Tray and cooling device

JP2025031025APending Publication Date: 2025-03-07SHARP KK
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2023136965
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-08-25
Publication Date
2025-03-07

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

【0008】 本開示のトレイによれば、更に優れた冷却機能を実現し得る。

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Abstract

To provide a tray that may provide a cooling function that is far better than before.SOLUTION: A tray can be positioned forward of an air outlet for blowing out cool air in a cooling room of a cooling device. The tray includes a tray body and a lid. The tray body has a space that is open upward. The lid covers at least part of the opening of the tray body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5
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Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a tray and a cooling device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a refrigerator capable of performing a quick-freezing function. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3490379 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] There is a need for new cooling devices that can freeze even more rapidly.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a tray and a cooling device that can achieve even better cooling function. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a tray is positionable in a cooling chamber of a cooling device in front of an outlet for blowing out cool air. The tray includes a tray body and a lid. The tray body has a space that opens upward. The lid covers at least a portion of the opening of the tray body.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a cooling device includes the above-mentioned tray and a device body. The device body is formed with a cooling chamber and an air outlet opening into the cooling chamber. The tray is capable of being arranged in front of the air outlet. Effect of the Invention

[0008] The tray of the present disclosure may provide even better cooling capabilities. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a cooling device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooling device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a portion of a cooling device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a portion of a cooling device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a cooling container and tray in one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a tray according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed obliquely from below. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a control unit of the cooling device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a cooling device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a first blowing portion of the cooling device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] 1 is a table showing temperature changes in a tray according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and in a tray according to a comparative example. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a tray according to a first modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] 13 is a table showing temperature changes in the tray of Modification 1 and the tray of the comparative example. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a tray according to a second modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] 12 is a cross-sectional view that typically shows a cross section of the tray shown in FIG. 11. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates a cross section of a tray according to a third modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates a cross section of a tray according to a fourth modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 17]FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a tray according to a fifth modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a tray according to a sixth modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a tray according to a seventh modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 20] 20 is a cross-sectional view that typically shows a cross section of the tray shown in FIG. 19. [Figure 21] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a tray according to Modification 8 of the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 22] FIG. 13 is another perspective view showing the tray according to the eighth modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference characters and description thereof will not be repeated.

[0011] [Embodiment 1] A cooling device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 and the like. In the present disclosure, the cooling device 1 is a general term for devices that cool objects such as foodstuffs. The cooling device 1 includes, for example, a freezer having only a freezing compartment, and a refrigerator having a freezing compartment and a refrigeration compartment. The freezing compartment is a general term for a compartment that cools the temperature inside the compartment to 0°C or lower. The freezing compartment is preferably a compartment to which cold air having a temperature of -18°C or lower is supplied. In the present embodiment, an example will be described in which the cooling device 1 has a refrigeration compartment in addition to a freezing compartment. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the cooling device 1 may be a freezer having only a freezing compartment.

[0012] (Overview of cooling device 1) FIG. 1 shows a cooling device 1 according to this embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cooling device 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a portion of the cooling device 1. In the following description, the direction corresponding to the horizontal direction in FIG. 1 is the width direction of the refrigerator. The direction corresponding to the perpendicular direction to the paper surface of FIG. 1 is the depth direction of the refrigerator. The direction corresponding to the vertical direction in FIG. 1 is sometimes referred to as the height direction of the refrigerator. In the height direction, the lower side of the paper surface of FIG. 1 is sometimes referred to as the "lower side", and the upper side of the paper surface is sometimes referred to as the "upper side". In the depth direction, the rear side of the paper surface of FIG. 1 is sometimes referred to as the "rear side" or "rear side", and the front side of the paper surface is sometimes referred to as the "front side".

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the cooling device 1 includes a housing 5. The housing 5 has thermal insulation properties. A first refrigerator chamber 50, a second refrigerator chamber 40, a first freezer chamber 10, a second freezer chamber 20, and a third freezer chamber 30 are formed in the housing 5. The first freezer chamber 10 corresponds to an example of a "cooling chamber". The first refrigerator chamber 50, the second refrigerator chamber 40, the first freezer chamber 10, the second freezer chamber 20, and the third freezer chamber 30 are each isolated from each other by the housing 5.

[0014] The first refrigerator compartment 50 and the second refrigerator compartment 40 are spaces for refrigerating foodstuffs and the like. Note that "refrigerating" refers to cooling below room temperature in a temperature range higher than 0°C. At least one of the first refrigerator compartment 50 and the second refrigerator compartment 40 may be a so-called vegetable compartment suitable for storing vegetables.

[0015] The first freezer chamber 10, the second freezer chamber 20, and the third freezer chamber 30 are each a space for freezing food ingredients. In this embodiment, the first freezer chamber 10 located at the bottom has the largest capacity. The second freezer chamber 20 and the third freezer chamber 30 located above the first freezer chamber 10 each have a smaller capacity than the first freezer chamber 10. At least one of the second freezer chamber 20 and the third freezer chamber 30 may be an ice-making chamber. In this embodiment, specifically, the third freezer chamber 30 is an ice-making chamber, and the second freezer chamber 20 and the first freezer chamber 10 are spaces for freezing and storing food and the like.

[0016] (cooler 2, cold air passage 25, air outlets 23a, 23b, 24) 2, the cooler 2 is disposed in the housing 5. The cooler 2 generates cold air. The cold air generated by the cooler 2 is supplied to each of the chambers 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50, thereby cooling the insides of each of the chambers 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50.

[0017] (Partially revised from 22X01566) The cooler 2 is not particularly limited as long as it can supply cold air, and can be configured, for example, by a compressor, a condenser, an expander, an evaporator, and a refrigeration cycle including the refrigerant flowing through them via a refrigerant pipe through which the refrigerant flows. The cooler 2 may further be provided with a fan that blows the cold air generated by the cooler 2, a defrost heater that melts frost attached to the evaporator, and a damper that opens and closes the cold air passage 25.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 5 is provided with a cold air passage 25 as an air guide passage for guiding the cold air from the cooler 2. The cold air passage 25 is provided on the rear side of the freezer compartments 10, 20, and 30. Furthermore, the housing 5 is formed with a first air outlet 23a, a second air outlet 23b, and a third air outlet 24 that open to the cooling compartment. The first air outlet 23a corresponds to an example of an "air outlet". The first air outlet 23a, the second air outlet 23b, and the third air outlet 24 are each connected to the cold air passage 25. The cold air from the cooler 2 is supplied to the first air outlet 23a, the second air outlet 23b, and the third air outlet 24 via the cold air passage 25.

