Refrigerator
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- AQUA CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2023-04-05
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-01
Smart Images
Figure 00000000_0000_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a container for storing fresh food. [Background technology]
[0002] Refrigerators equipped with containers for storing fresh foods in the refrigerator compartment are widely used. In such containers, the inside is usually cooled by making the gas flowing inside the refrigerator compartment flow inside the container. Therefore, there is a risk that the fresh foods stored in the container lose moisture due to the gas flowing inside, causing the fresh foods to lose their freshness. To address this issue, refrigerators have been proposed that close the inside of the container with a lid to prevent the stored fresh foods from losing moisture (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0003] When the container is closed, the gas in the refrigerator compartment cannot enter the container, and there is a risk that the temperature inside the container will rise. Therefore, in the container described in Patent Document 1, the inside of the container is cooled by indirect cooling from the periphery and a back plate with high thermal conductivity. Also, when the container is closed, there is a risk that the humidity inside the container will become too high due to the release of moisture from the stored fresh food. Therefore, in the container described in Patent Document 1, condensation is caused on the inner surface of the back plate, and the condensed water is released to the outside through multiple through holes provided in the back plate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2002-357385 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0005] However, in the container described in Patent Document 1, since the back plate has many through holes, if gas is directed toward the outer surface of the back plate, there is a risk that the gas will enter the inside of the container through the through holes. For this reason, in Patent Document 1, the gas is made to flow in a direction approximately parallel to the outer surface of the back plate. Therefore, the heat transfer coefficient between the gas and the outer surface of the back plate is small, and the cooling effect of the back plate on the inside of the container is limited. For this reason, there is a risk that the inside of the container cannot be sufficiently cooled.
[0006] Since the cooling effect of the back panel is limited, the cooling of the inside of the container is relatively dependent on indirect cooling from the surroundings of the container other than the back panel. Therefore, there is a risk of condensation forming on the inside of the container other than the back panel. Therefore, there is a risk that the moisture condensed on the inside surface of the container or the underside of the lid will fall onto the stored fresh food and reduce the freshness of the fresh food. In addition, there is a risk that the moisture condensed on the inside surface of the container or the underside of the lid will accumulate at the bottom of the container, causing the fresh food to spoil.
[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a refrigerator that can properly cool the inside and remove internal moisture in an appropriate manner even when a container for storing fresh food is closed. [Means for solving the problem]
[0008] The first aspect of the present invention is A container for storing fresh food; A lid member that closes the inside of the container; a plate-shaped member made of a highly thermally conductive material, the plate-shaped member being attached to a rear sidewall of the container and having an inner surface exposed to the inside of the container and an outer surface exposed to the outside of the container; an air outlet for blowing the cool air that has passed through the evaporator toward the outer surface; Equipped with the inside of the container is cooled by radiation from the inner surface of the plate-like member that has been cooled by applying cold air to the outer surface, and moisture is removed from the gas inside the container by condensation on the inner surface; The refrigerator further includes a drainage mechanism for draining condensation water that has flowed down the inner surface to the outside of the container.
[0009] According to this aspect, since gas does not flow inside the container that stores fresh food, it is possible to prevent the fresh food from losing moisture. The cold air blown out from the outlet toward the outside hits the outside surface, sufficiently cooling the plate-shaped member, and the inside of the container can be sufficiently cooled by radiation from the inside surface of the plate-shaped member. Since the cold air blown out from the outlet concentrates and cools the plate-shaped member, the temperature of the inside surface of the plate-shaped member is lower than the other inside surfaces of the container and the underside of the lid member. Therefore, the moisture contained in the gas inside the container concentrates and condenses on the inside surface of the plate-shaped member, and it is possible to suppress condensation on the other inside surfaces of the container and the underside of the lid member. The moisture condensed on the inside surface of the plate-shaped member flows down the inside surface by gravity and is discharged to the outside of the container by the discharge mechanism. This allows the humidity inside the container, which has increased due to the evaporation of moisture from the stored fresh food, to be appropriately reduced.
[0010] This makes it possible to provide a refrigerator that can adequately cool the inside and remove internal humidity and moisture in an appropriate manner even when the container for storing fresh food is closed.
