Refrigerator

Abstract

In a conventional refrigerator, a problem of member deterioration caused by sliding between structural members of an automatic closing mechanism when a heat insulation door is opened and closed occurs. The refrigerator (10) is provided with an automatic closing mechanism (41) which enables the first heat insulation door (14) and the second heat insulation door (15) to be automatically closed. The pressing member (64) is attached to the capturing section (42) so as to be slidable with respect to a main body section (61) of the capturing section (42). Through the structure, when the first heat insulation door (14) and the like are closed, the contact area between the pressing part (66) of the pressing component (64) and the connecting part (54B) of the rotation limiting part (54) changes, and the pressing component (64) moves while pressing the connecting part (54B). As a result, the amount of wear of the pressing member (64) and the connecting portion (54B) due to sliding between members can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to a refrigerator, in particular to a refrigerator which can prevent the degradation of components caused by sliding between structural components of an automatic closing mechanism and prevent the automatic closing action of an initially set heat insulation door from changing with time. Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional refrigerator. The refrigerator comprises a refrigerator body serving as a storage compartment and an insulated door that closes the front opening of the refrigerator body. The right end of the insulated door is rotatably supported on the refrigerator body via upper and lower hinges. Furthermore, an automatic closing mechanism for the insulated door is provided on the top surface of the refrigerator body, near the upper hinge.

[0003] The automatic closing mechanism mainly includes: a first mechanism, which can rotate coaxially with the upper hinge part; a second mechanism, which is rotatably installed relative to the first mechanism and is L-shaped; a permanent magnet, which is arranged on the first mechanism; a buffer part, which limits the rotation movement of the first mechanism; a first spring part, which assists the rotation movement of the first mechanism; and a position detection switch, which detects the fully closed state of the heat insulation door.

[0004] The lower hinge also features a base portion with automatic closing and deceleration functions. The base portion includes an inclined portion sloping downward in the direction of rotation of the refrigerator door, a horizontal portion extending from the upper end of the inclined portion and generally parallel to the direction of rotation of the refrigerator door, and a terminal portion at the end of the horizontal portion that abuts a pin during rotation of the refrigerator door, thereby restricting the door's rotation. Furthermore, a pin formed on the side of the lower hinge's rotational axis is compressed by a spring, abutting against the inclined and horizontal portions during rotation of the refrigerator door and sliding on their upper surfaces.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses a closing device for a door that can be opened and closed freely, such as in an existing house. The closing device comprises a device body disposed at the upper end of a frame that houses the door, and a guided member disposed at the upper end of the door that is guided toward the device body when the door is fully closed.

[0006] The main body of the device mainly includes a housing body, an arm rotatably mounted on the upper surface of the housing body, a guide groove formed in the arm, a rotating piece mounted inside the housing body and connected to the arm, a buffer portion and a first slider portion that limit the rotation of the rotating piece, and a spring portion and a second slider portion that assist in the rotation of the rotating piece. In addition, the guided component mainly includes a block member fixed to the door body and a sliding member formed in the block member and inserted into the guide groove when the door body is closed.

[0007] In a door closing device, during the door closing motion, the slider enters the guide groove, the arm is pressed by the guided component, and rotates, automatically closing the door into the frame. At this point, within the device's main body, a rotating piece rotates in conjunction with the arm. A portion of the rotating piece presses against the first slider or is pressed against the second slider while sliding relative to the first and second sliders, thereby adjusting the door's rotational speed. In other words, in the door closing device, a cam mechanism constructed within the device's main body is used to adjust the door's rotational speed.

[0008] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3953082

[0009] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-287237

[0010] In existing refrigerators, the rotational speed of the insulating door is also decelerated and adjusted at the lower hinge. However, each time the insulating door is closed, the pin of the rotating shaft slides against the inclined portion and the upper surface of the horizontal portion of the base. Consequently, the pin repeatedly slides against the inclined portion and the upper surface of the horizontal portion at the same contact point, sometimes causing component degradation due to friction. This can lead to variations in the resistance value during the sliding operation, causing the rotational speed of the insulating door and the deceleration start point to vary from their initial settings.

[0011] In addition, although the technical field is different from that of refrigerators, a cam mechanism is used in existing door closing devices to adjust the rotation speed of the door. However, between the components of the cam mechanism that perform repeated sliding actions, component degradation caused by friction and the like sometimes occurs. In this case, as with the above-mentioned existing refrigerators, there is the following problem: the resistance value during the sliding action deviates, thereby causing the rotation speed of the door, the deceleration start position, etc. to change from the initial set values. In addition, depending on the material of the sliding components of the cam mechanism, there may also be problems such as abnormal noise due to aging over time, increased manufacturing costs, and increased weight of the cam mechanism itself. Utility Model Content

[0012] The present invention is completed in view of the above situation, and its purpose is to provide a refrigerator that prevents component degradation caused by sliding between structural components of the automatic closing mechanism and in which the automatic closing action of the initially set heat insulation door is not easily changed over time.

[0013] In the first mode of the refrigerator of the present invention, it is characterized in that it comprises: an insulating box body, which forms a storage chamber; an insulating door, which can be opened and closed freely to close the front opening of the above-mentioned storage chamber; and an automatic closing mechanism, which automatically closes the above-mentioned insulating door relative to the above-mentioned insulating box body, and the above-mentioned automatic closing mechanism comprises: a frame body, which is fixed relative to the above-mentioned insulating box body; a capture part, which is rotatably arranged relative to the above-mentioned frame body; a guide groove, which is formed in the above-mentioned frame body; a pressing component, which is slidably arranged relative to the above-mentioned capture part and has a guide shaft inserted into the above-mentioned guide groove; a rotation limiting part, which slows down the rotation speed of the above-mentioned capture part; and a rotation driving part, which becomes the driving source of the above-mentioned rotation action of the above-mentioned capture part, and when the above-mentioned insulating door is closed, the above-mentioned capture part rotates toward the side of the above-mentioned front opening while being guided by the above-mentioned guide groove, and the above-mentioned pressing component presses the above-mentioned rotation limiting part toward the depth direction of the above-mentioned insulating box body. With this structure, when the heat-insulating door is closed, the pressing member slides relative to the catch portion while moving on the flat surface of the rotation restricting portion. This reduces component degradation caused by sliding movement between the components. As a result, the rotation speed of the heat-insulating door is less likely to change from the initial setting, reducing the burden on the user caused by early component replacement.

[0014] In addition, in the second embodiment of the refrigerator of the present invention, it is characterized in that a flat surface extending in the lateral width direction of the heat-insulating box body and an inclined surface continuous with the flat surface and inclined in the depth direction are formed on the surface of the rotation limiting portion that contacts the pressing member. The pressing member presses the flat surface in the depth direction in conjunction with the rotation of the capture portion, and moves the flat surface toward the inclined surface. With this structure, when the heat-insulating door is closed, the reaction force received by the pressing member from the rotation limiting portion when the inclined surface moves is smaller than the reaction force received by the pressing member from the rotation limiting portion when the flat surface moves. As a result, for example, the rotation speed of the heat-insulating door just before it is completely closed is faster than the rotation speed in the previous stage, thereby preventing the door of the heat-insulating door from being loosely closed and improving the convenience of the user.

[0015] In addition, in a third embodiment of the refrigerator of the present invention, it is characterized in that the guide groove includes a longitudinal groove extending in the depth direction and an oblique groove continuous with the longitudinal groove and inclined in the width direction relative to the longitudinal groove. When the guide shaft moves in the longitudinal groove, the pressing member moves on the flat surface, and when the guide shaft moves in the oblique groove, the pressing member moves on the inclined surface. With this structure, when the heat insulation door is closed, the reaction force received by the capture portion from the rotation limiting portion of the automatic closing mechanism changes in stages, thereby changing the rotation speed of the heat insulation door in stages. As a result, for example, the rotation speed of the heat insulation door when it is fully closed is faster than the rotation speed in the previous stage, thereby preventing the heat insulation door from being loosely closed and improving the convenience of the user.

[0016] In a fourth aspect of the refrigerator of the present invention, the automatic closing mechanism includes a striker disposed on the heat-insulating door and coupled to or detached from the catch portion in conjunction with the opening and closing of the heat-insulating door. The catch portion includes an engagement groove into which an engagement pin of the striker can penetrate. When the heat-insulating door is closed, the engagement pin penetrates into the engagement groove in conjunction with the rotation of the catch portion. With this structure, when the heat-insulating door is closed, the striker and the catch portion are coupled by the initial force applied by the user to close the heat-insulating door, thereby achieving automatic closing of the heat-insulating door.

[0017] In addition, in the fifth embodiment of the refrigerator of the present invention, it is characterized in that the pressing member has an insertion hole for inserting the capture portion, and the pressing member is mounted on the capture portion via the insertion hole, and slides relative to the capture portion when the heat insulating door is closed. With this structure, when the heat insulating door is closed, the pressing member slides while being stably supported by the capture portion. As a result, the capture portion is less likely to rotate while shaking, and the heat insulating door also rotates stably. Moreover, the storage items stored in the heat insulating door are less likely to collide with each other, and the convenience of the user is improved.

[0018] In a sixth aspect of the refrigerator of the present invention, a slit is formed on the inner side surface of the pressing member forming the insertion hole in the direction in which the pressing member slides. This structure reduces the contact area between the inner side surface of the pressing member and the capture portion, thereby lowering the sliding resistance between the pressing member and the capture portion.

[0019] In a seventh aspect of the refrigerator of the present invention, the catch portion includes a first base portion and a second base portion forming the engagement groove, the second base portion being located further inward in the depth direction than the first base portion and being longer than the first base portion. With this structure, when the heat insulating door is closed, the engagement pin of the striking portion collides with the second base portion and then enters the engagement groove of the catch portion. This prevents the heat insulating door from becoming loose, thereby improving user convenience.

[0020] In an eighth aspect of the refrigerator of the present invention, a return portion is formed on the first base portion of the catch portion to guide the engagement pin toward the engagement groove. This structure allows the catch portion to be closed independently, even if it comes into contact with a user while the heatsinking door is open. When the heatsinking door is fully closed, the engagement pin of the strike portion enters the engagement groove of the catch portion via the return portion. As a result, the automatic closing mechanism is restored when the heatsinking door is subsequently opened or closed, improving user convenience.

[0021] In a ninth aspect of the refrigerator of the present invention, the insulating door is a double-door structure. With this structure, the left and right insulating doors close at the center of the insulating box when fully closed, making it difficult for a user to visually confirm that the insulating door is fully closed. However, a collision sound is produced between the insulating door and the insulating box when the insulating door is fully closed, allowing the user to determine that the insulating door is fully closed based on this collision sound.

