Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator includes: a plurality of air passages through which air blown into a storage compartment flows, and air dampers that respectively open or close the air passages. The air damper has a baffle and a baffle driving unit. The baffle is provided corresponding to each of the air passages, and the baffle driving unit drives the opening or closing action of the baffle. A plurality of the baffles are arranged in the front-rear direction and a plurality of the baffles are arranged in the left-right direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly to a refrigerator having a damper disposed in an air passage. Background Art

[0002] Generally, in a refrigerator, air cooled by an evaporator of a refrigeration cycle is blown through an air supply passage by a blower, thereby cooling a storage compartment to a cooling temperature range.

[0003] In Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, a double damper device provided with a plurality of dampers is described. Specifically, a plurality of dampers are arranged in the left - right direction, and each damper is opened or closed respectively, thereby realizing the opening or closing of each air supply passage. In this way, the air volume blown to each storage compartment can be correctly controlled, and each storage compartment can be cooled to a predetermined cooling temperature range.

[0004] [Prior Art Documents]

[0005] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid - Open No. 11 - 194826

[0007] [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent No. 3724978

[0008] In the damper devices described in the above patent documents, two dampers are arranged in the left - right direction. For this reason, when air passages are respectively provided for three or more storage compartments, additional dampers are required. If the number of dampers increases, the outer shape of the damper becomes larger. Therefore, there is a problem of compressing the internal space of the refrigerator. In addition, there is a problem that the air passage resistance becomes larger in the air passages provided with each damper.

[0009] In view of this, it is necessary to improve the existing refrigerator to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator including a damper having a compact outer shape and capable of reducing air passage resistance.

[0011] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a refrigerator including: a plurality of air passages through which air blown to a storage compartment flows, and dampers for respectively opening or closing the air passages, the damper having a baffle and a baffle driving part, the baffle being provided corresponding to each of the air passages, the baffle driving part driving the opening or closing action of the baffle, and a plurality of the baffles being arranged in the front - rear direction and a plurality of the baffles being arranged in the left - right direction.

[0012] Further, the baffle driving part is disposed between the baffles adjacent in the left - right direction.

[0013] Further, the baffle driving part has a housing, and ribs or recesses are provided on the outer surface of the housing, such that the air duct heat insulation member forming the air duct abuts against the ribs or the recesses.

[0014] Further, the baffle has a first baffle and a second baffle adjacent to the first baffle. A first baffle frame is provided around the first baffle, and a second baffle frame is provided around the second baffle. On both sides of the gap between the first baffle frame and the second baffle frame, one of the first baffle frame and the second baffle frame is set to be higher than the other.

[0015] Further, a cavity part is provided between the baffles adjacent in the left - right direction.

[0016] Further, the cavity part is an internal space formed by a synthetic resin having a cap - shaped cross - section.

[0017] Further, the baffle driving part has a plurality of gears located at the central position of the air damper to rotate the baffle.

[0018] Further, the first and second baffles are each provided with a rotating shaft at an end portion on their sides, and the rotating shaft is connected to the baffle gear of the baffle driving part in a non - relatively rotatable manner.

[0019] Further, the baffle driving part has a motor, a motor gear rotationally driven by the motor, a transmission gear meshing with the motor gear, a driven gear integrally formed with the transmission gear, and a baffle gear meshing with the driven gear. The rotating shaft of the first baffle is inserted into the baffle gear in a non - relatively rotatable manner, and the gear ratio of the baffle gear is smaller than the gear ratio of the driven gear.

[0020] Further, the air damper is assembled at the lower end of the air duct heat insulation member, and the air duct heat insulation member includes a first air duct heat insulation member and a second air duct heat insulation member assembled at the lower end portion on the front side of the first air duct heat insulation member.

[0021] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: The refrigerator of the present invention includes an air damper with a compact external shape and capable of reducing the air duct resistance. By arranging a plurality of baffles in the front - rear direction and the left - right direction, the air duct resistance in the air damper can be reduced. Further, the air volume difference between the air duct on the left side and the air duct on the right side can be reduced. Therefore, each storage compartment can be efficiently cooled to a predetermined temperature. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 is a side cross - sectional view of the internal structure of the refrigerator of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2It is a front view of the air duct structure of the refrigerator of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 It is a perspective view of an air duct cover or the like that constitutes the air duct in the refrigerator of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 4 It is an exploded perspective view of an air duct cover, an air duct heat insulation member, and an air damper that constitute the air duct in the refrigerator of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5A It is a perspective view of the air damper of the refrigerator of the present invention as viewed from the upper front side.

[0027] Figure 5B It is a perspective view of the air damper of the refrigerator of the present invention as viewed from the lower rear side.

[0028] Figure 6A It is a perspective view of the air damper and the baffle of the refrigerator of the present invention as viewed from the upper front side.

