Refrigerator

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator capable of notifying by quickly bringing unfrozen food into a state suitable for cutting.SOLUTION: A refrigerator 2 includes: a quick chilling chamber 20 surrounded with a heat insulation material; a cooling unit for cooling the inside of the quick chilling chamber 20; and a control unit 100 for controlling the cooling unit. The control unit 100 performs control to operate the cooling unit in a quick chilling mode when receiving a start signal based on an input of a user in a state that uncut unfrozen fresh food (hereinafter, called as storage food) is stored in the quick chilling chamber 20, determine that the storage food is in a proper state for cutting when a predetermined time passes, and notify that the storage food is in the proper state for cutting. In the proper state for cutting, the storage food is in a slightly frozen state with an icing rate of 70% or less in an area in the vicinity of a surface of the storage food.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a function of notifying when stored food has reached an appropriate state for cutting (appropriate cutting state). [Background technology]

[0002] In order to meet various needs of users, refrigerators having various other functions in addition to refrigeration and freezing functions have been proposed. Among such refrigerators, a refrigerator having a function of notifying the user when food stored in the chilled compartment is suitable for cutting has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-76313 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The refrigerator described in Patent Document 1 performs control to identify and notify that the stored food is in a state suitable for cutting when a predetermined time has elapsed after switching between high-temperature cooling control and low-temperature cooling control in a cycle in which the control is repeatedly performed. The refrigerator described in Patent Document 1 identifies and notifies that the food already stored in the refrigerator is in a state suitable for cutting while repeatedly performing a certain cooling cycle. In other words, it is a system in which, on the premise that the food is to be preserved, a notification is given when the food reaches a desired state before it is taken out.

[0005] On the other hand, there is a strong demand from users to freeze the outside of fresh foods such as unfrozen meat and fish slightly to make them easier to cut quickly, but the refrigerator described in the cited document 1 takes a long time to make them easier to cut, and cannot meet this demand.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a refrigerator that can quickly bring unfrozen food to a state suitable for cutting and notify the user of this. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the first aspect of the present invention is A quenching chamber surrounded by thermal insulation; A cooling unit that cools the inside of the quenching chamber; A control unit that controls the cooling unit; Equipped with The control unit: When a start signal based on a user's input is received while non-frozen food (hereinafter referred to as "stored food") is stored in the rapid cooling chamber, the cooling unit is operated in a rapid cooling mode; This refrigerator is characterized by the fact that, when certain requirements are met, it is determined that the stored food is in a suitable state for cutting, and is controlled to notify the user that the stored food is in a suitable state for cutting.

[0008] The refrigerator according to the first aspect can rapidly cool non-frozen stored food based on the user's intention, quickly bringing the food into a state where it can be easily cut without losing its shape, and notifying the user that the food is in a suitable state for cutting. In this way, this aspect can provide a refrigerator that can quickly bring non-frozen food into a state suitable for cutting and notify the user.

[0009] In addition, the second aspect of the present invention is the first aspect, Further comprising a temperature sensor, This refrigerator is characterized in that the control unit determines whether the stored food has reached a latent heat range temperature based on the measurement value of the temperature sensor, and after determining that the latent heat range temperature has been reached, when a predetermined time has elapsed, determines that the stored food has reached a state suitable for cutting.

[0010] Through demonstration tests and supplementary theoretical calculations, it is possible to know the correlation between the time and the state of freezing of food after the food reaches the latent heat zone temperature. Using data for a specific time based on this knowledge, it is possible to accurately determine when the stored food is in a suitable state for cutting.

[0011] In addition, the third aspect of the present invention is the first or second aspect, Further comprising a weight sensor for measuring the weight of the stored food, The refrigerator is characterized in that the control unit determines the predetermined time based on a measurement value of the weight sensor.

[0012] Fresh foods have a moisture content of 80-90% or more, and if the weight of the food is known, the approximate amount of moisture that will freeze can be estimated. By knowing the weight of the food to be cut, the state of freezing can be understood based on the approximate amount of moisture. Therefore, by using the weight of the stored food measured by a weight sensor, the specified time can be more accurately estimated, and ultimately the timing when the stored food is suitable for cutting can be more accurately determined.

[0013] In addition, a fourth aspect of the present invention is any one of the first to third aspects, The cooling unit includes a refrigerator cooling fan that circulates gas inside the refrigerator and a rapid cooling fan dedicated to the rapid cooling chamber, In the rapid cooling mode, the cold air that has passed through the evaporator flows into the rapid cooling chamber due to the flow of the cooling fan, and the flow velocity of the cold air that has flowed into the rapid cooling chamber due to the rapid cooling fan increases.

[0014] In this embodiment, in the rapid-cooling mode, the cold air that has passed through the evaporator is supplied into the rapid-cooling chamber by the flow of the cooling fan, and the flow rate of the cold air that has flowed into the rapid-cooling chamber by the rapid-cooling fan can be further increased. This configuration for cooling the rapid-cooling chamber can increase the cooling capacity for food stored in the rapid-cooling chamber.

[0015] In addition, the fifth aspect of the present invention is the fourth aspect, A metal plate-shaped member on which the stored food is placed is provided in the quenching chamber, The refrigerator is characterized in that the cold air supplied by the cooling unit flows along the upper and lower surfaces of a plate-shaped member.

