refrigerator

Abstract

The present invention provides a refrigerator capable of suppressing damage to the vacuum insulation component and having high insulation performance. The refrigerator (1) has: a metal outer box (10); an inner box (20) fitted into a recess (13) formed in the outer box (10); and a vacuum insulation component (30) disposed adjacent to the recess (13) between the outer box (10) and the inner box (20). The outer box (10) is formed of a metal plate (11) bent in such a way as to form the recess (13). The portion of the metal plate (11) constituting the recess (13) has: a front end (12) of the metal plate (11); and a bent portion (14) disposed on the side wall (16) of the refrigerator (1) closer to the front end (12) than the front end (12) and disposed on the side of the vacuum insulation component (30). The inner box (20) abuts or substantially abuts between the front end (12) and the bent portion (14) in the metal plate (11) inside the recess (13).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to refrigerators. Prior Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes: "A refrigerator comprising: an outer casing; an inner casing disposed inside the outer casing; a vacuum insulation member disposed on the inner wall side of the outer casing; and a rigid polyurethane foam insulation member filled between the inner casing and the vacuum insulation member, characterized in that it comprises: a front flange continuously formed with the front edge of the outer casing and curved inward; a back flange continuously formed with the front flange on the back side of the front flange, curved in such a way as to form a fitting recess together with the front flange, and extending in the refrigerator depth direction; an inner casing flange continuously curved outward with the front edge of the inner casing and engaged with the fitting recess to fix the outer casing and the inner casing; and a buffer member disposed between the front surface of the vacuum insulation member and the back flange."

[0003] Previous technical documents Patent documents Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-029235 Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the invention In the technology described in Patent Document 1, the inner casing abuts against the metal plate between a curved portion adjacent to the front end of the metal plate and another curved portion on the opposite side of the front end of the metal plate when viewed from the curved portion (Fig. 8). Therefore, the front end of the metal plate is positioned on the opposite side of the side abutting against the inner casing. Consequently, the front end of the metal plate comes into contact with the vacuum insulation component, which may be damaged.

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can suppress the damage of vacuum insulation components and has high insulation performance.

[0006] Technical solutions for solving the problem A refrigerator having: Metal outer box; An inner box capable of fitting into the recess formed in the outer box; and A vacuum insulation component is disposed adjacent to the recess between the outer casing and the inner casing. The outer casing is formed of a metal plate bent in such a way as to form the aforementioned recess. The portion of the metal plate constituting the recess described above has: The front end of the aforementioned metal plate; and The curved portion is positioned closer to the side wall of the refrigerator than the aforementioned front end, and is located on the side of the aforementioned vacuum insulation component. The inner box abuts or substantially abuts against the portion of the metal plate between the front end and the curved portion inside the recess. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0007] Figure 1 is a front view of the refrigerator of the present invention. Figure 2 is an enlarged view showing the fitting part of the inner box to the outer box. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the fitting portion of the inner box to the outer box of a refrigerator according to another embodiment. Figure 4 is a diagram showing the fitting portion of the inner box to the outer box of a refrigerator according to another embodiment. Figure 5 is a side view of the refrigerator, showing the installation location of the protective components. Figure 6 is a top view of a refrigerator according to another embodiment, showing the state in which protective components are installed. Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the protective component shown in Figure 6. Figure 8 shows the contact between the protective component shown in Figure 6 and the vacuum insulation component. Figure 9 is a diagram showing the contact between the protective component and the vacuum insulation component in another embodiment. Figure 10 is a diagram showing the fixed portion of the inner box to the outer box in a refrigerator according to another embodiment. Figure 11 is a diagram showing the fixed portion of the inner box to the outer box in a refrigerator according to another embodiment. Figure 12 is a diagram showing the fixed portion of the inner box to the outer box in a refrigerator according to another embodiment. Figure 13 is a diagram showing the fitting portion of the inner box to the outer box of a refrigerator according to another embodiment. Implementation

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments (referred to as embodiments) for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of one embodiment below, other embodiments applicable to that embodiment will also be described as appropriate. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiment; different embodiments can be combined with each other, or arbitrarily modified within the scope that does not significantly impair the effect of the present invention. Furthermore, the same element symbols are used to denote the same components, and repeated descriptions are omitted. Moreover, components having the same function are labeled with the same name. The illustrations are merely schematic diagrams; for ease of illustration, sometimes changes are made to the actual structure within the scope that does not significantly impair the effect of the present invention, or some components are omitted or modified between drawings. Additionally, it is not necessary to have all structures in the same embodiment.

[0009] Figure 1 is a front view of the refrigerator 1 of the present invention. The refrigerator 1 has doors 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Door 2 is rotatable about a pivot axis (not shown) provided on the left and right sides of the refrigerator 1. The refrigerator 1 is a double-leaf (French door) type. In addition, doors 3, 4, 5, and 6 are pull-out doors. By opening doors 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 respectively, the storage compartments 8 formed inside the refrigerator 1 (hereinafter referred to as the refrigerator compartment, freezer compartment, quick-freeze compartment, ice maker, vegetable compartment, etc.) are exposed to the outside.

[0010] Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the fitting portion of the inner box 20 to the outer box 10. Figure 2 is a view from above of the area near section A in Figure 1. Section A is the junction of the pull-out doors 3, 4, 5, 6 (door 5 in the illustrated example) with the front side end face of the refrigerator 1. Section A is also the fitting portion of the inner box 20 to the outer box 10. In the following example, the fitting portion on the right side when the refrigerator 1 is viewed from the front will be described. However, the following description can also be applied to the fitting portions on the left, upper, and lower sides when the refrigerator 1 is viewed from the front.

[0011] Refrigerator 1 has an outer box 10, an inner box 20 and a vacuum insulation component 30.

