refrigerator

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator that facilitates confirmation of a state in a drain pan.SOLUTION: A refrigerator 1 comprises a refrigerating chamber 10, a door 11 attached to the refrigerating chamber 10, a cooling plate 13, and a drain pan 60. The cooling plate 13 is provided on the side of a back surface or the side of a top surface of the refrigerating chamber 10. The refrigerator 1 is provided with a drainage port 55 for introducing drain water from the inside of the refrigerating chamber 10 into the drain pan 60. The drain pan 60 is arranged below the refrigerating chamber 10, and can be detached from a main body part of the refrigerator 1. A part of the drain pan 60 is located directly below the door 11 in a closed state. When the door 11 is opened, a water storage part 61 of the drain pan 60 is opened upward.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a drain pan for storing water generated inside a refrigerator.

Background Art

[0002] Since the temperature inside a refrigerator is lower than that of outside air, moisture contained in air entering the refrigerator and moisture from stored items may condense inside the refrigerator.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a storage cabinet comprising: a heat insulating container for storing items to be stored at a predetermined temperature; and a thermo module composed of a Peltier element, a utilization-side heat exchange surface portion and a heat radiation-side heat exchange surface portion, the thermo module being disposed on a rear wall of the heat insulating container to enable the interior of the heat insulating container to be maintained at a predetermined temperature. The thermo module is disposed in a storage hole formed in the rear wall of the heat insulating container. A heat transfer block made of an aluminum-based alloy with high thermal conductivity is interposed between the thermo module and an inner box, and the heat transfer block is joined to the inner box by screwing in a state that enables heat conduction. Further, a drain pan for receiving water (drain water) generated inside the heat insulating container is provided. When the surface of the inner box is cooled, drain water condensed on the surface of the inner box of the storage cabinet is generated. This drain water falls onto the bottom surface of the inner box and is drained from a drain outlet to the drain pan.

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Thus, the drain pan is positioned beneath the bottom of the insulated container and is configured to receive the drain water discharged from the drain opening formed in the bottom of the insulated container. The inside of the drain pan is hidden by the bottom of the insulated container, making it difficult for the user to check the amount of water stored in the drain pan. In other words, the user has to intentionally remove the drain pan from the refrigerator in order to check the amount of water stored in it. Therefore, if the user does not pay attention to the state inside the drain pan, they may not notice when the drain pan is full of water, and liquid may leak from the drain pan.

[0006] Therefore, the objective of this invention is to provide a refrigerator that makes it easier to check the condition inside the drain pan. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A refrigerator according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a storage compartment, a door attached to the storage compartment, a cooling unit provided on the rear or top side of the storage compartment, and a removable drain pan located below the storage compartment, wherein the drain pan is provided with a path for introducing drain water from the storage compartment, a part of the drain pan is located directly below the closed door, and when the door is opened, the water reservoir of the drain pan opens upward. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a refrigerator that makes it easier to check the condition inside the drain pan. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a refrigerator according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the refrigerator. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the interior of the refrigerator. [Figure 4]Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the drain pan installed in the refrigerator shown. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the drain pan installed in the refrigerator shown. [Figure 6] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the refrigerator as seen from above. [Figure 7] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the refrigerator with the drain pan removed. [Figure 8] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the refrigerator with the door open. [Figure 9] This diagram shows the internal structure of the front lower part of the refrigerator shown in Figure 1. [Figure 10] This diagram shows the internal structure of the front lower part of a refrigerator with the drain pan removed. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view showing a drain pan provided in a refrigerator according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the storage compartment according to the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed descriptions of them will not be repeated.

[0011] <First Embodiment> (Overall configuration of the refrigerator) In this embodiment, as an example of a refrigerator, a refrigerator that uses a Peltier element to cool the inside of the refrigerator will be described. First, the overall configuration of the refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment will be described. Figure 1 shows the external configuration of the refrigerator 1. Figure 2 shows the internal configuration of the refrigerator 1. Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the refrigerator 1. Figure 3 shows the refrigerator 1 with the door 11 open.