[0019] The first air outlet 23a and the second air outlet 23b are each located on the rear side of the first freezing chamber 10. The first air outlet 23a and the second air outlet 23b are each open to the first freezing chamber 10. The first air outlet 23a and the second air outlet 23b each blow out cool air supplied from the cooler 2 via the cool air passage 25 toward the first freezing chamber 10. The second air outlet 23b is provided at a higher position than the first air outlet 23a.

[0020] The third air outlet 24 is located on the back side of the second freezing chamber 20 shown in Figures 1 and 2. The third air outlet 24 opens to the second freezing chamber 20. The third air outlet 24 blows out the cool air supplied from the cooler 2 via the cool air passage 25 toward the second freezing chamber 20. For this reason, the cool air from the cooler 2 is supplied to the first air outlet 23a, the second air outlet 23b, and the third air outlet 24 via the common cool air passage 25.

[0021] The opening area of ​​the third outlet 24 is smaller than that of the first outlet 23a. The opening area of ​​the third outlet 24 is preferably 30% to 90%, and more preferably 40% to 80%, of the opening area of ​​the first outlet 23a.

[0022] Generally, the flow rate of the cold air blown out from the air outlet depends on the opening area of ​​the air outlet. Therefore, in the cooling device 1 in which the opening area of ​​the first air outlet 23a is larger than the opening area of ​​the third air outlet 24, the flow rate of the cold air blown out from the first air outlet 23a to the first freezing chamber 10 is larger than the flow rate of the cold air blown out from the third air outlet 24 to the third freezing chamber 30.

[0023] Similarly, the second air outlet 23b is smaller than the first air outlet 23a. The opening area of ​​the second air outlet 23b is preferably 30% to 90% of the opening area of ​​the first air outlet 23a, and more preferably 40% to 80%. The flow rate of the cold air blown out from the first air outlet 23a to the first freezing chamber 10 is greater than the flow rate of the cold air blown out from the second air outlet 23b to the third freezing chamber 30.

[0024] When the damper is open, the cold air passage 25 is open. Therefore, when the damper is open, the air blown by the fan is supplied to each cooling chamber, specifically, the first freezer chamber 10, the second freezer chamber 20, the third freezer chamber 30, the first refrigerator chamber 50, and the second refrigerator chamber 40, via the cold air passage 25. On the other hand, when the damper is closed, the cold air passage 25 is closed. Therefore, when the damper is closed, the cold air passage 25 is not opened, and cold air is not substantially supplied to each cooling chamber.

[0025] (First freezer compartment 10) 2, the opening of first freezing chamber 10 is opened and closed by door 11 located at the front side of first freezing chamber 10. Door 11 is displaceable in the depth direction relative to first freezing chamber 10. When door 11 is displaced forward from a state in which it closes the opening of first freezing chamber 10, the opening of first freezing chamber 10 becomes open.

[0026] In detail, a pair of left and right guides 112 are attached to the door 11. The guides 112 are guided in the depth direction by guide rails (not shown) provided on the housing 5 side, whereby the door 11 is displaced in the depth direction.

[0027] (Cooling containers 102, 103) 2 and 3, a cooling container 102 is disposed in the first freezing chamber 10. The cooling container 102 is disposed on a guide 112, and when the door 11 is pulled out to the front, the cooling container 102 is also displaced to the front together with the guide 112 and pulled out.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, in addition to the cooling container 102, a cooling container 103 is arranged in the first freezing chamber 10. The cooling container 103 is arranged above the cooling container 102. The cooling container 103 has a height dimension smaller than that of the cooling container 102. The cooling container 103 can be drawn out while being guided in the front-rear direction by a guide formed in the housing 5. The cooling container 103 is provided independently of the door 11 and the guide 112. Therefore, the cooling container 103 can remain in the first freezing chamber 10 even when the door 11 is drawn out.

[0029] The cooling container 103 is a container that opens upward. The cooling container 103 is provided below the second air outlet 23b shown in Fig. 3, and the first air outlet 23a is located below the opening of the cooling container 103. Therefore, cool air is supplied to the cooling container 103 mainly from the second air outlet 23b.

[0030] The cooling container 102 is disposed below the cooling container 103. The cooling container 102 is a container that opens upward. The cooling container 102 is disposed below the first air outlet 23a. At least a part of the first air outlet 23a, preferably substantially the entirety of the first air outlet 23a, is disposed below the lower surface of the cooling container 103 and above the opening of the cooling container 102. Therefore, the cold air mainly flows into the cooling container 102 from the first air outlet 23a. In this way, among the second freezer 20, the cooling container 102, and the cooling container 103, the cold air flows into the cooling container 103 from the first air outlet 23a, which has the largest opening area. Therefore, the flow rate of the cold air into the cooling container 103 is maximized.

[0031] The cooling container 102 has a bottom wall 102a shown in FIG. 2, and side walls 102b, 102c, a front wall 102d, and a rear wall 102e shown in FIG. 3. When the cooling container 102 is accommodated in the first freezing chamber 10, the bottom wall 102a faces the bottom surface of the first freezing chamber 10 in the height direction. The side wall 102b extends upward from one end of the bottom wall 102a in the width direction, and the side wall 102c extends upward from the other end of the bottom wall 102a in the width direction. The side wall 102b and the side wall 102c face each other in the width direction. The front wall 102d extends upward from the front end of the bottom wall 102a. The front wall 102d connects the front end edge of the side wall 102b and the front end edge of the side wall 102c. The rear wall 102e extends upward from the rear end of the bottom wall 102a. The rear wall 102e connects the rear end of the side wall 102b to the rear end of the side wall 102c. The rear wall 102e and the front wall 102d face each other in the depth direction. The rear wall 102e, the front wall 102d, the side wall 102b, and the side wall 102c form an opening of the cooling container 102.

[0032] 3, the opening of the first air outlet 23a is located in front of the rear wall 102e. Therefore, the cool air from the first air outlet 23a is not substantially blown directly against the rear wall 102e. The cool air from the first air outlet 23a is mainly blown toward the front wall 102d.