[0029] Figure 6B It is a perspective view of the baffle frame of the refrigerator of the present invention as viewed from the upper front side.

[0030] Figure 7A It is a perspective view of the air damper of the refrigerator of the present invention as viewed from the right front side.

[0031] Figure 7B It is an enlarged perspective view of the respective gears that constitute the air damper of the refrigerator of the present invention as viewed from the right front side.

[0032] Figure 8 It is a perspective view of the open state of the air damper of the refrigerator of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 9A It is a perspective view of the air damper of the refrigerator of the present invention as viewed from the left front side.

[0034] Figure 9B It is an enlarged perspective view of the respective gears that constitute the air damper of the refrigerator of the present invention as viewed from the left front side.

[0035] Figure 10A It is a perspective view of the air damper and the air duct heat insulation member of the refrigerator of the present invention as viewed from the upper front side.

[0036] Figure 10B It is a perspective view of the air damper and the air duct heat insulation member of the refrigerator of the present invention as viewed from the lower rear side.

[0037] Figure 10C It is an enlarged perspective view of the air damper of the present invention as viewed from the upper front side.

[0038] Figure 11A It is a perspective view of the air damper and the air duct heat insulation member of the refrigerator of the present invention as viewed from the upper front side.

[0039] Figure 11BThis is a perspective view of the damper and the air duct heat insulation component of the refrigerator of the present invention as viewed from the lower rear side.

[0040] Figure 11C This is an enlarged perspective view of the damper of the refrigerator of the present invention as viewed from the upper front side.

[0041] Figure 12 This is a sectional perspective view of the structure of the damper and each air duct of the refrigerator of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 13A This is a view of the operation of the damper and each air duct of the refrigerator of the present invention, showing a sectional view of the case where only one damper is in the open state.

[0043] Figure 13B This is a view of the operation of the damper and each air duct of the refrigerator of the present invention, showing a sectional view of the case where only another damper is in the open state. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0044] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0045] Hereinafter, the refrigerator 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals are generally assigned to the same components, and repeated descriptions are omitted. In addition, in the following description, the directions of up, down, front, rear, left, and right are appropriately used, and the left and right show the left and right when the refrigerator 10 is viewed from the front. In addition, in the present embodiment, as the refrigerator 10, a refrigerator having a storage compartment with a freezing temperature range and a refrigerating temperature range is exemplified. However, the refrigerator 10 may also be a refrigerator having only a storage compartment with a freezing temperature range or a refrigerator having only a storage compartment with a refrigerating temperature range.

[0046] Figure 1 This is a side sectional view showing the whole refrigerator 10. The refrigerator 10 mainly includes a heat-insulating box body 11 and a storage compartment formed inside the heat-insulating box body 11. As this storage compartment, a refrigerating compartment 12, a fresh-keeping compartment 15, and a freezing compartment 13 are formed from the upper side. The front opening of the refrigerating compartment 12 is closed by a partition door 18, the front opening of the fresh-keeping compartment 15 is closed by a partition door 19, and the front openings of the freezing compartment 13 are closed by a partition door 20 and a partition door 21.

[0047] Below the inside of the refrigerating compartment 12, a sub-refrigerating compartment 121 and a sub-refrigerating compartment 122 are formed. The sub-refrigerating compartment 121 and the sub-refrigerating compartment 122 are separated by a synthetic resin plate. The sub-refrigerating compartment 121 and the sub-refrigerating compartment 122 are, for example, chilled compartments for storing meat, seafood, etc.

[0048] The heat-insulating box body 11 includes an outer box 111, an inner box 112, and a heat-insulating material 113. The outer box 111 is composed of a steel plate bent into a predetermined shape. The inner box 112 is disposed inside the outer box 111 and is composed of a synthetic resin plate. The heat-insulating material 113 is filled between the outer box 111 and the inner box 112. In addition, the refrigerating chamber 12 and the fresh-keeping chamber 15 are separated by a heat-insulating wall 281, and the fresh-keeping chamber 15 and the freezing chamber 13 are separated by the heat-insulating wall 282. The heat-insulating wall 281 and the heat-insulating wall 282 have the same heat-insulating structure as the heat-insulating box body 11.

[0049] A cooling chamber 115 is formed behind the freezing chamber 13. Inside the cooling chamber 115, an evaporator 162 serving as a cooler is disposed. In addition, a machine room 14 is partitioned and formed at the rear lower end side of the refrigerator 10, and a compressor 161 is disposed in the machine room 14. The evaporator 162 and the compressor 161 form a refrigerant compression type refrigeration cycle. The refrigeration cycle includes a compressor 161, a condenser (not shown), an expansion device (not shown), and an evaporator 162. By operating the refrigeration cycle, the air inside the cooling chamber 115 is cooled by the evaporator 162, and this air is blown to each storage chamber by a blower 24, so that the internal temperature of each storage chamber becomes a predetermined cooling temperature range. Each component device constituting the refrigeration cycle is connected to each other through a refrigerant pipe, and the refrigerant pipe is composed of a metal pipe such as a copper pipe.

