Refrigerator

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator that can keep a cooling function by restraining inhibition of heat transfer caused by frost formation on a cooler.SOLUTION: A refrigerator comprises: a storage chamber; a cooler chamber provided behind the storage chamber, and provided with a cooler for generating cold air for cooling the storage chamber; a suction port for establishing communication between the storage chamber and the cooler chamber, and sucking air in the storage chamber into the cooler chamber; and a ventilation part provided in a place where a wind speed is slower than a wind speed in the suction port, in the cooler chamber, and for guiding the air to the cooler.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a refrigerator. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a refrigerator in which an inner box constituting the rear wall of a cooling chamber in which a cooler is disposed has a recessed portion recessed toward the rear, and a partition constituting the front wall of the cooling chamber has a recessed portion recessed toward the front. These recessed portions are formed in positions corresponding to the vicinity of the lower portion of the cooler. The lower portion of the cooler tends to have a larger amount of frost due to the downward flow of moisture than the upper portion, so by providing these recessed portions, it is intended to suppress the obstruction of air flow caused by frost. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-054133 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the conventional configuration, the installation position of the recess is set at the bottom of the cooler, focusing on the amount of frost in the vertical direction in the cooler due to the flow of water downward. Therefore, in the conventional configuration, the installation position of the recess does not fully consider frost on the cooler caused by factors other than the flow of water downward, so there is room for improvement in terms of suppressing the inhibition of heat transfer due to frost on the cooler.

[0005] Therefore, the present embodiment provides a refrigerator capable of suppressing the inhibition of heat transfer caused by frost on the cooler and maintaining the cooling function. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The refrigerator of the embodiment comprises a storage compartment, a cooler compartment located behind the storage compartment and equipped with a cooler that generates cold air for cooling the storage compartment, an intake port that connects the storage compartment to the cooler compartment and draws air from within the storage compartment into the cooler compartment, and a ventilation section that is provided in a location within the cooler compartment where the wind speed is slower than the wind speed at the intake port and that guides air to the cooler. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of a configuration of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a configuration of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a structure around a freezer cooler of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an arrangement of a plurality of cooling fins that constitute a part of a freezing cooler in a refrigerator according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a freezing and cooling unit of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a structure around a freezer cooler of a refrigerator according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, a number of embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that substantially the same elements in each embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0009] (First embodiment) First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, refrigerator 1 is configured to have multiple storage compartments inside refrigerator body 10, which is a vertically long rectangular box with an open front. In the following description, the open side of refrigerator body 10 is referred to as the front side of refrigerator 1, and the side opposite the opening is referred to as the rear side of refrigerator 1. Also, the up-down direction with respect to the direction of gravity when refrigerator 1 is placed on the floor in the position shown in Fig. 1 is referred to as the up-down direction of refrigerator 1. The left-right direction when refrigerator 1 is viewed from the front is referred to as the left-right direction of refrigerator 1, that is, the width direction, and the front-rear direction of refrigerator 1 is referred to as the depth direction of refrigerator 1.

[0010] The refrigerator 1 is mainly composed of a refrigerator body 10. The refrigerator body 10 is composed of a rectangular box body having thermal insulation properties and an open front. The refrigerator body 10 is mainly composed of an outer box 101 made of a steel plate and an inner box 102 made of a synthetic resin. Between the outer box 101 and the inner box 102, a thermal insulation material such as rigid foamed urethane, which is an example of a foamed insulation material, or a vacuum insulation panel, which is an example of a thermal insulation member, is provided.

[0011] The refrigerator body 10 is divided into a plurality of storage compartments for storing items. The refrigerator 1 includes, for example, a refrigeration compartment 11, a vegetable compartment 12, an ice-making compartment 13, a small freezer compartment 14, and a freezer compartment 15 as storage compartments. The refrigeration compartment 11 and the vegetable compartment 12 are all storage compartments in the refrigeration temperature range, and are cooled to, for example, about 1 to 5°C. On the other hand, the ice-making compartment 13, the small freezer compartment 14, and the freezer compartment 15 are storage compartments in the freezing temperature range, and are cooled to, for example, -18°C or lower. The refrigeration temperature range and the freezing temperature range are temperature ranges suitable for storing items in a refrigerated or frozen state.

