Cooling storage

Abstract

To improve the practicality of a cooling storage unit in which the cooler can be inserted into and removed from the cooler chamber. [Solution] The system comprises a storage chamber R1, a cooler 42 for cooling the air flowing into the storage chamber R1, a cooler chamber R2 communicating with the storage chamber R1 and housing the cooler 42, a circulation fan 46 for circulating air between the cooler chamber R2 and the storage chamber R1, and defrost heaters 48A and 48B for melting frost generated by the cooler 42. The circulation fan 46 and defrost heaters 48A and 48B are fixed inside the cooler chamber R2, and the cooler 42 is movably positioned relative to the circulation fan 46 and defrost heaters 48A and 48B. The system is configured so that the cooler 42 can be inserted into and removed from the opening 70 of the cooler chamber R2 while the circulation fan 46 and defrost heaters 48A and 48B remain inside the cooler chamber R2.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling storage refrigerator in which a cooler can be inserted into and removed from a cooler chamber.

Background Art

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a cooling storage refrigerator in which a cooler can be inserted into and removed from a cooler chamber. In the cooling storage refrigerator described in Patent Document 1 below, a cooler, a circulation fan, a defrost heater, etc. are integrated with sheet metal parts, and a configuration is adopted in which the integrated parts can be pulled out from the cooler chamber.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In order to make the integrated cooler, circulation fan, defrost heater, etc. in the cooling storage refrigerator described in Patent Document 1 above insertable into and removable from the cooler chamber, the cooler chamber needs to have an opening larger than the integrated parts. The larger the opening of the cooler chamber, the more problems such as deterioration of heat insulation performance, deterioration of cooling performance due to cold air leakage, etc., and easier generation of frost in the cooler chamber. Also, the larger the opening of the cooler chamber, the larger the size of the lid for closing the opening, and the longer the packing provided between the opening and the lid, resulting in higher costs. By addressing such various problems, it is considered possible to improve the practicality of a cooling storage refrigerator in which a cooler can be inserted into and removed from a cooler chamber.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to improve the practicality of a cooling storage refrigerator in which a cooler can be inserted into and removed from a cooler chamber. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, the cooling storage facility disclosed in this application has the following configuration. (1) Storage room and, A cooler for cooling the air that flows into the storage chamber, A cooler room that communicates with the storage room and houses the cooler, A circulation fan for circulating air between the cooling chamber and the storage chamber, A defrost heater for melting frost generated by the aforementioned cooler, Equipped with, The circulation fan and the defrost heater are fixed inside the cooler chamber. The cooler is movably arranged relative to the circulation fan and the defrost heater, A cooling storage unit characterized in that the cooler can be inserted into and removed from the opening of the cooler chamber while the circulation fan and the defrost heater remain in the cooler chamber.

[0007] Furthermore, the above-described cooling storage facility can be configured in various ways as shown below.

[0008] (2) The cooling storage unit according to item (1), further comprising a guide portion provided in a manner that extends along the insertion and removal direction of the cooler, which guides the movement of the cooler in the insertion and removal direction and brings the cooler inserted into the cooler chamber to face the circulation fan and the defrost heater at a predetermined distance.

[0009] (3) The defrost heater is provided with a heater holding member that holds the defrost heater below the cooler, The heater holding member has a flat upper surface. The cooler's lower end is movable along the upper surface of the heater holding member. The cooling storage cabinet according to item (2), wherein the upper surface of the heater holding member functions as the guide portion.

[0010] (4) The cooling unit is equipped with a circulation fan holding member that holds the circulation fan on the side of the cooling unit, The aforementioned circulation fan holding member has a flat wall surface on the cooler side. The cooler's side surface is movable along the wall surface of the circulation fan holding member, The cooling storage cabinet according to item (2) or (3), wherein the wall surface of the circulation fan holding member functions as the guide portion.

[0011] (5) The cooling storage unit according to item (4), wherein the circulation fan holding member extends from the edge on the opening side of the portion forming the wall surface and has an inclined surface portion that slopes in a direction away from the cooler as it approaches the opening.