[0012] Refrigerator 1 is a refrigerator that cools the interior thereof using a Peltier element. The outer shape of the refrigerator 1 is mainly formed of a heat insulating container 50, a door 11, a back cover 54, a drain pan 60, and legs 21. The heat insulating container 50 mainly includes an outer box 51, an inner box 52, and a heat insulating material 53.

[0013] In the present embodiment, the surface on which the door 11 is provided is referred to as the front face or front side of the refrigerator. Based on the front side, each face of the refrigerator 1 is defined as a top face, a side face, a back face, and a bottom face in accordance with the positions occupied when the refrigerator 1 is installed in a normal state. Further, when the refrigerator 1 is placed on an installation surface, the vertical direction of the refrigerator 1 is referred to as the vertical direction of the refrigerator 1 (or the heat insulating container 50, etc.). Further, when the refrigerator 1 is placed on an installation surface, the front-rear direction when viewing the refrigerator 1 from the front side is referred to as the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1 (or the heat insulating container 50, etc.).

[0014] The outer box 51 is formed of a metal material such as a steel plate, for example. The inner box 52 is formed of a resin material such as plastic, for example. The heat insulating material 53 is provided in a space between the outer box 51 and the inner box 52. The heat insulating material 53 is formed of, for example, urethane foam.

[0015] A refrigerating chamber (storage chamber) 10 is provided inside the heat insulating container 50. The door 11 is provided so as to cover the front face of the refrigerating chamber 10. The inner wall of the refrigerating chamber 10 is mainly formed by the inner box 52.

[0016] Inside the refrigerating chamber 10, a shelf plate 12 that vertically partitions the interior of the refrigerator is provided. In one example, the shelf plate 12 is disposed at a substantially central portion in the vertical direction of the refrigerating chamber 10. A cooling plate (cooling unit) 13 is provided on the back face of the refrigerating chamber 10. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the cooling plate 13 is disposed from the back face to the top face of the refrigerating chamber 10. In another example, the cooling plate 13 may be disposed on the back side or the top side of the refrigerating chamber 10. The cooling plate 13 is formed of, for example, an aluminum-based metal plate having high thermal conductivity and high corrosion resistance. A cold heat generating unit 30 is disposed on the back side of the cooling plate 13.

[0017] The rear cover 54 is attached to the insulated container 50 so as to cover the back of the insulated container 50. Inside the rear cover 54 is a machine room 56. The machine room 56 is equipped with a cooling / heating unit 30 including a Peltier element 31, a blower fan 36, and an electrical unit (not shown).

[0018] An air intake port 58 is provided at the bottom of the machine room 56. An exhaust port 59 is provided at the top of the machine room 56.

[0019] The cooling / heating unit 30 mainly comprises a Peltier element 31, a heat sink 34, and the like. The Peltier element 31 has, for example, a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape. One side of the Peltier element 31 (specifically, the front) is the heat exchange surface 32 on the utilization side, and the other side (specifically, the back) is the heat exchange surface 33 on the heat dissipation side.

[0020] When a current in a predetermined direction is applied to the Peltier element 31, heat absorption occurs on one side and heat dissipation occurs on the other side. In this embodiment, heat absorption occurs on the front-side heat exchange surface 32, causing the surface temperature to decrease. Then, heat dissipation occurs on the rear-side heat exchange surface 33, causing the surface temperature to increase.

[0021] The heat exchange surface 32 on the user side is in contact with the cooling plate 13 that forms the back wall of the refrigerator compartment 10. As a result, the cold generated on the heat exchange surface 32 is transferred to the cooling plate 13. The cold transferred to the cooling plate 13 then cools the inside of the refrigerator compartment 10.

[0022] A heat sink 34 is provided on the back side of the heat dissipation side heat exchange surface 33. The heat sink 34 is positioned to be in contact with the heat dissipation side heat exchange surface 33. This allows the heat generated on the heat dissipation side heat exchange surface 33 to be efficiently released.

[0023] The blower fan 36 is positioned below the cooling and heat generation unit 30 (more specifically, below the heat sink 34). The presence of the blower fan 36 within the machine room 56 creates an airflow that moves from bottom to top within the machine room 56. This allows for efficient cooling of the heat sink 34.