[0016] In this embodiment, cold air flows along the upper and lower surfaces of a metal plate-shaped member with high thermal conductivity, so that stored food placed on the plate-shaped member is cooled from both the upper and lower sides, allowing the stored food to be cooled more effectively.

[0017] In addition, a sixth aspect of the present invention is any one of the first to fifth aspects, Further, an identification sensor is provided for determining whether the stored food has been removed from the quick-cooling chamber, This refrigerator is characterized in that after the control unit has performed control to notify that the stored food is in a suitable state for cutting, when it determines based on a signal from the identification sensor that the stored food has been removed from the quick-cooling chamber, the control unit stops the notification and operates the cooling unit in another cooling mode.

[0018] According to this embodiment, not only can the stored food be rapidly cooled, but the cooling section can also be operated in other cooling modes, making the rapid cooling compartment an effective food storage area for a normal refrigerator, including a freezer compartment, chilled room, and refrigerator compartment.

[0019] In addition, the seventh aspect of the present invention is the sixth aspect, The refrigerator is characterized in that the identification sensor is an opening / closing sensor that detects the opening and closing of a door that opens and closes the quick-cooling compartment or a door in the area in which the quick-cooling compartment is located, or a weight sensor that measures the weight of the stored food.

[0020] In this aspect, if the identification sensor is an open / close sensor, it is possible to effectively use an existing refrigerator sensor to determine whether food has been removed. If the identification sensor is a weight sensor, it is possible to physically and reliably determine whether food has been removed. Effect of the Invention

[0021] As described above, according to the present invention, a refrigerator can be provided that can quickly bring unfrozen food to a state suitable for cutting and notify the user of this. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view of the quenching chamber shown in FIG. 1 and a perspective view showing a schematic external shape of a quenching fan which is a blower fan. FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of a cooling section of the rapid cooling chamber shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of cooling control of a rapid cooling chamber. [Diagram 5] 10 is a graph showing the relationship between the weight of food and the predetermined time required for the food to reach an appropriate cutting state. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram (image) showing a food item (chicken) being quenched with a temperature sensor attached to its surface. [Figure 7] 1 is a graph showing the cutting time of food (chicken) stored in a refrigerator compartment and the cutting time of food (chicken) determined to be in a suitable state for cutting. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view of a quenching chamber used in the examples. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Hereinafter, an embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below is intended to embody the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following unless otherwise specified. The sizes and positional relationships of members shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity of explanation. In the following explanation, the top and bottom are shown when the refrigerator is placed on a horizontal surface, the side having a door is shown as the front side, and the opposite, rear side is shown as the rear side.

[0024] (Refrigerator and quenching compartment according to one embodiment of the present invention) Fig. 1 is a side cross-sectional view that typically shows a refrigerator 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the rapid-cooling chamber 20 shown in Fig. 1, and a perspective view that typically shows the outer shape of a rapid-cooling fan 30 that is a blower fan. In Figs. 1 and 2, the flow of gas is typically shown by dotted arrows.

[0025] <Refrigerator> First, a refrigerator 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1. In the refrigerator 2 according to this embodiment, a freezer compartment 4 is arranged in a lower region within an inner box surrounded by a thermal insulation material, and a refrigerator compartment 6 is arranged in an upper region. A lower door 8A for opening and closing the freezer compartment 4 is rotatably attached to the front side of the freezer compartment 4, and an upper door 8B for opening and closing the refrigerator compartment 6 is rotatably attached to the front side of the refrigerator compartment 6. In this embodiment, a rapid cooling chamber 20 is arranged in the upper region of the freezer compartment 4.

[0026] A first flow path 10A in which an evaporator 12 and a cooling fan 14 are arranged is provided at the rear of the freezing chamber 4. A second flow path 10B that can communicate with the first flow path 10A is provided above the first flow path 10A. A compressor 52 and a condenser are arranged in a machine room 50 arranged at the rear lower side of the inner box. A cooling mechanism is configured in which the refrigerant flows through the compressor 52, the condenser, and the evaporator 12 in this order, and then returns to the compressor 52.

[0027] When the cooling fan 14 is operated, gas flows from bottom to top in the first flow path 10A and is cooled as it passes through the evaporator 12 to become cold air. When a damper (not shown) arranged on the upper side of the first flow path 10A is opened, this cold air flows into the freezing chamber 4 and circulates within the freezing chamber 4 to cool the freezing chamber 4. The gas that has circulated within the freezing chamber 4 flows into the first flow path 10A from the lower opening, flows from bottom to top within the first flow path 10A, and passes through the evaporator 12 again. This forms a gas circulation cycle that cools the freezing chamber 4.

[0028] In this embodiment, the rapid-cooling chamber 20 is disposed in a portion of the width of the freezing chamber 4, and a damper and an opening for the freezing chamber 4 are disposed in an area where the rapid-cooling chamber 20 is not present. Furthermore, a damper and an opening for the freezing chamber 4 can be disposed in other positions, such as above the rapid-cooling chamber 20.

