Refrigerator

Abstract

The utility model provides a refrigerator with a cooling chamber formed on the upper side of a storage chamber. The refrigerator can improve the cooling efficiency of the storage chamber. A cooling chamber (13) and a storage chamber (11) of the refrigerator (10) are divided by a dividing part (12), and the cooling chamber (13) and the storage chamber (11) are formed on the upper side of the storage chamber (11). The return opening (15) is configured so that air returning from the storage chamber (11) toward the cooling chamber (13) passes through the return opening (15). The blower (17) is configured so as to blow air from the storage chamber (11) toward the cooling chamber (13). The shielding device (40) is disposed in the vicinity of the blower (17) and is configured so as to be in an open state or a closed state. The shielding device (40) is provided with a shielding cover (41). In the open state, the shield cover (41) is separated from the partition part (12), thereby opening the return opening part (15). In the closed state, the shield cover (41) closes the return opening (15) by approaching the partition (12).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to a refrigerator, in particular to a refrigerator with a cooling chamber on the upper side of a storage chamber. Background Art

[0002] In a conventional refrigerator, the air in the cooling chamber is cooled by an evaporator of a refrigeration cycle, and the cooled air is blown to the storage chamber by a blower, thereby cooling the storage chamber to a predetermined cooling temperature range.

[0003] Among them, in commercial refrigerators, in order to increase the effective volume of the storage room, a cooling room is formed on the upper side of the storage room. This matter is described in, for example, Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, and Patent Document 3.

[0004] Fig.14 It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the refrigerator described in the above patent document.

[0005] Reference Fig.14 The refrigerator 100 includes a heat-insulating box 101. A storage room 102 is formed inside the heat-insulating box 101. A cooling room 108 is formed inside the heat-insulating box 101 on the upper side of the storage room 102. The storage room 102 and the cooling room 108 are divided by a plate-shaped partition wall 103.

[0006] The partition wall 103 has a return opening 106 at the front part and a blow opening 107 at the rear part. The return opening 106 is an opening for returning the air cooled in the storage room 102 to the cooling room 108. The blow opening 107 is an opening for blowing the air cooled in the cooling room 108 to the storage room 102.

[0007] A blower 104 and an evaporator 105 are arranged inside the cooling chamber 108. The blower 104 blows air from the storage chamber 102 toward the cooling chamber 108 via the return opening 106. The evaporator 105 is a component of a refrigeration cycle, and cools the air inside the cooling chamber 108.

[0008] The cooling action of the refrigerator 100 is briefly described. First, by rotating the blower 104, the air in the storage chamber 102 returns to the cooling chamber 108 via the return opening 106. Inside the cooling chamber 108, the air blown by the blower 104 is cooled by heat exchange with the evaporator 105. Then, the air is blown from the cooling chamber 108 to the storage chamber 102 via the blowing opening 107. In this way, the air inside the storage chamber 102 is cooled. As a result, the indoor temperature of the storage chamber 102 is cooled to a prescribed refrigeration temperature range or freezing temperature range. In addition, if thick frost is generated on the evaporator 105, the defrosting process is performed by heating the inside of the cooling chamber 108 by a defrost heater not shown.

[0009] Prior art literature

[0010] Patent Literature

[0011] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-63638

[0012] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 6496570

[0013] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent No. 7065569 Utility Model Content

[0014] However, in the refrigerator according to the above-mentioned background art, there is still room for improvement from the viewpoint of efficient cooling operation.

[0015] Specifically, as mentioned above Fig.14 As shown, a return opening 106 and a blow opening 107 are formed in the partition wall 103 that partitions the cooling chamber 108. Therefore, if the air inside the cooling chamber 108 is heated by a defrosting heater (not shown), the heated warm air may flow from the return opening 106 or the blow opening 107 toward the storage chamber 102. In this way, the indoor temperature of the storage chamber 102 may rise unnecessarily, and thus there is a problem that the energy required to cool the storage chamber 102 increases.

[0016] The utility model is completed in view of the above situation, and its purpose is to provide a refrigerator with a cooling chamber formed on the upper side of a storage chamber, which can improve the cooling efficiency of the storage chamber.

[0017] (1) The refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that it includes: a storage chamber; a cooling chamber which is divided from the storage chamber by a partition and formed on the upper side of the storage chamber; a cooler which cools air inside the cooling chamber; a return opening which is an opening formed in the partition and through which the air returning from the storage chamber to the cooling chamber passes; a blower which is arranged near the return opening and blows the air from the storage chamber to the cooling chamber; and a shielding device which is arranged near the blower and is in an open state or a closed state, the shielding device having a shielding cover, in the open state, the shielding cover is away from the partition, thereby opening the return opening, and in the closed state, the shielding cover is close to the partition, thereby closing the return opening. According to the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, the return opening can be opened and closed by the shielding cover of the shielding device. Therefore, by opening the shielding device and operating the blower, air can be returned from the storage chamber to the cooling chamber in a good manner. On the other hand, by placing the shielding device in the closed state, the cooling chamber can be substantially sealed, and it is possible to suppress the unintentional flow of warm air from the cooling chamber to the storage chamber during defrosting.

