Refrigerator

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator that restrains condensation on a rotary partition body, and restrains an increase in power consumption.SOLUTION: A refrigerator 1 comprises a refrigerating chamber 2, a refrigerating chamber door 2a and a refrigerating chamber door 2b for opening and closing an opening part of the refrigerating chamber 2, and a rotary partition body 39 for blocking a gap G generated at a position where the refrigerating chamber door 2a and the refrigerating chamber door 2b are opposed to each other when the refrigerating chamber door 2a and a refrigerating chamber door 2b are closed. The refrigerating chamber door 2a comprises: a heating circuit pipe 202 through which a fluid 203 for heating the rotary partition body 39 flows; and a pump 201 connected to the heating circuit pipe 202, and for making the fluid 203 flow.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator. [Background technology]

[0002] In a refrigerator with double doors, a rotating partition (air flow blocking member) is provided to close the gap between the doors. Since condensation occurs on the rotating partition, the rotating partition is provided with a rotating partition heater and a heat pipe, and the lower end of the heat pipe is thermally coupled to the rotating partition heater.

[0003] When electricity is applied to the rotating partition heater, the rotating partition heater generates heat, which heats the lower end of the heat pipe. This action causes the working fluid in the heat pipe to turn into steam and move to the upper end of the heat pipe, where it is cooled and the steam condenses. The heat released during the condensation is then transferred to the rotating partition, increasing the surface temperature of the rotating partition and preventing condensation on the rotating partition. For example, Patent Document 1 describes such a technology. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-8552 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the working fluid in the heat pipe flows due to heat generated by the rotary partition heater, and it was difficult to control the flow of the working fluid. Therefore, for example, when the outside temperature of the space in which the refrigerator is installed is high, the working fluid is heated and flows, and heat is transferred from the working fluid to the inside of the refrigerator through heat radiation, resulting in an increase in power consumption.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator which suppresses condensation on an air flow blocking member and which suppresses an increase in power consumption. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is characterized by comprising a storage chamber, a first door and a second door for opening and closing an opening of the storage chamber, an air flow blocking member for blocking a gap generated at a position where the first door and the second door face each other when the first door and the second door are closed, a heating circuit piping in either the first door or the second door through which a fluid for heating the air flow blocking member flows, and a pump connected to the heating circuit piping for flowing the fluid. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress condensation on the air flow blocking member and also to suppress an increase in power consumption. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the refrigerator 1 taken along line II-II in FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator 1 taken along line III-III in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of part IV in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a refrigerator compartment door 2a according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 4 is a graph showing an example of a temperature change during a cooling operation of the refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a configuration of a cycle of a refrigerator 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a refrigerator compartment door according to a modified example of the second embodiment. [Figure 9] 11 is a graph showing an example of a temperature change during a cooling operation of the refrigerator 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing condensation prevention operation control of a refrigerator 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 11 is a graph showing an example of a temperature change during a cooling operation of the refrigerator 1 according to the embodiment 4 of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In principle, the same elements are given the same reference numerals in all drawings. Furthermore, explanations of parts having the same functions will be omitted. Note that the configurations described below are merely examples, and it is not intended that the embodiment of the present invention is limited to the specific embodiments described below.

[0011] In the following description, the side that appears to the right when viewing refrigerator 1 from the front will be referred to as the right side, and the side that appears to the left side will be referred to as the left side. EXAMPLES

[0012] Fig. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, a heat-insulating box 10 of the refrigerator 1 has storage compartments, which are a refrigerator compartment 2, an ice-making compartment 3 arranged on both the left and right sides, an upper freezer compartment 4, a lower freezer compartment 5, and a vegetable compartment 6, in that order from above.

[0013] Refrigerator 1 is equipped with doors that open and close the openings of each storage compartment. These doors are refrigerator compartment door 2a (first door) and refrigerator compartment door 2b (second door) that are divided into left and right and rotate to open and close the opening of refrigerator compartment 2, and ice making compartment door 3a, upper freezer compartment door 4a, lower freezer compartment door 5a, and vegetable compartment door 6a that open and close the openings of ice making compartment 3, upper freezer compartment 4, lower freezer compartment 5, and vegetable compartment 6, respectively. The interior material of these multiple doors is mainly made of urethane foam. In addition, each door is equipped with a sealing member (not shown) on the inner peripheral part.

[0014] The refrigerator compartment 2 is separated from the ice-making compartment 3 and the upper freezer compartment 4 by a heat-insulating partition wall 27, and the lower freezer compartment 5 is separated from the vegetable compartment 6 by a heat-insulating partition wall 28. In addition, a partition 29 is provided at the front edge between the ice-making compartment 3 and the upper freezer compartment 4 at a position that abuts against the seal member on the inner right end of the ice-making compartment door 3a and the seal member on the inner left end of the upper freezer compartment door 4a when the ice-making compartment door 3a and the upper freezer compartment door 4a are closed.

[0015] At the front edge between the ice-making compartment 3 and the upper freezer compartment 4 and the lower freezer compartment 5, a partition 30 is provided at a position which abuts the sealing members on the inner surfaces of the lower ends of the ice-making compartment door 3a and the upper freezer compartment door 4a and the sealing member on the inner surface of the upper end of the lower freezer compartment door 5a when the ice-making compartment door 3a, the upper freezer compartment door 4a and the lower freezer compartment door 5a are closed.

[0016] Door hinges (not shown) for fixing the insulated box body 10 of the refrigerator 1 to the refrigerator compartment doors 2a and 2b are provided at the front of the outer top compartment of the insulated box body 10 and at the front edge of the insulated partition wall 27, and the upper door hinge provided on the outer top compartment is covered with a door hinge cover 16. The refrigerator compartment doors 2a and 2b are supported by the insulated box body 10 of the refrigerator 1 by the door hinges so as to be openable and closable.

