JPH0827126B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator in which a plurality of storage boxes are arranged in a vertical relationship with a required space interposed in a heat-insulating box to cool each storage box uniformly. It is about the refrigerator to get.

Conventional technology Vegetables and fruits, fresh foods such as meat and fish (hereinafter "foodstuffs")
In the case of refrigerated storage in a refrigerator for a long period of time or when frozen foods are gradually thawed, it is generally necessary to reduce the temperature change in the refrigerator and to suppress and control the evaporation of water from the foods. There is.

In order to meet this demand, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication Sho 63-1476
There is a device "fresh food storage device" related to No.78. This device is provided with a storage box for storing foodstuffs inside a storage room having a heat insulating structure via a required space. Further, the space is a horizontal partition plate and a vertical partition plate, an air passage on the casing side that allows cool air to flow without contacting the storage box, and an air passage on the storage box side that allows cool air to flow while contacting the storage box. Is defined. Then, the cool air cooled by the evaporator disposed in the air passage on the casing side is first allowed to flow down the air passage on the casing side to be dropped to the bottom of the storage chamber, and then the air passage on the storage box side is raised. The storage box is configured to be cooled by performing heat exchange with the storage box.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the fresh food preservation apparatus described above, the cooled cold air is lowered to the bottom of the storage chamber, and then the storage box is cooled when the cold air rises. Therefore, in the type in which a single storage box is stored in the storage chamber, the cold air is transmitted to the entire storage box and rises, so that the storage box can be efficiently cooled.

However, in a model in which multiple storage boxes are stored in the storage chamber in a vertical relationship, the upper storage box is cooled by the cold air that has exchanged heat with the lower storage box, so the upper and lower storage boxes can be The temperature becomes uneven and it takes time to cool the upper storage box. Further, it is pointed out that once the cool air is lowered to the bottom of the storage chamber, the cold air stays without rising and the lower storage box is overcooled. In this way, if the internal temperatures of the upper and lower storage boxes become non-uniform, there is a problem that some of the stored food materials are deteriorated in freshness.

Furthermore, when arranging multiple storage boxes in a vertical relationship, the cold air rising from the bottom of the storage room does not spread sufficiently between the bottom surface of the upper storage box and the ceiling surface of the lower storage box, so each storage box Could not be cooled efficiently. Therefore, it takes a considerable amount of time to cool the insides of the upper and lower storage boxes until the set temperature (the storage temperature of the food material) is reached, and thus there is a drawback that the power consumption increases.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been proposed in order to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks inherent in a refrigerator having a double structure in which a plurality of storage boxes are vertically arranged in the heat insulating box. An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can evenly cool each storage box and make the inside temperature uniform.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to overcome the above-mentioned problems and preferably achieve an intended purpose, the present invention provides a heat-insulating box body having a plurality of openings and heat-insulating doors provided at the respective openings, and the heat-insulating box. Provided above the upper storage box in the heat insulation box, and a plurality of storage boxes that are arranged in a vertical relationship inside the box body in a vertical relationship and have openings that open corresponding to the openings. A refrigerator that includes a cooler and a first passage that guides the cool air blown out from the cooler to descend, and a cooler that guides the cool air that descends through the first passage to rise and return to the cooler again. 2 passages, a horizontal passage defined by shielding members arranged oppositely on both left and right edges of the upper and lower facing surfaces of the storage box and communicating with the first passage, and a horizontal passage facing the outside of the upper storage box. Partition plate that divides one passage and horizontal passage into two And a through hole that is formed in the shielding member facing the upper passage partitioned by the partition plate of the horizontal passage, and that communicates the upper passage and the second passage.

Embodiment Next, a refrigerator according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings with reference to preferred embodiments. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a vertical refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention in a partially longitudinal view, FIG. 2 is a vertical side view of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. It is a longitudinal front view of the refrigerator shown.

