JPH0331989B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a freezer that cools the freezer compartment by supplying air cooled by a main cooler to the freezer compartment using a blower.

(b) Conventional technology Conventionally, this type of freezer is
It is shown in the publication No. The configuration shown there is
A freezer compartment cooler for cooling the freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment cooler for cooling the refrigerator compartment are provided, and further,
If you install an auxiliary cooler to cool the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment does not need to be cooled, stop the refrigerant supply to the refrigerator compartment cooler, defrost it, and then flow the refrigerant to the auxiliary cooler to cool the freezer compartment. We are trying to promote the freezing of

(c) Problems to be solved by the invention This configuration does not achieve rapid freezing by using cold air from the main cooler and direct cooling from the auxiliary cooler, and therefore has a completely different basic configuration.
According to such a configuration, the refrigerant flows into the auxiliary cooler only when cooling of the refrigerator compartment is not required, so rapid freezing cannot be performed at the discretion of the user.

The present invention has been made to solve this problem.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention provides a freezer in which air cooled by a main cooler provided in the cooling chamber is circulated to the freezing chamber by a blower, which includes a compressor, a condenser, a capillary tube, and a refrigeration cycle through which the refrigerant flows through the main cooler, an auxiliary cooler provided in the freezing chamber, and a first control unit that controls whether the refrigerant that has passed through the capillary tube flows into the main cooler or the auxiliary cooler. A flow path control device and the first flow path control device control whether the refrigerant flows only to the auxiliary cooler or to both the auxiliary cooler and the main cooler in a state where the refrigerant is divided so as to flow to the auxiliary cooler. A second flow path control device and a defrosting device for the main cooler are prepared, and the first flow path control device operates to flow refrigerant to the auxiliary cooler during a quick freezing operation based on a user's operation. At the same time, the second flow path control device causes the refrigerant to flow into both the auxiliary cooler and the main cooler,
During defrosting operation of the defrosting device, the first flow path control device operates to flow the refrigerant to the auxiliary cooler, and the second flow path control device flows the refrigerant only to the auxiliary cooler. It is.

(E) Effect According to the present invention, by flowing refrigerant into the auxiliary cooler and the main cooler at the discretion of the user, rapid ice making or rapid freezing can be achieved by direct cooling from the auxiliary cooler and cold air from the main cooler. It can be achieved. Furthermore, even during defrosting of the main cooler, the refrigerant flows to the auxiliary cooler to cool the freezer compartment. Furthermore, even if defrosting of the main cooler begins during rapid freezing, the articles on the auxiliary cooler continue to be cooled by the auxiliary cooler.

(F) Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. Reference numeral 1 denotes a so-called two-temperature type refrigerator whose interior is divided by a partition wall 2 into a freezing compartment 3 kept at a freezing temperature and a refrigerating compartment 4 kept at a temperature higher than the freezing point. Reference numeral 5 denotes a bottom wall of a freezing chamber 3 which is provided above the partition wall 2 with a distance therebetween, and a main cooler 7 is installed within the cooling chamber 6 formed between the partition wall 2 and the partition wall 2. 8 is an electric blower that circulates the air cooled by the main cooler 7 between the freezer compartment 3 and the refrigerator compartment 4. Cold air is directly discharged from the front of the fan 8 to the freezer compartment 3, and a duct 9 is connected to the refrigerator compartment 4. The cool air that descends through the tube is sent out and circulates as shown by the arrow. Reference numeral 10 denotes a damper device that opens and closes the cold air discharge port of the duct 9 to the refrigerator compartment 4 according to the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 4. 11 is an electric compressor, 12 is a condenser, and 13 is a so-called roll-bond type in which a refrigerant passage is formed between two metal plates, or a so-called tube-on-sheet type in which a refrigerant tube is arranged in a heat conductive manner on a metal plate. The auxiliary cooler is composed of a cooler, and in this embodiment, it is provided in the shape of a shelf in the freezer compartment 3 on which articles are placed.