[0012] The refrigerator compartment 11 is provided on the top level of the refrigerator body 10. The vegetable compartment 12 is provided below the refrigerator compartment 11. The ice-making compartment 13 and the small freezer compartment 14 are provided side by side on the left and right below the vegetable compartment 12. The freezer compartment 15 is provided below the ice-making compartment 13 and the small freezer compartment 14, that is, on the bottom level of the refrigerator body 10.

[0013] The refrigerator 1 includes a right-side refrigerator door 21a, a left-side refrigerator door 21b, a vegetable door 22, an ice-making door 23, a small freezer door 24, and a freezer door 25. Each of the doors 21a to 25 is formed by, for example, filling a heat insulating material inside a frame member made of metal or synthetic resin. The right-side refrigerator door 21a and the left-side refrigerator door 21b are, for example, hinged double doors that open and close the front opening of the refrigerator compartment 11. The refrigerator 1 is not limited to a configuration that includes double doors 21a and 21b, and may be a configuration that includes a so-called single-opening door. The vegetable door 22, the ice-making door 23, the small freezer door 24, and the freezer door 25 are all drawer-type doors that open and close the front openings of the vegetable compartment 12, the ice-making compartment 13, the small freezer compartment 14, and the freezer compartment 15, respectively. Although details are not shown, the vegetable compartment 12, the ice making compartment 13, the small freezer compartment 14, and the freezer compartment 15 each have containers that can be removed and inserted integrally with the vegetable compartment door 22, the ice making compartment door 23, the small freezer compartment door 24, and the freezer compartment door 25, respectively.

[0014] The refrigerator compartment 11 is provided with a special compartment 16. The special compartment 16 is configured to be able to maintain a temperature range within the refrigerator compartment 11 that is different from the refrigeration temperature range that is the temperature range of most of the refrigerator compartment 11. The special compartment 16 can be configured as a chilled compartment, for example, the inside of which can be maintained in a so-called chilled temperature range of around 0°C. The special compartment 16 is provided at the lowest level within the refrigerator compartment 11.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 2, the refrigerator body 10 has an insulating partition wall 17 and a non-insulating partition wall 18. The insulating partition wall 17 vertically separates the storage compartments 11 and 12 in the refrigerating temperature range from the storage compartments 13, 14, and 15 in the freezing temperature range in an insulated state. The non-insulating partition wall 18 vertically separates the refrigerator compartment 11 and the vegetable compartment 12 in the refrigerating temperature range storage compartments 11 and 12 without insulating them. Therefore, the refrigerator compartment 11 and the vegetable compartment 12 are thermally connected to each other.

[0016] The refrigerator 1 includes a refrigeration cycle 30 as shown in FIG. 2. The refrigeration cycle 30 is not shown in detail because it is a well-known configuration, but includes a compressor 31, a refrigeration cooler 32, a freezing cooler 33, a switching valve (not shown), a condenser, an expansion valve, and the like. The compressor 31 is provided, for example, in a machine room (not shown) at the bottom of the refrigerator 1. The compressor 31 compresses a refrigerant used to cool each of the storage chambers 11 to 15. The refrigerant compressed by the compressor 31 is supplied to the refrigeration cooler 32 and the freezing cooler 33. When the compressor 31 is stopped, no refrigerant is supplied to any of the coolers 32 and 33, and therefore cooling of each of the storage chambers 11 to 15 is stopped.

