Cooling storage

Abstract

To provide a cooling storage capable of cooling a cooling chamber efficiently while suppressing the rotational frequency (power consumption) of a fan.SOLUTION: A cooling storage includes a housing and a duct. The housing includes a cooling chamber. The duct is mounted on the housing, extends in the height direction in the cooling chamber, and has a cold air passage inside. At the duct, a plurality of cold air blowout ports for connecting the cold air passage and the cooling chamber is provided at mutually different positions in the height direction. The plurality of cold air blowout ports includes: a first cold air blowout port; a second cold air blowout port positioned above the first cold air blowout port, and is configured to blowout larger air quantity of cold air than the air quantity of the cold air blown out from the first cold air blowout port; and a third cold air blowout port positioned above the second cold air blowout port, and is configured to blowout larger air quantity of cold air than the air quantity of the cold air blown out from the second cold air blowout port.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a refrigerator including a cooling chamber for storing and cooling items, a cooler for generating cold air, a cold air passage for guiding the cold air generated by the cooler to the cooling chamber, and a plurality of outlets for discharging the cold air from the cold air passage into the cooling chamber.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By providing a plurality of cold air outlets along the height direction in a cold air passage (duct) extending vertically in the cooling chamber, it is possible to cool foods and the like placed on each shelf in the cooling chamber. Normally, a blower fan is provided on the back surface of the cooling chamber below the cooling chamber, and the cold air heat-exchanged by the cooler on the back surface of the cooling chamber is lifted into the cooling chamber. Therefore, when the cooling chamber is large, for example, the air volume decreases as it goes to the upper stage of the cooling chamber. Therefore, in order to ensure a sufficient air volume in the upper stage of the cooling chamber, it is necessary to increase the rotation speed of the blower fan, which may increase the power consumption and noise of the fan.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator capable of efficiently cooling a cooling chamber while suppressing the rotation speed (power consumption) of a fan.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A refrigerator according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a housing and a duct. The housing has a cooling chamber. The duct is attached to the housing, extends in the height direction inside the cooling chamber, and has a cold air passage inside. The duct is provided with a plurality of cold air outlets connecting the cold air passage and the cooling chamber at positions different from each other in the height direction. The plurality of cold air outlets include a first cold air outlet, a second cold air outlet located above the first cold air outlet and configured to blow out cold air with a larger air volume than the air volume of the cold air blown out from the first cold air outlet, and a third cold air outlet located above the second cold air outlet and configured to blow out cold air with a larger air volume than the air volume of the cold air blown out from the second cold air outlet.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a refrigerator capable of efficiently cooling a cooling chamber while suppressing the rotational speed (power consumption) of a fan.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same.

[0010] <Refrigerator> In the present disclosure, the "refrigerator" means generally anything that has an internal space (cooling chamber) at a temperature lower than the outside air temperature and can lower the temperature of the stored items. The refrigerator may be, for example, a refrigerator or a freezer. The refrigerator may have only one cooling chamber or may have a plurality of cooling chambers. When the refrigerator has a plurality of cooling chambers, the plurality of cooling chambers may include at least two of a refrigerating chamber, a freezing chamber, a vegetable chamber, a chilled chamber, a partial chamber, etc.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a front view of the refrigerator 1, and FIG. 2 is a view of the refrigerator 1 from a front oblique direction. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the front door of the refrigerating chamber 11, the pull-out doors of the vegetable chamber 12 and the freezing chamber 13, and the shelf in the cooling chamber (refrigerating chamber) 11 are omitted. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view (longitudinal cross-sectional view) of the refrigerator taken along the line III-III of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the duct. FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the refrigerator 1. In FIG. 5, the rear side of the housing 5 of the refrigerator 1 is omitted. FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the duct shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the portion surrounded by the dotted line in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a rear view (FIG. 8(a)) and a partial enlarged view (FIG. 8(b)) of the duct of the refrigerator. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view (FIG. 9(a)) and a partial enlarged view (FIG. 9(b)) of the duct of the refrigerator taken along the line IX-IX of FIG. 8(a).

[0012] In this specification, the surface where the door is provided is referred to as the front or the front face of the refrigerator 1. And, based on the arrangement of the refrigerator 1 installed in the normal state with the front face as a reference, each face of the refrigerator 1 is referred to as the rear face, the upper face, the bottom face, and the side faces. Also, the direction perpendicular to the front and rear faces is referred to as the front-rear direction, the direction perpendicular to the upper and bottom faces is referred to as the up-down direction, and the direction perpendicular to both side faces is referred to as the width direction A (see Fig. 1). Note that the directions of the respective components constituting the refrigerator 1 may also be expressed based on the arrangement of this refrigerator 1.