[0024] A drain pan 60 is provided at the bottom of the insulated container 50. The drain pan 60 has a water reservoir 61 in which liquids such as water condensed in the refrigerator compartment 10 accumulate. A drain port 55 is provided at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment 10, leading to the water reservoir 61 of the drain pan 60. The drain port 55 corresponds to the path through which drain water is introduced from the refrigerator compartment 10 to the drain pan 60.

[0025] When the inside of the refrigerator compartment 10 is cooled by the cold heat transferred from the Peltier element 31 to the cooling plate 13, water vapor inside the refrigerator compartment 10 condenses on the surface of the inner box 52, generating condensation water. This condensation water is discharged as drain water from the drain port 55 located at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment 10 into the drain pan 60. As a result, drain water accumulates in the water storage section 61 of the drain pan 60.

[0026] Furthermore, if a user accidentally spills a liquid such as drinking water inside the refrigerator compartment 10, the spilled liquid is also discharged from the drain port 55 into the water storage section 61 of the drain pan 60.

[0027] The drain pan 60 is designed to be removable from the main body of the refrigerator 1. For example, a user can remove the drain pan 60 by pulling it forward. This allows for the disposal of any liquid accumulated in the drain pan 60 or for cleaning the inside of the drain pan 60.

[0028] An air filter 57 is provided behind the drain pan 60. Above the air filter 57 is an air intake 58 leading to the machine room 56. When the blower fan 36 is operated, outside air flows into the machine room 56 from the air intake 58 through the air filter 57, passes around the heat sink 34, and is then discharged from the exhaust port 59. This promotes heat dissipation from the heat sink 34. Furthermore, because the air filter 57 is located upstream of the air intake 58 in this airflow, dust and dirt contained in the outside air flowing into the machine room 56 can be captured by the air filter 57.

[0029] Furthermore, some of the outside air flowing from the air filter 57 into the machine room 56 enters from the front of the refrigerator 1 through an air duct 70 located below the drain pan 60. Figure 2 illustrates the flow of air entering the refrigerator 1 from the front of the refrigerator 1 through the air duct 70 using dashed arrows.

[0030] Multiple legs 21 are provided at the bottom of the refrigerator 1. The insulated container 50 is supported by these multiple legs 21. This creates a space below the insulated container 50 for arranging the drain pan 60 and the air duct 70.

[0031] (Drain pan configuration) Next, the configuration of the drain pan 60 located at the bottom of the refrigerator 1 will be described. Figures 4 and 5 show the external appearance of the drain pan 60 located in the refrigerator 1. Figure 6 is a view of the refrigerator 1 from above with the door 11 open.

[0032] The drain pan 60 is mostly located directly beneath the insulated container 50. Additionally, a portion of the drain pan 60 (specifically, a portion on the front side) is located directly beneath the door 11.

[0033] The drain pan 60 has a tray-like shape, with its outer edge raised upwards and its interior recessed downwards. This recessed portion serves as the water storage area 61.

[0034] The water reservoir 61 is mainly composed of the main water reservoirs 62a and 62b, the duct forming section (central section) 63, and the intermediate stepped sections (stepped sections) 64a and 64b. The duct forming section 63 extends in the front-to-back direction from the central section in the left-to-right direction. The bottom surface of the duct forming section 63 is located slightly above the bottom surface of the main water reservoirs 62a and 62b (for example, about 15 mm to 30 mm above). Because the duct forming section 63 is raised one step above the main water reservoirs 62a and 62b, a space for the air duct 70 is formed below the duct forming section 63.

[0035] The main water storage sections 62a and 62b are located on the left and right sides of the duct forming section 63 and extend in the front-to-back direction. Specifically, when viewed from the front, the main water storage section 62a is located on the left side of the duct forming section 63, and the main water storage section 62b is located on the right side. The main water storage sections 62a and 62b are the deepest parts of the water storage section 61, and are the parts where liquids such as drain water discharged from the drain port 55 preferentially accumulate.

