Cooling device

Abstract

To provide a cooling device which can inhibit defrosting water dropping from a cooler from being heated to generate evaporation sound without providing a cover above a heater and providing the heater at a position shifted to the rear side from a rear surface of the cooler or to the front side from a front surface of the cooler.SOLUTION: A cooling device according to an embodiment includes: a cooler for generating cool air; and a heating device for heating the cooler. The heating device has a first heating unit located below the cooler and a second heating unit located below the first heating unit. A temperature of the first heating unit is lower than a temperature of the second heating unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention relates to a cooling device. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, cooling devices such as refrigerators and freezers are known that are equipped with a heater below a cooler that generates cold air and are configured to perform a defrosting operation to heat and remove frost that has adhered to the cooler using the heater. However, this type of cooling device has a problem in that defrosted water that falls from the cooler during the defrosting operation comes into contact with the heater, causing evaporation noise.

[0003] Therefore, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a configuration has been considered in which a cover is provided above the heater to prevent defrost water dropping from the cooler from contacting the heater. Also, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, a configuration has been considered in which the heater is provided behind the rear surface of the cooler or in front of the front surface of the cooler to prevent defrost water dropping from the cooler from contacting the heater. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 60-30979 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-31438 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, with the configuration of Patent Document 1, the cover makes it difficult for heat generated from the heater to be transferred to the cooler, which reduces the defrosting efficiency of the cooler. Also, with the configuration of Patent Document 2, the heater is located away from the cooler, which makes it difficult for heat generated from the heater to be transferred to the cooler, which reduces the defrosting efficiency of the cooler.

[0006] Therefore, this embodiment provides a cooling device that can prevent defrosted water that falls from the cooler from being heated and generating evaporation noise, without having to provide a cover above the heater or position the heater behind the rear surface of the cooler or in front of the front surface of the cooler. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The cooling device of this embodiment comprises a cooler that generates cold air and a heating device that heats the cooler, and the heating device has a first heating section located below the cooler and a second heating section located below the first heating section, and is capable of lowering the temperature of the first heating section below the temperature of the second heating section. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a freezer according to a first embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a freezer according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a front view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a cooler and a sheathed heater device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a control system for a freezer according to a first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram (part 1) illustrating a schematic configuration example of a sheathed heater device according to a first embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram (part 2) illustrating a schematic configuration example of a sheathed heater device according to the first embodiment; [Figure 7]FIG. 10 is a side view schematically illustrating a configuration example of a cooler and a sheathed heater device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a side view schematically showing an example of the configuration of a cooler and a sheathed heater device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 9] 10A to 10C are diagrams schematically illustrating an example of a method for manufacturing a cooling fin of a cooler according to a third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a side view schematically showing a configuration example of a cooler and a sheathed heater device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a side view schematically illustrating a configuration example of a cooler and a sheathed heater device according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 12] 13A to 13C are diagrams schematically illustrating an example of a method for manufacturing a cooling fin of a cooler according to a fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, a number of embodiments of the cooling device will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that substantially the same elements in the number of embodiments will be given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0010] (First embodiment) The freezer 1 illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is an example of a cooling device, and is configured to have one storage compartment inside a freezer body 10 that is a vertically long rectangular box with an open front. In the following description, the open side of the freezer body 10 will be referred to as the front side of the freezer 1, and the side opposite the opening will be referred to as the rear side of the freezer 1. Furthermore, the up-down direction of the freezer 1 will be the up-down direction relative to the direction of gravity when the freezer 1 is installed on the floor or the like in the orientation illustrated in Figure 2. Furthermore, the left-right direction when viewing the freezer 1 from the front will be referred to as the left-right direction of the freezer 1, i.e., the width direction, and the front-to-back direction of the freezer 1 will be referred to as the depth direction of the freezer 1.

[0011] The freezer 1 is mainly composed of a freezer body 10. The freezer body 10 is a rectangular box with an open front and insulating properties. As shown in FIG. 2, the freezer body 10 is mainly composed of an outer box 10a made of steel plate and an inner box 10b made of synthetic resin. Between the outer box 10a and the inner box 10b, an insulating material such as rigid foamed urethane, which is an example of a foam insulating material, or a vacuum insulating panel, which is an example of an insulating member, is provided.