[0022] In the tenth mode of the refrigerator of the present invention, it is characterized in that it comprises: an insulating box body, which forms a storage chamber; an insulating door, which can be opened and closed freely to close the front opening of the above-mentioned storage chamber; an automatic closing mechanism, which automatically closes the above-mentioned insulating door relative to the above-mentioned insulating box body; and a rotation drive part, which becomes the driving source of the above-mentioned rotation movement of the above-mentioned capture part, and the above-mentioned automatic closing mechanism has: a frame part, which is fixed relative to the above-mentioned insulating box body; a capture part, which is rotatably arranged relative to the above-mentioned frame part; a guide groove, which is formed in the above-mentioned frame part; a pressing part, which is slidably arranged relative to the above-mentioned capture part; a roller part, whose rotating shaft is inserted into the above-mentioned guide groove and is rotatably supported by the above-mentioned pressing part; and a rotation limiting part, which slows down the rotation speed of the above-mentioned capture part, and when the above-mentioned insulating door is closed, the above-mentioned capture part rotates toward the above-mentioned front opening part while being guided by the above-mentioned guide groove, and the above-mentioned roller part presses the above-mentioned rotation limiting part toward the depth direction of the above-mentioned insulating box body. With this structure, when the heat insulating door is closed, the roller moves while rolling on the flat surface of the rotation restrictor, thereby preventing component degradation caused by sliding between components. As a result, the rotation speed of the heat insulating door is less likely to change from the initial setting, reducing the burden on the user caused by early component replacement.

[0023] In addition, in the eleventh aspect of the refrigerator of the present invention, it is characterized in that a flat surface extending in the lateral width direction of the heat-insulating box body and an inclined surface continuous with the flat surface and inclined in the depth direction are formed on the surface of the rotation limiting portion that contacts the roller portion. The roller portion presses the flat surface in the depth direction in conjunction with the rotation of the capture portion, and rolls the flat surface toward the inclined surface. With this structure, when the heat-insulating door is closed, the reaction force received by the roller portion from the rotation limiting portion when rolling on the inclined surface is smaller than the reaction force received by the roller portion from the rotation limiting portion when rolling on the flat surface. As a result, for example, the rotation speed of the heat-insulating door just before it is completely closed is faster than the rotation speed in the previous stage, thereby preventing the door of the heat-insulating door from being loosely closed and improving the convenience of the user.

[0024] In addition, in the twelfth aspect of the refrigerator of the present invention, it is characterized in that the guide groove has a longitudinal groove extending in the depth direction and an oblique groove continuous with the longitudinal groove and inclined in the width direction relative to the longitudinal groove. When the rotating shaft moves in the longitudinal groove, the roller rolls on the flat surface, and when the rotating shaft moves in the oblique groove, the roller rolls on the inclined surface. Due to this structure, when the heat insulation door is closed, the reaction force received by the capture portion from the rotation limiting portion of the automatic closing mechanism changes in stages, thereby changing the rotation speed of the heat insulation door in stages. As a result, for example, the rotation speed of the heat insulation door when it is fully closed is faster than the rotation speed in the previous stage, thereby preventing the heat insulation door from being loosely closed and improving the convenience of the user.

[0025] In a thirteenth aspect of the refrigerator of the present invention, the automatic closing mechanism includes a striker disposed on the heat-insulating door and coupled to or detached from the catcher in conjunction with the opening and closing of the heat-insulating door. The catcher is formed with an engagement groove into which an engagement pin of the striker can penetrate. When the heat-insulating door is closed, the engagement pin penetrates into the engagement groove in conjunction with the rotation of the catcher. With this structure, when the heat-insulating door is closed, the striker and the catcher are coupled by the initial force of the user closing the heat-insulating door, thereby achieving automatic closing of the heat-insulating door.

[0026] In addition, in the fourteenth aspect of the refrigerator of the present invention, it is characterized in that the above-mentioned pressing member has an insertion hole for inserting the above-mentioned capturing portion, and the above-mentioned pressing member is installed on the above-mentioned capturing portion via the above-mentioned insertion hole, and slides relative to the above-mentioned capturing portion when the above-mentioned heat insulation door is closed. Due to this structure, when the heat insulation door is closed, the rotation axis of the roller portion is supported by the guide groove, so that the roller portion can rotate and move stably relative to the flat surface of the rotation limiting portion. As a result, the capturing portion is not likely to shake while rotating, and the heat insulation door also rotates stably. In addition, the storage objects stored in the heat insulation door are not likely to collide with each other, and the convenience of the user is improved.

[0027] Furthermore, in a fifteenth aspect of the refrigerator of the present invention, a slit is formed on the inner side surface of the pressing member forming the insertion hole in the direction in which the pressing member slides. This structure reduces the contact area between the inner side surface of the pressing member and the capture portion, thereby lowering the sliding resistance between the pressing member and the capture portion.

[0028] Furthermore, in a sixteenth aspect of the refrigerator of the present invention, the catch portion includes a first base portion and a second base portion forming the engagement groove, the second base portion being located further inward in the depth direction than the first base portion and being longer than the first base portion. With this structure, when the heat insulating door is closed, the engagement pin of the striking portion collides with the second base portion and then enters the engagement groove of the catch portion. This prevents the heat insulating door from becoming loose, thereby improving user convenience.

[0029] Furthermore, in a seventeenth aspect of the refrigerator of the present invention, a return portion is formed on the first base portion of the catch portion to guide the engagement pin toward the engagement groove. This structure allows the catch portion to be closed independently, even if it comes into contact with a user while the heat-insulating door is open. When the heat-insulating door is fully closed, the engagement pin of the strike portion enters the engagement groove of the catch portion via the return portion. Consequently, when the heat-insulating door is subsequently opened or closed, the automatic closing mechanism returns to normal operation, improving user convenience.

[0030] In an eighteenth aspect of the refrigerator of the present invention, the heat-insulating door is a double-door structure. With this structure, the left and right heat-insulating doors close at the center of the heat-insulating box body when fully closed, making it difficult for a user to visually confirm that the heat-insulating door is fully closed. However, a collision sound is produced between the heat-insulating door and the heat-insulating box body when the heat-insulating door is fully closed, allowing the user to determine that the heat-insulating door is fully closed based on this collision sound.

[0031] In the refrigerator of the present invention, degradation of components due to sliding between structural members of the automatic closing mechanism can be prevented, and the automatic closing action of the heat-insulating door that is initially set is less likely to change over time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Figure 1 It is a perspective view explaining the refrigerator concerning embodiment of this invention.

[0033] Figure 2 It is a front view explaining the refrigerator concerning embodiment of this invention.

[0034] Figure 3 It is a side sectional view explaining the refrigerator concerning embodiment of this invention.

[0035] Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 5A It is a plan view explaining an open state of the heat-insulating door of the refrigerating compartment of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 5B It is a plan view explaining a fully closed state of the heat-insulating door of the refrigerating compartment of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 6A It is a perspective view explaining the automatic closing mechanism of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 6B It is a perspective view explaining the automatic closing mechanism of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 6C It is a perspective view explaining the automatic closing mechanism of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 7A It is a perspective view illustrating a capture portion of an automatic closing mechanism of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 7B It is a perspective view illustrating a capture portion of an automatic closing mechanism of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 7C It is a cross-sectional view illustrating a capture portion of an automatic closing mechanism of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 8A It is a bottom view explaining the automatic closing mechanism of the refrigerator involved in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 8B It is a cross-sectional view illustrating the automatic closing mechanism of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 9A It is a bottom view explaining the automatic closing mechanism of the refrigerator involved in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 9B It is a bottom view explaining the automatic closing mechanism of the refrigerator involved in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 10A It is a plan view for explaining the operation of the automatic closing mechanism when the heat-insulating door of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention is closed.

[0049] Figure 10B It is a plan view for explaining the operation of the automatic closing mechanism when the heat-insulating door of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention is closed.

[0050] Figure 11A It is a plan view for explaining the operation of the automatic closing mechanism when the heat-insulating door of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention is closed.

[0051] Figure 11B It is a plan view for explaining the operation of the automatic closing mechanism when the heat-insulating door of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention is closed.

[0052] Figure 12A It is a bottom view explaining the open state of the heat-insulating door of the freezer compartment of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Figure 12B It is a bottom view explaining the fully closed state of the heat-insulating door of the freezer compartment of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] Figure 13A It is a perspective view explaining the recovery portion formed in the capture portion of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] Figure 13B It is a cross-sectional view explaining the recovery portion formed in the capture portion of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] Figure 14A It is a perspective view illustrating a capture portion of an automatic closing mechanism of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] Figure 14B It is a perspective view illustrating a capture portion of an automatic closing mechanism of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] Figure 14C It is a cross-sectional view illustrating a capture portion of an automatic closing mechanism of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] Figure 15 It is a perspective view explaining the refrigerator concerning embodiment of this invention.

[0060] Figure 16A It is a top view explaining the capture part of the automatic closing mechanism of the refrigerator related to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] Figure 16B It is a top view explaining the capture part of the automatic closing mechanism of the refrigerator related to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] Description of Reference Numerals

[0063] 10…Refrigerator; 11…Insulated cabinet; 11A…Top; 11B…Front; 11C…Bottom; 12…Refrigerator; 13…Freezer; 14…First insulated door; 14A…Top; 15…Second insulated door; 16…Center column; 17…Partitioning wall; 18…Third insulated door; 19…Fourth insulated door; 20…Defrost heater; 21…Outer box; 22…Inner box; 23…Insulation; 24…Cooling compartment; 25…Cooler; 26…Machinery compartment; 27…Compressor; 28…Blower; 29… Air duct; 30…control unit; 31…hinge mechanism; 31A…upper hinge; 33, 68…cover; 34…storage rack; 35…inner surface plate; 35A…bulge; 36…gasket; 38…detection device; 39…front opening; 40…notification unit; 41…automatic closing mechanism; 42…capturing unit; 42A…engaging groove; 44…impacting unit; 44A…engaging pin; 45…soft closing unit; 46…frame; 46A…cover; 47…screw fixing hole; 51…rotating axis; 52… Guide groove; 52A…longitudinal groove; 52B…oblique groove; 53…guide shaft; 54…rotation restricting portion; 54A…buffer portion; 54B…connecting portion; 54C…flat surface; 54D…inclined surface; 55…rotation driving portion; 55A…compression coil spring; 55B…connecting portion; 57…front end portion; 58…main body; 61…main body; 61A…first base portion; 61B…second base portion; 62…protrusion; 63…guide rail portion; 64…pressing member; 65…through hole; 66…pressing portion; 69 A, 69B, 69C, 69D…inner side surface; 70…track recess; 71…restoring portion; 71A…inclined surface; 72…stop wall portion; 73…insertion hole; 75…pressing component; 76…roller portion; 77…main body portion; 78…rotating shaft; 79…insertion hole; 80…refrigerator; 81…first insulated door; 82…second insulated door; 83…refrigerator compartment; 84…freezer compartment; 85…insulating box body; 91…insertion hole; 92A, 92B, 92C, 92D…inner side surface; 93…track recess. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] The following describes the refrigerator 10 according to this embodiment in detail based on the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the vertical direction represents the height of the refrigerator 10, the horizontal direction represents the width of the refrigerator 10 as viewed from the front, and the front-back direction represents the depth of the refrigerator 10. In describing this embodiment, identical components are generally denoted by identical reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

[0065] Figure 1 It is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance structure of the refrigerator 10 according to the present embodiment as viewed from the front side. Figure 2 It is a front view explaining the internal structure of the refrigerator 10 according to the present embodiment as viewed from the front side. Figure 3It is a side cross-sectional view explaining the structure of the refrigerator 10 according to the present embodiment. Figure 4 This is a block diagram for explaining control for detecting whether or not the refrigerator 10 according to this embodiment is in the fully closed state.

[0066] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the refrigerator 10 includes a heat-insulating box body 11 and a storage room formed inside the heat-insulating box body 11. In addition, as the storage room, a refrigerator room 12 and two freezer rooms 13 are formed from the upper side. Figure 1 In the figure, for the convenience of explanation, the reference numerals of the storage rooms are shown.

