refrigerator

Abstract

Conventional refrigerators have the problem of being difficult to adjust the volume of the chiller compartment storage space according to the user's stored items and the amount of items stored. [Solution] In the refrigerator 10 of the present invention, the storage volume of the first storage space 52 and the storage volume of the second storage space 53 of the chiller compartment 31 can be adjusted by appropriately moving the partition wall 34 installed in the chiller compartment 31 according to the user's request. The first storage space 52 is used as a space for direct cooling, and the second storage space 53 is used as a space for indirect cooling, so that the user can easily adjust the chiller compartment 31 according to the stored items, thereby improving convenience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and in particular, to a refrigerator that improves the convenience of users by making at least one storage space in a chilled chamber with a movable partition wall, and appropriately changing the volume and temperature range of the storage space according to the stored items.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional refrigerator having chilled chambers with different temperature ranges. A chilled chamber is provided in the refrigerating chamber of the refrigerator. The chilled chamber has an upper container and a lower container partitioned into two stages in the vertical direction of the refrigerating chamber. And the air duct for supplying cold air to the chilled chamber is arranged from the air outlet of the rear air duct communicating with the cooling chamber, through the front of the upper surface of the upper container, to the air outlet on the front side of the top surface of the lower container.

[0003] With this structure, cold air is not supplied to the upper container from the above air duct, and the internal space of the upper container is indirectly cooled through the wall portion partitioning the upper container. And the food stored in the upper container is not directly hit by cold air, and the food is indirectly cooled in the chilled temperature range.

[0004] On the other hand, cold air is supplied to the lower container through the above air duct and the above air outlet. And the food stored in the lower container is directly hit by cold air, and the food is directly cooled in the chilled temperature range. In addition, the cold air that has convected in the lower container flows from the exhaust port of the lower container to the rear return duct and returns to the cooling chamber.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] As mentioned above, conventional refrigerators have the drawback that the storage volume of the upper and lower containers cannot be varied according to the type and quantity of food being stored, because the upper and lower containers are configured as separate containers.

[0007] Furthermore, the upper container can only be used as a storage space for indirect cooling at all times. Therefore, even if a refrigerator user wants to store a lot of foods that need to be directly cooled, such as fish and meat, it is difficult to use the upper container for indirect cooling considering the freshness of the food, which presents a problem of inconvenience for the user. Similarly, the lower container can only be used as a storage space for direct cooling at all times. Therefore, even if a refrigerator user wants to store a lot of foods that need to be indirectly cooled, such as vegetables, it is difficult to use the lower container for direct cooling considering the freshness of the food, which presents a problem of inconvenience for the user.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a refrigerator that improves user convenience by creating at least one storage space in the chilled compartment using movable partition walls, and by allowing the volume and temperature range of the storage space to be changed as appropriate according to the stored items. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In a first embodiment of the refrigerator of the present invention, the refrigerator comprises a storage chamber, a cooling chamber for generating cold air, a chilled chamber formed within the storage chamber and separated from the storage chamber, a cooling air passage for supplying the cold air to the chilled chamber, and a partition wall for dividing the chilled chamber into a first storage space and a second storage space, or for dividing the chilled chamber into either the first storage space or the second storage space, wherein the cold air is directly supplied to the first storage space via the cooling air passage, the first storage space is a space that is directly cooled by the cold air, and the second storage space is a space that is indirectly cooled by the cold air supplied to the first storage space. With this structure, the user of the refrigerator can use the storage space within the chilled chamber as a first storage space or a second storage space with different temperature ranges and volumes by appropriately moving the partition wall within the chilled chamber, thereby improving convenience.

[0010] Furthermore, in a second embodiment of the refrigerator of the present invention, the chilled compartment comprises a storage container having a top opening, a partition wall disposed inside the storage container, a top plate that closes the top opening, a cold air outlet formed in the top plate, and a cold air outlet formed in the storage container, wherein the outer circumferential surface of the partition wall contacts the inner surface of the storage container and the back surface of the top plate, thereby forming the first storage space and the second storage space inside the storage container, and the outlet and the exhaust port are located on the side of the first storage space. With this structure, the chilled compartment is constructed using a storage container, the first storage space of the storage container is used as a storage space that is directly cooled by cold air, and the second storage space of the storage container is used as a storage space that is indirectly cooled by the cold air surrounding the storage space.