[0012] The freezer main body 10 has a storage compartment 11 for storing items. The storage compartment 11 is configured to be switchable between a refrigerated temperature range and a freezing temperature range. The refrigerated temperature range is, for example, a temperature range of about 1 to 5°C. On the other hand, the freezing temperature range is, for example, a temperature range of -18°C or below. The refrigerated temperature range is a temperature range suitable for storing items in a refrigerated state. The freezing temperature range is a temperature range suitable for storing items in a frozen state. The storage compartment 11 may be divided into multiple compartments in the vertical or horizontal direction of the freezer 1 by shelves or storage containers not shown.

[0013] The freezer 1 includes a back member 12, a door 13, an operation display device 14, and the like. The back member 12 is made of, for example, synthetic resin. The back member 12 is located behind the storage chamber 11, between the storage chamber 11 and the inner box 10b. The back member 12 forms part of the back surface of the storage chamber 11. The door 13 is formed, for example, by filling a heat insulating material inside a frame member made of metal or synthetic resin. The back member 12 has an air outlet 121. The air outlet 121 is formed by penetrating the back member 12 in the thickness direction. Multiple air outlets 121 can be provided. An air inlet 122 is provided below the air outlet 121. The air inlet 122 is located, for example, in the lower part of the back member 12, between the back member 12 and the inner box 10b.

[0014] Door 13 is, for example, a single-wing door, and opens and closes the opening at the front of storage compartment 11. Door 13 may also be a hinged double-door. Operation and display device 14 is provided, for example, on the front side of the top surface of freezer body 10. Operation and display device 14 may also be provided, for example, on the surface of door 13. Operation and display device 14 is equipped with an operation unit and a display unit (not shown), and accepts input operations by the user regarding the operation details of freezer 1, and displays the input operation details and operating status, etc. Input operations regarding the operation details of freezer 1 include operations to switch between refrigeration operation, which maintains the temperature range of storage compartment 11 in the refrigeration temperature range, and freezing operation, which maintains the temperature range of freezer 1 in the freezing temperature range.

[0015] The freezer 1 is equipped with a refrigeration cycle 20. Because the refrigeration cycle 20 is a well-known configuration, detailed illustration thereof is omitted. However, the refrigeration cycle 20 includes a compressor 21, a cooler 22, and a condenser and an expansion valve (not shown). The compressor 21 is provided, for example, in a machine compartment formed at the bottom of the freezer 1. The compressor 21 compresses a refrigerant used to cool the storage compartment 11. The refrigerant compressed by the compressor 21 is supplied to the cooler 22 via a condenser (not shown). As a result, the cooler 22 cools the surrounding air to generate cold air, which cools the storage compartment 11. Furthermore, when the compressor 21 is stopped, the refrigerant is not supplied to the cooler 22, and cooling of the storage compartment 11 is stopped.

[0016] Cooler 22 is provided behind storage chamber 11 together with blower 23. Cooler 22 and blower 23 have the function of generating cold air for cooling storage chamber 11 and supplying the cold air into storage chamber 11. In other words, blower 23 blows the cold air generated by cooler 22 into storage chamber 11. Cooler 22 has a refrigerant pipe 221 and a plurality of cooling fins 222. Refrigerant pipe 221 and a plurality of cooling fins 222 are made of, for example, aluminum.

[0017] The refrigerant supplied from the compressor 21 flows through the refrigerant pipe 221. The refrigerant pipe 221 is formed to snake in the left-right direction and is configured in multiple stages in the up-down direction. The refrigerant pipe 221 is configured so that the refrigerant flows, for example, from the bottom to the top. In this case, the inlet through which the refrigerant flows into the refrigerant pipe 221 is provided at the bottom of the cooler 22, and the outlet through which the refrigerant flows out of the refrigerant pipe 221 is provided at the top of the cooler 22.

[0018] The multiple cooling fins 222 are composed of plate-shaped members that extend in the up-down and front-rear directions. Refrigerant pipes 221 are attached to and pass through the cooling fins 222. The cooling fins 222 function as heat dissipation sections. The multiple cooling fins 222 are divided into multiple stages in the up-down direction. The multiple cooling fins 222 that make up each stage are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, a cold air path 31 is formed between the back member 12 and the inner box 10b. The cold air path 31 is located on the rear side of the storage chamber 11. A cooler 22 and a blower 23 are provided in the cold air path 31. The cold air path 31 is a passage for supplying the cold air generated by the cooler 22 into the storage chamber 11. The cold air that flows into the cold air path 31 is blown by the blower 23 and passes through the cold air path 31. In the cold air path 31, the cooler 22 is located upstream of the blower 23. In other words, the blower 23 is located downstream of the cooler 22. The downstream side means the downstream side in the air flow of the cold air path 31, and the upstream side means the upstream side in the air flow of the cold air path 31.