[0033] (Tray 101) Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a part of the first freezing compartment 10 of the cooling device 1. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the cooling container 102 and the tray 101. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the tray 101 as viewed obliquely from below.

[0034] As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, a tray 101 is provided in the first freezing chamber 10. The tray 101 can be displaced in the width direction within the first freezing chamber 10. In detail, the tray 101 is accommodated in a cooling container 102 provided in the first freezing chamber 10. Thus, the front wall 102d is located in front of the tray 101, and the rear wall 102e is located behind the tray 101. The length of the tray 101 in the depth direction is substantially equal to the inner dimension of the cooling container 102 along the depth direction. With the front end of the tray 101 supported by the front wall 102d of the cooling container 102 and the rear end supported by the rear wall 102e of the cooling container 102, the tray 101 can be displaced in the width direction within the cooling container 102. As shown in Fig. 3, the tray 101 can be positioned in front of the first air outlet 23a.

[0035] The tray 101 includes a tray body 111 and a lid 113. The tray body 111 has a space that opens upward. The lid 113 covers at least a part of the opening 111H of the tray body 111. This makes it possible to prevent cold air from flowing out of the tray body 111. This makes it possible to keep the cold air that has flowed into the tray body 111 within the tray body 111 for a long period of time. This makes it possible to rapidly freeze the object within the tray body 111.

[0036] 5 and 6, the tray body 111 includes a bottom wall 101a, a pair of side walls 101f, a front wall 101d, and a rear wall 101e. The bottom wall 101a faces a bottom wall 102a in the height direction. Food materials are placed on the bottom wall 101a.

[0037] The first side wall 101b extends upward from one end of the bottom wall 101a in the width direction. The second side wall 101c extends upward from the other end of the bottom wall 101a in the width direction. The first side wall 101b and the second side wall 101c face each other in the width direction. The front wall 101d extends upward from the front end of the bottom wall 101a. The rear wall 101e is located closer to the first air outlet 23a than the front wall 101d. The rear wall 101e extends upward from the rear end of the bottom wall 101a. The rear wall 101e, the front wall 101d, the first side wall 101b, and the second side wall 101c form an opening 111H of the tray 101.

[0038] As shown in Figs. 4 to 6, the dimension L5 of the lid 113 in the front-rear direction is shorter than the dimension L10 of the opening 111H in the front-rear direction. Therefore, in this state, a part of the opening 111H is covered by the lid 113, and the other part is exposed from the lid 113. The front-rear direction is the direction along the depth direction of the refrigerator. Specifically, the front-rear direction indicates the direction along the direction from the front wall 101d to the rear wall 101e when the tray 101 is placed in the first freezer compartment 10 of the refrigerator. The dimension L5 is the distance from the first end 105 on one side of the lid 113 in the front-rear direction to the second end 106 on the other side of the lid 113 in the front-rear direction. The dimension L10 is the distance from the front wall 101d to the rear wall 101e.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 5, the lid 113 exposes at least a part of the opening 101H. For example, the lid 113 may be separated from the front wall 101d. In that case, the front end of the opening 101H is exposed from the lid 113. Therefore, the front end of the opening 101H can be an outlet for cold air. The lid 113 may be separated from the rear wall 101e. In that case, the rear end of the opening 101H is exposed from the lid 113. The rear end of the opening 101H can be an inlet for cold air. For example, when the lid 113 is arranged so that the front and rear ends of the opening 101H are exposed, cold air flows in from a part of the opening 101H located behind the lid 113, passes under the lid 113, and flows out from a part of the opening 101H located in front of the lid 113. Therefore, substantially the entire internal space of the tray 101 becomes an area through which cold air flows. Therefore, the cooling speed in the tray 101 can be further improved.

[0040] Moreover, in this embodiment, the lid 113 covers the entire width of the opening 101H. This makes it difficult for cool air to leak from the sides of the lid 113. This further promotes the flow of cool air inside the tray 101. This further improves the cooling speed inside the tray 101.

[0041] In detail, as shown in FIG. 5, one side in the width direction of the lid 113 is supported by the first side wall 101b, and the other side is supported by the second side wall 101c.

[0042] (Control Unit 3) FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the control unit 3. The control unit 3 is a part that controls each mechanism of the cooling device 1. The control unit 3 may include, for example, a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), and a storage device. The storage device stores, for example, data and computer programs. For example, the storage device temporarily stores data required for each process of the control unit 3, and stores setting data for the cooler 2. The storage device may include a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The storage device may include, for example, a non-volatile memory, a hard disk drive, etc.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 7, the control unit 3 is connected to, for example, the cooler 2. The control unit 3 causes the cooler 2 to execute a plurality of cooling modes including a first cooling mode and a second cooling mode. The second cooling mode is a mode in which cold air having a lower temperature and a higher flow rate than that in the first cooling mode is supplied to the air outlets 23a, 23b, 24. The first cooling mode may be, for example, a normal freezing mode, and the second cooling mode may be, for example, a quick freezing mode.

[0044] In the cooling device 1, the operation unit 4 is connected to the control unit 3. The user of the cooling device 1 operates the operation unit 4 to cause the control unit 3 to select one of the first cooling mode and the second cooling mode. The operation unit 4 may be configured, for example, as a touch panel provided on the surface of the cooling device 1, or may be configured as one or more mechanical buttons. When the user selects the second cooling mode by operating the operation unit 4, the control unit 3 causes the cooler 2 to execute the second cooling mode. The second cooling mode may be set to be automatically changed to the first cooling mode after a predetermined time (for example, a time of 10 minutes or more and 1 hour or less) has elapsed after the start of the second cooling mode, or the second cooling mode may be continued until the user selects the first cooling mode by operating the operation unit 4, and then changed to the first cooling mode after the selection.

[0045] (Tray 101 placement) In this embodiment, for example, referring to FIG. 5, the width along the width direction of the portion located to the left of the first air outlet 23a in the width direction of the first freezing chamber 10 is substantially equal to the distance L3 between the left end of the first air outlet 23a and the side wall 102b of the cooling container 102. Also, the width along the width direction of the portion located to the right of the first air outlet 23a in the width direction of the first freezing chamber 10 is substantially equal to the distance L4 between the right end of the first air outlet 23a and the side wall 102c of the cooling container 102. The width L1 along the width direction of the tray 101 is equal to or less than at least one of the distances L3 and L4. Specifically, in this embodiment, the width L1 is equal to or less than L3, more specifically, it is less than L3.