[0012] The outer casing 10 is, for example, a metal structure made of steel or other metal. The outer casing 10 may also be referred to as the shell. The outer casing 10 is the structure that forms the outer contour of the left and right side walls 16, rear wall, top surface, etc. of the refrigerator 1 and is exposed to the outside. In particular, the fitting portion (joining portion) of the outer casing 10 with the inner casing 20 is formed, for example, by bending a metal plate 11 such as a steel plate. "Bent portion" refers to the portion where the extension direction of the metal plate 11 changes orientation; unless otherwise specified, the same description has the same meaning. The end of the metal plate 11 constituting the outer casing 10 includes, for example, the front end 12 of the metal plate 11 and a portion that is close to the front end 12 to a certain extent in the extension direction of the metal plate 11 when viewed from the front end 12 (e.g., the fitting portion mentioned above). In an embodiment of the present invention, by bending the end of the metal plate 11, a recess 13 is formed in the outer casing 10 to fit the end 21 of the inner casing 20.

[0013] The recess 13 is continuously formed by bending the metal plate 11 and is integral with the metal plate 11. In the illustrated example of the refrigerator 1, the metal plate 11 forming the right side wall 16 bends to the left on the front side. The packing 59 disposed inside the door 5 contacts the metal plate 11 that extends on the front side by bending. That is, the outer casing 10 abuts against the packing 59. The metal plate 11 disposed on the front side has approximately the same size (length) as the packing 59 and folds back at the end of the packing 59 opposite to the side wall 16, i.e., the front edge 15. The folded-back metal plate 11 extends along the metal plate 11 on the front side to the inner side of the metal plate 11 constituting the side wall 16 and moves rearward.

[0014] The rearward-facing metal plate 11 is bent into a convex shape (mountain shape) on the side of the vacuum insulation member 30 disposed between the outer casing 10 and the inner casing 20. Thus, a bend 14 is formed in the convex portion. In the bend 14, the metal plate 11 is bent at an acute angle, and the bend 14 protrudes towards the vacuum insulation member 30. However, on the vacuum insulation member 30 side, which is the outer side of the bend 14, the metal plate 11 is bent in an R-shape, that is, without sharp edges. Therefore, the bend 14 makes surface contact with the vacuum insulation member 30 with a certain width. This suppresses damage to the vacuum insulation member 30 caused by the contact of the bend 14.

[0015] The metal plate 11, whose direction has been changed by the bending portion 14, further changes direction near the front end 12 of the metal plate 11 in a manner that extends in the left-right direction of the refrigerator 1. Furthermore, a recess 13 is formed between the front end 12 and the portion of the metal plate 11 opposite the front end 12 on the front side of the refrigerator 1. That is, the outer casing 10 is formed of a metal plate 11 bent in such a manner as to form the recess 13.

[0016] The metal plate 11 has a flat surface near its front end 12. That is, the flat surface is not curved near the front end 12, and the front end 12 of the metal plate 11 faces the inner box 20. As a result, the heat capacity near the front end 12 can be reduced, and the so-called "heat accumulation effect, heat cage" can be suppressed. By suppressing heat accumulation, heat conduction from the front end 12, which is part of the metal plate 11 forming the outer box 10, to the inner box 20 can be suppressed, and heat conduction to the storage compartment 8 formed inside the inner box 20 can be suppressed. In particular, the temperature of the environment outside the outer box 10 where the refrigerator 1 is placed (e.g., room temperature) is usually higher than that of the storage compartment 8. Therefore, heat transfer existing in the environment where the refrigerator 1 is placed can be suppressed to the storage compartment 8 inside the inner box 20, and the accidental temperature rise of the storage compartment 8 can be suppressed.

[0017] Furthermore, the distance from the joint surface (inner surface 17 of the side wall 16) between the vacuum insulation component 30 and the outer casing 10 to the front end 12 is shorter than the thickness of the vacuum insulation component 30. As a result, the front end 12 can be moved away from the inner casing 20, and heat conduction from the front end 12 to the inner casing 20 can be suppressed.

[0018] A bend 14 exists between the front end 12 and the vacuum insulation member 30. Therefore, even if the bend 14 comes into contact with the vacuum insulation member 30, contact between the front end 12 and the vacuum insulation member 30 can be prevented. The front end 12 is usually sharp, so if the front end 12 comes into contact with the vacuum insulation member 30, the vacuum insulation member 30 may be damaged. In addition, the front end 12 is formed, for example, by machining a metal plate, so burrs may remain on the front end 12. Therefore, if burrs come into contact with the vacuum insulation member 30, the vacuum insulation member 30 may also be damaged due to the burrs. However, as shown in the present invention, contact between the front end 12 and the vacuum insulation member 30 can be prevented, thus preventing damage to the vacuum insulation member 30 caused by contact with the front end 12.

[0019] The portion of the metal plate 11 constituting the recess 13 includes: a front end 12 of the metal plate 11; and a curved portion 14 disposed on the side wall 16 (inner surface 17 side) of the refrigerator 1 closer to the front end 12 and on the side of the vacuum insulation member 30. The portion of the metal plate 11 constituting the recess 13 faces the front end 12 on the front side of the refrigerator 1 and extends in the left-right direction of the refrigerator 1. The portion of the metal plate 11 constituting the recess 13 extends in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1 and is disposed on the opposite side of the opening (the opening into which the inner box 20 is first inserted) connected to the recess 13.

[0020] Inside the recess 13 is a pipe 7 (e.g., a heat pipe) for refrigerant flowing in the refrigeration circulation device (not shown) installed in the refrigerator 1. The pipe 7, for example, allows the flow of hot refrigerant gas and can function as part of a condenser. The pipe 7 is formed on the front side of the refrigerator 1 and is positioned around the opening (not shown) that is closed by doors 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. As a result, the area near the opening is heated by the refrigerant flowing in the pipe 7, suppressing condensation near the opening.

[0021] The inner box 20 is a structure that forms the storage compartment 8 inside the inner box 20. The inner box 20 is made of resin, for example, by injection molding. When the user opens the doors 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, the user can see the inner box 20.