[0018] (2) In addition, in the refrigerator involved in the embodiment of the utility model, it is characterized in that it also includes: a blowing opening portion, which is an opening formed in the partition portion, for the air blown from the cooling chamber toward the storage chamber to pass through, the partition portion is inclined upward as it moves toward the front, and the return opening portion is arranged at a position higher than the blowing opening portion. According to the refrigerator involved in the embodiment of the utility model, the effect of preventing warm air leakage during defrosting operation can be made significant. Specifically, in order to make the defrosting water flow toward the rear, the partition portion is inclined upward as it moves toward the front. Therefore, the return opening portion formed on the front side of the partition portion is arranged at a position higher than the blowing opening portion formed on the rear side of the partition portion. Therefore, warm air flows to the return opening portion side during defrosting. In this embodiment, the return opening portion can be closed by using the shielding cover of the shielding device during defrosting, so that the warm air can be suppressed from flowing to the storage chamber side.

[0019] (3) In addition, in the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is characterized in that: the shielding cover is arranged inside the cooling chamber, and in the open state, the shielding cover is away from the upper surface of the partitioning part around the return opening, and in the closed state, the shielding cover is close to the upper surface of the partitioning part around the return opening. According to the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention, by opening and closing the shielding cover inside the cooling chamber, the shielding cover does not protrude toward the storage chamber, and the effective volume of the storage chamber can be increased.

[0020] (4) In addition, in the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention, the shielding cover includes a bottom portion and a side portion which is erected from the peripheral edge of the bottom portion, and in the closed state, the end of the side portion of the shielding cover is close to the upper surface of the partition portion around the return opening. According to the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention, the return opening can be reliably closed by making the end of the side portion of the shielding cover close to the upper surface of the partition portion around the return opening.

[0021] (5) In addition, in the refrigerator involved in the embodiment of the present invention, it is characterized in that: the shielding cover is arranged on the storage chamber side, and in the open state, the shielding cover is away from the lower surface of the partitioning portion around the return opening, and in the closed state, the shielding cover is close to the lower surface of the partitioning portion around the return opening. According to the refrigerator involved in the embodiment of the present invention, by opening the shielding device and operating the blower, air can be returned from the storage chamber to the cooling chamber. On the other hand, by closing the shielding device, the cooling chamber can be roughly sealed, and the warm air during defrosting can be prevented from accidentally flowing from the cooling chamber to the storage chamber.

[0022] (6) In addition, in the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention, the shielding cover includes a bottom portion and a side portion which is erected from the peripheral edge of the bottom portion, and in the closed state, the end of the side portion of the shielding cover is close to the lower surface of the partition portion around the return opening. According to the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention, the return opening can be reliably closed by making the end of the side portion of the shielding cover abut against the lower surface of the partition portion around the return opening.

[0023] (7) In addition, in the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is characterized in that: the blower is arranged in the vicinity of the return opening inside the cooling chamber. According to the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention, for example, by arranging the blower as an axial flow blower inside the cooling chamber, the air volume of the blown air can be increased, thereby improving the efficiency during cooling.

[0024] (8) In addition, in the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is characterized in that the lower surface of the cooler is substantially parallel to the rotation surface of the blower. According to the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention, air can be effectively blown from the blower to the cooler in the cooling chamber.

[0025] Utility Model Effect

[0026] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, in the refrigerator in which the cooling chamber is formed on the upper side of the storage chamber, the cooling efficiency of the storage chamber can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 It is a perspective view showing the appearance of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2 It is a side cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the refrigerator involved in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 3 It is a figure which shows the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and is a perspective view which shows the member arrange|positioned in the peripheral part of a cooling room.

[0030] Figure 4 It is a figure which shows the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and is a cut-away perspective view which shows the member arrange|positioned in the peripheral part of a cooling room.

[0031] Figure 5 It is a figure which shows the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and is a perspective view which shows the structure of the upper surface of a partition part.

[0032] Figure 6 It is a figure which shows the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this utility model, and is the exploded perspective view which looked at the shielding device from the upper side.

[0033] Figure 7 It is a figure which shows the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this utility model, and is the exploded perspective view which looked at the shielding device from the bottom.

[0034] Fig. 8A It is a figure which shows the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this utility model, and is a perspective view which shows the shielding device in the open state.

[0035] Figure 8B The figure which shows the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this utility model is a cut-away perspective view which shows the shielding device in the open state.

[0036] Fig.9A It is a figure which shows the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this utility model, and is a perspective view which shows the shielding device in the closed state.

