of a "structure to which a refrigerant is not supplied."

[3. First sealing member]
Next, the first seal member 97 will be described.
The first seal member 97 is an eva-side seal that closes at least a part of the gap S1 between the cooler 54 and the duct part 42 at a position above the cooler 54. "Above the cooler 54" is an example of a position outside the side region RS of the cooler 54 (the height range between the upper and lower ends of the cooler 54). For convenience of explanation, the "first seal member 97" may be referred to as the "seal member 97" below.

[3.1 Wind shielding portion of first seal member]
6 is a perspective view showing the seal member 97. The seal member 97 has a wind shielding portion 110 and a clamping portion (fixing portion) 120. The wind shielding portion 110 is formed in a plate shape. The clamping portion 120 is provided at the lower end portion on the front side of the wind shielding portion 110 and protrudes downward from the wind shielding portion 110. The seal member 97 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin, but is not limited to this.

Returning to FIG. 5, the arrangement of the seal member 97 will be described. At least a part of the wind shield 110 of the seal member 97 (the entire wind shield 110 in the example shown in FIG. 5) is arranged above the upper end of the cooler 54 (for example, the upper end of the first end plate 83 or the upper end of the uppermost fin 82). At least a part of the wind shield 110 is above the upper end of the cooler 54 (i.e., at a position outside the side region RS of the cooler 54) and blocks at least a part of the gap S1 between the cooler 54 and the duct part 42. In this embodiment, the wind shield 110 has a size that blocks most of the gap S1. The wind shield 110 has a cutout portion 111 through which the connection pipe CP that connects the accumulator 92 and the suction pipe is passed (see FIG. 6).

In this embodiment, the wind shielding portion 110 of the sealing member 97 is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. For example, the wind shielding portion 110 is inclined so as to be positioned upward as it proceeds from the first end plate 83 of the cooler 54 toward the first side (left). As a result, the upper surface of the wind shielding portion 110 has an inclined surface 112. The inclined surface 112 is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction at an angle of, for example, 45 degrees or more.

In this embodiment, the duct part 42 has a bulging portion 130 that bulges toward the center of the refrigerator 1 in the width direction of the refrigerator 1 above the cooler 54. The bulging portion 130 bulges so as to cover a part of the cooling chamber D2a (i.e., to form a partial ceiling portion 131 with respect to the cooling chamber D2a). For example, the ceiling portion 131 extends at a relatively small angle with respect to the horizontal direction (i.e., an angle smaller with respect to the horizontal direction than with respect to the vertical direction). The ceiling portion 131 of the bulging portion 130 extends to a position on the second side (right side) of at least a part of the accumulator 92, at least a part of the end portion 93c of the pipe heater 93, and at least a part of the bundled wires 94 of the pipe heater 93. For example, the ceiling portion 131 of the bulging portion 130 covers the upper part of at least a part of the accumulator 92, at least a part of the end portion 93c of the pipe heater 93, and at least a part of the bundled wires 94 of the pipe heater 93. By providing the bulge 130, the width of the duct space D2 in the width direction of the refrigerator 1 is narrowed at the height position where the bulge 130 exists.

The wind shielding portion 110 of the sealing member 97 extends at an angle relative to the horizontal direction from the first end plate 83 of the cooler 54 toward the bulge portion 130 of the duct part 42. In this embodiment, the upper end portion 113 of the wind shielding portion 110 is positioned at a first lateral position (leftward) of at least a portion of the ceiling portion 131 of the bulge portion 130. The upper end portion 113 of the wind shielding portion 110 is positioned below the ceiling portion 131 of the bulge portion 130.

[3.2 Clamping portion of first seal member]
The clamping portion 120 of the seal member 97 is detachably attached to the upper end portion of the first end plate 83 of the cooler 54. The clamping portion 120 is fixed to the upper end portion of the first end plate 83 by clamping the upper end portion of the first end plate 83. The above-mentioned wind shielding portion 110 is supported by the first end plate 83 by fixing the clamping portion 120 to the first end plate 83.

