JP7624024B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerator.

It has been proposed to construct refrigerators in which the partition members that divide the storage compartment are separate from the insulated box (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2016-173187 A

However, in a refrigerator such as that described in Patent Document 1, if cold air leaks through a partition member into another storage compartment (for example, from a storage compartment in the freezer temperature range to a storage compartment in the refrigerated temperature range), it becomes difficult to maintain the storage compartment in the refrigerated temperature range.

The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional refrigerator, and aims to provide a refrigerator that can prevent cold air leakage even when a partition member that is configured separately from the refrigerator body is used.

The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a first storage compartment and a second storage compartment adjacent to each other vertically, the refrigerator further comprising a partition member disposed between the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment, the partition member having a case for storing vacuum insulation material, and a front partition portion disposed in a left-right direction on a front side of the partition member, the partition member having a flange portion at a front end of the case and extending toward the front partition portion across the entire width of the partition member, the front partition portion having a step portion formed at a position where the flange portion overlaps, and a lower flange portion with which a lower end edge portion of the partition member abuts, the partition member having a first The refrigerator is fixed to the front partition from above by fastening it to the front partition member via a screw , and the case is constructed by fastening an upper case and a lower case with a second screw, the lower case has a screw insertion portion formed on the outer surface of the front side portion relative to the bottom surface of the lower case through which the second screw is inserted, and the screw insertion portion is located above the underside of the lower case, the upper case has a fixing portion formed into which the second screw is screwed, and the fixing portion is formed extending downward from the underside of the flange portion, and the vacuum insulation material cannot be removed from the case until the partition member is released from the fixing.

The present invention provides a refrigerator that can prevent cold air leakage even when a partition member that is configured separately from the refrigerator body is used.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the inside of the refrigerator of the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the interior of the refrigerator body. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the flow of cool air. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a fan casing. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 4. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the flow of cool air throughout the refrigerator. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside of a refrigerator. FIG. FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an attached state of the heater cord. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the rear partition portion as seen from the rear side. 13 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 12. 13 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 12. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the mounting structure of the back of the rear partition. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the attached state of the front partition portion and the rear partition portion. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a temporary fixing portion of the rear partition portion. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a fastening structure between the rear partition and the inner box. FIG.

The following describes a form for implementing the present invention (the present embodiment). However, the present embodiment is not limited to the following content in any way, and can be modified as desired without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In addition, the following description is based on the direction shown in Figure 1.

1 is a perspective view showing the exterior of a refrigerator according to the present embodiment. In the following, a six-door refrigerator 1 will be described as an example, but the present invention can also be applied to refrigerators having other numbers of doors.
As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator 1 has a refrigerator body 10 including a refrigerator compartment 30, an ice-making compartment 40 (first storage compartment), a freezer compartment 50 (first storage compartment), an upper switching compartment 60 (second storage compartment, first storage compartment, switching compartment), and a lower switching compartment 70 (second storage compartment, switching compartment). The upper switching compartment 60 is capable of switching the temperature zone from a refrigeration temperature zone (e.g., 1°C to 6°C) to a freezing temperature zone (e.g., about -20°C to -18°C). The lower switching compartment 70 is also capable of switching the temperature zone from a refrigeration temperature zone to a freezing temperature zone. The refrigerator compartment 30 is set to a refrigeration temperature zone (e.g., 6°C). The ice-making compartment 40 and the freezer compartment 50 are set to a freezing temperature zone (e.g., about -20°C).

The refrigerator 1 also includes, on the front of the refrigerator body 10, refrigerator compartment doors 2 and 3 for opening and closing the refrigerator compartment 30, an ice-making compartment door 4 for opening and closing the ice-making compartment 40, a freezer compartment door 5 for opening and closing the freezer compartment 50, an upper-level selectable compartment door 6 for opening and closing the upper-level selectable compartment 60, and a lower-level selectable compartment door 7 for opening and closing the lower-level selectable compartment 70.

The refrigerator compartment doors 2 and 3 are configured to be able to open like double doors. The ice-making compartment door 4, the freezer compartment door 5, the upper selectable compartment door 6, and the lower selectable compartment door 7 are configured to be able to be pulled out towards the front. The refrigerator compartment doors 2 and 3, the ice-making compartment door 4, the freezer compartment door 5, the upper selectable compartment door 6, and the lower selectable compartment door 7 are insulated doors.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the inside of the refrigerator of the present embodiment.
As shown in Fig. 2, the refrigerator body 10 is a combination of an inner box 11 and an outer box 12, and a foam insulation material or a vacuum insulation material is sandwiched between them to form an insulated box body. The foam insulation material is made of rigid urethane foam. This rigid urethane foam is formed by foaming a urethane foam stock solution (a raw material liquid of the foam insulation material) and then hardening it. Incidentally, an example of the urethane foam stock solution is a liquid obtained by mixing an isocyanate liquid with a liquid in which a blowing agent such as cyclopentane or water, and further an auxiliary such as a catalyst and a foam stabilizer are premixed with polyether polyol.

The outer box 12 is composed of a top plate 1a and left and right side plates 1b, 1c (see FIG. 1) formed by bending a thin steel plate into a gate shape, a back plate 1d made of a separate member, and a bottom plate 1e made of a separate member. A recess is provided at the rear of the top plate 1a, and a control board 13 is provided in this recess. The control board 13 provides overall control of the refrigerator 1.

Vacuum insulation materials V1 and V2 are provided on the inner wall surfaces of the top plate 1a and back plate 1d. Vacuum insulation material V3 is provided on the bottom side of the inner box 11. Vacuum insulation materials V7 and V8 (see Figure 3) are provided on the inner wall surfaces of the left and right side plates 1b and 1c (see Figure 1).

Refrigerator compartment doors 2 and 3 are provided with vacuum insulation material V4. Upper-level selectable compartment door 6 is provided with vacuum insulation material V5. Lower-level selectable compartment door 7 is provided with vacuum insulation material V6.

The refrigerator body 10 also includes a heat-insulating partition device (heat-insulating partition member) 16 that insulates the upper switchable compartment 60 and the lower switchable compartment 70. The refrigerator body 10 also includes a heat-insulating partition device (heat-insulating partition member) 17 that insulates the ice-making compartment 40 and the freezer compartment 50 from the upper switchable compartment 60. The refrigerator body 10 also includes a heat-insulating partition wall 18 that insulates the refrigerator compartment 30 from the ice-making compartment 40 and the freezer compartment 50 above and below. The heat-insulating partition devices 16 and 17 are also provided with vacuum insulation materials (insulating materials) V9 and V10, respectively.

