JP7696239B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a refrigerator.

As a background technique of this technical field, for example, there is JP 2020-180721 A (Patent Document 1). The refrigerator described in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a freezer cooler, a refrigerator compartment, and a freezer compartment, and the refrigerator compartment is cooled by a direct cooling method using a cooling plate, and the freezer compartment is cooled by circulating cold air that has exchanged heat with the freezer cooler. The refrigerator is also configured to be able to send cold air that has exchanged heat with the freezer cooler to the refrigerator compartment (Figure 1 of Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 also discloses that cold air in the freezer compartment is transferred to a partition between the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment, the partition is used as a cooling plate, and a temperature compensation heater is installed on the cooling plate, so that if the refrigerator becomes too cold, the temperature compensation heater heats it up to maintain an appropriate temperature (Figure 10 of Patent Document 1).

JP 2020-180721 A

The invention described in Patent Document 1 is said to be able to suppress the occurrence of condensation inside the refrigerator compartment while suppressing a drop in humidity inside the refrigerator compartment by adopting the configuration shown in Figure 1. However, the refrigerator described in Patent Document 1 requires piping for the refrigeration cycle to be installed inside the insulated wall, which requires complex piping, and increases parts and manufacturing costs. In addition, when using a method in which the partition wall between the freezer and refrigerator compartments is used as a cooling plate and a heater is used to heat the refrigerator compartment when it becomes too cold, as shown in Figure 10 of Patent Document 1, energy saving performance decreases due to the amount of electricity required for heating the heater.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a refrigerator that does not require complex refrigeration cycle piping, suppresses the decline in energy saving performance, suppresses the formation of condensation and frost in the storage space, and has a refrigerator compartment that allows storage at high humidity.

In order to solve the above problem, for example, the configuration described in the claims is adopted. The present application includes multiple means for solving the above problem, and as an example, the refrigerator of the present invention includes a low-temperature compartment, a high-temperature compartment that is hotter than the low-temperature compartment, a cooler that supplies cold air into the low-temperature compartment, a heat transfer member with one side facing the high-temperature compartment, and a heat transfer member cooling section that cools the heat transfer member by the flow of the refrigerant that has flowed through the refrigerant piping of the cooler or by the flow of the cold air cooled by the cooler, and the heat transfer member cooling section includes a refrigerant pipe through which the refrigerant that has flowed through the cooler flows, or includes an air passage through which the cold air cooled by the cooler flows, and when the heat transfer member cooling section includes an air passage through which the cold air cooled by the cooler flows, the cold air flowing through the air passage can return to the cooler via a route that does not include the high-temperature compartment, and the heat transfer member is cooled by the cold air flowing through a second air passage with an air passage cross-sectional area smaller than that of the low-temperature compartment.

The present invention provides a refrigerator that does not require complex refrigeration cycle piping, prevents a decrease in energy-saving performance, prevents the formation of condensation and frost in the storage space, and is equipped with a refrigerator compartment that can store food at high humidity.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a front view showing a configuration of an interior of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an air passage configuration of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an air duct in a refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a refrigerator compartment damper of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a refrigerator according to a second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing an air passage configuration of a refrigerator according to a second embodiment. Cross-sectional view of a refrigerator according to a third embodiment FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator according to a third embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a first evaporator of a refrigerator according to a third embodiment; 11 is a side view of a second evaporator of a refrigerator according to a third embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a cooling surface of a second evaporator of a refrigerator according to a third embodiment; FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a heat transfer tube of an evaporator of a refrigerator according to a third embodiment. FIG. 1 is a front view of the layout of refrigeration cycle components of a refrigerator according to a third embodiment. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 1 is a front view of the layout of refrigeration cycle components of a refrigerator according to a fourth embodiment.

The following is an example of the present invention.

The first embodiment of the refrigerator according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 7.

Figure 1 is a front view of the refrigerator according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the insulated box body 10 of the refrigerator 1 has storage compartments, in this order from above: a refrigerator compartment 2, an ice-making compartment 3 on the left and right, an upper freezer compartment 4, a lower freezer compartment 5, and a vegetable compartment 6.

The refrigerator 1 is equipped with doors that open and close the openings of each storage compartment. These doors are rotating refrigerator compartment doors 2a and 2b, which are divided into left and right doors and open the opening of the refrigerator compartment 2, and pull-out ice-making compartment door 3a, upper freezer compartment door 4a, lower freezer compartment door 5a, and vegetable compartment door 6a, which open and close the openings of the ice-making compartment 3, upper freezer compartment 4, lower freezer compartment 5, and vegetable compartment 6, respectively. The interior material of these multiple doors is mainly composed of urethane foam. In addition, each door is equipped with a sealing member (not shown) on the inner periphery.

An operation unit 26 for operating the temperature setting inside the cabinet is provided on the exterior surface of the door 2a. By providing the operation unit on the exterior of the door, the user can operate the temperature setting and other functions without opening the door.

The refrigerator compartment 2 is separated from the ice-making compartment 3 and the upper freezer compartment 4 by a heat-insulating partition wall 27, and the lower freezer compartment 5 and the vegetable compartment 6 by a heat-insulating partition wall 28. In addition, a partition 29 is provided at the front edge between the ice-making compartment 3 and the upper freezer compartment 4 at a position where it abuts against the seal member on the right inner surface of the ice-making compartment door 3a and the seal member on the left inner surface of the upper freezer compartment door 4a when the ice-making compartment door 3a and the upper freezer compartment door 4a are closed. A partition 30 is provided at the front edge between the ice-making compartment 3 and the upper freezer compartment 4 and the lower freezer at a position where it abuts against the seal member on the lower inner surface of the ice-making compartment door 3a and the upper freezer compartment door 4a and the seal member on the upper inner surface of the lower freezer compartment door 5a when the ice-making compartment door 3a, the upper freezer compartment door 4a, and the lower freezer compartment door 5a are closed.

Door hinges (not shown) for fixing the refrigerator 1 to the doors 2a and 2b are provided at the front of the outer top compartment of the insulated box 10 and at the front edge of the insulated partition wall 27, and the upper door hinges are covered with door hinge covers 16.

The ice-making compartment 3, upper freezer compartment 4, and lower freezer compartment 5 are basically storage compartments whose interior temperature is kept at a freezing temperature (below 0°C), for example, at an average of about -18°C. The refrigerator compartment 2 is a storage compartment whose interior temperature is kept at a refrigeration temperature (above 0°C), for example, at an average of about 4°C. The vegetable compartment 6 is a storage compartment whose interior temperature is kept at a refrigeration temperature (above 0°C), for example, at an average of about 7°C.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the refrigerator of this embodiment (cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 1), and Figure 3 is a front view of the refrigerator with the door and container in Figure 1 removed. The configuration of refrigerator 1 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

As shown in FIG. 2, the refrigerator 1 is constructed such that the outside and inside are separated by an insulated box 10 formed by filling a foam insulation material (urethane foam in the refrigerator of this embodiment) between an outer box 10a made of steel plate and an inner box 10b made of synthetic resin (e.g. ABS resin). In addition to the foam insulation material, vacuum insulation material 25, which has a lower thermal conductivity than the foam insulation material, is installed between the outer box 10a and the inner box 10b of the insulated box 10, thereby suppressing a decrease in the internal volume and improving the insulation performance. In this embodiment, the vacuum insulation material 25 is installed on the back, bottom, ceiling and both sides of the insulated box 10 and on the lower freezer door 5a, thereby improving the insulation performance of the refrigerator 1.

The insulating material inside the insulating partition wall 27 is expanded polystyrene, and the inside of the insulating partition wall 28 is filled with urethane foam. The urethane foam inside the insulating partition wall 28 is filled together with the urethane foam of the insulating box body 10 in the process of foaming and filling the space between the outer box 10a and the inner box 10b of the insulating box body 10 with urethane.

Refrigerator doors 2a and 2b are equipped with multiple door pockets 33a, 33b, and 33c on the inside of the compartment. The interior of refrigerator compartment 2 is divided into multiple storage spaces by shelves 34a, 34b, 34c, and 34d. Ice-making compartment door 3a, upper freezer compartment door 4a, lower freezer compartment door 5a, and vegetable compartment door 6a are equipped with ice-making compartment container 3b, upper freezer compartment container 4b, lower freezer compartment container 5b, and vegetable compartment container 6b, which are pulled out as a unit, respectively.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the refrigerator 1 has a cooler chamber 8 in which a cooler 14 is housed at the back of the lower freezer chamber 5, and a freezer chamber fan 9a (second blower) at the top of the cooler chamber 8. The freezer chamber air duct 100 is provided in the blowing area of the freezer chamber fan 9a. The freezer chamber air duct 100 has an ice chamber outlet 101, an upper freezer chamber outlet 102, and a lower freezer chamber outlet 103 that blow cold air to the ice chamber 3 in the front, the upper freezer chamber 4, and the lower freezer chamber 5, respectively.