[0011] The second aspect of the present invention is the method according to the first aspect, the outer surface has a continuous surface; The refrigerator blows out cool air from the air outlet in a direction intersecting with the outer surface.
[0012] According to this aspect, since the outer surface of the plate-shaped member has a continuous surface, even if the cold air is blown out from the outlet in a direction intersecting with the outer surface and hits the outer surface, the cold air does not flow into the inside of the container. Therefore, it is possible to strongly hit the outer surface of the plate-shaped member, and a high heat transfer coefficient is obtained between the cold air and the outer surface of the plate-shaped member, and the plate-shaped member can be effectively cooled.
[0013] A third aspect of the present invention is the method according to the first or second aspect, The plate-shaped member extends at approximately equal distances to the left and right from the center of the width of the container in the refrigerator.
[0014] According to this aspect, the plate-like member extends at approximately equal distances on both sides from the center of the container in the width direction, so that the inside of the container can be uniformly cooled by radiation cooling.
[0015] A fourth aspect of the present invention is any one of the first to third aspects, the discharge mechanism is disposed below the plate-shaped member, the discharge mechanism includes a humidity control filter into which condensation water flowing down the inner surface flows and which is also exposed to the outside of the container; In this refrigerator, the condensation water flows through the humidity control filter from the inside to the outside of the container and evaporates from a region of the humidity control filter located outside the container that hits the cold air blown out from the air outlet.
[0016] According to this aspect, the discharge mechanism includes a humidity control filter, which moves the moisture condensed on the plate-like member to the outside of the container and evaporates it to the outside. This prevents the moisture condensed on the plate-like member from accumulating at the bottom of the container and causing the stored fresh food to spoil. Therefore, the humidity control filter can reliably reduce the humidity inside the container.
[0017] A fifth aspect of the present invention relates to the fourth aspect, the humidity control filter has no air permeability and has a microchannel through which a capillary phenomenon of a liquid occurs; In this refrigerator, the inflowing condensation water flows from the inside to the outside of the container through the humidity control filter by capillary action.
[0018] According to this embodiment, since the humidity conditioning filter does not have breathability, it is possible to prevent cold air from flowing into the container. Condensed water that has flowed into the humidity conditioning filter flows from the inside to the outside of the container through the humidity conditioning filter due to capillary action. Therefore, the condensed water can be reliably discharged from the inside of the container to the outside according to the amount of moisture that evaporates when exposed to cold air outside.
[0019] A sixth aspect of the present invention relates to a method for producing a composition according to the fourth or fifth aspect, the discharge mechanism includes a gutter portion having a slope disposed below the plate-like member, The humidity control filter is disposed at the lowest point of the slope, In this refrigerator, condensation water that has flowed down the inner surface flows down the slope of the gutter portion and into the humidity control filter.
[0020] According to this aspect, the discharge mechanism includes a gutter with a slope, and the gutter allows the moisture condensed on the entire inner surface of the plate-shaped member to flow to the humidity control filter. This prevents the moisture condensed on the plate-shaped member from accumulating at the bottom of the container, causing the stored fresh food to spoil. This ensures that the humidity inside the container can be reduced.
[0021] A seventh aspect of the present invention is any one of the first to sixth aspects, The cover member is made of a light-transmitting material, The inside of the container is visible from the outside through the lid member.
[0022] According to this aspect, condensation occurs concentratedly on the inner surface of the plate-like member, so condensation on the underside of the lid member can be suppressed, and therefore the inside of the container can be reliably viewed from the outside through the lid member.
[0023] The eighth aspect of the present invention is any one of the first to seventh aspects, The refrigerator has a gasket disposed between an upper surface of the rear side wall of the container and a lower surface of the lid member in an elastically deformed state.
[0024] According to this aspect, the gasket is arranged in an elastically deformed state between the upper surface of the rear side wall of the container and the lower surface of the lid member, so that even if cold air is blown out from the air outlet toward the plate-shaped member, a secure seal can be achieved to prevent cold air from flowing into the inside of the container.
[0025] A ninth aspect of the present invention is any one of the first to eighth aspects, The refrigerator is provided with a shutter mechanism in the container that can be switched between a state in communication with the outside and a state in which the container is isolated from the outside.
