refrigerator

Abstract

We will provide a refrigerator with improved convenience. [Solution] The refrigerator of the embodiment comprises a storage chamber, a cooler, a freezing area, a vacuum insulation material, a drain pipe, and a heating unit. The storage chamber has an opening. The cooler cools the storage chamber. The freezing area is cooled to a freezing temperature range. The vacuum insulation material is positioned behind the freezing area and overlaps with at least a portion of the freezing area when viewed from the front-to-back direction. The drain pipe has a drain section positioned between the freezing area and the vacuum insulation material in the front-to-back direction, overlapping with the rear surface of the freezing area when viewed from the front-to-back direction, and discharges the defrost water from the cooler. The heating unit is capable of heating the drain section.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , , , , , , , ,

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a refrigerator.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a refrigerator formed by an outer box and an inner box with a heat insulating material disposed between the outer box and the inner box is known. The heat insulating material includes a vacuum heat insulating material provided between the outer box and the inner box, and a foam heat insulating material filled in a portion where the vacuum heat insulating material is not provided in the space between the outer box and the inner box. Generally, the vacuum heat insulating material has a higher heat insulating ability than the foam heat insulating material. The heat insulating ability indicates the degree of strength of the heat insulating performance. The storage chamber formed by the inner box is cooled by a cooler. Such a refrigerator has, for example, a refrigerating area provided with a refrigerating storage chamber and a freezing area provided with a freezing storage chamber at a lower temperature than the refrigerating storage chamber. In addition, the defrosting water generated when defrosting the cooler is discharged through a drain pipe.

[0003] In such a refrigerator, when a part of the drain pipe is disposed between the freezing area and a heat insulating material having a high heat insulating ability such as a vacuum heat insulating material, the temperature of the defrosting water flowing through the drain pipe is kept low, so that the defrosting water in the drain pipe may freeze. When the defrosting water in the drain pipe freezes, the drainage performance of the refrigerator may deteriorate, etc., and the convenience of the refrigerator may decrease. Further, when the drain pipe is bypassed for the purpose of preventing the defrosting water in the drain pipe from freezing, it is necessary to increase the width dimension of the drain pipe for draining the defrosting water generated from the drain pipe and the cooler to the drain pipe, and the cooler chamber where the cooler and the drain pipe are installed becomes larger, the utilization rate of the internal volume of the refrigerator deteriorates, and the convenience may decrease.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a refrigerator with improved convenience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The refrigerator of this embodiment includes a storage chamber, a cooler, a freezing area, a vacuum insulation material, a drain pipe, and a heating unit. The storage chamber has an opening. The cooler cools the storage chamber. The freezing area is cooled to a freezing temperature. The vacuum insulation material is positioned behind the freezing area and overlaps with at least a portion of the freezing area when viewed from the front-to-back direction. The drain pipe has a drain section positioned between the freezing area and the vacuum insulation material in the front-to-back direction, overlapping with the rear surface of the freezing area when viewed from the front-to-back direction, and discharges defrost water from the cooler. The heating unit is capable of heating the drain section. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A front view showing a refrigerator according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] A cross-sectional view along the line F2-F2 in Figure 1. [Figure 3] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of the cooling device of a refrigerator according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] A rear view showing the arrangement of drain pipes in a refrigerator according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] A plan view showing the arrangement of drain pipes in a refrigerator according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] A rear view showing the arrangement of the drain pipes of a refrigerator according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] A plan view showing the arrangement of drain pipes in a refrigerator according to the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] (First Embodiment) The refrigerator of the first embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, components having the same or similar functions will be denoted by the same reference numerals. Duplication of these components may be omitted.

[0009] In this embodiment, the vertical direction in the refrigerator 1 is defined as "up-down direction Z," the vertically upward direction is defined as "upward Z1" in the up-down direction Z, and the vertically downward direction is defined as "downward Z2" in the up-down direction Z. Furthermore, the left-right direction as seen from the user standing in front of the refrigerator 1 is defined as "width direction X," the leftward direction is defined as "leftward X1" in the width direction X, and the rightward direction is defined as "rightward X2" in the width direction X. In addition, the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction Z and the width direction X is defined as "front-back direction Y," the direction closer to the user standing in front of the refrigerator 1 as seen from the refrigerator 1 is defined as "front Y1" in the front-back direction Y, and the direction further away is defined as "rear Y2" in the front-back direction Y.

[0010] Figure 1 is a front view showing the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along the line F2-F2 in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the cooling device 90 of the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 4 is a rear view showing the arrangement of the drain pipe 50 of the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 5 is a top view showing the arrangement of the drain pipe 50 of the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment. The overall configuration of the refrigerator 1 shown in Figures 1 to 5 will now be described. Note that the refrigerator 1 does not need to have all of the configurations described below, and some configurations may be omitted as appropriate.

[0011] Refrigerator 1 comprises, for example, a casing 10 and a number of doors 20. As shown in Figure 2, the enclosure 10 includes, for example, an inner box 10a, an outer box 10b, and a foamed insulation material (insulation material) 10c.

[0012] The inner box 10a is a component that forms the inner surface of the housing 10, and is made of, for example, synthetic resin. The outer casing 10b is a component that forms the outer surface of the housing 10, and is made of, for example, metal. The outer casing 10b is formed to be slightly larger than the inner casing 10a and is positioned outside the inner casing 10a.

[0013] The outer box 10b is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped that forms the outer surface portion excluding the front Y1 of the housing 10. However, a recess for forming a machine room MR, which will be described later, is formed at the rear Y2 of the end portion of the lower Z2 of the outer box 10b.

[0014] The foam heat insulating material 10c is a heat insulating material made of a foam such as urethane foam, for example, and is filled between the inner box 10a and the outer box 10b. A special heat insulating material 30, which is a heat insulating material different from the foam heat insulating material 10c, is provided between the inner box 10a and the outer box 10b. Details of the special heat insulating material 30 will be described later.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 10 has an upper wall 11, a lower wall 12, a left side wall 13, a right side wall 14, and a rear wall 15.