[0029] When the refrigerator damper 16 arranged between the first flow path 10A and the second flow path 10B is opened, the cold air flows from the first flow path 10A to the second flow path 10B, and flows from the second flow path 10B into the refrigerator chamber 6 through the opening. Then, the gas that has circulated in the refrigerator chamber 6 and cooled the refrigerator chamber 6 flows into the refrigerator chamber return flow path 10C that opens on the lower side of the refrigerator chamber 6. The gas that has flowed into the refrigerator chamber return flow path 10C flows from top to bottom and flows into the first flow path 10A from the opening on the lower side. The gas that has flowed into the first flow path 10A flows from bottom to top in the first flow path 10A and passes through the evaporator 12 again. This forms a circulation cycle of gas that cools the refrigerator chamber 6.

[0030] <Quick cooling chamber> Next, the structure of the rapid-cooling compartment 20 arranged in the upper region of the freezer compartment 4 will be described. As shown in Fig. 2(a), the rapid-cooling compartment 20 comprises a housing 22 surrounded by a thermal insulating material. The housing 22 has a door section 22A at the front side that rotates about a rotation axis G, and this door section 22A opens and closes the rapid-cooling compartment 20. Within the housing 22, a rapid-cooling area 24A in which food F is stored is arranged below a partition plate 32, and a cooling path 24B is arranged above the partition plate 32.

[0031] An inlet opening 26 capable of communicating with the first flow path 10A of the refrigerator 2 is provided at an upper rear side of the rapid-cooling region 24A. By opening the rapid-cooling chamber damper 18, cool air flows from the first flow path 10A into the rapid-cooling region 24A through the inlet opening 26. In addition, an outlet opening 28 communicating with the rapid-cooling chamber return flow path 10D is provided at a lower rear side of the rapid-cooling region 24A.

[0032] Further, a rapid cooling fan 30 is disposed in the cooling passage 24B. As shown in FIG. 2B, the rapid cooling fan 30 is a blower fan. The partition plate 32 has an opening in the area where the rapid cooling fan 30 is placed, and the rapid cooling fan 30 is disposed so as to suck in gas from below (see arrow P) and discharge it to the front (see arrow Q). There is no partition plate 32 in front of the rapid cooling chamber 20, and the gas discharged from the rapid cooling fan 30 flows to the front along the partition plate 32, then flows to the bottom and enters the rapid cooling region 24A. This allows the cold air to circulate clockwise in the rapid cooling chamber 20, as shown by the dotted arrows in FIG. 2A.

[0033] In particular, since the quenching fan 30 is a blower fan, the gas discharged by the impeller flows along the inside of the case, and a higher static pressure can be obtained than with an axial flow fan or centrifugal fan of a similar size. The quenching fan 30, which is a blower fan, can effectively increase the flow rate of the cool air supplied to the quenching chamber 20.

[0034] Furthermore, a temperature sensor 70 and a weight sensor 72 are arranged in the rapid-cooling compartment 20 according to this embodiment. These sensors will be described in detail later. Note that the above-mentioned structures and arrangements of the refrigerator 2 and the rapid-cooling compartment 20 are merely examples, and any other structures and arrangements may be adopted.

[0035] <Gas flow in the quenching chamber> Next, the flow of gas in the quenching chamber 20 will be described. When a user quickly prepares unfrozen food F for cutting, the user first opens and closes the lower door 8A of the refrigerator 2 and the door portion 22A of the quenching chamber 20 to place the food F to be cut in the quenching area 24A of the quenching chamber 20. Then, the user operates the input device to perform cooling in the quenching mode. In the quenching mode, the compressor 52 and the cooling fan 14 of the refrigerator 2 are operated, and the quenching chamber damper 18 is opened. As a result, the cold air immediately after passing through the evaporator 12 flows into the quenching area 24A of the quenching chamber 20 through the inlet opening 26. The temperature of the cold air can be, for example, in the range of about -20°C to -10°C. As shown in (a) of FIG. 2, by arranging the quenching chamber 20 near the outlet side of the evaporator 12, pressure loss can be reduced, and the cold air immediately after passing through the evaporator 12 can be supplied to the quenching chamber 20 to effectively cool the inside of the quenching chamber 20.

[0036] Furthermore, by operating the rapid-cooling fan 30, the flow rate of the cold air flowed into the rapid-cooling chamber 20 by the cooling fan 14 can be further increased. This increases the flow rate of the cold air flowing along the food F, increasing the heat transfer coefficient, and allowing the food F to be cooled more effectively.

[0037] A portion of the gas that flows into the quenching chamber 20 and circulates within the quenching chamber 20 flows into the quenching chamber return flow passage 10D via the outlet opening 28. The gas that flows into the quenching chamber return flow passage 10D flows from top to bottom within the quenching chamber return flow passage 10D and flows into the first flow passage 10A from the lower opening. The gas that flows into the first flow passage 10A flows from bottom to top within the first flow passage 10A and passes through the evaporator 12 again. This forms a circulation cycle of the gas that cools the quenching chamber 2.