[0022] The inner casing 20 fits into the recess 13 formed in the outer casing 10. The end 21 (edge) of the inner casing 20 fits into the recess 13. The end 21 has a curved shape. The end 21 is positioned in the recess 13 to enter the gap between the pipe 7 and the front end 12. The end 21 has a shape slightly larger than the entrance of the recess 13. Therefore, when the inner casing 20 is fitted into the recess 13 by inserting the end 21, the front end 22 of the resin component (resin plate) constituting the inner casing 20 is inserted into the gap between the pipe 7 and the front end 12, and the end 21 is pressed in while maintaining this state, thereby the curved portion 14 functions like a leaf spring. As a result, the gap between the front end 12 and the pipe 7 is slightly widened, and the curved portion of the inner casing 20 enters the gap between the pipe 7 and the front end 12. At the same time, the front end 22 of the inner casing 20 is positioned further outward than the pipe 7. Additionally, on the side opposite to the contact or approximately contact side between the outer casing 10 and the inner casing 20 in the curved section, end 21 contacts, for example, the piping 7 of a round pipe. Furthermore, the front end 22 of the inner casing 20 abuts against the metal plate 11 of the outer casing 10. This also generates friction, securing the inner casing 20 to the outer casing 10.

[0023] The inner casing 20 abuts or substantially abuts within the recess 13 between the front end 12 and the bent portion 14 of the metal plate 11. In the illustrated example, the bent portion of the end 21 of the inner casing 20 abuts against the inner wall surface of the metal plate 11 between the front end 12 and the bent portion 14. Through this abutment, friction is generated between the outer casing 10 and the inner casing 20, which securely fixes the inner casing 20 to the outer casing 10 by means of friction.

[0024] However, it is not limited to abutting; it can also be approximately abutting. For example, an example of approximately abutting might be a design-defined but not abutting situation due to tolerances, or a design-defined but accidentally disengaged (i.e., detached) situation due to factors such as injection pressure during the injection of the polyurethane foam (described later), and the polyurethane curing in the disengaged state. Approximately abutting situations can include no abutting at all, but even in the case of no abutting, as described above, for example, by the contact between the inner casing 20 and the piping 7, the inner casing 20 is fixed to the outer casing 10.

[0025] The vacuum insulation component 30 is an insulation material disposed adjacent to the recess 13. Here, the vacuum insulation component 30 will be described.

[0026] The vacuum insulation component 30 consists of a core material, an outer covering material enclosing the core material, and an adsorbent material that adsorbs internal gases and gases intruding from the outside. The core material is, for example, inorganic glass wool containing glass. Short fibers, long fibers, and other materials can be used as the glass wool, but it is not particularly limited to these materials. The adsorbent material, capable of adsorbing both internal and external gases, uses materials such as quicklime and synthetic zeolite. The outer covering material encloses the core material and maintains the interior in a reduced pressure state (a so-called vacuum state). In other words, the outer covering material constitutes the outer packaging of the vacuum insulation component 30.

[0027] As an outer coating material, a laminated film that has gas barrier properties and can be thermally welded can be appropriately used. As a laminated film, a four-layer structure consisting of a surface protective layer, a first gas barrier layer, a second gas barrier layer, and a thermally welded layer is preferred.

[0028] As a surface protective layer, a resin film that has the function of protecting materials and has low moisture absorption is preferred.

[0029] As a first gas barrier layer, a metal vapor-deposited layer is preferably provided on the resin film. As a second gas barrier layer, a metal vapor-deposited layer is preferably provided on the resin film with high oxygen barrier properties. In addition, the first gas barrier layer and the second gas barrier layer are preferably formed by bonding the metal vapor-deposited layers provided on the two resin films together in a manner that they face each other.

[0030] As a heat-fusion bonding layer, it is also preferable to use a resin film with low moisture absorption, similar to the surface protective layer.

[0031] Specifically, as a surface protective layer, biaxially stretched resin films such as polypropylene, polyamide, and polyethylene terephthalate are preferred. As a first gas barrier layer, a biaxially stretched polyethylene terephthalate film with aluminum vapor deposition is preferred. As a second gas barrier layer, a biaxially stretched ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin film with aluminum vapor deposition, a biaxially stretched polyvinyl alcohol resin film with aluminum vapor deposition, or aluminum foil is preferred. As a heat-fusion bonding layer, an unstretched polyethylene or polypropylene resin film is preferred.

[0032] As described above, the vacuum insulation component 30 is disposed between the outer casing 10 and the inner casing 20. However, a polyurethane foam (not shown), for example, that is foamed on-site, can also be disposed between the outer casing 10 and the inner casing 20 as the insulation material. The polyurethane foam is also disposed inside the recess 13. Therefore, a vacuum insulation component 30 and an insulation layer 40 made of polyurethane foam are disposed between the outer casing 10 and the inner casing 20. In addition, an insulation layer 40 (polyurethane foam) is also disposed between the front end 12 and the vacuum insulation component 30.

[0033] Figure 3 shows the fitting portion of the inner box 20 of a refrigerator 1 fitted into the outer box 10 according to another embodiment. In the example of Figure 3, the metal plate 11 is bent away from the vacuum insulation member 30 near the front end 12. The bending forms a bend 121. Thus, a portion of the metal plate 11 is disposed between the front end 12 and the vacuum insulation member 30. The disposed portion of the metal plate 11 is the metal plate 11 between the bent portion (bend 121) near the front end 12 and the bend 14. As described above, when the inner box 20 is fitted into the recess 13, the bend 14 functions like a leaf spring, so the front end 12 is tilted towards the vacuum insulation member 30. Therefore, by configuring it in this way, even if the front end 12 is tilted towards the vacuum insulation member 30, contact between the front end 12 and the vacuum insulation member 30 can be suppressed, and instead of contact between the bend 121 and the vacuum insulation member 30, damage to the vacuum insulation member 30 can be suppressed. Additionally, near the front end 12, the metal plate 11 bends toward the side opposite to the vacuum insulation member 30, thereby ensuring the distance between the front end 12 and the vacuum insulation member 30.

[0034] Figure 4 is a diagram showing the fitting portion of the inner box 20 of a refrigerator 1 fitting into the outer box 10 according to another embodiment. In the example of Figure 4, the metal plate 11 has a flat plate shape near its front end 12.