The materials used for the vacuum insulation materials V1 to V10 are not particularly limited, but as an example, they are made of insulation material in which a core material such as porous glass wool is vacuum-packed in a laminate film, and the inside is depressurized and sealed. As the gas thermal conductivity is nearly zero, they have excellent insulation performance.

The refrigerator 1 is provided with a cooler 80A (EVP: evaporator) on the rear side of the upper switchable compartment 60 and the lower switchable compartment 70 in order to cool each of the compartments, the ice-making compartment 40, the freezer compartment 50, the upper switchable compartment 60, and the lower switchable compartment 70, to a predetermined temperature. This cooler 80A is provided on the projection of the heat-insulating partition device 16 when viewed from the front of the refrigerator 1.

The cooler 80A also forms a refrigeration cycle with a compressor 81, a condenser (not shown), and a capillary tube (not shown). Above the cooler 80A, a blower fan 90 is provided to circulate the cold air cooled by the cooler 80A to each of the ice-making compartment 40, the freezer compartment 50, the upper switchable compartment 60, and the lower switchable compartment 70, maintaining the air at a predetermined temperature.

The cooler 80A is placed in a cooler storage space 100 provided between the rear side of the ice-making compartment 40, the freezer compartment 50, the upper-stage switching compartment 60, and the lower-stage switching compartment 70 and the inner box 11. This cooler storage space 100 extends from directly above the compressor 81 provided in the machine compartment Q to the height of the blower fan 90.

In the cooler storage space 100, a defrost heater 82 is provided below the cooler 80A. The drain water generated by the defrost heater 82 during defrosting falls into a gutter (not shown) and is collected in an evaporation dish (not shown) provided above the compressor 81 via a drain hole (not shown).

The air (cold air) cooled by the cooler 80A is supplied directly to the ice making compartment 40 and the freezer compartment 50 without going through a damper member. The upper switching compartment 60 is supplied with cold air through the direct cooling damper member 120 (see FIG. 4) and the damper part 141 (see FIG. 4) of the indirect cooling damper member 140 described later. The lower switching compartment 70 is supplied with cold air through the direct cooling damper member 130 (see FIG. 4) and the damper part 142 (see FIG. 4) of the indirect cooling damper member 140 described later. Note that direct cooling is a method of cooling by supplying cold air directly to the stored food. Also, indirect cooling is a method of cooling by supplying cold air to the stored food without directly hitting it in order to prevent the food from drying out.

The refrigerator 1 is also provided with a cooler 80B (see FIG. 7) at the bottom of the rear side of the refrigerator compartment 30 to cool the refrigerator compartment 30 to a predetermined temperature. This cooler 80B forms a refrigeration cycle with a compressor 81, a condenser (not shown), and a capillary tube (not shown). A blower fan 91 (see FIG. 7) is provided above the cooler 80B to circulate the cold air cooled by the cooler 80B through the refrigerator compartment 30 and maintain the temperature at a predetermined level.

In the upper switchable chamber 60, for example, an upper storage container 61 (see FIG. 7) and a lower storage container 62 (see FIG. 7) are arranged one above the other. In the lower switchable chamber 70, for example, an upper storage container 71 (see FIG. 7) and a lower storage container 72 (see FIG. 7) are arranged one above the other. Note that the number of storage containers 61, 62, 71, 72 is not limited to this embodiment and can be changed as appropriate, and each may have one tier or three or more tiers.

Fig. 3 is a front view showing the interior of the refrigerator body, and is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the doors 2 to 7 (see Fig. 1) and storage containers have been removed from the refrigerator 1.
As shown in Fig. 3, the refrigerator body 10 includes a rear heat insulating partition member 65 that constitutes the interior rear surface of the upper switchable compartment 60 and the lower switchable compartment 70. The lower end of the rear heat insulating partition member 65 is located above the inward protrusion of the machine compartment Q (see Fig. 2).

The rear insulating partition member 65 has case members 112 and 113 at positions corresponding to the upper switching chamber 60, and case members 114 and 115 at positions corresponding to the lower switching chamber 70.

The case member 112 is formed with a number of outlets 63a, 63a, 63b, 63b from which cold air is discharged when the upper switchable chamber 60 is set to the freezing temperature zone. The outlets 63a, 63a are arranged spaced apart on the left and right near the center of the upper part of the upper switchable chamber 60. The outlets 63b, 63b are arranged spaced apart on the left and right below the outlets 63a, 63a.

The outlet 63a is formed at a position where it can directly supply cold air into the upper storage container 61 (see FIG. 7). The outlet 63b is formed at a position where it can directly supply cold air into the lower storage container 62 (see FIG. 7).

The case member 113 is formed with an outlet 63c through which cold air is discharged when the upper switchable compartment 60 is set to the refrigeration temperature zone. This outlet 63c is located to the side of the outlets 63a and 63b (to the left in FIG. 3). Furthermore, as shown by the dashed arrow, the outlet 63c is configured to discharge cold air toward the inner box 11 on the left side. This allows cold air to pass outside the upper storage container 61 (see FIG. 7) and the lower storage container 62 (see FIG. 7) (so as to indirectly cool food).

The case member 114 is formed with a plurality of outlets 73a, 73a, 73b, 73b through which cold air is discharged when the lower switchable chamber 70 is set to the freezing temperature zone. The outlets 73a, 73a are arranged spaced apart on the left and right at the top of the lower switchable chamber 70. The outlets 73b, 73b are arranged spaced apart on the left and right below the outlets 73a, 73a.

The outlet 73a is formed at a position where it can directly supply cold air into the upper storage container 71 (see FIG. 7). The outlet 73b is formed at a position where it can directly supply cold air into the lower storage container 72 (see FIG. 7).

The case member 115 is formed with an outlet 73c through which cold air is discharged when the lower switchable compartment 70 is set to the refrigeration temperature zone. This outlet 73c is located to the side of the outlet 73a (to the left in FIG. 3). Furthermore, as shown by the dashed arrow, the outlet 73c is configured to discharge cold air toward the inner box 11 on the left side. This allows cold air to pass outside the upper storage container 71 (see FIG. 7) and the lower storage container 72 (see FIG. 7) (so as to indirectly cool food).

In addition, the rear heat insulating partition member 65 is formed with a return port 73d that returns the cold air discharged from the discharge ports 73a, 73b, and 73c to the cooler 80A (see FIG. 2). This return port 73d is formed on the opposite side of the discharge port 73a from the discharge port 73c (the right side in FIG. 3).