Figure 2 shows the refrigerant circuit, and 14 and 15 are two-way valves that act as refrigerant flow control devices, solenoid valves 14, which normally open the flow path, and close when energized. 15 is usually closed,
It opens when electricity is applied. 16, 17, and 18 are capillary tubes, 19 is a dehydrator for removing moisture in the refrigerant, and 20 is an accumulator as a refrigerant reservoir. compressor 11 and condenser 12,
dehydrator 19, capillary tube 16,
Two-way valve 14, main cooler 7 and accumulator 20
It forms one refrigeration cycle. A defrosting heater device 21 is disposed in the main cooler 7 in a thermally conductive manner and is connected to a predetermined power source. Here, the pipe exiting the capillary tube 16 branches and reaches a branch point between capillary tubes 17 and 18, and the capillary tube 17 is connected to the inlet side of the main cooler 7 via the two-way valve 15. 18 is the auxiliary cooler 13
The outlet side of the auxiliary cooler 13 is connected to the accumulator 20.

Next, FIG. 3 shows an example of an electric circuit. 8M is a motor for driving the blower 8, and 22 is a thermostat that controls the operation of the refrigeration system. In response, electric compressor 11
The motor 11M is controlled. 23 is a defrost timer device, which has a switch 23A. Here, in the present invention, since the compressor motor 11M is forcibly operated even while the main cooler 7 is being defrosted, the defrost timer 23 integrates the operating time of the blower motor 8M, and when a predetermined integration is reached, a switch is activated. Close contact 23A. As a result, the electric heater 21 and the relay coil 24 are energized, the electric heater 21 generates heat and heats the main cooler 7 to start defrosting, and the relay switch 24A of the relay coil 24 switches from contact a to contact b. Power to the defrost timer 23 and blower motor 8M is stopped, the normally closed contact 24B opens, and the two-way valve 1
5 is no longer energized, normally open contacts 24C, 24
D is closed, the two-way valve 14 is energized, and the two-way valve 14 is closed, and the circuits after the compressor motor 11M are energized regardless of the thermostat 22.
Further, the relay coil 24 maintains itself and maintains the electricity supply to the electric heater 21. Reference numeral 25 is a self-resetting type temperature sensor that opens when it senses the defrosting end temperature of the main cooler 7. 26A is a switch included in the temperature detection device 26 that operates by detecting the temperature of the auxiliary cooler 13, which closes when the temperature of the auxiliary cooler 13 rises to a predetermined high temperature and opens when the temperature drops to a predetermined temperature. Two circuits operate simultaneously and close, two-way valve 14,1
At the same time, the thermostat 22 is bypassed and the subsequent circuit is energized regardless of the thermostat 22. The two-way valves 14 and 15 are energized, the two-way valve 14 is closed, the two-way valve 15 is opened, and the refrigerant that has passed through the capillary tube 16 is divided into two directions from the branching point of the capillary tubes 17 and 18 to the auxiliary cooler. 13 and the main cooler 7.

In the above configuration, first, in the normal cooling operation state, the switch 23A is open and the relay switch 24A is closed to contact a. Also, since the contacts 24C and 24D and the switch 26A are open, the compressor motor 11M, blower motor 8M, and defrost timer 23 are operating under the control of the thermostat 22, and the two-way valves 14 and 15 are energized. Therefore, the refrigerant flows to the main cooler 7 and a cooling operation is performed.

Second, in the above-mentioned first state, when food items that require quick freezing or items to be frozen, such as ice cube trays, are placed on the auxiliary cooler 13, the auxiliary cooler 13 The temperature of the temperature detection device 2 increases.
6 detects this and the switch 26A closes. At this time, the contact 24B is closed, so the two-way valves 14 and 15
The refrigerant that has passed through the capillary tube 16 passes through the capillary tube 18 to the auxiliary cooler 13, and then passes through the capillary tube 17 and the two-way valve 1.
5 to the main cooler 7. This allows the articles on the auxiliary cooler 13 to be transferred to the main cooler 7.
It is cooled by the cold air from the auxiliary cooler 13 and quickly freezes.