[0017] The ice-making compartment 3, upper freezer compartment 4, and lower freezer compartment 5 are basically storage compartments whose interior temperature is kept at a freezing temperature (below 0°C), for example, at an average of about -18°C, while the refrigerator compartment 2 is a storage compartment whose interior temperature is kept at a refrigeration temperature (above 0°C), for example, at an average of about 4°C, and the vegetable compartment 6 is a storage compartment whose interior temperature is kept at a refrigeration temperature (above 0°C), for example, at an average of about 7°C.

[0018] Hereinafter, in this specification, the ice-making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5, which are storage compartments at freezing temperatures, may be collectively referred to as freezer compartment 60.

[0019] Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the refrigerator 1 taken along line II-II in Fig. 1. The configuration of the refrigerator 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 2.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 2, the inside and outside of the refrigerator 1 are separated by a heat-insulating box 10 formed by filling a space between an outer box 10a made of a steel plate and an inner box 10b made of a synthetic resin (e.g., ABS resin) with a foam insulation material (urethane foam in the refrigerator of this embodiment). In addition to the foam insulation material, vacuum insulation material 15, which has a lower thermal conductivity than the foam insulation material, is installed between the outer box 10a and the inner box 10b of the heat-insulating box 10, thereby suppressing a decrease in the internal volume and improving the insulation performance. In this embodiment, the vacuum insulation material 15 is installed on the back, top, bottom, and both side surfaces of the heat-insulating box 10, and on the lower freezer door 5a.

[0021] The insulating material inside the insulating partition wall 27 is expanded polystyrene, and the inside of the insulating partition wall 28 is filled with urethane foam as an insulating material. The urethane foam inside the insulating partition wall 28 is filled together with the urethane foam of the insulating box 10 in a process of foaming and filling the space between the outer box 10a and the inner box 10b of the insulating box 10 with urethane.

[0022] The refrigerator compartment doors 2a and 2b are provided with a plurality of door pockets 33a, 33b, and 33c on the inside of the refrigerator compartment. The refrigerator compartment door 2a is provided with a rectangular rotating partition body 39 (air flow blocking member) that is long in the height direction, and blocks air flow between the inside and outside of the refrigerator compartment when the refrigerator compartment doors 2a and 2b are closed. The inside of the refrigerator compartment 2 is divided into a plurality of storage spaces by shelves 34a, 34b, 34c, and 34d.

[0023] In this embodiment, the rotating partition body 39 is provided on the refrigerator compartment door 2a at a position where the refrigerator compartment door 2a and the refrigerator compartment door 2b face each other. The rotating partition body 39 may be provided on the refrigerator compartment door 2b at a position where the refrigerator compartment door 2a and the refrigerator compartment door 2b face each other. In other words, it is sufficient to provide the rotating partition body 39 on either the refrigerator compartment door 2a or the refrigerator compartment door 2b.

[0024] Ice making compartment door 3a, upper freezer compartment door 4a, lower freezer compartment door 5a and vegetable compartment door 6a are each equipped with ice making compartment container 3b, upper freezer compartment container 4b, lower freezer compartment container 5b and vegetable compartment container 6b, which are pulled out integrally.

[0025] At the rear of the refrigerator compartment 2, there is provided a refrigerator compartment air duct 110 in which a fin-tube type refrigerator compartment cooler 14a is housed, and at the upper part of the refrigerator compartment air duct 110, there is provided a refrigerator compartment fan 9a.

[0026] Refrigerator compartment air passage 110 is provided with upper and lower refrigerator compartment outlets 111a and 111b, which blow cool air into refrigerator compartment 2 in the front.

[0027] A refrigerator compartment return air duct 115 through which the returning cold air from the refrigerator compartment 2 flows is formed at the lower front of the refrigerator compartment air duct 110. The refrigerator compartment return air duct 115 is formed with a width substantially equal to the width of the refrigerator compartment cooler 14a, so that the returning cold air from the refrigerator compartment 2 efficiently flows into the refrigerator compartment cooler 14a.

[0028] The refrigerator 1 is provided with a cooler chamber 8 in the rear of the lower freezer chamber 5, in which a fin-tube type freezer cooler 14b is housed, and a freezer fan 9b is provided in the upper portion of the cooler chamber 8.

[0029] A freezer compartment air duct 100 through which the cold air blown into the freezer compartment 60 flows is provided downstream of the freezer compartment fan 9b.

[0030] The freezer compartment air duct 100 is equipped with an ice-making compartment outlet (ice-making compartment outlet) 101, an upper freezer compartment outlet (upper freezer compartment outlet) 102, and a lower freezer compartment outlet (lower freezer compartment outlet) 103, which blow cold air into the front ice-making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5, respectively.

[0031] A freezer compartment return air duct 105 is formed at the lower front of the cooling chamber 8, through which the return cold air flows from the ice making chamber 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5. The freezer compartment return air duct 105 is formed with a width substantially equal to the width of the freezer compartment cooler 14b, so that the return cold air from the freezer compartment 60 efficiently flows into the freezer compartment cooler 14b.

[0032] A vegetable compartment air duct (not shown) is provided at the outlet of the vegetable compartment air duct (not shown). A vegetable compartment return port 136 opens on the underside of the heat-insulating partition wall 28 between the lower freezer compartment 5 and the vegetable compartment 6, and a vegetable compartment return air duct 135 is provided inside the heat-insulating partition wall 28, extending from the vegetable compartment return port 136 to the lower front of the cooler compartment 8.