[0035] The front end 12 is positioned on the side wall 16 of the outer casing 10 (outer side of the refrigerator 1) closer to the flange surface F of the outer casing 10 in the thickness direction (length in the left-right direction of the refrigerator 1). The flange surface F of the outer casing 10 is a surface that extends in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator 1 via the front side edge 15 of the outer casing 10 (the part where the metal plate 11 is folded back on the front side). The protective member 50, described later, is also positioned on the side wall 16 of the outer casing 10 closer to the flange surface F.

[0036] The distance L1 from the front end 12 to the vacuum insulation member 30 is shorter than the distance L2 from the front end 12 to the side wall 16 of the outer casing 10. This allows the front end 12 to be closer to the vacuum insulation member 30. Therefore, the insulation effect of the vacuum insulation member 30 can suppress heat conduction from the front end 12 to the inner casing 20. Furthermore, the side 31 of the front end 12 relative to the inner casing 20 side of the vacuum insulation member 30 is positioned on the side wall 16. Therefore, the front end 12 can be separated from the inner casing 20, and the insulation effect of the insulation layer 40 (particularly polyurethane foam) can suppress heat conduction from the front end 12 to the inner casing 20.

[0037] From the inner casing 20 to the side wall 16 of the outer casing 10, the outer casing 10, the vacuum insulation member 30, and the metal plate 11 are arranged in the following order: the flange surface F of the outer casing 10, the side surface 31 of the vacuum insulation member 30 on the inner casing 20 side, and the portion of the metal plate 11 closest to the inner casing 20, such as the front end 12. By constructing it in this way, the portion of the metal plate 11 closest to the inner casing 20 (e.g., the front end 12) can be sufficiently separated from the inner casing 20, suppressing heat conduction to the inner casing 20. Furthermore, the flange surface F is a surface extending in the front-to-back direction of the refrigerator 1 from the front side edge 15 of the outer casing 10. Additionally, surface 36 faces the outer surface 25 of the inner casing 20.

[0038] A protective member 50 is provided at the front end 12 of the metal plate 11. The protective member 50 is a member that prevents the front end 12 from contacting the vacuum insulation member 30. That is, the protective member 50 is a member that protects the vacuum insulation member 30. By having the protective member 50, when the inner box 20 is fitted into the recess 13, as shown by the double-dotted line in FIG4, even if the metal plate 11 including the front end 12 is temporarily tilted towards the vacuum insulation member 30, it is possible to prevent the front end 12 from contacting the vacuum insulation member 30.

[0039] Furthermore, referring to Figure 13, as shown therein, even without the protective component 50 at the front end 12, the heat insulation effect of the vacuum insulation component 30 can be utilized in the same manner as in Figure 4 to suppress heat conduction from the front end 12 to the inner casing 20. Moreover, since the protective component 50 is not required, the reduction in the number of parts leads to easier assembly and lower costs.

[0040] The specific shape of the protective member 50 is not particularly limited except for the shapes shown in Figures 6 to 9 described later, as long as it can cover the front end 12. In the example shown in Figure 4, the protective member 50 has a cylindrical shape with a portion of its circumferential direction cut off. By inserting (embedding) the cut-off portion into the front end 12, the protective member 50 can be installed on the front end 12.

[0041] In the protective member 50, the contact portion (the portion that may come into contact) with the vacuum insulation member 30 preferably has a surface (planar or curved). That is, the protective member 50 preferably has a contact surface 51 (e.g., a planar or curved surface) that contacts the vacuum insulation member 30 when the protective member 50 contacts the vacuum insulation member 30. Thus, by having the surfaces in contact with each other, damage to the vacuum insulation member 30 caused by the protective member 50 can be sufficiently suppressed. That is, the contact pressure in the contact surface can be made lower than the penetration strength of, for example, the outer covering material of the vacuum insulation member 30. In addition, for the surfaces to come into contact with each other, the protective member 50 can be designed so that the contact portion does not have corners, or the contact portion that originally had corners can be chamfered.

[0042] In this manner, the protective component 50 preferably has a larger contact area in the contact surface 51 when it contacts the vacuum insulation component 30 than the contact area of ​​the contact portion when the front end 12 contacts the vacuum insulation component 30. This helps to suppress damage to the vacuum insulation component 30.

[0043] The protective component 50 is preferably made of a material with a lower thermal conductivity than the metal plate 11 (e.g., steel plate) constituting the outer casing 10. For example, by using a polyurethane foam insulation material that is the same as the material constituting the insulation layer 40, heat conduction to the inner casing 20 can be suppressed. When forming the protective component 50 as a polyurethane foam, for example, a molded article pre-foamed into the shape of the protective component 50 using another mold can be used. By using such a molded article, both protection and insulation can be achieved.

[0044] The protective component 50 may also be made of resin. There are no particular restrictions on the resins that can be used, for example, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, ABS resin (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer), PVC resin (polyvinyl chloride), etc. Moreover, the protective component 50 may also be made of hot melt adhesive, melt foam, mirror mat, elastomer, etc.

[0045] Figure 5 is a side view of the refrigerator 1, showing the installation location of the protective component 50. For simplicity, a portion of the outer casing 10 protruding outwards from the refrigerator 1 is omitted in Figure 5. As described above, the protective component 50 is installed at the front end 12 of the outer casing 10. However, the protective component 50 may also be installed on the entire front end 12 adjacent to the vacuum insulation member 30, or only on a portion thereof.

[0046] When only a portion of the protective element is configured, the protective element 50 is preferably configured at least at the front end 12 of the metal plate 11, which is the closest point between the front end 12 of the metal plate 11 and the vacuum insulation member 30. This is because, during the manufacture of the vacuum insulation member 30, excess outer covering material beyond the core material is folded back, and the overlapping end of this folded portion is most likely to become large. By configuring it in this way, contact between the front end 12, which is the closest and most likely to contact the vacuum insulation member 30, and the vacuum insulation member 30 can be suppressed. In addition, the metal plate 11 hardly shrinks and is difficult to bend, so by protecting the closest front end 12, contact between other front ends 12 and the vacuum insulation member 30 can also be suppressed.