[0067] The cold storage room 12 is an area located above the center of the heat-insulating box body 11 and is formed by using approximately half of the internal space in the box. The front opening 12A of the cold storage room 12 is closed by a first heat-insulating door 14 and a second heat-insulating door 15 that are double-opened from approximately the center of the heat-insulating box body 11 so as to be opened and closed freely. The first heat-insulating door 14 is a rotating door, and the upper and lower ends on the left side of the paper are rotatably supported on the heat-insulating box body 11 via a hinge mechanism 31. In addition, the second heat-insulating door 15 is a rotating door, and the upper and lower ends on the right side of the paper are rotatably supported on the heat-insulating box body 11 via a hinge mechanism 31. In addition, the lower hinged portion of the hinged mechanism 31 on the lower end side of the first heat-insulating door 14 and the second heat-insulating door 15 is a well-known structure and is omitted in the drawings.

[0068] A center column 16 is provided at the end portion of the center side of the first heat insulating door 14 and inside the box of the first heat insulating door 14. In addition, the details will be described later, but it is provided with the capture portion 42 of the automatic closing mechanism 41 of the heat insulating box body 11 (see Figure 5A ) is provided on top surface 14A of first insulated door 14, corresponding to the mounting position of catcher portion 42 of automatic closing mechanism 41 provided on insulated box 11. Similarly, striker portion 44 is provided on top surface 15A of second insulated door 15, corresponding to the mounting position of catcher portion 42 of automatic closing mechanism 41 provided on insulated box body 11. Refrigerating compartment 12 is partitioned into multiple layers in the vertical direction of the drawing, for example, by partition plate members (not shown).

[0069] The freezer compartment 13 is an area located below the center of the heat-insulating box body 11 and is formed by using approximately half of the internal space in the box. The freezer compartment 13 is divided in the left-right direction of the paper by a partition wall 17 that is a part of the heat-insulating box body 11. In addition, the third heat-insulating door 18 is a revolving door, and the upper and lower ends on the left side of the paper are rotatably supported on the heat-insulating box body 11 via a hinge mechanism 31. In addition, the fourth heat-insulating door 19 is a revolving door, and the upper and lower ends on the right side of the paper are rotatably supported on the heat-insulating box body 11 via a hinge mechanism 31. In addition, the upper hinged portion of the hinged mechanism 31 on the upper end side of the third heat-insulating door 18 and the fourth heat-insulating door 19 is a well-known structure and is omitted in the drawings.

[0070] When the freezer compartment 13 is fully closed by the double-open third and fourth heat-insulating doors 18 and 19, the third and fourth heat-insulating doors 18 and 19 are in contact with and magnetically attracted to the partition wall 17. Figure 12A ) is provided on bottom surface 18A of third insulated door 18, corresponding to the installation position of catch portion 42 of automatic closing mechanism 41 provided on insulated box body 11. Similarly, a striker 44 is provided on bottom surface 19A of fourth insulated door 19, corresponding to the installation position of catch portion 42 of automatic closing mechanism 41 provided on insulated box body 11. Furthermore, freezer compartment 13 is partitioned into multiple layers in the vertical direction of the drawing, for example, by a drawer-type storage case (not shown).

[0071] As shown in the figure, a gasket 36 is provided in an annular shape along the outer peripheral end of the inner surface plate 35 of the first and second insulated doors 14, 15. Furthermore, a bulged portion 35A is formed inside the gasket 36 on the inner side of the first and second insulated doors 14, 15. The bulged portion 35A supports the storage shelf 34, thereby forming a storage area on the door side.

[0072] like Figure 3 As shown, the heat-insulating box body 11 mainly includes an outer box 21 made of steel plates that forms the outer shape of the refrigerator 10, an inner box 22 formed of a box-shaped synthetic resin plate formed inside the outer box 21, and a heat-insulating member 23 disposed between the outer box 21 and the inner box 22. As the heat-insulating member 23, for example, polyurethane foam is used.

[0073] A cooling chamber 24 is defined behind the freezer compartment 13. A cooler 25 is provided in the cooling chamber 24. Furthermore, a machine room 26 is defined behind the lowermost portion of the heat-insulating box 11. A compressor 27 and other components are provided in the machine room 26. The cooler 25 and compressor 27 are connected to an expansion unit and a condenser (not shown) via refrigerant piping, forming a vapor compression refrigeration cycle. Furthermore, the various components of the vapor compression refrigeration cycle are interconnected via refrigerant piping (not shown).

[0074] By operating the refrigeration cycle, the air inside the cooling chamber 24 is cooled by the cooler 25. A blower 28 is provided above the cooler 25 in the cooling chamber 24. The blower 28, for example, is an axial flow blower or a centrifugal blower, and blows the cold air inside the cooling chamber 24 toward the refrigerating chamber 12 and the freezing chamber 13. This cold air is then blown to the various storage chambers via various air ducts 29, thereby maintaining the refrigerating temperature range in the refrigerating chamber 12 and the freezing temperature range in the freezing chamber 13.

[0075] A defrost heater 20 is provided below the cooler 25 of the cooling chamber 24. As the refrigeration cycle operates, thick frost forms on the surface of the cooler 25. Figure 4 ) The compressor 27 is stopped, and a defrosting operation is performed in which the defrosting heater 20 is energized and heated to melt and remove the frost. In addition, as the defrosting heater 20, a resistance heating type heater, a sheath heater, a hot gas defroster, etc. are adopted.

[0076] like Figure 4 As shown, the control unit 30 of the refrigerator 10 detects input signals from a detection device 38 within a hinge mechanism 31 provided with respect to each of the first to fourth insulated doors 14, 19, to determine whether the first to fourth insulated doors 14, 19 are in a fully closed state. The detection device 38 may be, for example, a well-known door switch mechanism having a Hall element substrate (not shown) on the side of the heat-insulating housing 11 and a magnet (not shown) on the side of the first to fourth insulated doors 14, 19. The detection device 38 detects a desired voltage using the current of the Hall element substrate and the magnetic field of the magnet, thereby transmitting an input signal indicating the fully closed state of the first to fourth insulated doors 14, 19 to the control unit 30.

[0077] If the control unit 30 does not detect the input signal from the detection device 38 within a certain period of time, it determines that any of the first to fourth insulated doors 14 to 19 is in an open state, including a door not tightly closed. The control unit 30 then controls the notification unit 40, for example, to emit a sound, to notify the user of the refrigerator 10 that any of the first to fourth insulated doors 14 to 19 is open. The user closes any of the first to fourth insulated doors 14 to 19 in response to the notification sound, thereby eliminating the door not tightly closed state. The notification unit 40 of this embodiment is, for example, a device for emitting sound, light, or the like to the user of the refrigerator 10.

[0078] Next, use Figures 5A to 11B , with respect to the refrigerator compartment 12 of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment (refer to Figure 2The automatic closing mechanism 41 provided on the first and second heat-insulating doors 14, 15 on the heat-insulating door 14 side will be described below. In the following description, the automatic closing mechanism 41 provided on the first heat-insulating door 14 will be described, and the description of the automatic closing mechanism 41 provided on the second heat-insulating door 15 side will refer to the description on the first heat-insulating door 14 side, and its description will be omitted here.

[0079] Figure 5A This is a plan view illustrating a state in which the first insulating door 14 of the refrigerator 10 according to the present embodiment is opened relative to the insulating box body 11 . Figure 5B This is a plan view illustrating a state in which the first insulating door 14 of the refrigerator 10 according to the present embodiment is completely closed relative to the insulating box body 11 . Figure 6A It is a perspective view illustrating the frame portion 46 and the capture portion 42 of the automatic closing mechanism 41 of the refrigerator 10 according to the present embodiment. Figure 6B and Figure 6C It is a perspective view explaining the internal mechanism of the automatic closing mechanism 41 of the refrigerator 10 according to the present embodiment. Figure 7A and Figure 7B It is a perspective view illustrating the capture portion 42 of the automatic closing mechanism 41 of the refrigerator 10 according to the present embodiment. Figure 7C This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the capture portion 42 of the automatic closing mechanism 41 of the refrigerator 10 according to this embodiment. Figure 7A The cross section along line AA is shown. Figure 8A 、 Figure 9A as well as Figure 9B It is a bottom view illustrating the catch portion 42 of the automatic closing mechanism 41 of the refrigerator 10 according to the present embodiment. Figure 8B This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the capture portion 42 of the automatic closing mechanism 41 of the refrigerator 10 according to this embodiment. Figure 8A The cross section along line BB is shown. Figures 10A to 11B This is a top view illustrating the operation of the automatic closing mechanism 41 when the first insulating door 14 of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment is closed. Figures 10A to 11B Here, the description will focus on the operations of the catch portion 42 and the soft close portion 45 of the automatic closing mechanism 41 during the closing operation of the first heat insulating door 14 .

[0080] like Figure 5AAs shown, the upper and lower ends of the first insulating door 14 on the left side of the paper are rotatably supported on the insulating box body 11 via a hinge mechanism 31. The upper hinge portion 31A of the hinge mechanism 31 is arranged on the top surface 11A of the insulating box body 11, and its upper surface is covered by a cover portion 33. In addition, the detailed structure of the upper hinge portion 31A of the hinge mechanism 31 is not shown in the figure, but it is a well-known structure. The upper hinge portion 31A includes, for example, a main frame fixed to the insulating box body 11 and extending to the side of the first insulating door 14, a hinge pin arranged on the main frame on the side of the first insulating door 14, and a hinge mounting hole of the first insulating door 14 for inserting the hinge pin.

[0081] The automatic closing mechanism 41 mainly includes a catch portion 42, a striking portion 44, a soft-closing portion 45, and a frame portion 46 that supports the catch portion 42 and the soft-closing portion 45. Details will be described later, but the rotation of the catch portion 42 is performed by the soft-closing portion 45. Furthermore, the automatic closing mechanism 41 is a mechanism that automatically closes the first insulating door 14 while adjusting the rotation speed of the first insulating door 14 in multiple stages.

[0082] The frame portion 46 is located next to the upper hinge portion 31A of the hinge mechanism 31 and is fixed relative to the top surface 11A of the heat-insulating box body 11. Moreover, the frame portion 46 is housed inside the cover portion 33 together with the hinge mechanism 31. As shown in the figure, the capture portion 42 is located on the top surface 11A side of the heat-insulating box body 11 and is rotatably supported on the frame portion 46. When the first heat-insulating door 14 is in the open state, a portion of the capture portion 42 is in a state of being led out from the cover portion 33. Furthermore, a snap-fit groove 42A is formed in the capture portion 42, and a front end opening portion 39 is formed on the front end side of the snap-fit groove 42A.

[0083] The striking portion 44 is located on the top surface 14A side of the first insulating door 14 and is positioned toward the interior of the door. A locking pin 44A is positioned at the front end of the striking portion 44, which extends into the engaging groove 42A of the capturing portion 42. Furthermore, the locking pin 44A is guided downward from the first insulating door 14. When the first insulating door 14 is closed, the locking pin 44A enters the engaging groove 42A, connecting the capturing portion 42 and the striking portion 44. The locking pin 44A then moves within the engaging groove 42A toward the base of the capturing portion 42, while being pulled by the capturing portion 42.