[0011] Furthermore, in a third aspect of the refrigerator of the present invention, the partition wall is movable within the storage container with respect to the width direction of the chilled compartment, the air outlet is formed on the first end side in the width direction of the top panel, and the discharge port is formed on the side panel of the storage container on the first end side. With this structure, in the first storage space of the storage container, cold air flows in from the air outlet and is discharged from the discharge port, so that it functions as a storage space for direct cooling, and it is difficult for cold air to flow into the second storage space.

[0012] Furthermore, in a fourth aspect of the refrigerator of the present invention, the partition wall moves toward the first end of the storage container, and when the storage container of the chilled compartment is used as the second storage space, the air outlet is blocked by the outer surface of the partition wall. With this structure, the air outlet is blocked by the partition wall, allowing the second storage space to be used as a space that is indirectly cooled, and its volume can be utilized more widely, improving convenience.

[0013] Furthermore, in a fifth aspect of the refrigerator of the present invention, the partition wall moves toward the second end in the lateral direction within the storage container, thereby enabling the chilled compartment to be used as the first storage space. This structure allows the partition wall to be moved toward the second end of the storage container, thereby increasing the volume of the first storage space and improving convenience.

[0014] Furthermore, in a sixth aspect of the refrigerator of the present invention, the second storage space is characterized by being a sealed space. This structure makes it difficult for cold air to flow into the second storage space, and makes it easier to maintain the humidity in the second storage space. When vegetables are stored in the second storage space, their freshness is easier to maintain. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] In the refrigerator of the present invention, the chiller compartment is divided into at least one storage space by a movable partition wall. Furthermore, the volume and temperature range of the storage space can be appropriately changed according to the stored items, thereby improving user convenience.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view for explaining a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a side cross-sectional view for explaining a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a cross-sectional view for explaining a chiller compartment of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4A] It is a perspective view for explaining a chiller compartment of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4B] It is a perspective view for explaining a chiller compartment of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is an exploded perspective view for explaining a chiller compartment of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view for explaining a chiller compartment of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view for explaining a chiller compartment of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view for explaining a chiller compartment of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a perspective view for explaining a chiller compartment of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view for explaining a chiller compartment of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11A] It is a perspective view for explaining a chiller compartment of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11B] It is a perspective view for explaining a chiller compartment of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] It is a perspective view for explaining a chiller compartment of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] The refrigerator 10 of this embodiment will be described in detail below based on the drawings. In the following description, the vertical direction indicates the height of the refrigerator 10, the left-right direction indicates the width of the refrigerator 10 as viewed from the front, and the front-back direction indicates the depth of the refrigerator 10. In addition, in the description of this embodiment, the same reference numeral will be used for the same components as a general rule, and repeated explanations will be omitted.

[0018] Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the external structure of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment as seen from the front. Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the chiller compartment 31 and its surrounding structure of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment.

[0019] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the refrigerator 10 comprises an insulated box 11 and storage compartments 12 formed inside the insulated box 11. The storage compartments 12 are formed from the top of the compartment into a refrigerator compartment 13, a vegetable compartment 14, and a freezer compartment 15. In Figure 1, for explanatory purposes, the storage compartments 12 are numbered.

[0020] The insulated box 11 mainly consists of an outer box 21 made of steel plates that form the outer shape of the refrigerator 10, an inner box 22 made of a box-shaped synthetic resin plate formed inside the outer box 21, and an insulating material 23 disposed between the outer box 21 and the inner box 22. For example, foamed urethane is used as the insulating material 23.

[0021] The refrigerator compartment 13 is formed in the upper part of the interior of the insulated box 11. The front opening of the refrigerator compartment 13 is closed by first insulated doors 16A and 16B, which can be opened and closed. The first insulated doors 16A and 16B are double-opening revolving doors and are pivotally supported on the insulated box 11 via a hinge mechanism 20. When the following refrigeration cycle is in operation, the refrigerator compartment 13 will have a temperature range of, for example, 2°C to 5°C.

[0022] Within the refrigerator compartment 13, a chilled compartment 31 is partitioned off. The chilled compartment 31 is a storage compartment for storing items such as meat and fish in a semi-frozen state. The chilled compartment 31 is formed using storage containers 32 installed within the refrigerator compartment 13. The storage space 51 within the storage containers 32 is partitioned by movable partition walls 34 (see Figure 3), allowing the storage volume and temperature range to be adjusted as needed. As will be described in more detail later, the chilled compartment 31 can also store items suitable for indirect cooling, such as vegetables. When the following refrigeration cycle is in operation, the chilled compartment 31 maintains a temperature range of, for example, -4°C to 2°C.