[0033] A refrigerator temperature sensor 41, a freezer temperature sensor 43, and a vegetable temperature sensor 45 are provided on the interior rear side of the refrigerator compartment 2, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the vegetable compartment 6, respectively, a refrigerator cooler temperature sensor 42 is provided on the upper part of the refrigerator cooler 14a, and a freezer cooler temperature sensor 44 is provided on the upper part of the freezer cooler 14b. In this embodiment, the freezer temperature sensor 43 is provided in the upper freezer compartment 4, but it may be provided in the lower freezer compartment 5. These sensors detect the temperatures of the refrigerator compartment 2, the ice making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, the lower freezer compartment 5, the vegetable compartment 6, the cooler compartment 8, the freezer cooler 14b, the refrigerator air duct 110, and the refrigerator cooler 14a.

[0034] An outside air temperature sensor 37 and an outside air humidity sensor 38 are provided inside door hinge cover 16 on the ceiling of refrigerator 1 to detect the temperature and humidity of the outside air (air outside the refrigerator). In addition, door sensors (not shown) are provided to detect the open / closed states of the doors (refrigerator compartment doors 2a, 2b, ice-making compartment door 3a, upper freezer compartment door 4a, lower freezer compartment door 5a, and vegetable compartment door 6a).

[0035] A defrost heater 21 for heating the freezer cooler 14b is provided below the freezer cooler 14b in the cooler chamber 8. A freezer gutter 23 is formed on the bottom surface of the cooler chamber 8, and a refrigerator gutter 25 is formed on the bottom surface of the refrigerator air duct 110. A freezer drain pipe 22 communicating with the machine chamber 7 is provided downward from the bottom end of the freezer gutter 23, and a refrigerator drain pipe 26 communicating with the machine chamber 7 is provided downward from the bottom end of the refrigerator gutter 25. In addition, a compressor 24 and an evaporation dish 32 arranged above the compressor 24 are installed in the machine chamber 7.

[0036] The defrost heater 21 may be, for example, an electric heater of 50 W to 200 W, and in this embodiment, a radiant heater of 120 W is used. The defrost water generated during defrosting of the freezer compartment cooler 14b and the refrigerator compartment cooler 14a is discharged to the evaporation dish 32 above the compressor 24 via the freezer compartment gutter 23, the freezer compartment drain pipe 22, the refrigerator compartment gutter 25, and the refrigerator compartment drain pipe 26, respectively, and is evaporated by the action of heat radiation from the compressor 24, ventilation by the machine compartment fan, etc.

[0037] A container 36, the inside of which is maintained at about -1°C, is provided above the heat-insulating partition wall 27 in the refrigerator compartment 2, and the front of the container 36 can be opened and closed by a lid 36a. A packing (not shown) is provided on the outer periphery of the lid 36a, and when the lid 36a is closed, the packing brings the lid 36a and the container 36 into contact with no gaps, so that the container 36 has a structure in which the internal space is sealed.

[0038] A control device 31 is provided at the upper rear of the insulated box 10, which controls the evaporator temperature adjustment means (refrigerator compartment fan 9a, freezer compartment fan 9b, compressor 24), three-way valve 92, etc. based on an outside air temperature sensor 37, an outside air humidity sensor 38, a refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 41, a refrigerator compartment cooler temperature sensor 42, a freezer compartment temperature sensor 43, a freezer compartment cooler temperature sensor 44, a vegetable compartment temperature sensor 45, etc.

[0039] Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of refrigerator 1 taken along line III-III in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of part IV in Fig. 3. The double-door of refrigerator compartment 2 is composed of refrigerator compartment door 2a and refrigerator compartment door 2b. Gaskets 46a and 46b are provided on the outer peripheries of refrigerator compartment door 2a and refrigerator compartment door 2b, respectively.

[0040] The refrigerator compartment door 2a is provided with a rotating partition body 39 (air flow blocking member) made of resin that is rotatably supported by a rotating partition body hinge 51. The rotating partition body 39 is provided to block the flow of air between the outside of the refrigerator and the inside of the refrigerator compartment 2 via a gap G that occurs between the refrigerator compartment doors 2a and 2b when the refrigerator compartment doors 2a and 2b are closed. This makes it possible to suppress leakage of cold air from the inside of the refrigerator compartment 2 to the outside of the refrigerator, thereby improving power saving performance.

[0041] Further, a heating circuit pipe 202 that heats the periphery of the rotating partition body 39 is provided inside the refrigerator compartment door 2a. A fluid 203 is sealed in the heating circuit pipe 202, and the fluid 203 flowing through the heating circuit pipe 202 heats the vicinity of the rotating partition body 39, thereby suppressing condensation that occurs on the surface of the rotating partition body 39. In this embodiment, water is used as the fluid 203, but if there is a possibility of freezing, an antifreeze liquid (e.g., ethanol, etc.) may be used.

[0042] In this embodiment, the heating circuit piping 202 is provided inside the refrigerator compartment door 2a, but even if the heating circuit piping 202 is provided inside the rotating partition body 39, the vicinity of the rotating partition body 39 can be heated.

[0043] Next, the configuration of the refrigerator compartment door 2a equipped with the heating circuit piping 202 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the refrigerator compartment door 2a according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a see-through view of the refrigerator compartment door 2a as seen from the front.

[0044] The refrigerator compartment door 2a has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and the heating circuit piping 202 is arranged along each side (four sides) of the refrigerator compartment door 2a. The heating circuit piping 202 is arranged so as to circulate inside the refrigerator compartment door 2a. It is preferable that the heating circuit piping 202 is arranged at least on the rotating partition body 39 side and the opposite rotating partition body side (opposite the air flow blocking member side: left side in FIG. 5) of the sides of the refrigerator compartment door 2a.