[0084] In the present embodiment, the capture portion 42 is provided on the top surface 11A of the heat-insulating box body 11, and is configured to be rotatable to about 20 degrees from the front surface 11B of the heat-insulating box body 11 toward the outside of the box. Furthermore, when the first heat-insulating door 14 is in the open state, the front end side of the capture portion 42, where the engagement groove 42A is formed, is in a state of protruding from the front surface 11B toward the outside of the box. The details will be described later, but the capture portion 42 is formed with a protrusion 62 extending laterally thereof, and at least a portion of the protrusion 62 is always located above the top surface 11A. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the capture portion 42 from colliding with the front surface 11B of the heat-insulating box body 11 during the closing action of the first heat-insulating door 14, and the rotation of the capture portion 42 is stopped, thereby causing the first heat-insulating door 14 to be in an open state.

[0085] In addition, when the first insulating door 14 is in the open state, the capture portion 42 is located at a position higher than the user's line of sight and protrudes from the front surface 11B of the insulating box body 11 by the minimum required amount, thereby forming an inconspicuous structure and the appearance design of the refrigerator 10 is not easily damaged.

[0086] like Figure 5B As shown, when first insulating door 14 is fully closed, catch portion 42 rotates to be substantially parallel to front surface 11B of insulating box 11. Catch portion 42 is housed in cover 33 while being coupled to striker 44.

[0087] On the other hand, the first insulating door 14 is Figure 5B The fully closed state shown is moved to Figure 5A In the open state shown, the user opens the first insulating door 14 toward the outside of the box. The engaging pin 44A presses the catch portion 42 toward the outside of the box while moving toward the front end of the engaging groove 42A. The catch portion 42 then disengages from the engaging groove 42A through the front end opening 39. Furthermore, the catch portion 42 rotates due to the pressure of the engaging pin 44A, and a portion of the catch portion 42 is guided outward from the cover 33.

[0088] Furthermore, when the first heat-insulating door 14 is in the open state and the capture portion 42 and the impact portion 44 are in the disengaged state, the capture portion 42 stops, for example, at a position 20 degrees relative to the front surface 11B of the heat-insulating box body 11. Furthermore, the recessed portion (not shown) on the bottom surface of the capture portion 42 engages with the protruding portion (not shown) of the frame portion 46, thereby maintaining the above-mentioned stopped state. As a result, when the first heat-insulating door 14 is in the open state, the above-mentioned stopped state can be maintained to the extent that the capture portion 42 is in light contact with the user of the refrigerator 10. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned standby state of the capture portion 42, as described above, a portion of the front end side of the protrusion 62 is located above the top surface 11A.

[0089] like Figure 6AAs shown, the frame portion 46 of the automatic closing mechanism 41 is a box-shaped body, and is screwed to the top surface 11A of the heat-insulating box body 11 via a plurality of screw fixing holes 47. The capture portion 42 is rotatably supported on the frame portion 46 via a rotating shaft 51. Figure 5A ) is pressed to start the rotation. Then, the capture portion 42 is rotated from the rotation drive portion 55 (refer to Figure 6B ) is directly subjected to a rotational force, thereby rotating relative to the frame portion 46 with the rotation axis 51 as a rotation fulcrum.

[0090] A guide groove 52 is formed in the cover portion 46A of the frame portion 46. When the frame portion 46 is fixed to the top surface 11A, the guide groove 52 includes a longitudinal groove 52A extending linearly in the depth direction of the heat insulating box 11 (the front-to-back direction in the drawing), and an oblique groove 52B extending linearly and obliquely in the depth direction of the heat insulating box 11.

[0091] As shown in the figure, the guide groove 52 is provided for supporting the pressing member 64 (see Figure 6B ) is inserted through the guide shaft 53. The guide shaft 53 is formed integrally with the pressing member 64, for example, by resin molding, and is formed on the upper surface of the pressing member 64. Furthermore, the width W1 of the guide groove 52 in the short-side direction is approximately equal to or slightly wider than the diameter of the guide shaft 53. Details will be described later, but when the pressing member 64 rotates relative to the frame portion 46 together with the capture portion 42, the guide shaft 53 is forcibly guided by the guide groove 52, thereby adjusting the movement trajectory of the pressing member 64.

[0092] like Figure 6B As shown, the frame portion 46 accommodates a rotation limiting portion 54 and a rotation driving portion 55 constituting the soft closing portion 45. Moreover, the rotation limiting portion 54 has, for example, two buffer portions 54A and a connecting portion 54B that connects the shaft front ends of the two buffer portions 54A. During the closing action of the first heat insulating door 14, the rotation limiting portion 54 limits the rotation of the capture portion 42. As shown by the arrow 56, during the opening and closing action of the first heat insulating door 14, in conjunction with the rotation action of the capture portion 42, the connecting portion 54B is pressed by the pressing component 64 or presses the pressing component 64, whereby the buffer portion 54A expands and contracts in the depth direction of the heat insulating box body 11. At this time, the connecting portion 54B reciprocates in the depth direction along the storage wall 49 of the rotation limiting portion 54, whereby the pressing force from the pressing component 64 is effectively transmitted to the buffer portion 54A. As a result, during the closing action of the first heat insulating door 14, the reaction force F1 (refer to Figure 10A ) becomes a resistance force that limits the rotation of the capture portion 42, and the reaction force F1 is also effectively transmitted.

[0093] The rotary drive unit 55 also includes, for example, two compression coil springs 55A and a connecting portion 55B on the front end side that accommodates the compression coil springs 55A. When the first insulating door 14 is closed, the rotary drive unit 55 rotates the capture unit 42. As indicated by arrow 56, when the first insulating door 14 is opened or closed, the connecting portion 55B presses the rear end side of the capture unit 42 or is pressed by the rear end side of the capture unit 42, thereby causing the compression coil springs 55A to expand and contract in the depth direction of the insulating box body 11. At this time, the connecting portion 55B reciprocates in the depth direction along the housing wall 50 of the rotary drive unit 55, effectively transmitting the force of the connecting portion 55B directly pressing the capture unit 42 and causing it to rotate to the capture unit 42.

[0094] With this structure, when the first insulating door 14 is closed, the buffer portion 54A of the rotation restricting portion 54 in the soft-closing portion 45 is pressed by the pressing member 64 via the connecting portion 54B, causing it to contract. This restricts the rotation of the catch portion 42 and adjusts the rotation speed of the catch portion 42. Meanwhile, the compression coil spring 55A of the rotation driving portion 55 directly presses the rear end of the catch portion 42 via the connecting portion 55B, causing the catch portion 42 to rotate. In other words, when the first insulating door 14 is closed, the rotation driving portion 55 serves as the driving source for the rotation of the catch portion 42.

[0095] like Figure 6C As shown, the surface of the front end 57 of the connecting portion 54B that faces the pressing member 64 includes a flat surface 54C that contacts the pressing member 64, and an inclined surface 54D that is inclined inwardly of the frame portion 46 relative to the flat surface 54C in the depth direction. Furthermore, when the frame portion 46 is fixed to the top surface 11A of the insulating box 11, the flat surface 54C is formed to extend along the width of the insulating box 11, generally parallel to the front surface 11B of the insulating box 11. While details will be described later, during the closing operation of the first insulating door 14, the pressing member 64 supported by the catch portion 42 slides along the flat surface 54C and the inclined surface 54D, pressing the connecting portion 54B toward the buffer portion 54A, thereby adjusting the rotational speed of the first insulating door 14.

[0096] like Figure 7A As shown, the capture portion 42 includes a main body 61, an engagement groove 42A formed in the main body 61, a protrusion 62 protruding from the main body 61 in the lateral direction, a pair of guide rails 63 formed on the side of the main body 61, and a rotating shaft 51 (see FIG. Figure 6A ), and a through hole 65 that supports the rotating shaft 51 so that it can rotate. The details will be described later, but a pressing member 64 is inserted into the main body 61. Moreover, the pressing member 64 slides relative to the main body 61 of the capture part 42. In addition, a pair of guide rails 63 are in the shape of convex parts and are relative to the pressing member 64 (see Figure 7C ) in the lateral width direction opposite inner side surfaces 69B, 69D (refer to Figure 7C ) of a pair of track recesses 70 (see Figure 7C ) is embedded in a slidable state.

[0097] The main body 61 of the capture portion 42 includes a first base portion 61A and a second base portion 61B, sandwiching an engagement groove 42A. As indicated by the circular mark 59, the second base portion 61B extends longer than the first base portion 61A. Furthermore, the engagement groove 42A is formed as a recessed portion recessed from the surface of the main body 61, thereby forming an integral structure of the first base portion 61A and the second base portion 61B. This structure ensures that the second base portion 61B repeatedly collides with the engagement pin 44A, particularly during the closing operation of the first insulating door 14. However, the rigidity required as a component is maintained.

[0098] Furthermore, the second base portion 61B is formed with a protrusion 62 that protrudes toward the side opposite the engagement groove 42A. In other words, when the automatic closing mechanism 41 is fixed to the top surface 11A of the heat-insulating box 11, the protrusion 62 protrudes toward the top surface 11A. Furthermore, the protrusion 62 is, for example, integrally formed with the second base portion 61B and has a shape that gradually narrows toward its distal end.

[0099] like Figure 7B As shown, the pressing member 64 includes a hollow main body 58, a guide shaft 53 integrally formed on the upper surface of the main body 58, and a pressing portion 66 that presses the connecting portion 54B of the rotation restricting portion 54. The main body 58 and the guide shaft 53 are formed, for example, by integral molding of a resin material. Furthermore, the pressing portion 66 is formed as part of the main body 58. The pressing portion 66 is shaped, for example, like half of a cylinder, and the contact area between the pressing portion 66 and the connecting portion 54B is a curved surface.

[0100] The guide shaft 53 is formed on the upper surface of the pressing portion 66 and has a cylindrical shape having a diameter substantially equal to the width W1 of the short side direction of the guide groove 52. Although the details will be described later, when the first heat insulating door 14 is closed, the guide shaft 53 receives a reaction force F2 (see FIG. 1 ) from the inner side surface of the guide groove 52. Figure 10B ). Then, as shown by arrow 67, the pressing member 64 slides in the longitudinal direction of the main body 61 of the capture portion 42. Specifically, as shown by arrow 67, Figure 6B As shown, the pressing member 64 slides between the stopper wall 72 of the main body 61 and the rotation shaft 51. That is, the pressing member 64 comes into contact with the stopper wall 72 and the rotation shaft 51, whereby the sliding movement stops.

[0101] With this structure, the pressing member 64 rotates integrally with the capturing portion 42 toward the front surface 11B of the heat insulating box 11 while sliding relative to the main body 61 in the direction of arrow 67. Furthermore, the pressing portion 66 slides while pressing the connecting portion 54B of the rotation restricting portion 54. However, the area of the pressing portion 66 in contact with the connecting portion 54B is slightly offset by the rotation and sliding, thereby reducing the amount of wear caused by abrasion.

[0102] As a result, the contact position between the pressing portion 66 and the connecting portion 54B can be prevented from changing from the initially set position due to aging corresponding to actual years of use. Furthermore, the rotational speed of the first insulating door 14 can be prevented from changing from the initially set rotational speed due to changes in the resistance value during the aforementioned contact between the pressing portion 66 and the connecting portion 54B. Furthermore, users of the refrigerator 10 can use the refrigerator for many years without feeling any discomfort with the automatic closing action of the first insulating door 14, thereby improving convenience. Furthermore, the frequency of repairs to the automatic closing mechanism 41 is reduced, thereby preventing an increase in maintenance costs for users.