[0013] The refrigerator 1 includes a housing 5 (heat-insulating box body) as a heat-insulating structure for thermally insulating each storage space from the surroundings. The housing 5 includes a heat-insulating layer 51 (see Fig. 3), an outer box forming the outer shape of the refrigerator 1, an inner box forming the storage space of the refrigerator 1, and the like. The heat-insulating layer 51 includes a foam heat-insulating material and a vacuum heat-insulating material, etc. The foam heat-insulating material can be formed of, for example, foamed polyurethane (also referred to as rigid urethane foam). The vacuum heat-insulating material is a thin sheet-like or plate-like heat-insulating material. The vacuum heat-insulating material is arranged, for example, on the side faces, the upper face, the bottom face, and the rear face of the refrigerator 1.

[0014] The storage space formed by the housing 5 is divided by a partition portion 2 extending in the horizontal direction into a cooling chamber (refrigerator compartment 11) on the upper stage side and other cooling chambers (vegetable compartment 12 and freezer compartment 13) on the lower stage side. Thus, the housing 5 has cooling chambers (refrigerator compartment 11, vegetable compartment 12, freezer compartment 13). In Fig. 1, the refrigerator compartment 11 is located on the upper stage side of the refrigerator 1, and the vegetable compartment 12 and the freezer compartment 13 are located on the lower stage side of the refrigerator 1, but the arrangement of each cooling chamber is not limited to this. A drawer-type storage box 11a is provided below in the refrigerator compartment 11. The drawer-type storage box 11a may be, for example, a chilled compartment or a partial compartment.

[0015] Referring to FIG. 3, a space (a space below the air blower fan 31 (and above the compressor chamber 7)) for arranging a cooler (not shown) that generates cold air is provided on the back side below the housing 5 (below the refrigerator compartment 11). Since the temperature in the compressor chamber 7 rises when the cooler is operated, the compressor chamber 7 is arranged outside the housing 5. The cooler includes a refrigeration cycle, a control unit, etc. The refrigeration cycle is composed of a compressor, a condenser, an expander, an evaporator, etc. connected via a refrigerant pipe through which the refrigerant flows.

[0016] (Cold air passage, duct) The refrigerator 1 of the present embodiment is attached to the housing 5, includes a duct 4 that extends in the height direction in the cooling chamber (refrigerator compartment 11) and has a cold air passage 3 inside.

[0017] Referring to FIG. 3, the cold air passage 3 is provided on the back side of the cooling chamber (refrigerator compartment 11, vegetable compartment 12, etc.). The cold air passage 3 guides the cold air generated in the cooler (the space below the air blower fan 31) to the upper cooling chamber (for example, the refrigerator compartment 11).

[0018] The cold air passage 3 is formed by a space surrounded by the duct 4 (cold air passage forming member) on the front side (cooling chamber side) and the heat insulating layer 51 on the back side.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 6, the duct 4 has a front portion 4a and side portions 4b. The front portion 4a is a wall portion that constitutes the front side of the cold air passage 3, and the side portions 4b are wall portions that constitute both sides in the width direction A of the cold air passage 3. At least on the back side of the duct 4 (that is, on the cold air passage 3 side), a heat insulating material is provided. The heat insulating material is formed of, for example, EPS (bead method polystyrene foam), expanded polystyrene, etc. In this way, since the cooling chamber (refrigerator compartment 11, etc.) and the cold air passage 3 are partitioned by the duct 4 including the heat insulating material, the heat insulation property in the cold air passage 3 can be enhanced, and the generation of dew condensation in the refrigerator compartment 11 can be suppressed.

[0020] On the front portion 4a of the duct 4, a plurality of openings are provided that penetrate the duct 4 to communicate the cold air passage 3 with the cooling chamber (refrigerating chamber 11). In the present embodiment, the openings function as cold air outlets 40 to 43 that blow out the cold air guided by the cold air passage 3 into the refrigerating chamber 11. That is, in the duct 4, a plurality of cold air outlets 40 to 43 that connect the cold air passage 3 and the cooling chamber 11 (outside the duct 4 in the cooling chamber 11) are provided at mutually different positions in the height direction.

[0021] The cold air passage 3 is a passage for cold air between the cold air outlets 40 to 43 of the duct 4 and the cooler (the space below the blower fan 31). The cold air passage 3 mainly extends in the vertical direction. A blower fan 31 is provided in the middle of the cold air passage 3. By the blower fan 31, the cold air generated by the cooler is sent upward through the cold air passage 3. The cold air blown into the cold air passage 3 by the blower fan 31 is supplied from the cold air outlets 40 to 43 provided on the front portion 4a of the duct 4 to the cooling chamber (refrigerating chamber 11, drawer-type storage 11a).