[0037] Fig. 9B It is a figure which shows the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this utility model, and is a cut-away perspective view which shows the shielding device in a closed state.

[0038] Fig.10 It is a figure which shows the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this utility model, and is a side cross-sectional view which shows the operation|movement of the shielding device in an open state, etc.

[0039] Fig.11 It is a figure which shows the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this utility model, and is a side cross-sectional view which shows the operation|movement of the shielding device in a closed state, etc.

[0040] Fig.12 It is a figure which shows the refrigerator involved in another aspect of this utility model, and is a side cross-sectional view which shows the operation of the shielding device in an open state, etc.

[0041] Fig.13 It is a figure which shows the refrigerator which concerns on another aspect of this invention, and is a side cross-sectional view which shows the operation|movement of the shielding device in a closed state, etc.

[0042] Fig.14 It is a side cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator involved in the background art.

[0043] Description of Reference Numerals

[0044] 10 Refrigerator 11 Storage room

[0045] 12 Division 13 Cooling chamber

[0046] 14 Cooler 15 Return opening

[0047] 16 Blowing opening 17 Blower

[0048] 171 rotating surface 172 blower fan

[0049] 173 Blowing frame 174 Blowing frame

[0050] 175 pedestal part 176 hole part

[0051] 177 Wind tunnel 18 Insulation box

[0052] 181 outer box 182 inner box

[0053] 183 Insulation material 19 Insulation door

[0054] 20 Defrost heater 21 Defrost water flow path

[0055] 211 Water collection part 212 Water pipe

[0056] 22 Equipment room 23 Compressor

[0057] 24 evaporating dish 25 first wall

[0058] 26 Second wall portion 27 Rear surface portion

[0059] 28 third wall portion 40 shielding device

[0060] 41 shielding cover 411 bottom surface

[0061] 412 side surface 413 threaded hole

[0062] 414 thread groove 415 support hole

[0063] 42 driving shaft 421 driving shaft main body

[0064] 422 thread 43 support base

[0065] 431 Support frame 432 Support frame

[0066] 433 Pedestal part 434 Shaft support part

[0067] 435 guide pin 436 hole

[0068] 44 drive motor 100 refrigerator

[0069] 101 Insulation box 102 Storage room

[0070] 103 partition wall 104 blower

[0071] 105 Evaporator 106 Return opening

[0072] 107 Blowing opening 108 Cooling chamber DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0073] 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 components are marked with the same reference numerals in principle, and repeated descriptions are omitted. In addition, in the following description, directions such as up, down, front, back, left, and right are used appropriately, and left and right refer to left and right when the refrigerator 10 is viewed from the front.

[0074] Figure 1 It is a perspective view showing the appearance of the refrigerator 10 .

[0075] like Figure 1 As shown, the refrigerator 10 according to this embodiment has a heat-insulating box body 18 as a main body, and a storage room 11 for storing food etc. is formed inside the heat-insulating box body 18. The inside of the storage room 11 is used as a refrigerator or a freezer according to the storage temperature or the purpose.

[0076] The front surface of the heat-insulating box 18 is open, and the opening is closed by the heat-insulating door 19. The right end portion or the left end portion of the heat-insulating door 19 is attached to the heat-insulating box 18 in a rotatable manner.

[0077] Figure 2 It is a side cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the refrigerator 10.

[0078] The refrigerator 10 mainly includes a storage chamber 11 , a cooling chamber 13 , a return opening 15 , a blower 17 , and a shielding device 40 .

[0079] The insulated box body 18 as the main body of the refrigerator 10 includes an outer box 181, an inner box 182 and an insulating material 183. The outer box 181 is formed of a steel plate with an opening on the front surface. The inner box 182 is arranged in the outer box 181 in a manner with a gap, and is formed of a synthetic resin with an opening on the front surface. The insulating material 183 is formed of polyurethane foam or the like filled in the gap between the outer box 181 and the inner box 182. Here, the insulated door 19 also adopts the same insulating structure as the insulated box body 18. In addition, the rear surface portion 27 is a component formed of synthetic resin that constitutes the rear surface portion of the storage chamber 11. The defrost water flow path 21 described later is arranged between the rear surface portion 27 and the inner box 182.

[0080] The cooling room 13 is partitioned from the storage room 11 by the partitioning portion 12 , and is formed on the upper side of the storage room 11 .

[0081] The partition 12 is a component formed of a synthetic resin plate or the like that divides the storage chamber 11 and the cooling chamber 13 inside the heat-insulating box 18. The partition 12 extends obliquely from the vicinity of the upper end of the rear surface of the inner box 182 toward the upper front side. With this oblique structure, as described later, the defrosted water generated by defrosting the cooler 14 can flow to the rear on the upper surface of the partition 12. In addition, the front end portion of the partition 12 extends in the up-down direction. That is, the partition 12 is substantially L-shaped.