[0023] The vegetable compartment 14 is located in the middle of the insulated box body 11, between the refrigerator compartment 13 and the freezer compartment 15. The front opening of the vegetable compartment 14 is closed by a second insulated door 17, which is a pull-out door. When the following refrigeration cycle is in operation, the vegetable compartment 14 will have a vegetable temperature range of, for example, 3°C to 7°C.

[0024] The freezer compartment 15 is formed in the lower part of the interior of the insulated box 11. The front opening of the freezer compartment 15 is closed by a third insulated door 18 and a fourth insulated door 19, which can be opened and closed. The third insulated door 18 and the fourth insulated door 19 are pull-out type doors. When the following refrigeration cycle is in operation, the freezer compartment 15 will have a temperature range of, for example, -20°C to -18°C.

[0025] A cooling chamber 24 is partitioned off behind the freezer chamber 15. A cooler 25 is installed in the cooling chamber 24. A machine room 26 is partitioned off at the bottom rear of the insulated box 11. A compressor 27 and other components are installed in the machine room 26. The cooler 25 and compressor 27 are connected to an expansion means and a condenser (not shown) via refrigerant piping, forming a vapor compression refrigeration cycle. The components of the vapor compression refrigeration cycle are interconnected via refrigerant piping (not shown).

[0026] When the above refrigeration cycle is in operation, the air inside the cooling chamber 24 is cooled by the cooler 25, and cold air is generated. A blower 28 is installed above the cooler 25 in the cooling chamber 24. The blower 28 is, for example, an axial flow blower or a centrifugal blower. The blower 28 blows the cold air inside the cooling chamber 24 toward the refrigerator compartment 13, the chilled compartment 31, the vegetable compartment 14, and the freezer compartment 15. The cold air is then blown to each storage compartment via various cooling air passages 29 and circulated forcibly.

[0027] A defrost heater 30 is positioned below the cooler 25 in the cooling chamber 24. As the refrigeration cycle operates, a thick layer of frost forms on the surface of the cooler 25. When this occurs, the control unit (not shown) stops the compressor 27 and energizes the defrost heater 30 to perform a defrosting operation, melting and removing the frost. The defrost heater 30 can be an electric resistance heater, a sheathed heater, or a hot gas defroster.

[0028] As shown in Figure 3, the chilled compartment 31 is the lowest storage area of ​​the refrigerator compartment 13 and is formed by partitioning the upper surface of the insulating partition member 40 between the refrigerator compartment 13 and the vegetable compartment 14. In this embodiment, the chilled compartment 31 is a storage compartment 12 for storing fish, meat, etc. in a semi-frozen state, and for storing vegetables, etc. at a lower temperature than the vegetable compartment 14. The chilled compartment 31 is inside the refrigerator compartment 13, but is a partitioned storage space 51 with a different temperature range than the refrigerator compartment 13.

[0029] The top surface of the storage area of ​​the chilled compartment 31 is fitted with an insulating partition member 41 to partition the refrigerator compartment 13 in the height direction. As will be described in detail later using Figure 5, etc., the insulating partition member 41 includes, for example, a top plate 33, a mounting plate 42 that covers the top of the top plate 33, and an insulating material 46 fitted between the top plate 33 and the mounting plate 42. The chilled compartment 31 is then sandwiched between the insulating partition members 40 and 41, so that the internal space of the chilled compartment 31 is maintained at a desired low temperature. The rear side (back of the compartment) of the chilled compartment 31 is covered by a partition member 48 that forms a cooling air passage 29.

[0030] As shown in the diagram, the top plate 33 and the mounting plate 42 are stacked with a cooling air passage 43 between them. In other words, the shape of the insulation material 46 forms the cooling air passage 43 between the top plate 33 and the mounting plate 42. The rear side of the insulating partition member 41 is attached to a partition member 48 which is located at the back of the refrigerator compartment 13. A communication opening 47 (see Figure 4B) is formed on the rear side of the insulating partition member 41 to connect the cooling air passages 29 and 43. The partition member 48 is a member that forms the cooling air passage 29 between itself and the inner box 22 of the insulated box 11.

[0031] With this structure, the cooling air passage 43 communicates with the cooling air passage 29 via the opening 48A formed in the partition member 48 and the communication port 47. Then, a portion of the cold air blown from the cooling chamber 24 to the refrigerator chamber 13 flows from the cooling air passage 29 into the cooling air passage 43 and is supplied into the chilled chamber 31 via the outlet 35.