Thirdly, when the above-described first operating state continues and the defrost timer 23 finishes counting, the switch 23A closes and the electric heater 21 and relay coil 24 are energized. As a result, the integration of the defrost timer 23 and the blower motor 8M are stopped, and since the contact point 24D is closed, the compressor motor 11M is continuously operated and the two-way valve 1
4 and 15 are closed, and the refrigerant that has passed through the capillary tube 16 flows through the capillary tube 18 to the auxiliary cooler 13, thereby cooling the freezer compartment 3 and the articles on the auxiliary cooler 13. It turns out.

If defrosting is started during the second operating state, the cold air from the main cooler 7 is stopped, but since the refrigerant flows into the auxiliary cooler 13, the articles on the auxiliary cooler 13 continue to be cooled. cooled down. Furthermore, even if an article is placed on the auxiliary cooler 13 and the switch 26A is closed during the third defrosting operation, there is no effect on the circuit, and the article placed on the auxiliary cooler 13 is not auxiliary cooled. Cooling is effected only from the container 13, making it possible to freeze articles even during defrosting.

Next, FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the refrigerant circuit. In this case, the two-way valve 14 is normally closed, but opens when energized, and a capillary tube 27 to the main cooler 7 is added. As a result, when the two-way valve 14 is opened, the refrigerant flows in the direction of the auxiliary cooler 13 due to the flow path resistance of the capillary tube 27. The electric circuit can remain as shown in Figure 3. Further, in the embodiment, a two-way valve is used as the flow path control device 14, but a three-way valve may also be used, and in this case, the capillary tube 27 may be omitted in the case of FIG.

Further, in the embodiment, the start and end of the quick freezing operation is controlled by the temperature detection device 26, but the start may be performed using a manual switch, etc., and the quick freezing operation may be performed for a predetermined period of time using a timer device that operates at the same time. good.

(G) Effects of the Invention The present invention is configured as described above, and an auxiliary cooler is provided in the freezer compartment, and a user places an ice tray or frozen food on the auxiliary cooler to transfer the refrigerant to the auxiliary cooler. By making it flow into the main cooler, rapid ice making or rapid freezing can be achieved. In addition, since refrigerant flows to the auxiliary cooler during the defrosting operation of the main cooler, the inside of the freezer compartment is always cooled, and even if defrosting is started during the above-mentioned quick freezing operation, the cold air from the main cooler will not flow. However, since the refrigerant continues to flow into the auxiliary cooler, the items on the auxiliary cooler continue to be cooled and the quality of the items does not deteriorate. In addition, the frost that adheres to the auxiliary cooler during quick freezing or defrosting operation is sublimated and removed by the cold air from the main cooler during normal cooling operation, so the auxiliary cooler can always be maintained in good condition. It is something.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Each figure shows an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 is a schematic side sectional view of a refrigerator, Figure 2 is a refrigerant circuit diagram of the present invention, Figure 3 is an electric circuit diagram of the same, and Figure 4 is a refrigerant circuit diagram. It is a figure which shows another Example of a circuit. 3... Refrigerant chamber, 7... Main cooler, 11... Compressor, 13... Auxiliary cooler, 14, 15... Flow path control device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a freezer that circulates air cooled by a main cooler installed in the cooling chamber to the freezer compartment using a blower, a compressor, a condenser, a capillary tube, and a refrigeration cycle through which refrigerant flows through the main cooler and ,
An auxiliary cooler provided in the freezing chamber and a first control unit that controls whether the refrigerant that has passed through the capillary tube flows into the main cooler or the auxiliary cooler.
a flow path control device, and the first flow path control device divides the refrigerant so that it flows to the auxiliary cooler, and the refrigerant flows only to the auxiliary cooler or flows to both the auxiliary cooler and the main cooler; The first flow path control device includes a second flow path control device that controls refrigerant and a defrosting device for the main cooler, and during a quick freezing operation based on a user's operation, the first flow path control device controls the refrigerant to the auxiliary cooler. At the same time, the second flow path control device flows the refrigerant to both the auxiliary cooler and the main cooler, and during the defrosting operation of the defrosting device, the first flow path control device flows the refrigerant to the auxiliary cooler. A freezer characterized in that the second flow path control device operates to flow the refrigerant only to the auxiliary cooler, and the second flow path control device operates to flow the refrigerant only to the auxiliary cooler.