[0017] The refrigeration cooler 32, together with the refrigeration blower 34, is provided behind the refrigerator compartment 11 and the vegetable compartment 12, which are storage compartments in the refrigeration temperature range. The refrigeration cooler 32 and the refrigeration blower 34 have the function of generating cold air for cooling the refrigerator compartment 11 and the vegetable compartment 12, and supplying the cold air into the refrigerator compartment 11 and the vegetable compartment 12. The freezer cooler 33, together with the freezer blower 35, is provided behind the ice making compartment 13, the small freezer compartment 14, and the freezer compartment 15, which are storage compartments in the freezing temperature range. The freezer cooler 33 and the freezer blower 35 have the function of generating cold air for cooling the ice making compartment 13, the small freezer compartment 14, and the freezer compartment 15, and supplying the cold air into the ice making compartment 13, the small freezer compartment 14, and the freezer compartment 15. The refrigerator 1 is not limited to the configuration including the two coolers 32, 33, and may be configured to generate cold air for cooling each of the storage chambers 11-15 using one cooler.

[0018] As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the refrigerator 1 includes a back member 41 and a partition member 42. The back member 41 and the partition member 42 are made of, for example, synthetic resin. The back member 41 is provided behind the storage chambers 13, 14, and 15 in the freezing temperature range, between the storage chambers 13, 14, and 15 and the inner box 102. The back member 41 constitutes a part of the back surface of the storage chambers 13, 14, and 15. A cold air path 51 is formed between the back member 41 and the inner box 102. The cold air path 51 is a passage for supplying cold air generated by the freezing cooler 33 into the storage chambers 13, 14, and 15. The cold air that flows into the cold air path 51 is supplied by the refrigeration blower 35 and passes through the cold air path 51.

[0019] The back member 41 has a plurality of air outlets 411. The air outlets 411 are formed penetrating the back member 41 in the thickness direction, and connect the storage chambers 13, 14, and 15 to the cold air path 51. The air outlets 411 are for supplying the cold air flowing through the cold air path 51 into the storage chambers 13, 14, and 15. The plurality of air outlets 411 are provided, for example, above and below the refrigeration blower 35, respectively, as shown in FIG.

[0020] Also, below the blow-out port 411, an intake port 412 is provided. In this case, the intake port 412 is formed at the lower part of the rear member 41 between the rear member 41 and the inner box 102. The intake port 412 is located below the cryocooler 33. The intake port 412 communicates the storage chambers 13, 14, 15 with the cold air path 51. The intake port 412 is supplied into the storage chambers 13, 14, 15 via the blow-out port 411, and serves to return the air that has passed through the storage chambers 13, 14, 15 and moisture contained in the stored items to the cryocooler 33. The cold air generated by the cryocooler 33 flows through the cold air path 51 and flows out of the blow-out port 411 into the storage chambers 13, 14, 15, as shown by the black arrow A in FIG. 3. Then, the cold air that has cooled the storage compartments 13, 14, and 15 is returned to the refrigeration cooler 33 from the intake port 412 together with moisture contained in the air and stored items in the storage compartments 13, 14, and 15, as shown by the black arrows B in FIG.

[0021] The partition member 42 is provided behind the back member 41, and divides the inside of the cold air path 51 in the front-rear direction. A refrigeration blower 35 is provided in the middle of the partition member 42. A cooler chamber 52 is formed between the partition member 42 and the inner box 102. The cooler chamber 52 is located behind the storage chambers 13, 14, and 15, and has the refrigeration cooler 33 provided therein. In other words, the partition member 42 is located in front of the refrigeration cooler 33.

[0022] The partition member 42 is located behind the outlet 411 and the inlet 412. The inlet 412 connects the storage chambers 13, 14, and 15 to the cooler chamber 52, and draws the air in the storage chambers 13, 14, and 15 into the cooler chamber 52. The partition member 42 guides the air that is drawn into the cooler chamber 52 from the inlet 412 and passes through the refrigeration cooler 33 in the vertical direction, in this case, upward. The partition member 42 also restricts the air supplied into the cooler chamber 52 from moving forward of the cooler chamber 52. The partition member 42 functions as a guide. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the lower end 421 of the partition member 42 is located at the same height as the lower end 33a of the refrigeration cooler 33.