In addition, the ice-making chamber 40 and the freezer chamber 50 are formed with outlets 40a, 50a through which cold air is directly supplied into the ice-making container (not shown) and the freezer container (not shown), respectively. In addition, the rear surface of the freezer chamber 50 is formed with a return port 41a through which the cold air discharged from the outlets 40a, 50a returns.

Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining the flow of cool air, and shows a schematic view of the device as viewed from the back with the inner box 11 removed.
4, a blower fan 90 is provided above the cooler 80A. The blower fan 90 is a centrifugal fan such as a turbo fan or a sirocco fan.

A fan casing 111 that houses the blower fan 90 is provided above the cooler storage space 100. A circular opening 111s is formed in the fan casing 111 at a position opposite the blower fan 90. Cool air is sucked in by the blower fan 90 through the opening 111s, and the cool air is discharged into the fan casing 111 from the circumferential direction.

Damper members 120, 130, and 140 are attached to the fan casing 111. The damper member 120 supplies cool air to the upper switching chamber 60 (see FIG. 3) and is provided above the blower fan 90. The damper member 130 supplies cool air to the lower switching chamber 70 (see FIG. 3) and is provided below the blower fan 90 and to the left of the cooler 80A (to the right in FIG. 4). The damper member 140 includes damper sections 141 and 142 and is provided to the left of the blower fan 90 (to the right in FIG. 4).

The damper member 120 also includes a drive unit 123 that opens and closes the flapper. The damper member 130 also includes a drive unit 133 that opens and closes the flapper. The damper member 140 also includes a drive unit 133 that opens and closes the flapper of the damper unit 141 and the flapper of the damper unit 142.

Returning to FIG. 3, the case member 112 is disposed so as to cover the front of the damper member 120 (see FIG. 4) and is formed so as to protrude forward from the rear heat insulating partition member 65. The case member 113 is disposed so as to cover the front of the damper section 141 (see FIG. 4) and is formed so as to protrude forward from the rear heat insulating partition member 65.

The case member 114 is provided to cover the front of the damper member 130 (see FIG. 4) and is formed to protrude forward from the rear heat insulating partition member 65. The case member 115 is connected to the flow path 116 (see FIG. 4) extending from the damper section 142 and is formed to protrude forward from the rear heat insulating partition member 65.

As shown in FIG. 4, the cooler storage space 100 is formed with a return flow path 41b that merges the cold air coming out of the return port 41a with the cold air coming out of the return port 73d. This return flow path 41b is configured to flow vertically to the right of the rear heat insulating partition member 65 (left side in FIG. 4).

The cold air discharged from the discharge ports 63a and 63b (see FIG. 3) flows downward through the cooler 80A from the return port 63d, rises inside the cooler 80A, and is then sucked back into the blower fan 90. Similarly, the cold air discharged from the discharge port 63c (see FIG. 3) also passes through the cooler 80A from the return port 63d and is then sucked back into the blower fan 90.

The cold air discharged from the discharge ports 73a and 73b (see FIG. 3) returns to the bottom of the cooler 80A from the return port 73d, rises inside the cooler 80A, and is again sucked into the blower fan 90. Similarly, the cold air discharged from the discharge port 73c (see FIG. 3) returns to the return port 73d, passes through the cooler 80A, and is again sucked into the blower fan 90.

After cooling the ice-making compartment 40 and the freezer compartment 50, the cold air passes through the return flow path 41b from the return port 41a and returns to the cooler 80A through a flow path similar to the return flow path from the return port 73d.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a fan casing.
5, the fan casing 111 includes a flow path 111a that guides cool air toward the damper member 120 and a flow path 111b that guides cool air to the damper member 130. The fan casing 111 also includes a flow path 111c that guides cool air toward the damper portion 141 of the damper member 140 and a flow path 111d that guides cool air to the damper portion 142 of the damper member 140.

Damper member 120 is fitted into the end of flow path 111a via a sealing material (not shown). Damper member 130 is fitted into the end of flow path 111b via a sealing material (not shown). Damper section 141 is fitted into the end of flow path 111c via a sealing material (not shown). Damper section 142 is fitted into the end of flow path 111d via a sealing material (not shown).

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 4. Note that in Fig. 6, the outer box 12, the insulating material between the inner box 11 and the outer box 12, the doors 4, 6, 7, and the storage containers 61, 62, 71, 72 are not shown.
As shown in Fig. 6, refrigerator body 10 includes heat insulating partition device 17 that insulates ice-making compartment 40 and freezer compartment 50 (see Fig. 3) from upper switchable compartment 60. Refrigerator body 10 also includes heat insulating partition device 16 that insulates upper switchable compartment 60 from lower switchable compartment 70. Refrigerator body 10 also includes rear heat insulating partition member 65 that insulates upper switchable compartment 60 from blower fan 90 and cooler 80A.

The blower fan 90 is fixed to the rear heat insulating partition member 65 via a bracket 92. Note that the attachment means of the blower fan 90 is not limited to a means for fixing it to the rear heat insulating partition member 65, and it may be fixed by providing a bracket on the cold air intake side of the fan casing 111.

The heat insulating partition devices 16, 17 are each constructed to include vacuum insulation materials V9, V10. The rear heat insulating partition member 65 is constructed to include expanded polystyrene foam (also known as polystyrene foam) 65t formed by molding.

As described above, the refrigerator body 10 is provided with vacuum insulation materials V7, V8 (see FIG. 3) on the left and right side surfaces of the upper switchable compartment 60. As described above, the upper switchable compartment door 6 that opens and closes the upper switchable compartment 60 is also provided with vacuum insulation material V5 (see FIG. 2). In this way, the upper switchable compartment 60 is surrounded by vacuum insulation materials V5, V7, V8, V9, V10 on six sides: the front, left and right, and top and bottom. As a result, when the ice making compartment 40 and the freezer compartment 50 are set to the freezing temperature zone and the cooler 80A is arranged on the back, it is possible to set the upper switchable compartment 60 to the refrigeration temperature zone even under harsh conditions such as when the upper switchable compartment 60 is set to the refrigeration temperature zone.

In addition, in the upper switching compartment 60 of the refrigerator body 10, an opening 63e that communicates with the return port 63d to the cooler 80A is formed at the back side of the heat-insulating partition device 16 that forms the bottom surface. This opening 63e is formed long and narrow in the left-right direction.