[0082] The return opening 15 is an opening formed in the front portion of the partition 12, and is configured to allow the air returning from the storage chamber 11 to the cooling chamber 13 to pass therethrough. Figure 5 etc. for explanation.

[0083] The blowing opening 16 is an opening formed in the partitioning portion 12, and is configured to allow the air blown from the cooling chamber 13 toward the storage chamber 11 to pass therethrough. The blowing opening 16 is formed at a position on the rear side of the return opening 15.

[0084] The cooler 14 is an evaporator configured to cool the air inside the cooling chamber 13. The cooler 14 is, for example, a fin-tube type cooler, including: fins formed of metal plates and arranged at approximately equal intervals along the left-right direction; and a metal pipe that penetrates the fins and through which the refrigerant flows. In addition, the cooler 14 is arranged inside the cooling chamber 13 at a position closer to the rear side than the return opening 15, the blower 17, and the shielding device 40. Moreover, the cooler 14 is arranged at a position closer to the front side than the blowing opening 16. As a result, the air introduced from the return opening 15 can be effectively cooled by the cooler 14 as described later.

[0085] An equipment room 22 is formed at the rear lower end portion of the heat-insulating box 18. A compressor 23 for compressing a refrigerant is disposed in the equipment room 22. Furthermore, an evaporation dish 24 is disposed above the compressor 23 in the equipment room 22.

[0086] The cooler 14 is connected to the compressor 23 , a radiator (not shown), and an expansion unit (not shown) via refrigerant pipes, and constitutes a vapor compression refrigeration cycle.

[0087] In addition, the refrigerator 10 includes a sensor (not shown) for detecting the indoor temperature of the storage room 11, a timer (not shown), etc. The refrigerator 10 also has a control device (not shown) that performs a predetermined operation based on the input value from the sensor class to control each component device such as the compressor 23, the blower 17, and the shielding device 40.

[0088] The blower 17 is disposed near the return opening 15 , and is configured to blow air from the storage room 11 toward the cooling room 13 .

[0089] The shielding device 40 is arranged on the upper surface of the partition 12 near the blower 17, and is configured to be in an open state or a closed state. The shielding device 40 has a shielding cover 41. The shielding device 40 including the shielding cover 41 is arranged inside the cooling chamber 13. Here, the shielding device 40 is set to an open state in which the return opening 15 is not closed.

[0090] As described later, when the shielding device 40 is in the open state, the shielding cover 41 is away from the partition 12, and the shielding cover 41 opens the return opening 15. On the other hand, when the shielding device 40 is in the closed state, the shielding cover 41 is close to the partition 12, and the return opening 15 is closed by the shielding cover 41. The details of the open state and the closed state of the shielding device 40 are described later.

[0091] Inside the cooling chamber 13, the blower 17 is arranged near the return opening 15. By adopting such a configuration, for example, the volume of air blown by the blower 17, which is an axial flow blower, can be increased, thereby improving the efficiency during cooling.

[0092] The defrost heater 20 is disposed below the cooler 14 in the cooling chamber 13. The defrost heater 20 is a heater that generates heat by energizing. The defrost heater 20 generates heat, so that frost on the cooler 14 is melted.

[0093] A defrost water flow path 21 is disposed on the rear side of the storage chamber 11. The defrost water flow path 21 is a path for guiding defrost water from the cooling chamber 13 to the evaporation dish 24. The upper end of the defrost water flow path 21 is disposed on the rear side of the partition 12. The lower end of the defrost water flow path 21 reaches the evaporation dish 24. For details of the defrost water flow path 21, refer to Figure 4 etc. for explanation.

[0094] Figure 3 It is a perspective view showing the components arranged in the peripheral part of the cooling chamber 13. Here, the area where the above-mentioned cooler 14 is arranged is indicated by a dotted line.

[0095] A first wall portion 25 and a second wall portion 26 are formed on the upper surface of the partition portion 12. The first wall portion 25 and the second wall portion 26 are walls for allowing defrost water to flow appropriately.

[0096] The first wall portion 25 is a wall portion erected upward from the upper surface of the dividing portion 12. When viewed from above, the first wall portion 25 is rectangular in shape. The front edge of the first wall portion 25 is arranged at a position closer to the front side than the cooler 14. The rear edge of the first wall portion 25 is arranged at a position closer to the rear side than the water collecting portion 211 described later of the defrost water flow path 21. The right and left sides of the first wall portion 25 are arranged in a manner of surrounding the cooler 14, the blowing opening 16, the second wall portion 26, and the water collecting portion 211. In this way, the defrost water generated by defrosting the cooler 14 can flow to the water collecting portion 211 side.