[0050] The blower 24 is a centrifugal fan or an axial flow fan, and blows the air cooled by the evaporator 162. An air duct 48 extends upward from the blower 24. An air outlet 44 is formed at the upper end of the air duct 48, and an air outlet 16 is formed in the middle part. The air for cooling the refrigerating chamber 12 blows out from the air outlet 44 and the air outlet 16. The structure of the air duct 48 will be described later with reference to Figure 4 is described.

[0051] The air outlet 46 is an opening of the air duct 48 formed behind the sub-refrigerating chamber 122. The air for cooling the sub-refrigerating chamber 122 blows out from the air outlet 46. In addition, the air outlet 47 is an opening of the air duct 48 formed behind the fresh-keeping chamber 15. The air for cooling the fresh-keeping chamber 15 blows out from the air outlet 46.

[0052] The air outlet 17 is an opening in the partition wall formed in front of the cooling chamber 115, and the air for cooling the freezing chamber 13 blows out from the air outlet 17.

[0053] The air damper 30 is disposed in the middle part of the air duct 48 and performs an opening / closing operation of the air duct 48. Details of the air damper 30 will be described later with reference to FIG. 6 and the like. In addition, the air damper 30 is disposed directly above the blower 24.

[0054] Figure 2It is a front view showing the air duct structure of the refrigerator 10. In this figure, the refrigerating chamber 12 etc. are shown by dashed lines.

[0055] As described above, the air duct 48 is formed above the blower 24, and the air damper 30 is provided at the lower part of the air duct 48. Air outlets 44, 16, 46 and 47 are formed in the air duct 48.

[0056] The return air duct 224 is an air duct connecting the fresh food chamber 15 and the cooling chamber 115, and air that cools the fresh food chamber 15 and returns to the cooling chamber 115 circulates therein. Two return air ducts 224 are formed at both ends of the refrigerator 10 in the left - right direction. A return port 221 is formed at the upper end of the return air duct 224, and air that has cooled the fresh food chamber 15 flows into the return air duct 224 from the return port 221. A return port 222 is formed at the lower end of the return air duct 224, and air that returns from the return air duct 224 to the cooling chamber 115 passes through the return port 222.

[0057] An air outlet 17 is formed in the cooling chamber 115, and a return port 223 is formed on the lower side of the air outlet 17. Air cooled by the evaporator 162 is blown out to the freezer compartment 13 via the air outlet 17, and air that has cooled the freezer compartment 13 returns to the cooling chamber 115 from the return port 223.

[0058] Figure 3 It is a perspective view showing the air duct cover 42 etc. that constitute the above - mentioned air duct 48 in the refrigerator 10.

[0059] The air duct cover 42 is a member installed on the back surface of the inner box 112 of the above - mentioned refrigerator 10, and the air duct 48 is formed inside it. Like the inner box 112, the air duct cover 42 is made of a synthetic resin plate.

[0060] By opening the upper end surface of the air duct cover 42, the air outlet 44 is formed. In addition, on the front surface of the air duct cover 42, starting from above, air outlets 16, 45, 46 and 47 are formed. As described above, air is blown out from the air outlets 44 and 16 to the refrigerating chamber 12, air is blown to the sub - refrigerating chambers 121 and 122 from the air outlets 45 and 46, and air is blown to the fresh food chamber 15 from the air outlet 47.

[0061] Figure 4 It is an exploded perspective view showing the air duct cover 42, the first air duct heat - insulating member 41, the air damper 30 and the second air duct heat - insulating member 43 that constitute the air duct 48 in the refrigerator 10, where the first air duct heat - insulating member and the second air duct heat - insulating member are collectively referred to as air duct heat - insulating members.

[0062] The first air passage heat insulation member 41 and the second air passage heat insulation member 43 are components that form the air passage 48. The second air passage heat insulation member 43 is assembled at the lower end part on the front side of the first air passage heat insulation member 41. In addition, the first air passage heat insulation member 41 and the second air passage heat insulation member 43 are covered by the air passage cover 42 from the front.

[0063] The first air passage heat insulation member 41 is made of a heat insulation material such as foamed resin. By making its interior concave forward, the first air passage 482 and the second air passage 484 through which the blown air flows are formed. By opening the first air passage heat insulation member 41 at the upper end part of the first air passage 482, an opening 55 is formed, and the position of the opening 55 coincides with the position of the air outlet 46 of the air passage cover 42. Therefore, the air rising in the first air passage 482 is blown out to the sub-refrigerating chamber 122 via the opening 55 and the air outlet 46.