As shown in the drawing, a refrigerator 10 has an outer box 12 having rectangular openings 12a, 12a which are largely opened to the front side with a predetermined interval vertically separated from each other, and is incorporated in the outer box 12 while maintaining a required gap. The inner box 14 also opens greatly to the front side, and both boxes 1
It has a heat insulating box 18 composed of a heat insulating material 16 such as urethane foam filled between 2 and 14. Inside the inner box 14 in the heat insulating box 18, an inner wall and a required space 20 are held, and an upper storage box 22 and a lower storage box 24 that are stacked via shielding members 38, 38 described later are provided. It is arranged. In addition, storage box
22 and 24 are formed by using a heat conductive metal plate such as stainless steel.

As shown in FIG. 3, on the inner bottom surface of the inner box 14, a support member 19 projecting from the bottom surface by a predetermined height is arranged at the center in the width direction, and the lower storage box 24 is provided on the support member 19. A bottom space is placed between the lower storage box 24 and the bottom surface of the inner box 14.
44 are defined. In addition, the inner back of the inner box 14 has a fourth
As shown in the figure, a pair of storage box guides formed in an L-shaped cross section
34, 34 are disposed facing each other with a distance of the width of the storage box 22 therebetween. The guides 34, 34 extend over substantially the entire vertical length of the internal space in the inner box 14, and the rear portions of the storage boxes 22, 24 are fitted together between the guides 34, 34. ing.

As a first passage between the rear surface of the storage boxes 22 and 24 and the storage box guides 34 and 34 and the inner wall of the inner box 14 to guide the cooling of the storage boxes 22 and 24 while lowering cool air as described later. A functional back passage 36 is defined. In addition, storage boxes 22, 24
The width dimension of is set smaller than the inner dimension of the inner box 14, and as a result, as shown in FIG. Side passages 46,46 are defined which serve as second passages for guiding cooling. That is, the inner wall of the inner box 14 and both storage boxes 2
The space 20 defined between the outer walls of 2, 24 is composed of a back passage 36, a bottom space 44, and side passages 46, 46.

The storage boxes 22 and 24 have rectangular openings 22a and 24a that open forward, corresponding to the rectangular openings 12a and 12a that are formed in the heat-insulating box 18. As shown in FIG. 2, an insulating door 26 for opening and closing the opening 12a is provided on the front surface of the insulating box 18, corresponding to each opening 12a opened in the insulating box 18. Has been established.

The space defined between the inner ceiling surface of the inner box 14 and the ceiling surface of the upper storage box 22 is divided into two chambers 37 and 39 via a wall 30 as shown in FIG. In the first chamber 37 that communicates with the back passage 36, a cooler 28 that communicates with a refrigerating device (not shown) and circulates the refrigerant from the refrigerating device to a built-in evaporator is provided. The other second chamber 39 is the side passage.
Blower fans 32 are provided in the second chamber 39 at positions corresponding to a plurality (two in the embodiment) of openings 30a formed in the image wall 30 in communication with the second chamber 39. This blower fan 32 is the first
Since it is arranged to blow air in the direction of chamber 37,
By driving the blower fan 32, the side passages 46, 46
The air in the refrigerator sucked from the side is cooled by the cooler 28 through the opening 30a.
After being contacted with and cooled to be cool air, it is blown out to the back passage 36.

On the bottom surface of the cooler 28 provided in the first chamber 37, as shown in FIG. 2, a drain tray 33 is provided which functions to discharge the water droplets dropped from the cooler 28 to the outside of the machine. This drain tray
A cool air passage 51 is defined between the bottom surface of 33 and the ceiling surface of the upper storage box 22, and a part of the cool air blown out from the cooler 28 circulates in the cool air passage 51, a so-called short cycle. To do. Further, a plurality of through holes 30b are formed in a portion of the wall 30 facing the cold air passage 51, and a part of the cold air circulating in the cold air passage 51 through the through holes 30b is used for the second chamber 39.
It is configured to be introduced into.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, on the left and right side edges of the upper and lower storage boxes 22 and 24 which face each other vertically.
Shielding members 38, 38 extending over substantially the entire length of the storage box 22 (24) in the depth direction are interposed so as to face each other, and the shielding members 38, 38 are provided between the upper and lower facing surfaces of the storage boxes 22, 24. A horizontal passage 40 having a required size is defined therein. As shown in FIG. 2, the horizontal passage 40 is closed on the front surface and both side surfaces, and communicates only with the rear passage 36 on the rear surface side.