[0023] Here, when frost forms on the cryocooler 33, it tends to start forming from the lower part of the cryocooler 33 due to the influence of the downward flow of moisture. The inventor of the present invention has focused on the wind speed near the cooler chamber 52 in addition to the downward flow of moisture with respect to frost formation on the cryocooler 33. In a normal state in which no frost forms on the cryocooler 33, frost forms on the cryocooler 33 early from a part of the cooler chamber 52 where the wind speed is fast, that is, a part where air flows easily. In a configuration in which the lower end 421 of the partition member 42 is located at the same height as the lower end 33a of the cryocooler 33 as in this embodiment, the wind speed becomes fast at a part of the lower end 33a of the cryocooler 33 closer to the front, that is, a position close to the suction port 412. For this reason, the region R1 surrounded by a dashed line in FIG. 3 is a part where frost is likely to form on the cryocooler 33. Therefore, the inventor discovered that it is possible to maintain the heat exchange efficiency in the refrigeration cooler 33 by identifying locations where frost is likely or unlikely to occur early based on the wind speed distribution near the cooler chamber 52.

[0024] Specifically, the refrigerator 1 includes a ventilation section 61. The ventilation section 61 is for guiding air in the cooler chamber 52 to the freezer cooler 33. The ventilation section 61 is provided in the cooler chamber 52 at a location where the wind speed is slower than the wind speed of the suction port 412. In this case, the ventilation section 61 is provided at the lower end 33a of the freezer cooler 33, for example, on the opposite side to the side facing the partition member 42, that is, the side facing the back surface of the inner box 102. In this way, by providing the ventilation section 61 at a location in the cooler chamber 52 where the wind speed is slow, that is, a location where frost is unlikely to form early, when frost develops from a location where the wind speed is faster than around the ventilation section 61, the ventilation section 61 can bypass the air flow. In other words, the ventilation section 61 has a function of bypassing air when frost develops in the freezer cooler 33. The ventilation section 61 can maintain the heat exchange efficiency in the freezer cooler 33.

[0025] Next, the configuration of the refrigeration cooler 33 will be described in detail. The refrigeration cooler 33 has an end plate 331, a refrigerant pipe 332, and a plurality of cooling fins 333. As shown in FIG. 4, the end plate 331 is provided at both ends of the refrigeration cooler 33 in the left and right direction. The end plate 331 is composed of a plate-shaped member along the up-down direction and the front-rear direction. The refrigerant pipe 332 is made of aluminum, for example, and the refrigerant supplied from the compressor 31 flows through it. The refrigerant pipe 332 is formed to meander in the left-right direction, and is composed of multiple stages, for example, four stages, in the up-down direction. The left-right folded-back parts of the refrigerant pipe 332 are located outside each end plate 331.

[0026] The refrigerant pipe 332 has a refrigerant inlet 332a and a refrigerant outlet 332b. The refrigerant inlet 332a is an inlet through which the refrigerant flows in. The refrigerant outlet 332b is an outlet through which the refrigerant flows out. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the refrigerant inlet 332a is provided at the lower part of the refrigeration cooler 33 and on the rear side. In this case, the refrigerant inlet 332a is provided close to the ventilation section 61. That is, the refrigerant inlet 332a is provided between the suction port 412 and the ventilation section 61 and at a position closer to the ventilation section 61 than the suction port 412. The refrigerant outlet 332b is provided near the upper part of the refrigeration cooler 33 and on the front side. The refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 332 flows from the rear to the front between the refrigerant inlet 332a and the refrigerant outlet 332b as shown by the black arrow C in Fig. 5.

[0027] The cooling fins 333 are made of, for example, aluminum and are configured as plate-shaped members along the up-down direction and the front-rear direction. The cooling fins 333 function as heat dissipation parts. The cooling fins 333 are provided between the two end plates 331 at intervals in the left-right direction. The cooling fins 333 are provided at, for example, equal intervals in the left-right direction. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, the interval Lp between the cooling fins 333 adjacent in the left-right direction is set to, for example, greater than 5 mm. The cooling fins 333 may be provided at unequal intervals in the left-right direction. The cooling fins 333 are configured in multiple stages, for example, four stages, in the up-down direction. The number of stages of the cooling fins 333 is not limited to four stages. The cooling fins 333 are attached to the cooling fins 333 by passing through them.