[0064] In addition, by opening the first air passage heat insulation member 41 at the upper end part of the second air passage 484, an opening 54 is formed. The position of the opening 54 of the first air passage heat insulation member 41 coincides with the position of the air outlet 44 of the air passage cover 42. Therefore, the air rising in the second air passage 484 is blown to the refrigerating chamber 12 through the opening 54 and the air outlet 44.

[0065] In addition, by opening the middle part of the first air passage heat insulation member 41, a plurality of opening parts 29 are formed. The position of the opening parts 29 of the first air passage heat insulation member 41 overlaps with the position of the air outlet 16 of the air passage cover 42. Therefore, a part of the air flowing in the air passage cover 42 is blown out to the refrigerating chamber 12 via the opening parts 29 and the air outlet 16.

[0066] Similar to the first air passage heat insulation member 41, the second air passage heat insulation member 43 is made of a heat insulation material such as foamed resin. By making its interior concave forward, the third air passage 481 and the fourth air passage 483 are formed. By opening the upper end part of the third air passage 481, an opening 57 is formed, and the position of the opening 57 of the second air passage heat insulation member 43 coincides with the position of the air outlet 47 of the air passage cover 42. Therefore, the air rising in the third air passage 481 is blown to the fresh-keeping chamber 15 via the opening 57 and the air outlet 47. The air passage 48 includes the first, second, third, and fourth air passages 481, 482, 483, and 484.

[0067] In addition, by opening the upper end part of the fourth air passage 483, an opening 56 is formed, and the position of the opening 56 coincides with the position of the air outlet 45 of the air passage cover 42. Therefore, the air rising in the first air passage 482 is blown out to the sub-refrigerating chamber 121 via the opening 56 and the air outlet 45.

[0068] The air damper 30 is assembled at the lower ends of the first air passage heat insulation member 41 and the second air passage heat insulation member 43, and has a function of opening or closing the third air passage 481 and the like. The air damper 30 includes a first baffle 311, a second baffle 312, a third baffle 313, and a fourth baffle 314. The first baffle 311 is disposed in the third air passage 481, the second baffle 312 is disposed in the first air passage 482, the third baffle 313 is disposed in the fourth air passage 483, and the fourth baffle 314 is disposed in the second air passage 484. Details of the air damper 30 will be described later with reference to FIG. 5 and the like.

[0069] Figure 5A is a perspective view of the air damper 30 viewed from the upper front side, Figure 5B is a perspective view of the air damper 30 viewed from the lower rear side. In the following description, the first baffle 311, the second baffle 312, the third baffle 313, and the fourth baffle 314 are collectively referred to as the baffle 31, and the first baffle frame 321, the second baffle frame 322, the third baffle frame 323, and the fourth baffle frame 324 are collectively referred to as the baffle frame 32.

[0070] Referring to Figure 5A , the air damper 30 includes a baffle 31 and a baffle driving portion 33, and the baffle driving portion 33 drives the opening and closing actions of these baffles 31. The first baffle 311, the second baffle 312, the third baffle 313, and the fourth baffle 314 are arranged in a matrix in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. When viewed from above, the baffle 31 as a whole presents a substantially rectangular outer edge shape.

[0071] The baffle driving portion 33 is disposed between the first baffle 311 and the second baffle 312 and the third baffle 313 and the fourth baffle 314. By doing so, the opening and closing driving of the baffle 31 can be performed by one baffle driving portion 33.

[0072] In addition, the baffle 31 is driven to open and close inside the baffle frame 32. Specifically, the first baffle 311 is received in the first baffle frame 321, the second baffle 312 is received in the second baffle frame 322, the third baffle 313 is received in the third baffle frame 323, and the fourth baffle 314 is received in the fourth baffle frame 324.

[0073] Referring to Figure 5B , by opening the bottom surface of the first baffle frame 321, an opening portion 581 having a substantially rectangular shape is formed. When closing Figure 4 the third air passage 481 shown, the opening portion 581 is closed by the first baffle 311. Similarly, by opening the second baffle frame 322, an opening portion 582 is formed. When closing Figure 4When closing the first air passage 482 shown, the opening 582 is closed by the second baffle 312. In addition, an opening 583 is formed by opening the third baffle frame 323. When closing Figure 4 the fourth air passage 483 shown, the opening 583 is closed by the third baffle 313. In addition, an opening 584 is formed by opening the fourth baffle frame 324. When closing Figure 4 the second air passage 484 shown, the opening 584 is closed by the fourth baffle 314.

[0074] Figure 6A FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the air damper 30 and the baffle 31 viewed from the upper front side. Figure 6B FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the baffle frame 32 viewed from the upper front side.