[0046] Therefore, by moving tray 101 to the left end, it is possible to prevent cold air from first air outlet 23a from flowing directly into tray 101. This effectively prevents cold air from flowing directly into tray 101, which is shallower than cooling container 102, and causes food placed on tray 101 to deteriorate due to the cold air.

[0047] Also, as shown in Figs. 3 to 5, by positioning the tray 101 in front of the first air outlet 23a, the cold air from the first air outlet 23a can be directly introduced into the tray 101. Moreover, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 5, the dimension L2 along the width direction of the first air outlet 23a is larger than the width L1 along the width direction of the tray 101. For this reason, for example, by arranging the tray 101 so that the center of the tray 101 in the width direction is aligned with the center of the first air outlet 23a in the width direction, the cold air from the first air outlet 23a can be directly introduced into the entire tray 101. In this state, for example, by executing the second cooling mode, which is a quick freezing mode, the food in the tray 101 can be frozen at a high cooling speed. Moreover, the cold air can be introduced into the tray 101 from the first air outlet 23a, which has the largest opening area among the cold air outlets 23a, 23b, and 24 for the freezer compartments 10, 20, and 30, so that a large amount of cold air can be induced to the tray 101. Therefore, even faster freezing can be realized.

[0048] Moreover, since the width L1 of the tray 101 is smaller than the opening width L2 of the first air outlet 23a, both sides of one of the two side walls 101b and 101c of the tray 101 are exposed to the cold air. For example, when the tray 101 is arranged so that the center in the width direction coincides with the center in the width direction of the first air outlet 23a, both sides of each of the side walls 101b and 101c of the tray 101 are exposed to the cold air. This promotes cooling of the side walls 101b and 101c of the tray 101. As a result, the cooling speed of the food in the tray 101 can be further improved.

[0049] Furthermore, because width L1 is smaller than dimension L2, not all of the cold air from first air outlet 23a flows directly into tray 101. For this reason, the cold air also flows directly into cooling container 102 from first air outlet 23a without passing through tray 101. This improves the cooling speed of the ingredients in tray 101, while also allowing the ingredients in cooling container 102 to be cooled appropriately.

[0050] From the viewpoint of ensuring a sufficient amount of cold air flowing into tray 101 and accelerating the cooling speed of the food materials in tray 101, it is preferable that width L1 of tray 101 be half or more of width L2 of first air outlet 23a.

[0051] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the cooling device 1. From the viewpoint of making it easier for cold air to flow into the tray 101, it is preferable that the inflow resistance from the first air outlet 23a to the tray 101 is low. In the cooling device 1 shown in FIG. 8, in the installed state of the cooling device 1, the inclination angle of the rear wall 101e of the tray 101 with respect to the vertical direction is larger than the inclination angle of the front wall 101d with respect to the vertical direction. In other words, the angle between the rear wall 101e and the vertical direction is larger than the angle between the front wall 101d and the vertical direction. Therefore, the refrigerant flows smoothly into the tray 101 over the rear wall 101e. Therefore, the cooling speed of the food in the tray 101 can be further increased.

[0052] For example, as shown in Fig. 8, the cool air from the first air outlet 23a flows into the inside of the tray 101 along the rear wall 101e of the tray 101. The cool air moving along the rear wall 101e of the tray 101 is depicted as cool air f1. The cool air moves through the portion where the lid 113 and the bottom wall 101a face each other. The cool air moving through the portion where the lid 113 and the bottom wall 101a face each other is depicted as cool air f2.

[0053] 8, the front wall 102d is located in front of the tray 101 and reaches above the upper end of the tray 101. Therefore, the cool air moves along the front wall 101d. The cool air moving along the front wall 101d is depicted as cool air f3.

[0054] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, in the cooling device 1, a through hole 102d1 is formed in the front wall 102d, which is located in front of the tray 101 and above the tray 101 when the tray 101 is placed in front of the first air outlet 23a. Therefore, the cold air that has flowed into the tray 101 is likely to flow out of the cooling container 102 from the tray 101 through the through hole 102d1. That is, the cold air f3 flows out of the cooling container 102 from the through hole 102d1 shown in FIG. 5. Therefore, the cold air is likely to be guided to the cold air return flow path provided outside the cooling container 102 of the first freezer compartment 10. Therefore, the cold air is likely to pass through the tray 101. As a result, the cooling efficiency of the food in the tray 101 can be further improved.

[0055] In the cooling device 1, when the second cooling mode is being performed, the cold air having a low temperature and a high flow rate blown out from the first air outlet 23a is likely to reach the front wall 102d via the tray 101. Therefore, the temperature of the front wall 102d is likely to decrease. For example, the temperature of the front wall 102d is likely to become lower than the temperature of the rear wall 102e. Therefore, the front wall 102d is curved more along the width direction than the rear wall 102e. For example, the curvature of the imaginary approximate arc of the front wall 102d in a plan view is higher than the curvature of the imaginary approximate arc of the rear wall 102e. Therefore, even if the front wall 102d is cooled to a low temperature and contracts, the front wall 102d is unlikely to deform undesirably toward the rear wall 102e. In detail, in the cooling device 1, the curvature of the front wall 102d is set so that the front wall 102d is approximately parallel to the rear wall 102e when the front wall 102d is cooled to the temperature of the front wall 102d when the second cooling mode is being performed. Therefore, even when the second cooling mode is performed, the tray 101 can be easily displaced in the width direction.

[0056] In this embodiment, the width L1 is greater than the distance L4. Therefore, by positioning the tray 101 at the right end, it is possible to directly allow the cold air from the first air outlet 23a to flow into a part of the tray 101. Therefore, three cooling modes can be implemented: a mode in which the tray 101 is positioned at the left end so that the cold air from the first air outlet 23a does not flow directly into the tray 101; a mode in which the tray 101 is positioned at the right end so that the cold air from the first air outlet 23a flows into a part of the tray 101; and a mode in which the entire tray 101 is positioned in front of the first air outlet 23a so that the cold air flows into the entire tray 101.

[0057] Both of the distances L3 and L4 may be greater than the width L1. In that case, by shifting the tray 101 to the right and left sides, it is possible to reliably prevent the cool air from directly flowing into the tray 101 from the first air outlet 23a.