[0026] According to this aspect, when the humidity inside the container becomes very high due to the type of fresh food stored therein, the shutter mechanism can be opened to release the excess moisture inside the container to the outside.Then, by quickly closing the shutter mechanism, the humidity inside the container can be maintained at an appropriate level. Effect of the Invention
[0027] As described above, the present invention can provide a refrigerator that can appropriately cool the inside and remove moisture from the inside in an appropriate manner even when a container for storing fresh food is closed. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0028] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a container for storing fresh food in a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a perspective view showing a state where a lid member is attached to the container (after assembly) shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Diagram 3] 1 is a plan view of the container and its surroundings from above with the lid member not attached. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a plan view of the container and its surroundings with the lid member attached, viewed from above. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view showing section BB of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a plate-shaped member, a gutter portion, and a humidity control filter attached to the container. [Figure 7A] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a shutter mechanism attached to the container. [Figure 7B] FIG. 7B is a side view of the shutter mechanism (after assembly) shown in FIG. 7A with the shutter in a closed state. [Figure 7C] FIG. 7B is a side view of the shutter mechanism (after assembly) shown in FIG. 7A with the shutter in an open state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0029] Hereinafter, an embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment described below is for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following unless otherwise specified. In each drawing, the same reference numerals may be used for components having the same function. In the following description, the refrigerator is placed on a horizontal surface, and the side with doors 4A, 6A (see FIG. 5) is defined as the front side, and top, bottom, front and back are described.
[0030] (Refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention) First, a refrigerator 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention, which includes a container 10 for storing fresh food, will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6. Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a container 10 for storing fresh food of a refrigerator 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where a lid member 12 is attached to the container (after assembly) 10 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the container 10 and its surroundings from above in a state where the lid member 12 is not attached. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the container 10 and its surroundings from above in a state where the lid member 12 is attached. Fig. 5 is a side cross-sectional view showing the cross section BB of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a plate-shaped member 20, a gutter portion 32, and a humidity control filter 30 attached to the container 10.
[0031] As shown in Fig. 5, in the refrigerator 2 according to this embodiment, the refrigerator compartment 4 is disposed in the upper region of an inner box surrounded by a thermal insulating material, and the freezer compartment 6 is disposed in the lower region. A cooling flow path 8 is disposed behind the refrigerator compartment 4 and the freezer compartment 6 (on the right side in the drawing) via a partition plate. The refrigerator compartment 4 and the freezer compartment 6 are provided with rotatably attached doors 4A, 6A at their front sides (on the left side in the drawing), respectively.
[0032] An evaporator 60 and a cooling fan 62 are arranged in the cooling flow path 8 separated by a partition plate. The evaporator 60 constitutes a part of the cooling cycle through which the refrigerant flows. In the cooling cycle, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor arranged in the machine room flows through a condenser, a capillary tube, etc., and flows into the evaporator 60, and the solvent that flows through the heat exchange tube of the evaporator 60 returns to the suction side of the compressor. The evaporator 60 is cooled by this circulation of the refrigerant.
[0033] As shown by the dotted arrows in FIG. 5, the operation of the cooling fan 62 causes the gas in the cooling flow passage 8 to flow from bottom to top and pass through the evaporator 60. The gas is cooled when passing between the heat exchange tubes of the evaporator 60. When the refrigerator compartment damper 64 is open, the cold air that has passed through the evaporator 60 flows to the upper side of the cooling flow passage 8 and flows into the refrigerator compartment 4 through the opening. The gas that has flowed into the refrigerator compartment 4 flows through the refrigerator compartment 4, and flows through the return duct into the cooling flow passage 8 again from the lower opening, and returns to the lower side of the evaporator 60. When the refrigerator compartment damper 64 is closed, the cold air that has passed through the evaporator 60 does not flow into the refrigerator compartment 4 even if the cooling fan 62 is operating.
[0034] Similarly, when the freezing chamber damper 66 is open, the cold air that has passed through the evaporator 60 flows into the freezing chamber 6 through the opening, flows through the freezing chamber 6, and flows again into the cooling flow passage 8 from the lower opening, returning to the lower side of the evaporator 60. When the freezing chamber damper 66 is closed, the cold air that has passed through the evaporator 60 does not flow into the freezing chamber 6 even if the cooling fan 62 is operating.