The refrigerator 1 also has a freezer compartment return air duct 105 at the lower front of the cooler compartment 8, through which the return cold air from the ice-making compartment 3, upper freezer compartment 4, and lower freezer compartment 5 flows. The freezer compartment return air duct 105 is formed with a width approximately equal to the width of the cooler 14, allowing the return cold air from the ice-making compartment 3, upper freezer compartment 4, and lower freezer compartment 5 to flow efficiently into the cooler 14.

Furthermore, the refrigerator 1 is provided with a vegetable compartment air duct 132 extending downward from the lower left of the freezer compartment air duct 100 at the rear of the ice-making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5, and a vegetable compartment outlet 133 at the outlet of the vegetable compartment air duct 132. A vegetable compartment return port 136 opens on the underside of the insulated partition wall 28 between the lower freezer compartment 5 and the vegetable compartment 6, and a vegetable compartment return air duct 135 is provided within the insulated partition wall 28, running from the vegetable compartment return port 136 to the lower front of the cooler compartment 8.

The refrigerator 1 is provided with a first refrigerator air passage 110 on the back of the refrigerator compartment 2. The first refrigerator air passage 110 is provided with refrigerator air outlets 111a, 111b above the top shelf 34a and between the top shelf 34a and the second shelf from the top 34b, which blow air into the refrigerator compartment 2. Behind the first refrigerator air passage 110, an adjacent second refrigerator air passage 120 is provided, separated by a partition wall. The partition wall between the first refrigerator air passage 110 and the second refrigerator air passage 120 is formed by a heat transfer member 200, and the air in the first refrigerator air passage 110 and the air in the second refrigerator air passage 120 exchange heat via the heat transfer member 200.

The cross-sectional area of the second refrigerator air duct 120 is smaller than the horizontal and vertical cross-sectional areas of the freezing temperature zone storage compartments such as the ice-making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5, so the cold air flowing through the second refrigerator air duct 120 flows faster than the cold air flowing through the large space in the storage compartment. Therefore, according to the configuration of this embodiment, the second refrigerator air duct 120 can be cooled efficiently, unlike when cooling is performed via the cold air in an adjacent freezing temperature zone compartment.

The opening area of refrigerator compartment outlet 111a is 1000 ^mm2 , and the opening area of refrigerator compartment outlet 111b is 500 ^mm2 , with the opening area of the outlet facing the storage space formed above the top shelf 34a being larger than the opening area of the outlet facing the storage space formed above the second shelf from the top or lower (the second shelf from the top in this embodiment, 34b). This makes it possible to supply more cold air to the storage space above refrigerator compartment 2, where relatively high-temperature air tends to collect due to natural convection in addition to heat entering from outside the compartment, and therefore makes it possible to achieve cooling with minimal temperature unevenness.

The refrigerator 1 also has a refrigerator compartment first air duct return port 115 on the inside of the lower center of the refrigerator compartment first air duct 110. The refrigerator compartment first air duct return port 115 is located above the shelf 34d that divides the chilled compartment 36. The refrigerator 1 also has a refrigerator compartment return port 131 on the rear side of the refrigerator compartment 2, below the shelf 34d, on the right side. Furthermore, a refrigerator compartment return air duct 130 is located at the rear right end of the upper freezer compartment 4 and the lower freezer compartment 5, and the refrigerator compartment return air duct 130 is connected to the lower right part of the cooler compartment 8.

The refrigerator 1 is provided with a refrigerator compartment fan 9b (first blower) at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment first air duct 110. In addition, a communication passage 140 that connects the refrigerator compartment first air duct 110 and the freezer compartment air duct 100 is provided at the back of the chilled compartment 36. Furthermore, the inlet portion (lower portion) of the communication passage 140 is provided with a refrigerator compartment first damper 151 (first cold air blocking means) that blocks cold air from the freezer compartment air duct 100 from flowing into the communication passage 140 and the refrigerator compartment first air duct 110. On the other hand, the inlet portion (lower portion) of the refrigerator compartment second air duct 120 is provided with a refrigerator compartment second damper 152 (second cold air blocking means) that blocks cold air from the freezer compartment air duct 100 from flowing into the refrigerator compartment second air duct 120. The refrigerator compartment first damper 151 and the refrigerator compartment second damper 152 are dampers driven by a single motor. Hereinafter, the component combining the functions of the first refrigerator compartment damper 151 and the second refrigerator compartment damper 152 will be referred to as the refrigerator compartment damper 150. Details of the refrigerator compartment damper 150 will be described later. In addition, the vegetable compartment air duct 132 is equipped with a vegetable compartment damper 160 as a cold air blocking means.

The refrigerator 1 is equipped with a defrost heater 21 below the cooler 14 in the cooler chamber 8, and a gutter 23 on the underside of the cooler chamber 8. In addition, a drain pipe 22 is provided that runs from the lower end of the gutter 23 to the machine chamber 39. The machine chamber 39 is equipped with a compressor 24 and an evaporator dish 32 that is placed above the compressor 24.

The defrost heater 21 may be, for example, a 50W to 200W electric heater, and in this embodiment, a 120W radiant heater is used. The defrost water generated when defrosting the cooler 14 is discharged from the gutter 23 through the drain pipe 22 into the evaporation dish 32 above the compressor 24, where it evaporates due to the heat radiation from the compressor 24 and the ventilation of the machine room fan (not shown).

The refrigerator 1 has a chilled compartment 36, the inside of which is maintained at about -1°C, inside the refrigerator compartment 2 above the heat-insulating partition wall 27, and the front of the chilled compartment 36 can be opened and closed by a lid 36a. The lid 36a has a packing (not shown) on its outer periphery, and when the lid 36a is closed, the packing ensures that the lid 36a and the outer casing 36b of the chilled compartment 36 come into contact with no gaps, creating a sealed structure. In addition, a pump (not shown) is provided at the back of the chilled compartment 36 to suck air from inside the chilled compartment 36, and by driving the pump with the lid 36a closed, the air pressure inside the chilled compartment 36 is reduced to about 0.8 atmospheres. As a result, the lid 36a prevents cold air from being blown directly into the chilled compartment 36, and the reduced pressure creates an environment with a reduced oxygen concentration, making it a storage space that prevents food from drying out and oxidizing.

The refrigerator 1 is equipped with a refrigerator temperature sensor 41, a freezer temperature sensor 43, and a vegetable compartment temperature sensor 44 on the rear side of the interior of the refrigerator compartment 2, the upper freezer compartment 4, the lower freezer compartment 5, and the vegetable compartment 6, respectively, and a cooler temperature sensor 40 on the top of the cooler 14. These sensors detect the temperatures of the refrigerator compartment 2, the ice making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, the lower freezer compartment 5, the vegetable compartment 6, the cooler compartment 8, and the cooler 14. Since the ice making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5 form a single cooling space, the temperatures are detected by a single freezer compartment temperature sensor 43. The refrigerator 1 is also equipped with an outside air temperature sensor 37 and an outside air humidity sensor 38 inside the door hinge cover 16 on the ceiling, which detect the temperature and humidity of the outside air (air outside the refrigerator). In addition, the refrigerator is equipped with door sensors (not shown) that detect the open/closed states of the doors 2a, 2b, 3a, 4a, 5a, and 6a, respectively.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the air passage structure showing the flow of cold air in the refrigerator according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 4, in the refrigerator 1, the cold air that has exchanged heat with the cooler 14 in the cooler chamber 8 is pressurized by the freezer chamber fan 9a and sent to the freezer chamber air passage 100. The cold air sent to the freezer chamber air passage 100 is blown out from the ice chamber outlet 101, the upper freezer chamber outlet 102, and the lower freezer chamber outlet 103 to the ice chamber 3, the upper freezer chamber 4, and the lower freezer chamber 5, respectively, regardless of the open/close state of the first refrigerator chamber damper 151, the second refrigerator chamber damper 152, and the vegetable chamber damper 160. The cold air that has cooled the ice chamber 3, the upper freezer chamber 4, and the lower freezer chamber 5 cools each storage chamber and returns to the cooler chamber 8 from the lower freezer chamber 5 via the freezer chamber return air passage 105.