[0058] (Supporting Mode of Tray 101) Hereinafter, the manner in which the tray 101 is supported will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 6, the tray 101 further includes a portion 117 located forward of the front wall 101d and a portion 118 located rearward of the rear wall 101e.

[0060] The portion 117 is connected to the front wall 101d at its upper end. The portion 117 is provided with abutment portions 117A at its lower end. Specifically, the lower edge of the portion 117 is provided with a plurality of abutment portions 117A along the width direction. The abutment portions 117A are located above the bottom wall 101a.

[0061] The portion 118 is connected to the rear wall 101e at its upper end. The portion 118 is provided with abutment portions 118A at its lower end. Specifically, the lower edge of the portion 118 is provided with a plurality of abutment portions 118A along the width direction. The abutment portions 118A are located above the bottom wall 101a.

[0062] 5, a guide portion 128 is provided on the front wall 102d of the cooling container 102. The guide portion 128 has a surface extending in a substantially horizontal direction. The guide portion 128 is provided so as to extend from one end portion of the front wall 102d in the width direction to the other end portion.

[0063] A guide portion 127 is provided on the rear wall 102e of the cooling container 102. The guide portion 127 has a surface that extends in a substantially horizontal direction. The guide portion 127 is provided so as to extend from one end portion of the rear wall 102e in the width direction to the other end portion.

[0064] Tray 101 is formed in a shape that allows it to be installed with abutment portion 117A of portion 117 abutting on guide portion 128, and abutment portion 118A of portion 118 abutting on guide portion 127. Tray 101 is capable of sliding in the width direction within cooling container 102 by abutment portion 117A sliding on guide portion 128 and abutment portion 118A sliding on guide portion 127.

[0065] (Mark S) 4 and 5, the cooling device 1 is provided with a mark S. The mark S indicates a position corresponding to at least one end in the width direction of the first air outlet 23a. The mark S may be provided, for example, at a position substantially equal to the width direction position of at least one end in the width direction of the first air outlet 23a, or may be provided, for example, at a position a predetermined distance outward or inward in the width direction from the one end.

[0066] Since the mark S is provided in the cooling device 1, the tray 101 can be easily and reliably positioned in front of the first air outlet 23a using the mark S as a guide.

[0067] From the viewpoint of realizing easier and more reliable positioning of the tray 101 in front of the first air outlet 23a, it is preferable that the mark S indicates positions corresponding to both one end and the other end in the width direction of the first air outlet 23a. In this case, for example, even if a part of the mark S is hidden or difficult to see by an object to be cooled placed in the cooling container 102, the tray 101 can be easily positioned. The mark S may be provided from one end to the other end in the width direction of the first air outlet 23a, or may be provided from a predetermined distance inside from one end in the width direction of the first air outlet 23a to a predetermined distance inside from the other end.

[0068] Specifically, in this embodiment, the mark S includes a first mark S1 and a second mark S2. One of the first mark S1 and the second mark S2 is provided at a position corresponding to one end of the first air outlet 23a in the width direction, and the other is provided at a position corresponding to the other end of the first air outlet 23a in the width direction. By placing the tray 101 between the first mark S1 and the second mark S2, the user of the cooling device 1 can reliably place the tray 101 in front of the first air outlet 23a.

[0069] The shape and dimensions of the marks S1 and S2 are not particularly limited. The marks S1 and S2 may be, for example, polygonal such as a triangle, dot-like, circular, elliptical, or oval. From the viewpoint of visibility, it is preferable that the marks S1 and S2 are elongated in such a way that the height dimension is greater than the width dimension.

[0070] The mark S may be, for example, a sticker or the like that is affixed or adhered to the inner surface of the cooling container 102, or may be formed in a concave or convex shape on the wall surface of the cooling container 102.

[0071] In the present embodiment, an example in which the mark S includes a plurality of marks has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The mark S may be, for example, a single mark. For example, a single mark S may be formed from one end to the other end in the width direction of the first air outlet 23a.

[0072] Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the first air outlet 23a. As shown in Fig. 9, the housing 5 is provided with a wall portion 230 that defines the first air outlet 23a. The wall portion 230 includes an upper wall 231 located above the first air outlet 23a, a lower wall 232 located below the first air outlet 23a, and a pair of side walls 233, 234 located outside the first air outlet 23a in the width direction.

[0073] A cutout 232a is formed in the lower wall 232. The cutout 232a is provided so as to straddle the inner and outer sides of the tray 101 in the width direction when the tray 101 is placed at the center of the first air outlet 23a in the width direction. Specifically, the cutout 232a is provided so as to straddle the side wall 101c of the tray 101 in the width direction. The cutout 232a allows the cold air with a high specific gravity to easily flow downward, so that in this embodiment, the cooling of the side wall 101c is further promoted. As a result, the cooling speed of ingredients and the like placed in the tray 101 can be further improved.

[0074] FIG. 10 is a table G1 showing temperature changes in the tray 101 of this embodiment and in the tray of Comparative Example 1. The tray of Comparative Example 1 does not have the top wall of this embodiment. The horizontal axis of Table G1 indicates time. The farther away from the vertical axis of the horizontal axis of Table G1 is the more time has passed. The vertical axis of Table G1 indicates temperature. The farther away from the horizontal axis of the vertical axis of Table G1 is the higher the temperature. Table G1 includes a solid line C1 and a dashed line C2. The solid line C1 indicates the temperature change in the tray 101 having the lid 113. The dashed line C2 indicates the temperature change in the tray of Comparative Example 1. Table G1 also includes timing t1 and timing t2. Timing t1 indicates the time when the second cooling mode is started. Timing t2 indicates the time when the second cooling mode is ended.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 10, the temperature of the tray 101 of this embodiment and the temperature of the tray of Comparative Example 1 before timing t1 are substantially the same temperature. Next, the temperature of the tray 101 of this embodiment after timing t1 is lower than the temperature of the tray of Comparative Example 1. Furthermore, the temperature of the tray 101 of this embodiment becomes lower earlier than the temperature of the tray of Comparative Example 1. Then, the temperature of the tray 101 of this embodiment after timing t2 is lower than the temperature of the tray of Comparative Example 1. Furthermore, the temperature of the tray 101 of this embodiment rises slower than the temperature of the tray of Comparative Example 1.