[0075] Refer to Figure 6A , in the first baffle 311, a rotation shaft 491 protruding toward the left side is formed at the rear left end thereof, and a rotation shaft 492 protruding toward the right side is formed at the rear right end thereof. In the second baffle 312, a rotation shaft 493 protruding toward the left side is formed at the rear left end thereof, and a rotation shaft 494 protruding toward the right side is formed at the rear right end thereof. In the third baffle 313, a rotation shaft 498 protruding toward the left side is formed at the rear left end thereof, and a rotation shaft 497 protruding toward the right side is formed at the rear right end thereof. In the fourth baffle 314, a rotation shaft 496 protruding toward the left side is formed at the rear left end thereof, and a rotation shaft 495 protruding toward the right side is formed at the rear right end thereof. In this figure, the rotation shaft 495 is blocked by the baffle driving part 33 and not shown.

[0076] The rotation shafts 491 of the first baffle 311, the rotation shaft 493 of the second baffle 312, the rotation shaft 497 of the third baffle 313, and the rotation shaft 495 of the fourth baffle 314 are connected to a baffle gear 374 and the like described later in a non-rotatable relative manner.

[0077] Refer to Figure 6B , by opening the opposing wall portions in the left-right direction of the first baffle frame 321 into substantially circular shapes, holes 501 and 502 are formed. Similarly, by opening the second baffle frame 322, holes 503 and 504 are formed. In addition, by opening the third baffle frame 323, holes 507 and 508 are formed. In addition, by opening the fourth baffle frame 324, holes 505 and 506 are formed. Here, the holes 502, 504, 506, and 508 do not necessarily have to be formed as through holes, and may be formed as concave non-through holes recessed outward in the left-right direction.

[0078] Figure 6AThe rotating shafts 491 and 492 of the first baffle 311 shown are rotatably inserted into Figure 6B the hole portions 501 and 502 of the first baffle frame 321 shown. Similarly, the rotating shafts 493 and 494 of the second baffle 312 are rotatably inserted into the hole portions 503 and 504 of the second baffle frame 322, the rotating shafts 497 and 498 of the third baffle 313 are rotatably inserted into the hole portions 507 and 508 of the third baffle frame 323, and the rotating shafts 495 and 496 of the fourth baffle 314 are rotatably inserted into the hole portions 505 and 506 of the fourth baffle frame 324.

[0079] Figure 7A is a perspective view of the air damper 30 observed from the front right side, Figure 7B is an enlarged perspective view of each gear observed from the front right side, and the gears constitute the air damper 30.

[0080] Referring to Figure 7A , the baffle driving portion 33 has a plurality of gears, which are located at the central position of the air damper 30 and are used to rotate the baffle 31.

[0081] Referring to Figure 7B , the baffle driving portion 33 has a motor 34, a motor gear 35, driven gears 364 and 363, and baffle gears 374 and 373, 374.

[0082] The motor gear 35 is rotationally driven by the motor 34 and meshes with the transmission gear 366. The transmission gear 366 is integrally connected with the driven gears 364 and 362. In front of the driven gear 364, a baffle gear 374 is arranged, and the driven gear 364 meshes with the baffle gear 374. The rotating shaft 491 of the first baffle 311 is inserted into the baffle gear 374 in a non-rotatable relative manner. Therefore, when the motor gear 35 is rotated by the motor 34, the rotational force rotates the baffle gear 374 via the transmission gear 366 and the driven gear 364, and thus, the first baffle 311 rotates.

[0083] In Figure 8 's perspective view, an air damper 30 is shown in which only the first baffle 311 is in the open state and the second baffle 312, the third baffle 313, and the fourth baffle 314 are in the closed state.

[0084] Referring to Figure 7B, the gear ratio of the baffle gear 374 is smaller than that of the driven gear 364. In this way, compared with the rotation amount of the driven gear 364, the baffle gear 374 can rotate by a larger amplitude. For example, by rotating the driven gear 364 by 80 degrees, the baffle gear 374 can be rotated by 90 degrees. Therefore, when the first baffle 311 is in the open state, the first baffle 311 can be reliably in the vertical state, thereby reducing the air passage resistance of the third air passage 481 described above.

[0085] In addition, the motor gear 35 meshes with the transmission gear 365. The transmission gear 365 is integrated with the driven gear 363 and the driven gear 361 (refer to Figure 9B ). On the rear side of the driven gear 363, a baffle gear 373 is arranged, and the driven gear 363 meshes with the baffle gear 373. The rotating shaft 493 of the baffle 312 is inserted into the baffle gear 373 in a non-rotatable relative manner. Here, the baffle gear 373 also has a gear ratio smaller than that of the driven gear 363 so that the baffle 312 can be reliably rotated by 90 degrees in the open state.

[0086] Figure 9A is a perspective view of the air damper 30 observed from the front left side, Figure 9B is an enlarged perspective view of each gear observed from the front left side, and the gears constitute the air damper 30.