[0038] In this manner, in this embodiment, the gas that has flowed through the rapid cooling chamber 20 does not flow through other storage areas such as the freezer chamber 4 and the refrigerator chamber 6, but directly returns to the first flow path 10A in which the evaporator 12 is disposed. This suppresses the temperature rise of the gas, and allows the food F stored in the rapid cooling chamber 20 to be cooled more effectively. In particular, when the damper for the freezer chamber 4 and the refrigerator chamber damper 16 are closed, the cold air that has passed through the evaporator 12 can be used exclusively for the rapid cooling chamber 20. In addition, if the gas that has flowed through the rapid cooling chamber 20 flows through the refrigerator chamber 6, there is a risk that the refrigerator chamber 6 will be excessively cooled. However, if the gas that has flowed through the rapid cooling chamber 20 does not flow through other storage areas, there is no risk of such a problem occurring.

[0039] However, there may also be a configuration in which the quenching chamber return flow path 10D is not provided. There may also be a configuration in which the gas in the quenching chamber 20 flows from the outlet opening 28 into the freezing chamber 4, and the gas flows through the freezing chamber 4 and returns to the first flow path 10A. There may also be a configuration in which the quenching chamber 20 does not have a specific opening such as the outlet opening 28, and the gas flows out into the surrounding freezing chamber 4 from multiple gaps present in the quenching chamber 20. There may also be a configuration in which the gas that has flowed through the quenching chamber 20 flows into the refrigerator chamber return flow path 10C.

[0040] As described above, in this embodiment, the cooling section that cools the inside of the quenching chamber 20 includes the quenching fan 30 dedicated to the quenching chamber 20, in addition to the refrigerator's cooling mechanisms including the compressor 52 and the evaporator 12, and the cooling fan 14 of the refrigerator 2 that circulates the gas inside the chamber. Then, the cool air that has passed through the evaporator 12 is supplied into the quenching chamber 20 by the flow of the cooling fan 14, and the flow rate of the cool air that has flowed into the quenching chamber 20 can be further increased by the quenching fan 30. With this configuration for cooling the quenching chamber 20, the cooling capacity for the stored food F stored in the quenching chamber 20 can be increased.

[0041] 2(a), in this embodiment, the quenching area 24A of the quenching chamber 20 is provided with a metal plate-shaped member 40 on which the stored food F is placed. Examples of the metal material forming the plate-shaped member 40 include aluminum or an aluminum alloy, which has high thermal conductivity and is lightweight. However, the metal material is not limited to this, and any other metal material, including copper, carbon steel, and stainless steel, can be used depending on the application.

[0042] In this embodiment, the plate-like member 40 is disposed and fixed so that a space exists between the lower surface of the plate-like member 40 and the bottom surface of the housing 22 of the rapid cooling chamber 20. For example, a structure in which the plate-like member 40 is attached at a distance from the bottom surface of the housing 22 via a spacer disposed on the lower side can be exemplified. As a result, the cold air circulated inside the housing 22 by the cooling fan 14 and the rapid cooling fan 30 flows along the upper and lower surfaces of the plate-like member 40.

[0043] Since the cold air flows along the upper and lower surfaces of the metal plate-shaped member 40, which has high thermal conductivity, the stored food F placed on the plate-shaped member 40 is cooled from both the upper and lower sides, allowing the stored food F to be cooled more effectively.

[0044] The cooling section of the rapid-cooling chamber 20 can use not only the cold air from the evaporator 12, but also a cooling device such as a Peltier element to cool the plate-like member 40 and cool the stored food F by contact cooling. It is also possible to further lower the temperature of the cold air circulating within the rapid-cooling chamber 20 by cooling the inner surface of the rapid-cooling chamber 20 with a cooling device such as a Peltier element.

[0045] (Control configuration of the cooling section of the quenching chamber) Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the cooling section of the quenching chamber 20 shown in Fig. 2. Next, the control configuration of the cooling section of the quenching chamber 20 will be described with reference to Fig. 3.

[0046] As shown in Fig. 3, the control unit 100 receives a signal from an input device 60 that can be operated by a user to input. The input device 60 can be any input means including a touch panel and a keyboard. In addition, input can be made remotely using a mobile terminal of the user, or voice input can be adopted.

[0047] The control unit 100 receives signals from a temperature sensor 70 and a weight sensor 72 arranged in the quenching chamber 20. In this embodiment, a sensor that measures the surface temperature of the stored food F in a non-contact manner using infrared rays or the like is used as the temperature sensor 70. However, this is not limited to this, and the surface temperature of the stored food F can also be approximately measured using a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the gas in the quenching chamber 20. In this case, depending on the conditions, a temperature sensor arranged in the freezer chamber 4 can be used instead of the temperature sensor arranged in the quenching chamber 20. Furthermore, the surface temperature of the placed stored food F can also be approximately measured using a sensor that measures the temperature of the plate-like member 40 arranged in the quenching chamber 20.

[0048] In this embodiment, a load cell using a strain gauge is used as the weight sensor 72. However, this is not limited to this, and any other weight sensor, including one using a pressure sensor, can be used. The weight sensor 72 is attached to the plate-shaped member 40 and can measure the weight of the stored food F placed on the plate-shaped member 40. Whether or not the stored food F is placed on the plate-shaped member 40 can be determined based on a change in the measurement value of the weight sensor 72.

[0049] The control unit 100 transmits signals to the compressor 52, the cooling fan 14, the rapid-cooling chamber damper 18, and the rapid-cooling fan 30, which constitute the cooling unit of the rapid-cooling chamber 20. Furthermore, the control unit 100 transmits a signal to the display device 80 to notify the appropriate cutting state.