As shown in FIG. 6, the clamping portion 120 includes an insertion space 120s into which the upper end of the first end plate 83 is inserted, and a first portion 121, a second portion 122, and a third portion 123 that surround the insertion space 120s in three directions in the width direction and vertical direction of the refrigerator 1. In detail, the first portion 121 faces the upper end of the first end plate 83 from the left. The first portion 121 is formed in a plate shape along the vertical direction and the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1, and is disposed approximately parallel to the first end plate 83. The second portion 122 faces the upper end of the second end plate 84 from the right. The second portion 122 has a plate portion 122a that is vertical and along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1, and a bent portion 122b that is provided below the plate portion 122a and bent from the plate portion 122a toward the first end plate 83. By providing the plate portion 122a and the bent portion 122b, the clamping portion 120 has elasticity and clamps the first end plate 83 between the first portion 121 and the second portion 122. The plate portion 122a and the bent portion 122b may be provided in the first portion 121 instead of/in addition to the second portion 122. The third portion 123 connects the upper end of the first portion 121 and the upper end of the second portion 122. The third portion 123 faces the first end plate 83 in the vertical direction.

In this embodiment, the end faces (rear faces of the clamping portion 120) of the first portion 121, the second portion 122, and the third portion 123 have an inclined portion 120i that is inclined toward the inside of the insertion space 120s as it approaches the insertion space 120s in the width direction of the refrigerator 1. That is, the first portion 121 has an inclined portion 120i that is inclined to be positioned forward as it moves from left to right. Similarly, the second portion 122 has an inclined portion 120i that is inclined to be positioned forward as it moves from right to left. The third portion 123 has an inclined portion 120i that is inclined to be positioned forward as it moves from top to bottom. The inclined portion 120i is a chamfered portion (so-called C-surface) provided on the inner periphery of each end face of the first portion 121, the second portion 122, and the third portion 123.

Figures 7 and 8 are perspective views showing the process of attaching the seal member 97 to the cooler 54. Figure 7 shows the seal member 97 before attachment to the cooler 54. Figure 8 shows the seal member 97 after attachment to the cooler 54. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the seal member 97 is attached to the first end plate 83 of the cooler 54 from the front. That is, the seal member 97 is attached to the first end plate 83 by moving the seal member 97 from the front to the rear relative to the first end plate 83 of the cooler 54, so that the first end plate 83 is inserted into the clamping portion 120 of the seal member 97.

8, the clamping portion 120 is provided only at the front end of the wind shielding portion 110. In this embodiment, a gap 114 is provided between the portion of the wind shielding portion 110 where the clamping portion 120 is not provided and the first end plate 83 of the cooler 54. By providing the gap 114, water droplets that melt after icing on the inclined surface 112 of the wind shielding portion 110 pass through the outside of the cooler 54 and fall into the defrost water receiver 91. In addition, the protrusion 96ba of the fuse fixing device 96 passes through the gap 114. As a result, the seal member 97 is attached to the first end plate 83 of the cooler 54 without interfering with the protrusion 96ba of the fuse fixing device 96.

Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the sealing member 97 at an angle viewed from diagonally below. The clamping portion 120 of the sealing member 97 includes a fourth portion 124. The fourth portion 124 is provided between the first portion 121, the second portion 122, and the third portion 123 so as to block at least a portion of the front end portion of the insertion space 120s in the depth direction of the refrigerator 1. The fourth portion 124 faces the insertion space 120s in the depth direction of the refrigerator 1. In other words, the fourth portion 124 faces the first end plate 83 in the depth direction of the refrigerator 1.

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the cooler and sealing member taken along line F10-F10 in Figure 3. The fourth portion 124 of the clamping portion 120 abuts against the front surface of the first end plate 83 when the sealing member 97 is attached to the first end plate 83 of the cooler 54. This prevents the sealing member 97 from moving rearward any further, and restricts the position of the sealing member 97 in the depth direction of the refrigerator 1.

In this embodiment, after the sealing member 97 is attached to the first end plate 83 of the cooler 54, the front cover 73 of the duct part 42 is assembled to the rear cover 71. When the front cover 73 of the duct part 42 is assembled (e.g., fixed) to the rear cover 71, the position of the sealing member 97 in the depth direction of the refrigerator 1 is restricted between the front cover 73 and the cooler 54. In this specification, "the position is restricted" is not limited to the case where the position is completely fixed, but may also include the case where there is a certain degree of wobble (play).