[0076] Modifications of the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below. In the following description, components having substantially the same functions as those described in the present embodiment will be referred to by the same reference numerals, and the description of the present embodiment will be used. In the modification, only the parts different from the present embodiment will be described, and the description of the present embodiment will be used for the other parts.

[0077] [Variation 1] 11 is a perspective view showing a tray 101 according to a first modified example of the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the lid 113 is fixed to the first side wall 101b and the second side wall 101c, but this is not limited thereto. The tray 101 of the first modified example is mainly different from the tray 101 of the present embodiment in that the lid 113 is movable in the front-rear direction.

[0078] The lid 113 of the tray 101 according to the first modification is movable in the front-rear direction between the front and rear ends of the tray 101. Depending on the position of the lid 113, the area of ​​the cool air inlet and the area of ​​the cool air outlet can be changed.

[0079] Specifically, as the lid 113 moves toward the front wall 102d, the area of ​​the rear end of the opening 101H becomes larger and the area of ​​the front end of the opening 101H becomes smaller. Also, as the lid 113 moves toward the rear wall 102e, the area of ​​the front end of the opening 101H becomes larger and the area of ​​the rear end of the opening 101H becomes smaller.

[0080] For example, the larger the area of ​​the rear end of the opening 101H exposed from the lid 113, the larger the amount of cold air flowing into the tray 101. The amount of cold air flowing out from the front end of the opening 101H is smaller than the amount of cold air flowing in from the rear end of the opening 101H. Therefore, the time that the cold air can be held in the tray 101 is longer. Therefore, the food in the tray 101 can be cooled more quickly. Also, when the lid 113 is located on the rear side of the opening 101H, the area of ​​the front part of the opening 101H exposed from the lid 113 can be reduced. Therefore, for example, even if the door 11 of the first freezer compartment 10 is opened and warm air flows in, the warm air is unlikely to flow into the tray 101. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the temperature inside the tray 101 from rising. As a result, for example, the temperature change of the cooling object placed in the tray 101 can be suppressed. For example, when frozen food is placed in the tray 101, the temperature of the frozen food is unlikely to change, so the quality of the food is unlikely to deteriorate.

[0081] On the other hand, the smaller the area of ​​the rear end of opening 101H exposed from lid 113 is, the less likely cold air will enter tray 101. For example, if frozen food is placed in tray 101 and cold air continuously flows into tray 101, the quality of the frozen food may deteriorate due to contact between the cold air and the frozen food. For example, the moisture content of the frozen food may become too low. The frozen food may suffer from so-called freezer burn. From the viewpoint of preventing freezer burn, it is preferable to place lid 113 at the rear and reduce the area of ​​the portion of opening 101H located behind lid 113. This is because the inflow of cold air can be prevented.

[0082] In this embodiment, the lid 113 is provided so as to be displaceable in the front-rear direction, so that the lid 113 can be displaced from a state in which the lid 113 is disposed at the front side so that cold air can easily flow into the tray 101, to a state in which the lid 113 is disposed at the rear side so that cold air cannot easily flow into the tray 101. In this way, because the lid 113 can be displaced in the front-rear direction, the degree to which cold air flows into the tray 101 can be adjusted.

[0083] Also, the lid 113 and the tray 101 may be provided such that a portion of the lid 113 engages with a portion of the tray 101 so that the lid 113 can be fixed to the tray 101 at a predetermined position in the front-rear direction.

[0084] 12 is table G2 showing temperature changes in tray 101 of modified example 1 of this embodiment and in a tray of comparative example 2. In lid 113 of tray 101 of modified example 1, the length of the cool air inlet in the front-rear direction is longer than the length of the cool air outlet in the front-rear direction. Specifically, first end 105 of lid 113 is in contact with front wall 101d. The tray of comparative example 2 does not have the lid of this embodiment.

[0085] The horizontal axis of Table G2 indicates time. The further away from the vertical axis of Table G2 the horizontal axis, the more time has passed. The vertical axis of Table G2 indicates temperature. The further away from the horizontal axis of Table G2 the vertical axis, the higher the temperature. Table G2 includes a solid line C3 and a dashed line C4. The solid line C3 indicates the temperature change in the tray 101 of Modification 1. The dashed line C4 indicates the temperature change in the tray of Comparative Example 2. Table G2 also includes timing t3 and timing t4. Timing t3 indicates the time when defrosting begins. Timing t4 indicates the time when defrosting ends.

[0086] 12, the temperature of the tray 101 in Modification 1 before timing t3 and the temperature of the tray in Comparative Example 2 are substantially the same temperature. Next, the temperature of the tray 101 in Modification 1 after timing t3 is lower than the temperature of the tray in Comparative Example 2. Furthermore, the temperature of the tray 101 in Modification 1 rises slower than the temperature of the tray in Comparative Example 2. Then, the temperature of the tray 101 in Modification 1 after timing t4 is substantially the same as the temperature of the tray in Comparative Example 2.

[0087] During defrosting, there is a risk that air heated by the defrost heater will flow into the freezer compartment. In the first modification, the inlet can be closed by the lid 113, so that it is possible to reduce the inflow of relatively high-temperature air into the tray 101. This reduces the change in temperature of the cooled food ingredients caused by air at a temperature higher than the room temperature of the first freezer compartment 10. Also, even if the area of ​​the inlet is reduced, it is possible to reduce the inflow of air warmed by the dehumidifying heater into the tray 101.

[0088] [Variations 2 to 4] Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing a tray 101 according to Modification 2 of this embodiment. Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view that typically shows a cross section of the tray 101 shown in Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view that typically shows a cross section of the tray 101 according to Modification 3 of this embodiment. Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view that typically shows a cross section of the tray 101 according to Modification 4 of this embodiment.

[0089] The tray 101 of the second to fourth modifications differs from the tray 101 of this embodiment mainly in that the cover 113 is inclined.

[0090] As shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the lid 113 of the second modification has a portion that is inclined in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the lid 113 has a portion that is inclined downward from the rear side to the front side. More specifically, substantially the entire lid 113 in the front-rear direction is configured with an inclined surface that is inclined downward from the rear side to the front side. Therefore, cold air easily flows into the tray 101 from the rear side of the lid 113, and cold air is unlikely to flow out of the tray 101. Therefore, the residence time of the cold air in the tray 101 can be extended. As a result, the cooling speed in the tray 101 can be increased.

[0091] The upper surface of the lid 113 may be, for example, flat.