[0050] (Quick-cooling chamber cooling control) Fig. 4 is a flow chart showing an example of cooling control of the rapid-cooling compartment 20. Next, with reference to Fig. 4, a control process will be described in which the control unit 100 cools the rapid-cooling compartment 20 in which unfrozen food F is stored in the rapid-cooling mode, and identifies and notifies that the stored food F has reached a state suitable for cutting.

[0051] First, the control unit 100 measures weight using the weight sensor 72 (step S2). This gravity measurement makes it possible to determine whether or not the food F to be cut has been placed on the plate-like member 40, i.e., whether or not it has been stored in the rapid-cooling chamber 20. The control unit 100 stores the weight of the stored food F measured by the weight sensor 72, and can determine a predetermined time T for the food F to reach an appropriate state for cutting, described below, based on this weight.

[0052] With the food F to be cut stored in the rapid-cooling compartment 20, the control unit 100 then determines whether or not a start signal based on a user's input has been received (step S4). If the control unit 100 determines that a start signal has not been received (NO), it repeats this determination process and enters a standby state. After the user stores the unfrozen food F to be cut in the rapid-cooling compartment 20, the user performs a start operation using the input device 60. When the control unit 100 determines that a start signal issued by the user's operation has been received (YES), it starts cooling the rapid-cooling compartment 20 in rapid-cooling mode.

[0053] Specifically, the control unit 100 performs control to turn on the compressor 52 (step S6), turn on the cooling fan 14 (step S8), and open the rapid-cooling chamber damper 18 (step S10). This causes the cool air immediately after passing through the evaporator 12 to flow into the rapid-cooling chamber 20. Furthermore, the control unit 100 performs control to turn on the rapid-cooling fan 30 (step S12), thereby further increasing the flow rate of the gas that has flowed into the rapid-cooling chamber 20, and the stored food F can be cooled more effectively.

[0054] When the rapid cooling mode is started while other compartments such as the freezer compartment 4 and the refrigerator compartment 6 are being cooled, the control unit 100 continues cooling the other compartments, and when the other compartments drop below a predetermined temperature, controls so that only the rapid cooling compartment 20 is rapidly cooled before the set temperature is reached. Note that when the rapid cooling mode is selected while defrosting control of the evaporator 12 is being performed, the control unit 100 gives priority to defrosting control.

[0055] After starting the rapid cooling of the stored item F in the rapid cooling mode, the control unit 100 judges whether the surface temperature of the stored food F measured by the temperature sensor 70 has reached the pseudo-heat range temperature (step S14). The pseudo-heat range temperature means a temperature range where a substance undergoes a phase change, and here means a temperature range where the moisture contained in the stored food F solidifies into ice. The surface temperature of the stored food F drops as it is cooled by the cooling unit, but at the pseudo-heat range temperature, the heat removed by the cooling unit is used for the heat of solidification of the moisture in the stored food F, so there is almost no temperature drop. This change in temperature drop makes it possible to accurately judge whether the pseudo-heat range temperature has been reached. An example of the pseudo-heat range temperature is a temperature in the range of about -3°C to -1°C.

[0056] In addition, in the temperature range of the heat zone, there is a risk that the moisture contained in the stored food F will become supercooled and the freezing will not proceed. To avoid this, a mechanism can be provided that applies vibration or the like to the stored food F to release the supercooled state.

[0057] If the control unit 100 determines in step S14 that the surface temperature of the stored food F has reached the hot zone temperature (YES), it then determines whether a predetermined time T, which is determined based on the measured weight of the stored food F, has elapsed after the surface temperature of the stored food F reached the hot zone temperature (step S16).

[0058] <Predetermined time T> 5 is a graph showing the relationship between the weight of food F and the predetermined time T at which the food F is in an appropriate state for cutting. Next, how to determine the predetermined time T will be described with reference to FIG.

[0059] An example of food F that can be brought to a state suitable for cutting using the rapid-cooling chamber 20 is fresh food such as meat or fish that is difficult to cut when not frozen. When the area near the surface of the fresh food is in a slightly frozen state with a freezing rate of 70% or less, it is considered that the food F is easy to cut and the freshness of the food F is maintained. In a slightly frozen state, ice crystals do not grow much, so there is little risk of cell destruction and it is expected that the quality of the fresh food will be maintained.

[0060] Fresh foods have a moisture content of 80-90% or more, and if the weight of the food is known, the approximate amount of moisture that will freeze can be estimated. By knowing the weight of the food to be cut, the state of freezing can be understood based on the approximate amount of moisture. In particular, because rapid cooling is likely to cause a temperature difference between the surface and the inside of the stored food F, it becomes easier to create a state in which only the surface area is slightly frozen. By analyzing this cooling state, it is possible to determine the predetermined time T after the food F reaches the latent heat range temperature at which it will be in a frozen state suitable for cutting.

[0061] However, when considering the state that makes it easier to cut, the frozen state that makes it easier to cut also differs depending on the type of food F, such as meat or fish. The ease of cutting and the thickness from the surface where the lightly frozen layer exists also differ depending on the type of food F. Therefore, it is preferable to determine the specified time T so that the thickness from the surface of the lightly frozen layer is suitable for the type of food F. The graph in Figure 5 shows the weight of the food F on the horizontal axis and the specified time T at which the food F becomes in a state suitable for cutting on the vertical axis.