[0035] As described later, an air outlet 50 is provided in the cooling flow passage 8 above the refrigerator compartment damper 66. When the cooling fan 62 is operating and the refrigerator compartment damper 64 is open, the cold air that has passed through the evaporator 60 branches and is blown out from the air outlet 50 toward the plate-like member 20 attached to the rear side wall 10A of the container 10.
[0036] <Container> The container 10 for storing fresh food according to this embodiment is disposed under the refrigerator compartment 4. The container 10 is a drawer-type container that is supported on both the left and right sides by rails provided on the inner box of the refrigerator 2 and can move back and forth. The inside of the container 10 is divided into front and back by a partition plate 42 that constitutes a shutter mechanism 40. The area behind the partition plate 42 is the fresh food storage area 16, and the area in front of the partition plate 42 is the general refrigeration area 18. A lid member 12 is placed on the upper side of the fresh food storage area 16, and the fresh food storage area 16 is a closed space surrounded by the inner surface of the container 10 and the lower surface of the lid member 12. There is no lid member 12 on the upper side of the general refrigeration area 18, and the upper part is open into the refrigerator compartment 4. For example, a container of drinking water can be stored in the general refrigeration area 18.
[0037] Lid member 12 is placed on container 10 in a state in which it can slide back and forth. This allows for an open top state in which lid member 12 is not present above fresh food storage area 16 when drawer-type container 10 is pulled out to the front of refrigerator 2. This allows fresh food to be stored in fresh food storage area 16 or removed from fresh food storage area 16. Container 10, lid member 12 and partition plate 42 are preferably made of a resin material.
[0038] A packing 14 is attached to the upper surface of the rear side wall 10A of the container 10. As shown in FIG. 5, when the lid member 12 is located above the fresh food storage area 16, the upper surface of the partition plate 42 comes into contact with the lower surface of the lid member 12, and the upper surfaces of the left and right side walls of the container 10 come into contact with the lower surface of the lid member 12. Furthermore, the packing 14 is disposed in an elastically deformed state between the upper surface of the rear side wall 10A of the container 10 (see arrow C) and the lower surface of the lid member 12 (see arrow D). When the lid member 12 is not present on the packing 14, the packing 14 made of an elastic material returns to its initial state, and when the lid member 12 slides and is positioned on the packing 14, the packing 14 elastically deforms to form a sealed state. The packing 14 is formed so that when the lid member 12 slides and moves onto the packing 14, it can flexibly follow and form a sealed state. This makes it possible to prevent gas from flowing into the container 10 even if gas is applied to the outer surface of the rear side wall 10A.
[0039] <Cooling and humidity control mechanism> Next, the cooling and humidity control mechanism provided in the container 10 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the rear side wall 10A of the container 10 has an opening 10B. A frame 34 is attached to the opening 10B, and a plate-shaped member 20 made of a highly heat-conductive material is attached to the frame 34. Examples of highly heat-conductive materials forming the plate-shaped member 20 include aluminum and aluminum alloys. However, the material is not limited to these, and other metal materials such as copper and ceramics with high heat conductivity can also be used. The plate-shaped member 20 has substantially flat inner and outer surfaces, but may be somewhat curved. The plate-shaped member 20 is attached so as to extend at substantially equal distances on both sides from the center of the container 10 in the width direction.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 1, a gutter section 32 having a slope 32A that is high on both the left and right sides and low on the center side is formed on the lower side of the frame 34. A humidity control filter 30 is attached to the center area (see arrow A) between the left and right slopes 32A. A discharge mechanism that discharges condensation water that has flowed down the inner surface of the plate-like member 20 to the outside of the container 10 is mainly constituted by the humidity control filter 30 and the gutter section 32. The frame 34 on which the gutter section 32 is formed is also preferably made of a resin material. The opening 10B of the rear side wall 10A is closed by the frame 34, the plate-like member 20, and the humidity control filter 30. Furthermore, an inner plate 22 having a slit 22A in front of the plate-like member 30 is attached to the frame 34 at a distance from the plate-like member 30. The inner plate 22 is also preferably made of a resin material.