[4. Action]
Next, the function of the seal member 97 will be described.
3, a second seal member 98 is provided on the second side (right side) of the cooler 54. This seals at least a portion of the right gap S2 between the cooler 54 and the duct part 42.

On the other hand, the accumulator 92, the end 93c of the pipe heater 93, the bundled wires 94 of the pipe heater 93, the fuse component 95, or the fuse fixture 96 are arranged on the first side (left side) of the cooler 54, and it is not easy to arrange a seal member in the side region RS of the cooler 54. However, in this embodiment, a first seal member 97 is provided at a position above the cooler 54 to block at least a part of the left gap S1 between the cooler 54 and the duct component 42.

As a result, the air that flows into the cooling chamber D2a from the cold air return port 42b is less likely to flow into the right gap S2 between the cooler 54 and the duct part 42, and into the left gap S1 between the cooler 54 and the duct part 42. Therefore, most of the air that flows into the cooling chamber D2a from the cold air return port 42b passes between the first end plate 83 and the second end plate 84 of the cooler 54 (i.e., passes between the multiple fins 82 of the cooler 54) and flows toward the internal air vent 73d located above. As a result, the air that flows into the cooling chamber D2a from the cold air return port 42b is efficiently cooled by the cooler 54 and is supplied to the storage chamber 11 as cooler cold air.

5. Advantages
As described above, in the present embodiment, the refrigerator 1 is provided with a structure (for example, an end of the pipe heater 93, the bundled wires 94 of the pipe heater 93, or the fuse component 95) that is disposed between the cooler 54 and the duct component 42 on the side of the cooler 54 and to which the refrigerant is not supplied. When such a structure is provided, it becomes difficult to attach a seal member that is sandwiched between the straight portions 81a (or the folded portions 81b) of the cooling pipe 81 of the cooler 54, and it becomes difficult to close the gap S1 between the cooler 54 and the duct component 42.

The refrigerator 1 of this embodiment has a seal member 97 that closes at least a portion of the gap S1 between the cooler 54 and the duct part 42 above the cooler 54. With this configuration, even if a structure is provided to the side of the cooler 54, at least a portion of the gap S1 between the cooler 54 and the duct part 42 can be closed without being obstructed by the structure. This reduces the flow rate of air passing through the gap S1 between the cooler 54 and the duct part 42, and increases the cooling efficiency of the cooler 54. This improves cooling performance.

In this embodiment, the structure is a part of the pipe heater 93 that heats the cooler 54, the bundled wires 94 of the pipe heater 93, or the fuse component 95. With this configuration, in a structure in which a defrosting heater is attached to the cooler 54, the seal member 97 can be arranged while avoiding the related components. For example, since the bundled wires 94 of the pipe heater 93 extend relatively long on the side of the cooler 54, it is particularly difficult to attach a seal member of the type that is sandwiched between the multiple straight parts 81a (or multiple folded parts 81b) of the cooling pipe 81 of the cooler 54. However, with the configuration of this embodiment, even if the bundled wires 94 of the pipe heater 93 extend relatively long on the side of the cooler 54, the gap S1 between the cooler 54 and the duct component 42 can be effectively blocked.

In this embodiment, the vertical center C3 of the pipe heater 93 is located below the vertical center C4 of the cooler 54. The seal member 97 closes at least a part of the gap S1 between the cooler 54 and the duct part 42 above the cooler 54. With this configuration, the pipe heater 93 is placed at a lower position relative to the cooler 54, taking into consideration that heat is easily transferred upward, and the heat transfer efficiency from the pipe heater 93 to the cooler 54 can be improved. In this configuration, while the mounting density of components increases at a lower position relative to the cooler 54, attention is paid to the fact that space is likely to be left behind at a higher position relative to the cooler 54, and in this embodiment, the seal member 97 is placed using the space where such space is likely to be left behind. As a result, the shape and size of the seal member 97 are less likely to be restricted, and the gap S1 between the cooler 54 and the duct part 42 can be more effectively closed.