As shown in the drawing, the shielding member 38 is formed in a U shape, and a through hole communicating with the side passage 46 at a position facing an upper passage 56 defined by a horizontal portion 50b of a partition plate 50 described later.
60 are drilled. The through hole 60 functions to let the cool air flowing into the upper passage 56 flow into the side passage 46.

As shown in FIG. 2, a partition plate 50 having an inverted L-shaped cross section is commonly inserted in the rear passage 36 and the horizontal passage 40 facing the rear side of the upper storage box 22, and the passage 36, 40 is double-partitioned. That is, the vertical portion 50a of the partition plate 50 is located in the rear passage 36, and the rear passage 36 facing the rear side of the upper storage box 22 guides cold air while contacting the rear surface of the upper storage box 22 by the vertical portion 50a. The first cold air passage 52 and the second cold air passage 54 for guiding the cool air without contacting the upper storage box 22.
Is defined as. Further, the horizontal portion 50b of the partition plate 50 extends to the front end of the horizontal passage 40 with both left and right ends thereof abutting the shielding plates 38, 38, and the horizontal passage 40 is connected to the upper passage 56b.
And the lower passage 58.

The shield member 38 does not have to be an integral member, and for example, the shield member 38 is divided into two parts vertically and the left and right side parts of the horizontal part 50b of the partition plate 50 are sandwiched therebetween, and the shield member located above the shield part 38 is sandwiched. A through hole 60 may be formed in the member 38.

As a result, the cool air blown from the cooler 28 toward the rear passage 36 is branched into the first cool air passage 52 and the second cool air passage 54 and flows down. Then, the cold air flowing down through the first cold air passage 52 flows into the upper passage 56 and contacts the back surface and the bottom surface of the upper storage box 22 to perform heat exchange. The cool air that has flowed into the upper passage 56 is the through holes 60 formed in the shielding members 38, 38.
After flowing out to the side passages 46, 46 via 60, the upper storage box 22
While coming into contact with both side surfaces of the container, it rises and returns to the cooler 28. Also,
The cold air flowing down through the second cold air passage 54 is introduced into the lower passage 58 via the partition 42, which will be described later, without performing heat exchange with the upper storage box 22, and here the ceiling surface of the lower storage box 24 is provided. Contact with and exchange heat.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the inner wall of the inner box 14 facing the lower passage 58 of the horizontal passage 40 has a lower passage.
A partition 42 that divides 58 into an upper circulation path 58a and a lower circulation path 58b is provided in parallel with the horizontal portion 50b of the partition plate 50. The rear passage 36 is also divided into upper and lower parts by the partition 42, and the flow of cold air flowing down the second cold air passage 54 is deflected by the partition 42 toward the lower passage 58. There is. As shown in FIG. 3, the outer diameter of the partition 42 is such that both sides contact the shielding members 38, 38, and the upper circulation path 58a and the lower circulation path 58b are located on the protruding tip side.
It is set so that a gap having a required size communicating with and is provided.

Therefore, the cool air flowing down the second cool air passage 54 of the rear passage 36 collides with the partition 42 and the upper circulation passage of the lower passage 58.
58a, and the lower circulation path 5 from the tip of the partition 42.
After passing 8b, it flows into the back passage 36 again. Further, the cold air flowing into the back passage 36 and flowing down while contacting the back surface of the lower storage box 24 is blown out to the bottom space 44 defined on the bottom surface of the lower storage box 24 as shown in FIG. Bottom space
While raising the side passages 46, 46 communicating with 44, the respective storage boxes 22, 24 are cooled and then returned to the cooler 28 again.