[0062] 5 illustrates an example of a profile (solid line) when the food F is fish and a profile (dotted line) when the food F is meat. The type of food F can be input by the user using the input device 60, for example. Also, an image of the food F can be acquired by an imaging device and the type of food F can be determined by image analysis. The control unit 100 can determine a predetermined time T at which the food F becomes suitable for cutting after reaching the latent heat range temperature from the profile shown in FIG. 5, based on the weight of the food F detected by the weight sensor 72 and the type of food F.

[0063] In this way, it is more preferable to determine the specified time T based on the type of food F in addition to the weight of the food F, but even if the specified time T is determined based on the weight of the food F regardless of the type of food F, a cutting condition that is sufficiently suitable for practical use can be obtained.

[0064] As described above, in this embodiment, a weight sensor 72 is provided that measures the weight of stored food F, and the control unit 100 can determine the predetermined time T based on the measurement value of the weight sensor 72. By using the weight of stored food F measured by the weight sensor 72, the predetermined time T can be estimated more accurately, and ultimately the timing when the stored food has become suitable for cutting can be determined more accurately.

[0065] In the above, the predetermined time T is determined using the weight of stored food F measured by weight sensor 72, but this is not limited to the above. For example, a heavier stored food F has a correspondingly larger surface area, and therefore more heat is taken away by the cold air. Therefore, the weight of stored food F has less effect on the freezing of the area near the surface of stored food F compared to the freezing of the entire stored food F. Therefore, the predetermined time T can also be determined based on an examination of the correlation between the time and the frozen state of food after the food reaches the latent heat range temperature, without using the weight of stored food F.

[0066] Using a predetermined time T determined by various methods, including those using or not using the weight of stored food F, control unit 100 can determine whether stored food F has reached the latent heat range temperature, and when the predetermined time T has elapsed after determining that the stored food F has reached the latent heat range temperature, it can determine that stored food F is in a state suitable for cutting. This makes it possible to accurately determine the timing at which stored food has reached a state suitable for cutting.

[0067] In addition to the temperature sensor 70, if a sensor for measuring the temperature of the plate-shaped member 40 is provided, the temperature sensor 70 can measure the temperature of the upper side of the stored food F, and the sensor of the plate-shaped member 40 can measure the approximate temperature of the lower side of the stored food F. The control unit 100 can control the cooling so that the difference between the measured temperatures of the upper and lower sides of the stored food F does not exceed a predetermined range. This can achieve both ease of cutting and quality of the stored food F. Temperature control that balances the upper and lower sides of the plate-shaped member 40 can be achieved by temperature control of a cooling device such as a Peltier element attached to the plate-shaped member 40, or by adjusting the flow rate of gas flowing above and below the plate-shaped member 40 with a variable straightening plate.

[0068] Returning to the explanation of the flowchart shown in Fig. 4, when it is determined in step S16 that a predetermined time T has elapsed after the food F reached the latent heat range temperature (YES), the control unit 100 controls the display device 80 to notify that the stored food F is in a state suitable for cutting (step S18). Note that it is also possible to notify that the stored food F is in a state suitable for cutting by using a sound.

[0069] Based on this notification, the user can take the stored food F out of the quick-cooling chamber 20 and cut the food F in the proper cutting state. This allows the user to cut the food F quickly and easily, with less loss of shape when cut. Furthermore, the cut food can be eaten immediately.

[0070] After the notification, the control unit 100 uses the identification sensor to determine whether or not the stored food F has been removed from the quick-cooling chamber 20 (step S20). In this embodiment, a weight sensor 72 is used as the identification sensor. It can be reliably identified that the stored food F has been removed from the quick-cooling chamber 20 by a decrease in the measurement value of the weight sensor 72.

[0071] However, the identification sensor is not limited to weight sensor 72. Opening and closing of the door after it has been notified that the food is in a suitable state for cutting is likely to be for the purpose of removing stored food F. Thus, for example, when an opening and closing sensor that detects the opening and closing of the door that opens and closes quick-cooling compartment 20 (here, door portion 22A) or an opening and closing sensor that detects the opening and closing of the door in the area in which quick-cooling compartment 20 is located (here, lower door 8A that opens and closes freezer compartment 4) detects opening and closing, it can be determined that stored food F has been removed from quick-cooling compartment 20.

[0072] In particular, if the door is opened and closed within a certain time after the notification that the food is in a suitable state for cutting, there is a high possibility that the stored food F has been removed. Therefore, a timer can be used to make a judgment that also takes into account the time that has passed since the notification. Furthermore, it is also possible to identify that the stored food F has been removed from the quick-cooling chamber 20 by using an image captured by an imaging device.

[0073] In this way, when the identification sensor is an opening / closing sensor that detects the opening / closing of door portion 22A that opens and closes quick-cooling compartment 20, or door 8A of the area in which quick-cooling compartment 20 is located, it is possible to effectively use existing sensors in refrigerator 2 to determine whether food has been removed. Also, when the identification sensor is weight sensor 72, it is possible to reliably physically identify whether stored food F has been removed.