[0020] The cold air generated by cooler 22 passes through cool air path 31 and flows out from outlet 121 into storage chamber 11. Then, the cold air that has cooled storage chamber 11 is returned to cooler 22 from inlet 122 together with moisture contained in the air and stored items in storage chamber 11. In this case, outlet 121 is used to supply the cold air flowing through cool air path 31 into storage chamber 11. Inlet 122 is used to return to cooler 22 the air that has been supplied into storage chamber 11 via outlet 121 and that has passed through storage chamber 11, moisture contained in stored items, and the like.

[0021] 3, the freezer 1 is provided with a sheathed heater device 100 below the cooler 22. The sheathed heater device 100 is an example of a heating device for heating the cooler 22, and as is well known, is configured such that an electric heating wire, such as a nichrome wire, is disposed inside a pipe made of metal, such as aluminum, and an insulating material is filled between the pipe and the electric heating wire.

[0022] The sheathed heater device 100 is formed in a serpentine shape in the left-right direction below the cooler 22, and is configured in multiple stages in the up-down direction. At least a portion of the sheathed heater device 100 is located below the cooler 22, and more specifically, an upper heating section 101, an intermediate heating section 102, and a lower heating section 103, which extend in the left-right direction, are located below the cooler 22.

[0023] The upper heating section 101 is an example of a first heating section, and is arranged below the cooler 22 at a position closest to the cooler 22 among the upper heating section 101, intermediate heating section 102, and lower heating section 103. In other words, the upper heating section 101 is arranged below the cooler 22 at the uppermost position among the upper heating section 101, intermediate heating section 102, and lower heating section 103. The upper heating section 101 extends linearly in the left-right direction of the freezer 1.

[0024] The intermediate heating section 102 is an example of a second heating section, and is arranged below the upper heating section 101. In other words, the intermediate heating section 102 is arranged at a position second closest to the cooler 22 among the upper heating section 101, the intermediate heating section 102, and the lower heating section 103. In further other words, the intermediate heating section 102 is arranged below the cooler 22 at a position second highest among the upper heating section 101, the intermediate heating section 102, and the lower heating section 103. The intermediate heating section 102 also extends linearly in the left-right direction of the freezer 1.

[0025] The lower heating section 103 is an example of a second heating section, and is disposed below the upper heating section 101 and the intermediate heating section 102. In other words, the lower heating section 103 is disposed at a position farthest from the cooler 22 among the upper heating section 101, the intermediate heating section 102, and the lower heating section 103. In further other words, the lower heating section 103 is disposed at a position below the cooler 22 that is the lowest among the upper heating section 101, the intermediate heating section 102, and the lower heating section 103. The lower heating section 103 extends along the left-right direction of the freezer 1, and has a shape in which the central portion in the left-right direction is bent downward.

[0026] The control unit 40 shown in Fig. 4 is mainly composed of, for example, a microcomputer, and can control the overall operation of the freezer 1 based on a control program, setting information, etc. The control unit 40 is electrically connected to the operation and display device 14, the compressor 21, the blower 23, the sheathed heater device 100, etc. The control unit 40 can perform a defrosting operation in which the sheathed heater device 100 heats and removes frost adhering to the cooler 22.

[0027] The freezer 1 is configured so that the temperature of the upper heating section 101 can be made lower than the temperatures of the intermediate heating section 102 and the lower heating section 103. Next, several configuration examples for making the temperature of the upper heating section 101 lower than the temperatures of the intermediate heating section 102 and the lower heating section 103 will be described.

[0028] That is, according to the configuration example shown in Figure 5, the sheathed heater device 100 is configured so that the heat generation amount per unit length L of the upper heating section 101 is smaller than the heat generation amount per unit length L of the intermediate heating section 102 and the heat generation amount per unit length L of the lower heating section 103.

[0029] More specifically, the sheathed heater device 100 has a configuration in which the heating wire 104 is partially wound in a coil shape inside a pipe that forms the outer shell. The coiled portion of the heating wire 104 forms a heat-generating portion 104a where heat generation is promoted. On the other hand, the straight portion of the heating wire 104 that is not coiled forms a non-heat-generating portion 104b where heat generation is suppressed.