In addition, in the refrigerator body 10, a rail member 11a is formed on the left side surface of the upper switchable compartment 60, which supports the upper storage container 61 (see FIG. 7) so that it can slide freely in the front-rear direction. A slide member (not shown) that holds the lower storage container 62 (see FIG. 7) is provided on the upper switchable compartment door 6 (see FIG. 2), and this slide member is slidably supported by a rail member 11b provided in the upper switchable compartment 60. A rail member of a similar configuration is also provided on the right side surface of the upper switchable compartment 60.

In addition, in the refrigerator body 10, a rail member 11c is formed on the left side surface of the lower switchable chamber 70, which supports the upper storage container 71 (see FIG. 7) so that it can slide freely in the front-rear direction. A slide member (not shown) that holds the lower storage container 72 (see FIG. 2) is provided on the lower switchable chamber door 7 (see FIG. 2), and this slide member is slidably supported by a rail member 11d provided in the lower switchable chamber 70. A rail member of a similar configuration is also provided on the right side surface of the lower switchable chamber 70.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating the flow of cool air throughout the refrigerator.
7, in the refrigerator compartment 30 of the refrigerator 1, cold air generated by a cooler 80B provided exclusively for the refrigerator compartment 30 is drawn into a blower fan 91 and discharged from a plurality of outlets (not shown) provided on the rear side of the refrigerator compartment 30. After cooling the food, the cold air returns to the cooler 80B from a return port (not shown) provided at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment 30.

In the ice-making compartment 40 and freezer compartment 50 of the refrigerator 1, the cold air generated by the cooler 80A is discharged by the blower fan 90 from the outlet 40a (see FIG. 3) in the ice-making compartment 40 and the outlet 50a (see FIG. 3) in the freezer compartment 50. After cooling the food, the air is sucked into the return port 41a on the rear side of the freezer compartment 50 and returns to the cooler 80A through the return flow path 41b. In this way, the cold air generated by the cooler 80A is constantly sent to the ice-making compartment 40 and the freezer compartment 50.

When the upper switching chamber 60 is set to the freezing temperature range, the damper member 120 is opened. In this case, the cold air generated by the cooler 80A passes through the damper member 120. The cold air is then supplied directly to the food in the upper storage container 61 from the outlet 63a provided in the upper switching chamber 60, and is also supplied directly to the food in the lower storage container 62 from the outlet 63b.

When the upper switchable compartment 60 is set to the refrigeration temperature zone, the damper portion 141 of the damper member 140 is opened. In this case, the cold air generated by the cooler 80A passes through the damper portion 141. The cold air then flows from the outlet 63c provided in the upper switchable compartment 60 to the outside of the upper storage container 61 and the outside of the lower storage container 62, thereby indirectly cooling the food. This makes it possible to prevent the food in the upper storage container 61 and the lower storage container 62 from drying out.

When the lower switching chamber 70 is set to the freezing temperature range, the cold air generated by the cooler 80A passes through the damper member 130. It is then supplied directly to the food in the upper storage container 71 from the outlet 73a provided in the lower switching chamber 70, and is also supplied directly to the food in the lower storage container 72 from the outlet 73b.

When the lower switching chamber 70 is set to the refrigeration temperature zone, the damper portion 142 of the damper member 140 is opened. In this case, the cold air generated by the cooler 80A passes through the damper portion 142 and the flow path 116 (see FIG. 4). The cold air then flows from the outlet 73c provided in the lower switching chamber 70 to the outside of the upper storage container 71 and the outside of the lower storage container 72, thereby indirectly cooling the food. This makes it possible to prevent the food in the upper storage container 71 and the lower storage container 72 from drying out.

In this way, in the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, the upper switchable compartment 60 can be set to the refrigeration temperature zone and the lower switchable compartment 70 can be set to the freezing temperature zone. Also, in the refrigerator 1, the upper switchable compartment 60 can be set to the freezing temperature zone and the lower switchable compartment 70 can be set to the refrigeration temperature zone. Also, in the refrigerator 1, both the upper switchable compartment 60 and the lower switchable compartment 70 can be set to the freezing temperature zone. Also, in the refrigerator 1, both the upper switchable compartment 60 and the lower switchable compartment 70 can be set to the refrigeration temperature zone.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the inside of the refrigerator, with the doors 2 to 7 (see Fig. 1) and the storage containers 61, 62, 71, and 72 (see Fig. 7) of the refrigerator 1 removed.
As shown in Fig. 8, refrigerator 1 divides refrigerator body 10 into upper and lower switchable compartments 60 and 70 by thermally insulated partition device 16. Also, refrigerator body 10 divides ice-making compartment 40, upper switchable compartment 50, and upper switchable compartment 60 into upper and lower compartments by thermally insulated partition device 17. Refrigerator 1 divides refrigerator body 10 into cooling compartment 30, ice-making compartment 40, and upper switchable compartment 50 into upper and lower compartments by thermally insulated partition wall 18.

The heat-insulating partition device 16 has a front partition section 16A that is arranged across the left and right inner boxes 11, and a rear partition section 16B (partition member) that is arranged over the entire back side of the front partition section 16A. The heat-insulating partition device 17 has a front partition section 17A that is arranged across the left and right inner boxes 11, and a rear partition section 17B that is arranged over the entire back side of the front partition section 17A. A vertical partition section 19 that vertically spans between the heat-insulating partition device 17 and the heat-insulating partition wall 18 is provided to divide the ice-making chamber 40 and the freezer chamber 50.

9 is an exploded perspective view of the rear partition 16B of the heat-insulating partition device 16 that separates the upper and lower switchable compartments 60 and 70.
9, the rear partition 16B is configured to include a synthetic resin case 160 consisting of a lower case (inner case) 161 and an upper case (outer case) 162, a vacuum insulation material V9, heaters He1 and He2, and a sealing material 164. Note that the rear partition 17B of the heat-insulating partition device 17 has a similar basic configuration to the rear partition 16B, and therefore the rear partition 16B will be taken as an example for explanation below.

The lower case 161 is configured to have a rectangular bottom surface portion 161s and side surfaces 161a that stand up from the outer peripheral edges of the four sides of the bottom surface portion 161s. The lower case 161 also has locking claws 161b formed in multiple locations on the outer surface of the side surface portion 161a (only one side surface portion 161a is shown in FIG. 9). The lower case 161 also has screw insertion portions 161d, 161d through which screws (fastening portions) 168, 168 are inserted when the lower case 161 is screwed to the upper case 162.