[0103] like Figure 7C As shown, the main body 58 of the pressing member 64 is formed into a hollow structure. The main body 58 is formed with an insertion hole 73 having a shape substantially the same as that of the main body 61 of the capture portion 42 (see FIG. Figure 7B ) Furthermore, the pressing member 64 is slidably embedded from the rear end portion side of the capture portion 42 into the main body portion 61 thereof.

[0104] As shown in the figure, the main body 58 is formed with four inner side surfaces 69A, 69B, 69C, and 69D surrounding the insertion hole 73. Furthermore, a pair of track recesses 70 are formed on the inner side surfaces 69B and 69D, which are opposed in the transverse direction, into which the guide rail portion 63 of the main body 61 of the capture unit 42 is inserted. The track recesses 70 are formed, for example, in a vertically offset manner on the main body 58. This prevents errors such as the guide shaft 53 being reversed during assembly of the capture unit 42. Furthermore, the guide rail portion 63 is also formed in the main body 61 in a vertically offset manner.

[0105] Furthermore, the inner side surfaces 69A and 69C of the main body 58, which face each other in the height direction, are formed as substantially flat surfaces. Furthermore, when the pressing member 64 is attached to the main body 61 of the capture portion 42, the inner side surfaces 69A and 69C abut against the upper surface 61C and lower surface 61D of the main body 61. Meanwhile, as described above, the track recess 70 is embedded in and supported by the guide rail portion 63, allowing the inner side surfaces 69B and 69D to abut against or slightly separate from the left and right side surfaces 61E and 61F of the main body 61.

[0106] With this structure, the pressing member 64 is supported by the guide rail portion 63 of the main body 61, and the inner side surfaces 69A and 69C abut against the upper surface 61C and the lower surface 61D of the main body 61. As a result, the pressing member 64 is less likely to shake relative to the capture portion 42 when sliding relative to the capture portion 42. The pressing portion 66 is on the flat surface 54C (see Figure 6C ) slides stably on the first insulating door 14, thereby preventing the capture portion 42 from shaking. Furthermore, the first insulating door 14 is also less likely to shake during closing, achieving static stability. The noise generated by the stored items within the first insulating door 14 colliding with the surrounding environment is reduced, improving user comfort.

[0107] In addition, if Figure 7C As shown, a plurality of slits 74 extending in the direction of arrow 67 may be formed on the inner side surfaces 69A and 69C of the pressing member 64. In this case, the slits 74 extend along the sliding direction of the pressing member 64, thereby reducing the contact area between the inner side surfaces 69A and 69C and the main body 61. Furthermore, by filling the area where the slits 74 are formed with a lubricant such as grease, the sliding resistance between the pressing member 64 and the main body 61 of the capture portion 42 can be reduced. As a result, although the sliding action of the pressing member 64 and the main body 61 is repeated, the amount of wear of the two components due to abrasion is also greatly reduced. In addition, the slits 74 extend along the sliding direction of the pressing member 64, and the lubricant is filled in the slits 74, so that it can be maintained for a long time and supplied to substantially the entire sliding surface of the two components.

[0108] like Figure 8A and Figure 8B As shown, a protruding piece 62B is formed on the back surface 62A side of the protruding portion 62 along the outer peripheral end 62C of the protruding portion 62. The protruding piece 62B is formed integrally with the protruding portion 62 and protrudes downward from the back surface 62A. Specifically, as shown in the figure, the protruding piece 62B is formed into a substantially semicircular shape in cross-section, for example, and the region R1 where the protruding piece 62B is formed protrudes from the region R2 where the protruding piece 62B is not formed.

[0109] This structure prevents the capture unit 42 from rotating, even when the protruding piece 62B comes into contact with the top surface 11A of the heat-insulating box 11, by keeping the tip of the protruding piece 62B in contact with the top surface 11A. This reduces the contact area with the top surface 11A and thus reduces the resistance to sliding. As a result, the rotation speed of the capture unit 42 can be prevented from falling below the designed value. Furthermore, the protruding piece 62B makes point contact with the top surface 11A based on the curved surface, thereby reducing the wear caused by the aforementioned sliding wear and tear, and reducing the frequency of component replacement due to degradation of the capture unit 42. This also prevents an increase in maintenance costs for the user.

[0110] like Figure 9A As shown, the protrusion piece 62B may be formed along the outer peripheral end portion 62C of the protrusion 62 with the outer side of the front end side of the protrusion 62 as the center. As described above, the front end portion of the protrusion 62 is located within the rotation range W3 (refer to FIG. Figure 10A ) is always located on the top surface 11A and becomes the area that first contacts the top surface 11A. Therefore, the protruding piece 62B is formed at least in the area shown in the figure, thereby reducing the contact area between the protruding piece 62B and the top surface 11A. Through this structure, Figure 9A In the structure shown, the above Figure 8A and Figure 8B The same effect as shown in the construction.

[0111] like Figure 9B As shown, the protrusion piece 62B may be, for example, hemispherical and may be formed in a plurality of scattered patterns relative to the back surface 62A of the protrusion 62. In the illustrated structure, the contact area between the protrusion piece 62B and the top surface 11A can be reduced, and the same contact area as the above-mentioned can be obtained. Figure 8A and Figure 8B The same effect as shown in the construction.

[0112] In addition, although not shown in the figure, Figure 8A and Figure 8B Providing an opening in the region R2 where the protruding piece 62B is not formed reduces the material used and reduces manufacturing costs. Furthermore, the placement and shape of the protruding piece 62B can be arbitrarily modified as long as the resistance between the protruding piece 62B of the protrusion 62 and the top surface 11A of the heat-insulating box 11 is reduced.

[0113] like Figures 10A to 11B As shown, when the frame portion 46 is fixed to the top surface 11A, a portion of the protrusion 62 is always located above the top surface 11A, regardless of the rotational position of the capture portion 42. Furthermore, during the initial setting, the protruding piece 62B of the protrusion 62 is separated from the top surface 11A. Alternatively, the protruding piece 62B of the protrusion 62 may be in contact with the top surface 11A from the initial setting.

[0114] As described above, the front end of catch portion 42 may sometimes droop downward toward the bottom of insulated housing 11 due to repeated opening and closing of first insulated door 14 or due to aging of refrigerator 10. In such cases, protruding piece 62B of protrusion 62 contacts top surface 11A, supporting at least a portion of protrusion 62 on top surface 11A. This prevents the front end of catch portion 42 from drooping from top surface 11A of insulated housing 11. Furthermore, this prevents catch portion 42 from colliding with front surface 11B of insulated housing 11 during closing of first insulated door 14, preventing its rotation from stopping and causing first insulated door 14 to enter an unlocked state.

[0115] Next, use Figures 10A to 11B , the operation of the automatic closing mechanism 41 when the first insulating door 14 of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment moves from the open state to the fully closed state is described. In addition, in the following description, the first insulating door 14 is used for description. Moreover, the description of the operations related to the second insulating door 15 to the fourth insulating door 19 refers to the description related to the first insulating door 14, and their description is omitted here. In addition, the dotted line 58 schematically represents the line of the front surface 11B of the insulating box body 11. In addition, for the convenience of description, the cover portion 46A of the frame portion 46 (refer to Figure 6A ) The description is omitted, but the guide groove 52 and its longitudinal groove 52A and oblique groove 52B formed in the cover portion 46A are illustrated and described.

[0116] In addition, in this embodiment, in order to illustrate the sliding movement of the pressing member 64, the reaction forces F1 and F2 and the rotational force F3 are used for explanation. However, in reality, the force that rotates the capture portion 42 is not limited to the rotational force F3. For example, the force that rotates the capture portion 42 also includes the force directly received by the capture portion 42 from the rotation drive portion 55 of the soft closing portion 45. In addition, depending on the rotation angle of the capture portion 42, the reaction forces F1 and F2 also act as the force that rotates the capture portion 42. Moreover, the reaction forces F1, F2 and the rotational force F3 vary according to the rotation angle of the capture portion 42. The lengths of the reaction forces F1, F2 and the rotational force F3 shown in the figure are schematically shown and do not represent the actual magnitude of the forces.

[0117] First, the guide groove 52 is a groove for adjusting the movement trajectory of the pressing member 64. The guide shaft 53 of the pressing member 64 receives a reaction force F2 from the inner side surface of the guide groove 52 as the capture portion 42 rotates. In addition, the guide groove 52 is also a groove for applying a rotational force F3 to the pressing member 64. The guide shaft 53 of the pressing member 64 receives a rotational force F3 from the inner side surface of the guide groove 52 as the capture portion 42 rotates. Figures 10A to 11BIn the figure, the reaction force received by the pressing portion 66 of the pressing component 64 from the connecting portion 54B of the rotation limiting portion 54 is illustrated as F1, the reaction force received by the guide shaft 53 from the inner surface of the guide groove 52 is illustrated as F2, and the rotational force received by the guide shaft 53 from the inner surface of the guide groove 52 is illustrated as F3.

[0118] exist Figure 10A In the embodiment, first insulated door 14 is open, and engaging pin 44A of striking portion 44 is disengaged from engaging groove 42A of catch portion 42. Catch portion 42 is stopped, for example, at a position 20 degrees relative to front surface 11B of insulated housing 11. Subsequently, to close first insulated door 14, the user of refrigerator 10 presses first insulated door 14 toward front surface 11B of insulated housing 11, applying a rotational force to first insulated door 14. This closing action by the user utilizes the aforementioned rotational force and the load of first insulated door 14, causing first insulated door 14 to rotate toward front surface 11B of insulated housing 11.

[0119] As described above, the guide shaft 53 of the pressing member 64 is inserted into the guide groove 52 on the front side of the frame portion 46. As described above, the pressing member 64 is slidably fitted into the main body 61 of the capture portion 42, thereby preventing it from shaking relative to the capture portion 42. With this structure, the pressing member 64, like the capture portion 42, is supported in a substantially horizontal position relative to the top surface 11A of the heat insulating box 11, while the guide shaft 53 is stably upright in a direction perpendicular to the top surface 11A.

[0120] As shown in the figure, the connection portion 54B of the rotation restricting portion 54 is in a state where it presses the pressing portion 66 of the pressing member 64 toward the outside of the box by the reaction force F1. As a result, the guide shaft 53 is located at the front end side of the guide groove 52 and contacts the inner surface of the guide groove 52. In addition, the guide shaft 53 is subjected to a reaction force F2 from the inner surface of the guide groove 52.

[0121] Meanwhile, in the capture portion 42, for example, a recessed portion (not shown) on its bottom surface engages with a protruding portion (not shown) on the frame portion 46, thereby maintaining a stationary state. Furthermore, while the rear end of the capture portion 42 is directly subjected to the force of the coupling portion 55B of the rotational drive unit 55, which rotates the capture portion 42, the stationary state maintains a balanced state. As a result, the guide shaft 53 is not subjected to the rotational force F3 from the inner surface of the guide groove 52.