When the first refrigerator damper 151 is open, the cold air pressurized by the freezer fan 9a is sent to the ice-making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5, and also flows from the connecting passage 140 to the first refrigerator air duct 110 and is sent from the refrigerator outlet 111 to the refrigerator compartment 2. The cold air that has cooled the refrigerator compartment 2 flows through the refrigerator return air duct 130 via the refrigerator return outlet 131 and returns to the cooler compartment 8. In this way, the first refrigerator damper 151 is opened and the low-temperature cold air that has exchanged heat with the cooler 14 flows directly into the refrigerator compartment 2 from the first refrigerator air duct 110, thereby implementing a rapid cooling operation mode that accelerates the cooling of the refrigerator compartment 2. In the rapid cooling operation mode, the freezer fan 9a is driven, but the refrigerator fan 9b may be driven or stopped.

When the vegetable compartment damper 160 is open, the cold air pressurized by the freezer compartment fan 9a is sent to the ice-making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5, and flows through the vegetable compartment air duct 132 that branches off downstream of the freezer compartment air duct 100, and is blown out from the vegetable compartment outlet 133 into the vegetable compartment 6. In the vegetable compartment 6, the air is directed out of the vegetable compartment container 6b, preventing the vegetables and other foods stored in the vegetable compartment container 6b from drying out or becoming too cold. The cold air that has cooled the vegetable compartment 6 flows through the vegetable compartment return port 136 (see Figure 2) provided on the underside of the thermal insulation partition wall 28, and flows through the vegetable compartment return air duct 135 (see Figure 2) provided in the thermal insulation partition wall 28, and returns to the cooler chamber 8.

With the first refrigerator compartment damper 151 in the closed state, the second refrigerator compartment damper 152 in the open state, and the refrigerator compartment fan 9b in the driven state, the air in the refrigerator compartment 2 enters the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110 from the first refrigerator compartment air duct return port 115, flows through the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110, and re-enters the refrigerator compartment 2 from the refrigerator compartment outlet port 111, forming an air flow that circulates within the refrigerator compartment 2. On the other hand, since the second refrigerator compartment damper 152 is open, the cold air pressurized by the freezer compartment fan 9a flows through the second refrigerator compartment air duct 120, exchanges heat with the air in the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110 at the heat transfer member 200, flows through the return refrigerator compartment air duct 130, returns to the cooler chamber 8, and exchanges heat with the cooler 14. In this way, the cooling operation mode is implemented in which the air is circulated from the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110 through the refrigerator compartment 2 and back to the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110 without passing through the cooler 14, while the air that has exchanged heat with the cooler 14 is guided to the second refrigerator compartment air duct 120 to cool the refrigerator compartment 2.

In addition, by driving the refrigerator compartment fan 9b with the refrigerator compartment first damper 151 closed and the refrigerator compartment second damper 152 closed or the freezer compartment fan 9a stopped, the air in the refrigerator compartment 2 enters the refrigerator compartment first air duct 110 from the refrigerator compartment first air duct return port 115, flows through the refrigerator compartment first air duct 110, and re-enters the refrigerator compartment 2 from the refrigerator compartment outlet port 111, forming an air flow that circulates within the refrigerator compartment 2. On the other hand, since the refrigerator compartment second damper 152 is closed or the freezer compartment fan 9a is stopped, the low-temperature cold air that has exchanged heat with the cooler 14 does not flow into the refrigerator compartment second air duct 120, and the air in the refrigerator compartment first air duct 110 is not cooled via the heat transfer member 200. In this way, by driving the refrigerator compartment fan 9b while the air supply to the refrigerator compartment second air duct 120 is stopped (the refrigerator compartment second damper 152 is closed or the freezer compartment fan 9a is stopped), a defrost operation mode is implemented to melt the frost that has grown on the heat transfer member 200. The defrost operation mode is implemented until the heat transfer member reaches a temperature higher than 0°C, and as the frost melts, the moisture contained in the frost that has grown on the heat transfer member 200 increases the humidity inside the refrigerator compartment 2. Note that, under the same control state as the defrost operation mode, a moisture retention operation mode may be implemented to terminate operation when the temperature of the heat transfer member 200 is below 0°C, thereby shortening the drive time of the refrigerator compartment fan 9b and reducing the fan power.

5 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the refrigerator compartment first air passage 110 and the refrigerator compartment second air passage 120. As shown in FIG. 5, the refrigerator compartment first air passage 110 and the refrigerator compartment second air passage 120 formed at the rear of the refrigerator compartment 2 are composed of a first air passage member 210, a second air passage member 220, and a heat transfer member 200 installed between the first air passage member 210 and the second air passage member 220. The first air passage member 210 has refrigerator compartment outlets 111a, 111b on the front surface, and an opening 210a on the back surface to which the heat transfer member 200 is attached. The front surface of the second air passage member 220 has an opening 220a, and by combining it integrally with the first air passage member 210 to which the heat transfer member 200 is attached, the refrigerator compartment first air passage 110 and the refrigerator compartment second air passage 120 are separated via the heat transfer member 200. The second air passage member 220 includes a partition member 121 that forms the forward air passage 120a and the return air passage 120b inside the refrigerator compartment second air passage 120. As a result, when the refrigerator compartment second damper 152 (see FIG. 2, FIG. 3, or FIG. 4) is in an open state, the cold air that flows upward through the forward air passage 120a formed on the left side of the refrigerator compartment second air passage 120 is reversed at the top of the refrigerator compartment second air passage 120 and flows downward through the return air passage 120b on the right side of the refrigerator compartment second air passage 120, as shown by the arrow inside the second air passage member 220. As a result, the air in the refrigerator compartment first air passage 110 is efficiently heat-exchanged with the air in the refrigerator compartment second air passage 120 in a wide area at the back of the refrigerator compartment 2. In the case of a refrigerator with a layout in which the refrigerator compartment return port 131 is formed on the left side, the forward air passage 120a may be disposed on the right side, and the return air passage 120b may be disposed on the left side. In any case, by forming the outflow path 120a and the return path 120b so that they are aligned in the left-right direction, not only is a large area secured facing the rear of the first air duct 110 in the refrigerator compartment improved heat exchange, but it also makes it possible to save space in the front-to-back direction.

In the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, the first air passage member 210 and the second air passage member 220 are formed of synthetic resin (e.g., ABS resin), and the heat transfer member 200 is formed of aluminum, which is a metal. By adopting a metal member with high thermal conductivity as the heat transfer member 200 in this way, the cold heat on the second air passage 120 side of the refrigerator compartment is easily transferred to the air in the first air passage 110 of the refrigerator compartment, so that cooling can be performed efficiently via the heat transfer member 200. In addition, as another embodiment, the heat transfer member 200 can be formed of resin (e.g., ABS resin). In this case, it is possible to form the heat transfer member 200 at a lower cost. In other words, the heat transfer member 200 may be any member that transfers the cold heat on the second air passage 120 side of the refrigerator compartment to the air in the first air passage 110 of the refrigerator compartment, and there are no limitations on the material or shape. In addition, the first air passage member 210 and the second air passage member 220 are not limited in material, shape, or assembly method as long as they can form the first air passage 110 and the second air passage 120 separated by the heat transfer member 200. It is preferable that the heat transfer member 200 does not have a structure that is generally classified as a heat insulating material, and it is preferable that the heat transfer member 200 does not have a closed bubble structure or a structure in which the inside is not decompressed. In this way, the second air passage 120, which is an example of a heat transfer member cooling section, cools the heat transfer member 200.

Figure 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of the refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator according to this embodiment. The refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment includes a compressor 24, an external radiator 50a (heat dissipation means) that dissipates heat from the refrigerant, wall surface heat dissipation piping 50b (heat dissipation means arranged on the inner surface of the outer box 10a in the region between the outer box 10a and the inner box 10b) arranged on the left and right sides of the insulated box body 10, condensation prevention piping 50c (heat dissipation means arranged on the inner surfaces of the insulated partition walls 27, 28 and the partition parts 29, 30) arranged on the front parts of the insulated partition walls 27, 28 and the partition parts 29, 30 to suppress condensation, a capillary tube 53 as a pressure reduction means for reducing the pressure of the refrigerant, and a cooler 14 that absorbs heat from inside the refrigerator by exchanging heat between the refrigerant and the air inside the refrigerator. The inner diameter of the wall surface heat radiation pipe 50b and the condensation prevention pipe 50c is 3.2 mm, and the inner diameter of the capillary tube 53 is 0.7 mm, which is less than one-third of the inner diameter of the wall surface heat radiation pipe 50b and the condensation prevention pipe 50c. In addition, the refrigeration cycle is formed by connecting these with refrigerant piping, and the refrigerant piping that connects the capillary tube 53 and the cooler 14 and the compressor 24 is equipped with a heat exchanger 57 that exchanges heat of the refrigerant.