In this embodiment, the upper surface of the seal member 97 has an inclined surface 112. With this configuration, even if ice forms on the upper surface of the seal member 97, the upper surface of the seal member 97 has an inclined surface 112, so that the melted water droplets flow down along the inclination during defrosting. This makes it possible to suppress the growth of ice on the upper surface of the seal member 97. Here, in this embodiment, the seal member 97 is provided in an area above the cooler 54, where there is ample space, so the seal member 97 can be arranged with a large inclination (for example, at an angle of 45 degrees or more with respect to the horizontal direction). With this configuration, the melted water droplets flow down more smoothly during defrosting. On the other hand, when the seal member is arranged in the side region RS of the cooler 54, the multiple folded portions 81b of the cooling pipe 81 get in the way, making it difficult to arrange the seal member 97 with a large inclination. In other words, it can be said that the seal member 97 can be arranged with a large inclination only because of the structure in which at least a part of the seal member 97 is arranged above the cooler 54.

In this embodiment, a gap 114 is provided between at least a portion of the seal member 97 and the cooler 54, allowing water droplets that melt after icing on the inclined surface 112 of the seal member 97 to fall to the outside of the cooler 54. With this configuration, water droplets that melt during defrosting after icing on the inclined surface 112 of the seal member 97 flow into the inside of the cooler 54, preventing water from remaining in the cooler 54 (or, more specifically, re-icing inside the cooler 54). This makes it easier to maintain high performance of the cooler 54.

In this embodiment, the duct part 42 has a bulge 130 above the cooler 54 that bulges toward the center of the refrigerator 1 in the width direction of the refrigerator 1. The seal member 97 extends between the cooler 54 and the bulge 130. With this configuration, the seal member 97 and the bulge 130 can effectively seal the gap S1 between the cooler 54 and the duct part 42 even with a relatively small seal member 97. This allows the cost of the seal member 97 to be reduced.

In this embodiment, the upper end 113 of the wind shield 110 is located below the ceiling portion 131 of the bulge portion 130. With this configuration, even if the mounting position of the seal member 97 is misaligned in the width direction of the refrigerator 1 due to part tolerances, the gap between the upper end 113 of the wind shield 110 of the seal member 97 and the duct part 42 tends to be kept small. This makes it possible to effectively close the gap S1 between the cooler 54 and the duct part 42.

In this embodiment, the sealing member 97 has a clamping portion 120 that clamps the upper end of the first end plate 83 of the cooler 54. This configuration improves the ease of installation of the sealing member 97. This contributes to reducing the cost of the refrigerator 1.

In this embodiment, the clamping portion 120 of the sealing member 97 has an insertion space 120s into which the first end plate 83 is inserted, and a first portion 121, a second portion 122, and a third portion 123 that surround the insertion space 120s in three directions in the width direction and vertical direction of the refrigerator 1. At least one end surface of the first portion 121, the second portion 122, and the third portion 123 in the depth direction of the refrigerator 1 has an inclined portion 120i that is inclined toward the inside of the insertion space 120s as it approaches the insertion space 120s in the width direction of the refrigerator 1. With this configuration, when the first sealing member 97 is attached to the first end plate 83, the first sealing member 97 is guided by the inclined portion 120i, making it easier to attach the first sealing member 97 to the first end plate 83. This improves the ease of installation of the sealing member 97. In the above embodiment, the inclined portion 120i is provided in all of the first portion 121, the second portion 122, and the third portion 123, but the inclined portion 120i may be provided in only one or two of the first portion 121, the second portion 122, and the third portion 123.

In this embodiment, the clamping unit 120 has a fourth portion 124 that abuts against the first end plate 83 in the depth direction of the refrigerator 1. With this configuration, when attaching the seal member 97 to the first end plate 83, the first end plate 83 is inserted into the clamping unit 120 until the first end plate 83 contacts the fourth portion 124 of the clamping unit 120, so that the seal member 97 does not move further rearward. This makes it possible to position the seal member 97 in the insertion direction relative to the first end plate 83. This improves the ease of attachment of the seal member 97.