[0122] In addition, arrow W3 indicates the rotation range of the capture portion 42. Figure 10AIn the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the catch portion 42 is located at the outermost portion of the refrigerator within its rotational range. Furthermore, a portion of the front end of the protrusion 62 is also located above the top surface 11A when the catch portion 42 is in the aforementioned stopped state. Furthermore, although not shown, a protruding piece 62B is formed on the back surface 62A of the protrusion 62 located on the top surface 11A.

[0123] exist Figure 10B When first insulating door 14 is closed, engaging pin 44A of striking portion 44 enters engaging groove 42A of catch portion 42, connecting striking portion 44 and catch portion 42. Furthermore, catch portion 42 is rotated, for example, 10 degrees relative to front surface 11B of insulating box 11. Furthermore, a portion of protrusion 62 is positioned above top surface 11A.

[0124] First, in Figure 10A In the illustrated standby state of the capture unit 42, as indicated by the circular mark 59, the engaging pin 44A of the striking unit 44 collides with the front end of the second base portion 61B, thereby eliminating the standby state. The capture unit 42 then receives a direct rotational force from the connecting portion 55B of the rotary drive unit 55, thereby initiating rotational movement. The guide shaft 53 moves toward the center of the longitudinal groove 52A of the guide slot 52.

[0125] As shown in the figure, the guide shaft 53 receives a rotational force F3 from the inner surface of the guide groove 52, thereby moving integrally with the capture portion 42 toward the front surface 11B of the heat-insulating box body 11. Meanwhile, the guide shaft 53 contacts the inner surface of the longitudinal groove 52A of the guide groove 52, thereby adjusting its movement trajectory. Furthermore, the guide shaft 53 receives a reaction force F2 from the inner surface of the guide groove 52. Furthermore, the pressing portion 66 of the pressing member 64 receives a reaction force F1 from the flat surface 54C of the connecting portion 54B.

[0126] This structure allows the pressing portion 66 of the pressing member 64 to slide along the flat surface 54C of the connecting portion 54B in conjunction with the rotation of the catch portion 42, pressing the connecting portion 54B toward the inside of the case. Furthermore, the guide shaft 53 is subjected to a rotational force F3 and a reaction force F2 from the inner surface of the guide groove 52, while the pressing portion 66 is subjected to a reaction force F1 from the flat surface 54C. At this point, the rotational force F3 becomes the maximum force, causing the pressing member 64 to slide relative to the main body 61 toward the stopper wall 72.

[0127] As described above, the longitudinal groove 52A of the guide groove 52 extends linearly in the depth direction (front-back direction in the drawing) of the heat-insulating box 11. As a result, the guide shaft 53 describes a linear trajectory in the depth direction of the heat-insulating box 11. This allows the pressing portion 66 of the pressing member 64 to press the connecting portion 54B as evenly as possible, thereby uniformizing the rotational speed of the capture portion 42.

[0128] In this embodiment, the guide shaft 53 is designed to move in the longitudinal groove 52A of the guide groove 52 until the capture portion 42 rotates to a position 3 degrees relative to the front surface 11B of the heat-insulating box 11. At this time, the pressing member 64 is designed to contact the flat surface 54C of the connecting portion 54B of the rotation limiting portion 54 (see Figure 6C ) and toward the inclined surface 54D (refer to Figure 6C ) side. Furthermore, the engaging pin 44A of the striking portion 44 moves toward its base within the engaging groove 42A while being pulled by the first base portion 61A of the catching portion 42. This structure evens out the rotational speed of the catching portion 42, and thus evens out the rotational speed of the first insulating door 14.

[0129] exist Figure 11A When the first insulating door 14 is in the closing action, the striking part 44 and the capturing part 42 continue to Figure 10B Then, the connection state is achieved. The capture portion 42 is rotated, for example, 3 degrees relative to the front surface 11B of the heat-insulating box 11. The protrusion 62 is located above the top surface 11A.

[0130] As shown in the figure, the guide shaft 53 receives a rotational force F3 from the inner surface of the guide groove 52, causing the pressing member 64 and the capture portion 42 to move integrally toward the front surface 11B of the heat-insulating box 11. Meanwhile, the guide shaft 53 contacts the inner surface of the oblique groove 52B of the guide groove 52, thereby adjusting its movement trajectory. Furthermore, the guide shaft 53 receives a reaction force F2 from the inner surface of the guide groove 52. Furthermore, the pressing portion 66 of the pressing member 64 receives a reaction force F1 from the inclined surface 54D of the connecting portion 54B.

[0131] As shown in the figure, in conjunction with the rotation of first insulating door 14, the sliding area of pressing portion 66 moves from flat surface 54C of connecting portion 54B to inclined surface 54D, thereby moving guide shaft 53 from longitudinal groove 52A to inclined groove 52B of guide groove 52. As described above, inclined groove 52B of guide groove 52 is inclined in the oblique depth direction of insulating box body 11 and extends linearly.

[0132] With this structure, the inclined surface 54D of the connecting portion 54B is inclined downward relative to the direction of travel of the pressing portion 66, thereby dispersing and reducing the reaction force F1 received by the pressing portion 66 from the rotation restricting portion 54. As a result, in the capture portion 42, the rotational force received from the rotation driving portion 55 is less likely to be offset by the reaction force F1, thereby reducing the rotational force F1 received by the pressing portion 66. Figure 10A and Figure 10B In addition, in conjunction with the rotation of the capture portion 42, the direction of the rotational force F3 applied to the guide shaft 53 and the direction of the reaction force F1 applied to the pressing portion 66 change, thereby causing the pressing member 64 to slide relative to the main body 61 toward the rotation shaft 51.

[0133] exist Figure 11B In the embodiment, the first insulating door 14 is in a fully closed state. Figure 11A The state is followed by the connected state, and the capture portion 42 is stopped at a position of 0 degrees relative to the front surface 11B of the heat insulating box 11. In addition, the protrusion 62 is located above the top surface 11A.

[0134] As shown in the figure, the connecting portion 55B of the rotational drive portion 55 is in a state of pressing the rear end side of the capture portion 42, thereby positioning the guide shaft 53 at the rear end side of the guide groove 52. Furthermore, the guide shaft 53 is positioned at the rear end of the guide groove 52, thereby restricting further rotation of the capture portion 42 toward the inside of the box. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the protrusion 62 of the capture portion 42 abuts against the side surface of the frame portion 46, thereby also restricting further rotation of the capture portion 42 toward the inside of the box.

[0135] In addition, Figure 11B In the fully closed state of first insulating door 14 shown, the magnet enclosed within gasket 36 of first insulating door 14 abuts and is magnetically attracted to outer case 21 and center column 16 on front surface 11B of insulating box body 11. As a result, as shown in the figure, a reaction force F2 and a rotational force F3 are applied to guide shaft 53, while a reaction force F1 is applied to pressing portion 66. However, the magnetic attraction force of first insulating door 14 is stronger, and capture portion 42 maintains the aforementioned stopped state.

[0136] As described above, in this embodiment, when closing the first insulating door 14, the connecting portion 54B, on which the pressing portion 66 of the pressing member 64 slides, is changed from the flat surface 54C to the inclined surface 54D. As a result, the reaction force F1 applied to the pressing member 64 from the rotation restricting portion 54 changes, causing the rotational speed of the catch portion 42 to vary in at least two stages. Furthermore, if the first insulating door 14 is a double-door, the rotational speed immediately before full closure is faster than the rotational speed during the intermediate closing phase. This allows the first insulating door 14 to firmly impact the insulating box body 11, preventing the first insulating door 14 from becoming open.

[0137] Furthermore, if the first insulated door 14 is a double-door, it is closed in the center of the insulated housing 11 when fully closed, and is arranged side by side with the second insulated door 15. Furthermore, it is difficult for the user to visually confirm that the first insulated door 14 is fully closed. However, by providing the aforementioned staged speed difference in the capture unit 42, a collision sound is generated when the first insulated door 14 is fully closed against the insulated housing 11, making it easier for the user to determine whether the first insulated door 14 is fully closed based on the collision sound. Furthermore, the collision sound is set within a range that does not impair the user's comfort when using the refrigerator 10.

[0138] Furthermore, even when a user firmly presses first insulated door 14 to close it, the rotational speed of first insulated door 14 is reduced while guide shaft 53 moves within longitudinal groove 52A of guide slot 52. Furthermore, the magnet within gasket 36 contained within first insulated door 14 gradually magnetically attracts front surface 11B of insulation box 11. As a result, the fully closed position of first insulated door 14 is maintained stable. For example, the sound generated by the fully closed position and the vibration of first insulated door 14 and the collision of stored items with surrounding objects are reduced, thereby improving user comfort.

[0139] Next, use FIG. 12A to FIG. 12B , with respect to the freezer compartment 13 of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment (see Figure 2 ) side of the third and fourth insulated doors 18, 19 will be described. In the following description, the automatic closing mechanism 41 provided on the third insulated door 18 will be described, and the description of the automatic closing mechanism 41 provided on the fourth insulated door 19 will refer to the description on the third insulated door 18, and its description will be omitted here.

[0140] Figure 12A It is a bottom view illustrating a state in which third insulating door 18 of refrigerator 10 is opened relative to insulating box body 11 . Figure 12B It is a bottom view illustrating a state in which third insulating door 18 of refrigerator 10 according to the present embodiment is completely closed relative to heat insulating box body 11 .

[0141] like Figure 12A As shown, the automatic closing mechanism 41 is located next to the hinge mechanism 31 and is fixedly disposed on the bottom surface 11C of the heat-insulating box body 11. Furthermore, when the third heat-insulating door 18 is open, a portion of the capture portion 42 is guided out from the cover portion 68 covering the frame portion 46 of the automatic closing mechanism 41.

[0142] Here, the automatic closing mechanism 41 is used Figure 5A and Figure 5B The structure described above is fixed to the bottom surface 11C of the heat-insulating box body 11, so that the capture portion 42 is rotated toward the hinge mechanism 31. The operation of the soft closing portion 45 of the automatic closing mechanism 41 is described above and its description is omitted here.

[0143] As shown in the figure, the striking portion 44 of the automatic closing mechanism 41 is located on the bottom surface 18A side of the third insulating door 18 and is arranged toward the inside of the door. A locking pin 44A is provided at the front end of the striking portion 44, which penetrates into the engaging groove 42A of the capture portion 42. Furthermore, when the third insulating door 18 is closed, the engaging pin 44A penetrates into the engaging groove 42A, connecting the capture portion 42 and the striking portion 44. The engaging pin 44A then moves within the engaging groove 42A toward the base of the capture portion 42 while being pulled by the capture portion 42.

[0144] Furthermore, the frame portion 46 of the automatic closing mechanism 41 is reversed from its fixed position on the refrigerator compartment 12 side and fixed to the bottom surface 11C of the heat-insulating box body 11. This causes the engaging groove 42A of the catch portion 42 to face the installation surface of the refrigerator 10. Therefore, the engaging pin 44A of the striking portion 44 is arranged to extend upward from the third heat-insulating door 18.

[0145] like Figure 12B As shown, in the fully closed state of the third heat insulating door 18, the catch portion 42 rotates via the soft closing portion 45. The catch portion 42 is housed in the cover portion 68 in a state connected to the striker portion 44.