[0087] Refer to Figure 9B , the driven gear 362 is integrated with the above-mentioned transmission gear 366. In addition, a baffle gear 372 is arranged in front of the driven gear 362, and the driven gear 362 and the baffle gear 372 are arranged in a meshing manner. In addition, the rotating shaft 497 of the baffle 313 is inserted into and connected to the baffle gear 372 in a non-rotatable relative manner. Here, the gear ratio of the baffle gear 372 is also smaller than that of the driven gear 362 so that the baffle 313 can be reliably rotated by 90 degrees in the open state.

[0088] The front part of the transmission gear 365 meshes with the transmission gear 366. In addition, the transmission gear 365 is integrated with the driven gear 361 and the driven gear 363 (refer to Figure 7B ). A baffle gear 371 is arranged on the rear side of the driven gear 361, and the driven gear 361 and the baffle gear 371 are arranged in a meshing manner. The rotating shaft 495 of the baffle 314 is inserted into the baffle gear 371 in a non-rotatable relative manner.

[0089] When the motor gear 35 is rotated by the motor 34, the rotational force rotates the shutter gear 371 via the transmission gear 366, the transmission gear 365, and the driven gear 361, whereby the shutter 314 rotates. Here, the gear ratio of the shutter gear 371 is also smaller than the gear ratio of the driven gear 361 so that the shutter 314 can reliably rotate 90 degrees in the open state.

[0090] Figure 10A is a perspective view of the air damper 30 and the first air passage heat insulating member 41 as viewed from the upper front side. Figure 10B is a perspective view of the air damper 30 and the first air passage heat insulating member 41 as viewed from the lower rear side. Figure 10C is an enlarged perspective view of the air damper 30 as viewed from the upper front side.

[0091] Refer to Figure 10A , a substantially plate-like insertion portion 521 and an insertion portion 522 are formed at the lower end of the first air passage heat insulating member 41. In addition, a slit 51 that is substantially rectangular when viewed from the front is formed between the insertion portion 521 and the insertion portion 522.

[0092] The shutter driving portion 33 of the air damper 30 has a housing 38. The housing 38 is substantially formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape by synthetic resin. Gears and the like constituting the above-described shutter driving portion 33 are provided inside the housing 38.

[0093] Refer to Figure 10B , the abutting portion 49 is provided on the rear side of the slit 51. The abutting portion 49 is the lower end surface of the portion that separates the first air passage 482 and the second air passage 484, and it can be either a flat surface or a shape that reverses the recess 40 described later.

[0094] Refer to Figure 10C , a recess 40 is formed on the upper surface of the housing 38. The recess 40 is formed to extend linearly in the front-rear direction on the upper surface of the housing 38. In addition, the recess 40 is also formed to extend linearly in the left-right direction on the upper surface of the housing 38. In other words, the recess 40 is formed in a substantially cross shape on the upper surface of the housing 38.

[0095] The housing 38 of the air damper 30 is inserted into the Figure 10B shown slit 51. In addition, the upper surface of the housing 38 having the recess 40 abuts against the abutting portion 49. Thereby, the space between the upper surface of the housing 38 and the abutting portion 49 of the first air passage heat insulating member 41 is sealed, separating the first air passage 482 from the second air passage 484. For example, it is possible to prevent air from invading the second air passage 484 from the first air passage 482.

[0096] Here, instead of the above-described recess 40, ribs may be formed on the upper surface of the housing 38 so that the ribs abut against the abutting portion 49.

[0097] In addition, referring to Figure 10C , a gap 532 is formed between the first baffle frame 321 and the second baffle frame 322. Further, the baffle wall portion 3221 of the first baffle frame 321 faces the gap 532, and the baffle wall portion 3211 of the second baffle frame 322 faces the gap 532, that is, the gap 532 is formed at an interval between the baffle wall portion 3221 and the baffle wall portion 3211. In addition, the baffle wall portion 3211 of the second baffle frame 322 is provided higher than the baffle wall portion 3221 of the first baffle frame 321.

[0098] Similarly, the baffle wall portion 3241 of the fourth baffle frame 324 is disposed opposite to the baffle wall portion 3231 of the third baffle frame 323 with a gap 531 therebetween. In addition, the baffle wall portion 3241 is provided higher than the baffle wall portion 3231.

[0099] Thus, it is possible to easily insert the insertion portions 521 and 522 of the first air passage heat insulation member 41 shown in Figure 10A into the gap 531 and the gap 532 of the air damper 30. Specifically, when the insertion portion 521 of the first air passage heat insulation member 41 is inserted into the gap 531 of the air damper 30, the relatively high baffle wall portion 3241 serves as a guide plate. In addition, since the heights of the baffle wall portion 3241 and the baffle wall portion 3231 are different, a relatively large opening is formed in the upper part of the gap 531, and the insertion portion 521 can be easily inserted into the gap 531.

[0100] Similarly, on the right side of the air damper 30 shown in Figure 10C , the baffle wall portion 3211 is provided higher than the baffle wall portion 3221, and thus, it is possible to easily insert the insertion portion 522 of the first air passage heat insulation member 41 shown in Figure 10A into the gap 532.