[0012] (6) The circulation fan holding member is An opening formed in the wall surface, which penetrates between the cooler and the circulation fan, An opening inclined surface portion extends from the opening edge in the opening in a direction intersecting the insertion and removal direction of the cooler, and is inclined in a direction that moves away from the opening edge and away from the cooler, A refrigerated storage facility as described in (4) or (5), having the following: [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, the practicality of a cooling storage unit in which a cooler can be inserted into and removed from the cooler chamber can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] Perspective view of a cooling storage unit, an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Front cross-section of the cooling storage room [Figure 3] Side view showing the interior of the machine room [Figure 4] Plan and cross-sectional view of the area around the condenser chamber [Figure 5] Perspective view of the unit including the circulation fan and defrost heater. [Figure 6] Side cross-sectional view of a refrigerator showing the area around the unit of FIG. 5 [Figure 7] Planar cross-sectional view showing the area around the unit of the figure [Figure 8] Perspective view of the cooling unit [Figure 9] Perspective view of a refrigerator showing the state with the front panel removed [Figure 10] Perspective view of a refrigerator showing the state with the cooling unit pulled out [Figure 11] Front view showing the opening of the cooler compartment for inserting and removing the cooling unit [Figure 12] View of the unit of FIG. 5 as seen from the front side [Figure 13] Figure showing an enlarged part of FIG. 6 and showing the step to the opening [Figure 14] Side cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the first holding member and the cooler [Figure 15] Planar cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the second holding member and the cooler on the front side [Figure 16] Planar cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the second holding member and the cooler on the rear side

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] The refrigerator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 16. In a part of the drawings, the directions are indicated by the reference signs F, B, L, R, U, D, which respectively represent the front side (front), the back side (rear), the left side, the right side, the upper side, and the lower side when the refrigerator 10 is viewed from the front.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1, the cooling storage unit 10 of this embodiment is a two-door horizontal refrigerator (under-counter refrigerator) and comprises a horizontally elongated storage unit body 12, a pair of double-hinged doors 14, and a top plate 16 positioned above the storage unit body 12. The storage unit body 12 comprises an insulated box 20 that opens to the front, and a center pillar 22 that extends vertically and is attached to the center of the front opening of the insulated box 20. The pair of doors 14 are insulated doors filled with insulating material and open and close the left and right openings of the center pillar 22 in the insulated box 20.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, the insulated box 20 consists of an outer box 20A and an inner box 20B, which are made of stainless steel plates processed into a box shape, and an insulating material 20C that is foamed and filled between the outer box 20A and the inner box 20B. The interior of the insulated box 20 is mostly a storage chamber R1 for storing stored items. However, a partition panel 24 is located on the left side of the interior of the insulated box 20, partitioning off a cooler chamber R2 to the left of the storage chamber R1. More specifically, the cooler chamber R2 is surrounded by the partition panel 24, a cooler box 26 which is a box with openings on the right and bottom sides, and a mortar-shaped drain pan 28 attached to the bottom of the cooler box 26, and is roughly partitioned off by these components. The partition panel 24 is provided with an intake port 24A at its lower end for drawing air from the storage chamber R1 into the cooler chamber R2, and an outlet port 24B at its upper end for blowing air from the cooler chamber R2 into the storage chamber R1.

[0018] The storage unit body 12 also includes several panels assembled to the left of the insulated box body 20. These panels are side panels 30, floor panels 31, front panels 32, etc., as shown in Figures 1 to 4, and the storage unit body 12 has a machine room R3 formed by these panels 30, 31, 32, the left side wall portion 20D of the insulated box body 20, and the top plate 16, etc.

[0019] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the machine room R3 houses a cooling system 34 for cooling the storage room R1, as well as an electrical box 36, etc. The cooling system 34 consists of a compressor 38, a condenser 40, an expansion valve, and a cooler 42 housed in the cooler room R2. The compressor 38, condenser 40, and cooler 42 are connected to each other via refrigerant pipes 44, forming a refrigeration cycle that circulates the refrigerant.

[0020] The cooler room R2 houses a cooler 42 and a motor-driven circulation fan 46. This circulation fan 46 is positioned between the cooler 42 and the outlet 24B. During cooling operation, the circulation fan 46 draws air from the storage room R1 into the cooler room R2 through the intake port 24A. The cool air generated by heat exchange as it passes through the cooler 42 is then blown back into the storage room R1 through the outlet 24B. This circulates air between the storage room R1 and the cooler room R2, cooling the storage room R1.

[0021] Furthermore, when the opening / closing door 14 is opened or closed, moist air may enter the storage room R1. If this moist air flows into the cooler room R2, frost will accumulate inside the cooler room R2. Frost is particularly likely to accumulate on the cooler 42 and the circulation fan 46, and two defrost heaters 48A and 48B are also housed in the cooler room R2 to melt the frost that has accumulated on the cooler 42 and the circulation fan 46.