[0097] The second wall portion 26 is a wall portion that is erected upward from the upper surface of the partition portion 12. When viewed from above, the second wall portion 26 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape inside the first wall portion 25. Moreover, the second wall portion 26 is formed in a manner that surrounds the blowing opening portion 16 from all sides. In this way, it is possible to prevent defrosted water generated by defrosting the cooler 14 from flowing into the storage chamber 11 side from the blowing opening portion 16. In addition, a plurality of blowing opening portions 16 are formed in the left-right direction. Each blowing opening portion 16 forms an elongated through hole in the front-back direction.

[0098] Figure 4 It is a cutaway perspective view showing components arranged in the peripheral portion of the cooling chamber 13 .

[0099] The defrost water flow path 21 includes a water collecting portion 211 and a water guide pipe 212 .

[0100] The water collecting portion 211 is disposed on the rear side of the partitioning portion 12. The water collecting portion 211 forms a flow path that is oriented toward the center in the width direction and is inclined downward. Figure 4 2 shows the left side of the water collecting section 211, and the left side of the water collecting section 211 is a flow path that is oriented to the right and inclined downward. Figure 3 As shown, the water collecting portion 211 is arranged from the left end to the right end of the first wall portion 25 at the rear end of the first wall portion 25. With this structure, the water collecting portion 211 can block all the defrost water flowing into the first wall portion 25 and collect it at the center in the left-right direction.

[0101] The upper end of the water guide pipe 212 is connected to the lower end of the water collecting part 211. As described above, the lower end of the water guide pipe 212 reaches the evaporation dish 24. With this structure, the defrost water collected by the water collecting part 211 can be smoothly guided to the evaporation dish 24 through the water guide pipe 212.

[0102] Since the heat insulating material 183 is disposed between the defrosted water flow path 21 and the rear surface portion 27, the water conduit 212 and the storage chamber 11 are thermally insulated. Therefore, the defrosted water flowing in the defrosted water flow path 21 does not freeze.

[0103] Figure 5 It is a perspective view showing the structure of the upper surface of the partitioning portion 12 .

[0104] The return opening 15 is formed by penetrating the front portion of the partition 12 in a substantially circular shape. In addition, the third wall 28 is a wall portion formed by standing up in a substantially rectangular shape in the partition 12 surrounding the return opening 15. When viewed from above, a shielding device 40 is arranged inside the third wall 28. In this way, it is possible to prevent defrosted water generated by defrosting the cooler 14 from entering the storage chamber 11 side through the return opening 15.

[0105] Figure 6 It is an exploded perspective view of the shielding device 40 as viewed from above. Figure 7 It is an exploded perspective view of the shielding device 40 as viewed from below.

[0106] Reference Figure 6 and Figure 7 The shielding device 40 mainly includes: a shielding cover 41, which has a substantially cover shape; a driving shaft 42, which penetrates the shielding cover 41 and drives the shielding cover 41; and a supporting base 43, which supports the shielding cover 41 and the driving shaft 42. Figure 2As shown, the main function of the shielding device 40 is to suppress leakage of warm air into the storage chamber 11 during defrosting by sealing the return opening 15 of the cooling chamber 13 during defrosting.

[0107] The shielding cover 41 includes: a bottom portion 411, which is formed by injection molding a resin material into a substantially cover shape and is in a quadrilateral shape; and four side portions 412, which extend longitudinally from the peripheral edge portion of the bottom portion 411. A screw hole 413 is formed in a circular manner penetrating the vicinity of the center of the bottom portion 411. The peripheral portion of the screw hole 413 is formed thicker than the other portions of the bottom portion 411. A screw groove 414 is formed on the side surface of the bottom portion 411 facing the screw hole 413. Support holes 415 penetrating the bottom portion 411 are formed at the opposing corners of the bottom portion 411. A guide pin 435 of the support base 43 described later is inserted into the support hole 415.

[0108] The drive shaft 42 includes a drive shaft body 421 and a thread 422. The drive shaft body 421 is in the shape of a cylinder with an opening at the bottom, and is provided with a thread 422 that continuously protrudes a portion of its side surface in a spiral shape. The thread 422 of the drive shaft 42 and the thread groove 414 of the above-mentioned shielding cover 41 are screwed together when in use. The shaft support portion 434 of the support base 43 described below is inserted into the interior of the drive shaft body 421, and the drive shaft 42 is rotated by a predetermined angle by the driving force of the drive motor 44 built into the shaft support portion 434. The function of the drive shaft 42 is to rotate the drive shaft 42 itself so that the shielding cover 41 moves in the up and down directions as needed to perform an opening and closing action.