[0036] The intermediate stepped sections 64a and 64b are located on the front side of the main water storage sections 62a and 62b. Specifically, the intermediate stepped section 64a is located on the front side of the main water storage section 62a. The intermediate stepped section 64b is located on the front side of the main water storage section 62b. The bottom surfaces of the intermediate stepped sections 64a and 64b are located slightly above (for example, about 8 mm to 15 mm above) the bottom surfaces of the main water storage sections 62a and 62b. The bottom surfaces of the intermediate stepped sections 64a and 64b are located slightly below (for example, about 5 mm below) the bottom surface of the duct forming section 63. As a result, the liquid discharged from the drain port 55 to the drain pan 60 first accumulates in the main water storage sections 62a and 62b, and after the main water storage sections 62a and 62b are full, the liquid also accumulates in the intermediate stepped sections 64a and 64b. Furthermore, if an even larger amount of liquid is discharged, the liquid will accumulate on the entire inner surface of the drain pan 60, including the top surface of the duct forming section 63, i.e., in the water storage section 61.

[0037] A front upper section 65 is provided on the front side of the water storage section 61. The front upper section 65 is located even higher than the duct forming section 63. The majority of the front upper section 65 is located directly below the door 11, and when the door 11 is closed, the upper surface of the front upper section 65 and the lower surface of the door 11 are in close proximity.

[0038] A handle portion 66 is provided at the very front of the front upper section 65, formed by cutting out its lower end. The user can easily remove the drain pan 60 by placing their hand on the handle portion 66 and pulling the drain pan 60 forward.

[0039] In the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6 and other figures, when the door 11 is opened, the water reservoir 61 of the drain pan 60 opens upward. That is, when the door 11 of the refrigerator 1 is opened, a part of the water reservoir 61 of the drain pan 60 is visible. This allows the user to easily check the condition of the water reservoir 61 of the drain pan 60.

[0040] Furthermore, in the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment, intermediate stepped sections 64a and 64b are provided on the front side of the water storage section 61, positioned above the main water storage sections 62a and 62b. Therefore, when the door 11 is opened, the user will see the intermediate stepped sections 64a and 62b of the water storage section 61, while the main water storage sections 62a and 62b, which are located behind the intermediate stepped sections 64a and 62b, will not be visible. In other words, only when the water storage section 61 is nearly full can the user see the liquid accumulated in the water storage section 61 when the door 11 is opened. In contrast, in a configuration where the user only becomes aware of the liquid level when the water storage section 61 is nearly full, there is a high possibility that liquid will spill when the drain pan 60 is attached or detached. According to the configuration of this embodiment, when the liquid reaches the intermediate stepped sections 64a and 64b, the user can be prompted to perform appropriate drainage.

[0041] In this embodiment, the drain pan 60 is provided with an inclined portion 67 that slopes upward toward the front at the foremost part of the water storage section 61 (i.e., the boundary between the duct forming section 63 and the intermediate stepped sections 64a and 64b and the front upper section 65). The provision of such an inclined portion 67 makes it easier to check the amount of liquid accumulated in the intermediate stepped sections 64a and 64b.

[0042] In another embodiment, the bottom surfaces of the intermediate stepped sections 64a and 64b may be inclined. That is, the bottom surface at the boundary between the main water storage sections 62a and 62b and the front upper section 65 may be an inclined section that slopes upward toward the front.

[0043] (Regarding the flag to prevent forgetting to install the drain pan) Next, we will explain the configuration to prevent forgetting to install the drain pan 60 from the refrigerator 1. Figures 7 and 8 show the external appearance of the refrigerator 1 with the drain pan 60 removed. Figures 9 and 10 show the internal configuration of the bottom of the refrigerator 1. Figure 9 shows the state with the drain pan 60 installed, and Figure 10 shows the state with the drain pan 60 removed.

[0044] When a user needs to clean the drain pan 60 or empty the liquid in the water reservoir 61, the drain pan 60 must be removed from the main body of the refrigerator 1. As shown in Figure 1, the drain pan 60 is located at the bottom of the refrigerator 1 and is not visible externally, so users may not notice whether the drain pan 60 is installed or not. If the refrigerator 1 is cooled with the drain pan 60 removed, the drain water generated in the refrigerator compartment 10 may spill onto the floor from the drain outlet 55.