[0092] Also, like lid 113 of Modification 3, the upper surface of lid 113 may be curved. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 15, the upper surface of lid 113 is curved. That is, lid 113 has a curvature in the front-to-rear direction. Also, like lid 113 of Modification 4, the upper surface of lid 113 may be curved and convex or concave downward. Also, a part of lid 113 may be an inclined portion inclined with respect to the front-to-rear direction, and the remaining portion may be a horizontal portion extending in the front-to-rear direction.

[0093] [Variation 5] 17 is a perspective view showing a tray 101 according to Modification 5 of this embodiment. In the tray 101 of Modification 5, the first side wall 101b and the second side wall 101c each have a through hole.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 17, the first side wall 101b and the second side wall 101c are formed with through holes 115 and 116. The through holes 115 and 116 are formed in the side walls 101b and 101c so as to be located forward of the front end of the lid 113 arranged at the rearmost side of the tray 101. It is preferable that the through holes 115 and 116 are provided so as to be located forward of the front end of the tray 101 in a mode in which the rear end of the tray 101 is exposed from the lid 113 and the front end of the tray 101 is also exposed from the lid 113. In this case, the cold air that flows into the tray 101 and flows under the lid 113 flows out of the tray 101 not only from the part of the opening 101H located forward of the lid 113 but also from the through holes 115 and 116. Therefore, the efficiency of exhausting the cold air from the tray 101 can be improved. Therefore, the efficiency of ventilation of the cold air in the internal space of the tray 101 can be improved. As a result, the cooling speed of the object to be cooled in the tray 101 can be further improved.

[0095] In addition, the cool air that has flowed into the tray 101 is more likely to flow into the area of ​​the cooling chamber outside the tray 101. Therefore, the cooling speed in the area of ​​the cooling chamber outside the tray 101 can also be increased.

[0096] The through holes 115, 116 formed in the side walls 101b, 101c are not particularly limited as long as they penetrate the side walls 101b, 101c in the thickness direction. As shown in FIG. 17, the through holes 115, 116 may reach the upper end sides of the side walls 101b, 101c. That is, the through holes may be slits, for example. For example, as in the following modified example shown in FIG. 18, the periphery of the through hole may be surrounded by the side walls. When the through hole is a slit, it is preferable that the through hole has a shape in which the dimension in the front-rear direction decreases downward. The through hole may be, for example, approximately V-shaped or approximately U-shaped in a plan view.

[0097] The through hole may be formed in only one of the pair of side walls.

[0098] [Variation 6] Fig. 18 is a perspective view showing a tray 101 according to a sixth modified example of this embodiment. In the sixth modified example shown in Fig. 18, the through-hole 132 provided in each of the pair of side walls 101b, 101c includes a plurality of through-holes 132a, 132b. In other words, in this modified example, a plurality of through-holes 132a, 132b are formed in each of the pair of side walls 101b, 101c. The number of through-holes formed in each of the side walls 101b, 101c is, for example, preferably 5 or less, and more preferably 3 or less.

[0099] In this modification, the lid 113 is provided so as to be immovable relative to the tray 101. The rear end of the opening 101H is exposed from the lid 113, and the other portion is covered by the lid 113. The front end of the opening 101H is covered by the lid 113.

[0100] At least one of the front wall 101d and the lid 113 has through holes 133 and 134. Thus, even in this modification in which the front end of the opening 101H is covered by the lid 113, at least one of the side walls 101b and 101c, the front wall 101d, and the lid 113 has through holes 132, 133, and 134, so that the cool air that flows into the tray 101 from the rear side of the lid 113 can flow out of the tray 101 through the through holes 132, 133, and 134. Thus, the cool air can pass through the internal space of the tray 101.

[0101] In a mode in which the lid 113 covers the front end of the opening 101H, from the viewpoint of allowing cool air to pass through the internal space of the tray 101, it is sufficient that a through hole is formed in at least one of the side walls 101c, 101b, the front wall 101d, and the lid 113. From the viewpoint of promoting the supply of cool air to the entire internal space of the tray 101, it is preferable that a through hole is formed in the front wall 101d, or that a through hole reaching the front end is formed in at least one of the side walls 101b, 101c, and the lid 113.

[0102] Hereinafter, a more detailed description will be given of specific embodiments of the through holes formed in the tray 101 and the lid 113 in this modified example.

[0103] A plurality of through holes 132a, 132b are formed in each of the side walls 101b, 101c. Each of the through holes 132a, 132b has an elongated shape along the up-down direction. Specifically, each of the through holes 132a, 132b has a rectangular shape extending along the up-down direction. The multiple through holes 132a, 132b are arranged at intervals from each other along the front-rear direction (depth direction).

[0104] A plurality of through holes 133a to 133d are formed in the front wall 101d. Each of the through holes 133a to 133d has an elongated shape extending along the up-down direction. Specifically, each of the through holes 133a to 133d has a rectangular shape extending along the up-down direction. Each of the through holes 133a to 133d reaches the upper end side of the front wall 101d. The through holes 133a to 133d are arranged at intervals from one another in the width direction (left-right direction).

[0105] A plurality of through holes 134a to 134d are formed in the lid 113. The through holes 134a to 134d reach the front end side of the lid 113. The through holes 134a to 134d are provided at positions corresponding to the positions of the through holes 133a to 133d. The through holes 134a to 134d are connected to the through holes 133a to 133d and provided integrally. It is preferable that the through holes 134a to 134d include a portion located forward of the rear end of the through hole 132 provided in the side walls 101b and 101c. In this modification, the entire through holes 134a to 134d are located forward of the rear end of the through hole 132 provided in the side walls 101b and 101c.

[0106] It is not necessary that the through hole provided in the lid 113 reaches the front end side of the lid 113. The lid 113 may have a through hole formed therein that does not reach the front end side of the lid 113.

[0107] The number of through holes 133 provided in the front wall 101d and the number of through holes 134 provided in the lid 113 are preferably greater than the number of through holes 132 provided in the side walls 101b and 101c. The total area of ​​the through holes 133 provided in the front wall 101d and the through holes 134 provided in the lid 113 is preferably greater than the total area of ​​the through holes 132 provided in the side walls 101b and 101c.

[0108] As a further modification of this modification, there may be a modification in which the front wall is not provided.

[0109] [Variation 7] Fig. 19 is a perspective view showing a tray 101 according to Modification 7 of this embodiment. Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view that typically shows a cross section of the tray 101 shown in Fig. 19.