[0016] The upper wall 11 and the lower wall 12 extend substantially horizontally. The left side wall 13 and the right side wall 14 stand up from the left and right (left X1 and right X2) end portions of the lower wall 12 upward Z1 and are connected to the left and right end portions of the upper wall 11.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, the rear wall 15 stands up from the rear Y2 end portion of the lower wall 12 upward Z1 and is connected to the rear end portion of the upper wall 11.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of storage chambers 17 are formed inside the housing 10. The plurality of storage chambers 17 include, for example, a refrigerating chamber 17A, a chilled chamber 17B, a vegetable chamber 17C, an ice making chamber 17D, a small freezing chamber 17E, and a main freezing chamber 17F.

[0019] In the present embodiment, among the plurality of storage chambers 17, the refrigerating chamber 17A is arranged at the uppermost Z1. The vegetable chamber 17C is arranged below the refrigerating chamber 17A at Z2. The ice making chamber 17D and the small freezing chamber 17E are arranged below the vegetable chamber 17C at Z2. The main freezing chamber 17F is arranged below the ice making chamber 17D and the small freezing chamber 17E at Z2. Also, the small freezing chamber 17E is arranged to the right X2 of the ice making chamber 17D.

[0020] However, the arrangement of the storage chamber 17 is not limited to the above example. The housing 10 has an opening in front of each storage chamber 17 in the Y1 direction, enabling the entry and exit of food ingredients and the like into and from each storage chamber 17.

[0021] The chilled chamber 17B is provided below a part of the refrigerating chamber 17A in the Z2 direction. The chilled chamber 17B is at least partially partitioned from the refrigerating chamber 17A by, for example, shelves or walls. The chilled chamber 17B is located below the refrigerating chamber 17A in the Z2 direction, making it easier for cold air to flow in, and is located closer to the first cooler 61 described later than the refrigerating chamber 17A, so that it is cooled to a lower temperature than the refrigerating chamber 17A.

[0022] Note that instead of the chilled chamber 17B, the refrigerator 1 may have a partial chamber cooled to a partial temperature range (about -4°C to -2°C) or a temperature-switching chamber whose temperature can be switched in a plurality of temperature ranges.

[0023] The housing 10 has a first partition portion 18 and a second partition portion 19. The first partition portion 18 and the second partition portion 19 are, for example, partition walls respectively extending substantially in the horizontal direction.

[0024] The first partition portion 18 is located between the refrigerating chamber 17A (chilled chamber 17B) and the vegetable chamber 17C, and partitions the refrigerating chamber 17A (chilled chamber 17B) and the vegetable chamber 17C.

[0025] The second partition portion 19 is located between the vegetable chamber 17C and the ice-making chamber 17D and the small freezing chamber 17E, and partitions the vegetable chamber 17C and the ice-making chamber 17D and the small freezing chamber 17E. The second partition portion 19 includes, for example, a foamed heat insulating material and has heat insulating properties. The first partition portion 18 is formed of, for example, synthetic resin or the like and has less heat insulating properties than the second partition portion 19.

[0026] The temperature inside the vegetable chamber 17C is maintained higher than that of the refrigerating chamber 17A. Inside the vegetable chamber 17C, for example, a vegetable chamber container for storing vegetables and the like and guide rails for moving the vegetable chamber container in the front-rear direction Y are provided.

[0027] The temperature inside the ice-making room 17D, the small freezer room 17E, and the main freezer room 17F is maintained at a temperature suitable for freezing stored items. Inside the ice-making room 17D, the small freezer room 17E, and the main freezer room 17F, for example, are provided storage containers for holding items to be frozen, and guide rails for moving the storage containers in the front-to-back direction Y.

[0028] The openings of the multiple storage compartments 17 are covered by multiple doors 20 that can be opened and closed. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the multiple doors 20 include, for example, a left refrigerator door 20Aa, a right refrigerator door 20Ab, a chiller door 20B, a vegetable door 20C, an ice maker door 20D, a small freezer door 20E, and a main freezer door 20F.

[0029] The left refrigerator compartment door 20Aa and the right refrigerator compartment door 20Ab are installed to open and close the opening of the refrigerator compartment 17A. The chiller compartment door 20B is located further inside the refrigerator compartment 17A than the left refrigerator compartment door 20Aa and the right refrigerator compartment door 20Ab, as shown in Figure 2.

[0030] The chilled compartment door 20B may be of a type that is integrally provided with the chilled compartment container that houses the stored items to be stored in the chilled compartment 17B and is pulled out forward Y1 together with the chilled compartment container, or it may be of a type that opens and closes by rotating around a hinge provided adjacent to the chilled compartment 17B.

[0031] The vegetable compartment door 20C is installed to allow the opening of the vegetable compartment 17C to be opened and closed. The ice maker door 20D is installed to allow the opening of the ice maker compartment 17D to be opened and closed. The small freezer compartment door 20E is installed to allow the opening of the small freezer compartment 17E to be opened and closed. The main freezer compartment door 20F is installed to allow the opening of the main freezer compartment 17F to be opened and closed.

[0032] The left refrigerator door 20Aa and the right refrigerator door 20Ab are revolving doors that are rotatably supported on the housing 10, for example, with a hinge (not shown) as the pivot point. Revolving doors that open to both the left and right, such as the left refrigerator door 20Aa and the right refrigerator door 20Ab, are sometimes called, for example, double doors or French doors.

[0033] The width dimensions X of the left refrigerator door 20Aa and the right refrigerator door 20Ab may be equal or different. In the example shown in Figure 1, the width dimensions X are different, with the left refrigerator door 20Aa being smaller than the right refrigerator door 20Ab.

[0034] The vegetable compartment door 20C, the ice maker door 20D, the small freezer compartment door 20E, and the main freezer compartment door 20F are, for example, pull-out type doors.

[0035] Multiple door containers may be attached to the rear Y2 of the left refrigerator door 20Aa and the right refrigerator door 20Ab. These multiple door containers may include, for example, door containers that are movable in the vertical direction Z, and door containers that are detachably attached to the left refrigerator door 20Aa and the right refrigerator door 20Ab.