[0045] Therefore, the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment has a flag (plate-shaped member) 73 that hangs down as a marker when the drain pan 60 is removed. The flag 73 is attached to the lower surface 60a of the insulated container 50.

[0046] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, when the drain pan 60 is not installed, the flag 73 hangs downwards. The front of the flag 73 may have a message to inform the user that the drain pan 60 is not installed. Specific messages could include, for example, "The drain pan is detached," "Thank you for your continued maintenance," and "Please install the drain pan here." This makes it easier for the user to know that the drain pan 60 has been removed from the refrigerator 1.

[0047] The flag 73 is a roughly rectangular plate-like member. The flag 73 is made of, for example, a metal plate or a resin plate. The flag 73 has a pivot shaft 73a at its upper end. The pivot shaft 73a is rotatably attached to the lower surface 60a of the heat-insulating container 50. The flag 73 also has a weight 73b at its lower end.

[0048] With the drain pan 60 attached to the refrigerator 1, as shown in Figure 9, the flag 73 is pushed upward by the duct forming portion 63 of the drain pan 60 and is housed in the gap formed between the lower surface 60a of the insulated container 50 and the water storage portion 61 of the drain pan 60.

[0049] When the drain pan 60 is removed from the refrigerator 1, the flag 73 hangs downward due to the action of the rotating shaft 73a and the weight 73b, as shown in Figure 10. As a result, when a user looks at the refrigerator 1 from the front, they can see that the flag 73 is sticking out from the bottom of the door 11, as shown in Figure 7 and other figures.

[0050] (Summary of the first embodiment) As described above, the Peltier-type refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment comprises a refrigerator compartment 10, a door 11 attached to the refrigerator compartment 10, a cooling / heating unit 30, and a drain pan 60. The cooling / heating unit 30 is located on the rear side of the refrigerator compartment 10 and includes a Peltier element 31. The cooling / heating generated by the cooling / heating unit 30 is transferred to a cooling plate 13. The cooling plate 13 is located on the rear or top side of the refrigerator compartment 10. The refrigerator 1 is provided with a path (for example, a drain port 55) for introducing drain water from inside the refrigerator compartment 10 into the drain pan 60. The drain pan 60 is located below the refrigerator compartment 10 and is removable from the main body of the refrigerator 1. Part of the drain pan 60 is located directly below the closed door 11, and when the door 11 is opened, the water reservoir 61 of the drain pan 60 opens upward.

[0051] Refrigerators that use Peltier elements to cool the interior do not have compressors or other components, making them easier to miniaturize and quieter to operate compared to refrigerators with a refrigeration cycle. For this reason, they are often used as refrigerators in hotel rooms and hospital wards.

[0052] For example, in a refrigerator installed in a hotel, if a guest accidentally spills liquid inside, the amount of water in the drain pan may increase rapidly. If the next guest uses the refrigerator without noticing this, the drain water will be discharged into the drain pan, potentially filling it to capacity and causing the liquid to overflow.

[0053] In the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment, when the door 11 is opened, the water reservoir 61 of the drain pan 60 opens upward. That is, the refrigerator 1 is configured so that when the user opens the door 11, a portion of the front side of the water reservoir 61 of the drain pan 60 (specifically, the intermediate stepped portions 64a and 64b) is easily visible. As a result, the user can easily check the condition of the water reservoir 61 of the drain pan 160. Therefore, the possibility of liquid such as drain water overflowing from the drain pan 60 can be reduced.

[0054] Furthermore, the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment is provided with a flag 73 that hangs down when the drain pan 60 is removed. In this embodiment, the flag 73 is attached to the lower surface 60a of the opening portion of the insulated container 50.

[0055] This allows the user to easily know that the drain pan 60 has been removed from the refrigerator 1. Therefore, it prevents forgetting to reattach the drain pan 60 after removing it for cleaning or other purposes.

[0056] In this embodiment, a refrigerator that uses a Peltier element to cool the interior has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to Peltier-type refrigerators. For example, in another embodiment, it can be applied to a compressor-type small refrigerator. In the case of a compressor-type refrigerator, a cooling unit (for example, an evaporator in the refrigeration cycle) can be provided on the rear side of the storage compartment.