[0030] The upper heating section 101 has two heat generating sections 104a, the middle heating section 102 has three heat generating sections 104a, and the lower heating section 103 has six heat generating sections 104a. Therefore, in the sheathed heater device 100, the lower heating section 103, which has the greatest number of heat generating sections 104a, has the greatest heat generation amount per unit length L, the upper heating section 101, which has the fewest number of heat generating sections 104a, has the smallest heat generation amount per unit length L, and the middle heating section 102, which has an intermediate number of heat generating sections 104a, has a heat generation amount per unit length L intermediate between the upper heating section 101 and the lower heating section 103. The length of the unit length L can be changed and set as appropriate.

[0031] Furthermore, in the configuration example shown in Figure 6, the sheathed heater device 100 is configured so that the heat generation amount per unit length L of the upper heating section 101 is smaller than the heat generation amount per unit length L of the intermediate heating section 102 and the heat generation amount per unit length L of the lower heating section 103.

[0032] More specifically, the sheathed heater device 100 is configured such that the heating wire 104 is wound in a coil shape at least in the upper heating section 101, the intermediate heating section 102, and the lower heating section 103. However, the sheathed heater device 100 is configured such that the number of turns of the heating wire 104 is different in the upper heating section 101, the intermediate heating section 102, and the lower heating section 103. In other words, the sheathed heater device 100 is configured such that the line densities of the heating wire 104 are different in the upper heating section 101, the intermediate heating section 102, and the lower heating section 103.

[0033] That is, the upper heating section 101 has the fewest number of turns of the heating wire 104, the lower heating section 103 has the most number of turns of the heating wire 104, and the intermediate heating section 102 has an intermediate number of turns of the heating wire 104 between those of the upper heating section 101 and the lower heating section 103. Therefore, in the sheathed heater device 100, the lower heating section 103, which has the most number of turns of the heating wire 104, has the greatest heat generation amount per unit length L, the upper heating section 101, which has the fewest number of turns of the heating wire 104, has the smallest heat generation amount per unit length L, and the intermediate heating section 102, which has an intermediate number of turns of the heating wire 104, has an intermediate heat generation amount per unit length L between those of the upper heating section 101 and the lower heating section 103.

[0034] As described above, in both the configuration example of Figure 5 and the configuration example of Figure 6, the sheathed heater device 100 is configured so that the heat generation amount per unit length L of the upper heating section 101 is smaller than the heat generation amount per unit length L of the intermediate heating section 102 and the heat generation amount per unit length L of the lower heating section 103.In other words, the temperature of the upper heating section 101 is lower than the temperature of the intermediate heating section 102 and the temperature of the lower heating section 103.

[0035] According to this configuration example, even if defrost water that has dropped from the cooler 22 during defrosting operation comes into contact with the sheathed heater device 100, the defrost water will come into contact with the upper heating section 101, which is located at the top of the sheathed heater device 100 and has a relatively low temperature, and is less likely to come into contact with the intermediate heating section 102 and the lower heating section 103, which are located below the upper heating section 101 and have a relatively high temperature. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the defrost water from evaporating and generating evaporation noise, and even if evaporation noise does occur, the volume of the evaporation noise can be reduced.

[0036] However, if the temperature of the upper heating section 101 closest to the cooler 22 is lowered, there is a concern that the efficiency of heat transfer from the sheathed heater device 100 to the cooler 22 will decrease, making it difficult to sufficiently defrost the cooler 22. In other words, there is a concern that the defrosting ability of the sheathed heater device 100 for the cooler 22 will decrease. For this reason, the freezer 1 of the present disclosure is ingeniously designed to ensure good heat transfer from the sheathed heater device 100 to the cooler 22 even when configured with a lower temperature for the upper heating section 101.

[0037] That is, as shown in Fig. 3, the sheathed heater device 100 includes a plurality of heat conduction plates 110A, 110B, and 110C. The heat conduction plates 110A, 110B, and 110C are an example of a heat transfer member capable of transferring heat generated by the sheathed heater device 100 to the outside of the sheathed heater device 100, and are formed into a plate shape made of a metal such as aluminum. The heat conduction plates 110A, 110B, and 110C have the same thickness, but may have different thicknesses. Furthermore, the heat conduction plates 110A, 110B, and 110C each have a different vertical dimension.

[0038] That is, the heat conduction plate 110A has the shortest vertical dimension among the heat conduction plates 110A, 110B, and 110C. The lowermost refrigerant pipe 221 of the cooler 22 is inserted into the upper end of the heat conduction plate 110A. The upper heating part 101 is inserted into the lower end of the heat conduction plate 110A.