The upper case 162 is configured to have a rectangular top surface portion 162s and side surfaces 162a that hang down from the outer peripheral edges of the four sides of the top surface portion 162s (extending toward the lower case 161). In addition, the upper case 162 has locking holes 162b formed on the outer surface of the side surfaces 162a that engage with the locking claws 161b.

In addition, reinforcing ribs 162t are formed in a lattice pattern on the top surface of the upper case 162. The ribs 162t are formed in a line shape and protrude from the outer surface of the top surface portion 162s. The ribs 162t are formed in a straight line from one end of one opposing side surface portion 162a to the other end, and are formed in a straight line from one end of the other opposing side surface portion 162a to the other end. In this way, by forming the ribs 162t in a lattice pattern (two perpendicular directions), reliability can be improved (surface strength can be improved) compared to when ribs are formed in one direction.

In addition, multiple locking portions 162e that lock onto the inner box 11 are formed on both the left and right ends of the upper case 162. These locking portions 162e are formed with protrusions 162f facing outward. In addition, screw fixing portions 162g are formed between the locking portions 162e on both the left and right ends of the upper case 162. These screw fixing portions 162g have plate portions 162h that extend upward from the top surface of the upper case 162, and screw insertion holes 162i that are formed at the tips of the plate portions 162h.

The upper case 162 is formed with a flange 162m that protrudes toward the front partition 16A (see FIG. 8). This flange 162m is designed to be placed on the upper surface of the front partition 16A. The flange 162m is also formed with screw fixing portions 162n at multiple locations (two locations in this embodiment) for screw fixing the upper case 162 to the front partition 16A. The flange 162m is also formed with a fixing portion 162o into which the screw 168 is screwed at a position corresponding to the screw insertion portion 161d described above.

The vacuum insulation material V9 is constructed in the same manner as the vacuum insulation materials V1 to V8 described above, and is formed in a rectangular shape so that it can be housed in the lower case 161.

In addition, a sealant 164 is attached to the side of the vacuum insulation material V9. This sealant 164 is soft and is formed over the entire outer circumferential surface of the vacuum insulation material V9. By providing such a sealant 164, the gap between the lower case 161 and the outer circumferential surface of the vacuum insulation material V9 can be filled, and the vacuum insulation material V9 can be prevented from moving inside the lower case 161 and being damaged.

In the rear partition section 16B of this type of insulating partition device 16, the vacuum insulation material V9 is stored in the lower case 161, and then the upper case 162 is placed over it. In this case, the side portion 162a of the upper case 162 is positioned outside the side portion 161a of the lower case 161. Therefore, when the upper case 162 is placed over the lower case 161, the side portion 162a does not come into contact with the vacuum insulation material V9, preventing damage to the vacuum insulation material V9.

The heater He1 heats the upper switching chamber 60 to control the temperature inside the chamber, and is disposed between the upper case 162 and the vacuum insulation material V9. The heater He1 is configured with a heat transfer wire h1 (heat transfer portion), an aluminum sheet s1 that covers the heat transfer wire h1, and a lead wire h2 (cord portion) that is connected to the heat transfer wire h1.

The heater He2 heats the lower switching chamber 70 to control the temperature inside the chamber, and is disposed between the lower case 161 and the vacuum insulation material V9. The heater He2 is configured with a heat transfer wire h1 (heat transfer portion), an aluminum sheet s1 that covers the heat transfer wire h1, and a lead wire h2 (cord portion) that is connected to the heat transfer wire h1.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the lower case.
As shown in Fig. 10, the lower case 161 has a generally shaped recessed portion 161q formed in the bottom surface portion 161s. The heater He2 (see Fig. 9) is disposed in the recessed portion 161q. The lower case 161 also has a convex side surface portion 161r formed in a rear side surface portion 161a, which is partly formed in a rearward convex shape. As a result, the space R1 in which the convex side surface portion 161r is formed is located further rearward than the region R2 in which the convex side surface portion 161r is not formed. The bottom surface 161u formed in the space R1 of the convex side surface portion 161r is set to be flush with the bottom surface of the recessed portion 161q.

The bottom surface 161u is formed with winding portions 169, 169 around which the lead wire h2 (see FIG. 9) is wound. One (left) winding portion 169 has a base portion 169a extending upward from the bottom surface 161u and a horizontal portion 169b extending leftward from the base portion 169a, and is formed in an L-shape. The other (right) winding portion 169 has a horizontal portion 169b formed facing in the opposite direction to the horizontal portion 169b of the other (left) winding portion 169.

In addition, a rising wall 170 that rises upward is formed between the winding portions 169 on the bottom surface 161u. This rising wall 170 is located forward of the convex side surface portion 161r. A substantially semicircular cutout portion 170a is cut out at the top of the rising wall 170. The upper end of the cutout portion 170a is formed at a height that matches the upper end of the convex side surface portion 161r.

Hooks 170b, 170b are formed on the left and right upper ends of the rising wall 170. The hooks 170b are in an upside-down J shape, with their tips facing inward (opposing sides) and narrowing the gap above the notch 170a. The lead wires h2 (see FIG. 9) of the heaters He1, He2 (see FIG. 9) are hooked onto the hooks 170b, 170b.

Fig. 11 is a plan view showing the heater cord attached state. In Fig. 11, the vacuum insulation material V9 is indicated by diagonal lines.
As shown in Fig. 11, the lead wire h2 of the heater He2 (see Fig. 9) is pulled out from the rear of the lower case 161. Then, the lead wire h2 is pulled out from near one (left) winding portion 169A (169), and then wound approximately one-quarter turn from the outside around one (left) winding portion 169A. Then, it is extended to the other (right) winding portion 169B (169) and wound approximately half a turn from the outside. Then, it returns to one winding portion 169A, winds approximately half a turn, and further winds approximately half a turn around the other winding portion 169B, and is inserted into the notch 170a of the rising wall 170.

The lead wire h2 of the heater He2 needs to be connected outside the rear partition 16B. For this reason, there is a risk that an operator will pull on the lead wire h2 to ensure the projection dimension (pulling-out dimension) of the lead wire h2. The heater He2 also has a crimping portion (not shown) for connecting the lead wire h2 and the heat transfer wire h1. If the winding portion 169 is not provided, and an operator pulls on the lead wire h2 to ensure the projection dimension, stress will be applied to the lead wire h2, and the crimping portion may be damaged.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the lead wire h2 is wound around the winding portions 169, 169 in advance and pulled out to the outside, so that even if an operator pulls on the lead wire h2 and stress is applied to the lead wire h2, damage to the crimped portion can be prevented.