[0146] On the other hand, the third insulating door 18 is Figure 12B The fully closed state shown is moved to Figure 12A In the open state shown, the user opens third insulating door 18 toward the outside of the cabinet. Engaging pin 44A, while pressing catch portion 42 toward the outside of the cabinet, moves toward the front end of engagement groove 42A and then disengages engagement groove 42A through front end opening 39. Furthermore, catch portion 42 rotates due to the pressure of engaging pin 44A, and a portion of catch portion 42 is guided outward from cover portion 68.

[0147] As described above, in automatic closing mechanism 41, catch portion 42 rotates toward hinge mechanism 31. Consequently, when third insulated door 18 is open, the front end of catch portion 42 protrudes near hinge mechanism 31 of insulated box 11. In other words, when third insulated door 18 and fourth insulated door 19 are open, the pair of catch portions 42 protrude toward front surface 11B of insulated box 11 and spread outward to the left and right, forming a generally "ハ" (Katakana) shape when viewed from top surface 11A of refrigerator 10.

[0148] With this structure, for example, when a user approaches freezer compartment 13 to search for food or to store food in freezer compartment 13, catch portion 42 is less likely to come into contact with the user's feet, slippers, etc. of refrigerator 10. As a result, catch portion 42 remains in a predetermined position, allowing engagement pin 44A to enter engagement groove 42A when third insulating door 18 is closed.

[0149] Next, use Figure 13A and Figure 13B The structure of the capture portion 42 will be described. Figure 13A and Figure 13B The following describes a state in which the capture portion 42 and the striking portion 44 of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment are connected via the restoration portion 71. Figure 13A It is its stereogram, Figure 13B It is its cross-sectional view.

[0150] like Figure 13A As shown, the capture portion 42 includes a first base portion 61A and a second base portion 61B separated by a locking groove 42A. Furthermore, as indicated by the circular mark 59, the front end portion of the second base portion 61B is longer than the front end portion of the first base portion 61A. With this structure, the opening width of the front end opening 39 in the locking groove 42A is widened, and the second base portion 61B on the inside of the box is lengthened, thereby making it easier for the locking pin 44A to collide with the second base portion 61B. Furthermore, when the locking pin 44A intrudes into the locking groove 42A, the locking pin 44A collides with the second base portion 61B and is guided into the locking groove 42A, thereby easily achieving a connected state between the capture portion 42 and the impact portion 44.

[0151] Furthermore, a return portion 71 may be formed in the first base portion 61A, located on the outside of the box, in the region where the engagement groove 42A of the catch portion 42 is formed. Furthermore, the return portion 71 is used to return the engagement pin 44A from the side of the catch portion 42 to the inclined surface 71A of the engagement groove 42A after the engagement pin 44A fails to penetrate the engagement groove 42A during the closing operation of the first insulating door 14. The return portion 71 may be formed entirely on the first base portion 61A or partially on the first base portion 61A.

[0152] like Figure 13B As shown, the restoring portion 71 is, for example, an inclined surface 71A formed on the surface side of the catch portion 42 and sloping upward from the side surface outside the box toward the engaging groove 42A. Meanwhile, the engaging pin 44A is biased by, for example, an elastic spring and is configured to slide vertically relative to the frame portion of the striking portion 44.

[0153] Here, as Figure 5A As shown, due to the structure in which a portion of the catch portion 42 protrudes toward the front of the refrigerator compartment 12, the catch portion 42 comes into contact with the user, whereby the catch portion 42 rotates independently via the soft closing portion 45. Then, the catch portion 42 rotates to a fully closed state and is stored inside the cover portion 33.

[0154] In this case, since the catch portion 42 is not in the normal stop position, the engagement pin 44A cannot enter the engagement groove 42A through the front end opening 39. Furthermore, just before the first insulating door 14 is fully closed, the engagement pin 44A collides with the inclined surface 71A of the return portion 71 of the catch portion 42 housed in the cover portion 33 and moves along the inclined surface 71A of the return portion 71.

[0155] As described above, when engaging pin 44A contacts and moves along inclined surface 71A of restoring portion 71, it slides upwardly toward the frame portion of striking portion 44, thereby passing over restoring portion 71 and entering engaging groove 42A. As a result, the catch portion 42 and striking portion 44 are connected.

[0156] On the other hand, as shown in the figure, the inclined surface 71A of the return portion 71 is configured to be discontinuous with the engagement groove 42A. This configuration prevents the capture portion 42 from pressing upward from its lower front end portion when the engagement pin 44A enters the engagement groove 42A from the front opening 39 during normal operation of the soft-close portion 45. This prevents the engagement pin 44A from falling out of the engagement groove 42A. Furthermore, the operation of the engagement pin 44A after returning to the engagement groove 42A is as described above.

[0157] Furthermore, in the refrigerator 10 of the present embodiment, a pressing member 64 is slidably mounted on the capture portion 42 of the automatic closing mechanism 41. Furthermore, although the description has been given of the case where, during the closing action of the first heat-insulating door 14, the pressing member 64 rotates integrally with the capture portion 42, and the guide shaft 53 is guided by the guide groove 52, while the pressing member 66 of the pressing member 64 presses the connecting portion 54B of the rotation limiting portion 54, the present invention is not limited to this case. For example, in the structure of the pressing member 75 of the automatic closing mechanism 41, the pressing member 66 of the pressing member 64 may be replaced with a roller portion 76, which is linked to the rotation action of the pressing member 75, and the roller portion 76 presses the connecting portion 54B of the rotation limiting portion 54. Furthermore, in the pressing member 75, the same method as the pressing member 64 is used. Figures 10A to 11B Describe the action.

[0158] Below, use 14A to 14C , the structure of the pressing member 75 having the roller portion 76 installed in the capture portion 42 of the automatic closing mechanism 41 will be described. In addition, the other structures of the automatic closing mechanism 41 are the same as the structures of the components used in the above-mentioned automatic closing mechanism 41. In principle, the same reference numerals are used for the same components, and repeated descriptions are omitted. In addition, reference is made to the above-mentioned Figures 1 to 13B Description.

[0159] Figure 14A and Figure 14BIt is a perspective view illustrating the capture portion 42 of the automatic closing mechanism 41 of the refrigerator 10 according to the present embodiment. Figure 14C This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the capture portion 42 of the automatic closing mechanism 41 of the refrigerator 10 according to this embodiment. Figure 14A The cross section along the CC line is shown.

[0160] like Figure 14A As shown, the capture portion 42 includes a main body 61, an engagement groove 42A formed in the main body 61, a protrusion 62 protruding from the main body 61 in the lateral direction, a pair of guide rails 63 formed on the side of the main body 61, and a rotating shaft 51 (see FIG. Figure 6A ), and a through hole 65 that supports the rotating shaft 51 so that it can rotate. The details will be described later, but a pressing member 75 is inserted and arranged in the main body 61. Moreover, the pressing member 75 slides relative to the main body 61 of the capture part 42. In addition, the pair of guide rails 63 are in the shape of convex parts and are relative to the pressing member 75 (see Figure 14C ) in the lateral direction of the inner side surfaces 92B, 92D (refer to Figure 14C ) of a pair of track recesses 93 (see Figure 14C ) is embedded in a slidable state.

[0161] like Figure 14B As shown, the pressing member 75 includes a hollow main body 77, a roller 76 rotatably supported by the main body 77, and a pair of insertion holes 79 that pivotally support the roller 76. The roller 76 is formed with a pair of rotating shafts 78 extending in the vertical direction. The roller 76 and the rotating shafts 78 are formed, for example, by integral molding of a resin material. The rotating shafts 78 of the roller 76 are inserted through the insertion holes 79 of the main body 77, thereby rotatably supporting the roller 76 on the main body 77. The inner diameter of the insertion holes 79 is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the rotating shafts 78.

[0162] The rotating shaft 78 is cylindrical in shape and has a diameter substantially equal to the width W1 of the short side of the guide groove 52. Although the details will be described later, the rotating shaft 78 of the roller portion 76 passes through the insertion hole 79 and is inserted into the guide groove 52 of the frame portion 46. When the first heat insulating door 14 is closed, the rotating shaft 78 receives a reaction force F2 (see FIG. 1 ) from the inner side surface of the guide groove 52. Figure 10B ), and is forcibly guided by the guide groove 52, and the movement trajectory of the roller portion 76 is adjusted.

[0163] On the other hand, the rotating shaft 78 receives the reaction force F2, and thus the rotating shaft 78 is rotated as shown by the arrow 90 (see FIG. Figure 14A ), the pressing member 75 slides in the longitudinal direction of the main body 61 of the capture portion 42. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6BAs shown, the pressing member 75 slides between the stopper wall 72 of the main body 61 and the rotation shaft 51. That is, the pressing member 75 comes into contact with the stopper wall 72 and the rotation shaft 51, whereby the sliding movement stops.

[0164] With this structure, the pressing member 75 rotates integrally with the capture portion 42 toward the front surface 11B of the heat insulating box 11 while sliding relative to the main body 61 in the direction of arrow 90. Furthermore, the roller portion 76 extends outward from the main body 77, thereby pressing the connecting portion 54B of the rotation restricting portion 54 while rolling on the flat surface 54C of the connecting portion 54B.

[0165] As a result, roller portion 76 comes into line contact with flat surface 54C of connecting portion 54B, pressing connecting portion 54B. However, the location of this line contact changes relative to flat surface 54C as roller portion 76 moves while rotating. Furthermore, as first insulating door 14 is repeatedly opened and closed, the location of line contact between roller portion 76 and flat surface 54C changes, significantly reducing the amount of wear caused by abrasion on roller portion 76 and flat surface 54C.

[0166] Furthermore, the contact position between roller portion 76 and connecting portion 54B can be prevented from changing from the initially set position due to aging corresponding to actual years of use. Furthermore, the rotational speed of first insulating door 14 can be prevented from changing from the initially set rotational speed due to fluctuations in the resistance value during the aforementioned contact between roller portion 76 and connecting portion 54B. Furthermore, users of refrigerator 10 can use the refrigerator for many years without feeling any discomfort with the automatic closing action of first insulating door 14, thereby improving convenience. Furthermore, the frequency of repairs to automatic closing mechanism 41 is reduced, thereby preventing an increase in maintenance costs for users.

[0167] like Figure 14C As shown, the main body 77 of the pressing member 75 is formed into a hollow structure. The main body 77 is formed with an insertion hole 91 having a shape substantially the same as the outer shape of the main body 61 of the capture portion 42 (see FIG. Figure 14B ) Furthermore, the pressing member 75 is slidably embedded from the rear end portion side of the capture portion 42 into the main body portion 61 thereof.

[0168] As shown in the figure, the main body 77 is formed with four inner side surfaces 92A, 92B, 92C, and 92D surrounding the insertion hole 91. Furthermore, a pair of rail recesses 93 are formed on the inner side surfaces 92B and 92D, which are opposed in the transverse direction, into which the guide rail portion 63 of the main body 61 of the capture unit 42 is inserted. The rail recesses 93 are formed, for example, in a vertically staggered manner on the main body 77. This prevents errors such as the insertion hole 79 being reversed during assembly of the capture unit 42. Furthermore, the guide rail portion 63 is also formed in the main body 61 in a vertically staggered manner.

[0169] Furthermore, the inner side surfaces 92A and 92C of the main body 77, which face each other in the height direction, are formed as substantially flat surfaces. Furthermore, when the pressing member 75 is attached to the main body 61 of the capture portion 42, the inner side surfaces 92A and 92C abut against the upper surface 61C and lower surface 61D of the main body 61. Meanwhile, as described above, the track recess 93 is fitted into and supported by the guide rail portion 63, allowing the inner side surfaces 92B and 92D to abut against or slightly separate from the left and right side surfaces 61E and 61F of the main body 61.