[0045] A pump 201 that causes the fluid 203 in the heating circuit piping 202 to flow is connected to a part of the piping path of the heating circuit piping 202. When the pump 201 operates, the fluid 203 is discharged from the pump 201, and the fluid 203 in the heating circuit piping 202 flows and circulates inside the heating circuit piping 202. Then, the fluid 203 heated by the atmosphere flows and moves toward the rotating partition body 39, thereby heating the rotating partition body 39.

[0046] On the other hand, when the pump 201 is stopped, the flow of the fluid 203 in the heating circuit piping 202 is stopped. When the pump 201 is stopped and the flow of the fluid 203 is stopped, the rotating partition 39 is in a non-heated state. In order to enhance the effect of stopping the flow of the fluid 203 in the heating circuit piping 202, it is preferable to provide a check valve at the discharge port of the pump 201. The check valve can be installed so as to be biased to close the discharge port while the pump 201 is stopped, thereby stopping the flow of the fluid 203.

[0047] In this embodiment, the pump 201 is switched between being driven and not being driven, thereby switching between heating and not heating the rotary partition body 39 .

[0048] The end of the refrigerator compartment door 2a on the counter-rotating partition side (left side in FIG. 5) faces the room and is affected by the temperature inside the room. The counter-rotating partition side of the refrigerator compartment door 2a is a high temperature part relative to the rotating partition side of the refrigerator compartment door 2a. Fluid 203 in heating circuit piping 202 arranged on the counter-rotating partition side is heated by the atmosphere. This embodiment is characterized in that the fluid 203 heated by the atmosphere is caused to flow to heat the rotating partition 39 and suppress condensation. The pump 201 is operated to cause the fluid 203 heated by the atmosphere to flow toward the rotating partition 39.

[0049] Next, the operation of the pump 201 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a graph showing an example of a temperature change during a cooling operation of the refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 6, the horizontal axis indicates time, and the vertical axis indicates the temperature of each part and the operating state of the pump 201.

[0050] The surface temperature T of the rotating partition 39 in the first embodiment shown in FIG. tar is the room temperature T measured by the outside air temperature sensor 37. room and the refrigerator compartment temperature T measured by the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 41 R The dew point temperature T dew is the room temperature T room The surface temperature T of the rotating partition body 39 is calculated based on the outdoor humidity measured by the outdoor humidity sensor 38. tar Calculation of dew point temperature T dew The calculation of the wall surface heat radiation pipe temperature T pipe This will be explained in Example 2.

[0051] The horizontal axis t0 to t5 in FIG. 6 indicates the following. (1) t0: A certain time during cooling operation (2) t1: time when the pump 201 is deactivated (3) t2: time when the pump 201 is driven (4) t3: The time when the dew point temperature of the installation environment of refrigerator 1 rises (5) t4: the time when the pump 201 is again deactivated (6) t5: the time when the pump 201 is driven again At time t1, the pump 201 is driven for a low humidity drive time Δt ON1 After that, at time t2, the pump 201 is deactivated for a low humidity deactivation time Δt OFF1 When the pump 201 is driven, the fluid 203 heated by the atmosphere flows through the heating circuit pipe 202, and the surface temperature T tar As described above, the pump 201 usually operates for a low humidity period Δt ON1 and low humidity non-operating time Δt OFF1By repeating this process, the surface temperature T tar That is, the pump 201 is switched between being driven and not being driven at predetermined time intervals.

[0052] At time t3, the humidity in the installation environment of the refrigerator 1 increases due to, for example, the operation of a humidifier, and the dew point temperature T dew This reduces the temperature difference ΔT between the room temperature and the dew point temperature, and the preset threshold temperature difference ΔT th When the refrigerator 1 detects that the temperature is lower than Δt ON Add additional time Δt ADD is added. At time t4, Δt ON +Δt ADD This is the time when the pump 201 is again in a non-operating state after the pump operation time Δt ON Add additional time Δt ADD By adding tar rises, and the surface temperature T tar can exceed the dew point temperature.

[0053] ΔT<ΔT th In this case, the drive time Δt ON1 and non-driving time Δt OFF1 When the humidity is high, the driving time Δt ON2 and non-operating time at high humidity Δt OFF2 High humidity operation time Δt ON2 and drive time Δt ON1 is Δt ON2 ≧Δt ON1 The relationship between the non-operating time at high humidity and the OFF2 and non-driving time Δt OFF1 is Δt OFF2 ≦Δt OFF1 In this way, the temperature of the rotating partition can be kept higher than when the dew point temperature is low.

[0054] At time t5, the high temperature drive time Δt OFF2After that, at time t6, the pump 201 is driven. ON2 After this time, the pump 201 is deactivated.

[0055] In the first embodiment, the surface temperature T of the rotating partition body 39 is controlled by switching the pump 201 between the driven state and the non-driven state at a predetermined time. tar However, instead of switching between the driven state and the non-driven state, the rotation speed of the pump 201 may be changed to switch between the heated and non-heated states of the rotating partition body 39, thereby obtaining the same effect. For example, the non-driven time Δt OFF During the drive time Δt, the rotation speed is set to a low speed, so that the fluid 203 is circulated at a low flow rate. ON During this period, the rotation speed is increased to a high speed, and the fluid 203 is circulated at a high flow rate, thereby changing the amount of heating and making it possible to control the surface of the rotating partition.

[0056] In Example 1, the dew point temperature T dew Although the outdoor humidity measured by the outdoor humidity sensor 38 was used to calculate the dew point temperature, the dew point temperature may be estimated by measuring the outdoor humidity from the room temperature, the operating state, etc. In this case, it is possible to estimate the dew point temperature even if there is no outdoor humidity sensor.