[0041] FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram of the assembled state of these members. The gutter portion 32 having the slope 32A is disposed inside the container 10 separated by the plate-like member 20. The humidity control filter 30 is disposed penetrating from the inside to the outside of the container 10. The humidity control filter 30 is formed so as to have no air permeability and to have a minute flow path through which the capillary phenomenon of liquid occurs. In this embodiment, a filter made of fibrous activated carbon bound with a binder is used as the humidity control filter 30. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any other material can be used as long as it has no air permeability and has a minute flow path through which the capillary phenomenon of liquid occurs.
[0042] (Cooling of fresh food storage areas) In conventional refrigerators, the fresh food storage area is cooled by flowing the gas circulated in the refrigerator compartment into the fresh food storage area. This airflow causes moisture to be removed from the fresh food stored in the fresh food storage area, causing a problem of reducing freshness. In addition, since the temperature of the gas circulated in the refrigerator compartment is relatively high, the temperature in the fresh food storage area can reach 7 to 8 degrees Celsius or higher, which can increase the respiration rate of the fresh food and reduce its freshness.
[0043] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the fresh food storage area 16 of the container 10 is covered with the lid member 12 and is closed off from the space inside the refrigerator compartment 4. This is expected to prevent moisture from being lost from the fresh food stored in the fresh food storage area 16, thereby preserving the freshness of the food.
[0044] The fresh food storage area 16 is not subject to gas from the refrigerator compartment 4 and is surrounded by the container 10 and the lid member 12 made of a resin material. Therefore, there is a risk that the temperature in the fresh food storage area 16 will rise if only indirectly cooled from the surroundings. For this reason, in this embodiment, cooling is performed using a plate-like member 20 attached to the rear side wall 10A of the container 10.
[0045] As shown typically by the dotted arrow in Fig. 5, when the cooling fan 62 is operating and the refrigerator compartment damper 64 is open, the cold air that has passed through the evaporator 60 is blown onto the outer surface of the plate-shaped member 20 through the air outlet 50. The direction in which the cold air is blown out from the air outlet 50 is not along the outer surface of the plate-shaped member 20, but in a direction that intersects with the outer surface of the plate-shaped member 20. This increases the coefficient of heat transfer between the cold air and the outer surface of the plate-shaped member 20, and the plate-shaped member 20 can be strongly cooled.
[0046] In order to obtain a higher heat transfer coefficient, it is preferable to apply the cool air from a direction nearly perpendicular to the outer surface of the plate-like member 20. More specifically, the direction in which the cool air is blown out from the air outlet 50 preferably forms an angle in the range of 0 degrees or more and 30 degrees or less with respect to the perpendicular line (in the case of a flat surface) or the normal line (in the case of a curved surface) of the outer surface of the plate-like member 20, and more preferably forms an angle in the range of 0 degrees or more and 20 degrees or less.
[0047] The plate-shaped member 20 does not have any through holes or the like, and the outer surface of the plate-shaped member 20 has a continuous surface. Therefore, even if cold air is blown out from the air outlet 50 in a direction intersecting with the outer surface of the plate-shaped member 20 and hits the outer surface, the cold air does not flow into the inside of the container 10. Therefore, it is possible to strongly hit the outer surface of the plate-shaped member 20, and a high heat transfer coefficient is obtained between the cold air and the outer surface of the plate-shaped member 20, and the plate-shaped member 20 can be effectively cooled.
[0048] In addition, since the gasket 14 is arranged in an elastically deformed state between the upper surface of the rear side wall 10A of the container 10 and the lower surface of the lid member 12, even if cold air is blown out from the air outlet 50 toward the plate-shaped member 20, a secure seal is provided to prevent cold air from flowing into the inside of the container 10.
[0049] In this way, the inside (fresh food storage area) 16 of the container 10 can be effectively cooled by radiation from the inner surface of the plate-shaped member 20, which has been cooled by blowing cold air onto its outer surface. In particular, since the plate-shaped member 20 extends at approximately equal distances on both sides from the center of the container 10 in the width direction, the inside (fresh food storage area) 16 of the container 10 can be uniformly cooled by radiation cooling.