[0039] Among the heat conduction plates 110A, 110B, and 110C, the heat conduction plate 110B has a longer vertical dimension than the heat conduction plate 110A and a shorter vertical dimension than the heat conduction plate 110C. The lowermost refrigerant pipe 221 of the cooler 22 is inserted into the upper end of the heat conduction plate 110B. The upper heating part 101 is inserted into the middle part of the heat conduction plate 110B. The middle heating part 102 is inserted into the lower end of the heat conduction plate 110B.

[0040] Furthermore, the heat conduction plate 110C has the longest vertical dimension among the heat conduction plates 110A, 110B, and 110C. When viewed from the front side of the freezer 1, the heat conduction plate 110C arranged on one side in the left-right direction, in this case the left side, has the lowermost refrigerant pipe 221 of the cooler 22 inserted at its upper end, the upper heating section 101 and the intermediate heating section 102 inserted at its middle section, and the lower heating section 103 inserted at its lower end. When viewed from the front side of the freezer 1, the heat conduction plate 110C arranged on the other side in the left-right direction, in this case the right side, has the lowermost refrigerant pipe 221 of the cooler 22 inserted at its upper end, and the lower heating section 103 inserted at its lower end.

[0041] The heat conduction plates 110A and 110B are provided as separate components from the cooling fins 222 that constitute the cooler 22. On the other hand, the heat conduction plate 110C is provided integrally with the cooling fins 222 that are arranged at both left and right ends of the cooler 22, that is, cooling fins that are so-called "end plates". Note that the heat conduction plates 110A and 110B may be provided integrally with the cooling fins 222 that constitute the cooler 22. Furthermore, the heat conduction plate 110C may be provided as a separate component from the cooling fins 222 that constitute the cooler 22.

[0042] The heat conduction plate 110A is disposed at a position closest to the center in the left-right direction of the cooler 22 and the sheathed heater device 100. On the other hand, the heat conduction plate 110C is disposed at a position farthest from the center in the left-right direction of the cooler 22 and the sheathed heater device 100. The heat conduction plate 110B is disposed between the heat conduction plate 110A and the heat conduction plate 110C.

[0043] The plurality of heat conduction plates 110A, 110B, 110C are arranged at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction. The intervals between the plurality of heat conduction plates 110A, 110B, 110C may be the same or different.

[0044] According to the above configuration example, the upper heating section 101 is provided with two heat conduction plates 110A, two heat conduction plates 110B, and one heat conduction plate 110C, i.e., a total of five heat conduction plates 110. The intermediate heating section 102 is provided with two heat conduction plates 110B and one heat conduction plate 110C, i.e., a total of three heat conduction plates 110. The lower heating section 103 is provided with two heat conduction plates 110C, i.e., a total of two heat conduction plates 110.

[0045] In other words, the number of heat conduction plates 110 provided per unit length L of the upper heating section 101 is greater than the number of heat conduction plates 110 provided per unit length L of the intermediate heating section 102. In addition, the number of heat conduction plates 110 provided per unit length L of the upper heating section 101 is greater than the number of heat conduction plates 110 provided per unit length L of the lower heating section 103.

[0046] The heat transfer capacity from the upper heating section 101, which is provided with a total of five heat conduction plates 110, to the cooler 22 is greater than the heat transfer capacity from the intermediate heating section 102, which is provided with a total of three heat conduction plates 110, to the cooler 22. Also, the heat transfer capacity from the upper heating section 101, which is provided with a total of five heat conduction plates 110, to the cooler 22 is greater than the heat transfer capacity from the lower heating section 103, which is provided with a total of two heat conduction plates, to the cooler 22.

[0047] That is, in the freezer 1, the number of heat conduction plates 110 provided per unit length L of the upper heating section 101 is greater than the number of heat conduction plates 110 provided per unit length L of the intermediate heating section 102, and is also greater than the number of heat conduction plates 110 provided per unit length L of the lower heating section 103. As a result, the freezer 1 is configured such that the heat transfer capacity of the heat conduction plates 110 provided in the upper heating section 101 is greater than the heat transfer capacity of the heat conduction plates 110 provided in the intermediate heating section 102 and the lower heating section 103.

[0048] According to this configuration example, even in a configuration in which the temperature of the upper heating section 101 is low, the efficiency of heat transfer from the upper heating section 101 to the cooler 22 can be maintained or improved by being reinforced by the heat transfer capacity of the heat conduction plate 110. Therefore, even in a configuration in which the temperature of the upper heating section 101 is low, heat can be transferred well from the sheathed heater device 100 to the cooler 22. Furthermore, since the heat transfer from the upper heating section 101 to the cooler 22 can be promoted, heat can be easily removed from the upper heating section 101, making it easier to maintain the upper heating section 101 at a low temperature.