[0022] In the cooling storage unit 10 of this embodiment, the circulation fan 46 and defrost heaters 48A and 48B are unitized and housed in the cooler chamber R2 in an assembled state. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, the circulation fan 46 and defrost heaters 48A and 48B are attached to a bracket 50 and unitized. Then, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the circulation fan 46 and defrost heaters 48A and 48B are fixed in the cooler chamber R2 by fastening them to the aforementioned cooler box 26.

[0023] The bracket 50 consists of a first retaining member 52 and a second retaining member 54. The first retaining member 52 generally extends horizontally and holds the defrost heater 48A. The second retaining member 54 is fastened to the right end of the first retaining member 52 in a manner that extends upward and holds the circulation fan 46 and the defrost heater 48B. In other words, the bracket 50 as a whole is generally L-shaped. The bracket 50 is inserted into the cooler box 26 from the opening on the right and fixed in place. The circulation fan 46 has multiple blades that are rotated by a motor, and in Figures 4 to 7, the range of motion of these blades is shown as a cylindrical shape.

[0024] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cooling storage unit 10 also integrates the aforementioned cooling device 34 into a single unit, as shown in Figure 8. This cooling unit 60 is equipped with a base panel 62, and the cooling device 34 is mounted on top of the base panel 62 to form the unit. Specifically, first, the condenser 40, condenser fan 41, and compressor 38 are mounted on the base panel 62 in order from front to back. Then, a unit bracket 64 is fastened to the condenser 40 in an upward-extending manner, and the cooling device 42 is mounted on the upper rear end of the unit bracket 64. Incidentally, as shown in Figure 4, etc., an electrical box 36 is mounted on the front side of the unit bracket 64.

[0025] Furthermore, the cooling unit 60 is removable from the machine room R3 because the base panel 62 is slidable in the front-rear direction relative to the floor panel 31. Now, let's explain the procedure for removing the cooling unit 60. First, as shown in Figure 9, when the front panel 32 is removed, the cooling unit 60 with the electrical box 36 attached to the front side is exposed. Next, the electrical box 36 is connected to the wiring of the circulation fan 46 and defrost heaters 48A and 48B routed from inside the cooler room R2, as well as the wiring of the cooling unit 60 (for example, the wiring of the condenser fan 41 and the compressor 38). By disconnecting the connectors of these wires from the electrical box 36, the electrical box 36 can be removed from the unit bracket 64, as shown in Figure 10. Next, the unit bracket 64 is fastened with multiple bolts 66 to the front of the portion of the insulated box 20 that houses the cooler box 26, and by removing these bolts 66, the cooling unit 60 can be pulled forward. The cooler 42 can be inserted into and removed from the machine room R3 and further into the cooler room R2. Specifically, the cooler box 26 has an opening 70 that opens forward, and when the base panel 62 is slid relative to the floor panel 31, the cooler 42 can be inserted into and removed from the cooler box 26 (cooler room R2) through the opening 70. With this configuration, the cooling storage unit 10 of this embodiment allows for easy maintenance of the cooling unit 60.

[0026] The cooling unit 60 is equipped with a cover 72 that closes the opening 70 of the cooler box 26. Specifically, as shown in Figures 4 and 8, the cooling unit 60 is configured such that the cover 72 is fixed to the back of the unit bracket 64, and the front end of the cooler 42 is fixed to the cover 72 via the cooler bracket 74. In other words, the cooler 42 extends rearward from the cover 72 and is held in a cantilevered state. The cooler bracket 74 is fastened to the cover 72 in a U-shape when viewed from above, with an opening to the rear, and the end plate 42a on the front end side of the cooler 42 is also U-shaped when viewed from above, with an opening to the front, and is fastened to each other at each of the left and right ends, so that the cooler 42 is firmly held even in a cantilevered state.

[0027] As the cooling unit 60 is moved backward from its extended position, the cooler 42 is inserted through the opening 70, and then a portion of the cover 72 is inserted into the opening 70, thereby closing the opening 70. Incidentally, a gasket 76 is attached to the outer surface of the cooler box 26 along the edge of the opening 70, ensuring thermal insulation within the cooler chamber R2.