Next, the flow of the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator of this embodiment will be described. In the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, when the compressor 24 is driven, the refrigerant is compressed and becomes a high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant, which enters the external radiator 50a. The external radiator 50a is a fin tube type heat exchanger. In the external radiator 50a, heat is removed from the refrigerant by ventilation from an external fan (not shown), reducing the enthalpy, and the refrigerant flows into the wall surface heat dissipation pipe 50b in a two-phase state. In the wall surface heat dissipation pipe 50b arranged on both sides of the thermal insulation box 10, heat is dissipated from the refrigerant mainly to the air outside the refrigerator through the outer wall of the thermal insulation box 10. Next, the refrigerant enters the condensation prevention pipe 50c arranged on the front parts of the thermal insulation partition walls 27, 28 and the partition parts 29, 30. Because there are thermally insulated doors in front of the insulating partition walls 27, 28 and the partitions 29, 30, the refrigerant dissipates heat mainly to the air inside the cabinet in the condensation prevention pipe 50c, becomes liquid refrigerant, flows through the dryer 51 to remove moisture, and then reaches the capillary tube 53.

In the capillary tube 53, the refrigerant is decompressed to a low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase refrigerant, which reaches the inlet of the cooler 14. When the freezer fan 9a is driven, the air returning from each storage compartment in the refrigerator passes through the cooler 14, where it is cooled to a low temperature, and then each storage compartment in the refrigerator is cooled again. At this time, for the refrigerator compartment 2 of the refrigerator of this embodiment, the cold heat of the cold air flowing through the second refrigerator compartment air duct 120 is indirectly transferred to the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110 via the heat transfer member 200 for cooling, so that it is more difficult to supply cold heat than when cold air is sent directly, and the cooling capacity is more likely to be insufficient. Therefore, in the refrigerator of this embodiment, the inner diameter of the capillary tube 53 is set to one-third or less of the inner diameter of the wall surface heat dissipation pipe 50b and the condensation prevention pipe 50c, and the pressure is reduced by sufficient resistance to lower the temperature of the cooler 14, and the temperature of the cold air supplied to the second refrigerator compartment air duct 120 is made sufficiently low so that the refrigerator compartment 2 can be cooled.

The refrigerant exchanges heat with the air inside the cooler 14, increasing its enthalpy and driness, and becomes a nearly saturated gas refrigerant before reaching the outlet of the cooler 14. A portion of the piping returning from the outlet of the cooler 14 to the compressor 24 is provided in close proximity to the capillary tube 53 for heat exchange, and is heated by the refrigerant in the capillary tube, increasing its enthalpy, before being sucked back into the compressor 24. By providing the heat exchange section 57, the temperature of the refrigerant sucked into the compressor increases, preventing condensation and frost on the refrigerant piping, and the enthalpy of the refrigerant flowing into the cooler 14 decreases through heat exchange, improving the cooling capacity of the cooler 14. The refrigerant sealed in the refrigeration cycle is isobutane, a flammable refrigerant.

Figure 7 shows the configuration of the refrigerator damper 150. The refrigerator damper 150 has openings 151a and 152a on the left and right of the motor housing 153. The openings 151a and 152a are opened and closed by the opening/closing plates 151b and 152b. Specifically, the opening/closing plates 151b and 152b can be controlled by a stepping motor (not shown) installed in the motor housing 153 in a range from a fully closed state with an opening angle of 0 degrees to a fully open state with an opening angle of 90 degrees. Of the functions of the refrigerator damper 150, the function of controlling the opening/closing state of the opening 151a is the refrigerator first damper 151, and the function of controlling the opening/closing state of the opening 152a is the refrigerator second damper 152. In this way, the refrigerator damper 150 controls two dampers (the refrigerator first damper 151 and the refrigerator second damper 152) with one motor. This allows for compact implementation and reduces costs.

A control board (not shown) is mounted on the control device, which includes a CPU, memory such as ROM and RAM, and an interface circuit, in the machine compartment 39 at the bottom of the rear of the refrigerator 1. The control board is also connected to the outdoor air temperature sensor 37, outdoor air humidity sensor 38, refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 41, freezer compartment temperature sensor 43, vegetable compartment temperature sensor 44, cooler temperature sensor 40, etc., by electrical wiring (not shown). Based on the output values of each sensor, the settings of the operation unit 26, and programs pre-recorded in the ROM, the control board controls the ON/OFF and rotation speed of the compressor 24, freezer compartment fan 9a, and refrigerator compartment fan 9b, the opening and closing of the first refrigerator compartment damper 151, the second refrigerator compartment damper 152, and the vegetable compartment damper 160, and controls the defrost heater.

The configuration of the refrigerator in this embodiment has been explained above, and next we will explain the effects that the refrigerator in this embodiment provides.

The refrigerator of this embodiment is equipped with a cooler 14 that cools the ice-making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5 in the freezing temperature range, a first air duct 110 provided inside the refrigerator compartment 2, and a second air duct 120 that does not communicate with the inside of the refrigerator compartment 2 and sends the cold air that has exchanged heat with the cooler 14. The first air duct 110 and the second air duct 120 are adjacent to each other via a heat transfer member 200 that serves as a partition. This makes it possible to provide a refrigerator equipped with a refrigerator compartment that does not require complex refrigeration cycle piping, suppresses the deterioration of energy-saving performance, suppresses the occurrence of condensation and frost in the storage space, and realizes storage at high humidity. The reasons for this will be explained below in comparison with the prior art.

For example, in Patent Document 1, prior art discloses a technology to address the problem of a large amount of water vapor being generated inside a refrigerator when food with a high moisture content and a relatively high temperature is placed inside the refrigerator, causing condensation on a cooling plate installed inside the refrigerator. The technology uses a freezer cooler that cools the freezer and a cooling plate that is cooled by a second cooler separate from the freezer cooler, and provides a refrigerator that is cooled by a direct cooling method, and sends lower temperature and lower humidity cold air that has been heat exchanged with the freezer cooler to the refrigerator, thereby lowering the humidity inside the refrigerator and suppressing condensation on the cooling plate. According to this prior art, when the humidity inside the refrigerator becomes high and the dew point temperature is higher than the temperature of the cooling plate, lower temperature and lower humidity cold air that has been heat exchanged with the freezer cooler is sent to the refrigerator, lowering the dew point temperature and suppressing condensation on the cooling plate. In this configuration, if the cooling plate temperature cannot be kept high enough to cool the refrigerator compartment, it becomes necessary to frequently send low-humidity cold air to the refrigerator compartment, and the humidity in the refrigerator compartment cannot be kept high. In addition, in an embodiment in which the partition wall between the freezer and refrigerator compartments is used as the cooling plate, a temperature compensation heater is provided on the cooling plate to prevent the cooling plate temperature from decreasing, and the temperature decrease of the cooling plate is suppressed by heating with the temperature compensation heater. In this configuration, the energy saving performance is reduced due to the amount of power required for heating with the temperature compensation heater. In other words, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, if the cooling plate temperature cannot be made high enough, the humidity in the refrigerator compartment cannot be kept high and power consumption increases, which are problems.

On the other hand, the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a first refrigerator compartment air duct 110 and a second refrigerator compartment air duct 120 that sends cold air that has exchanged heat with the cooler 14 without communicating with the inside of the refrigerator compartment 2, and the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110 and the second refrigerator compartment air duct 120 are adjacent to each other via a heat transfer member 200 that serves as a partition. As a result, the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment can implement a cooling operation mode in which air that has exchanged heat with the cooler 14 is guided to the second refrigerator compartment air duct 120 while circulating air from the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110 through the refrigerator compartment 2 to the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110 again without passing through the cooler 14. By implementing this cooling operation mode, the inside of the refrigerator compartment 2 can be cooled by indirect cooling via the heat transfer member 200 without sending the cold air that has been heat exchanged with the cooler 14, which is cooled to a low temperature and therefore has a low humidity in order to cool the freezing temperature zone compartments (ice-making compartment 3, upper freezing compartment 4, lower freezing compartment 5), to the inside of the refrigerator compartment 2. This allows the refrigerator compartment 2 to be kept at a high humidity. In addition, since excess moisture in the refrigerator compartment 2 basically adheres as frost to the heat transfer member 200 in the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110, it is possible to avoid problems caused by condensation growing in the storage space in the refrigerator compartment 2 without using a means such as heating with a temperature compensation heater. Furthermore, the heat transfer member 200 is cooled by the air in the second refrigerator compartment air duct 120, and a separate cooler is not required to cool the refrigerator compartment 2, resulting in a product in which the increase in manufacturing costs and parts costs associated with a complex refrigeration cycle configuration is suppressed.