[0047] Furthermore, even in a partial configuration, multiple protective members 50 can be provided at equal intervals. In the illustrated example, three protective members 50 are provided at equal intervals on the side wall of the refrigerator 1, at the top, the center in the vertical direction, and the bottom. Additionally, since partitions separating the compartments are provided between the various storage compartments 8 (dividers) of the refrigerator 1, protective members 50 can also be provided in locations avoiding these partitions. Furthermore, protective members 50 can also be provided throughout the front end 12 adjacent to the vacuum insulation member 30.

[0048] Figure 6 is a top view of a refrigerator 1 according to another embodiment, showing the state in which the protective component 50 is installed. The protective component 50 shown in Figure 6 has a different shape than the protective component 50 shown in Figure 4 above.

[0049] Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the protective component 50 shown in Figure 6. The protective component 50 in Figure 7 is formed of a flexible material (e.g., an elastomer) such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The protective component 50 has a gap 52 for insertion of the front end 12, a flat portion 53, and a curved portion 54. The flat portion 53 and the curved portion 54 are connected by a connecting portion 55 near the front end 12 (Figure 6). The portion of the curved portion 54 that contacts the vacuum insulation component 30 has a contact surface 51 as described above.

[0050] Figure 8 shows the contact between the protective member 50 and the vacuum insulation member 30 shown in Figure 6. When the metal plate 11 is inserted through the gap 52 widened by bending the protective member 50, the inner wall surface 531 of the flat portion 53 contacts the metal plate 11. Thus, the metal plate 11 can support the protective member 50. In particular, due to the friction generated between the inner wall surface 531 and the metal plate 11, it can be firmly supported to a certain extent. Furthermore, when the metal plate 11 is inserted deeply, the front end 12 is positioned near the connecting portion 55 inside the protective member 50. On the other hand, a space (gap) is formed between the inner wall surface 541 of the curved portion 54 located on the side opposite to the flat portion 53 in the inserted metal plate 11 and the metal plate 11.

[0051] As described above, when the inner casing 20 is inserted into the recess 13, the front end 12 can approach the vacuum insulation member 30 due to the curved portion 14, which functions as a leaf spring. Furthermore, depending on the situation, the protective member 50 can contact the side surface 31 (the surface opposite to the protective member 50) of the vacuum insulation member 30. As described above, the contact surface 51 is composed of a surface. This increases the size of the contact portion, i.e., the contact area, and helps to prevent damage to the vacuum insulation member 30. The surface constituting the contact surface 51 can be either curved or planar, as described above, but in the illustrated example, it is curved.

[0052] Figure 9 illustrates the contact between the protective member 50 and the vacuum insulation member 30 in another embodiment. As described above, the contact surface 51 of the protective member 50 is preferably a surface, but it can also be a corner. That is, if the pressure on the contact surface 51 is less than that required by the protective member 50 to break the vacuum insulation member 30, the vacuum insulation member 30 will not break. Qualitatively speaking, the vacuum insulation member 30 will not break even if the protective member 50 makes slight contact with the vacuum insulation member 30. Therefore, in the example shown in Figure 9, the contact surface 51 is a corner of the protective member 50.

[0053] In the example shown in Figure 9, the protective member 50 has a flat portion 56 instead of the curved portion 54 described above. The flat portion 56 is connected to the flat portion 53 at the connecting portion 55. The flat portion 56 has a flat portion 57 that is connected at a right angle to the upper end of the flat portion 53, and a flat portion 58 that is connected to the flat portion 57 at the end of the vacuum insulation member 30 side of the flat portion 57. The flat portion 58 is opposite to the flat portion 53 when the metal plate 11 is not inserted. The distance between the flat portion 53 and the flat portion 58 is approximately the same as the thickness of the metal plate 11. Even with the protective member 50 formed in this shape, damage to the vacuum insulation member 30 caused by the contact between the front end 12 and the vacuum insulation member 30 can be suppressed.

[0054] Figure 10 shows the fixing portion of the inner box 20 to the outer box 10 in another embodiment of the refrigerator 1. In the embodiments shown in Figure 10 and Figures 11 and 12 described later, damage to the vacuum insulation member 30 caused by contact between the front end 12 and the vacuum insulation member 30 can also be suppressed. However, in the embodiment shown in Figure 10, the inner box 20 is fixed to the inner surface 17 of the outer box 10, for example, by using an adhesive or the like. In addition, the inner box 20 is embedded inside the front side edge 15 of the outer box 10, so the inner box 20 is fitted into the outer box 10.

[0055] As described above, the vacuum insulation component 30 is disposed between the outer casing 10 and the inner casing 20. At least a portion of the vacuum insulation component 30 is bonded to the outer casing 10. In the illustrated example, the entire surface 32 of the sidewall 16 side of the vacuum insulation component 30 is bonded (adhesive-bonded) to the metal plate 11 by an adhesive layer 60. The adhesive layer 60 is bonded to the inner surface 17 of the inner side of the metal plate 11 forming the sidewall 16 portion in the outer casing 10. The adhesive layer 60 can be formed, for example, by applying a heated hot melt adhesive to the metal plate 11, placing the vacuum insulation component 30 in a manner that adheres to the hot melt adhesive, and then allowing it to cure (natural cooling or other cooling methods). The hot melt adhesive is an adhesive that is solid at room temperature but becomes liquid upon heating.

[0056] The front end 12 of the metal plate 11 is disposed on the inner surface 17, which is orthogonal to the thickness direction (left-right direction of the refrigerator 1) of the vacuum insulation member 30. However, since the front end 12 and the inner surface 17 are different parts, it can also be said that the front end 12 is disposed in a manner that is directly adjacent to and directly opposite the inner surface 17 near the inner surface 17. Furthermore, the front end 12 overlaps with the vacuum insulation member 30 when viewed in the thickness direction of the vacuum insulation member 30. Therefore, a portion of the metal plate 11 including the front end 12 is disposed between the vacuum insulation member 30 and the portion of the metal plate 11 forming the sidewall 16. In addition, the adhesive layer 60 is formed to cover a portion of the metal plate 11 including the front end 12.