[0057] According to the first embodiment, the inside 2a of the refrigerator door equipped with the rotating partition 39 is provided with the heating circuit pipe 202 through which the fluid circulates inside the refrigerator door 2a, and the pump 201 for circulating the fluid 203 is provided in a part of the piping path of the heating circuit pipe 202, so that the fluid 203 heated by the atmosphere can be moved to the rotating partition 39 side, and it is possible to provide a refrigerator that suppresses condensation on the rotating partition 39 and suppresses power consumption. Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, since the flow of the fluid can be suppressed while the pump 201 provided in a part of the piping path of the heating circuit pipe 202 is stopped, for example, when the outside temperature of the space in which the refrigerator is installed is high, it is possible to suppress the flow of the heated fluid 203 and the transfer of heat to the inside of the refrigerator, and as a result, it is possible to suppress an increase in power consumption.

[0058] In the first embodiment, the fluid 203 is heated by the atmosphere. However, for example, a heating means such as a heater may be provided inside the refrigerator compartment door 2a, and the refrigerant 203 may be heated by this heating means. EXAMPLES

[0059] Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 7. In the first embodiment, a configuration in which the fluid is heated by using heat from the atmosphere is described, but in the second embodiment, a method in which the fluid is heated by a refrigeration cycle is described.

[0060] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of a cycle of a refrigerator 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. First, a refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Configurations common to those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0061] The refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment is composed of a refrigerant compression means, a heat dissipation means connected to the refrigerant compression means, a moisture removal means connected to the heat dissipation means via a three-way valve 92, a pressure reduction means connected to the heat dissipation means via the moisture removal means, and a cooling means connected to the pressure reduction means.

[0062] The compressor 24, which is a refrigerant compression means, compresses the refrigerant 205 and discharges it in a high-temperature, high-pressure gas phase state.

[0063] The heat dissipation means is composed of an external radiator 71, a wall surface heat dissipation pipe 72 provided between the outer box 10a and the inner box 10b of the heat-insulating box body 10 so as to contact the surface of the outer box 1a, and a condensation suppression pipe 73 (condensation suppression means) that suppresses condensation on the front edges of the heat-insulating partition walls 27, 28 and the partition part 29. The refrigerant 205 discharged from the compressor 24 and in a gas phase dissipates heat in the external radiator 71 and changes to a gas-liquid two-phase state, and further dissipates heat in the wall surface heat dissipation pipe 72 and the condensation suppression pipe 73 and changes to a liquid phase.

[0064] The connection opening 92a of the three-way valve 92 is connected to a refrigerant pipe 77c on the outlet side of the condensation suppression pipe 73, the connection opening 92b is connected to a refrigerant pipe 77e leading to the freezing capillary tube 75b (dryer 90b), and the connection opening 92c is connected to a refrigerant pipe 77f leading to the refrigeration capillary tube 75a (dryer 90a).

[0065] Dryers 90a and 90b, which are moisture removing means, remove moisture contained in refrigerant 205 to prevent freezing due to moisture.

[0066] The refrigeration capillary tube 75a and the freezing capillary tube 75b, which are pressure reducing means, reduce the pressure of the high pressure liquid (refrigerant 205) from which heat has been dissipated by the heat dissipation means, to a low pressure liquid (refrigerant 205).

[0067] The refrigerator compartment cooler 14a and the freezer compartment cooler 14b, which are cooling means, evaporate a low-pressure liquid (refrigerant 205) and change phase to a gas phase while absorbing heat from the air, thereby cooling the storage compartments.

[0068] Further, downstream of the refrigerator compartment cooler 14a and downstream of the freezer compartment cooler 14b, there are provided a refrigerating gas-liquid separator 28a and a freezing gas-liquid separator 28b, respectively, which prevent liquid refrigerant 205 from flowing into the compressor 24. Furthermore, downstream of the refrigerating gas-liquid separator 28b, there is provided a check valve 89.

[0069] In this embodiment, these components are connected by medium piping 77 to configure a refrigeration cycle. In the refrigerator of this embodiment, the temperatures of refrigerator compartment cooler 14a and freezer compartment cooler 14b are adjusted by the rotation speeds of compressor 24, refrigerator compartment fan 9a, and freezer compartment fan 9b, so compressor 24, refrigerator compartment fan 9a, and freezer compartment fan 9b are called evaporator temperature adjustment means. In addition, isobutane, a flammable medium, is used as refrigerant 205, and the amount of refrigerant 205 charged is 88 g.

[0070] Next, the heating circuit 200 will be described. The heating circuit 200 is provided in the refrigerator compartment door 2a, as in the first embodiment. However, in the second embodiment, a part of the heating circuit piping 202 that causes the fluid 203 to flow is disposed on the side of the refrigeration cycle configured in the refrigerator 1. In other words, in the second embodiment, a part of the heating circuit piping 202 is disposed so as to be in thermal contact with the wall surface heat dissipation piping 72 that configures the refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator 1. In the opposing portion of the heating circuit piping 202 and the wall surface heat dissipation piping 72, heat exchange occurs between the fluid 203 and the refrigerant 205, and the fluid 203 is heated by the heat of the refrigerant 205.

[0071] Fluid 203 heated by the heat of refrigerant 205 circulates through heating circuit piping 202 by driving pump 201, as in the first embodiment. Then, fluid 203 that has moved to the vicinity of rotating partition body 39 dissipates heat and heats rotating partition body 39. Fluid 203 that has dissipated heat is cooled, moves through heating circuit piping 202, and is heated again in the opposing portion of wall surface heat dissipation piping 72.

[0072] The operation of the pump 201 is the same as that of the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. pipe The compressor 24 and the pressure reducing means are controlled so that the heat exchange between the refrigerant 205 and the fluid 203 is stabilized.