In this embodiment, the duct part 42 includes a rear cover 71 located behind the cooler 54 in the depth direction of the refrigerator 1, and a front cover 73 located in front of the cooler 54. The position of the seal member 97 in the depth direction of the refrigerator 1 is restricted by the cooler 54 and the front cover 73. For example, the front cover 73 is located in front of the seal member 97, so that the seal member 97 does not move further forward. This allows the seal member 97 to be positioned in the insertion direction relative to the first end plate 83. This improves the workability of installing the seal member 97. In addition, according to the above configuration, even if the seal member 97 is unintentionally half-inserted into the first end plate 83, when the front cover 73 is installed, the seal member 97 is pushed backward by the front cover 73 and the seal member 97 is fixed in the correct position. From this perspective, the workability of installing the seal member 97 can also be improved.

Below, we will explain some modified examples. Note that the configuration of each modified example other than that described below is the same as the configuration of the above-mentioned embodiment.

(First Modification)
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a seal member 97A of a first modification. In this modification, the wind shielding portion 110 of the seal member 97A includes a first portion 117 and a second portion 118. The first portion 117 and the second portion 118 are arranged to overlap each other in a direction to block the air flow. The first portion 117 corresponds to the wind shielding portion 110 of the above-mentioned embodiment, and is made of synthetic resin. The second portion 118 is formed of a heat insulating material such as EPS, and has higher heat insulating properties than the first portion 117. The second portion 118 has an area equal to or larger than half that of the first portion 117. According to this configuration, the seal member 97A can suppress heat transfer between the air before passing through the cooler 54 and the air after passing through the cooler 54. This can further improve the cooling performance.

(Second Modification)
12 is a cross-sectional view showing a seal member 97 of a second modified example. In this modified example, the seal member 97 closes at least a part of the gaps S1, S2 between the cooler 54 and the duct part 42 at a position lower than the cooler 54. For example, the seal member 97 has a clamping portion (fixing portion) 120 that clamps the lower end of the first end plate 83 or the second end plate 84 of the cooler 54, and is fixed to the lower end of the first end plate 83 or the lower end of the second end plate 84 of the cooler 54. The clamping portion 120 may be fixed to the first end plate 83 or the second end plate 84 of the cooler 54 using an auxiliary fixing member such as a seal or adhesive. With such a configuration, the same effect as in the above embodiment can be expected.

Although the above describes the embodiments and the modified examples, the embodiments and the modified examples are not limited to the above examples. For example, instead of the seal member 97 being regulated in position between the front cover 73 and the cooler 54, the seal member 97 may be sandwiched between the front cover 73 and the rear cover 71, for example, to regulate its position between the front cover 73 and the rear cover 71, or the seal member 97 may be sandwiched between the cooler 54 and the rear cover 71 to regulate its position between the cooler 54 and the rear cover 71. The seal member 97 may also be regulated in position by the three members of the cooler 54, the rear cover 71, and the front cover 73. The structure disposed between the cooler and the duct part is not limited to the above examples, and may be another part.

According to at least one of the embodiments described above, the cooling performance can be improved by providing a sealing member that closes at least a portion of the gap between the cooler and the duct part at a position above or below the cooler.

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, 42...freezer duct part (duct part), 54...cooler, 71...back cover (first duct part), 73...front cover (second duct part), 81...cooling pipe (pipe), 82...fin, 83...first end plate, 84...second end plate, 92...accumulator (structure), 93c...end of pipe heater (structure), 94...wire bundle of pipe heater (electrical wiring, structure), 95...fuse part (structure), 96...fuse fixture (structure), 97...first seal member (seal member), 110...wind shield, 112...inclined surface, 114...gap, 120...clamping part, 120s...insertion space, 120i...inclined part, 121...first part, 122...second part, 123...third part, 124...fourth part, 130...bulge, 131...ceiling part.