[0036] A vegetable compartment container is connected to the rear Y2 surface of the vegetable compartment door 20C. Storage containers are connected to the rear Y2 surfaces of the ice maker door 20D, the small freezer door 20E, and the main freezer door 20F.

[0037] Each of the multiple doors 20 contains appropriate insulation material inside. The appropriate insulation material may include foam insulation material similar to the foam insulation material 10c described above, sheet insulation material, vacuum insulation material, etc.

[0038] The enclosure 10 is provided with various components for cooling each storage chamber 17. Examples of these components for cooling each storage chamber 17 include a first cooling module 60, a second cooling module 70, a compressor 80, and a condenser 91 (see Figure 3).

[0039] At the rear Y2 of the housing 10, a machine room MR is provided below Z2, where, for example, a compressor 80, a condenser 91, an evaporator (not shown), and the like are located.

[0040] The first cooling module 60 includes, for example, a first cooler (refrigerator) 61 and a first blower (refrigerator blower) 62.

[0041] The first cooler 61 is a cooler that cools the refrigerated area (refrigerated compartment) RA in the refrigerator 1. In this embodiment, the refrigerated area RA includes the refrigerator compartment 17A, the chilled compartment 17B, and the vegetable compartment 17C. In the following description, the storage compartment 17 cooled by the first cooler 61 will also be referred to as the "refrigerated storage compartment".

[0042] The refrigerated area RA is provided with a refrigerated cooler compartment 611 that houses the first cooler 61. In this embodiment, the refrigerated cooler compartment 611 is located at the rear Y2 of the vegetable compartment 17C. That is, the first cooler 61 is located at the rear Y2 of the vegetable compartment 17C. The refrigerated cooler compartment 611 is located at the rear Y2 within the refrigerated area RA.

[0043] The first blower 62 is installed above the first cooler 61 at Z1. The first blower 62 is a cooling fan that circulates the cold air cooled by the first cooler 61 into the refrigerated area RA.

[0044] A flow path forming member 16a is provided at the rear Y2 of the refrigerated area RA, forming a flow path (refrigerated air passage) RW that directs cold air supplied from the first cooler 61 into the refrigerated area RA. The first blower 62 blows the cold air formed by the first cooler 61 into the refrigerated air passage RW, which is surrounded by the flow path forming member 16a and the inner box 10a, etc., and forms a flow of cold air that circulates inside the refrigerated storage compartments (refrigerated compartment 17A, chilled compartment 17B, vegetable compartment 17C) provided in the refrigerated area RA.

[0045] The second cooling module 70 includes, for example, a second cooler (refrigeration cooler) 71 and a second blower (refrigeration blower) 72. In the following description, the first cooler 61 and the second cooler 71 may be simply referred to as "coolers".

[0046] The second cooler 71 is a cooler that cools the freezing area (freezing compartment) FA in the refrigerator 1. In this embodiment, the freezing area FA is the area that includes the ice-making compartment 17D, the small freezing compartment 17E, and the main freezing compartment 17F. In the following description, the storage compartment 17 that is cooled by the second cooler 71 will also be referred to as the "freezing storage compartment".

[0047] The refrigeration area FA is provided with a refrigeration cooler chamber 711 that houses the second cooler 71. In this embodiment, the refrigeration cooler chamber 711 is located at the rear Y2 of the main refrigeration chamber 17F. That is, the second cooler 71 is located at the rear Y2 of the main refrigeration chamber 17F. Furthermore, the second cooler 71 is located below the first cooler 61 at a Z2 position. The refrigeration cooler chamber 711 is located at the rear Y2 within the refrigeration area FA.

[0048] The second blower 72 is located above the second cooler 71 in Z1. In the vertical direction Z, the second blower 72 is positioned between the first cooler 61 and the second cooler 71. The second blower 72 is a cooling fan that circulates the cold air cooled by the second cooler 71 into the refrigeration area FA.

[0049] A flow path forming member 16b is provided behind the refrigeration area FA Y2 to form a flow path (freezer room air passage) FW that directs cold air supplied from the second cooler 71 into the refrigeration area FA. The second blower 72 blows the cold air formed by the second cooler 71 into the freezer room air passage FW, which is surrounded by the flow path forming member 16b and the inner box 10a, etc., and forms a flow of cold air that circulates inside the refrigeration storage chambers (ice-making chamber 17D, small freezer chamber 17E, main freezer chamber 17F) provided in the refrigeration area FA.

[0050] The compressor 80 supplies refrigerant to the coolers 61 and 71. The coolers 61 and 71 cool the surrounding air, for example, by being supplied with refrigerant compressed by the compressor 80.

[0051] Next, an example of the configuration of the cooling system 90, including the condenser 91, will be described. As shown in Figure 3, the cooling device 90 includes a condenser 91, a dryer 92, a three-way valve 93, and capillary tubes 94 and 95.

[0052] A condenser 91 and a dryer 92 are connected in order to the high-pressure discharge port of the compressor 80 via a connecting pipe 96. A three-way valve 93 is connected to the discharge side of the dryer 92. The three-way valve 93 has one inlet to which the dryer 92 is connected and two outlets.

[0053] One of the two outlets of the three-way valve 93 is connected in order to the refrigeration-side capillary tube 94 and the first cooler 61. The first cooler 61 is connected to the compressor 80 via the refrigeration-side suction pipe 97, which is a connecting pipe.

[0054] Of the two outlets of the three-way valve 93, the other outlet is sequentially connected to the refrigeration-side capillary tube 95 and the second cooler 71. The second cooler 71 is connected to the compressor 80 via a connecting pipe, the refrigeration-side suction pipe 98. A check valve 99 is provided between the second cooler 71 and the compressor 80 to prevent refrigerant from the first cooler 61 from flowing back into the second cooler 71.