[0073] In the first embodiment, the pump 201 is driven to flow the fluid 203 heated by the atmosphere in the heating circuit pipe 202, and the surface temperature T tar In the second embodiment, the fluid 203 heated by the refrigeration cycle is caused to flow in the heating circuit pipe 202, and the surface temperature T tar The aim is to increase the

[0074] According to the second embodiment, the inside 2a of the refrigerator door having the rotating partition 39 is provided with the heating circuit pipe 202 through which the fluid 203 circulates in the refrigerator door 2a, and the pump 201 for circulating the fluid 203 is provided in a part of the pipe path of the heating circuit pipe 202, and further, a part of the pipe path of the heating circuit pipe 202 is led to the refrigeration cycle side to exchange heat with the refrigerant 205 in the wall surface heat dissipation pipe 72, so that the fluid 203 heated in the refrigeration cycle can be moved to the rotating partition 39 side, and it is possible to provide a refrigerator that suppresses condensation on the rotating partition 39 and suppresses power consumption. Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, the flow of the medium can be suppressed while the pump 201 provided in a part of the pipe path of the heating circuit pipe 202 is stopped, so that when heating of the rotating partition 39 is not required, it is possible to suppress the flow of the heated fluid 203 and the transfer of heat to the inside of the refrigerator, and as a result, it is possible to suppress an increase in power consumption. [Modifications] 8 is an enlarged view of a refrigerator compartment door according to a modified example of Example 2. In this modified example, a packing 204 is used instead of the rotating partition body 39.

[0075] In Fig. 8, a packing 204 is arranged on either the opposing surfaces of the refrigerator compartment door 2a or the refrigerator compartment door 2b. When the refrigerator compartment door 2a and the refrigerator compartment door 2b are closed, a gap G is formed between the opposing surfaces of the refrigerator compartment door 2a and the refrigerator compartment door 2b. The packing 204 is arranged in the gap G that is generated between the opposing surfaces of the refrigerator compartment door 2a and the refrigerator compartment door 2b, and functions as an air flow blocking member.

[0076] In the modified example, similarly to the second embodiment, a heating circuit 200 is provided on the refrigerator compartment door 2a, and a heating circuit pipe 202 is positioned near the packing 204. With such a configuration, the vicinity of the packing 204 can be heated by the heating circuit 200, and the same effect as that of the second embodiment can be obtained.

[0077] The configuration of this modified example may be applied by replacing the rotary partition 39 of the first embodiment with the packing 204. EXAMPLES

[0078] Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a graph showing an example of a temperature change during a cooling operation of the refrigerator 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in the first and second embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. In FIG. 9, the horizontal axis indicates time, and the vertical axis indicates the temperature of each part and the operating state of the pump 201. The refrigerator 1 according to the third embodiment maintains a maximum surface temperature T max and the minimum surface temperature T of the rotating partition 39 min In the third embodiment, similarly to the second embodiment, the temperature T pipe The compressor 24 and the pressure reducing means are controlled so that the heat exchange between the refrigerant 205 and the fluid 203 is stabilized.

[0079] The horizontal axis t0 to t6 in FIG. 9 indicates the following. (1) t0: A certain time during cooling operation (2) t1: The time when the dew point temperature of the installation environment of refrigerator 1 rises (3) t2: Surface temperature T of the rotating partition body 39 tar is the minimum surface temperature T min The time when the temperature drops below the temperature and the pump 201 is in a driven state. (4) t3: Surface temperature T of the rotating partition body 39 tar is the maximum surface temperature T max The time when the pump 201 is deactivated (5) t4: Surface temperature T of the rotating partition body 39 tar is the minimum surface temperature T min The time when the temperature drops below the temperature and the pump 201 is in a driven state. (6) t5: Surface temperature T of the rotating partition body 39 tar is the maximum surface temperature T max The time when the pump 201 is deactivated (7) t6: The time when the dew point temperature of the installation environment of refrigerator 1 drops. At time t1, the humidity in the installation environment of the refrigerator 1 increases due to, for example, the operation of a humidifier, and the dew point temperature T dew The dew point temperature T dewAs the temperature rises, the maximum surface temperature T max and the minimum surface temperature T of the rotating partition 39 min At time t2, the surface temperature T tar is the minimum surface temperature T min The surface temperature T tar is the maximum surface temperature T max and the pump 201 is deactivated. At times t4 and t5, the pump 201 is switched between the activated state and the deactivated state, similarly to times t2 and t3.

[0080] At time t6, the humidity in the installation environment of the refrigerator 1 decreases due to, for example, the operation of a dehumidifier, and the dew point temperature T dew The dew point temperature T dew With the decrease in max At time t7, the surface temperature T tar is the maximum surface temperature T max and the pump 201 is deactivated.

[0081] Maximum surface temperature T of the rotating partition 39 max and the minimum surface temperature T of the rotating partition 39 min is T max ≧T min ≧T dew is determined so as to satisfy the following.

[0082] In the refrigerator 1 of the third embodiment, the surface temperature T tar and the maximum surface temperature T of the rotating partition body 39 max and the minimum surface temperature T of the rotating partition 39 min and the heating circuit 200 switches between heating and non-heating. tar This prevents the surface temperature T of the rotating partition body 39 from falling below the dew point temperature for a long period of time, and thus prevents condensation more reliably. tar is the maximum surface temperature Tmax This eliminates the need for heating that exceeds the required level, thereby improving power saving performance. EXAMPLES

[0083] Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 10 and Fig. 11. Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing a condensation prevention operation control of a refrigerator 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in the first to third embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0084] In FIG. 10, the control device 31 detects the surface temperature T tar is the minimum surface temperature T min It is determined whether it is equal to or less than this (step S101).