[0109] The support base 43 is a component for supporting the drive shaft 42 in a rotatable manner and abutting against the shielding cover 41. The support frame 431 is a component in the shape of a substantially rectangular frame. The pedestal 433 is a component in the shape of a substantially circular plate disposed approximately in the center of the support base 43. The above-mentioned shaft support 434 is disposed on the upper surface of the pedestal 433. The support frame 431 and the pedestal 433 are connected by a support frame 432. The support frame 432 is a component that integrally connects the inner part near the corner of the support frame 431 with the peripheral part of the pedestal 433. Four support frames 432 are disposed corresponding to the corners of the support frame 431. A hole 436 is formed in a manner that penetrates each corner of the support base 43. The hole 436 is a part for fixing the shielding device 40 including the support base 43 to the above-mentioned dividing portion 12. The guide pins 435 are two substantially cylindrical portions extending upwardly arranged at the opposing corners of the support frame 431. The guide pins 435 are inserted into the support holes 415 of the shielding cover 41. With this insertion structure, the shielding cover 41 is smoothly guided in its vertical movement.

[0110] The drive motor 44 is a drive source for rotating the drive shaft 42. The drive motor 44 is built into the shaft support portion 434 of the support base 43. The drive shaft of the drive motor 44 passes through the upper surface of the shaft support portion 434 and is connected to the central portion of the upper surface of the drive shaft body 421 in a manner that cannot rotate relative to each other. With this structure, the drive motor 44 can be used to precisely rotate the drive shaft 42.

[0111] The blower 17 mainly includes a blowing frame 173 and a blower fan 172. The blowing frame 173 is a frame-shaped component that is roughly rectangular. A wind tunnel portion 177 that is roughly cylindrical is formed inside the blowing frame 173, and the blower fan 172 is accommodated in the wind tunnel portion 177. The base portion 175 is a roughly disk-shaped portion that is arranged in the approximate center of the blower 17. The blowing frame 174 is a portion that connects the corners of the blowing frame 173 and the base portion 175. The blower fan 172 is connected to the lower surface of the base portion 175 and rotates using the driving force of the built-in motor. As the blower fan 172, an axial flow blower, a centrifugal blower, etc. can be used. The hole portion 176 is a portion that passes through the corners of the blowing frame 173. The blower 17 is fixed to the support base 43 using connecting components such as screws that pass through the hole portion 176.

[0112] Fig. 8A It is a perspective view showing the shielding device 40 in the open state. Figure 8B It is a cutaway perspective view showing the shielding device 40 in the open state.

[0113] The open state of the shielding device 40 is achieved by rotating the drive shaft 42. Specifically, when viewed from above, the drive shaft 42 is rotated clockwise by the driving force of the motor. In this case, the thread 422 of the drive shaft 42 is screwed into the thread groove 414 of the shielding cover 41, whereby the shielding cover 41 moves upward. At this time, the lower end of the side surface 412 of the shielding cover 41 is away from the upper surface of the support frame 431. In this case, a gap is formed between the shielding cover 41 and the support base 43. Therefore, when the blower fan 172 rotates, air is blown through the gap.

[0114] Fig.9A It is a perspective view showing the shielding device 40 in a closed state. Fig. 9B It is a cutaway perspective view showing the shielding device 40 in a closed state.

[0115] The closed state of the shielding device 40 is achieved by rotating the drive shaft 42 in the reverse direction. Specifically, when viewed from above, the drive shaft 42 is rotated counterclockwise using the driving force of the motor. In this case, the thread 422 of the drive shaft 42 is screwed into the thread groove 414 of the shielding cover 41, whereby the shielding cover 41 moves downward. As a result, the lower end of the side surface 412 of the shielding cover 41 abuts against the upper surface of the support frame 431. In this case, no gap is formed between the shielding cover 41 and the support base 43. Therefore, the return opening 15 can be closed as described later.

[0116] Here, in the closed state of the shielding device 40, the side portion 412 of the shielding cover 41 can also abut against a portion other than the upper surface of the support frame portion 431. Specifically, the side portion 412 of the shielding cover 41 can also abut against the upper surface of the blowing frame portion 173. Figure 5 The side surface 412 of the shielding cover 41 may also abut against the upper surface of the partitioning portion 12 around the return opening 15. Even with this structure, the return opening 15 can be closed when the shielding device 40 is in the closed state.

[0117] Fig.10 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing the operation of the shielding device 40 and the refrigerator 10 in the open state. Fig.10 In FIG. 1 , the flow of air inside the refrigerator 10 is shown by dotted arrows.

[0118] The shielding device 40 is as follows Fig. 8A As a result, the shielding cover 41 is away from the support base 43, and a gap is formed between the two. That is, the shielding cover 41 is away from the upper surface of the partition 12, thereby opening the return opening 15. In addition, by operating the vapor compression type refrigeration cycle, the cooler 14 cools the air inside the cooling chamber 13. Furthermore, the blower 17 rotates at a predetermined speed.