[0055] The refrigerant circulating in the cooling device 90 is compressed by the compressor 80 to become a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which flows through flow path A. This gaseous refrigerant is heated by the condenser 91 to become a medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant. After passing through the dryer 92 to remove impurities such as dirt and moisture, the liquid refrigerant enters the capillary tube 94 or capillary tube 95, while being throttled by the three-way valve 93.

[0056] At this time, the medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant in the capillary tube 94 or capillary tube 95 is depressurized while exchanging heat with the refrigerant in the refrigeration-side suction pipe 97 or the freezing-side suction pipe 98. The depressurized refrigerant evaporates as it passes through the first cooler 61 or the second cooler 71, thereby cooling the first cooler 61 or the second cooler 71.

[0057] Subsequently, the refrigerant, now in a low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous state, flows into the refrigeration-side suction pipe 97 or the freezing-side suction pipe 98. Immediately after flowing into the refrigeration-side suction pipe 97 or the freezing-side suction pipe 98, the temperature of the refrigerant gas is, for example, as low as -10°C.

[0058] As this refrigerant gas passes through the refrigeration-side suction pipe 97 or the freezing-side suction pipe 98, it exchanges heat with the refrigerant in the capillary tube 94 or capillary tube 95, and is eventually heated to approximately room temperature. Then, this refrigerant gas is drawn back into the compressor 80, completing the circulation of the refrigerant.

[0059] In the cooling device 90 described above, the three-way valve 93 is controlled by the control unit 100, which will be described later, and selects, for example, one of the flow paths B and C.

[0060] Flow path B is the flow path that supplies refrigerant to the first cooler 61. Flow path C is the flow path that supplies refrigerant to the second cooler 71. These two flow paths B and C merge at confluence point D. As shown in Figure 3, the refrigerant flows from confluence point D in the direction of arrow E and returns to the compressor 80. In this way, the control unit 100 switches the flow path of the refrigerant alternately between flow path B and flow path C by controlling the three-way valve 93.

[0061] Refrigerator 1 performs refrigeration operation (refrigerated cooling operation) by flowing refrigerant through flow path B to cool the refrigerated storage compartment in the refrigerated temperature range. Refrigerator 1 also performs freezing operation (freezing cooling operation) by flowing refrigerant through flow path C to cool the freezing storage compartment in the freezing temperature range. For example, refrigeration and freezing operations are performed alternately.

[0062] As shown in Figure 2, the control unit (control board) 100 is provided on the upper surface of the upper wall 11. A recess is formed at the rear Y2 of the upper surface of the upper wall 11, with a recessed area downward Z2. The control unit 100 is provided in this recess.

[0063] The control unit 100 is a control device capable of controlling part or all of the refrigerator 1. The control unit 100 is composed of a computer including a microcontroller and a timer for time measurement, etc.

[0064] The control unit 100 may be a software function unit implemented by a computer program executed by one or more hardware processors, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), or it may be implemented by hardware (e.g., circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or PLD (Programmable Logic Device). All or part of the control unit 100 may be implemented by a combination of software function units and hardware.

[0065] The control unit 100 controls, for example, the first blower 62, the second blower 72, the compressor 80, and the three-way valve 93, which are connected to the control unit 100 by wire or wireless. The control unit 100 sends refrigerant into flow path A by controlling the compressor 80. The control unit 100 also switches the flow path through which the refrigerant flows by controlling the three-way valve 93.

[0066] The control unit 100 may include a power supply board that supplies power to the first blower 62, the second blower 72, the compressor 80, and the three-way valve 93.

[0067] Here, as shown in Figure 4, a drainage gutter 40 and a drainage pipe 50 are provided below Z2 of the first cooler 61 to discharge the defrost water generated when the first cooler 61 is defrosted. Similarly, a drainage gutter and a drainage pipe are provided below Z2 of the second cooler 71 to discharge the defrost water generated when the second cooler 71 is defrosted, but their illustration and explanation are omitted.

[0068] The drain trough 40 is installed below Z2 of the first cooler 61 and is a component that receives defrost water from the first cooler 61 and sends it to the drain pipe 50. The drain trough 40 has, for example, a bottomed rectangular tube shape and mainly receives defrost water at its bottom surface. The defrost water received by the drain trough 40 flows into the drain pipe 50 connected to the drain trough 40.

[0069] The drain pipe 50 is a drain hose that carries the defrost water flowing in from the drain gutter 40 to the evaporation tray. The evaporation tray to which the defrost water is sent is, for example, located in the machine room MR. The drain pipe 50 is formed by a substantially cylindrical member through which the defrost water can flow. The drain pipe 50 is installed, for example, by passing through the inside of the rear wall 15.

[0070] In this embodiment, the drain pipe 50 has a first drain section 51 and a second drain section 52. In the following description, the first drain section 51 and the second drain section 52 may be simply referred to as the "drain section".

[0071] The first drain section (inclined pipe section) 51 is the portion of the drain pipe 50 located between the refrigeration area FA and the special insulation material 30. As shown in Figure 4, in this embodiment, the first drain section 51 is connected to the right X2 end of the drain trough 40 and inclined to the right X2 as it extends downward Z2. Here, the special insulation material 30 is an insulation material provided between the inner box 10a and the outer box 10b, and is, for example, a sheet-shaped vacuum insulation material having higher thermal insulation properties than the foam insulation material 10c. The special insulation material 30 only needs to have higher thermal insulation properties than the foam insulation material 10c and is not limited to vacuum insulation material. Alternatively, the first drain section 51 may be connected to the left X1 end of the drain trough 40 and inclined to the left X1 as it extends downward Z2.

[0072] In this embodiment, the special insulation material 30 is provided inside the rear wall 15. The special insulation material 30 may also be provided inside the left wall 13 and the right wall 14. The special insulation material 30 is provided to cover at least a portion of the freezing area FA from the rear Y2, for example, as shown in Figure 4. The special insulation material 30 may also cover the refrigeration area RA from the rear Y2. Furthermore, the special insulation material 30 may be formed as a single insulation material, or it may be provided in a state divided into multiple insulation materials. Inside the rear wall 15, an insulation layer (insulation wall) is formed, which includes the foamed insulation material 10c and the special insulation material 30. The drain pipe 50 is located inside this insulation layer.