[0085] T min ≧T tar If so (Yes in step S101), the control device 31 determines whether the compressor 24 is in operation (step S102), and if the compressor 24 is not in operation (No in step S102), the control device 31 drives the compressor 24 at a predetermined rotation speed N1 (step S103). Thereafter, step S104 is executed. If the compressor 24 is in operation (Yes in step S102), the control device 31 executes step S104.

[0086] Furthermore, the control device 31 calculates a predetermined time interval Δt and a change in the surface temperature ΔT of the rotating partition body 39 during the time Δt. tar During this time, ΔT tar It is determined whether / Δt<α is satisfied (step S104), where α is a predetermined value for identifying a temperature change.

[0087] ΔT tar If / Δt<α (Yes in step S104), the control device 31 controls the compressor 24 to add a predetermined number of revolutions ΔN during rotation (step S105). After that, the control device 31 drives the pump 201 to start circulating the fluid 203 in the heating circuit 200 (step S106). In step S104, ΔT tarIf / Δt<α is not true (No in step S104), the control device 31 executes step S106.

[0088] In step S101, T min ≧T tar If not (No in step S101), the control device 31 detects the surface temperature T tar is the maximum surface temperature T max It is determined whether or not this is the case (step S107).

[0089] T max ≧T tar If so, return to step S101. max <T tar If so (Yes in step S107), the control device 31 deactivates the pump 201 (step S108) and stops the circulation of the fluid 203 in the heating circuit 200.

[0090] Next, the control device 31 determines whether the refrigerator 1 is in cooling operation (step S109), and if the refrigerator 1 is not in cooling operation (No in step S109), the control device 31 stops the compressor 24 (step S1100). If the refrigerator 1 is in cooling operation (Yes in step S109), the control device 31 sets the rotation speed of the compressor 24 to the rotation speed N1 that is separately determined for the cooling operation of the refrigerator (step S111).

[0091] Fig. 11 is a graph showing an example of temperature change during cooling operation of the refrigerator 1 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in the first to third embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. In Fig. 11, the horizontal axis indicates time, and the vertical axis indicates the temperature of each part and the operating state of the pump 201.

[0092] The refrigerator 1 of the fourth embodiment is a rotating partition body 39 having a surface maximum temperature T max and the minimum surface temperature T of the rotating partition 39 min In addition to controlling whether the pump 201 is driven or not, the rotation speed of the compressor 24 is controlled to control the temperature T pipe Change the value.

[0093] The horizontal axis t0 to t8 in FIG. 11 indicates the following. (1) t0: A certain time during cooling operation (2) t1: the time when the compressor 24 is deactivated and cooling of the refrigerator compartment is completed (3) t2: Dew point temperature T of the installation environment of refrigerator 1 dew The time when the rise (4) t3 is the surface temperature T of the rotating partition body 39 tar is the minimum surface temperature T min and the compressor 24 and the pump 201 are in a drive state. (5) t4: Surface temperature T of the rotating partition body 39 tar is the minimum surface temperature T min If the temperature is below ΔT tar The time when / Δt<α and ΔN is added to the compressor speed (6) t5: Surface temperature T of the rotating partition body 39 tar is the maximum surface temperature T max The time when the compressor 24 and the pump 201 are deactivated (7) t6: Surface temperature T of the rotating partition body 39 tar is the minimum surface temperature T min and the compressor 24 and the pump 201 are in a drive state. (8) t7: The time when the dew point temperature of the installation environment of refrigerator 1 drops. t8 is the time when the cooling operation starts and the compressor speed becomes N1. At time t1, the cooling operation of the refrigerator compartment ends and the compressor is deactivated. At this time, the surface temperature T tar is the maximum surface temperature T max Since the pressure exceeds 100 bar, the pump 201 is also in a non-operating state.

[0094] At time t2, the humidity in the installation environment of the refrigerator 1 increases due to, for example, the operation of a humidifier, and the dew point temperature T dew increases.

[0095] Dew point temperature T dewAs the temperature rises, the maximum surface temperature T max and the minimum surface temperature T of the rotating partition 39 min At time t3, the surface temperature T tar is the minimum surface temperature T min and the pump 201 is driven.

[0096] Then, at time t4, T min <T tar , and ΔT tar / Δt<α, and the rotation speed of the compressor 24 changes from N1 to N1+ΔN. That is, when the humidity in the room where the refrigerator 1 is installed increases, the rotation speed of the compressor 24 is increased.

[0097] By controlling in this way, the surface temperature T tar If the temperature does not rise or takes a long time to rise, operate the compressor at a high speed to increase the wall heat radiation pipe temperature T pipe By increasing the surface temperature T tar This will allow the rate of increase in the

[0098] At time t5, the surface temperature T tar is the maximum surface temperature T max Since the cooling operation has ended, the compressor 24 is also deactivated.

[0099] At time t6, the compressor 24 and the pump 201 are driven in the same manner as at time t3.

[0100] At time t7, the humidity in the installation environment of the refrigerator 1 decreases due to, for example, the operation of a dehumidifier, and the dew point temperature T dew The surface temperature T tar is the maximum surface temperature T max , the compressor 24 and the pump 201 are put into a non-operating state.

[0101] Maximum surface temperature T of the rotating partition 39 maxand the minimum surface temperature T of the rotating partition 39 min is T max ≧T min ≧T dew is determined to satisfy the following.

[0102] At time t8, the cooling operation starts, and the compressor 24 starts to operate at the rotation speed N1.

[0103] The configuration of the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment has been described above. Next, the effects achieved by the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment will be described.

[0104] In the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, the surface temperature T tar is the minimum surface temperature T min When the pressure drops below 100° C., the compressor 24 is driven together with the pump 201.