The refrigerator 1 of this embodiment has a first air passage member 210 between the heat transfer member 200, which becomes cold during cooling, and the refrigerator compartment 2 to form an air passage (first air passage 110 for the refrigerator compartment), so that the heat transfer member 200 does not directly face the refrigerator compartment 2, which is the space in which food is placed. As a result, even if frost or water (condensation water or defrost water) occurs on the surface of the heat transfer member 200, it does not come into direct contact with the food, making it less likely for problems such as food sticking with frost or getting wet with water to occur, resulting in a highly reliable refrigerator. In other words, by interposing a wall surface such as an air passage member between a storage compartment such as the refrigerator compartment 2 and the heat transfer member 200, it is possible to prevent frost or water generated on the heat transfer member 200 from reaching the storage compartment.

The refrigerator 1 of this embodiment is also equipped with a blower (refrigerator compartment fan 9b) that can change the amount of air that creates an airflow in the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110. This allows the amount of heat exchange in the heat transfer member 200 in the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110 to be adjusted, making it possible to precisely maintain the temperature and humidity in the refrigerator compartment 2.

Furthermore, the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a blower (freezer fan 9a) that can change the amount of air that creates an airflow in the refrigerator compartment second air duct 120. This allows the amount of heat exchange in the heat transfer member 200 in the refrigerator compartment second air duct 120 to be adjusted, making it possible to maintain the temperature and humidity in the refrigerator compartment 2 in an even more precise manner.

The refrigerator 1 of this embodiment includes a communication passage 140 that communicates the freezer compartment air duct 100 and the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110 and guides the air that has exchanged heat with the cooler 14 to the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110, and the communication passage 140 includes a first refrigerator compartment damper 151. As a result, when the heat load is particularly large, the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment can execute a rapid cooling operation mode in which the first refrigerator compartment damper 151 is opened and the low-temperature cold air that has exchanged heat with the cooler 14 is directly introduced from the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110 into the refrigerator compartment 2, thereby accelerating the cooling of the refrigerator compartment 2, thereby enabling rapid cooling. During the rapid cooling operation mode, the freezer compartment fan 9a is driven, but the refrigerator compartment fan 9b may be driven or stopped. During the rapid cooling operation mode, the second refrigerator compartment damper 152 is preferably in a closed state, but may be in an open state.
In the refrigerator 1 of the present embodiment, when defrosting the frost that has grown on the heat transfer member 200 in the first refrigerator compartment air passage 110 in the cooling operation mode or the rapid cooling operation mode, the defrosting operation mode is performed in which the refrigerator compartment fan 9b is driven in a state where the air supply to the second refrigerator compartment air passage 120 is stopped (the second refrigerator compartment damper 152 is closed or the freezer compartment fan 9a is stopped). In this defrosting operation mode, as in the cooling operation mode, air is circulated from the first refrigerator compartment air passage 110 through the refrigerator compartment 2 again to the first refrigerator compartment air passage 110 without passing through the cooler 14. However, unlike the cooling operation mode, air that has exchanged heat with the cooler 14 is not guided to the second refrigerator compartment air passage 120, so the temperature of the air circulating in the first refrigerator compartment air passage 110 is higher than that in the cooling operation mode. As a result, the frost on the heat transfer member 200 can be melted by the heat load in the refrigerator compartment 2 (heat flowing into the refrigerator compartment 2 from outside the refrigerator, etc.) without using a heater, and energy saving performance is improved. In addition, the moisture contained in the frost that grows on the heat transfer member 200 can increase the humidity inside the refrigerator compartment 2, resulting in a refrigerator compartment with excellent moisture retention.

In the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, the first air duct return port 115 of the refrigerator compartment is located above the shelf 34d that divides the chilled compartment 36. The chilled compartment 36 is a storage space within the refrigerator compartment that is maintained at a lower temperature, and by adopting this configuration, the chilled compartment 36 is less susceptible to the effects of the air currents within the refrigerator compartment 2 caused by the operation of the refrigerator compartment fan 9b, so that a low temperature can be maintained more stably. The chilled compartment 36 is mainly cooled by the cold transferred from the ice-making compartment 3 and upper freezer compartment 4 located below it.

Next, a refrigerator according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 8 and 9. Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a refrigerator according to the second embodiment, and Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the air passage configuration of the refrigerator according to the second embodiment. Note that the description of the same configuration as in the first embodiment may be omitted.

As shown in Fig. 8, the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment also has a first refrigerator compartment air duct 110 on the back surface of the refrigerator compartment 2. The first refrigerator compartment air duct 110 has refrigerator compartment outlets 111a, 111b for blowing air into the refrigerator compartment 2 above the top shelf 34a and in the space between the top shelf 34a and the second shelf from the top 34b. The opening area of the refrigerator compartment outlet 111a is 1000 ^mm2 , and the opening area of the refrigerator compartment outlet 111b is 500 ^mm2 . The first refrigerator compartment air duct return port 115 is disposed above the shelf 34d that defines the chilled compartment 36.

The second refrigerator compartment air duct 120 is adjacent to the rear of the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110, separated by a partition wall. The partition wall between the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110 and the second refrigerator compartment air duct 120 is formed by a heat transfer member 200, and the air in the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110 and the air in the second refrigerator compartment air duct 120 exchange heat via the heat transfer member 200.

As shown in FIG. 9, the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment also has a refrigerator fan 9b in the first refrigerator air duct 110. Furthermore, unlike the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment has a communication part 170 that communicates the first refrigerator air duct 110 and the second refrigerator air duct 120 at the back of the first refrigerator air duct 110 above the top shelf 34a, that is, downstream of the first refrigerator air duct 110 and in the middle of the second refrigerator air duct 120. This communication part 170 has a first refrigerator damper 151 (cold air blocking means) (see FIG. 8), and the flow of cold air between the second refrigerator air duct 120 and the first refrigerator air duct 110 is controlled by opening and closing the first refrigerator damper 151. In this way, by arranging the first refrigerator damper 151 in a space above the top shelf 34a that is difficult to reach and relatively inconvenient to use, a large and convenient storage space is secured.

The second refrigerator compartment air passage 120 is also provided with a second refrigerator compartment damper 152. The second refrigerator compartment damper 152 is arranged in the second refrigerator compartment air passage 120 at the same position as the first refrigerator compartment damper 151 or downstream of the first refrigerator compartment damper 151. In the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, the second refrigerator compartment damper 152 is arranged at the outlet of the second refrigerator compartment air passage 120, in the rear projection area of the heat-insulating partition wall 27 (see FIG. 8). As in this embodiment, the second refrigerator compartment damper 152 is arranged in the rear projection area of the heat-insulating partition wall 27 that does not affect food storage, thereby ensuring a large food storage space. In this embodiment, the entrance of the second refrigerator compartment air passage 120 does not have a damper and is always open, but a damper may be arranged at the entrance. In addition, the first refrigerator compartment damper 151 and the second refrigerator compartment damper 152 may both be placed behind the first refrigerator compartment air duct 110 above the top shelf 34a. In this case, they can be driven by a single motor, making it possible to achieve compact implementation and low cost.