[0101] Figure 11A FIG. is a perspective view of the air damper 30 and the first air passage heat insulation member 41 viewed from the front upper side, Figure 11B FIG. is a perspective view of the air damper 30 and the first air passage heat insulation member 41 viewed from the rear lower side, Figure 11C FIG. is an enlarged perspective view of the air damper 30 viewed from the front upper side.

[0102] Referring to Figure 11C, the second baffle frame 322, the third baffle frame 323, and the fourth baffle frame 324 are integrally formed of synthetic resin. In addition, a substantially horizontal flat surface 62 is formed between the third baffle frame 323 and the fourth baffle frame 324. Thus, the abutting surface 64 can be brought into close contact with the flat surface 62 of the air damper 30, and the fourth air passage 483 opened and closed by the third baffle 313 and the second air passage 484 opened and closed by the fourth baffle 314 can be separated. The abutting surface 64 is Figure 11B the lower surface of the air damper 30 shown.

[0103] In addition, referring to Figure 11C , the outer side surface 63 of the baffle 31 is a substantially flat surface. Specifically, the outer side surface 63 is, for example, the right side surface and the front side surface of the second baffle frame 322, the right side surface and the front side surface of the housing 38, the front side surface and the left side surface of the third baffle frame 323, and the left side surface of the fourth baffle frame 324. Thus, the outer side surface 63 of the air damper 30 can be brought into contact with the inner surface 61, and the inner surface 61 is formed at the lower end of the first air passage heat insulating member 41 shown in Figure 11B , and the space between each air passage and the air damper 30 can be sealed.

[0104] Figure 12 is a sectional perspective view of each baffle and each air passage.

[0105] As described above, the air damper 30 has a first baffle 311 and a second baffle 312, and a cavity 60 is provided between the first baffle 311 and the second baffle 312. The cavity 60 is an internal space formed of synthetic resin having a cap-shaped cross section. As described above, the first baffle 311 opens and closes the third air passage 481, and the second baffle 312 opens and closes the first air passage 482.

[0106] Figure 13A is a cross-sectional view showing a case where only the first baffle 311 is in an open state, Figure 13B is a cross-sectional view showing a case where only the second baffle 312 is in an open state.

[0107] Referring to Figure 13A , when the first baffle 311 is rotated about 90 degrees with the rotation axis 492 as the center of rotation to be in an open state, the low-temperature air cooled by the evaporator 162 is blown out to the fresh food compartment 15 through the third air passage 481 and the opening 57. At this time, due to the presence of the cavity 60, the third air passage 481 and the first air passage 482 are thermally insulated from each other, preventing the rotation axis 494 of the second baffle 312 from freezing.

[0108] Referring to Figure 13B, it is possible to rotate the baffle 312 about the rotation axis 494 by approximately 90 degrees to thereby become an open state, and thus blow air into the refrigerating chamber 12 via the first air passage 482. At this time, the first baffle 311 rotates about the rotation axis 492 by approximately 90 degrees in the opposite direction to thereby become a closed state. At this time, the first air passage 482 and the third air passage 481 are thermally insulated by the cavity portion 60, and thus, it is possible to suppress the freezing of the rotation axis 492.

[0109] According to the present embodiment described above, the following main effects can be obtained.

[0110] Referring to Figure 5A , it is possible to provide a refrigerator 10 including a damper 30 having a compact external shape and capable of reducing the air passage resistance. That is, by arranging a plurality of baffles 31 in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, it is possible to reduce the air passage resistance in the damper 30. Further, it is possible to reduce the air volume difference between the air passage 48 on the left side and the air passage 48 on the right side. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently cool each storage chamber to a predetermined temperature.

[0111] In addition, referring to Figure 5A , by arranging a damper driving portion 33 between the baffles 31, it is possible to effectively drive the opening or closing operation of all the baffles 31 with one damper driving portion 33.

[0112] In addition, referring to Figure 9B , by making the gear ratio of the baffle gear 371 smaller than the gear ratio of the driven gear, it is possible to obtain a large rotation amount of the baffle gear 371 by a small rotation of the driven gear, and thus it is possible to reliably perform the opening and closing operation of the baffle 31.

[0113] In addition, referring to Figure 10C , by making the ribs or recesses 40 provided on the outer surface of the housing 38 abut against the first air passage heat insulating member 41, it is possible to seal the gap between the housing 38 of the damper driving portion 33 and itself, and thus it is possible to prevent air from leaking from the gap between the two.

[0114] In addition, referring to Figure 10C , in the gap between the first baffle frame 321 and the second baffle frame 322, one of the baffle wall portions 3221 of the first baffle frame 321 and the baffle wall portion 3211 of the second baffle frame 322 is provided to be higher than the other, and thus, it is possible to easily insert the lower end of the first air passage heat insulating member 41 into the gap between the first baffle frame 321 and the second baffle frame 322.