In addition, the vacuum insulation material V9 is placed close (as close as possible) to the side portion 161a of the lower case 161 to improve insulation. Therefore, in this embodiment, by pulling out the lead wire h2 of the heater He2 from close to the winding portion 169, the lead wire h2 can be pulled out without being pinched by the vacuum insulation material V9 and without the lead wire h2 being compressed by the vacuum insulation material V9.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the rear partition as viewed from the rear side. Fig. 12 shows the rear partition 16B as shown in Fig. 9 attached as viewed from the rear side.
As shown in FIG. 12, the upper case 162 is formed with a convex side surface portion 162r so as to cover the outer surface side of the convex side surface portion 161r.

Furthermore, the side surface portion 162a on the rear side has locking holes 162b formed in multiple locations. Locking claws 161b formed on the side surface portion 161a on the rear side are inserted into and locked into these locking holes 162b. Furthermore, the convex side surface portion 162r also has multiple locking holes 162b formed therein, and locking claws 161b formed on the convex side surface portion 161r are inserted into and locked into these locking holes 162b.

In addition, a bulge 172 that bulges rearward (away from the upright wall 170) is formed on the convex side surface 162r at a position opposite the upright wall 170 (see FIG. 10). This bulge 172 has a semi-cylindrical cylinder 172a, an upper cover 172b that covers the upper portion of the cylinder 172a, and a protrusion 172c that protrudes rearward from the lower end of the cylinder 172a.

FIG. 13 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 13, the bulge 172 protrudes rearward beyond the rising wall 170. The protruding portion 172c is located below the lower end of the notch 170a and above the bottom surface 161s. The bulge 172 forms a downward passage R3. Below the protruding portion 172c, the lead wire h2 can be drawn rearward. In this way, the rising wall 170 is formed rising upward from the bottom surface 161s, and the rising wall 170 forms a downward passage R3 with the bulge 172, so that the lead wire h2 can be drawn out in a downward state. This prevents water or other liquid W from entering the rear partition 16B even if it adheres to the upper surface of the rear partition 16B and flows rearward. This prevents water from adhering to electrical components in the rear partition 16B, causing corrosion of metal parts.

Fig. 14 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line CC in Fig. 12. Note that heaters He1 and He2 are omitted from Fig. 14.
14, the lower case 161 and the upper case 162 are fixed together by using screws 168. That is, the screws 168 are inserted from below into the screw insertion portions 161d of the lower case 161, and then screwed into the fixing portions 162o of the upper case 162.

Fig. 15 is a schematic diagram showing the mounting structure of the rear end of the rear partition section, which is shown in a schematic manner for ease of understanding.
15, the rear partition 16B is attached to the rear heat insulating partition member 65 by fitting into the fitting recess 65a. The fitting recess 65a has an abutment surface 65a1 that faces the rear end surface of the rear partition 16B, a horizontal surface 65a2 that extends horizontally forward from the lower end of the abutment surface 65a1, and a tapered portion 65a3 that slopes upward from the upper end of the abutment surface 65a1 in the forward direction (from the back side to the front side and away from the rear partition 16B).

A sealant 66 is provided on the underside edge of the rear partition 16B to seal the gap between the horizontal surface 65a2 of the fitting recess 65a and the rear partition 16B. The sealant 66 prevents cold air from leaking and is made of a flexible material such as polyurethane.

When attaching the rear partition 16B to the rear heat insulating partition member 65, the rear partition 16B is inserted into the fitting recess 65a so that it is parallel to the tapered portion 65a3 (inclined downward toward the back side) as shown by the two-dot chain line. Then, the rear partition 16B is rotated in the direction of the arrow to make the rear partition 16B horizontal, so that the sealing material 66 is in close contact with the horizontal surface portion 65a2.

The sealing surface can also be brought into close contact in the depth direction. However, since the inner box 11 is made of urethane foam, when the rear heat insulating partition member 65 is attached to the inner box 1, the dimensions in the depth direction may vary. Therefore, when sealing in the vertical direction, if the partition (rear partition part) is inserted horizontally, the sealing material may be turned over or damaged due to the fitting. Therefore, in this embodiment, by providing a tapered part 65a3 in the fitting recess 65a to be fitted, the sealing material 66 is inserted into the fitting recess 65a without coming into contact with the fitting recess 65a. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the inconvenience of the sealing material 66 coming into contact with the horizontal surface 65a2 and turning over, and the reliability of the seal can be improved.

The rear partition 17B of the heat insulating partition device 17 is fitted into and attached to the fitting recess 65b of the rear heat insulating partition member 65. This fitting recess 65b has an abutment surface 65b1 that faces the rear end surface of the rear partition 17B, a horizontal surface 65b2 that extends horizontally forward from the upper end of the abutment surface 65b1, and a tapered portion 65b3 that slopes upward from the lower end of the abutment surface 65b1 in the forward direction (from the back side to the front side, away from the rear partition 17B).

In addition, by providing sealing materials (not shown) facing each other on both the left and right ends in the width direction of the rear end faces of the rear partitions 16B and 17B and on both the left and right ends in the width direction of the abutment surfaces 65a1 and 65b1 that face the rear end faces, better sealing performance can be ensured.

A sealant 67 is provided on the upper edge of the rear partition 17B to seal the gap between the horizontal surface 65b2 of the fitting recess 65b and the rear partition 17B.

A screw fixing portion 68 is provided on the underside of the rear partition portion 17B to screw the rear partition portion 17B to the rear surface of the rear heat insulating partition member 65. This screw fixing portion 68 is formed of a plate-shaped member and has a screw hole (not shown) through which a screw 69 is inserted.

When attaching the rear partition 17B to the rear heat insulating partition member 65, the rear partition 17B is inserted into the fitting recess 65b so that it is parallel to the tapered portion 65b3 (inclined so that it rises toward the back side) as shown by the two-dot chain line. Then, the rear partition 17B is rotated in the direction of the arrow to make the rear partition 17B horizontal, so that the sealing material 67 is tightly attached to the horizontal surface portion 65b2. At this time, the sealing material 67 comes into contact with the horizontal surface 65b2, which can prevent the sealing material 67 from coming up, improving the reliability of the seal.

In this way, in this embodiment, the same effect as that of rear partition 16B can be obtained with rear partition 17B. Furthermore, in this embodiment, by providing sealing material 67 on the upper surface of rear partition 17B, even if liquid such as soup is spilled on rear partition 17B, the liquid will not flow beyond sealing material 67, so that it is possible to prevent the liquid from entering rear partition 17B.