[0170] With this structure, the pressing member 75 is supported by the guide rail portion 63 of the main body 61, and the inner side surfaces 92A and 92C abut against the upper surface 61C and the lower surface 61D of the main body 61. As a result, when the pressing member 75 slides relative to the capture portion 42, it is difficult for it to shake relative to the capture portion 42. Therefore, the roller portion 76 axially supported by the pressing member 75 is also difficult to shake relative to the capture portion 42. The roller portion 76 is on the flat surface 54C (see Figure 6C ) slides stably on the first insulating door 14, thereby preventing the capture portion 42 from shaking. Furthermore, the first insulating door 14 is also less likely to shake during closing, achieving static stability. The noise generated by the stored items within the first insulating door 14 colliding with the surrounding environment is reduced, improving user comfort.

[0171] In addition, if Figure 14C As shown, a plurality of slits 74 extending in the direction of arrow 90 may be formed on the inner side surfaces 92A and 92C of the pressing member 75. In this case, the slits 74 extend along the sliding direction of the pressing member 75, thereby reducing the contact area between the inner side surfaces 92A and 92C and the main body 61 of the capture portion 42. Furthermore, by filling the area where the slits 74 are formed with a lubricant such as grease, the sliding resistance between the pressing member 75 and the main body 61 can be reduced. As a result, although the sliding action of the pressing member 75 and the main body 61 is repeated, the amount of wear of the two components due to abrasion is also greatly reduced. In addition, the slits 74 extend along the sliding direction of the pressing member 75, and the lubricant is filled in the slits 74, so that it can be maintained for a long time and supplied to substantially the entire sliding surface of the two components.

[0172] In the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment, the front opening 12A of the refrigerator compartment 12 is openably and closably sealed by the double-opening first and second heat-insulating doors 14 and 15, and similarly, the front opening 13A of the freezer compartment 13 is openably and closably sealed by the double-opening third and fourth heat-insulating doors 18 and 19, but the present invention is not limited to this case. For example, Figure 15 A refrigerator 80 having a single door is shown. However, by providing the automatic closing mechanism 41 in the refrigerator 80 , the first and second heat-insulating doors 81 and 82 in the refrigerator 80 can also be opened and closed by automatic closing.

[0173] like Figure 15 As shown, the single-door refrigerator 80, like the first insulated door 14 of the double-door refrigerator 10, includes a right-opening first insulated door 81 and a second insulated door 82. The first insulated door 81 is a door that freely opens and closes the front opening (not shown) of the refrigerator compartment 83. The second insulated door 82 is a door that freely opens and closes the front opening (not shown) of the freezer compartment 84. Furthermore, like the third insulated door 18 described above, the second insulated door 82 is equipped with an automatic closing mechanism 41 on the bottom side of the insulated box body 85.

[0174] As described above, in the refrigerator 80, when the first heat-insulating door 81 is closed, the first heat-insulating door 81 rotates at a first speed from the aforementioned 20-degree open state to the aforementioned 3-degree open state. Then, the first heat-insulating door 81 rotates at a second speed from the aforementioned 3-degree open state to the aforementioned fully closed state. At this time, Figure 6C As shown, by setting the inclination angle of the inclined surface 54D of the connecting portion 54B of the rotation restricting portion 54 to a reverse slope, i.e., an upward slope, the rotation speed of the first insulating door 81 immediately before it is fully closed can be slowed down. That is, in the refrigerator 80, the rotation speed of the first insulating door 81 immediately before it is fully closed is set to be slower than the rotation speed of the refrigerator 10 immediately before it is fully closed.

[0175] With this structure, in the case of a single-door refrigerator 80, the user can visually see the edge of the front opening of the refrigerating chamber 83, compared to a double-door refrigerator 10, making it easier to visually confirm that the first insulated door 81 is fully closed. Furthermore, if the user, for example, removes or places food from or into the storage rack 34 just before the first insulated door 81 is fully closed, even if the user's fingers or the like are caught between the first insulated door 81 and the insulated box body 85, the rotation speed of the first insulated door 81 is slowed just before it is fully closed. This significantly reduces the impact of the first insulated door 81 and the insulated box body 85 when they are fully closed, thus preventing injury to the user's fingers or the like.

[0176] In addition, in this embodiment, Figure 6C As shown in FIG, the case where the inclination angle of the inclined surface 54D of the connecting portion 54B is set to a relatively gentle angle of 80 degrees or less is described, but the present invention is not limited to this case. Figure 16A The diagram shows a case where the inclined surface 54D of the connecting portion 54B is designed to have a steep inclination angle of, for example, 80 to 90 degrees.

[0177] In this case, after the pressing portion 66 of the pressing member 64 moves from the flat surface 54C of the connecting portion 54B to the inclined surface 54D, the pressing portion 66 is no longer in contact with the inclined surface 54D and does not receive the reaction force F1 from the rotation restricting portion 54. As a result, the rotational force received from the rotation driving portion 55 in the capture portion 42 is not offset by the reaction force F1, and the rotational force is not offset by the reaction force F1. Figure 10A and Figure 10B Compared with the rotation state of the first insulating door 14, the capture portion 42 rotates violently. Then, the first insulating door 14 is violently fully closed, so that the user can easily judge the fully closed state of the first insulating door 14 based on the sound when it is fully closed.

[0178] In addition, for example, Figure 16B The connection portion 54B does not have the inclined surface 54D but is designed with only the flat surface 54C. Although not shown, in this case, it is preferable that the guide groove 52 is formed only by the longitudinal groove 52A.

[0179] In this case, the pressing portion 66 continues to press the flat surface 54C of the connecting portion 54B as evenly as possible, thereby uniformizing the rotation speed of the capture portion 42. As a result, the first insulating door 14 can also move from the open state to the fully closed state at a substantially constant speed.

[0180] In this embodiment, the angle of the catch portion 42 is shown as an example of a location where the rotational speed of the first insulating door 14, 81 is changed, but the present invention is not limited to this. The angle of the catch portion 42 can be arbitrarily modified. Furthermore, the angle of the inclined groove 52B of the guide groove 52 can be arbitrarily modified depending on the characteristics of the buffer portion 54A of the rotation restricting portion 54, the characteristics of the compression coil spring 55A of the rotation driving portion 55, and other factors. Various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that: have: A heat-insulating box body is formed with a storage chamber; an insulating door that can be opened and closed to seal the front opening of the storage chamber; and An automatic closing mechanism enables the heat-insulating door to automatically close relative to the heat-insulating box body. The automatic closing mechanism has: The frame portion is fixed relative to the heat-insulating box body; a capture portion rotatably disposed relative to the frame portion; a guide groove formed in the frame portion; a pressing member slidably disposed relative to the capturing portion and having a guide shaft inserted into the guide groove; a rotation limiting portion for reducing the rotation speed of the capture portion; as well as a rotation drive unit serving as a drive source for the rotational motion of the capture unit; When the heat insulating door is closed, the catch portion rotates toward the front opening while being guided by the guide groove, and the pressing member presses the rotation restricting portion in the depth direction of the heat insulating box.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein: The rotation restricting portion includes a flat surface extending in the lateral width direction of the heat insulating box body and an inclined surface continuous with the flat surface and inclined in the depth direction, on a surface in contact with the pressing member. The pressing member presses the flat surface in the depth direction in conjunction with the rotation of the capture portion, and moves the flat surface toward the inclined surface.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that The guide groove includes a longitudinal groove extending in the depth direction and an oblique groove continuous with the longitudinal groove and inclined in the width direction relative to the longitudinal groove. The pressing member moves on the flat surface while the guide shaft moves in the longitudinal groove, and the pressing member moves on the inclined surface while the guide shaft moves in the oblique groove.

4. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The automatic closing mechanism includes a striking portion, which is disposed on the heat-insulating door and is connected to or separated from the capturing portion in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the heat-insulating door. The catch portion has an engagement groove into which the engagement pin of the striking portion can enter. When the heat insulating door is closed, the engagement pin enters the engagement groove in conjunction with the rotation of the catch portion.

5. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The pressing member has an insertion hole into which the capturing portion is inserted. The pressing member is attached to the catch portion via the insertion hole, and slides relative to the catch portion when the heat insulating door is closed.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, characterized in that A slit is formed on an inner side surface of the pressing member forming the insertion hole in a direction in which the pressing member slides.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that The capture portion includes a first base portion and a second base portion forming the engagement groove. The second base portion is located further back in the depth direction than the first base portion, and is longer than the first base portion.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, characterized in that A return portion for guiding the engagement pin to the engagement groove is formed on the first base portion of the capture portion.

9. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The heat-insulating door is a double-opening door.

10. A refrigerator, characterized in that: have: A heat-insulating box body is formed with a storage chamber; an insulating door that can be opened and closed to seal the front opening of the storage chamber; and An automatic closing mechanism enables the heat-insulating door to automatically close relative to the heat-insulating box body. The automatic closing mechanism has: The frame portion is fixed relative to the heat-insulating box body; a capture portion rotatably disposed relative to the frame portion; a guide groove formed in the frame portion; A pressing member is slidably arranged relative to the capturing portion; a roller portion, the rotation axis of which is inserted into the guide groove and rotatably supported by the pressing member; a rotation limiting portion for reducing the rotation speed of the capture portion; as well as a rotation drive unit serving as a drive source for the rotational motion of the capture unit; When the heat insulating door is closed, the catch portion rotates toward the front opening while being guided by the guide groove, and the roller portion presses the rotation restricting portion in the depth direction of the heat insulating box.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, characterized in that The rotation restricting portion includes a flat surface extending in the lateral width direction of the heat insulating box and an inclined surface continuous with the flat surface and inclined in the depth direction, on a surface in contact with the roller portion. The roller portion presses the flat surface in the depth direction in conjunction with the rotation of the capture portion, and rolls the flat surface toward the inclined surface.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, characterized in that The guide groove includes a longitudinal groove extending in the depth direction and an oblique groove continuous with the longitudinal groove and inclined in the width direction relative to the longitudinal groove. The roller portion rolls on the flat surface while the rotating shaft moves in the longitudinal groove, and the roller portion rolls on the inclined surface while the rotating shaft moves in the inclined groove.

13. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that: The automatic closing mechanism includes a striking portion, which is disposed on the heat-insulating door and is connected to or separated from the capturing portion in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the heat-insulating door. The catch portion has an engagement groove into which the engagement pin of the striking portion can enter. When the heat insulating door is closed, the engagement pin enters the engagement groove in conjunction with the rotation of the catch portion.

14. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that: The pressing member has an insertion hole into which the capturing portion is inserted. The pressing member is attached to the catch portion via the insertion hole, and slides relative to the catch portion when the heat insulating door is closed.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 14, wherein: A slit is formed on an inner side surface of the pressing member forming the insertion hole in a direction in which the pressing member slides.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein The capture portion includes a first base portion and a second base portion forming the engagement groove. The second base portion is located further back in the depth direction than the first base portion, and is longer than the first base portion.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein: A return portion for guiding the engagement pin to the engagement groove is formed on the first base portion of the capture portion.

18. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that: The heat-insulating door is a double-opening door.

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