[0028] 5, in the multiple cooling fins 333 arranged vertically, the length L1 in the front-rear direction of the lowest cooling fin 333a is set to be shorter than at least the length L2 in the front-rear direction of the cooling fin 333b adjacent to the upper tier of the lowest tier. In addition, the front positions of the lowermost cooling fin 333a and the cooling fin 333b adjacent to the upper tier of the lowermost tier coincide with each other in the front-rear direction. In other words, the lowermost cooling fin 333a and the cooling fin 333b adjacent to the upper tier of the lowermost tier are configured to form a step shape in the vertical direction on the rear side.

[0029] The length L2 of the cooling fin 333b in the front-rear direction is equal to the length L of the refrigeration cooler 33 in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the length L1 of the cooling fin 333a in the front-rear direction of the lowest stage is shorter than the length L of the refrigeration cooler 33 in the front-rear direction. This allows the air sucked into the cooler chamber 52 from the suction port 412 to contact the rear surface of the cooling fin 333a in the lowest stage. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the range Ra in which the air sucked into the cooler chamber 52 from the suction port 412 contacts the refrigeration cooler 33 can be made wider than the length L of the refrigeration cooler 33 in the front-rear direction. Note that the length of the cooling fins 333 in the front-rear direction of each stage arranged vertically may be gradually increased from bottom to top, so that the entire cooling fin 333 has a step-like shape in the vertical direction.

[0030] In such a configuration, the ventilation section 61 is provided in a space formed between the rear surface of the lowest cooling fin 333a, the rear surface of the inner box 102, and the lower surface of the cooling fin 333b adjacent to the uppermost cooling fin 333b, as shown in Fig. 3. In this case, the dimension Lb in the front-rear direction of the ventilation section 61 is greater than the dimension obtained by subtracting the length L1 of the cooling fin 333a from the length L2 of the cooling fin 333b.

[0031] Here, the thickness of the frost at the stage where the heat exchange function of the cryocooler 33 is significantly reduced due to frost formation is about 3 mm. Therefore, in this embodiment, the dimension Lb in the front-rear direction of the ventilation section 61 is set to 5 mm or more. This makes it possible to sufficiently secure an air passage through which air flows in the ventilation section 61, particularly in the early stage when frost forms on the cryocooler 33.

[0032] In addition, the air in the cooler chamber 52 tends to move to areas where the air can easily pass through, i.e., where there are large gaps. Therefore, the dimension Lb in the front-rear direction of the ventilation section 61 is set to be smaller than the interval Lp between the cooling fins 333 adjacent in the left-right direction. This makes it possible to prevent the air in the cooler chamber 52 from moving excessively toward the ventilation section 61. Therefore, the heat exchange efficiency of the refrigeration cooler 33 can be maintained.

[0033] According to the embodiment described above, the refrigerator 1 includes the storage compartments 13, 14, and 15, the cooler compartment 52, the intake port 412, and the ventilation section 61. The cooler compartment 52 is located behind the storage compartments 13, 14, and 15, and is provided with the freezer cooler 33 that generates cold air for cooling the storage compartments 13, 14, and 15. The intake port 412 connects the storage compartments 13, 14, and 15 to the cooler compartment 52, and draws air from the storage compartments 13, 14, and 15 into the cooler compartment 52. The ventilation section 61 is provided in the cooler compartment 52 at a location where the wind speed is slower than the wind speed of the intake port 412, and serves to guide air to the freezer cooler 33.