The rear of the rear partition 17B is attached to the inner box 11 via the rear heat insulating partition member 65. The inner box 11 is made of foamed urethane as heat insulating material, so there is a risk of misalignment between the rear heat insulating partition member 65 and the rear partition 17B. Therefore, even if the rear partition 17B is provided with sealing materials 66, 67, there is a risk of cold air leaking due to misalignment. Therefore, as described in FIG. 15, by providing a screw fixing portion 68 on the rear partition 17B and screwing the rear partition 17B to the rear heat insulating partition member 65, the positional relationship between the rear partition 17B and the fitting recess 65b of the rear heat insulating partition member 65 can be determined to a position where the crushing of the sealing material 67 can be maintained. In addition, by providing the screw fixing portion 68 at three locations, the center, left and right, in the width direction (left and right direction), the sealing material 67 can be stably attached in the width direction.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view showing the attached state of the front partition section and the rear partition section.
As shown in Fig. 16, the rear partition 17B is formed by combining a lower case 161 and an upper case 162. A flange 161m is formed at the front end of the lower case 161, extending toward the front partition 17A. This flange 161m is formed to a position where it overlaps with the lower surface of the front partition 17A. A step 17b is formed in the front partition 17A at a position where the flange 161m overlaps in the vertical direction. In addition, an upper flange 17c is formed in the front partition 17A against which the upper edge of the rear partition 17B abuts. The rear partition 17B is fastened to the front partition 17A from below via a screw 180.

In addition, a step 16b is formed in the front partition 16A at a position where the flange 162m of the rear partition 16B overlaps. In addition, a lower flange 16c is formed in the front partition 16A against which the lower edge of the rear partition 16B abuts. The rear partition 16B is fastened to the front partition 16A from above via a screw 181, in contrast to the rear partition 17B.

In this way, by fastening the rear partition 16B to the front partition 16A, the screws 168 used to fasten the lower case 161 and the upper case 162 of the rear partition 16B are positioned in a position that cannot be seen from the outside (a position where the screws 168 cannot be removed). In other words, the lower case 161 and the upper case 162 cannot be disassembled until the screws 181 are removed. Therefore, the inside of the rear partition 16B cannot be checked until the screws 181 are removed. In this way, by preventing the inside of the rear partition 16B from being exposed inside the refrigerator and allowing it to be taken out of the refrigerator before disassembly, damage to the vacuum insulation material V9 and heaters He1 and He2 can be reduced.

Although not shown, in the same manner as rear partition 16B, rear partition 17B has lower case 161 and upper case 162 fastened together via screws (not shown), and when rear partition 17B is fastened to front partition 17A, the fastening portion of the screws is positioned so that it cannot be seen from the outside (the screws cannot be removed from the outside).

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing the temporary fixing portion of the rear partition portion.
17 , temporary fixing portions 190 for temporarily fixing rear partition portion 17B to inner box 11 are formed on the left and right sides of lower case 161. These temporary fixing portions 190 have elastically deformable elastic portion 190a and protrusions 190b formed at the tip of elastic portion 190a so as to protrude toward inner box 11.

The side surface 11s of the inner box 11 is formed with ribs 11f against which the upper surfaces of both the left and right ends of the rear partition 17B abut. The side surface 11s of the inner box 11 is also formed with fitting recesses 11g into which the protrusions 190b described above fit. In this way, there is no need to support the rear partition 17B with one's hand until it is fastened to the front partition 17A, making the task of fastening the rear partition 17B to the front partition 17A easier and reducing the burden on the worker.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view showing the fastening structure between the rear partition and the inner box.
As shown in FIG. 18, the lower surfaces of both left and right ends of the rear partition 16B are supported by ribs 11e formed on the side surface 11s of the inner box 11.

The rear partition 16B has plate-shaped screw fixing parts 193 formed on both the left and right ends of the upper case 162. These screw fixing parts 193 are fastened to the side surface 11s of the inner box 11 via screws 194 (fastening parts).

The rear partition 17B has plate-shaped screw fixing parts 191 formed on both the left and right ends of the lower case 161. These screw fixing parts 191 are fastened to the side surface 11s of the inner box 11 via screws 192 (fastening parts).

As described above, the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment includes the ice making compartment 40, the freezer compartment 50 (first storage compartment), and the upper switching compartment 60 (second storage compartment) adjacent to each other, and the rear partition 17B arranged between the ice making compartment 40, the freezer compartment 50, and the upper switching compartment 60. The rear partition 17B has a vacuum insulation material V10 and a case 160 that stores the vacuum insulation material V10, and the back surface 65s of the upper switching compartment 60 is fastened to the case 160 (see FIG. 15). This allows the positional relationship between the case 160 and the back surface 65s to be set at approximately the same position. As a result, when the case 160 and the back surface 65s are fixed via the sealing material 67, the crushing of the sealing material 67 can be maintained, and the reliability of the sealing material 67 can be improved.

This embodiment also includes an upper switchable chamber 60 (first storage section) and a lower switchable chamber 70 adjacent to each other, and a rear partition section 16B disposed between the upper switchable chamber 60 and the lower switchable chamber 70. The rear partition section 16B has a vacuum insulation material V9 and a case 160 that stores the vacuum insulation material V9, and the back surface 65s of the lower switchable chamber 70 is fastened to the case 160 (see FIG. 15). With this, when the case 160 and the back surface 65s are fixed via a sealing material 66, the crushing of the sealing material 66 can be maintained, and the reliability of the sealing material 66 can be improved.

In addition, in this embodiment, the rear surface 65s has a fitting recess 65b into which the rear portion of the rear partition 17B fits. The fitting recess 65b has a horizontal surface portion 65b2 that extends horizontally along the upper surface of the rear partition 17B, and a tapered portion 65b3 that slopes from the back side to the front side in a direction away from the rear partition 17B. With this, when the sealing material 67 is provided on the upper surface of the case 160, it is possible to prevent the sealing material 67 from being turned over or damaged when the rear partition 17B is inserted into the fitting recess 65b, and the reliability of the sealing material 67 can be improved.