[0028] Conventional refrigerated storage units have a circulation fan and defrost heater attached to the cooler, and the circulation fan and defrost heater are designed to be pulled out along with the cooler. In contrast, in the refrigerated storage unit 10 of this embodiment, the circulation fan 46 and defrost heaters 48A and 48B are fixed inside the cooler chamber R2, and the cooler 42 is movably positioned relative to the circulation fan 46 and defrost heaters 48A and 48B. This allows the cooler 42 to be inserted and removed from the opening 70 of the cooler chamber R2 while the circulation fan 46 and defrost heaters 48A and 48B remain inside the cooler chamber R2. With this configuration, as shown in Figure 11, the size of the opening 70 in the refrigerated storage unit 10 of this embodiment can be made small enough for only the cooler 42 to be inserted, making it smaller than conventional refrigerated storage units. Because the opening 70 is smaller than that of conventional refrigerated storage units, the refrigerated storage unit 10 of this embodiment can suppress the reduction in thermal insulation and cooling performance caused by closing the opening 70 with the lid 72, and can also suppress the formation of frost inside the cooler chamber R2. Furthermore, costs can be reduced because the size of the lid 72 can be made smaller and the length of the gasket between the opening 70 and the lid 72 can be shortened. In addition, when replacing the cooler 42, for example, it is not necessary to remove the cooler 42 from the circulation fan 46 and the defrost heaters 48A and 48B, making the replacement of the cooler 42 relatively easy.

[0029] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cooling storage unit 10 has a first retaining member 52, which is a heater retaining member that holds the defrost heater 48A and is fixed inside the cooler chamber R2, and a second retaining member 54, which is a circulation fan retaining member that holds the circulation fan 46, which functions as a guide to guide the movement of the cooler 42 when inserting or removing the cooler 42 from the cooler chamber R2.

[0030] First, as shown in Figure 5, the first retaining member 52 is formed from a single sheet of metal by bending, and has a rectangular box shape that is long in the front-to-back direction and opens downwards. In addition, two openings (through holes) 52b and 52c extending in the front-to-back direction are formed on the upper surface 52a of the first retaining member 52. Then, as shown in Figure 12, when the bracket 50 is fastened to the cooler box 26, the first retaining member 52 is positioned directly below the cooler 42, and is designed to allow air drawn in from the storage chamber R1 to pass through vertically and flow into the cooler 42. Furthermore, the upper surface 52a of the first retaining member 52 is flat, and there are no parts that protrude upwards.

[0031] As mentioned above, the cooler 42 is cantilevered at its front end relative to the unit bracket 64. As shown in Figures 8 and 10, the unit bracket 64 is formed from a single sheet of metal by bending, and has a plate-shaped bracket body 64a that extends vertically, and bent portions 64b that are bent forward from the left and right edges of the bracket body 64a. Although the unit bracket 64 is reinforced by the bent portions 64b, the bracket body 64a is long in the vertical direction, so the cooler 42 attached to the upper end tends to cause it to bend backward towards the top. In other words, the cooler 42 tends to sink further back. In this embodiment, even if the cooler 42 sinks, the cooling storage unit 10 contacts the upper surface 52a of the first holding member 52, guiding the movement of the cooler 42 in the front-rear direction, so that the cooling unit 60 can be inserted and removed smoothly. Furthermore, even after the cooler 42 has been inserted into the cooler chamber R2, the cooler 42 is positioned so that its lower end abuts against the upper surface 52a of the first retaining member 52, and the vertical distance between it and the defrost heater 48A is appropriately adjusted. In other words, the upper surface 52a of the first retaining member 52 functions as a guide.

[0032] As shown in Figure 13, the upper surface 52a of the first retaining member 52 is positioned slightly lower (by H3) than the lower end 70a of the opening 70. This prevents the cooler 42 from contacting the front end of the first retaining seat 52 when inserting the cooling unit 60, ensuring it contacts the upper surface 52a. This suppresses downward bending of the cooler 42 while reliably guiding its movement in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 14, the lower ends of the fins 42b of the cooler 42 are positioned above the lower ends of the end plates 42a located at the front and rear ends. Therefore, even if the cooler 42 moves downward, the lower ends of the end plates 42a contact the upper surface 52a of the first retaining member 52, preventing the lower ends of the fins 42b from contacting it. Consequently, this suppresses the generation of abnormal noise when inserting and removing the cooling unit 60 and avoids damage to the cooler 42.

[0033] The second retaining member 54 has a first plate portion 54b with an opening 54a, and a second plate portion 54c spaced to the right of the first plate portion 54b to which a circulation fan 46 is attached. When the bracket 50 is fastened to the cooler box 26 and the cooling unit 60 is inserted, the cooler 42 is positioned so that its right side covers the opening 54a of the first plate portion 54b, and as shown in Figure 2, the circulation fan 46 is positioned to the right of the cooler 42. In other words, the circulation fan 46 draws in the air cooled by the cooler 42 so that it passes through the opening 54a and blows it out into the storage chamber R1 from the outlet 24B. The wall surface of the second retaining member 54 on the cooler 42 side, that is, the left side of the first plate portion 54b, is flat, and there is no part that protrudes toward the cooler 42 side.