[0105] By adopting such a configuration, the temperature of the wall surface heat radiation pipe 72 which exchanges heat with the heating circuit pipe 202 can be kept relatively high, and the temperature of the fluid 203 can be made high. As a result, the surface temperature T tar This allows the temperature to be kept high, making it possible to more reliably prevent condensation.

[0106] In addition, in the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, the surface temperature T tar If the target temperature is not reached within a certain period of time, the rotation speed of the compressor 24 is increased.

[0107] With this configuration, the temperature of the wall surface heat radiation pipe 72 that exchanges heat with the heating circuit pipe 202 can be further increased, so that the surface temperature T tar This allows the temperature to be kept high and condensation can be reliably prevented.

[0108] The above embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. In addition, it is also possible to replace a part of the configuration of each embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment. It is also possible to appropriately add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of a certain embodiment. It is also possible to add, delete, or replace other configurations with respect to a part of the configuration of this embodiment. In addition, the above-mentioned mechanisms and configurations are those considered necessary for explanation, and do not necessarily show all mechanisms and configurations in the product. [Explanation of symbols]

[0109] 1...refrigerator, 2...refrigerator compartment, 2a...refrigerator compartment door, 2b...refrigerator compartment door, 3...ice maker compartment, 3a...ice maker compartment door, 3b...ice maker compartment container, 4...upper freezer compartment, 4a...upper freezer compartment door, 4b...upper freezer compartment container, 5...lower freezer compartment, 5a...lower freezer compartment door, 5b...lower freezer compartment container, 6...vegetable compartment, 6a...vegetable compartment door, 6b...vegetable compartment container, 7...machine compartment, 8...cooler compartment, 9a...refrigerator compartment fan, 9b...freezer compartment fan, 10...insulating box body, 10a...outer box, 10b...inner box, 14a...refrigerator compartment cooler, 14b...freezer compartment cooler, 15...vacuum insulation material, 16...door hinge bar, 21... defrost heater, 22... freezer drain pipe, 23... freezer gutter, 24... compressor, 25... refrigerator gutter, 26... refrigerator drain pipe, 27... heat insulating partition wall, 28... heat insulating partition wall, 28a... refrigerator gas-liquid separator, 28b... refrigerator gas-liquid separator, 29... partition, 30... partition, 31... control device, 32... evaporator dish, 33a... door pocket, 33b... door pocket, 33c... door pocket, 34a... shelf, 34b... shelf, 34c... shelf, 34d... shelf, 36... container, 36a... lid, 37... outside air temperature sensor, 38... outside air humidity sensor, 39... rotating partition, 4 1...refrigerator temperature sensor, 42...refrigerator cooler temperature sensor, 43...freezer temperature sensor, 44...freezer cooler temperature sensor, 45...vegetable compartment temperature sensor, 46a...packing, 46b...packing, 51...rotating partition hinge, 60...freezer, 71...external radiator, 72...wall heat radiation piping, 73...condensation suppression piping, 75a...refrigerating capillary tube, 75b...freezing capillary tube, 77...medium piping, 77c...refrigerant piping, 77e...refrigerant piping, 77f...refrigerant piping, 89...check valve, 90a...dryer, 90b...dryer, 9 2...three-way valve, 92a...connection opening, 92b...connection opening, 92c...connection opening, 100...freezer compartment air duct, 101...ice-making compartment outlet, 102...upper freezer compartment outlet, 103...and lower freezer compartment outlet, 105...freezer compartment return air duct, 110...refrigerator compartment air duct, 111a...upper refrigerator compartment outlet, 111b...lower refrigerator compartment outlet, 115...refrigerator compartment return air duct, 135...vegetable compartment return air duct, 136...vegetable compartment return port, 200...heating circuit, 201...pump, 202...heating circuit piping, 203...fluid, 204...packing, 205...refrigerant

Claims

1. A storage room; a first door and a second door for opening and closing the opening of the storage chamber; an air flow blocking member that blocks a gap that occurs at a position where the first door and the second door face each other when the first door and the second door are closed; the first door or the second door is provided with a heating circuit piping through which a fluid for heating the air flow blocking member flows, and a pump connected to the heating circuit piping for causing the fluid to flow.

2. In the refrigerator according to claim 1, The air flow blocking member and the heating circuit piping are provided on the first door.

3. In the refrigerator according to claim 2, The refrigerator, wherein the heating circuit piping is arranged along the air flow blocking member and the anti-air flow blocking member.

4. In the refrigerator according to claim 3, The heating circuit piping is arranged so that the fluid circulates inside the first door.

5. In the refrigerator according to claim 1, The cooling system includes a compressor that compresses a refrigerant, a heat dissipation means that dissipates heat from the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant compressed by the compressor, a pressure reduction means that is connected to the heat dissipation means and reduces the pressure of the refrigerant whose heat has been dissipated, and a cooling means that is connected to the pressure reduction means and cools the storage chamber with the reduced-pressure refrigerant, A refrigerator characterized in that a part of the heating circuit piping is in thermal contact with the heat dissipation means.

6. In the refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The refrigerator is characterized in that the air flow blocking member is switched between being heated and not being heated by switching between being driven and not being driven of the pump.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, The refrigerator is characterized in that the pump is switched between driven and non-driven at predetermined time intervals.

8. In the refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The refrigerator is characterized in that the air flow blocking member is switched between being heated and not being heated by changing the rotation speed of the pump.

9. In the refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The refrigerator is characterized in that the pump is switched between being driven and not being driven based on a predetermined maximum surface temperature of the airflow blocking member and a predetermined minimum surface temperature of the airflow blocking member.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 5, The refrigerator is characterized in that, when the pump is in a driving state, the compressor is in a driving state.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, The refrigerator, characterized in that, when humidity in a room where the refrigerator is installed increases, the rotation speed of the compressor is increased.

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