[0049] When the material, thickness, cross-sectional area, etc. of the multiple heat conduction plates 110A, 110B, 110C are the same, the efficiency of heat transfer from the sheathed heater device 100 to the cooler 22 can be maintained or improved by adjusting the number of heat conduction plates 110 per unit length L. However, if the total value of the heat transfer amount per unit time by all the heat conduction plates provided in the upper heating section 101 is greater than the total value of the heat transfer amount per unit time by all the heat conduction plates provided in the intermediate heating section 102 and the lower heating section 103, the transfer of heat from the upper heating section 101 to the cooler 22 can be promoted, and heat can be more easily removed from the upper heating section 101. Therefore, instead of or in addition to adjusting the number of heat conduction plates 110, the freezer 1 may be configured to promote the transfer of heat from the upper heating section 101 to the cooler 22 and make it easier to remove heat from the upper heating section 101, for example, by making the materials, thicknesses, or cross-sectional areas of the multiple heat conduction plates 110 different.

[0050] According to the freezer 1 exemplified above, it is possible to make the temperature of the upper heating section 101, which is the section of the sheathed heater device 100 closest to the cooler 22, lower than the temperatures of the intermediate heating section 102 and the lower heating section 103. According to this configuration example, defrost water that drops from the cooler 22 during defrosting operation comes into contact with the upper heating section 101, which is located at the top of the sheathed heater device 100 and has a relatively low temperature, and therefore it is possible to prevent the defrost water from evaporating and generating evaporation noise. Furthermore, even if evaporation noise occurs, the volume of the evaporation noise can be reduced.

[0051] Therefore, according to the freezer 1, it is possible to sufficiently prevent the defrosted water that falls from the cooler 22 from being heated and generating evaporation noise, without having to install a cover above the sheathed heater device 100 or install the sheathed heater device 100 in a position that is behind the rear surface of the cooler 22 or in front of the front surface of the cooler 22.

[0052] Furthermore, according to the freezer 1, the sheathed heater device 100 has a heat conduction plate 110 capable of conducting heat to the outside of the sheathed heater device 100. The heat conduction capacity of the heat conduction plate 110 provided in the upper heating section 101 is greater than the heat conduction capacity of the heat conduction plates 110 provided in the intermediate heating section 102 and the lower heating section 103. According to this configuration example, even if the temperature of the upper heating section 101 is lowered, the efficiency of heat transfer from the upper heating section 101 to the cooler 22 can be maintained or improved, and ultimately, heat can be transferred well from the entire sheathed heater device 100 to the cooler 22.

[0053] Furthermore, according to the freezer 1, the number of heat conduction plates 110 provided per unit length L of the upper heating section 101 is greater than the number of heat conduction plates 110 provided per unit length L of the intermediate heating section 102 and the number of heat conduction plates 110 provided per unit length L of the lower heating section 103. This makes it easier to realize a configuration in which the heat conduction capacity of the heat conduction plates 110 provided in the upper heating section 101 is greater than the heat conduction capacity of the heat conduction plates 110 provided in the intermediate heating section 102 and the lower heating section 103.

[0054] Furthermore, in the freezer 1, the amount of heat generated per unit length L of the upper heating section 101 is smaller than the amount of heat generated per unit length L of the intermediate heating section 102 and the amount of heat generated per unit length L of the lower heating section 103. This configuration example can further suppress the generation of evaporation noise caused by the defrost water coming into contact with the upper heating section 101, and even if evaporation noise occurs, the volume of the evaporation noise can be further reduced.

[0055] (Second embodiment) 7, the cooler 22, the upper heating section 101, and the lower heating section 103 overlap in the vertical direction. The diameter of the upper heating section 101 is larger than the diameter of the lower heating section 103. That is, the area H1 where the cooler 22 and the upper heating section 101 overlap in the vertical direction is wider than the area H2 where the cooler 22 and the lower heating section 103 overlap in the vertical direction. The areas H1 and H2 are areas in the front-to-rear direction of the freezer 1.

[0056] In this configuration example, the distance from the heating wire 104, which is the heat source, to the pipe 105 that forms the surface of the upper heating section 101 is longer than that of the lower heating section 103. Therefore, the sheathed heater device 100 is configured so that the temperature of the upper heating section 101 is lower than the temperature of the lower heating section 103.