[0057] The adhesive layer 60 is a protective component 70 (first protective component) that protects the vacuum insulation component 30. The protective component 70, serving as the adhesive layer 60, is disposed between the front end 12 and the vacuum insulation component 30. The vacuum insulation component 30 and the protective component 70 abut (bond, join). As described above, the front end 12 is formed by machining a metal plate. Therefore, burrs from the machining process may remain on the front end 12. By providing the adhesive layer 60 to cover the front end 12, contact between the burrs and the surface 32 of the vacuum insulation component 30 can be suppressed. This suppresses damage to the vacuum insulation component 30 caused by contact between the front end 12 (especially any remaining burrs).

[0058] If the thickness of the adhesive layer 60 (its length in the left-right direction of the refrigerator 1) is longer than the thickness of the metal plate 11, the front end 12 can be embedded in the adhesive layer 60. This makes it less likely that burrs that may exist at the front end 12 will come into contact with the vacuum insulation component 30. However, even if the thickness of the adhesive layer 60 is shorter than the thickness of the metal plate 11, by providing the adhesive layer 60 in a manner that covers the front end 12, it is still possible to prevent burrs that may exist at the front end 12 from coming into contact with the vacuum insulation component 30. That is, burrs are usually smaller than the thickness of the metal plate 11, so by covering the front end 12 with the adhesive layer 60, it is possible to prevent burrs from coming into contact with the vacuum insulation component 30.

[0059] The protective component 70 is configured to cover at least the side of the vacuum insulation element 30 located at the front end 12 of the metal plate 11. As described above, the protective component 70 is an adhesive used to bond the vacuum insulation element 30 to the outer casing 10. By configuring it in this way, when bonding the vacuum insulation element 30 to the outer casing 10, the effects of burrs that may exist at the front end 12 on the vacuum insulation element 30 can be mitigated. Therefore, the effort required to deal with burrs can be reduced.

[0060] The outer casing 10 is formed of a metal plate 11 bent in such a way that it has a joint 19 that engages with the inner casing 20. The joint 19 is formed on the rear side of the metal plate 11, which is exposed outward from the front side of the refrigerator 1. At the joint 19, the metal plate 11 and the end 23 connected to the front end 22 of the inner casing 20 are joined (bonded) by an adhesive layer 61. The end 23 is formed into a flat plate shape. The adhesive layer 61 can be formed, for example, by applying a heated hot melt adhesive to the joint 19 (metal plate 11), placing the inner casing 20 in such a way that it is attached to the hot melt adhesive, and then curing it. The arrangement can be implemented by inserting the end 23 of the inner casing 20 into the gap 80 (gap) formed between the front side edge 15 of the outer casing 10 and the vacuum insulation member 30.

[0061] In this manner, the front edge 18 of the refrigerator 1 in the metal plate 11 is bonded to the inner box 20 (especially the end 23 on the front side of the inner box 20). By bonding at this location, the inner box 20 can be fixed to the outer box 10.

[0062] A gap 80 is formed between the front side surface 31 of the refrigerator 1 in the vacuum insulation member 30 and the outer casing 10. The end 23 of the inner casing 20 is inserted into the gap 80. The side surface 31 is the surface of the vacuum insulation member 30 located near the front end 12 (front end 12 side), and is the surface opposite to the end 23 of the inner casing 20 when the inner casing 20 is installed. However, there is a case where a protective member 62 is arranged between the side surface 31 and the end 23, which will be described in detail later. By forming the gap 80, the end 23 of the inner casing 20 can be inserted into the gap 80 and the inner casing 20 can be joined.

[0063] As described above, for example, a hot melt adhesive is applied to the outer casing 10, and the end portion 23 is inserted into the gap 80, thereby fixing the inner casing 20. To improve the heat insulation effect, the size of the vacuum insulation component 30 is positioned near the front side edge 15 of the outer casing 10, thus reducing the size of the gap 80 (the length of the refrigerator 1 in the front-to-back direction). Therefore, when the inner casing 20 is inserted into the gap 80, the end portion 23 can contact the vacuum insulation component 30.

[0064] Therefore, in order to protect the vacuum insulation member 30, a protective member 62 (second protective member) is provided, which covers at least the corner 33 of the vacuum insulation member 30 that forms the opening of the gap 80 on the side 31 of the vacuum insulation member 30 that defines the gap 80. This prevents the end 23 from contacting the vacuum insulation member 30 when it is inserted into the gap 80, thus preventing damage to the vacuum insulation member 30. In particular, when the end 23 is inserted into the narrow gap 80, the end 23 is most likely to contact the corner 33 of the vacuum insulation member 30. Therefore, by at least covering the corner 33, damage to the vacuum insulation member 30 near the corner 33 can be prevented.

[0065] In an embodiment of the present invention, the protective member 62 has two flat protective portions 621 and 622. Protective portion 621 extends along the surface 34 of the vacuum insulation member 30, which extends from the corner 33 in the front-to-back direction of the refrigerator 1. Protective portion 622 extends along the side surface 31 of the vacuum insulation member 30, which extends from the corner 33 in the left-to-right direction of the refrigerator 1. Protective portions 621 and 622 are joined near the corner 33 along the side surface 31 and the surface (upper surface) of the vacuum insulation member 30. Protective portion 621 is opposite to the member 24 protruding into the storage compartment 8 in the inner box 20. Protective portion 622 is opposite to the end portion 23 in the inner box 20.

[0066] The protective component 62 can be made of any material that prevents the end 23 from directly contacting the vacuum insulation component 30; there are no particular restrictions. Examples of such materials include double-sided tape, single-sided tape, hot melt adhesive, polyurethane, and resin materials.