[0073] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of the thermal insulation of the refrigerator 1, it is preferable that an insulating layer composed of foamed insulating material 10c and special insulating material 30 is formed inside the left wall 13 and the right wall 14.

[0074] The special insulation material 30 is positioned so as to overlap at least a portion of the refrigeration area FA when viewed from the front-to-back direction Y. In the drain pipe 50, the first drain section 51 is provided sandwiched between the refrigeration area FA and the special insulation material 30 in the front-to-back direction Y. For example, the refrigeration area FA is positioned in front of the first drain section 51 Y1, and the special insulation material 30 is positioned behind the first drain section 51 Y2. When viewed from the front-to-back direction Y, the first drain section 51 is positioned so as to overlap with the rear surface (rear surface Y2) of the refrigeration area FA.

[0075] In refrigerator 1, the area where the first drainage section 51 is located is an area with high thermal insulation capacity. Here, thermal insulation capacity refers to the degree of strength of thermal insulation performance. Because a special thermal insulation material 30 is provided at the rear Y2 of the area where the first drainage section 51 is located, heat is less likely to be transferred from the outside of refrigerator 1 through the rear wall 15, resulting in high thermal insulation capacity.

[0076] Furthermore, since the refrigeration area FA is located in front of the first drainage section 51 Y1, the area where the first drainage section 51 is located is cooled by the cold air in the refrigeration area FA. Because the area where the first drainage section 51 is located is an area where heat is not easily transferred from outside the refrigerator 1 and is cooled by the cold air in the refrigeration area FA, the temperature of the first drainage section 51 is mainly maintained in the refrigeration temperature range or a low temperature range close to the refrigeration temperature range. In addition, when viewed from the front-to-back direction Y, the first drainage section 51 is located overlapping with the refrigeration cooler chamber 711 or the refrigeration chamber air duct FW.

[0077] In this embodiment, the defrost water flowing from the drain gutter 40 into the drain pipe 50 flows into the first drain section 51 connected to the drain gutter 40. The internal space of the first drain section 51 is in communication with an opening formed in the bottom surface of the drain gutter 40.

[0078] The second drain section 52 is connected to the first drain section 51 and is the part that sends the defrost water flowing through the first drain section 51 to the evaporation tray. The defrost water from the first cooler 61 received by the drain trough 40 flows through the first drain section 51 and then the second drain section 52, reaching the evaporation tray. In other words, in the flow direction of the defrost water flowing through the drain pipe 50, the second drain section 52 is the part connected downstream of the first drain section 51. In this embodiment, the second drain section 52 extends along the vertical direction Z.

[0079] In this embodiment, the second drain section 52 is not covered by the special insulation material 30 from the rear Y2. Therefore, the area where the second drain section 52 is located is an area where heat is more easily transferred from the outside of the refrigerator 1 compared to the area where the first drain section 51 is located. In other words, the area where the second drain section 52 is located has lower insulation capacity than the area where the first drain section 51 is located.

[0080] As shown in Figure 4, the first drain section 51 is connected to the end of the drain chute 40 in the width direction X, extends to the outside (external side) and downward Z2 of the refrigerator 1, and forms an inclined pipe.

[0081] In this embodiment, the second drain section 52 extends downward Z2 from the lower end of the first drain section 51. The lower end of the second drain section 52 may be bent inward (towards the interior) of the refrigerator 1, for example, as shown in Figure 4.

[0082] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, at least a portion of the first drain section 51 is provided so as to overlap with the refrigeration cooler chamber 711 when viewed from the vertical direction Z. Also, at least a portion of the first drain section 51 is positioned so as to overlap with the refrigeration chamber air duct FW when viewed from the vertical direction Z. At least a portion of the first drain section 51 is positioned so as to overlap with either the refrigeration chamber air duct FW or the refrigeration cooler chamber 711 when viewed from the vertical direction Z. The second drain section 52 does not overlap with the refrigeration cooler chamber 711 when viewed from the vertical direction Z.

[0083] In this embodiment, the special insulation material 30 has an inclined portion 31 whose width in the X direction decreases as it moves downward Z2. When viewed from the front-rear direction Y, the drain pipe 50 is provided overlapping the inclined portion 31. Specifically, when viewed from the front-rear direction Y, the boundary where the first drain section 51 and the second drain section 52 are connected overlaps with the inclined portion 31.

[0084] In the drain pipe 50, the first drain section 51 extends to the outside of the refrigerator 1 (to the right X2 in Figure 4), and the boundary between the first drain section 51 and the second drain section 52 is positioned to overlap with the inclined section 31, with the second drain section 52 extending downward Z2 from the lower end of the first drain section 51. The inclined section 31 of the special insulation material 30 decreases in width X as it goes downward Z2, and inclins inward towards the inside of the refrigerator 1. As a result, the second drain section 52 is positioned in a region that does not overlap with the special insulation material 30 in the front-to-back direction Y.

[0085] The drain pipe 50 is provided with a heating section 50h capable of heating the first drain section 51. The heating section 50h is, for example, a heater device attached to the outer surface of the first drain section 51. By heating the first drain section 51 with the heating section 50h, it is possible to suppress the freezing of the defrost water flowing through the first drain section 51.

[0086] As described above, the area where the first drainage section 51 is located has higher thermal insulation capacity than the area where the second drainage section 52 is located, and is more easily maintained at a low temperature by the cold air of the refrigeration area FA. By heating the first drainage section 51 with the heating section 50h, it is possible to prevent the defrost water flowing through the first drainage section 51 from freezing, even when the temperature around the first drainage section 51 is maintained in the refrigeration temperature range.

[0087] Since the second drain section 52 is located in an area with lower thermal insulation capacity than the area where the first drain section 51 is located, the defrost water flowing through the second drain section 52 does not freeze due to heat transfer from the outside of the refrigerator 1. Therefore, by heating at least the first drain section 51 with the heating section 50h, it is possible to suppress the freezing of the defrost water flowing through the drain pipe 50. This prevents a decrease in the defrost performance of the refrigerator 1 and improves the convenience of the refrigerator 1.