[0057] <Second Embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the refrigerator 1 according to the second embodiment, the configuration of the drain pan differs from that of the first embodiment. For other components, the same configuration as in the first embodiment can be applied.

[0058] The refrigerator 1 according to the second embodiment includes an insulated container 50, a door 11, a rear cover 54, a drain pan 160, and legs 21, etc. Figure 11 shows the external appearance of the drain pan 160 provided in the refrigerator 1.

[0059] The drain pan 160 has a tray-like shape, with its outer edge raised upwards and its interior recessed downwards. This recessed portion serves as the water storage area 61.

[0060] The water storage section 61 is mainly composed of the main water storage sections 62a and 62b, the duct forming section (central section) 63, and the intermediate stepped sections (stepped sections) 64a and 64b.

[0061] The main water storage sections 62a and 62b extend in the front-rear direction along the left and right ends of the water storage section 61, respectively. The duct forming section 63 is positioned between the main water storage sections 62a and 62b and has a raised bottom surface compared to the main water storage sections 62a and 62b. A drain port 55 of the insulated container 50 is located above the rear side of the bottom surface of the duct forming section 63. In Figure 11, the position of the drain port 55 on the bottom surface of the duct forming section 63 and the corresponding location are shown by dashed lines.

[0062] A front upper section 65 is provided on the front side of the water storage section 61. The front upper section 65 is located even higher than the duct forming section 63. The majority of the front upper section 65 is located directly below the door 11, and when the door 11 is closed, the upper surface of the front upper section 65 and the lower surface of the door 11 are in close proximity. A handle section 66 is provided at the very front of the front upper section 65, formed by cutting out its lower end.

[0063] The drain pan 160 can be configured in the same way as the drain pan 60 according to the first embodiment. With this configuration, when the door 11 is opened, the water reservoir 61 of the drain pan 160 opens upward. In other words, when the door 11 of the refrigerator 1 is opened, a part of the water reservoir 61 of the drain pan 160 is visible. This allows the user to easily check the condition of the water reservoir 61 of the drain pan 160.

[0064] Furthermore, the drain pan 160 according to this embodiment is provided with a guide section 169 on the bottom surface of the duct forming section (central section) 63 that guides the liquid discharged from the drain port 55 to the water storage section 61 to either the left or right main water storage section 62a or 62b.

[0065] The guide section 169 has a wall-like structure erected on the bottom surface and is formed to surround the location of the drain port 55. The guide section 169 has a wall-like structure that guides the liquid that falls from the drain port 55 toward either the left or right main water storage section 62a or 62b.

[0066] In the example shown in Figure 11, the guide section 169 has a wall-like structure that guides the liquid to the main reservoir 62b on the right side when viewed from the front. That is, the guide section 169 has a wall portion 169a on the side of the main reservoir 62a, but does not have a wall portion on the side of the main reservoir 62b.

[0067] As a result, the liquid discharged from the drain port 55 into the drain pan 60 first accumulates in the main water storage section 62b on the left side. Then, when the main water storage section 62b is full, the liquid discharged from the drain port 55 begins to accumulate in the intermediate stepped section 64b.

[0068] Subsequently, the liquid fills the intermediate stepped section 64b, then flows over the duct forming section 63 and begins to accumulate in the main water storage section 62a. After that, it also begins to accumulate in the intermediate stepped section 64a.

[0069] As described above, in the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment, liquid can be preferentially stored in either of the two main water storage sections 62a and 62b provided on both the left and right sides of the duct forming section 63. The user can recognize the amount of liquid at an early stage when liquid is accumulating in only one of the two main water storage sections 62a and 62b. Furthermore, by recognizing that liquid is accumulating in only one of the two main water storage sections 62a and 62b, or that liquid is accumulating in both main water storage sections 62a and 62b, the user can easily predict the amount of liquid in the storage section 61.