[0032] Furthermore, the insulating partition member 40 is a plate-shaped insulating member that separates the refrigerator compartment 13 and the vegetable compartment 14 within the storage compartment 12. The insulating partition member 40 has a front wall portion 44 and a rear wall portion 45. The front wall portion 44 has a frame portion 44A and a transparent member 44B, such as glass, which is fitted inside the frame portion 44A.

[0033] This structure allows the user of the refrigerator 10 to see the vegetable compartment 14 through the transparent member 44B while using the refrigerator compartment 13. In other words, the user can see inside the vegetable compartment 14 from the refrigerator compartment 13 and check the contents stored in the vegetable compartment 14 without opening or closing the second insulated door 17 for the vegetable compartment 14. Furthermore, by reducing the number of times the second insulated door 17 is opened and closed, cold air is prevented from leaking out of the vegetable compartment 14, and the power consumption of the refrigerator 10 is reduced.

[0034] On the other hand, the rear wall portion 45 is formed from an insulating material such as foamed urethane. The chilled compartment 31 is formed on the upper surface of the rear wall portion 45, thereby improving the thermal insulation properties of the chilled compartment 31.

[0035] Furthermore, an air duct 45A is formed inside the rear wall 45 to blow cold air from the refrigerator compartment 13 to the vegetable compartment 14. As shown in the diagram, the upper opening 45B of the air duct 45A is formed in the rear wall 45 on the refrigerator compartment 13 side, and the lower opening 45C of the air duct 45A is formed in the rear wall 45 on the vegetable compartment 14 side. With this structure, the cold air blown out from the exhaust port 36 (see Figure 4A) of the chilled compartment 31 into the refrigerator compartment 13 is blown to the vegetable compartment 14 via the air duct 45A.

[0036] Next, the structure of the chiller compartment 31 of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment will be described in detail based on the drawings, using Figures 4A to 11B.

[0037] Figure 4A is a perspective view illustrating the external structure of the chilled compartment 31 of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment, viewed from the front. Figure 4B is a perspective view illustrating the external structure of the chilled compartment 31 of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment, viewed from the rear. Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the chilled compartment 31 of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment. Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating the storage container 32 of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment. Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating the partition wall portion 34 of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment. Figure 8 is a perspective view illustrating the flow of cold air in the chilled compartment 31 of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment. Figure 9 is a perspective view illustrating the storage space 51 of the chilled compartment 31 of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the partitioned state of the chilled compartment 31 of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment. Figures 11A and 11B are perspective views illustrating the storage space 51 of the chilled compartment 31 of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment.

[0038] As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the chilled compartment 31 includes, for example, a roughly box-shaped storage container 32, a top plate 33 that closes the top opening 32A (see Figure 5) of the storage container 32, a movable partition wall 34 (see Figure 5) disposed inside the storage container 32, an air outlet 35 (see Figure 5) formed in the top plate 33 for blowing cold air into the chilled compartment 31, and an outlet 36 for discharging the cold air from the chilled compartment 31 into the refrigerator compartment 13.

[0039] The chilled compartment 31 is formed inside the refrigerator compartment 13 as a storage space 51 (see Figure 3) that is separated from the refrigerator compartment 13. The chilled compartment 31 is formed between the insulating partition members 40 and 41. In other words, the storage container 32 is, for example, a pull-out type container, and the storage container 32 slides in the depth direction of the interior through the space between the insulating partition members 40 and 41. When the storage container 32 is pulled out from the storage space 51 of the chilled compartment 31, the chilled compartment 31 becomes open to the refrigerator compartment 13. On the other hand, when the storage container 32 is stored in the storage space 51 of the chilled compartment 31, the chilled compartment 31 is separated from the refrigerator compartment 13 and becomes stored away from the refrigerator compartment 13.

[0040] Figures 4A and 4B show the storage container 32 in the storage space 51 of the chiller compartment 31. In this storage state, the top opening 32A of the storage container 32 is closed by the top plate 33 of the insulating partition member 41, thereby creating a storage space separated from the refrigerator compartment 13. Then, some of the cold air from the cooling air passage 29 (see Figure 2) flows into the cooling air passage 43 (see Figure 3) through the communication opening 47 on the back side of the insulating partition member 41, and the cold air is supplied to the chiller compartment 31.

[0041] Although not shown in the diagram, when the storage container 32 is pulled out to the upper surface of the front wall portion 44 of the insulating partition member 40, the chilled compartment 31 becomes open to the refrigerator compartment 13. The user of the refrigerator 10 can then store items in or take items out of the chilled compartment 31.