It should be noted that the provision of the partition 42 is not an essential requirement of the present invention, and the object of the present invention is preferably achieved even without provision of the partition 42.

Next, FIG. 6 shows a modified example of the embodiment shown in FIG. _{1, in} which the width dimension d ₁ of the first cold air passage 52 defined by the vertical portion 50a of the partition plate 50 is set to the second dimension. Width of cold air passage 54
It is set to be smaller than d ₂ (d ₁ <d ₂ ). That is, the cool air blown out from the cooler 28 flows through the second cold air passage 54 to cool the lower storage box 24, and the cool air blows through the first cold air passage 52 to cool the upper storage box 22. Since it is longer than the circulation path, the resistance against the flow of cold air increases, and the flow rate of cold air differs between the first cold air passage 52 side and the second cold air passage 54 side. Therefore, the sixth
As shown in the figure, by setting the width of the second cold air passage 54 to be wide, the resistance to the flow of cold air is reduced. Therefore, the cool air smoothly flows through the second cool air passage 54,
The flow rates of the cool air flowing through 52, 54 can be made equal, and the upper and lower storage boxes 22, 24 can be cooled more evenly.

According to the refrigerator according to the embodiment configured as described above, when the refrigerator is operated, the air inside the refrigerator on the side passages 46, 46 is sucked by the blower fan 32 to open the wall 30. 30a
It is sent to the cooler 28 via the, where it is cooled by heat exchange, and then blown out to the back passage 36. Note that a part of the cool air blown out from the cooler 28 is the cold air passage 51 defined between the drain tray 33 and the ceiling surface of the upper storage box 22.
A so-called short cycle is achieved in which the ceiling surface of the storage box 22 is cooled by circulating.

The cold air blown into the rear passage 36 is branched into a first cold air passage 52 and a second cold air passage 54 defined by a vertical portion 50a of the partition plate 50, as shown in FIGS. Flow down. The cold air that has flowed into the first cold air passage 52 is stored in the upper storage box 22.
While descending while contacting the back surface of the partition plate 50 while exchanging heat, the flow collides with the horizontal portion 50b of the partition plate 50 to deflect the flow and flows into the upper passage 56. The cold air flowing into the upper passage 56 contacts the bottom surface of the upper storage box 22 to perform heat exchange, and then flows out to the side passages 46, 46 from the through holes 60, 60 formed in the shielding members 38, 38. To do. Further, the cool air rises while contacting the side passages 46, 46 with both side surfaces of the upper storage box 22 while exchanging heat and returning to the cooler 28 again.

In addition, the cold air branched to the second cold air passage 54 does not exchange heat with the upper storage box 22, and the intermediate partition
It flows down to the arrangement position of 42, collides with the partition 42, and the flow is deflected. This cool air flows through the upper circulation path 58a of the lower passage 58 along the partition 42, and then the lower circulation path 5a.
It flows through 8b and flows into the back passage 36 located below the partition 42. At this time, the cool air does not come into contact with the bottom surface of the upper storage box 22 but only comes into contact with the ceiling surface of the lower storage box 24 to perform heat exchange, so that the lower storage box 24 can be efficiently cooled.

The cool air that has flowed into the rear passage 36 again is the lower storage box.
After flowing down while contacting with the back surface of 24 and performing heat exchange, it is blown out into the bottom space 44, where it contacts the bottom of the storage box 24. Furthermore, when the cool air rises in the side passages 46, 46, it repeats a cycle of contacting both sides of both storage boxes 22, 24 to cool the storage boxes 22, 24, and then returning to the cooler 28 again.
The cold air blown into the bottom space 44 is stored in the lower storage box 24.
The heat is exchanged between the
The cold air does not stay at the bottom of the, and the cold air circulates efficiently.