[0119] In this way, the blower 17 returns the air inside the storage room 11 to the cooling room 13 side through the return opening 15. The air sucked into the cooling room 13 is blown toward the rear through the gap between the shielding cover 41 and the support base 43, and is cooled by heat exchange with the cooler 14. Then, the air is blown into the storage room 11 through the blowing opening 16. In this way, the indoor temperature of the storage room 11 is cooled to a predetermined refrigeration temperature range or freezing temperature range.

[0120] Here, the lower surface of the cooler 14 is substantially parallel to the rotating surface 171 of the blower 17. Fig.10In FIG. 1 , the rotating surface 171 is shown by a dashed line. In this way, the air generated by the rotation of the blower 17 can pass through the cooler 14 well. Therefore, the cooler 14 can effectively perform heat exchange and effectively cool the air.

[0121] Furthermore, by opening and closing the shielding cover 41 in the cooling chamber 13, the shielding cover 41 does not protrude toward the storage chamber 11, and the effective volume of the storage chamber 11 can be increased.

[0122] Moreover, by arranging the shielding cover 41 inside the cooling chamber 13, the air resistance when the blower 17 blows can be reduced. Specifically, by arranging the shielding cover 41 inside the cooling chamber 13, the shielding cover 41 does not exist in the path on the storage chamber 11 side where the blower 17 sucks in air. Therefore, the blower 17 can suck in the air of the storage chamber 11 in a state without obstacles. Specifically, the blower 17 sucks in the air of the storage chamber 11 in a state without obstacles, and can blow the air to the cooler 14 side along the lower surface of the shielding cover 41 inside the cooling chamber 13. That is, by arranging the shielding cover 41 inside the cooling chamber 13, the air resistance or pressure loss when the blower 17 blows can be reduced. Therefore, the energy required for the operation of the refrigerator 10 can be reduced, and a sufficient amount of air can be blown to the cooler 14 side.

[0123] Fig.11 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing the operation of the shielding device 40 in the closed state, that is, the operation of the refrigerator 10 and the shielding device 40 during defrosting. Fig.11 In FIG. 1 , the flow of defrost water is shown by dashed arrows.

[0124] If the cooler 14 continues to cool for a long time, thick frost will be generated on the surface of the cooler 14. In this case, the heat conduction and air flow of the cooler 14 will be hindered. Therefore, the defrosting process is performed to melt the frost on the cooler 14.

[0125] In the defrosting process, first, the shielding cover 41 is closed. That is, the shielding cover 41 is brought close to the upper surface of the partitioning portion 12. As a result, the shielding device 40 becomes Fig.9A In the closed state shown in FIG. 1 , the shielding cover 41 contacts the support base 43 to close the return opening 15. Furthermore, by energizing the defrosting heater 20, the air is heated inside the cooling chamber 13. In addition, since the compressor 23 is stopped, the cooler 14 does not cool the air.

[0126] In this case, the defrost heater 20 is used to heat the frost on the cooler 14, thereby melting the frost and generating liquefied frost, namely, defrost water. Here, the partition 12 is inclined downward toward the rear. Therefore, the defrost water moves downward on the upper surface of the partition 12, flows downward inside the defrost water flow path 21, and is stored in the defrost water flow path 21. Figure 2 Then, in the evaporation dish 24, the defrost water evaporates due to the operating heat of the compressor 23 and the like.

[0127] Moreover, refer to Figure 3 When viewed from above, the cooler 14 is surrounded by the first wall portion 25 from the front, left, and right sides. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the defrosted water generated from the cooler 14 from entering the storage chamber 11. In addition, the periphery of the blowing opening 16 is surrounded by the second wall portion 26. Therefore, it is also possible to prevent the defrosted water from entering the storage chamber 11 through the blowing opening 16.

[0128] like Fig.11 As shown, the partition 12 is inclined upward toward the front. Therefore, the return opening 15 is arranged at a position above and toward the front side of the blowing opening 16. Therefore, if no countermeasures are implemented, there is a possibility that the warm air heated by the defrost heater 20 during the defrosting process enters the storage room 11 through the return opening 15, thereby causing the indoor temperature of the storage room 11 to rise unnecessarily. In this embodiment, the return opening 15 is closed by the shielding device 40 during the defrosting process. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the leakage of warm air from the return opening 15 to the storage room 11 side, and the rise in the indoor temperature of the storage room 11 can be suppressed.

[0129] Moreover, by tilting the partition 12 toward the rear and downward, the blower 17 and the shielding device 40 can be prevented from leaking electricity. Specifically, the blower 17 and the shielding device 40 are electrical devices including electrical components such as motors or wiring harnesses. Therefore, if the defrost water generated by melting the frost attached to the cooler 14 adheres to the blower 17 or the shielding device 40, there is a possibility of leakage electricity in the blower 17 or the shielding device 40. In the present embodiment, as described above, the shielding device 40 and the blower 17 are arranged at a position closer to the front side than the cooler 14, and the partition 12 is tilted toward the rear and downward. Therefore, after the defrost water generated by defrosting the cooler 14 drips onto the partition 12 at a position closer to the rear side than the blower 17 and the shielding device 40, it flows downward on the upper surface of the partition 12 and reaches the above-mentioned evaporation dish 24 via the defrost water flow path 21. Therefore, during the defrosting process, since the defrosted water does not flow toward the blower 17 and the shielding device 40, it is possible to prevent the defrosted water from causing leakage in the blower 17 and the shielding device 40.