[0034] Here, frost tends to form on the cryocooler 33 from a location in the cooler chamber 52 where the wind speed is faster. Therefore, by providing the ventilation section 61 in a location in the cooler chamber 52 where the wind speed is slower than the wind speed of the intake port 412, when frost forms on the cryocooler 33, it is possible to maintain the air flow via the ventilation section 61. This makes it possible to suppress the inhibition of heat transfer caused by frost on the cryocooler 33 and maintain the cooling function.

[0035] The refrigerator 1 further includes a partition member 42. The partition member 42 is located in front of the freezer cooler 33, and guides in the vertical direction the air that is sucked into the cooler chamber 52 from the suction port 412 and passes through the freezer cooler 33. The suction port 412 is located below the freezer cooler 33. The lower end portion 421 of the partition member 42 is located at the same height as or higher than the lower end portion 33a of the freezer cooler 33.

[0036] According to this, by positioning the lower end 421 of the partition member 42 at the same height or higher as the lower end 33a of the cryocooler 33, the wind speed of the air sucked in from the suction port 412 is relatively faster on the front side than on the rear side at the lower end 33a of the cryocooler 33. Therefore, the location in the cooler chamber 52 where the wind speed is slow can be identified as the rear side of the cryocooler 33. This allows the ventilation section 61 to be provided at an appropriate position.

[0037] The ventilation section 61 is located on the rear side of the cryocooler 33. By providing the ventilation section 61 on the rear side of the cryocooler 33 where the air speed in the cooler chamber 52 is slow, it is possible to maintain the flow of air through the ventilation section 61 when frost forms on the cryocooler 33. This makes it possible to maintain the cooling function.

[0038] Furthermore, the range Ra over which the air sucked into the cooler chamber 52 from the suction port 412 comes into contact with the refrigeration cooler 33 is set to be wider than the length L of the refrigeration cooler 33 in the front-rear direction. This ensures that a large amount of air comes into contact with the refrigeration cooler 33, thereby suppressing the inhibition of heat transfer due to frost formation. Furthermore, the frost adhering to the refrigeration cooler 33 can be dispersed over a wide range. This makes it possible to further maintain the cooling function.

[0039] The cryocooler 33 has a plurality of cooling fins 333. The plurality of cooling fins 333 are provided at intervals Lp from each other in the left-right direction. The dimension Lb of the ventilation section 61 in the front-rear direction is smaller than the interval Lp between the plurality of cooling fins 333. This makes it possible to suppress a decrease in the heat transfer efficiency of the cryocooler 33 and maintain the cooling function.

[0040] Furthermore, the dimension Lb in the front-rear direction of the ventilation section 61 is 5 mm or more. This ensures that a gap through which air can flow can be secured within the ventilation section 61 even if frost forms on the cryocooler 33. This allows the ventilation section 61 to fully exert its effect when the cryocooler 33 is functioning normally.

[0041] Furthermore, the cryocooler 33 has a refrigerant inlet 332a into which the refrigerant flows. The refrigerant inlet 332a is provided between the suction port 412 and the ventilation section 61 and closer to the ventilation section 61 than the suction port 412. Here, moisture tends to gather in places with low temperatures. Therefore, the refrigerant inlet 332a in the cryocooler 33 is a portion where moisture tends to gather and where frost tends to form.

[0042] Therefore, by providing the refrigerant inlet 332a near the ventilation part 61 where air does not easily pass through, it is possible to suppress the formation of frost in the part where air passes easily, and therefore the overall air flow is not easily obstructed. This suppresses the deterioration of the efficiency of heat transfer, and as a result, it is possible to maintain the cooling function.