[0110] In the above embodiment and modified example, an example has been described in which the lid 113 is provided from one end to the other end in the width direction of the opening 101H. In other words, an example has been described in which the lid 113 covers the entire width direction of the opening 101H. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. In the present invention, it is sufficient that the lid covers at least a part of the opening of the tray body, and it is not necessarily required that the lid cover the entire opening.

[0111] As shown in Figs. 19 and 20, in this modification, the lid 113 covers at least one of both ends of the opening 101H in the width direction. In detail, the lid 113 covers each of both ends of the opening 101H in the width direction. In this modification as well, the cold air that flows into the tray 101 from the opening 101H is prevented from flowing out of the tray 101 in the front-rear direction in the area where the lid 113 is provided. Therefore, the cold air can easily flow throughout the entire internal space of the tray 101. Therefore, the cooling speed of the object to be cooled placed on the tray 101 can be effectively improved.

[0112] In this modification, the lid 113 has a lid piece 121 extending from the side wall 101b toward the center in the width direction, and a lid piece 122 extending from the side wall 101c toward the center in the width direction. Each of the lid pieces 121, 122 is curved plate-shaped. Specifically, each of the lid pieces 121, 122 is curved plate-shaped with a center of curvature located closer to the center in the width direction than the lid pieces 121, 122 when viewed from the front-rear direction. The tip portions of the lid pieces 121, 122 are located closer to the center in the width direction than the side walls 101b, 101c.

[0113] The shape of the lid pieces 121, 122 is not necessarily limited to a curved plate shape. The lid pieces 121, 122 may be, for example, a flat plate shape extending obliquely upward toward the center in the width direction.

[0114] [Variation 8] Fig. 21 is a perspective view showing the tray 101 according to the modified example 8 of this embodiment. Fig. 22 is another perspective view showing the tray 101 according to the modified example 8 of this embodiment.

[0115] In the above embodiment and modified example, the lid 113 is not deformable. In the modified example 8, the lid 113 is deformable. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 21 and FIG. 22, the lid 113 is deformable between a first state in which the dimension in the front-rear direction is short and a second state in which the dimension in the front-rear direction is long. In detail, the lid 13 has a plurality of lid pieces 113a, 113b. Each of the plurality of lid pieces 113a, 1113b is provided so as to cover the entire opening 101H in the width direction. At least one of the plurality of lid pieces 113a, 113b is slidable along the front-rear direction. For example, in a state in which at least two of the plurality of lid pieces 113a, 113b are positioned so as to overlap in a portion in the front-rear direction, the front-rear dimension of the lid 113 is reduced. In view of this, the smaller the dimension in the front-to-rear direction of the overlapping portion of at least two of the multiple lid pieces 113a, 113b, the longer the dimension in the front-to-rear direction of the opening 101H covered by the lid 113. In other words, the length in the front-to-rear direction of the portion of the opening 101H exposed from the lid 113 becomes longer, resulting in a larger area.

[0116] In a configuration in which all of the multiple lid pieces 113a, 113b overlap in the front-rear direction, the overall dimension of lid 113 in the front-rear direction is less than the dimension of opening 101H in the front-rear direction. Lid 113 may be configured so that lid 113 can cover the entire opening 101H by reducing the overlapping portion of the multiple lid pieces. In this case, lid 113 may be configured in a configuration in which multiple lid pieces overlap to increase the cooling speed of the object to be cooled in tray 101, and lid 113 may be configured in a spread-out configuration to suppress the inflow of cold air into tray 101 and suppress cold air burn of the object to be cooled.

[0117] The multiple lid pieces 113a, 113b may have the same length in the front-rear direction, or may include lid pieces with different lengths in the front-rear direction. Also, the multiple lid pieces 113a, 113b may have the same thickness, or may include lid pieces with different thicknesses.

[0118] The embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be implemented in various aspects without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. In addition, various disclosures can be formed by appropriately combining multiple components disclosed in each of the above modifications. For example, some components may be deleted from all components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, components across different modifications may be appropriately combined. The drawings are mainly shown schematically for ease of understanding, and the thickness, length, number, spacing, etc. of each component shown in the drawings are different from the actual ones due to the convenience of drawing. In addition, the speed, material, shape, dimensions, etc. of each component shown in the above embodiments are examples and are not particularly limited, and various modifications are possible within a range that does not substantially deviate from the configuration of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] 1: Cooling device 10: First freezer 23a: 1st outlet 101: Tray 101a: Bottom wall 101f: A pair of side walls 102a: Bottom wall 111: Tray body 113: Lid 121: First cover piece 122: Second cover piece

Claims

1. A tray that can be positioned in front of an outlet port for blowing out cold air in a cooling chamber of a cooling device, a tray body having a space that opens upward; a lid for covering at least a portion of the opening of the tray body; A tray comprising:

2. The tray of claim 1 , wherein the lid has a dimension in the front-to-rear direction that is shorter than a dimension in the front-to-rear direction of the opening.

3. The tray of claim 2 , wherein the lid is securable with at least one of a front end and a rear end of the opening exposed.

4. The tray of claim 1, wherein the lid is deformable so that its dimension in the front-to-back direction changes, and when the dimension in the front-to-back direction is at its smallest, the dimension of the lid in the front-to-back direction is shorter than the dimension of the opening in the front-to-back direction.

5. The tray of claim 4 , wherein the lid is capable of covering the entire opening.

6. The tray according to claim 1 , wherein the lid is capable of covering the entire width of the opening.

7. The tray body includes a pair of side walls provided on both sides of the opening in a width direction, The tray of claim 1, wherein the lid has a first lid piece extending from one of the pair of side walls toward the other side, and a second lid piece extending from the other of the pair of side walls toward the one side and spaced apart from the first lid piece.

8. The tray of claim 1 , wherein the lid has a portion that is inclined in the front-to-rear direction.

9. The tray body includes a pair of side walls provided on both sides of the opening in a width direction, The tray according to claim 1 , wherein a through hole is formed in a front portion of at least one of the pair of side walls.

10. A tray according to any one of claims 1 to 9; an apparatus body in which the cooling chamber and the air outlet opening into the cooling chamber are formed; Equipped with The cooling device, wherein the tray is positionable in front of the air outlet.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • refrigerator

    JP3490379B2