[0070] <Third Embodiment> Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the embodiments described above, a refrigerator 1 that uses a Peltier element to cool the inside of the compartment was used as an example. However, the present invention can be applied to a storage compartment that has the function of both a refrigerator and a warming compartment. Therefore, in the following, a storage compartment that can cool and warm the inside of the compartment using a Peltier element will be used as an example.

[0071] Figure 12 shows the internal configuration of the storage compartment 201 according to this embodiment. Figure 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the storage compartment 201.

[0072] The external structure of the storage compartment 201 is mainly formed by an insulated container 50, a door 11, a rear cover 54, a drain pan 60, and legs 21. The insulated container 50 mainly comprises an outer box 51, an inner box 52, and insulation material 53. The same configuration as that of the refrigerator 1 described in the first embodiment can be applied to these components.

[0073] A storage compartment 210 is provided inside the insulated container 50. The storage compartment 210 functions as both a refrigerator and a warming compartment.

[0074] A heat conduction plate 213 is provided on the back of the storage compartment 210. The heat conduction plate 213 is made of, for example, an aluminum-based metal plate that has good thermal conductivity and is resistant to corrosion. A heat generating unit 230 is located on the back side of the heat conduction plate 213.

[0075] The heat generating section 230 mainly comprises a Peltier element 31, a heat sink 34, and the like. The Peltier element 31 has, for example, a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape. One side of the Peltier element 31 (specifically, the front) is the heat exchange surface 32 on the utilization side, and the other side (specifically, the back) is the heat exchange surface 33 on the heat dissipation side.

[0076] When a current in a predetermined direction is applied to the Peltier element 31, heat absorption occurs on one side and heat dissipation occurs on the other side.

[0077] For example, when a current in the first direction is applied to the Peltier element 31, heat absorption occurs on the front-side heat exchange surface 32, causing the surface temperature to decrease. Then, heat dissipation occurs on the rear-side heat exchange surface 33, causing the surface temperature to rise.

[0078] The heat exchange surface 32 on the user side is in contact with the heat conduction plate 213 that forms the back wall of the storage chamber 210. As a result, the cold generated on the heat exchange surface 32 is transferred to the heat conduction plate 213. The cold transferred to the heat conduction plate 213 then cools the inside of the storage chamber 210. In other words, the storage chamber 210 functions as a refrigerator.

[0079] On the other hand, when a second current in the opposite direction to the first direction is applied to the Peltier element 31, heat is dissipated at the front-side heat exchange surface 32, causing the surface temperature to rise. Then, heat is absorbed at the rear-side heat exchange surface 33, causing the surface temperature to decrease.

[0080] The heat exchange surface 32 on the user side is in contact with the heat conduction plate 213 that forms the back wall of the storage chamber 210. As a result, the heat generated on the heat exchange surface 32 is transferred to the heat conduction plate 213. The heat transferred to the heat conduction plate 213 then warms the inside of the storage chamber 210. In other words, the storage chamber 210 functions as a warming chamber.

[0081] With the above configuration, the user can cool or heat the storage compartment 210 as needed. Therefore, a more convenient storage compartment is obtained compared to a configuration that only has a refrigeration function.

[0082] The drain pan in the storage compartment 201 can be configured in the same way as the drain pan 60 according to the first embodiment or the drain pan 160 according to the second embodiment. With this configuration, when the door 11 is opened, the water reservoir 61 of the drain pan 60 or 160 opens upward. In other words, when the door 11 of the refrigerator 1 is opened, a part of the water reservoir 61 of the drain pan is visible. This allows the user to easily check the condition of the water reservoir 61 of the drain pan.

[0083] (summary) A refrigerator according to one aspect of the present invention (for example, refrigerator 1, storage compartment 201) comprises a storage compartment (for example, refrigerator compartment 10, storage compartment 210), a door (for example, door 11) attached to the storage compartment, a cooling unit (for example, cooling plate 13, heat conduction plate 213) provided on the rear or top side of the storage compartment, and a removable drain pan (for example, drain pan 60, drain pan 160) positioned below the storage compartment. The drain pan is provided with a path (for example, drain port 55) for introducing drain water from the storage compartment, a part of the drain pan is located directly below the closed door, and when the door is opened, the water reservoir (for example, water reservoir 61) of the drain pan opens upward.