[0042] As shown in Figure 5, the thermal insulation partition member 41 includes, for example, a top panel 33, a mounting plate 42 that covers the top panel 33, and a thermal insulation material 46 fitted between the top panel 33 and the mounting plate 42. In other words, the thermal insulation partition member 41 has a structure formed by stacking three members: the top panel 33, the thermal insulation material 46, and the mounting plate 42.

[0043] The top panel 33 is formed in a roughly plate shape by resin molding using, for example, polypropylene. The top panel 33 is formed to cover the top opening 32A of the storage container 32, and is formed to conform to the shape of the upper end of the storage container 32. As shown in the figure, the top panel 33 is formed as a roughly plate shape with a horizontal surface for about two-thirds of the way from the front edge of the paper (outside the refrigerator 10). On the other hand, the top panel 33 is formed as a roughly plate shape with an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the back of the refrigerator 10 for about one-third of the way from the rear edge of the paper (inside the refrigerator 10).

[0044] Furthermore, a pair of side panels 33A, a rear panel 33B, and a front panel 33C are formed on the surface side of the top panel 33 along the outer edge of the top panel 33. The side panels 33A, rear panel 33B, and front panel 33C are formed substantially perpendicular to the top panel 33 and are used as rib members for fixing the insulation material 46, as well as as fixing areas with the mounting plate 42. In addition, a communication opening 47 is formed in the rear panel 33B of the top panel 33 to connect the cooling air passages 29 and 43. As for the method of fixing the top panel 33 and the mounting plate 42, for example, a screw fastening method or a heat welding method can be used.

[0045] The insulation material 46 is formed in a roughly plate-like shape using, for example, foamed urethane. As will be described in detail later, a recess is formed on the back side of the insulation material 46 to serve as an air passage connecting the communication opening 47 of the top panel 33 and the air outlet 35. Then, when the insulating partition member 41 is assembled, a cooling air passage 43 is formed between the insulation material 46 and the top panel 33. In other words, outside the area where the cooling air passage 43 is formed, the space between the top panel 33 and the mounting plate 42 is filled with the insulation material 46, improving the thermal insulation properties of the chilled compartment 31.

[0046] The mounting plate 42 is formed in a roughly plate shape by resin molding using, for example, polypropylene. The mounting plate 42 is formed in a roughly flat shape and is used as a storage shelf for food and other items stored in the refrigerator compartment 13.

[0047] The storage container 32 is formed in a roughly box shape by resin molding using, for example, polypropylene. The storage container 32 has an open top and has a pair of side panels 32B, 32C, a bottom panel 32D, a back panel 32E, and a front panel 32F. Since the cooling air passage 43 is formed in the heat insulating partition member 41, the storage volume inside the storage container 32 is narrowed.

[0048] Furthermore, a gripping portion 32G is formed on the lower end side of the front panel 32F of the storage container 32 for the user of the refrigerator 10 to operate the storage container 32. The gripping portion 32G is formed, for example, by recessing a part of the front panel 32F. When the user opens the refrigerator compartment 13, the storage container 32 is unfolded onto the upper surface of the front wall portion 44 (see Figure 3) of the insulating partition member 40 by operating the gripping portion 32G. Alternatively, the storage container 32 is stored in the storage space 51 of the chilled compartment 31 between the insulating partition members 40 and 41.

[0049] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the bottom plate 32D of the storage container 32 has multiple protrusions 32H that extend in the lateral direction of the chilled compartment 31. With this structure, food such as meat stored in the chilled compartment 31 is placed on the upper surface of the multiple protrusions 32H of the bottom plate 32, and the cold air in the chilled compartment 31 is blown downwards through the multiple protrusions 32H. This makes it easier for the cold air to circulate throughout the chilled compartment 31, which reduces the likelihood of temperature differences occurring within the chilled compartment 31 and also makes it easier for individual food items to be cooled as a whole.

[0050] A partition wall 34 is installed inside the storage container 32. The partition wall 34 is formed in a roughly plate shape by resin molding using, for example, polypropylene. The partition wall 34 is formed to have a shape that is substantially the same as the pair of side panels 32B and 32C (see Figure 5) of the storage container 32 when viewed from the side. As will be described in detail later, when the partition wall 34 is installed inside the storage container 32, the storage space 51 of the chilled compartment 31 is divided into a first storage space 52 (see Figure 9) between the partition wall 34 and the side panel 32C, and a second storage space 53 (see Figure 9) between the partition wall 34 and the side panel 32B. As shown in Figures 11A and 11B, when the partition wall 34 is installed close to the side panels 32B and 32C, the storage space 51 can be used as the first storage space 52 alone, or as the second storage space 53 alone.