The cool air cooled by the cooler 28 is stored in the upper storage box 22.
By branching into the cool air for cooling the lower storage box 24 and the cool air for cooling the lower storage box 24, both storage boxes 22, 24 can be cooled uniformly. That is, since the lower storage box 24 can be cooled by the cold air that has not exchanged heat with the upper storage box 24, the cooling efficiency of both storage boxes 22 and 24 can be made equal.
Further, since the cool air contacts the bottom surface of the upper storage box 22 and the ceiling surface of the lower storage box 24 thoroughly, the cooling efficiency of each storage box 22, 24 is improved, and the inside of the storage box can be quickly cooled to the set temperature. There is also.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the refrigerator of the present invention, the cool air cooled by the cooler is cooled by the cool air for cooling the upper storage box,
By arranging the lower storage box to circulate and cool the cooling air for cooling, both storage boxes can be cooled uniformly. Therefore, the freshness of the foodstuffs stored in the upper and lower storage boxes can be effectively prevented from decreasing. In addition, the bottom surface of the upper storage box and the ceiling surface of the lower storage box can be kept in contact with cool air, improving the cooling efficiency of the upper and lower storage boxes and reducing the time required to cool the storage boxes to the set temperature. It is possible to reduce the running cost and the running cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vertical refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is partially cut away, FIG. 2 is a vertical side view of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is FIG. Longitudinal view of the refrigerator,
FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional plan view of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal side view of essential parts showing a flow of cold air flowing through a horizontal passage defined between the facing surfaces of the upper and lower storage boxes. The drawing is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional side view of a main part showing a modified example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 12a …… Opening, 18 …… Insulation box 20 …… Space, 22 …… Upper storage box 22a …… Opening, 24 …… Lower storage box 24a …… Opening, 26 …… Insulation door 28 …… Cooling Vessel, 36 ... Rear passage 38 ... Shielding member, 40 ... Horizontal passage 46 ... Side passage, 50 ... Partition plate 56 ... Upper passage, 60 ... Through hole

Front Page Continuation (72) Inventor Shinya Suzuki 16-16, Hoshizaki Electric Co., Ltd., 3%, South Building, Sakaemachi, Toyoake City, Aichi Prefecture (56) Reference JP-A-2-233968 (JP, A) , U) Actual public Sho 45-20937 (JP, Y1) Actual public Sho 48-6356 (JP, Y1)

Claims (3)

[Claims] A plurality of openings (12a) and each opening (12a).
a heat-insulating box (18) provided with the heat-insulating door (26) provided in a);
A plurality of openings (22a, 24a) are provided inside the heat insulation box (18) in a vertical relationship via a required space (20) and opened corresponding to the openings (12a). Storage box (22,
24) and an upper storage box (22) in the heat-insulating box (18).
A refrigerator comprising a cooler (28) provided above the first passage (36) for guiding the cool air blown from the cooler (28) to descend and the first passage (36) The second passages (46, 46) for guiding the rise of the cooled air and returning to the cooler (28), and the second passages (46, 46) are arranged opposite to each other on the left and right edges of the upper and lower facing surfaces of the storage box (22, 24). A horizontal passageway (40) defined by the shield member (38, 38) and communicating with the first passageway (36), and the first passageway (36) and the horizontal passageway facing the outside of the upper storage box (22). The partition plate (50) that double-divides the passage (40) and the shielding member (38, 38) facing the upper passage (56) that is partitioned by the partition plate (50) of the horizontal passage (40) The refrigerator is characterized by comprising the through passage (60, 60) communicating the upper passage (56) and the second passage (46, 46). 2. The width dimension of the first cold air passage (52) on the side of the upper storage box (22), which is partitioned by the partition plate (50) of the first passage (36), is the same as that on the side of the heat insulating box (18). The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerator is set smaller than the width dimension of the second cold air passageway (54). 3. A partition plate (50) in the horizontal passage (40).
Inside the lower passage (58) partitioned by
8) and the first passage (36) are respectively divided into upper and lower parts, and the upper passage (58a) and the lower circulation passage (58b) defined by the lower passage (58) are connected to the first passage (36). The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a partition (42) for communicating on the side opposite to the side communicating with.