[0088] Furthermore, the flow velocity of the defrost water flowing through the inclined first drain section 51 is slower than the flow velocity of the defrost water flowing through the second drain section 52, which extends along the vertical direction Z. Because the defrost water flowing through the first drain section 51 flows at a slow velocity through an area with high thermal insulation capacity, it is prone to freezing. Thus, by heating the first drain section 51, which is a part of the drain pipe 50 where the defrost water is prone to freezing, with the heating section 50h, the freezing of the defrost water can be efficiently prevented.

[0089] Because the heating section 50h of the refrigerator 1 prevents the defrost water from freezing, the special insulation material 30 can be placed over a wide area. For example, in the width direction X, the special insulation material 30 having dimensions almost the same as those of the refrigeration area RA and the freezing area FA can be placed, thereby improving the insulation performance of the refrigerator 1.

[0090] Furthermore, since the heating unit 50h of the refrigerator 1 can suppress the freezing of the defrost water, the degree of freedom in arranging the first cooling module 60, the second cooling module 70, and the drain pipe 50 can be improved.

[0091] As mentioned above, in a drain pipe through which defrost water flows, the flow velocity of the defrost water is slower in the section that is inclined at a predetermined angle from the vertical (inclined section) compared to the section that extends vertically (straight section). Therefore, if the inclined section is located in an area with high thermal insulation capacity, there is a risk that the defrost water flowing through the inclined section will freeze due to its slow flow velocity. Defrost water flowing through the straight section is less likely to freeze, even if the straight section is located in an area with high thermal insulation capacity.

[0092] For example, if the first cooler is positioned above the first cooler 61 shown in Figure 2, and the drain pipe in the refrigerated area is routed to the outside of the refrigerator, the inclined section of the drain pipe can extend to the evaporation tray without passing between the freezing area and the special insulation material (e.g., vacuum insulation material). Therefore, even if the flow velocity of the defrost water flowing through the inclined section is slow, the possibility of the defrost water freezing through the inclined section of the drain pipe is low. However, in this case, the capacity of the refrigerator compartment may be reduced because the first cooler is positioned at the rear of the refrigerator compartment.

[0093] In this embodiment, the refrigerator 1 has an inclined pipeline, and the first drain section 51, which passes between the freezing area FA and the special insulation material 30, is heated by the heating section 50h, thereby suppressing the freezing of defrost water. As a result, the first cooler 61 can be positioned at the rear Y2 of the vegetable compartment 17C, as shown in Figure 2. Therefore, in this embodiment, the refrigerator 1 can suppress the reduction in volume of the refrigerator compartment 17A and the chilled compartment 17B due to the first cooler 61, and can secure sufficient volume for the refrigerator compartment 17A and the chilled compartment 17B.

[0094] Furthermore, by positioning the first drain section 51 in a location that overlaps with the freezing area FA when viewed from the front-to-back direction Y, the drain pipe 50 can be positioned towards the center in the width direction X of the refrigerator 1. This allows for more efficient use of the storage compartment 17's volume compared to when the drain pipe 50 is positioned on the outside. Additionally, the air inside the drain pipe 50 can be cooled by the freezing area FA, suppressing the temperature rise in the refrigerated storage compartment.

[0095] Furthermore, since the first drain section 51 is inclined toward one side in the width direction X as it extends downward Z2, the hot air flowing from the machine room MR through the drain pipe 50 to the refrigerator room 611 can be slowed down within the first drain section 51. In addition, the first drain section 51, which is located in an area with high thermal insulation capacity, tends to maintain a low temperature, and by slowing down the hot air within the first drain section 51, the hot air can be cooled. This effectively suppresses the temperature rise in the refrigerated storage room.

[0096] In this way, by efficiently cooling the air and hot air inside the drain pipe 50 and preventing the defrost water flowing through the drain pipe 50 from freezing with the heating unit 50h, the temperature rise in the refrigerated storage room and the freezing of the defrost water inside the drain pipe 50 can be effectively suppressed.

[0097] Furthermore, the second drain section 52 does not overlap with the insulating wall provided on the side of the refrigeration area FA when viewed from the front-rear direction Y. The insulating wall provided on the side of the refrigeration area FA is an insulating wall provided on the outside in the width direction X of the refrigeration area FA, and is, for example, an insulating wall composed of foamed insulating material 10c or special insulating material 30 placed inside the left wall 13 or the right wall 14. In the case of the drain pipe 50 that detours to the right X2 as illustrated in Figure 4, for example, the second drain section 52 is positioned so as not to overlap with the insulating wall provided inside the right wall 14 when viewed from the front-rear direction Y.

[0098] By positioning the second drainage section 52 so as not to overlap with the insulating wall provided on the side of the freezing area FA, it is not necessary to increase the thickness of the insulating layer of the freezing storage chamber. In addition, the low-temperature defrost water flowing through the second drainage section 52 suppresses the temperature drop of the side walls of the refrigerator 1 (left wall 13 or right wall 14), thereby suppressing the occurrence of condensation.

[0099] Next, the operation of the heating unit 50h will be described. The heating unit 50h is controlled by the control unit 100.

[0100] When the control unit 100 performs refrigeration operation, it controls the three-way valve 93 and supplies refrigerant to the first cooler 61, thereby lowering the temperature of the refrigerated storage chamber in the refrigerated area RA. At this time, since no refrigerant is supplied to the second cooler 71, the temperature of the frozen storage chamber in the freezing area FA rises.

[0101] When the control unit 100 performs refrigeration operation, it controls the three-way valve 93 and supplies refrigerant to the second cooler 71, thereby lowering the temperature of the refrigerated storage chamber in the refrigeration area FA. At this time, since no refrigerant is supplied to the first cooler 61, the temperature of the refrigerated storage chamber in the refrigerated area RA rises.