[0034] As mentioned above, since the cooler 42 is held in a cantilevered position at its front end, it tends to sway from side to side towards the rear when inserted or removed. In this embodiment, even if the cooler 42 sways from side to side, the first plate portion 54b of the second holding member 54 contacts the left side surface of the cooler 42, guiding its movement in the front-rear direction, thus allowing the cooling unit 60 to be inserted and removed smoothly. Furthermore, when the cooler 42 is inserted into the cooler chamber R2, the right end of the cooler 42 does not come closer than the first plate portion 54b of the second holding member 54, and the cooler 42 is positioned facing the circulation fan 46 with an appropriate lateral distance. In other words, the first plate portion 54b of the second holding member 54 functions as a guide.

[0035] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5 and 15, the second retaining member 54 has a first bent portion 78A formed on the front end side of the first plate portion 54b. The first bent portion 78A is an inclined surface portion that extends forward and slopes in a direction away from the cooler 42 (to the right) as it moves forward. In addition, as shown in Figures 5, 15, and 16, the second retaining member 54 has a second bent portion 78B formed on the rear side of the rim of the opening 54a, and a third bent portion 78C formed on the front side of the rim of the opening 54a. The second bent portion 78B and the third bent portion 78C are inclined opening surfaces that slope in a direction away from the cooler 42 (to the right) as they move towards the center of the opening 54a. These first bent portion 78A, second bent portion 78B, and third bent portion 78C reinforce the first plate portion 54b and also guide the movement of the cooler 42 in the front-rear direction when inserting or removing the cooling unit 60. Specifically, when inserting the cooler 42 into the cooler chamber R2, even if the rear end of the cooler 42 is facing to the right, the rear end of the cooler 42 (the right end of the rear end plate 42a) will come into contact with the first bent portion 78A or the second bent portion 78B and be guided to the left. Similarly, when removing the cooler 42 from the cooler chamber R2, even if the rear end of the cooler 42 is facing to the right, the rear end of the cooler 42 (the right end of the rear end plate 42a) will come into contact with the third bent portion 78C and be guided to the left.

[0036] As mentioned above, the first retaining member 52 was lower than the height of the lower end 70a of the opening 70, but the second retaining member 54 (more specifically, the first plate portion 54b) is configured to extend beyond the side wall portion 70b of the opening 70 towards the cooler 42, as shown in Figure 15. Therefore, the gap between the right end of the cooler 42 and the first plate portion 54b is smaller than the gap between the lower end of the cooler 42 and the first retaining member 52, making it difficult for a short cycle of cold air circulation to occur between the cooler 42 and the circulation fan 46. Furthermore, even though the first plate portion 54b of the second retaining member 54 extends beyond the side wall portion 70b of the opening 70 towards the cooler 42, the first bent portion 78A allows for smooth insertion of the cooler 42.

[0037] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6 and other figures, the opening 70 for inserting and removing the cooler 42 in the cooling storage unit 10 has its lower end 70a positioned relatively high above the bottom surface of the cooler chamber R2 (the surface of the drain pan 28). In other words, a relatively large step is formed between the opening 70 and the cooler chamber R2 in the vertical direction. Specifically, since the defrost heater 48A is located below the cooler 42, the lower end 70a of the opening 70 is positioned higher than the defrost heater 48A. More specifically, as shown in Figure 13, the lower end 70a of the opening 70 is positioned slightly higher than the upper surface 52a of the first retaining member 52. As a result, a step is formed below the opening 70, which is the sum of the depth H1 of the drain pan 28, the vertical space H2 for installing the defrost heater 48A, and the gap H3 (the height difference between the lower end 70a of the opening 70 and the upper surface 52a of the first retaining member 52) to prevent the cooler 42 from coming into contact with the defrost heater 48A when inserting or removing the cooler 42. Therefore, the cooling storage unit 10 of this embodiment has a larger space below the opening 70 compared to conventional cooling storage units, making it less likely for cold air to escape from the opening 70 when the cooler 42 is pulled out. Incidentally, in this embodiment, the lower end 70a of the opening 70 was positioned slightly higher than the upper surface 52a of the first retaining member 52, but they may be at the same height.