Next, the flow of cold air will be explained. When the compressor 24 is driven and the refrigerant is supplied to the cooler 14, the first refrigerator damper 151 is closed, the second refrigerator damper 152 is open, the freezer fan 9a is driven, and the refrigerator fan 9b is driven, the cold air pressurized by the freezer fan 9a is sent to the ice making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5, and flows through the second refrigerator air duct 120, exchanges heat with the air in the first refrigerator air duct 110 through the heat transfer member 200, flows through the return refrigerator air duct 130, and returns to the cooler chamber 8. Meanwhile, the air in the first refrigerator air duct, which has been heat exchanged with the cold air in the second refrigerator air duct 120 through the heat transfer member 200 and has become low temperature, is blown out from the refrigerator outlets 111a and 111b by driving the refrigerator fan 9b, and cools the refrigerator compartment 2 (cooling operation mode). The cold air that has cooled the refrigerator compartment 2 returns to the refrigerator compartment first air duct 110 from the refrigerator compartment first air duct return port 115. This operation allows the refrigerator compartment 2 to be cooled by indirect cooling via the heat transfer member 200 without sending the low-temperature, low-humidity cold air that has exchanged heat with the cooler 14 into the interior of the refrigerator compartment 2, so that the humidity inside the refrigerator compartment 2 can be kept high. In addition, since excess moisture inside the refrigerator compartment 2 basically adheres as frost to the heat transfer member 200 inside the refrigerator compartment first air duct 110, it is possible to avoid problems caused by condensation growing in the storage space inside the refrigerator compartment 2 without using a means such as heating with a temperature compensation heater. Furthermore, the heat transfer member 200 is cooled by the air inside the refrigerator compartment second air duct 120, and a separate cooler for cooling the refrigerator compartment 2 is not required, resulting in a product in which the increase in manufacturing costs and parts costs associated with a complex refrigeration cycle configuration is suppressed.

When the first refrigerator damper 151 is closed, the second refrigerator damper 152 is closed, or the freezer fan 9a is stopped, and the refrigerator fan 9b is driven, the supply of cold air to the second refrigerator air duct 120 is stopped, so the heat transfer member 200 is not cooled. On the other hand, the drive of the refrigerator fan 9b creates an airflow that flows through the first refrigerator air duct 110. This airflow melts the frost that has formed on the heat transfer member 200 during cooling operation due to the heat load in the refrigerator chamber 2 (heat flowing into the refrigerator chamber 2 from outside the chamber, etc.), so defrosting can be performed without using a heater (defrosting operation mode), and energy saving performance is improved. In addition, the moisture contained in the frost that has grown on the heat transfer member 200 can increase the humidity inside the refrigerator chamber 2, resulting in a refrigerator chamber with excellent moisture retention.

When the compressor 24 is driven and refrigerant is supplied to the cooler 14, the first refrigerator damper 151 is open, the second refrigerator damper 152 is closed, the freezer fan 9a is driven, and the refrigerator fan 9b is stopped, the cold air pressurized by the freezer fan 9a is sent to the ice-making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5, and flows through the upstream part of the second refrigerator air duct 120, enters the first refrigerator air duct 110 through the opened first refrigerator damper 151, and is blown out from the refrigerator air outlets 111a and 111b into the refrigerator compartment 2, while some of the cold air flows into the refrigerator compartment 2 from the first refrigerator air duct return port 115. The cold air that has cooled the refrigerator compartment 2 flows through the refrigerator compartment return air duct 130 via the refrigerator compartment return port 131 and returns to the cooler chamber 8. With this operation, especially when the heat load is large, the low-temperature cold air that has exchanged heat with the cooler 14 can be sent directly into the refrigerator compartment 2 without requiring power to drive the refrigerator compartment fan 9b, reducing energy consumption and accelerating the cooling of the refrigerator compartment 2 (first rapid cooling operation mode).

When the compressor 24 is driven and refrigerant is supplied to the cooler 14, the refrigerator compartment first damper 151 is open, the refrigerator compartment second damper 152 is closed, the freezer compartment fan 9a is driven, and the refrigerator compartment fan 9b is driven, the cold air pressurized by the freezer compartment fan 9a is sent to the ice-making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5, and also flows through the upstream part of the refrigerator compartment second air duct 120, enters the refrigerator compartment first air duct 110 via the open refrigerator compartment first damper 151, and is mainly blown out into the refrigerator compartment 2 from the refrigerator compartment outlet 111a, which has a larger opening area. By driving the refrigerator fan 9b, the cold air in the refrigerator compartment 2 flows from the refrigerator compartment first air duct return port 115 through the refrigerator compartment first air duct 110 and is blown out from the refrigerator compartment outlets 111a and 111b, while a portion of the air flows through the refrigerator compartment return air duct 130 via the refrigerator compartment return port 131 and returns to the cooler compartment 8. This operation allows the low-temperature cold air that has exchanged heat with the cooler 14 to be directly sent into the refrigerator compartment 2 while stirring the air in the refrigerator compartment, suppressing temperature unevenness (second rapid cooling operation mode).

In this embodiment, the refrigerator compartment fan 9b is provided at a height facing the refrigerator compartment first air duct return port 115, but the refrigerator compartment fan 9b may be provided at a height above the refrigerator compartment first air duct return port 115. This prevents the cold air that has flowed into the refrigerator compartment first air duct 110 through the communication part 170 from being blown out into the refrigerator compartment 2 from the refrigerator compartment first air duct return port 115 when the refrigerator compartment first damper 151 is open and the refrigerator compartment fan 9b is stopped. Furthermore, by providing the height of the center of gravity of the refrigerator compartment fan 9b above the refrigerator compartment outlet 111b, particularly above the top shelf 34a, it is possible to effectively utilize the upper rear part of the top shelf 34a, which is difficult for users to reach, as an installation space for the refrigerator compartment fan 9b.

In addition, the closed state of the first refrigerator compartment damper 151 and the second refrigerator compartment damper 152 is not limited to a state in which the flow path is completely blocked, but also includes a state in which there is a small gap (for example, a state in which the flow rate is 10% or less compared to the open state).

The refrigerator 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 10 to 16.

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of a refrigerator according to the third embodiment. The first evaporator 301a (freezing evaporator) is provided on the rear side of the lower freezer compartment 5, and cools the ice-making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5, which are freezing temperature zone compartments, as well as the vegetable compartment 6, which is a refrigerating temperature zone compartment, and the refrigerator compartment 2 as necessary. The freezer compartment fan 9a provided above the first evaporator 301a blows the cold air that has exchanged heat with the first evaporator 301a through the refrigerator compartment air duct 300, the freezer compartment air duct 100, and the vegetable compartment air duct (not shown) to the refrigerator compartment 2, the ice-making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, the lower freezer compartment 5, and the vegetable compartment 6. In this embodiment, the freezer compartment fan 9a is a propeller fan that efficiently blows cold air in the axial direction. In the following, the ice-making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5 may be collectively referred to as the freezing temperature zone compartments.

The blowing of cold air into refrigerator compartment 2 is controlled by opening and closing refrigerator compartment damper 306. Refrigerator compartment damper 306 is equipped with a baffle plate 307, whose opening and closing angle is adjusted by a motor to adjust the amount of blown air. The air sent to refrigerator compartment 2 can be continuously cooled by returning to below first evaporator 301a. Since refrigerator compartment 2 is equipped with second evaporator 301b, when the thermal load is so large that the second evaporator 301b cannot cool refrigerator compartment 2, refrigerator compartment damper 306 opens, accelerating the cooling of refrigerator compartment 2.

The blowing of cool air into the vegetable compartment 6 is controlled by opening and closing the vegetable compartment damper (not shown). The vegetable compartment damper is equipped with a baffle plate (not shown), and the opening and closing angle of the baffle plate is adjusted by a motor to adjust the amount of blown air. The air sent to the vegetable compartment 6 can be continuously cooled by returning to below the first evaporator 301a.

A defrost heater 21 is provided below the first evaporator 301a. When frost grows on the surface of the first evaporator 301a and narrows the air passage, the defrost heater 21 is operated to remove the frost.

The second evaporator 301b (refrigeration evaporator) is provided on the rear side of the refrigerator compartment 2 and cools the refrigerator compartment 2, which is a refrigerator temperature zone compartment. The refrigerator compartment fan 9b, provided below the second evaporator 301b, blows the cold air that has exchanged heat with the second evaporator 301b into the refrigerator compartment 2 via the refrigerator compartment air duct 300. In this embodiment, the refrigerator compartment fan 9b is a centrifugal fan that efficiently blows cold air in the circumferential direction (mainly upward).

The cold air that has exchanged heat with the first evaporator 301a is basically at a low temperature to cool the freezing temperature zone compartment, and the humidity is also low as the temperature drops. However, in this embodiment, the refrigerator compartment 2 is cooled by the second evaporator 301b when the heat load is not large. In other words, since the low-humidity cold air that has exchanged heat with the first evaporator 301a does not flow directly into the refrigerator compartment 2, it is possible to keep the refrigerator compartment 2 in a high humidity state.