In addition, in this embodiment, the rear surface 65s has a fitting recess 65a into which the rear portion of the rear partition 16B fits. The fitting recess 65a has a horizontal surface portion 65a2 that extends horizontally along the underside of the rear partition 16B, and a tapered portion 65a3 that slopes from the back side to the front side in a direction away from the rear partition 16B (see FIG. 15). With this, when the sealing material 66 is provided on the underside of the case 160, it is possible to prevent the sealing material 66 from being turned over or damaged when the rear partition 16B is inserted into the fitting recess 65a, and the reliability of the sealing material 66 can be improved.

In addition, this embodiment has a sealant 67 that seals the gap between the rear partition 17B and the fitting recess 65b, and the sealant 67 is provided on the top surface (see FIG. 15). With this, if liquid such as soup is spilled on the rear partition 17B, the liquid will flow beyond the sealant 67 and will not penetrate into the rear partition 17B.

In addition, in this embodiment, the case 160 is fastened to the side surfaces 11s located on the left and right of the upper switchable chamber 60 (lower switchable chamber 70) (see FIG. 18). This ensures sealing between the case 160 and the side surfaces 11s.

This embodiment also has a front partition 17A that is arranged to extend in the left-right direction in front of the rear partition 17B, and the rear partition 17B is fastened to the front partition 17A from below (see FIG. 16). This is effective when the ice-making compartment 40 and the freezer compartment 50 are arranged on the left and right sides above the upper switchable compartment 60.

In addition, in this embodiment, the rear partition 17B has a temporary fixing part 190 that temporarily fixes it to the front partition 17A. This makes it easier to fasten the rear partition 17B because there is no need to continue supporting the rear partition 17B when lifting it up from below and fixing it to the front partition 17A.

In addition, in this embodiment, the case 160 is fastened between the upper case 162 and the lower case 161 by screws 168. When the case 160 is fastened to the front partitions 16A, 17A, the screws 168 are formed in a position that cannot be seen from the outside (see Figures 14 and 16). This makes it impossible to disassemble the case 160 inside the storage room, thereby reducing damage to the vacuum insulation materials V9, V10 and the heaters He1, He2 inside the case 160.

In this embodiment, the upper and lower switchable compartments 60 and 70 are configured as switchable compartments that can be switched from the refrigeration temperature zone to the freezing temperature zone. The rear partition 16B is equipped with heaters He1 and He2 that are arranged on top of the vacuum insulation material V9. The heaters He1 and He2 have a heat transfer wire h1 and a lead wire h2 that is connected to the heat transfer wire h1. Inside the rear partition 16B, winding sections 169 and 169 around which the lead wire h2 is wound are provided. By winding the lead wire h2 around the winding section 169 and then pulling it out to the outside of the rear partition 16B, excessive stress can be prevented from acting on the crimping section that connects the heat transfer wire h1 and the lead wire h2, and damage to the heaters He1 and He2 can be prevented.

In addition, in this embodiment, the rear partition 17B has a space R1 that protrudes outward. The wrapping portion 169 is located in the space R1 (see FIG. 10). This allows the vacuum insulation material V9 to be positioned close to the side portion 161a of the case 160, improving the insulation performance.

In addition, in this embodiment, the upper and lower switchable compartments 60 and 70 are configured as switchable compartments that can be switched from refrigeration temperature range to freezing temperature range. The heat-insulating partition device 16 that separates the upper and lower switchable compartments 60 and 70 has a cooler 80A that cools the upper and lower switchable compartments 60 and 70 arranged on the projection of the heat-insulating partition device 16 when viewed from the front. Since the cooler 80A is the coldest place, by arranging the cooler 80A on the projection of the heat-insulating partition device 16, it is possible to prevent cooling from being biased toward either the upper or lower switchable compartment 60 or 70.

In addition, this embodiment is constructed with 65t of expanded polystyrene foam (foamed insulation material) that does not contain vacuum insulation material. This allows for greater freedom in molding compared to vacuum insulation material, making it easier to arrange the air passage efficiently and improving the freedom of the air passage.

Although the present embodiment has been described above with reference to the drawings, the present embodiment is not limited to the above content and includes various modified examples. In the above embodiment, a urethane-based material was used as the sealing material 66, 67, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a silicone-based material such as a highly expanded silicone foam may be used. By using such a highly expanded silicone foam, it is possible to achieve excellent low-temperature characteristics and increased airtightness.

1 Refrigerator 10 Refrigerator body 11 Inner box 11s Side surface (side wall portion)
12 Outer box 15 Heat insulating partition wall 16, 17 Heat insulating partition device 16A, 17A Front partition section 16B, 17B Rear partition section (partition member)
16b Step portion 16c Lower flange portion 30 Refrigerating compartment 40 Ice making compartment (first storage compartment)
50 Freezer (first storage room)
60 Upper switching room (second storage room, first storage room)
65 Rear heat insulating partition member 65a, 65b Fitting recess 65a2, 65b2 Horizontal surface portion 65a3, 65b3 Tapered portion (inclined surface portion)
66, 67 Sealing material 70 Lower switching chamber (second storage chamber)
80A Cooler 90 Blower fan 160 Case 161 Lower case (case)
161d screw insertion portion 162 upper case (case)
162m flange portion 162o fixing portion 168 screw (fastening portion, second screw)
169 Winding portion 181 Screw (first screw)
He1, He2 heater h1 heat transfer wire (heat transfer part)
h2 Lead wire (cord part)
R1 Space V9, V10 Vacuum insulation material (insulation material)

Claims (2)

A refrigerator having a first storage compartment and a second storage compartment adjacent to each other vertically,
a partition member disposed between the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber,
The partition member has a case for housing a vacuum insulation material,
a front partition portion disposed on the front side of the partition member and extending in the left-right direction;
the partition member has a flange portion at a front end of the case, the flange portion extending toward the front partition portion across the entire width of the partition member,
the front partition portion has a step portion formed at a position where the flange portion overlaps, and a lower flange portion with which a lower end edge portion of the partition member abuts,
the partition member is fixed to the front partition portion by being fastened from above with a first screw at a position where the flange portion and the step portion overlap ,
the case is configured by fastening an upper case and a lower case together with a second screw;
a screw insertion portion through which the second screw is inserted is formed on an outer surface of a front side surface of the lower case relative to a bottom surface of the lower case,
the screw insertion portion is located above a lower surface of the lower case,
The upper case is formed with a fixing portion into which the second screw is screwed,
The fixing portion is formed by extending downward from a lower surface of the flange portion,
The vacuum insulation material cannot be removed from the case unless the partition member is released from its fixed state. In the refrigerator according to claim 1 ,
A refrigerator in which the fastening position by the second screw is located near the outside in the left-right direction of the fastening position by the first screw.