[0038] Furthermore, in the cooling storage unit 10 of this embodiment, the first retaining member 52 is generally box-shaped, as described above, and is positioned to almost completely cover the upper side of the drain pan 28, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. Due to the presence of this first retaining member 52, the cold air in the space below the first retaining member 52 is less likely to flow above the first retaining member 52, and cold air leakage from the opening 70 can be further suppressed.

[0039] <Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. For example, the following embodiments are also included within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0040] In the above embodiment, the cooler 42 was configured to be inserted and removed integrally as a component of the cooling unit 60, but for example, the cooler may be configured to be insertable and removable on its own.

[0041] In the above embodiment, the cooler room R2 and the machine room R3 were located to the left of the storage room R1, but they may also be located to the right. In this case, the circulation fan 46 is located to the left of the cooler 42, and the cooler 42 can be configured so that its left side (the left end of the end plate 42a) is movable along the circulation fan holding member.

[0042] In the above embodiment, the circulation fan 46 was held to the side of the cooler 42 by a second holding member 54 which served as a circulation fan holding member, but it may also be configured to be positioned below. In this case, the cooler 42 can be configured to be movable along the upper surface of the circulation fan holding member. Furthermore, depending on the positional relationship between the storage chamber and the cooler chamber, and the positional relationship between the intake port, exhaust port and the cooler, the circulation fan may be positioned above the cooler. In addition, the defrost heater may be positioned to the side of the cooler.

[0043] In the above embodiment, a part of the first retaining member 52, which is a heater retaining member, or a part of the second retaining member 54, which is a circulation fan retaining member, was used as a guide portion to guide the movement of the cooler 42 in the insertion and removal direction. However, a member that functions as a guide portion may be provided separately from the retaining member.

[0044] This invention is not limited to refrigerators; it can naturally be used in freezers, and can also be used in vertical refrigerator-freezers with removable condensers. Furthermore, it can be widely used in refrigerated storage units with removable condensers, such as locker-type refrigerator-freezers and refrigerated display cases. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 10...Cooling storage unit, 12...Storage unit body, R1...Storage chamber, R2...Cooler chamber, 42...Cooler, 46...Circulation fan, 48A, 48B...Defrost heater, 52...First retaining member [Heater retaining member], 52a...Top surface [Guide part], 54...Second retaining member [Circulation fan retaining member], 54a...Opening, 54b...First plate part [Guide part], 70...Opening, 72...Lid, 78A...First bent part [Inclined surface part], 78B...Second bent part [Opening inclined surface part], 78C...Third bent part [Opening inclined surface part]

Claims

1. Storage room and A cooler for cooling the air that flows into the storage chamber, A cooler room that communicates with the storage room and houses the cooler, A circulation fan for circulating air between the cooling chamber and the storage chamber, A defrost heater for melting frost generated by the aforementioned cooler, Equipped with, The circulation fan and the defrost heater are fixed inside the cooler chamber. The cooler is movably arranged relative to the circulation fan and the defrost heater, A cooling storage unit characterized in that the cooler can be inserted into and removed from the opening of the cooler chamber while the circulation fan and the defrost heater remain in the cooler chamber.

2. The cooling storage unit according to claim 1, further comprising a guide portion provided in a manner extending along the insertion and removal direction of the cooler, which guides the movement of the cooler in the insertion and removal direction and brings the cooler inserted into the cooler chamber to face the circulation fan and the defrost heater at a predetermined distance.

3. The defrost heater is provided with a heater holding member that holds it below the cooler, The heater holding member has a flat upper surface. The cooler's lower end is movable along the upper surface of the heater holding member. The cooling storage cabinet according to claim 2, wherein the upper surface of the heater holding member functions as the guide portion.

4. The circulating fan is held by a circulating fan holding member located on the side of the cooler. The aforementioned circulation fan holding member has a flat wall surface on the cooler side. The cooler's side surface is movable along the wall surface of the circulation fan holding member, The cooling storage cabinet according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the wall surface of the circulation fan holding member functions as the guide portion.

5. The cooling storage cabinet according to claim 4, wherein the circulation fan holding member extends from the edge on the opening side of the portion forming the wall surface and has an inclined surface portion that slopes in a direction away from the cooler as it approaches the opening.

6. The aforementioned circulation fan holding member is An opening formed in the wall surface, which penetrates between the cooler and the circulation fan, An opening inclined surface portion extends from the opening edge in the opening in a direction intersecting the insertion and removal direction of the cooler, and is inclined in a direction that moves away from the opening edge and away from the cooler, A cooling storage unit according to claim 4, having the following features.

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