[0067] Figure 11 shows the fixing portion of the inner box 20 to the outer box 10 in a refrigerator 1 according to another embodiment. In the example of Figure 11, the protective member 70 is a pipe 7 disposed near the front end 12 of the metal plate 11. As described above, the pipe 7 is a pipe for the refrigerant flowing in the refrigeration cycle (not shown) of the refrigerator 1. The pipe 7 is located near the front end 12 and between it and the vacuum insulation member 30. As a result, damage to the vacuum insulation member 30 caused by burrs at the front end 12 can be suppressed.

[0068] Figure 12 shows the fixing portion of the inner box 20 to the outer box 10 in a refrigerator 1 according to another embodiment. In the example of Figure 12, multiple pipes 7 are arranged along the side wall 16. Furthermore, the vacuum insulation member 30 has a structure (step shape) that bends to avoid the pipes 7. Specifically, the vacuum insulation member 30 has an inclined surface 35 that bends relative to the outer box 10 to create a space 81 as the self-adhesive layer 60 moves towards the front end 12 of the metal plate 11. The adhesive layer 60 is the adhesive portion between the vacuum insulation member 30 and the side wall 16 of the outer box 10. The pipes 7 are positioned in the space 81 to abut against the vacuum insulation member 30. This structure also helps to prevent contact between the front end 12 and the vacuum insulation member 30.

[0069] In the example shown in Figure 12, multiple pipes 7 are provided. One pipe 7 is located near the inclined surface 35 in space 81. Additionally, another pipe 7 is located near the front end 12 in space 81. The pipe 7 located near the front end 12 also functions as a protective component 70.

[0070] The space 81 may be filled with polyurethane foam, or it may not be filled. Additionally, the refrigerator 1 may also have an exhaust pipe (not shown) communicating with the space 81. The exhaust pipe is a conduit that connects the space 81 (the space between the outer casing 10 and the inner casing 20) to the outside of the refrigerator 1. By having an exhaust pipe, the pressure in the space between the outer casing 10 and the inner casing 20 can be made the same as the external pressure, thus suppressing deformation of the refrigerator 1's structures, such as the outer casing 10 and the inner casing 20, caused by residual gas in the space 81.

[0071] The present invention includes the following technical concepts 1 and 2.

[0072] [Technical Idea 1] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, the inner casing abuts against the metal plate between a curved portion adjacent to the front end of the metal plate and another curved portion on the opposite side of the front end of the metal plate when viewed from the curved portion (Fig. 8). Therefore, the front end of the metal plate is positioned on the opposite side of the side abutting against the inner casing. Consequently, the front end of the metal plate comes into contact with the vacuum insulation component, which may be damaged.

[0073] The technical concept 1 aims to solve the problem of providing a refrigerator that can suppress the damage of vacuum insulation components and has high insulation performance.

[0074] [Appendix 1-1] A refrigerator, characterized in that it has: Metal outer box; An inner box capable of fitting into the recess formed in the outer box; and A vacuum insulation component is disposed adjacent to the recess between the outer casing and the inner casing. The outer casing is formed of a metal plate bent in such a way as to form the aforementioned recess. The portion of the metal plate constituting the recess described above has: The front end of the aforementioned metal plate; and The curved portion is positioned closer to the side wall of the refrigerator than the aforementioned front end, and is located on the side of the aforementioned vacuum insulation component. The inner box abuts or substantially abuts against the portion of the metal plate between the front end and the curved portion inside the recess.

[0075] [Notes 1-2] The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-1 is characterized by: The aforementioned metal plate bends away from the aforementioned vacuum insulation near its front end. One portion of the aforementioned metal plate is disposed between the aforementioned front end and the aforementioned vacuum insulation component.

[0076] [Notes 1-3] The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-1 is characterized by: The aforementioned front end is positioned in the thickness direction of the aforementioned vacuum insulation component at a position closer to the side wall of the aforementioned outer casing than the flange surface of the aforementioned outer casing. A heat insulation layer is disposed between the aforementioned front end and the aforementioned vacuum insulation component. The distance from the aforementioned front end to the aforementioned vacuum insulation component is shorter than the distance from the aforementioned front end to the aforementioned side wall of the aforementioned outer casing.

[0077] [Notes 1-4] The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-1 is characterized by: Moving from the inner casing toward the side wall of the outer casing, the outer casing, the vacuum insulation component, and the metal plate are arranged in the following order: the flange surface of the outer casing, the inner casing side surface of the vacuum insulation component, and the portion of the metal plate closest to the inner casing.

[0078] [Notes 1-5] The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-1 is characterized by: The aforementioned metal plate has a flat plate-shaped portion near its aforementioned front end.

[0079] [Notes 1-6] The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-1 is characterized by: A protective component is provided at the front end of the aforementioned metal plate.

[0080] [Notes 1-7] The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-6 is characterized by: The aforementioned protective component is designed to prevent the aforementioned front end from contacting the aforementioned vacuum insulation component.

[0081] [Notes 1-8] The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-6 is characterized by: The aforementioned protective component is at least located at the front end of the aforementioned metal plate, at the front end of which the distance between the front end of the aforementioned metal plate and the aforementioned vacuum insulation component is the closest.

[0082] [Notes 1-9] The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-6 is characterized by: The contact portion of the aforementioned protective component when it comes into contact with the aforementioned vacuum insulation component has a larger contact area than the contact area of ​​the contact portion when the aforementioned front end comes into contact with the aforementioned vacuum insulation component.

[0083] [Notes 1-10] The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-6 is characterized by: The aforementioned protective component has a surface that contacts the aforementioned vacuum insulation component when the protective component contacts the aforementioned vacuum insulation component.

[0084] [Technical Idea 2] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, the front end of the metal plate forming the outer casing is exposed. Therefore, since the front end is in contact with the vacuum insulation component, the vacuum insulation component may be damaged.

[0085] The technical concept 2 aims to solve the problem of providing a refrigerator that can suppress the damage of vacuum insulation components and has high insulation performance.