[0102] When the control unit 100 recovers refrigerant from the first cooler 61, it defrosts the first cooler 61 by driving the first blower 62. By driving the first blower 62 and circulating the cold air in the refrigerated storage chamber, the cold air heated in the refrigerated storage chamber returns to the refrigerated cooler chamber 611, and the first cooler 61 is defrosted. If the first cooler 61 is equipped with a defrost heater (defrost heating unit), the control unit 100 may defrost the first cooler 61 by driving the defrost heater.

[0103] Furthermore, the control unit 100 does not necessarily have to defrost the first cooler 61 when recovering refrigerant from it. For example, it may perform a defrosting operation based on the detection result of the defrost detection unit 61a. The defrost detection unit 61a is, for example, a sensor capable of detecting the temperature of the first cooler 61.

[0104] The control unit 100 heats the first drain section 51 with the heating unit 50h before the defrosting operation for the first cooler 61 is started. When the defrosting operation is started, the defrost water from the first cooler 61 flows into the drain pipe 50. Therefore, by warming the first drain section 51 with the heating unit 50h before the defrosting operation is started, the freezing of the defrost water flowing through the first drain section 51 can be effectively suppressed.

[0105] For example, when the temperature of the refrigerated storage chamber rises above a predetermined temperature, the control unit 100 stops heating the first drainage unit 51 by the heating unit 50h. At this time, the control unit 100 may acquire the temperature of the refrigerated storage chamber detected by the defrost detection unit 61a, or it may acquire the temperature of the refrigerated storage chamber detected by a temperature sensor different from the defrost detection unit 61a that is installed inside the refrigerated storage chamber.

[0106] By stopping the heating of the first drainage section 51 by the heating unit 50h when the temperature of the refrigerated storage chamber exceeds a predetermined temperature, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the first drainage section 51 and the refrigerated storage chamber from rising too high. Alternatively, the temperature of the first cooler 61 may be used as the threshold temperature for stopping the heating unit 50h in the refrigerated storage chamber.

[0107] The control unit 100, for example, heats the first drainage unit 51 with the heating unit 50h when the temperature of the refrigerated storage chamber falls below a predetermined temperature. This prevents the defrost water from freezing due to a decrease in the temperature around the first cooler 61 and the first drainage unit 51. The temperature of the first cooler 61 may be used as the threshold temperature of the refrigerated storage chamber used to initiate heating by the heating unit 50h.

[0108] The control unit 100 controls the second cooler 71 during refrigeration operation by the first cooler 61 and stops the freezing operation by the second cooler 71. Also, if the conditions for starting the freezing operation by the second cooler 71 are met while the first cooler 61 is being defrosted, the control unit 100 controls the second cooler 71 and performs the freezing operation. At this time, the heating unit 50h starts heating the first drain unit 51 between the completion of defrosting of the first cooler 61 and the start of refrigeration operation.

[0109] In some cases, freezing operation may occur between the completion of defrosting of the first cooler 61 and the start of refrigeration operation. At this time, the defrost water generated from the first cooler 61 may freeze in the drain pipe 50 due to the temperature drop caused by the freezing operation. By starting heating of the first drain section 51 by the heating unit 50h between the completion of defrosting of the first cooler 61 and the start of refrigeration operation, heating by the heating unit 50h can be performed at a timing when the defrost water is most likely to freeze, thereby effectively preventing the defrost water from freezing. Furthermore, compared to the case where heating by the heating unit 50h is performed continuously during defrosting, the power consumption of the heating unit 50h can be reduced, resulting in energy savings.

[0110] When defrosting the first cooler 61 by airflow from the first blower 62, defrosting of the first cooler 61 is terminated by stopping the airflow from the first blower 62 when the defrosting completion conditions are met and the conditions for starting cooling by the first cooler 61 are not met. When defrosting the first cooler 61 by a defrost heater, defrosting of the first cooler 61 is terminated by stopping the power supply to the defrost heater.

[0111] In this embodiment, the refrigerator 1 comprises a storage chamber 17 having an opening, a cooler 61 for cooling the storage chamber 17, a freezing region FA cooled to a freezing temperature range, a drain section 51 positioned between the freezing region FA and the vacuum insulation material 30 in the front-rear direction Y, overlapping with the rear surface of the freezing region FA when viewed from the front-rear direction Y, a drain pipe 50 for discharging defrost water from the cooler 61, and a heating section 50h capable of heating the drain section 51.

[0112] With this configuration, the defrost water flowing through the drain 51 can be prevented from freezing, thereby improving the convenience of the refrigerator 1.

[0113] (Second embodiment) A refrigerator 1A according to the second embodiment will now be described. In the following description, components that are common to those already described will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0114] Figure 6 is a rear view showing the arrangement of the drain pipe 50A of the refrigerator 1A according to the second embodiment. Figure 7 is a top view showing the arrangement of the drain pipe 50A of the refrigerator 1A according to the second embodiment.

[0115] As shown in Figure 6, the rightmost X2 end of the drainpipe 40A of refrigerator 1A is located X2 to the right of the end of the drainpipe 40 shown in Figure 4. The drain pipe 50A connected to the drainpipe 40A is connected to the rightmost X2 end of the drainpipe 40A.

[0116] As shown in Figure 7, the connection between the drain gutter 40A and the drain pipe 50A does not overlap with the refrigeration cooler chamber 711 when viewed from the vertical direction Z. Therefore, as shown in Figure 6, even if the drain pipe 50A is arranged along the vertical direction Z, the drain pipe 50A and the second cooler 71 do not interfere with each other, so the drain pipe 50A does not need to bypass the second cooler 71 as the drain pipe 50 shown in Figure 4.

[0117] As shown in Figure 6, in a drain pipe 50A extending along the vertical direction Z, the first drain section 51A is located between the refrigeration area FA and the special insulation material 30. The second drain section 52A, which is connected downstream of the first drain section 51A, passes through an area not covered by the special insulation material 30. Therefore, the area where the first drain section 51A is located has a higher insulation capacity than the area where the second drain section 52A is located.