[0022] The plurality of cold air outlets 40 to 43 include a first cold air outlet 41, a second cold air outlet 42, and a third cold air outlet 43. The second cold air outlet 42 is located above the first cold air outlet 41, and is configured to blow out cold air with a larger air volume than the air volume of the cold air blown out from the first cold air outlet 41. The third cold air outlet 43 is located above the second cold air outlet 42, and is configured to blow out cold air with a larger air volume than the air volume of the cold air blown out from the second cold air outlet 42.

[0023] Thereby, without increasing the rotation speed of the blower fan 31, when flowing cold air through the cold air passage 3 provided with a plurality of outlets along the height direction, the amount of cold air blown out from the upper outlets can be increased. Therefore, the cooling chamber can be efficiently cooled while suppressing the rotation speed (power consumption) of the fan.

[0024] (Convex portion) Referring to FIGS. 6 to 9, the duct 4 may have a convex portion 421. The convex portion 421 is located on the cold air passage 3 side of the duct 4 (the cooling chamber 11 side of the inner surface of the duct 4) and is provided adjacent to the lower end of the second cold air outlet 42. Note that "adjacent" includes a mode in which they are spaced apart in the height direction and are close to each other. By providing such a convex portion 421, the cold air flowing from the lower side to the upper side is induced to move away from the second cold air outlet 42 in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the amount of cold air blown out from the second cold air outlet 42 can be reduced, and the amount of cold air blown out from the third cold air outlet 43 can be increased.

[0025] The convex portion 421 is preferably configured to be wider upward in a front view. Specific shapes of the convex portion 421 having such a configuration include, for example, a trapezoid with an upper side longer than the lower side (FIG. 8, etc.) and an isosceles triangle (with the top and bottom reversed), etc., but it is not limited thereto. In this case, since the cold air flowing from the lower side to the upper side is induced to avoid both sides of the second cold air outlet 42 in the width direction A, the amount of cold air blown out from the second cold air outlet 42 can be reduced, and the amount of cold air blown out from the third cold air outlet 43 can be increased.

[0026] When the convex portion 421 is provided adjacent to the lower end of the second cold air outlet 42 in this way, the area of the opening on the cooling chamber 11 side of the second cold air outlet 42 and the area of the opening on the cooling chamber 11 side of the third cold air outlet 43 may be equal.

[0027] In the refrigerator of this embodiment, the area of the opening on the cooling chamber 11 side of the third cold air outlet 43 may be larger than the area of the opening on the cooling chamber 11 side of the second cold air outlet 42. In this case, compared with the case where the areas of both openings are the same, the amount of cold air blown out from the third cold air outlet 43 can be increased with respect to the amount of cold air blown out from the second cold air outlet 42. However, even when the area of the opening on the cooling chamber 11 side of the second cold air outlet 42 is equal to the area of the opening on the cooling chamber 11 side of the third cold air outlet 43, by providing the convex portion 421 adjacent to the lower end of the second cold air outlet 42, the amount of cold air blown out from the third cold air outlet 43 can be increased relative to the amount of cold air blown out from the second cold air outlet 42.

[0028] (Hood) The duct 4 may have a hood 422. The hood 422 is located on the cold air passage 3 side of the duct 4 and includes a top wall portion 422a that covers at least a part of the second cold air outlet 42. In this case, since the amount of cold air flowing from below to above entering the second cold air outlet 42 is restricted by the hood 422, the amount of cold air blown out from the second cold air outlet 42 is reduced, and the amount of cold air blown out from the third cold air outlet 43 can be increased.

[0029] When the hood 422 has a top wall portion 422a and a side wall portion 422b located on the side of the top wall portion 422a, it is preferable that the lowermost end of the top wall portion 422a is located below the lowermost end of the side wall portion 422b. In this case, the generation of turbulent flow can be suppressed, so the pressure loss can be reduced.

[0030] When the duct 4 has the convex portion 421 and the hood 422, it is preferable that the top wall portion 422a of the hood 422 and the convex portion 421 are spaced apart in the height direction (see FIGS. 8(b) and 9(b)). While the cold air flowing from below to above is guided by the convex portion 421 to move away from the second cold air outlet 42 in the front-rear direction, a part of the cold air also enters the second cold air outlet 42 in the hood 422. Therefore, the amount of cold air blown out from the second cold air outlet 42 and the amount of cold air blown out from the third cold air outlet 43 can be appropriately maintained.

[0031] When the duct 4 has the convex portion 421 and the hood 422, The top wall portion 422a of the hood 422 includes an increasing portion 422c (R portions on both sides in the width direction A) whose dimension along the height direction increases from one end side in the width direction A toward the other side. The convex portion 421 includes an increasing portion 421c (inclined portions on both sides in the width direction A) whose dimension along the height direction increases from one end side in the width direction A toward the other side. It is preferable that the increasing portion 421c of the convex portion 421 reaches the center side of the second cold air outlet 42 in the width direction A rather than the increasing portion 422c of the top wall portion 422a (FIG. 8). In this case, generation of turbulent flow can be suppressed, and thus the pressure loss can be reduced.