[0051] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the outer circumferential surface 34A of the partition wall 34 is formed with a plate width T1 of approximately 20 mm over almost its entire circumference. In addition, a recessed structure 34B corresponding to the multiple protrusions 32H of the bottom plate 32D of the storage container 32 is formed on the bottom surface 34A of the partition wall 34. When the partition wall 34 is placed inside the storage container 32, the recessed structure 34B of the partition wall 34 fits into the bottom plate 32D of the storage container 32. The partition wall 34 can slide in the lateral direction within the storage container 32 using the multiple protrusions 32H of the bottom plate 32D as guide rails.

[0052] The flow of cold air in the chilled compartment 31 will be explained using Figures 3 and 8. Note that in Figure 8, for the sake of explanation, the insulation material 46 is omitted in its thickness direction to match the area where the cooling air passage 43 is formed. In reality, however, as shown in Figure 5, the surface of the insulation material 46 is present throughout and forms a roughly plate-like structure.

[0053] First, as shown in Figure 3, the control unit of the refrigerator 10 operates the compressor 27, and the vapor compression refrigeration cycle is activated, generating cold air in the cooling chamber 24. Then, the control unit opens the blower 28 and damper 37 (see Figure 2), causing the cold air to be blown towards the refrigerator chamber 13 via the cooling air passage 29.

[0054] As described above, an opening 48A is formed in the partition member 48 at the back of the refrigerator compartment 13. The insulating partition member 41 is attached to the partition member 48 so that the opening 48A and the communication opening 47 coincide. Then, with the cooling air passages 29 and 43 in communication, some of the cold air is blown from the cooling air passage 29 to the cooling air passage 43.

[0055] As indicated by arrow 49 in Figure 8, the cold air flows from the cooling air passage 29 to the cooling air passage 43 via the communication port 47, and then flows into the first storage space 52 (see Figure 9) of the chilled compartment 31 from the outlet 35 of the top panel 33. The cold air then flows through the first storage space 52 and out into the refrigerator compartment 13 from the outlet 36 of the storage container 32. The cold air that flows into the refrigerator compartment 13 merges with the cold air inside the refrigerator compartment 13 and is then blown into the vegetable compartment 14 via the air passage 45A (see Figure 3) of the insulating partition member 40.

[0056] In this embodiment, the air outlet 35 is formed on the side of the first end 33D of the top panel 33. The first end 33D is on the side of the side panel 32C where the outlet 36 of the storage container 32 is formed. The air outlet 35 is formed from a plurality of openings 35A, and the plurality of openings 35A are arranged in a vertical line in the depth direction of the chilled compartment 31.

[0057] As shown in Figure 9, the partition wall 34 is positioned in the middle between the pair of side plates 32B and 32C inside the storage container 32, thereby dividing the storage space 51 of the storage container 32 into a first storage space 52 and a second storage space 53. The air outlet 35 and exhaust port 36 are positioned on the first storage space 52 side, so that the cold air blown into the chilled compartment 31 is supplied to the first storage space 52 via the air outlet 35. In other words, the cold air blown into the chilled compartment 31 is not supplied directly to the second storage space 53 from the air outlet 35.

[0058] With this structure, the first storage space 52 is used as a space that is directly cooled by the supplied cold air. On the other hand, the second storage space 53 is used as a space that is indirectly cooled by the cold air from the first storage space 52 via the partition wall 34. As described above, the chilled compartment 31 is located inside the refrigerator compartment 13, and the front panel 32F of the storage container 32 is made of a resin molded part, so the second storage space 53 is also indirectly cooled using the cold air inside the refrigerator compartment 13.

[0059] As a result, the first storage space 52 of the chilled compartment 31 is maintained at a temperature range of, for example, -4°C to -1°C, and is used as a lower temperature range than the second storage space 53. The first storage space 52 can be used, for example, when storing food such as fish or meat in a semi-frozen state.

[0060] On the other hand, the second storage space 53 of the chilled compartment 31 is maintained, for example, in a temperature range of 0°C to 2°C and is used as a space from which cold air is not directly supplied.

[0061] Here, as shown in Figure 10, when the partition wall 34 is positioned inside the storage container 32, the outer peripheral surface 34A of the partition wall 34 is in close contact with the inner surfaces of the storage container 32: the bottom plate 32D, the back plate 32E, and the front plate 32F. Similarly, when the storage container 32 is placed inside the chilled compartment 31, the outer peripheral surface 34A of the partition wall 34 is in close contact with the back surface of the top plate 33.