[0074] Furthermore, the identification sensor may be a temperature sensor 70 that measures the surface temperature of the stored food F or a sensor that measures the temperature of the gas in the rapid cooling chamber 20. Whether or not the stored food F has been removed can be identified by a change in the temperature measured by such a sensor.

[0075] If it is determined in step S20 that the stored food F has been removed from the quick-cooling compartment 20 (YES), the control unit 100 stops the notification (step S22) and switches to another cooling mode to control the refrigerator 2 (step S24). For example, the quick-cooling compartment damper 18 can be left open and the damper of the freezer compartment 4 can also be opened to use the quick-cooling compartment 20 and the freezer compartment 4 as freezing areas. Also, the quick-cooling compartment damper 18 can be left open and the cooling mode can be changed to use the quick-cooling compartment 20 as a chilled room or other storage area. Since the quick-cooling compartment 20 is surrounded by a thermal insulating material, it can be used as a storage area with a separate temperature range from the surrounding freezer compartment 4, and can also be used as a refrigerator compartment, for example.

[0076] As described above, an identification sensor is provided for determining whether or not the stored food F has been removed from the quick-cooling chamber 20, and after the control unit 100 performs control to notify that the stored food F has become suitable for cutting, when it determines, based on a signal from the identification sensor, that the stored food F has been removed from the quick-cooling chamber 20, the notification is stopped and the cooling unit is operated in another cooling mode.

[0077] As a result, the rapid-cooling compartment 20 can be effectively used not only for rapidly cooling the stored food F, but also as a food storage area in a normal refrigerator, such as a freezer compartment, chilled room, or refrigerator compartment.

[0078] It should be noted that, without using the above-mentioned identification sensor, the user can operate the input device 60 to end the notification and start cooling control in another mode.

[0079] (Other embodiments) In the above embodiment, the control unit 100 determines whether the stored food F has reached the latent heat range temperature based on the measurement value of the temperature sensor 70 or other temperature sensors, and determines that the stored food F is in a suitable state for cutting when a predetermined time T has elapsed after determining that the latent heat range temperature has been reached. However, there may also be an embodiment in which the measurement results of the temperature sensor 70 that measures the surface temperature of the stored food F or other temperature sensors are not used.

[0080] By repeatedly performing tests to determine the frozen state of stored food F by quenching stored food F in quenching chamber 20, it is possible to determine the correlation between the time elapsed after quenching of stored food F begins and the frozen state of the food. Based on this knowledge, it is also possible to determine how much time has elapsed after quenching of stored food F begins for stored food F to become suitable for cutting.

[0081] In addition, since the time it takes for stored food F to reach a state suitable for cutting after rapid cooling has begun correlates with the moisture content of stored food F, the time it takes for stored food F to reach a state suitable for cutting can also be determined based on the measurement value of weight sensor 72. Furthermore, the means for determining when stored food F has reached a state suitable for cutting is not limited to the above, and it can be determined that stored food F has reached a state suitable for cutting when certain requirements are met based on any other determination method.

[0082] (General) As described above, the refrigerator 2 of the present invention comprises a rapid-cooling compartment 20 surrounded by insulation, a cooling unit which cools the interior of the rapid-cooling compartment 20, and a control unit 100 which controls the cooling unit; when the control unit 100 receives a start signal based on user input while unfrozen food F is stored in the rapid-cooling compartment 20, it operates the cooling unit in rapid-cooling mode, and when specified requirements are met, it controls the refrigerator 2 to notify the user that the stored food F is suitable for cutting.

[0083] With this type of refrigerator 2, non-frozen stored food can be rapidly cooled based on the user's intention, quickly bringing the food F into a state where it can be easily cut without losing its shape, and notifying the user that the food is in a suitable state for cutting. The user can quickly cut the food F and eat it immediately. In this way, the present invention can provide a refrigerator 2 that can quickly bring non-frozen food F into a state suitable for cutting and notify the user.

[0084] (Example) Next, a test was conducted in which the cutting time of food (chicken) stored in the refrigerator was actually measured, the food (chicken) stored in the refrigerator was quenched in the quenching chamber, and when it was determined that it was in a suitable state for cutting, it was taken out and the cutting time was measured. Fig. 6 is a diagram (image) showing the quenched food (chicken) with a temperature sensor attached to its surface. Fig. 7 is a graph showing the cutting time of food (chicken) stored in the refrigerator and the cutting time of food (chicken) determined to be in a suitable state for cutting. Fig. 8 is a side cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the quenching chamber used in this example.

[0085] The quenching chamber 20' used in this embodiment differs from the quenching chamber 20 described above in that it does not have a quenching fan, but instead has a straightening plate 34. The straightening plate 34 is disposed between the upper cooling passage 24B and the lower quenching area 24A. The straightening plate 34 has a honeycomb-shaped, substantially circular or wave-shaped straightening portion, and straightens the gas as it passes through the straightening plate 34.