Claims (7)

A refrigerator,
A duct piece defining at least a portion of a wall surface of the cooling chamber;
a cooler disposed in the cooling chamber and supplied with a refrigerant;
a structure disposed on the side of the cooler between the cooler and the duct part, to which the refrigerant is not supplied;
a seal member that closes at least a part of a gap between the cooler and the duct part at a position above or below the cooler;
Equipped with
the cooler includes a pipe through which the refrigerant flows, a plurality of fins, and an end plate disposed to a side of the plurality of fins and extending in a vertical direction,
The end plate has a through hole through which the pipe passes,
The sealing member has a fixing portion that is fixed to a region of the end plate that is forward of the through hole in the depth direction of the refrigerator, and a wind shielding portion that extends from the fixing portion to a position rearward of the through hole in the depth direction of the refrigerator and is fixed to the end plate by the fixing portion.
refrigerator. A refrigerator,
A duct piece defining at least a portion of a wall surface of the cooling chamber;
a cooler disposed in the cooling chamber and supplied with a refrigerant;
a structure disposed on the side of the cooler between the cooler and the duct part, to which the refrigerant is not supplied;
a seal member that closes at least a part of a gap between the cooler and the duct part at a position above or below the cooler;
Equipped with
The cooler includes a plurality of fins and an end plate disposed laterally of the plurality of fins and extending in a vertical direction,
the structure is a fuse fixture that fixes a fuse component within the cooling chamber,
the fuse fixture has a fixing portion to which the end plate is fixed,
the sealing member has a fixing portion that is fixed to a region of the end plate in front of a position where the fixing portion of the fuse fixing device is attached in a depth direction of the refrigerator, and a wind shielding portion that extends from the fixing portion of the sealing member to a position rearward of the fixing portion of the fuse fixing device in the depth direction of the refrigerator and is fixed to the end plate by the fixing portion of the sealing member,
refrigerator. the duct part has a bulging portion that is located above the cooler and bulges toward a center of the refrigerator in a width direction of the refrigerator,
The seal member extends between the cooler and the bulge.
The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2 . The fixing portion of the sealing member is a clamping portion that clamps the upper end portion or the lower end portion of the end plate.
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . A refrigerator,
A duct piece defining at least a portion of a wall surface of the cooling chamber;
a cooler disposed in the cooling chamber and supplied with a refrigerant;
a structure disposed on the side of the cooler between the cooler and the duct part, to which the refrigerant is not supplied;
a seal member that closes at least a part of a gap between the cooler and the duct part at a position above or below the cooler;
Equipped with
the cooler includes a pipe through which the refrigerant flows, a plurality of fins, and an end plate located on a side of the plurality of fins and to which the pipe is fixed,
the sealing member has a clamping portion that clamps an upper end portion or a lower end portion of the end plate,
the clamping portion has an insertion space into which the end plate is inserted, and a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion surrounding the insertion space from three directions in a width direction and a vertical direction of the refrigerator,
At least one end surface of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion in the depth direction of the refrigerator has an inclined portion that is inclined toward the inside of the insertion space as it approaches the insertion space in the width direction of the refrigerator.
refrigerator . A refrigerator,
A duct piece defining at least a portion of a wall surface of the cooling chamber;
a cooler disposed in the cooling chamber and supplied with a refrigerant;
a structure disposed on the side of the cooler between the cooler and the duct part, to which the refrigerant is not supplied;
a seal member that closes at least a part of a gap between the cooler and the duct part at a position above or below the cooler;
Equipped with
the cooler includes a pipe through which the refrigerant flows, a plurality of fins, and an end plate located on a side of the plurality of fins and to which the pipe is fixed,
the sealing member has a clamping portion that clamps an upper end portion or a lower end portion of the end plate,
the clamping portion includes an insertion space into which the end plate is inserted, a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion surrounding the insertion space from three directions in a width direction and a vertical direction of the refrigerator, and a fourth portion abutting against the end plate in a depth direction of the refrigerator,
refrigerator . A refrigerator,
A duct piece defining at least a portion of a wall surface of the cooling chamber;
a cooler disposed in the cooling chamber and supplied with a refrigerant;
a structure disposed on the side of the cooler between the cooler and the duct part, to which the refrigerant is not supplied;
a seal member that closes at least a part of a gap between the cooler and the duct part at a position above or below the cooler;
Equipped with
The duct part includes a first duct part located behind the cooler in a depth direction of the refrigerator and a second duct part located in front of the cooler,
The position of the sealing member in the depth direction of the refrigerator is regulated by two or more parts of the cooler, the first duct part, or the second duct part.
refrigerator .

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