[0062] With this structure, when the storage container 32 is stored in the storage space 51 of the chilled compartment 31, the second storage space 53 is effectively sealed, surrounded by the storage container 32, the partition wall 34, and the top panel 33. As a result, the second storage space 53 is highly airtight and effectively not directly supplied with cold air, making it a space that is less prone to drying out. Consequently, the second storage space 53 can be used, for example, when storing vegetables, and the humidity can be easily maintained, thus helping to preserve the freshness of the vegetables.

[0063] In this embodiment, the sealed state refers to a state in which, when the storage container 32 is stored in the storage space 51 of the chilled compartment 31, cold air is not directly supplied to the storage space 51 of the chilled compartment 31 via the cooling air passage 43 and the outlet 35, and the second storage space 53 described above corresponds to this state. Furthermore, even if cold air enters the second storage space 53 through gaps between components in the above-mentioned storage state due to the assembly precision of the components of the chilled compartment 31, if the entered cold air does not circulate within the second storage space 53, then the sealed state in this embodiment is maintained.

[0064] Next, Figure 11A shows the case where the storage space 51 of the chilled compartment 31 is used as the first storage space 52. In Figure 11A, for the sake of explanation, the insulating partition member 41 is omitted, but the opening 35A of the air outlet 35 in the top panel 33 is shown.

[0065] As described above, the user of the refrigerator 10 can change the storage volume of the first storage space 52 and the storage volume of the second storage space 53 by changing the position of the partition wall 34 when the storage container 32 is pulled out. For example, if there are many foods that need to be stored in a semi-frozen state, such as fish or meat, the partition wall 34 can be positioned closer to the side plate 32B of the storage container 32, which is the second end 33E side, as shown in the figure, so that the storage space 51 of the storage container 32 can be used only as the first storage space 52.

[0066] The cold air blown from the cooling air passage 43 is blown into the first storage space 52 through the outlet 35 on the top panel 33. The cold air that has flowed through the first storage space 52 is then blown out into the refrigerator compartment 13 through the outlet 36 of the storage container 32. With this structure, the first storage space 52 is maintained at a temperature range of, for example, -4°C to -1°C, and the food inside the first storage space 52 is directly cooled by the cold air and stored in a semi-frozen state.

[0067] Figure 11B shows the case where the storage space 51 of the chilled compartment 31 is used as a second storage space 53. In Figure 11B, for the sake of explanation, the insulating partition member 41 is omitted, but the opening 35A of the air outlet 35 in the top panel 33 is shown.

[0068] As shown in the diagram, the partition wall 34 is positioned close to the side panel 32C of the storage container 32, which is the first end 33D side, so that the storage space 51 of the storage container 32 can be used only as the second storage space 53. In this case, all of the multiple openings 35A of the air outlet 35 of the top panel 33 are blocked by the outer surface 34A of the partition wall 34. As a result, cold air cannot be blown out from the air outlet 35 into the second storage space 53 of the storage container 32, and the cold air stagnates in the cooling air passage 43. The second storage space 53 is then indirectly cooled by the cold air in the cooling air passage 43 and the cold air in the refrigerator compartment 13.

[0069] For example, if the user of refrigerator 10 purchases an amount of vegetables that cannot be stored in the vegetable compartment 14, the chiller compartment 31 can be temporarily used as the vegetable compartment 14, improving convenience for the user.

[0070] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, dampers are not installed around the opening 48A and the communication port 47 in the cooling air passage 43 to the chilled compartment 31. The amount of cold air flowing into the chilled compartment 31 is adjusted by the position of the partition wall 34, which is moved by the user. In other words, adjusting the amount of cold air to the chilled compartment 31 does not require electronic control using dampers, thus reducing manufacturing costs.

[0071] In this embodiment, the user of the refrigerator 10 changes the position of the partition wall 34 disposed inside the storage container 32 when the chiller compartment 31 is open, thereby changing the storage volume of the first storage space 52 and the second storage space 53. However, the invention is not limited to this case. For example, as shown in Figure 12, the storage space 51 of the chiller compartment 31 may be partitioned using a partition wall 61 equipped with a handle 62. Various other modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0072] Figure 12 is a perspective view illustrating the partition wall 61 of the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment, showing a modified example of the partition wall 34 described above. In the following description, the focus will be on the knob 62, which is a modified part of the partition wall 61, and the same reference numerals will be used for other identical components in principle, and repeated explanations will be omitted.