[0086] In the rapid cooling mode, the compressor 52 and the cooling fan 14 of the refrigerator 2 are operated, and the rapid cooling chamber damper 18 is opened. When a freezer damper that determines whether or not the cold air that has passed through the evaporator 12 is supplied to the freezer chamber is provided, it is preferable to close the freezer damper. As a result, the cold air immediately after passing through the evaporator 12 flows into the cooling path 24B of the rapid cooling chamber 20' through the inlet opening 26. The cold air that has flowed in flows from the rear side to the front side in the cooling path 24B, passes through the straightening plate 34 arranged at the front side, and flows into the front side of the lower rapid cooling region 24A. The cold air is straightened when passing through the straightening plate 34.

[0087] The cold air that flows into the rapid-cooling area 24A cools the stored food F as it flows from the front to the rear, and then flows out from the outlet opening 28 on the lower front side into the freezer 4. The outflowing gas flows through the freezer compartment 4 and flows into the first flow path 10A from the lower opening. The gas that flows into the first flow path 10A flows from bottom to top within the first flow path 10A and passes through the evaporator 12 again. This forms a gas circulation cycle that cools the rapid-cooling compartment 20'.

[0088] Next, a detailed description of an embodiment using the above-described rapid cooling chamber 20' will be given. The surface temperatures of two foods (chicken meat) stored in the refrigerator chamber were both 7°C. A test was conducted to cut one of the foods (chicken meat) stored in the refrigerator chamber and measure the cutting time. Specifically, the time required to cut (separate into pieces) the food (chicken meat) five times with a knife was measured. As shown in FIG. 7, it took 71 seconds to cut one of the foods (chicken meat) stored in the refrigerator chamber five times.

[0089] Based on the weight of the food (chicken), and referring to past experience and theoretical calculations, a predetermined time period for determining that stored food F is suitable for cutting after reaching the latent heat zone temperature was set to 10 minutes.

[0090] The other food (chicken) stored in the refrigerator compartment was quenched in quenching chamber 20'. Five minutes after the start of quenching, the surface temperature reached the latent heat zone temperature of -1°C. When a predetermined time T of 10 minutes had elapsed after the latent heat zone temperature was reached, it was determined that the stored food (chicken) was in a suitable state for cutting, and the food (chicken) was removed from the quenching chamber. Note that the surface temperature of the stored food (chicken) was -4°C 10 minutes after the latent heat zone temperature (-1°C) was reached.

[0091] The time it took to cut (separate into pieces) the other food (chicken) that was determined to be in a suitable state for cutting five times using the same knife as above was measured. As shown in Figure 7, it took 22 seconds to cut the other food (chicken) that was determined to be in a suitable state for cutting five times. In other words, the time required to cut the food (chicken) that was determined to be in a suitable state for cutting was less than one-third of the time required to cut the refrigerated food (chicken).

[0092] Therefore, it was demonstrated that by appropriately determining the predetermined time for determining that the stored food is in a suitable state for cutting, it is possible to appropriately notify that the stored food is in a suitable state for cutting. In this embodiment, chicken is used as the stored food, but it is believed that similar results can be obtained for other meats such as pork and beef. In this embodiment, the temperature sensor is brought into contact with the stored food to measure the surface temperature, but it is believed that similar results can be obtained even if the surface temperature of the stored food is measured without contact using an infrared sensor or the like.

[0093] As described above, this embodiment determines whether the stored food has reached the latent heat range temperature (-1°C) based on the measurement value of the temperature sensor, and after it is determined that the latent heat range temperature has been reached, when a predetermined time (10 minutes) has elapsed, it determines that the stored food is in a state suitable for cutting, thereby demonstrating that it is possible to accurately notify the user that the stored food is in a state suitable for cutting.

[0094] 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]

[0095] 2. Refrigerator 4 Freezer 6. Refrigerator 8A Lower door 8B Upper door 10A First flow path 10B Second flow path 10C Refrigerator return flow path 10D Quenching chamber return flow path 12 Evaporator 14 Cooling fan 16 Refrigerator damper 18 Quenching chamber damper 20,20' Quenching Room 22 Case 22A Door section 24A Quenching area 24B Cooling path 26 Entrance opening 28 Exit opening 30 Quenching fan 32 Partition 34 Rectifier plate 40 Plate-shaped member 50 Machine room 52 Compressor 60 Input Devices 70 Temperature Sensor 72 Weight Sensor 80 Display device 100 Control section G Rotational Axis F (Storage) Food

Claims

1. A rapid cooling chamber surrounded by thermal insulation; A cooling unit that cools the inside of the quenching chamber; A control unit that controls the cooling unit; Equipped with The control unit: When a start signal based on a user's input is received in a state where uncut, non-frozen fresh food (hereinafter referred to as "stored food") is stored in the rapid cooling chamber, the cooling unit is operated in a rapid cooling mode; When a predetermined time has elapsed, the stored food is determined to be in a suitable state for cutting, and control is performed to notify the user that the stored food is in a suitable state for cutting; The refrigerator is characterized in that, in the appropriate cutting state, the area near the surface of the stored food is in a slightly frozen state with a freezing rate of 70% or less.

2. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined time is determined based on the weight and type of the stored food.

3. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined time differs depending on whether the food stored therein is fish or meat.

4. The stored food is cooled while placed on the upper surface of the plate-shaped member, a space for cold air to flow between the lower surface of the plate-like member and the bottom surface of the quenching chamber; 4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the food placed on the plate member is cooled from both above and below.

Images