[0084] A refrigerator according to one aspect of the present invention described above (for example, refrigerator 1, storage compartment 201) may be provided with a stepped portion (for example, intermediate stepped portions 64a, 64b) on the front side of the water storage portion (for example, water storage portion 61) that is positioned higher than the lowest surface of the water storage portion.

[0085] A refrigerator according to one aspect of the present invention described above (for example, refrigerator 1, storage compartment 201) may be provided with an inclined portion (for example, inclined portion 67) that is inclined upward toward the front of the water storage portion (for example, water storage portion 61).

[0086] A refrigerator according to one aspect of the present invention described above (for example, refrigerator 1, storage compartment 201) may further include a plate-shaped member (for example, flag 73) that hangs down when the drain pan (for example, drain pan 60, drain pan 160) is removed.

[0087] In a refrigerator (for example, refrigerator 1, storage compartment 201) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, the water storage section (for example, water storage section 61) has main water storage sections (for example, main water storage sections 62a and 62b) that extend in the front-rear direction along the left and right ends, respectively, and a central section (for example, duct forming section 63) positioned between the two main water storage sections (for example, main water storage sections 62a and 62b) provided on the left and right sides, and having a bottom surface that is raised higher than the main water storage sections. Above the central section, a drain port (for example, drain port 55) is provided that leads from the storage compartment (for example, refrigerator compartment 10, storage compartment 210) to the drain pan (for example, drain pan 160). The bottom surface of the central section may be provided with a guide section (for example, guide section 169) that guides the liquid discharged from the drain port to either the left or right main water storage section (for example, main water storage section 62a or 62b).

[0088] In the refrigerator according to one aspect of the present invention described above (for example, refrigerator 1, storage compartment 201), a Peltier element (for example, Peltier element 31) may be used in the cooling and heat generating section (for example, cooling plate 13, heat conduction plate 213) and the heat generating section (for example, cooling and heat generating section 30, heat generating section 230).

[0089] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims are intended to be included. Configurations obtained by combining the configurations of the different embodiments described herein are also included in the scope of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0090] 1: Refrigerator 10: Refrigerator (storage room) 11: Door 13: Cooling plate (cooling section) 30: Cooling and heating generating unit 31: Peltier element 50: Insulated container 55: Drain outlet (the route through which drain water is introduced from the storage room to the drain pan) 60: Drain pan 61: Water storage section 62a: Main reservoir 62b: Main reservoir 63: Duct forming section (central part) 64a: Intermediate step section (step section) 64b: Intermediate step section (step section) 65: Front upper section 67: Inclined part 73: Flag (plate-shaped member) 160: Drain pan 169:Induction part 201: Storage room (refrigerator) 210: Storage room 230: Heat generating section (cold / heat generating section)

Claims

1. Storage room and The door attached to the aforementioned storage room, A cooling unit provided on the rear or top side of the aforementioned storage compartment, A drain pan is provided, which is removablely located below the storage chamber and has a water reservoir for collecting drain water from the storage chamber. Equipped with, A path is provided for introducing drain water from the storage compartment. With the drain pan installed below the storage compartment, The aforementioned water storage section includes: Main reservoir and A stepped portion is provided on the front side of the main reservoir, with its bottom surface located higher than the lowest surface of the main reservoir. A portion of the water storage section is located directly below the closed door. When the door is opened, the stepped portion of the water storage section is visible from above, while the main water storage section is not visible. refrigerator.

2. An inclined section is provided on the front side of the aforementioned stepped section, which slopes upward toward the front. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

3. When the drain pan is removed, it further includes a hanging plate-like member. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The main water storage section extends in the front-to-back direction along both the left and right ends, The aforementioned water storage section is It is positioned between the two main water storage sections located on both the left and right sides, and further has a central section having a bottom surface that is higher than that of the main water storage sections. A drain outlet from the storage chamber to the drain pan is located above the central part. The bottom surface of the central part is provided with a guide section that directs the liquid discharged from the drain outlet to either the left or right main water storage section. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a Peltier element is used in the cooling and heat generation section of the cooling unit.

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