[0073] As shown in the diagram, the partition wall portion 61 is formed in a substantially plate shape by resin molding using, for example, polypropylene. The partition wall portion 61 is formed to have substantially the same shape as the partition wall portion 34 when viewed from the side. On the other hand, a pair of handles 62 are formed at the upper end of the partition wall portion 61 in the depth direction (front-to-back direction of the paper). The handles 62 are formed extending from the outer peripheral surface 63 of the partition wall portion 61, and are shaped to sandwich the front plate 32F of the storage container 32 between them and the outer peripheral surface 63.

[0074] With this structure, when the partition wall 61 is installed in the storage container 32, the handle 62 protrudes forward from the front panel 32F of the storage container 32. The user of the refrigerator 10 can then adjust the position of the partition wall 61 by operating the handle 62 in the width direction of the chiller compartment 31, thereby adjusting the storage volume of the first storage space 52 and the second storage space 53.

[0075] Furthermore, since the partition wall 61 has the same uneven structure 34B as the partition wall 34, the partition wall 61 can smoothly slide using the multiple protrusions 32H on the bottom plate 32D of the storage container 32 as guide rails. Moreover, since the partition wall 61 is in close contact with the storage container 32 and the top plate 33, just like the partition wall 34, the second storage space 53 is effectively sealed.

[0076] Finally, the embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims are intended to be included. Furthermore, configurations obtained by combining the configurations of the different embodiments described herein are also included in the scope of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0077] 10 Refrigerator 11 Insulated box 12 Storage Rooms 13 Refrigerator 14. Vegetable compartment 15 Freezer 16A First insulated door 16B First insulated door 17. Second insulated door 18. The third insulated door 19. Fourth insulated door 20 Hinge mechanism 21 Outer box 22 Inner box 23 Insulation 24 Cooling room 25 Cooler 26 Machine room 27 Compressor 28 Blower 29 Cooling air passage 30 Defrost heater 31 Chilled compartment 32 Storage containers 32A Top opening 32B Side plate 32C side plate 32D bottom plate 32E back plate 32F front panel 32G grip part 32H protrusion 33 Top plate 33A Side plate 33B Back plate 33C front plate 33D First end 33E Second end 34 Compartment wall section 34A Outer surface 34B Uneven structure 35 Air outlet 35A opening 36 Outlet 37 Damper 40 Insulated partition members 41. Insulated partition members 42 Mounting plate 43 Cooling air passage 44 Front wall section 44A Frame 44B Transparent component 45 Rear wall 45A Airflow duct 45B Upper opening 45C Lower opening 46. ​​Insulation 47 Connecting Ports 48 Partition members 48A opening 51 Storage space 52. First storage space 53. Second storage space 61 Compartment wall section 62. Thumb part 63 Outer surface

Claims

1. Storage room and A cooling chamber that generates cold air, A chilled room is formed within the storage room and separated from the storage room, A cooling air passage for supplying the cold air to the chilled compartment, The chilled compartment is divided into a first storage space and a second storage space, or the chilled compartment is divided into either the first storage space or the second storage space, and the chilled compartment is further divided into these two storage spaces, The cold air is supplied directly to the first storage space via the cooling air passage, and the first storage space is a space that is directly cooled by the cold air. A refrigerator characterized in that the second storage space is a space that is indirectly cooled by the cold air supplied to the first storage space.

2. The chilled compartment comprises a storage container having a top opening, a partition wall disposed inside the storage container, a top plate that closes the top opening, a cold air outlet formed in the top plate, and a cold air outlet formed in the storage container. The outer surface of the partition wall comes into contact with the inner surface of the storage container and the back surface of the top panel, thereby forming the first storage space and the second storage space inside the storage container. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that the air outlet and the exhaust port are located on the side of the first storage space.

3. The partition wall portion is movable within the storage container in the lateral direction of the chilled compartment. The aforementioned air outlet is formed on the first end side in the lateral direction of the top panel, The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that the discharge port is formed on the side plate of the storage container on the first end side.

4. When the partition wall moves toward the first end of the storage container, and the storage container in the chilled compartment is used as the second storage space, The refrigerator according to claim 3, characterized in that the air outlet is blocked by the outer peripheral surface of the partition wall.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 3, characterized in that the partition wall moves toward the second end in the lateral direction of the storage container, thereby allowing the chilled compartment to be used as the first storage space.

6. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the second storage space is a sealed space.

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