[0057] According to this configuration example, the upper heating section 101 functions like a cover for the lower heating section 103. Therefore, even if defrost water dropping from the cooler 22 during defrosting operation comes into contact with the sheathed heater device 100, the defrost water comes into contact with the upper heating section 101, which is located at the top of the sheathed heater device 100 and has a relatively low temperature, and is less likely to come into contact with the lower heating section 103, which is located below the upper heating section 101 and has a relatively high temperature. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the defrost water from evaporating and generating an evaporation noise. Even if an evaporation noise does occur, the volume of the evaporation noise can be reduced. In the configuration example of FIG. 7, the freezer 1 may or may not include the intermediate heating section 102. In addition, the freezer 1 may be configured so that the diameter of the upper heating section 101 is longer than the diameter of the lower heating section 103, and the temperature of the upper heating section 101 may be made lower than the temperature of the lower heating section 103 by applying the method illustrated in the first embodiment described above, i.e., the configuration illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 or the configuration including heat conduction plates 110A, 110B, and 110C.

[0058] (Third embodiment) 8, the cooler 22 has a lower end portion, which is the end portion on the sheath heater device 100 side, that slopes downward from the front to the rear. The cooler 22 also has a first portion 22a at the lower end portion, which is the end portion on the sheath heater device 100 side. The first portion 22a is located in the center of the cooler 22 in the front-to-rear direction. The first portion 22a is also located below the refrigerant pipe 221.

[0059] The cooler 22 also has a second portion 22b at its lower end, which is the end on the sheathed heater device 100 side, that is closer to the sheathed heater device 100 in the vertical direction than the first portion 22a. That is, the second portion 22b is provided at a lower position than the first portion 22a. In this case, the second portion 22b is provided at the rear end of the cooler 22 in the front-to-rear direction. When viewed in the vertical direction, the second portion 22b is located rearward of the rear end of the heating section 141 that constitutes the sheathed heater device 100, that is, it is provided at a position that does not overlap with the sheathed heater device 100.

[0060] According to this configuration example, the defrost water W generated from the cooler 22 flows rearward along the slope of the lower end of the cooler 22 and drips from the second portion 22b. This makes it difficult for the defrost water dripping from the cooler 22 to come into contact with the sheath heater device 100, making it possible to suppress the generation of evaporation noise, and even if evaporation noise does occur, the volume of the evaporation noise can be reduced.

[0061] The cooler 22 may have a configuration in which the lower end, which is the end on the sheath heater device 100 side, is inclined downward from the rear to the front. That is, the second portion 22b may be provided at the front end in the front-to-rear direction of the cooler 22. The second portion 22b may also be provided at both the front end and the rear end in the front-to-rear direction of the cooler 22.

[0062] 9, the cooling fins 222 of the cooler 22 shown in FIG. 8 can be mass-produced without waste by cutting a single long metal material. Therefore, it is possible to provide a freezer 1 that can suppress the generation of evaporation noise while keeping manufacturing costs down.

[0063] (Fourth embodiment) According to the configuration example shown in FIG. 10, the sheathed heater device 100 has a plurality of heating units 141, in this case two, below the cooler 22. The plurality of heating units 141 are dispersedly arranged in front of and behind the center of the cooler 22 in the front-to-rear direction. In other words, the sheathed heater device 100 is configured such that no heating unit 141 is arranged below the refrigerant pipe 221. The front heating unit 141 is arranged behind the front end of the cooler 22. The rear heating unit 141 is arranged forward of the rear end of the cooler 22. The plurality of heating units 141 are arranged at the same height position. Note that the plurality of heating units 141 may be arranged at different height positions.

[0064] The defrost water W generated from the cooler 22 is likely to drip from the lower portion of the refrigerant pipe 221, i.e., the central portion in the front-to-rear direction of the cooler 22, or the front and rear ends of the cooler 22. In contrast, the sheathed heater device 100 does not have a heating unit 141 disposed below the central portion in the front-to-rear direction of the cooler 22, which is below the refrigerant pipe 221. Furthermore, the sheathed heater device 100 does not have a heating unit 141 disposed below the front and rear ends of the cooler 22. Therefore, according to the configuration example illustrated in FIG. 10, the defrost water W dripping from the cooler 22 can be made less likely to come into contact with the sheathed heater device 100, which can suppress the generation of evaporation noise. Furthermore, even if evaporation noise occurs, the volume of the evaporation noise can be reduced.