[0115] In addition, referring to Figure 11C , the third baffle frame 323 and the fourth baffle frame 324 are integrally formed, and thus, it is possible to reliably separate the air passages 48 in which the respective baffles 31 are provided.

[0116] In addition, referring to Figure 11C , the outer side surfaces 63 of the second baffle frame 322 to the fourth baffle frame 324 are flat surfaces. Thus, the outer side surfaces 63 of the first baffle frame 321 and the second baffle frame 322 can be brought into contact with the first air passage heat insulation member 41, improving the airtightness of the air passage 48.

[0117] In addition, referring to Figure 13A , the baffles 31 can be thermally insulated from each other through the hole portions 60. When the baffle 311 is in the open state, the drive structure of the adjacent baffle 312 can be prevented from freezing.

[0118] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the technical solutions of the present invention can be modified or equivalently replaced without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that, Comprising: A plurality of air passages for the flow of air to be blown into the storage chamber; And A damper for opening or closing each of the air passages respectively, The damper having a baffle and a baffle driving portion, the baffle being provided corresponding to each of the air passages, and the baffle driving portion driving the opening or closing action of the baffle, The baffle is provided with a plurality in the front - rear direction and a plurality in the left - right direction; The baffle driving portion has a housing, and ribs or recesses are provided on the outer surface of the housing, such that the air passage heat - insulating member forming the air passage abuts against the ribs or the recesses; The baffle has a first baffle and a second baffle adjacent to the first baffle. A first baffle frame is provided around the first baffle, and a second baffle frame is provided around the second baffle. On both sides of the gap between the first baffle frame and the second baffle frame, one of the first baffle frame and the second baffle frame is set higher than the other; A cavity portion is provided between the baffles adjacent in the left - right direction, and the cavity portion is an internal space formed by a synthetic resin having a cap - shaped cross - section.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein The baffle driving portion is provided between the baffles adjacent in the left - right direction.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that The baffle driving portion has a plurality of gears located at the central position of the damper to rotate the baffle.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, characterized in that, Both the first and second baffles are provided with rotation shafts at the ends on their sides, and the rotation shafts are connected to the baffle gears of the baffle driving portion in a non - relative - rotation manner.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The baffle driving portion has a motor, a motor gear rotationally driven by the motor, a transmission gear meshing with the motor gear, a driven gear integrally formed with the transmission gear, and a baffle gear meshing with the driven gear. The rotation shaft of the first baffle is inserted into the baffle gear in a non - relative - rotation manner, and the gear ratio of the baffle gear is smaller than the gear ratio of the driven gear.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein, The damper is assembled at the lower end of the air passage heat - insulating member, and the air passage heat - insulating member includes a first air passage heat - insulating member and a second air passage heat - insulating member assembled at the lower end portion on the front side of the first air passage heat - insulating member.

7. A refrigerator, characterized in that, Comprising: A plurality of air passages for the flow of air to be blown into the storage chamber; And A damper for opening or closing each of the air passages respectively, The damper having a baffle and a baffle driving portion, the baffle being provided corresponding to each of the air passages, and the baffle driving portion driving the opening or closing action of the baffle, The baffle is provided with a plurality in the front - rear direction and a plurality in the left - right direction; The baffle driving portion has a housing, and ribs or recesses are provided on the outer surface of the housing, such that the air passage heat - insulating member forming the air passage abuts against the ribs or the recesses; The baffle has a first baffle and a second baffle adjacent to the first baffle. A first baffle frame is provided around the first baffle, and a second baffle frame is provided around the second baffle. On both sides of the gap between the first baffle frame and the second baffle frame, one of the first baffle frame and the second baffle frame is set higher than the other; The baffle driving portion has a plurality of gears located at the central position of the damper to rotate the baffle.

8. A refrigerator, characterized in that, Comprising: A plurality of air passages for the air flow to be blown into the storage room; And A damper that opens or closes the air passage respectively, The damper has a baffle and a baffle driving part. The baffle is provided corresponding to each of the air passages, and the baffle driving part drives the opening or closing action of the baffle. A plurality of the baffles are arranged in the front-rear direction and a plurality of them are arranged in the left-right direction; The baffle driving part has a housing, and ribs or recesses are provided on the outer surface of the housing, and the air passage heat insulation member forming the air passage abuts against the ribs or the recesses; The baffle has a first baffle and a second baffle adjacent to the first baffle. A first baffle frame is provided around the first baffle, and a second baffle frame is provided around the second baffle. On both sides of the gap between the first baffle frame and the second baffle frame, one of the first baffle frame and the second baffle frame is set higher than the other; The damper is assembled at the lower end of the air passage heat insulation member, and the air passage heat insulation member includes a first air passage heat insulation member and a second air passage heat insulation member assembled at the lower end part on the front side of the first air passage heat insulation member.

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