The frost that has grown on the cooling surface 304 of the second evaporator 301b can be defrosted without using a heating source such as a heater by operating the refrigerator compartment fan 9b without flowing refrigerant through the second evaporator 301b. In addition, since the air blown into the refrigerator compartment 2 during the defrosting operation of the second evaporator 301b is about 0°C (frost temperature), the refrigerator compartment 2 can be cooled at the same time as the defrosting. That is, in this embodiment, since the defrosting operation and the cooling operation of the refrigerator compartment 2 are performed simultaneously while the compressor 24 is stopped, the power consumption is lower than that of a general defrosting operation using a heating source such as a heater. Therefore, even if the defrosting operation of the refrigerator compartment 2 is frequently performed, the energy saving performance is less likely to be impaired. Furthermore, since the refrigerator compartment 2 can be cooled even when the compressor 24 is stopped, it is possible to suppress non-steady temperature fluctuations in the refrigerator compartment 2, and it is possible to control the temperature to, for example, a chilled temperature range of 0 to 2 degrees. In addition, the melted frost can be used to increase the humidity of the refrigerator compartment 2. Hereinafter, the operation in which the refrigerator compartment fan 9b is operated while the compressor 24 is stopped to defrost and cool the refrigerator compartment 2 will be referred to as off-cycle operation.

A control board 31 is located on the rear side of the upper wall of the refrigerator 1, and according to the control means stored in the control board 31, the ON/OFF and rotation speed of the compressor 24, freezer compartment fan 9a, and refrigerator compartment fan 9b are controlled, and the opening and closing of the refrigerator compartment damper 306 is controlled.

In addition to the compressor 24, a first radiator 308a (not shown in FIG. 10) and an external fan 309 (not shown in FIG. 10) are arranged in the machine room 39 located below the refrigerator 1.

Figure 11 is a configuration diagram of the refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator according to the third embodiment. As shown in Figure 11, the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment includes a compressor 24 that compresses the refrigerant, a first radiator 308a and a second radiator 308b that are heat dissipation means that dissipate heat from the refrigerant, a capillary tube 53 that is a pressure reduction means that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant, and a first evaporator 301a and a second evaporator 301b that absorb heat from the inside of the refrigerator by exchanging heat between the refrigerant and the air in the refrigerator. The refrigerator 1 also includes a dryer 51 that removes moisture in the refrigeration cycle and a gas-liquid separator 54 that prevents liquid refrigerant from flowing into the compressor 24, and these are connected by a refrigerant pipe 302 to form a refrigeration cycle.

The first radiator 308a has a higher heat dissipation efficiency than the second radiator 308b because it draws in outside air using the external fan 309. The refrigerator 1 of this embodiment uses isobutane as a refrigerant. The compressor 24 of this embodiment is equipped with an inverter so that the rotation speed can be changed. In the refrigeration cycle shown in FIG. 11, a capillary tube is given as an example of the pressure reducing means, but an expansion valve or a combination of an expansion valve and a capillary tube may also be used.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the first evaporator of the refrigerator according to the third embodiment. As shown in Figure 12, the first evaporator 301a is a cross-fin tube type heat exchanger, and is configured such that a heat transfer tube 303 that is bent multiple times passes through multiple aluminum fins 305. In addition, a gas-liquid separator 54 is provided on the refrigerant outlet side of the heat transfer tube 303. This first evaporator 301a is placed in the space between the inner box 10b and the freezing temperature zone compartment.

Figure 13 is a side view of the second evaporator of the refrigerator according to the third embodiment. As shown in Figure 13, the second evaporator 301b is composed of a heat transfer tube 303 and a cooling surface 304, and the heat transfer tube 303 of the second evaporator 301b is mounted inside the wall surface of the thermal insulation box 10. The heat transfer tube 303 is bent multiple times and disposed in the foam insulation material between the outer box 10a and the inner box 10b, and is in contact with the back side of the inner box 10b. Furthermore, the cooling surface 304 is fixed to the refrigerator compartment 2 side of the inner box 10b by adhesive or the like, and the heat transfer tube 303 cools the refrigerator compartment 2 via the cooling surface 304. In this way, by mounting the heat transfer tube 303 of the second evaporator 301b inside the wall surface of the thermal insulation box 10, the cooling system is made smaller and the food storage volume is expanded. In addition, the back surface of the second evaporator 301b is provided with a vacuum insulation material 25 to suppress heat absorption from the outside of the refrigerator.

Figure 14 is a perspective view of the cooling surface of the second evaporator of the refrigerator according to the third embodiment. As shown in Figure 14, the cooling surface 304 is provided with fins 305, which increases the heat transfer area and improves the cooling efficiency of the refrigerator compartment 2, thereby improving the energy-saving performance of the refrigerator 1. The fins 305 are formed parallel to the flow of cold air, so that the increase in airflow resistance can be suppressed. In addition, by using a resin material for the fins 305, the cooling surface temperature is higher than when the fins 305 are made of metal, so that the amount of frost formation in the second evaporator 301b is suppressed and the off-cycle operation time can be shortened. In addition, by suppressing the amount of frost formation, dehumidification of the refrigerator compartment 2 is suppressed, and the refrigerator compartment 2 can be kept at a high humidity. Furthermore, the higher cold air temperature reduces the risk of freezing of refrigerated foods. For the same reason, it is desirable to use a resin material for the cooling surface 304 as well. However, the thermal conductivity of the cooling surface 304 and the fins 305 is higher than that of the inner box 10b. In this embodiment, the cooling surface 304 and fins 305 are made of resin to suppress the amount of frost, but if priority is given to the cooling performance of the refrigerator compartment 2, they can also be made of metal such as aluminum.

As described above with reference to Figs. 13 and 14, the first evaporator 301a has a cross-fin tube type configuration that is easy to improve cooling efficiency, and the second evaporator 301b has a heat transfer tube 303 mounted inside the wall surface of the insulated box 10 to suppress frost growth, and the cooling surface 304 and the like are made of a resin material with low thermal conductivity. That is, on the first evaporator 301a side, the temperature difference between the air and the refrigerant is small (about 5°C) and the frost growth rate is slow, so improving cooling efficiency is prioritized over suppressing frost growth. On the other hand, on the second evaporator 301b side, the temperature difference between the air and the refrigerant is large (about 25°C) and the frost growth rate is fast, so suppressing frost growth is prioritized over cooling efficiency. In this way, the energy saving performance of the refrigerator 1 is improved by considering the characteristics of each evaporator.

Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of the heat transfer tube of the evaporator of the refrigerator according to the third embodiment, where a shows a cross-sectional view of the heat transfer tube of the first evaporator 301a, and b shows a cross-sectional view of the heat transfer tube of the second evaporator 301b. As shown in Figure 15, the inner surface of the heat transfer tube 303 of the first evaporator 301a is grooved to increase the heat transfer area on the refrigerant side, so that the temperature of the heat transfer tube 303 is as close as possible to the refrigerant temperature, thereby improving the cooling efficiency. On the other hand, the inner surface of the heat transfer tube 303 of the second evaporator 301b is smooth, so that the temperature of the heat transfer tube 303 is higher than the refrigerant temperature, thereby suppressing the amount of frost formation and shortening the defrosting time. In this way, on the first evaporator 301a side, the temperature difference between the air and the refrigerant is small (about 5°C) and the growth rate of frost is slow, so that the temperature difference between the refrigerant and the heat transfer tube 303 is minimized to increase the cooling efficiency. On the other hand, on the second evaporator 301b side, the temperature difference between the air and the refrigerant is large (about 25°C), and frost grows quickly, so the temperature difference between the refrigerant and the heat transfer tube 303 is made as large as possible to suppress frost growth.

Figure 16 is a layout diagram of the refrigeration cycle components of the refrigerator according to the third embodiment, seen from the front. As shown in Figure 16, the compressor 24 and the first radiator 308a are provided in the machine room 39, the second radiator 308b is provided on the side of the refrigerator 1, the first evaporator 301a is provided in the freezing temperature zone room (on the rear side), and the second evaporator 301b is provided in the refrigerator room 2 (on the rear side). In addition, the refrigerant pipe 302 connecting the second evaporator 301b and the first evaporator 301a is arranged to extend downward from the second evaporator 301b. Furthermore, the heat transfer tube 303 of the second evaporator 301b is configured to descend monotonically.