[0050] More specifically, to obtain more effective cooling performance, the area of the inner surface of plate-like member 20 is preferably 30% or more, more preferably 40% or more, and even more preferably 50% or more of the area of the inner surface of rear side wall 10A of container 10. Even though fresh food storage area 16 is in a closed state, cooling using plate-like member 20 can cool fresh food storage area 16 to a temperature of about 3°C to 4°C, which is lower than conventional temperatures.
[0051] (humidity control in fresh food storage areas) The interior (fresh food storage area) 16 of the container 10 is closed off from the space in the refrigerator compartment 4, which prevents moisture from being lost from the stored fresh foods. On the other hand, moisture continues to evaporate from the stored fresh foods, which causes a problem of excessive humidity in the fresh food storage area 16. To address this issue, in this embodiment, a plate-like member 20 attached to the rear side wall 10A of the container 10 is used not only for cooling but also for dehumidification.
[0052] As described above, the plate-shaped member 20 is cooled by the cold air that has passed through the evaporator 60, and therefore the temperature is lower than other areas in the container 10 made of resin with low thermal conductivity. For this reason, condensation occurs concentratedly on the inner surface of the plate-shaped member 20, and little condensation occurs on other inner surfaces of the container 10 or on the underside of the lid member 12. If the moisture condensed on the inner surface of the plate-shaped member 20 can be properly discharged from the container 10, the fresh food storage area 16 can be dehumidified and kept at an appropriate humidity. In this embodiment, a discharge mechanism is provided that discharges the condensed water that has flowed down the inner surface of the plate-shaped member 20 by gravity to the outside of the container 10. The discharge mechanism is mainly composed of a humidity control filter 30 and a gutter portion 32, as described below.
[0053] <Ejection mechanism> The discharge mechanism is disposed below the plate-shaped member 20 and includes a gutter section 32 having a slope 32A, with the humidity control filter 30 disposed at the lowest point of the slope 32A. Thus, as shown typically by the dotted arrow in Fig. 6, condensed water that has condensed on the inner surface of the plate-shaped member 20 flows down the inner surface of the plate-shaped member 20 by gravity, and enters the gutter section 32 via the lower opening 20A (see Fig. 1). The condensed water that has flowed into the gutter section 32 flows down the slope 32A of the gutter section 32 and into the humidity control filter 30.
[0054] In this way, the gutter portion 32 having the slope 32A allows the moisture condensed in all areas of the inner surface of the plate-shaped member 20 to flow to the humidity control filter 30. Therefore, there is no risk of the moisture condensed on the plate-shaped member 20 accumulating at the bottom of the container 10 and causing the stored fresh food to spoil. This ensures that the humidity in the inside (fresh food storage area) 16 of the container 10 can be reduced.
[0055] As described above, the humidity control filter 30 is not breathable and has minute flow paths through which capillary action of liquid occurs. Therefore, as shown typically by the dotted arrows in Fig. 6, the condensed water that has flowed into the slope 32A of the gutter portion 32 flows through the humidity control filter from the inside to the outside of the container 10 by capillary action. Then, in the area of the humidity control filter 30 exposed to the outside of the container 10, the condensed water evaporates due to the cool air blown out from the air outlet 50.
[0056] In this manner, in this embodiment, the humidity conditioning filter 30 has no breathability, and therefore can prevent cold air from flowing into the container 10. The condensed water that has flowed into the humidity conditioning filter 30 flows through the humidity conditioning filter 30 from the inside to the outside of the container 10 due to capillary action. Therefore, the condensed water can be reliably discharged from the inside of the container 10 to the outside according to the amount of moisture that evaporates when exposed to cold air outside.
[0057] As described above, in this embodiment, a humidity control filter 30 is provided which is arranged below the plate-shaped member 20 and into which condensation water flowing down the inner surface of the plate-shaped member 20 flows and which is also exposed to the outside of the container 10. The condensation water flows through the humidity control filter 30 from the inside to the outside of the container 10 and evaporates from an area of the humidity control filter 30 located outside the container 10 where it hits the cold air blown out from the outlet 50.
[0058] In this embodiment, the humidity control filter 30 can move the moisture condensed on the plate-like member 20 to the outside of the container 10 and evaporate it to the outside. This prevents the moisture condensed on the plate-like member 20 from accumulating at the bottom of the container 10 and causing the stored fresh food to spoil. Therefore, the humidity control filter 30 can reliably reduce the humidity inside the container 10.