[0032] Note that the duct 4 may further include another hood 432 that is located on the cold air passage 3 side of the duct 4 and has a top wall portion covering at least a part of the third cold air outlet 43.

[0033] (Another Embodiment) In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the refrigerator includes a housing 5 having a cooling chamber 11, and a duct 4 that is attached to the housing 5, extends in the height direction within the cooling chamber 11, and has a cold air passage 3 inside. A plurality of cold air outlets 40 to 43 that connect the cold air passage 3 and the cooling chamber 11 are provided at different positions in the height direction in the duct 4. The plurality of cold air outlets include a first cold air outlet (corresponding to the second cold air outlet 42 above) and a second cold air outlet (corresponding to the third cold air outlet 43 above) located above the first cold air outlet. The duct 4 has at least one of a convex portion 421 that is located on the cold air passage 3 side of the duct 4 and is provided adjacent to the lower end of the first cold air outlet (the second cold air outlet 42), and a hood that includes a top wall portion covering at least a part of the first cold air outlet (the second cold air outlet 42) and is located on the cold air passage 3 side of the duct 4. The air volume of the cold air blown out from the second cold air outlet (the third cold air outlet 43) is larger than the air volume of the cold air blown out from the first cold air outlet (the second cold air outlet 42).

[0034] The embodiments disclosed this time should be considered illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present disclosure is shown not by the above description but by the claims, and it is intended that all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims be included. Also, configurations obtained by combining the configurations of different embodiments described in this specification with each other are also included in the scope of the present disclosure.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0035] 1: Refrigerator 11: Refrigerating chamber (cooling chamber) 3: Cold air passage 4: Duct 40: Cold air outlet (First) cold air outlet (Second) cold air outlet (Third) cold air outlet 421: Protrusion 421c: Gradually increasing portion 422: Hood 422a: Top wall portion 422b: Side wall portion 422c: Gradually increasing portion 5: Housing A: Width direction

Claims

1. A housing having a cooling chamber, a duct attached to the housing, extending in the height direction within the cooling chamber, and having a cold air passage therein, comprising: a plurality of cold air outlets for connecting the cold air passage and the cooling chamber are provided at mutually different positions in the height direction in the duct, the plurality of cold air outlets are a first cold air outlet, a second cold air outlet located above the first cold air outlet and configured to blow out cold air with a larger air volume than the air volume of the cold air blown out from the first cold air outlet, a third cold air outlet located above the second cold air outlet and configured to blow out cold air with a larger air volume than the air volume of the cold air blown out from the second cold air outlet, a refrigerator including the above.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the duct has a convex portion located on the cold air passage side of the duct and provided adjacent to the lower end of the second cold air outlet.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the area of the opening on the cooling chamber side of the second cold air outlet is equal to the area of the opening on the cooling chamber side of the third cold air outlet.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the duct has a hood including a ceiling portion located on the cold air passage side of the duct and covering at least a part of the second cold air outlet.

5. The hood further has a side wall portion located on the side of the ceiling portion, The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the lowermost end of the ceiling portion is located below the lowermost end of the side wall portion.

6. The duct further has a hood including a ceiling portion covering at least a part of the second cold air outlet on the cold air passage side of the duct, The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the ceiling portion and the convex portion are spaced apart in the height direction.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the convex portion is configured to be wider upward in a front view.

8. The duct further has a hood including a ceiling portion covering at least a part of the second cold air outlet on the cold air passage side of the duct, the ceiling portion includes a gradually increasing portion in which the dimension along the height direction gradually increases from one end side in the width direction to the other side, the convex portion includes a gradually increasing portion in which the dimension along the height direction gradually increases from one end side in the width direction to the other side, The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the gradually increasing portion of the convex portion reaches the center side of the second cold air outlet in the width direction with respect to the gradually increasing portion of the top wall portion.

9. A housing having a cooling chamber; A duct attached to the housing, extending in the height direction in the cooling chamber, and having a cold air passage inside; Comprising: A plurality of cold air outlets connecting the cold air passage and the cooling chamber are provided at mutually different positions in the height direction in the duct; The plurality of cold air outlets include a first cold air outlet and a second cold air outlet located above the first cold air outlet; The duct has at least one of a convex portion located on the cold air passage side of the duct and adjacent to the lower end of the first cold air outlet, and a hood including a top wall portion located on the cold air passage side of the duct and covering at least a part of the first cold air outlet; A refrigerator in which the air volume of the cold air blown out from the second cold air outlet is larger than the air volume of the cold air blown out from the first cold air outlet.

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