Here, it is assumed that liquid refrigerant flows from vertically above to vertically below the heat transfer tube 303 of the second evaporator 301b while the compressor 24 is running, and the heat transfer tube 303 is described as "descending" monotonically. However, if liquid refrigerant flows from vertically below to vertically above the heat transfer tube 303 of the second evaporator 301b while the compressor 24 is running, the heat transfer tube 303 can also be interpreted as "rising" monotonically. In any case, it is sufficient that the heat transfer tube 303 of the second evaporator 301b is arranged with a continuous incline so that the liquid refrigerant in the heat transfer tube 303 continues to descend due to gravity while the compressor 24 is stopped. Therefore, even if there are some horizontal or upward inclines, this is acceptable as long as the liquid refrigerant is discharged by gravity.

As a result, during off-cycle operation, the liquid refrigerant in the second evaporator 301b is reduced by gravity, reducing the thermal load required to melt the frost and improving the defrosting efficiency (off-cycle operation efficiency) of the refrigerator compartment 2. In addition, the frost in the second evaporator 301b is melted and air containing moisture is supplied to the refrigerator compartment 2, increasing the humidity in the refrigerator compartment 2 and improving the freshness of refrigerated foods.

As shown in FIG. 16, the second evaporator 301b is provided above the first evaporator 301a, thereby preventing liquid refrigerant from flowing from the first evaporator 301a to the second evaporator 301b during off-cycle operation, thereby preventing an increase in heat load and improving defrosting efficiency (efficiency of off-cycle operation). Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second evaporator 301b and the first evaporator 301a are connected in series by the refrigerant piping 302 extending downward from the second evaporator 301b, so that the first evaporator 301a serves as a tank (reservoir) for storing liquid refrigerant that has flowed down from the second evaporator 301b. As a result, the liquid refrigerant is reliably discharged from the heat transfer tube 303 of the second evaporator 301b, which results in further improvement of defrosting efficiency. Note that the tank for storing the liquid refrigerant may be anything other than the first evaporator 301a as long as it has a cross-sectional area larger than the heat transfer tube 303. For example, it may be a header separately provided at a position lower than the second evaporator 301b.

In this embodiment, not only the first evaporator 301a but also the second evaporator 301b is provided in the refrigerator compartment 2. As a result, the amount of frost on the first evaporator 301a is reduced compared to when only the first evaporator 301a is provided, the defrosting operation time for the freezing temperature compartment is reduced, and the energy saving performance of the refrigerator 1 is improved. Note that in this embodiment, frost grows on the second evaporator 301b and is melted by off-cycle operation, but compared to the increase in power consumption due to off-cycle operation, the reduction in the defrosting time for the freezing temperature compartment has a greater impact, and the power consumption of the refrigerator 1 can be reduced.

In addition, by connecting the first evaporator 301a and the second evaporator 301b in series as in this embodiment, the number of capillary tubes 53 can be reduced from two to one compared to the case of connecting them in parallel, and parts such as a valve for branching the refrigerant flow path and a check valve for suppressing backflow of the refrigerant are also unnecessary. As a result, the refrigerator 1 can be manufactured at low cost, and the rate of manufacturing defects can be reduced because the refrigeration cycle structure is simple. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the refrigerant is configured to pass through the first evaporator 301a and the gas-liquid separator 54 after passing through the second evaporator 301b, and the gas-liquid separator 54 is mounted in the freezer compartment air duct 100. With this configuration, it is not necessary to mount the gas-liquid separator 54 inside the wall surface of the thermal insulation box 10, so that it is possible to achieve both a thin thermal insulation box 10 and improved defrosting efficiency.

Similarly, by using the second evaporator 301b on the upstream side of the refrigerant and the first evaporator 301a on the downstream side of the refrigerant, the refrigerant temperature of the first evaporator 301a is lower than that of the second evaporator 301b due to pressure loss in the heat transfer tube. Furthermore, the amount of liquid refrigerant is less on the downstream side of the refrigerant (higher dryness), improving the heat transfer coefficient on the refrigerant side. Therefore, on the first evaporator 301a side, the temperature difference between the air and the refrigerant is maximized, making it easy to increase cooling efficiency, while on the second evaporator 301b side, the temperature difference between the air and the refrigerant is minimized, making it easy to suppress frost growth and making it highly efficient at defrosting.

Next, a refrigerator 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 17 and 18. The refrigerator 1 according to the fourth embodiment has only a refrigerator compartment as a storage compartment, and this refrigerator compartment is cooled by a single evaporator 301c. The rest of the configuration is similar, and therefore repeated explanations will be omitted.

Figure 17 is a configuration diagram of the refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator according to Example 4. As shown in Figure 17, the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment includes a compressor 24, a first radiator 308a and a second radiator 308b that are heat dissipation means for dissipating heat from the refrigerant, a capillary tube 53 that is a pressure reduction means for reducing the pressure of the refrigerant, and an evaporator 301c (refrigerating evaporator) that absorbs heat inside the refrigerator by exchanging heat between the refrigerant and the air inside the refrigerator. The refrigerator 1 also includes a dryer 51 that removes moisture in the refrigeration cycle, and these are connected by a refrigerant pipe 302 to form a refrigeration cycle.

Figure 18 is a front view of the refrigeration cycle components of the refrigerator according to the fourth embodiment. As shown in Figure 18, the compressor 24 and the first radiator 308a are provided in the machine room 39, the second radiator is provided on the side of the refrigerator 1, and the evaporator 301c is provided on the rear side of the refrigerator compartment 2. The heat transfer tube 303 of the evaporator 301c is configured to descend monotonically, and the refrigerant piping connecting the evaporator 301c and the compressor 24 is arranged to extend downward from the evaporator 301c. Therefore, as in the third embodiment, the liquid refrigerant in the evaporator 301c decreases due to gravity during off-cycle operation, so that the heat load for melting the frost is reduced, and the defrosting efficiency of the refrigerator compartment 2 can be improved. In addition, the frost on the evaporator 301c is melted and the air containing moisture is supplied to the refrigerator compartment 2, so that the refrigerator compartment 2 can be made highly humid, improving the freshness of refrigerated foods. In this embodiment, the compressor 24 serves as a tank (reservoir) that collects the liquid refrigerant that has flowed down from the evaporator 301c, and the liquid refrigerant is reliably discharged from the heat transfer tube 303 of the evaporator 301c, leading to further improvements in defrosting efficiency.

The above are examples of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned examples and includes various modified examples. For example, the above-mentioned examples have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to having all of the configurations described. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of the examples with other configurations.

1 Refrigerator 2 Refrigerator compartment (example of high temperature compartment)
3. Ice making room (an example of a low temperature room)
4. Upper freezer compartment (example of low temperature compartment)
5. Lower freezer (an example of a low-temperature room)
6 Vegetable compartment 8 Cooler compartment 9a Freezer compartment fan 9b Refrigerator compartment fan 10 Insulated box body 10a Outer box 10b Inner box 14 Cooler 24 Compressor 25 Vacuum insulation material 27, 28 Insulated partition wall 29, 30 Partition section 31 Control board 39 Machine compartment 110 Refrigerator compartment first air duct 111 Refrigerator compartment outlet 115 Refrigerator compartment first air duct return port 120 Refrigerator compartment second air duct 130 Refrigerator compartment return air duct 131 Refrigerator compartment return port 150 Refrigerator compartment damper (cold air blocking means)
151 Refrigerator compartment first damper (first cold air blocking means)
152 Refrigerator compartment second damper (second cold air blocking means)
160 Vegetable room damper (vegetable room cold air blocking means)
200 Heat transfer member

Claims (1)

The storage device is provided with a low temperature compartment, a high temperature compartment which is hotter than the low temperature compartment, a cooler which supplies cold air into the low temperature compartment, a heat transfer member which has one side facing the high temperature compartment, a first air duct which circulates air from the refrigerated temperature zone storage compartment which serves as the high temperature compartment, and a second air duct which circulates air which has exchanged heat with the cooler and which does not communicate with the refrigerated temperature zone storage compartment,
The first air passage and the second air passage are adjacent to each other via a partition wall,
the heat transfer member is cooled by the cold air flowing through the second air duct, the second air duct having a smaller cross-sectional area than the low-temperature chamber;
an operation mode in which air is circulated from the first air passage through the refrigerated temperature zone storage compartment to the first air passage without passing through the cooler, and the air that has exchanged heat with the cooler is not guided to the second air passage ;
an operation mode in which air is circulated from the first air passage through the refrigerated temperature zone storage compartment to the first air passage without passing through the cooler, and the air that has exchanged heat with the cooler is guided to the second air passage;
an operation mode in which the air that has exchanged heat with the cooler flows from the first air passage into the refrigerated temperature zone storage compartment .

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