[0059] By combining the plate-like member 20 and the discharge mechanism as described above, the humidity in the interior (fresh food storage area) 16 of the container 10 can be kept within an appropriate range of about 30% to 60%.
[0060] In this embodiment, the lid member 12 is made of a material having translucency. As described above, condensation occurs intensively on the plate-like member 20, which has a lower temperature than other areas, so condensation on the underside of the lid member 12 can be suppressed. Therefore, the inside (fresh food storage area) 16 of the container 10 can be seen from the outside through the lid member 12.
[0061] If the stored fresh food comes into contact with the plate-shaped member 20, the temperature of which has dropped, the fresh food may freeze. When the fresh food freezes, the moisture contained therein expands, damaging the fibers and reducing the freshness of the fresh food. When the frozen fresh food is thawed, the moisture flows out. In this embodiment, an inner plate 22 having a slit 22A is disposed at a distance from the front side of the plate-shaped member 20. The fresh food stored in the fresh food storage area 16 is protected by the inner plate 22 and does not come into contact with the plate-shaped member 20. This prevents the freshness of the fresh food from decreasing due to freezing. The slit 22A has an opening large enough to allow sufficient cooling by radiation from the inner surface of the plate-shaped member 20.
[0062] As described above, the refrigerator 2 according to this embodiment comprises a container 10 for storing fresh food, a lid member 12 for closing the interior (fresh food storage area) 16 of the container 10, a plate-shaped member 20 made of a highly thermally conductive material attached to the rear side wall 10A of the container 10 and having an inner surface exposed to the interior of the container 10 and an outer surface exposed to the exterior of the container 10, and an outlet 50 for blowing cold air that has passed through an evaporator 60 toward the outer surface of the plate-shaped member 20. The interior (fresh food storage area) 16 of the container 10 is cooled by radiation from the inner surface of the plate-shaped member 20, which has been cooled by blowing cold air against its outer surface, and moisture is removed from the gas in the interior (fresh food storage area) 16 of the container by condensation on the inner surface of the plate-shaped member 20. The refrigerator 2 further comprises a discharge mechanism for discharging the condensed water that has flowed down the inner surface of the plate-shaped member 20 to the outside of the container 10.
[0063] According to this embodiment, since gas does not flow in the container 10 that stores fresh food, it is possible to prevent the stored fresh food from losing moisture. The cold air blown out from the air outlet 50 toward the outer surface of the plate-shaped member 20 hits the outer surface and sufficiently cools the plate-shaped member 20, and the inside of the container 10 can be sufficiently cooled by radiation from the inner surface of the plate-shaped member 20. Since the cold air blown out from the air outlet 50 concentrates and cools the plate-shaped member 20, the temperature of the inner surface of the plate-shaped member 20 is lower than the other inner surfaces of the container 10 and the lower surface of the lid member 12. Therefore, the moisture contained in the gas inside the container 10 concentrates and condenses on the inner surface of the plate-shaped member 20, and it is possible to suppress condensation on the other inner surfaces of the container 10 and the lower surface of the lid member. The moisture condensed on the inner surface of the plate-shaped member 20 flows down the inner surface by gravity and is discharged to the outside of the container 10 by the discharge mechanism. This allows the humidity inside the container 10, which has increased due to the evaporation of moisture from the stored fresh food, to be appropriately reduced.
[0064] This makes it possible to provide a refrigerator 2 that can appropriately cool the inside and remove internal humidity and moisture in an appropriate manner even when the container 10 for storing fresh food is closed.
[0065] (Shutter mechanism) Next, the shutter mechanism 40 attached to the container 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 7A to Fig. 7C. Fig. 7A is an exploded perspective view showing the shutter mechanism 40 attached to the container 10. Fig. 7B is a side view of the shutter mechanism (after assembly) 40 shown in Fig. 7A with the shutter in a closed state. Fig. 7C is a side view of the shutter mechanism (after assembly) 40 shown in Fig. 7A with the shutter in an open state.