[0086] [Postscript 2-1] A refrigerator, characterized in that it has: Metal outer casing; and Vacuum insulation is configured between the outer and inner casings. The outer casing is formed of a metal sheet bent in such a way that it has a joint portion that engages with the inner casing. The front end of the aforementioned metal plate is positioned on a surface orthogonal to the thickness direction of the aforementioned vacuum insulation component, and overlaps with the aforementioned vacuum insulation component when viewed in the thickness direction. At least a portion of the aforementioned vacuum insulation component is joined to the aforementioned outer casing. The aforementioned vacuum insulation component abuts against the first protective component disposed between the aforementioned front end and the aforementioned vacuum insulation component.

[0087] [Postscript 2-2] The refrigerator described in Appendix 2-1 is characterized by: The front edge of the aforementioned metal plate is bonded to the aforementioned inner box.

[0088] [Notes 2-3] The refrigerator described in Appendix 2-1 is characterized by: The first protective component is configured to cover at least the side of the vacuum insulation member at the front end of the metal plate, and is an adhesive used to bond the vacuum insulation member to the outer casing.

[0089] [Appendix 2-4] The refrigerator described in Appendix 2-1 is characterized by: The aforementioned first protective component is located near the aforementioned front end of the aforementioned metal plate and is part of the piping for the refrigerant flowing in the refrigeration cycle of the aforementioned refrigerator.

[0090] [Notes 2-5] The refrigerator described in Appendix 2-1 is characterized by: A gap is formed between the front side of the refrigerator and the outer casing in the aforementioned vacuum insulation component.

[0091] [Appendix 2-6] The refrigerator described in Appendix 2-5 is characterized by: The end of the inner box is inserted into the gap. It has a second protective component that covers at least the corner portion of the vacuum insulation member that forms the opening of the gap in the surface of the vacuum insulation member that defines the gap.

[0092] [Appendix 2-7] The refrigerator described in Appendix 2-5 is characterized by: The aforementioned vacuum insulation component has an inclined surface that bends towards the front end of the metal plate from the adhesive portion between the vacuum insulation component and the side wall of the outer casing, creating a space relative to the outer casing. In the aforementioned space, a pipe for refrigerant flowing in the refrigeration cycle of the aforementioned refrigerator is installed in contact with the aforementioned vacuum insulation component.

[0093] 1: Refrigerator 2: Door 3: Door 4: Door 5: Door 6: Door 7:Piping 8: Storage room 10:Outer box 11: Metal plate 12: Front-end 13: concave part 14: Bending section 15: Anterior lateral edge 16: Sidewall 17: Inner surface 18: Edge section 19: Joint 20: Inner box 21:End 22: Frontend 23:End 24: Components 25: noodles 30: Vacuum insulation components 31: Side view 32: Noodles 33: Corner 34: Noodles 35: Inclined surface 36: noodles 40: Insulation layer 50: Protective components 51: Contact surface 52: Gap 53: Planar section 54: Curved face 55: Connecting part 56: Planar section 57: Planar section 58: Planar section 59: Seals 60: Adhesive layer 61: Adhesive layer 62: Protective component (secondary protective component) 70: Protective component (first protective component) 80: Gap 81: Space 121: Bend 531:Inner wall surface 541:Inner wall surface 621: Protection Department 622: Protection Department A:Part A F: Flange surface L1: Distance L2: Distance

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that it comprises: a metal outer casing; an inner casing capable of fitting into a recess formed in the outer casing; piping for the flow of hot gas for refrigerant; and a vacuum insulation member disposed adjacent to the recess between the outer casing and the inner casing, the outer casing being formed of a metal plate bent in such a manner as to form the recess, the portion of the metal plate constituting the recess for housing the piping having: a front end of the metal plate with a front end-bent portion near the vacuum insulation member; a side wall-bent portion disposed at a position closer to the side wall of the refrigerator than the front end and disposed on the side of the vacuum insulation member; and a connecting portion disposed between the front end and the vacuum insulation member when viewed from the side of the refrigerator, connecting the front end-bent portion and the side wall-bent portion, wherein the inner casing abuts or substantially abuts the connecting portion inside the recess; the front end of the metal plate being separate from the inner casing. The refrigerator described above has a polyurethane foam disposed within the area including the aforementioned recess.

2. As in request item 1, the refrigerator, wherein: When moving from the side bend of the aforementioned side wall toward the front bend of the aforementioned front end, the aforementioned connecting portion extends in a manner that moves away from and then closer to the aforementioned vacuum insulation member in the front-rear direction of the aforementioned refrigerator; and the aforementioned inner box abuts or substantially abuts against the bend of the aforementioned connecting portion inside the aforementioned recess, and also abuts or substantially abuts against the aforementioned piping on the opposite side, and is positioned in the front-rear direction closer to the aforementioned vacuum insulation member than the aforementioned front end.

3. As in request item 1, the refrigerator, wherein: The outer casing is formed of a metal plate that is bent to have a joint that engages with the inner casing. The front end of the metal plate is disposed on a surface orthogonal to the thickness direction of the vacuum insulation member, i.e., the inner surface of the outer casing, and overlaps with the vacuum insulation member when viewed in the thickness direction. At least a portion of the vacuum insulation member engages with the outer casing. The vacuum insulation member abuts against a first protective member disposed between the front end and the vacuum insulation member.

4. A refrigerator, characterized in that it comprises: a metal outer casing; an inner casing capable of fitting into a recess formed in the outer casing; piping for the flow of hot gas for refrigerant; and a vacuum insulation member disposed adjacent to the recess between the outer casing and the inner casing, the outer casing being formed of a metal plate bent in such a manner as to form the recess, the portion of the metal plate constituting the recess for housing the piping having: a front end of the metal plate with a front end-bent portion near the vacuum insulation member; a side wall-bent portion disposed at a position closer to the side wall of the refrigerator than the front end; and a connecting portion disposed between the front end and the vacuum insulation member when viewed from the side of the refrigerator, connecting the front end-bent portion and the side wall-bent portion, wherein the inner casing abuts or substantially abuts the connecting portion inside the recess; the front end of the metal plate being separate from the inner casing; and the refrigerator having a polyurethane foam disposed within the area including the recess.

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