[0130] Reference Fig.12 and Fig.13 , the structure of the shielding device 40 and the refrigerator 10 involved in another embodiment is described. In the refrigerator 10 involved in this other embodiment, the shielding device 40 is arranged on the storage chamber 11 side. Figure 2 The structure is the same as described above.

[0131] Fig.12 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing the operation of the shielding device 40 in the open state according to another embodiment. Fig.12 In FIG. 1 , the process of cooling the interior of the storage room 11 is shown. Fig.12 The flow of air is shown by dashed arrows.

[0132] The shielding device 40 enables Fig. 8A The state shown in the figure is reversed upside down and is mounted on the lower surface of the partition 12. That is, the support base 43 is fixed to the lower surface side of the partition 12. Therefore, the support base 43 and the shielding cover 41 constituting the shielding device 40 are arranged on the storage chamber 11 side. Moreover, the shielding cover 41 is arranged at a position lower than the support base 43 and the blower 17. Here, the shielding cover 41 is away from the support base 43 and the lower surface of the partition 12. Therefore, a gap is formed between the support base 43 and the shielding cover 41.

[0133] If the blower 17 is rotated in this state, the air inside the storage chamber 11 passes through the gap between the shielding cover 41 and the support base 43 and is sucked into the cooling chamber 13 through the return opening 15. In addition, inside the cooling chamber 13, the air is blown toward the rear, and is cooled by heat exchange with the cooler 14. Then, the air is blown into the storage chamber 11 through the blowing opening 16.

[0134] Fig.13 It is a side cross-sectional view showing the operation of the shielding device 40 in the closed state according to another embodiment, that is, the operation during the defrosting process.

[0135] Here, the shielding cover 41 is moved close to the lower surface of the partition 12 so that the shielding cover 41 is in close contact with the support base 43. As a result, the shielding device 40 is closed and the return opening 15 is closed. In this state, if the defrost heater 20 is powered, the internal temperature of the cooling chamber 13 rises and the frost on the cooler 14 melts. This matter is similar to the reference Fig.11 The same description is given in the examples above.

[0136] The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. In addition, the above-mentioned respective aspects can be combined with each other.

[0137] For example, refer to Figure 2 The refrigerator 10 according to the present embodiment has only one storage room 11 inside the heat-insulating box 18, but may also have a plurality of storage rooms 11. In this case, the plurality of storage rooms 11 may be a combination of a refrigerating room and a freezing room.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that: include: Storage room; a cooling chamber which is divided from the storage chamber by a dividing portion and is formed on an upper side of the storage chamber; a cooler for cooling air inside the cooling chamber; a return opening portion, which is an opening formed in the partition portion and allows the air returning from the storage chamber toward the cooling chamber to pass through; a blower disposed near the return opening and blowing the air from the storage chamber toward the cooling chamber; as well as A shielding device is arranged near the blower and is in an open state or a closed state. The shielding device comprises a shielding cover. In the open state, the shielding cover is away from the dividing portion, thereby opening the return opening. In the closed state, the shielding cover is close to the partitioning portion, thereby closing the return opening.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: a blowing opening portion, which is an opening formed in the partition portion and through which the air blown from the cooling chamber toward the storage chamber passes, The dividing portion is inclined upward as it moves toward the front. The return opening is arranged above the blowing opening.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shielding cover is arranged inside the cooling chamber, In the open state, the shielding cover is away from the upper surface of the dividing portion around the return opening. In the closed state, the shielding cover is close to the upper surface of the partition portion around the return opening.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, characterized in that: The shielding cover includes: a bottom portion; and a side portion, which is erected from the periphery of the bottom portion. In the closed state, the end of the side surface of the shielding cover is close to the upper surface of the partitioning portion around the return opening.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shielding cover is arranged on the storage chamber side. In the open state, the shielding cover is away from the lower surface of the partition portion around the return opening. In the closed state, the shielding cover is close to the lower surface of the partition portion around the return opening.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, characterized in that: The shielding cover includes: a bottom portion; and a side portion, which is erected from the periphery of the bottom portion. In the closed state, the end of the side surface of the shielding cover is close to the lower surface of the partitioning portion around the return opening.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The blower is arranged in the vicinity of the return opening in the cooling chamber.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower surface of the cooler is substantially parallel to the rotation plane of the blower.

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