[0066] A slit 42A is formed in a partition plate 42 that separates the fresh food storage area 16 and the general refrigeration area 18. A movable part 44 is attached to the partition plate 42 so as to be movable left and right. By moving the movable part 44 left and right, it is possible to switch between a closed state in which the slit 42A is covered by the movable part 44 and a ventilated state in which the slit 42A is exposed, as shown in Fig. 7B.
[0067] As described above, in this embodiment, the container 10 is provided with the shutter mechanism 40 that can be switched between a state in which the container 10 is in communication with the outside and a state in which the container 10 is cut off from the outside.
[0068] Basically, the humidity in the fresh food storage area 16 can be kept at an appropriate level by dehumidifying using the plate-like member 20 and the humidity control filter 30. However, depending on the type of fresh food stored, the humidity inside the container 10 (fresh food storage area) 16 may become very high. In such a case, the shutter mechanism 40 can be opened to release the excess moisture inside the container 10 (fresh food storage area) 16 to the outside. Then, the shutter mechanism 40 can be quickly closed to maintain an appropriate humidity inside the container 10 (fresh food storage area) 16.
[0069] Although the embodiments and modes of implementation of the present invention have been described, the disclosed contents may vary in details of the configuration, and changes in the combination and order of elements in the embodiments and modes of implementation may be realized without departing from the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. [Explanation of symbols]
[0070] 2. Refrigerator 4. Refrigerator 4A Door 6 Freezer 6A Door 8 Cooling Channel 10 containers 10A Rear side wall 10B opening 12 Lid 14 Packing 16 Fresh food storage area 18 General refrigeration area 20 Plate-shaped member 20A aperture 22 Inner plate 22A Slit 30 Humidity Control Filter 32 Hibe 32A Slope 34 Frames 40 Shutter mechanism 42 Partition 42A Slit 44 Moving parts 50 Air outlet 60 Evaporator 62 Cooling fan 64 Refrigerator damper 66 Freezer damper
Claims
1. Containers for storing fresh food, A lid member that closes the inside of the container, A plate-shaped member made of a high thermal conductivity material is attached to the rear side wall of the container and has an inner surface exposed to the inside of the container and an outer surface exposed to the outside of the container. An outlet that blows the cold air that has passed through the evaporator toward the outer surface, Equipped with, The inside of the container is cooled by radiation from the inner surface of the plate-shaped member, which has been cooled by cold air being blown onto its outer surface, and moisture is removed from the gas inside the container by condensation on the inner surface. Furthermore, it is equipped with a discharge mechanism for discharging the condensed water that flows down the inner surface to the outside of the container. The aforementioned discharge mechanism A humidity control filter is positioned below the plate-shaped member, into which condensation water flowing down the inner surface flows, and also exposed to the outside of the container. A trough section having a slope is positioned below the plate-shaped member, Equipped with, The humidity control filter is positioned at the lowest point of the slope. A refrigerator characterized in that condensed water flowing down the inner surface flows down the slope of the gutter and into the humidity control filter.
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that the condensed water that flows in flows through the humidity control filter from the inside to the outside of the container, and evaporates from the area of the humidity control filter located outside the container that is hit by the cold air blown out from the outlet.
3. The outer surface has a continuous surface, The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that cold air is blown out from the outlet in a direction intersecting the outer surface.
4. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the plate-like member extends approximately equidistant from the center in the width direction of the container to the left and right.
5. The aforementioned humidity control filter does not have air permeability and has microchannels where capillary action occurs in the liquid. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the condensed water that flows in flows through the humidity control filter from the inside to the outside of the container by capillary action.
6. The lid member is made of a light-transmitting material, The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the inside of the container can be seen from the outside through the lid member.
7. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a packing is arranged in an elastically deformed state between the upper surface of the rear side wall of the container and the lower surface of the lid member.
8. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the container is equipped with a shutter mechanism that can be switched between a state of being in communication with the outside and a state of being isolated from the outside.
9. The container comprises a partition plate that separates a fresh food storage area located inside the container from a general refrigeration area located outside the container. The partition plate has a slit and a movable part that can move left and right, The refrigerator according to claim 8, characterized in that the movement of the slit allows switching between a blocked state in which the slit is covered and a connected state in which the slit is exposed.