[0065] (Fifth embodiment) 11, the cooler 22 has a central portion 22c in the front-to-rear direction of the lower end portion, which is the end portion on the sheathed heater device 100 side, that protrudes downward in a tapered shape. The central portion 22c is located below the refrigerant pipe 221. Furthermore, the sheathed heater device 100 has multiple heating units 151, in this case two, disposed below the cooler 22, distributed to the front and rear of the central portion in the front-to-rear direction.

[0066] According to this configuration example, the defrost water W generated from the cooler 22 drips from the central portion 22c that protrudes downward in a tapered shape, and passes between the heating portions 151 of the sheathed heater device 100. This makes it difficult for the defrost water W dripping from the cooler 22 to come into contact with the sheathed heater device 100, making it possible to suppress the generation of evaporation noise, and even if evaporation noise does occur, the volume of the evaporation noise can be reduced.

[0067] 12, the cooling fins 222 of the cooler 22 shown in FIG. 11 can be mass-produced without waste by cutting a single long metal material. Therefore, it is possible to provide a freezer 1 that can suppress the generation of evaporation noise while keeping manufacturing costs down.

[0068] (Other embodiments) The present embodiment is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and extensions can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the freezer 1 may be configured by appropriately combining several embodiments selected from the above-described embodiments.

[0069] The sheathed heater device 100 may be configured to include one second heating section, or two or more second heating sections. The pipes that make up the sheathed heater device 100 may have a circular, rectangular, or polygonal cross section perpendicular to the extension direction. The heating device is not limited to the sheathed heater device 100, and may be any other device that can heat a cooler.

[0070] The freezer 1 may also be provided with a plurality of independent heater devices below the cooler 22. In this case, the control unit 40 can vary the amount of power supplied to each heater device, thereby varying the heat generation amount and temperature of each heater device. In other words, the control unit 40 can make the temperature of the first heater device located above lower than the temperature of the second heater device located below.

[0071] Furthermore, this embodiment is not limited to the freezer 1 having one storage compartment, but can also be applied to a freezer or refrigerator having other storage compartments such as a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment, a vegetable compartment, an ice maker compartment, etc. Furthermore, this embodiment is not limited to a freezer or a refrigerator, but can also be applied to other cooling devices.

[0072] Furthermore, the cooling device to which this embodiment is applied may be configured to increase the amount of heat generated from the second heating unit relative to the standard amount of heat generated in response to the temperature of the first heating unit being lower than the temperature of the second heating unit. Preferably, the temperature of the first heating unit is lowered to a predetermined low temperature, for example, 180°C or lower. Preferably, the temperature of the second heating unit is raised to a predetermined high temperature, for example, 300°C or higher.

[0073] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented merely as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, modifications, etc. can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] In the drawings, 1 indicates a freezer (cooling device), 22 indicates a cooler, 22a indicates a first part, 22b indicates a second part, 100 indicates a sheathed heater device (heating device), 101 indicates an upper heating section (first heating section), 102 indicates an intermediate heating section (second heating section), 103 indicates a lower heating section (second heating section), and 110A, 110B, and 110C indicate heat conduction plates (heat transfer members).

Claims

1. a cooler for generating cold air; a heating device for heating the cooler; Equipped with The heating device is a first heating section located below the cooler; a second heating section located below the first heating section; and A cooling device capable of lowering the temperature of the first heating section below the temperature of the second heating section.

2. the heating device has a heat transfer member capable of transferring heat to the outside of the heating device, 2. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer capacity of the heat transfer member provided in the first heating section is greater than the heat transfer capacity of the heat transfer member provided in the second heating section.

3. 3. The cooling device of claim 2, wherein the number of heat transfer members provided per unit length of the first heating section is greater than the number of heat transfer members provided per unit length of the second heating section, such that the heat transfer capacity of the heat transfer members provided in the first heating section is greater than the heat transfer capacity of the heat transfer members provided in the second heating section.

4. The cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of heat generated per unit length of the first heating section is smaller than the amount of heat generated per unit length of the second heating section.

5. the cooler, the first heating unit, and the second heating unit overlap in a vertical direction, The cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein an overlapping area between the cooler and the first heating unit as viewed in the vertical direction is wider than an overlapping area between the cooler and the second heating unit as viewed in the vertical direction.

6. the cooler has a first portion at an end portion on the heating device side and a second portion that is closer to the heating device than the first portion in a vertical direction, The cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion is provided at a position that does not overlap the heating device when viewed in the vertical direction.

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