[0043] Second embodiment Next, the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6. In the second embodiment, the installation position of the ventilation part 61 in the cooler chamber 52 is different from that of the first embodiment. Specifically, in the first embodiment, the ventilation part 61 is provided at the rear of the lower part of the cryocooler 33, that is, on the rear side of the cryocooler 33, whereas in the second embodiment, the ventilation part is provided at the front of the lower part of the cryocooler 33, that is, on the front side of the cryocooler 33. In this case, the lower end 421 of the partition member 42 is located below the lower end 33a of the cryocooler 33. In addition, in the front-rear direction, the rear surface positions of the lowermost cooling fin 333a and the cooling fin 333b adjacent to the upper part of the lowermost cooling fin coincide with each other. In other words, the lowermost cooling fin 333a and the cooling fin 333b adjacent to the upper part of the lowermost cooling fin are configured to be stepped in the up-down direction on the front side. Thus, in this embodiment, the ventilation section 61 is provided in the space formed between the front surface of the lowest cooling fin 333a, the partition member 42, and the lower surface of the cooling fin 333b adjacent to the upper tier of the lowest tier, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0044] In a configuration in which the lower end 421 of the partition member 42 is positioned below the lower end 33a of the cryocooler 33 as in this embodiment, the wind speed is faster in the rearward portion of the lower end 33a of the cryocooler 33, i.e., the portion farther from the suction port 412. For this reason, the area R2 surrounded by the dashed line in FIG. 6 is a location where frost is likely to form in the cryocooler 33. By providing the ventilation section 61 at the lower front portion of the cryocooler 33, the ventilation section 61 can bypass the air flow when frost forms on the cryocooler 33. This makes it possible to maintain the heat exchange efficiency in the cryocooler 33.

[0045] 6, in this embodiment, the refrigerant inlet 332a is provided at the lower part and on the front side of the refrigeration cooler 33. Moreover, the refrigerant outlet 332b is provided at the upper part and on the rear side of the refrigeration cooler 33. The refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 332 flows from the front to the rear between the refrigerant inlet 332a and the refrigerant outlet 332b.

[0046] According to the second embodiment, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the first embodiment. Also, the location in the cooling chamber 52 where the air speed is slow can be specified to be on the front side of the cryocooler 33. This allows the ventilation section 61 to be provided at an appropriate position. Also, by providing the ventilation section 61 on the front side of the cryocooler 33 where the air speed is slow in the cooling chamber 52, it is possible to maintain the flow of air through the ventilation section 61 when frost forms on the cryocooler 33. This allows the cooling function to be maintained.

[0047] The above-described embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1...refrigerator, 13...ice-making compartment (storage compartment), 14...small freezer compartment (storage compartment), 15...freezer compartment (storage compartment), 33...freezer cooler (cooler), 412...inlet, 52...cooler compartment, 61...ventilation section

Claims

1. A storage room; a cooler chamber located at the rear of the storage chamber and including a cooler that generates cold air for cooling the storage chamber; an intake port that communicates the storage chamber with the cooler chamber and that draws air from within the storage chamber into the cooler chamber; a ventilating section provided in a location in the cooling chamber where the wind speed is slower than the wind speed of the air inlet, for guiding air to the cooling device; A refrigerator equipped with

2. A guide portion is further provided, the guide portion being located in front of the cooler and configured to guide the air that is drawn into the cooler chamber through the intake port and passes through the cooler in an up-down direction. The intake port is located below the cooler, The lower end of the induction portion is located at the same height or higher as the lower end of the cooler.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

3. The ventilation section is located on the rear side of the cooler.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2.

4. A guide portion is further provided, the guide portion being located in front of the cooler and configured to guide the air that is drawn into the cooler chamber through the intake port and passes through the cooler in an up-down direction. The intake port is located below the cooler, A lower end of the induction portion is located lower than a lower end of the cooler.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

5. The ventilation section is located on the front side of the cooler.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4.

6. A range in which the air drawn into the cooling chamber from the suction port comes into contact with the cooling device is set to be wider than the length of the cooling device in the front-rear direction.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 2 or 3.

7. The cooler has a plurality of heat dissipation sections provided at intervals in the left-right direction, A dimension of the ventilation portion in a front-rear direction is smaller than the interval between the plurality of heat dissipation portions.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

8. The front-rear dimension of the ventilation portion is 5 mm or more.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

9. the cooler has a refrigerant inlet through which the refrigerant flows; The refrigerant inlet is provided between the suction port and the ventilation portion and closer to the ventilation portion than the suction port.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

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