[0118] A heating unit 50Ah capable of heating the first drain section 51A is attached to the first drain section 51A. In this embodiment, the refrigerator 1A can improve the convenience of the refrigerator 1A by heating the first drain section 51A, which is located in a region with high heat insulation capacity in the drain pipe 50A extending along the vertical direction Z, with the heating unit 50Ah, thereby suppressing the freezing of the defrost water flowing through the first drain section 51A.

[0119] (Variation 1) In each of the above embodiments, the refrigerator 1 is equipped with two coolers, a first cooler 61 and a second cooler 71, but the number of coolers equipped in the refrigerator is not limited to this. The number of coolers provided in the refrigerator may be one or three or more.

[0120] Regardless of the number of coolers, by heating the portion of the drain pipe that drains the defrost water from the coolers, which is located between the refrigeration area and the special insulation material, the freezing of the defrost water flowing through the drain pipe can be suppressed.

[0121] (Modification 2) In each of the above embodiments, the drain pipes 50 and 50A are positioned in front of the special insulation material 30 Y1, but the configuration of the drain pipes is not limited thereto. The drain pipes may be positioned overlapping the special insulation material when viewed from the width direction X.

[0122] For example, the first drain section upstream of the drainpipe may be positioned in front of the special insulation material Y1, and the second drain section connected downstream of the first drain section may bend to the rear Y2, so that the second drain section and the special insulation material overlap when viewed from the width direction X.

[0123] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0124] 1, 1A...Refrigerator, 10c...Foam insulation (insulation material), 17...Storage room, 17A...Refrigerator room (refrigerated storage room), 17B...Chilled room (refrigerated storage room), 17C...Vegetable room (refrigerated storage room), 17D...Ice maker room (freezer storage room), 17E...Small freezer room (freezer storage room), 17F...Main freezer room (freezer storage room), 30...Special insulation material (vacuum insulation material), 31...Inclined section, 50, 50A...Drain pipe, 51, 51A...First drain section (drain section), 52, 52A...Second Drainage section (drainage section), 50h, 50Ah…Heating section, 61…First cooler (refrigerator cooler), 62…First blower (refrigerator blower), 71…Second cooler (freezer cooler), 72…Second blower (freezer blower), 711…Freezer cooler room, 100…Control unit, RA…Refrigeration area, FA…Freezer area, RW…Refrigerator room air passage, FW…Freezer room air passage, Z…Vertical direction, Z1…Upward, Z2…Downward, Y…Front-back direction, Y1…Front, Y2…Rear, X…Width direction

Claims

1. A storage room having an opening, A cooler for cooling the storage chamber, A freezing region that is cooled to a temperature within the freezing temperature range, A vacuum insulation material is positioned behind the aforementioned freezing region and overlaps with at least a portion of the aforementioned freezing region when viewed from the front-to-back direction. Between the refrigeration region and the vacuum insulation material in the front-rear direction, there is a drain section that is positioned to overlap with the rear surface of the refrigeration region when viewed from the front-rear direction, and a drain pipe for discharging defrost water from the cooler, A heating unit capable of heating the aforementioned drainage unit, Equipped with, refrigerator.

2. The drain pipe has a first drain section which is the drainage section, and a second drain section which extends vertically downstream of the first drain section. The first drain section is inclined to one side in the width direction as it extends downward, and is positioned in a region with higher thermal insulation capacity than the region where the second drain section is located. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

3. The second drainage section, when viewed from the front-rear direction, does not overlap with the insulating wall provided on the side of the freezing area. The refrigerator according to claim 2.

4. The storage room is a refrigerated storage room that is cooled to a refrigerated temperature range by the refrigerated cooler, which is the cooler. The aforementioned freezing region is A refrigeration cooler, A refrigerated storage chamber cooled to the refrigeration temperature range by the aforementioned refrigeration cooler, A refrigeration cooler compartment is located at the rear of the aforementioned refrigeration storage chamber and houses the refrigeration cooler, A freezer chamber air passage is located at the rear of the freezer storage chamber and is capable of supplying cold air to the freezer storage chamber. Includes, The drain section is arranged so as to overlap with the refrigeration cooler chamber or the refrigeration chamber air passage when viewed from the front-rear direction. A refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The heating unit starts heating the drainage unit before the defrosting of the cooler begins. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

6. The heating unit starts heating the drainage unit when the temperature of the storage chamber falls below a predetermined temperature. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

7. The refrigerator comprises a refrigerated storage chamber, which is the storage chamber; a refrigerated cooler, which is the cooler; and a refrigerated fan positioned above the refrigerated cooler and capable of blowing air into the refrigerated storage chamber. The aforementioned freezing region is A freezer storage room having an opening, A refrigeration cooler is provided below the aforementioned refrigeration cooler and at the rear within the freezing area, and cools the freezing storage chamber. A freezing fan is positioned vertically between the refrigeration cooler and the freezing cooler and is capable of blowing air into the freezing storage chamber. A freezer room air passage for supplying air to the freezer storage room by the aforementioned freezer fan, A refrigeration cooler room in which the aforementioned refrigeration cooler is housed, Includes, At least a portion of the first drain section is arranged to overlap with either the freezer air passage or the refrigeration cooler chamber when viewed from the vertical direction. The refrigerator according to claim 2.

8. The system includes a control unit that controls the refrigeration cooler and the freezing cooler, The control unit, During the refrigeration cooling operation using the aforementioned refrigeration cooler, the refrigeration cooling operation using the aforementioned freezing cooler is stopped. If the conditions for starting the refrigeration cooling operation by the freezer are met during the defrosting of the refrigeration cooler, the refrigeration cooling operation will be performed. The heating unit starts heating the drainage unit between the completion of defrosting of the refrigeration cooler and the start of the refrigeration cooling operation. The refrigerator according to claim 7.

9. The vacuum insulation material has an inclined section in which the width dimension decreases as it goes downwards. The drain pipe is provided so as to overlap with the inclined portion when viewed from the front-rear direction. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

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