Liquid freezing device

Abstract

This prevents damage to the sliding rail portion of the storage basket's rail system from occurring due to differences in thermal expansion rates with respect to temperature changes between the sliding rail portion and the base rail portion. [Solution] In the liquid freezing apparatus 10, the storage basket 30 is equipped with rails 35 that extend in the depth direction on both sides adjacent horizontally to the opening 30b through which the frozen material can be loaded and unloaded, and support the sides of the shelf section 39. The rail 35 is equipped with a base rail section 36 fixed to both sides of the opening 30b, and a sliding rail section 37 made of a material that provides good sliding performance above the base rail section 36. The base rail section 36 is equipped with a plurality of boss sections 36d, 36e arranged in the depth direction of the storage basket 30, and the sliding rail section 37 is equipped with grooves 37c, 37d that engage with the plurality of boss sections 36d, 36e to position the sliding rail section 37 relative to the base rail section 36.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid freezing device for freezing frozen objects such as food materials and cooked foods with a coolant cooled in a freezing tank, and more particularly to a liquid freezing device in which the frozen objects are stored in a storage cage and immersed in the coolant in the freezing tank.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a food freezing device for freezing frozen objects such as food materials and cooked foods with a coolant cooled. This food freezing device includes a freezing tank having an opening on the upper surface for storing the coolant, a lid for opening and closing the opening on the upper surface of the freezing tank, a refrigeration device for cooling the coolant in the freezing tank, and a stirring means for stirring the coolant in the freezing tank. In this food freezing device, the coolant in the freezing tank is cooled by the refrigerant circulating through the refrigerant pipes constituting the refrigeration device. When a storage cage containing frozen objects such as food materials and cooked foods is placed in the freezing tank through the opening on the upper surface and immersed in the coolant, the frozen objects in the storage cage are heat-exchanged with the coolant and frozen.

[0003] The food freezing device includes a hydraulic cylinder device for raising and lowering the storage cage and the lid. The hydraulic cylinder device includes a receiving plate for placing the storage cage at the lower part of the lifting frame and a pair of support arms for fixing the lid to the upper part of the lifting frame. When the lid is lowered together with the receiving plate by the hydraulic cylinder device, the storage cage placed on the receiving plate is immersed in the coolant in the freezing tank, and the opening of the freezing tank is closed by the lid. When the lid is raised together with the receiving plate by the hydraulic cylinder device, the opening of the freezing tank is opened from the lid, and the storage cage placed on the receiving plate is lifted above the coolant in the freezing tank.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0005] Although the structure of the storage basket for storing the frozen items is not described in detail in the food freezing apparatus (liquid freezing apparatus) used in Patent Document 1, one example of a storage basket is one that has a storage space for storing the frozen items inside, an opening at the front for loading and unloading the frozen items, multiple shelves that divide the storage space vertically in a way that allows liquid to pass through, and multiple rails that extend in the depth direction on the left and right sides to support the shelves. Furthermore, in food freezing apparatuses that can freeze a large amount of frozen items at once, larger storage baskets are used, and high-strength metal components are used, including the rails. In large storage baskets, the amount of frozen items that can be placed on each shelf is also large, and when pulling out the shelves inside the storage basket from the opening, the shelves become heavy due to the large amount of frozen items placed on them, making it difficult to pull them out from the opening to the front on the upper side of the rails. In contrast, by equipping the rail with a high-strength metal base rail section and a sliding rail section made of a resin material with high sliding performance located above the metal base rail section, the shelf section, which has become heavy due to a large amount of frozen material placed on it, can be easily pulled out from the opening to the front on the upper side of the rail.

[0006] When a sliding rail made of resin is fixed to the upper part of a metal base rail, for example, by a screw member, the screw member may loosen due to vibrations when the storage basket is raised and lowered in and out of the freezing tank, and the sliding rail made of resin may detach from the base rail. Also, when the sliding rail is fixed to the base rail at multiple points using screw members, the sliding rail made of resin has a higher thermal contraction rate with respect to temperature changes than the base rail made of metal. Therefore, when the storage basket is immersed in the antifreeze in the freezing tank, the sliding rail will contract more than the base rail, and the sliding rail may be pulled between the fixing points to the base rail, causing it to break. The present invention aims to prevent the sliding rail from easily detaching from the base rail while also preventing damage to the sliding rail from occurring due to differences in thermal expansion rates with respect to temperature changes between the sliding rail and the base rail, when the rail that slidably supports shelves that divide the storage basket, which is immersed in antifreeze in a freezing tank, is equipped with a base rail fixed to the storage basket and a sliding rail above the base rail that allows the shelves to slide. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a liquid freezing apparatus comprising a freezing tank for freezing objects with antifreeze stored inside, and a storage basket for storing objects to be frozen and immersing them in the antifreeze inside the freezing tank, wherein the storage basket comprises a storage space for storing objects to be frozen inside, an opening on one horizontal side for loading and unloading objects to be frozen, a shelf section that divides the storage space vertically in a way that allows liquid to pass through, enabling the objects to be frozen to be stored in multiple stages vertically, and rails that extend in the depth direction on both sides adjacent to the opening in the horizontal direction and support the sides of the shelf section, wherein the rail comprises a base rail section fixed to both sides adjacent to the opening in the horizontal direction, and a sliding rail section made of a material with better sliding performance than the base rail section that slides the shelf section above the base rail section, wherein the base rail section is provided with a plurality of boss sections arranged in the depth direction of the storage basket, and the sliding rail section is provided with recessed grooves into which the plurality of boss sections engage, and the sliding rail section is positioned on the base rail section by engaging the plurality of boss sections with the recessed grooves.

[0008] In the liquid freezing apparatus configured as described above, the storage basket comprises a storage space for storing items to be frozen, an opening on one horizontal side for loading and unloading items to be frozen, a shelf section that divides the storage space vertically in a way that allows liquid to pass through, enabling the items to be frozen to be stored in multiple levels, and rails that extend in the depth direction on both sides adjacent to the opening in the horizontal direction and support the sides of the shelf section. The rail comprises a base rail section fixed to both sides adjacent to the opening in the horizontal direction, and a sliding rail section made of a material with better sliding performance than the base rail section, which slides the shelf section above the base rail section. The base rail section is provided with a plurality of boss sections arranged in the depth direction of the storage basket, and the sliding rail section is provided with grooves into which the plurality of boss sections engage. The sliding rail section is positioned on the base rail section by engaging the plurality of boss sections with the grooves. Since multiple bosses on the base rail are engaged with the grooves on the sliding rail, the sliding rail is positioned relative to the base rail. In this state, even if the sliding rail shrinks more than the base rail due to the cold of the antifreeze when the storage basket is immersed in the antifreeze, the multiple bosses on the base rail can move longitudinally within the grooves on the sliding rail. This prevents the sliding rail from being damaged due to the difference in thermal contraction rates with respect to temperature changes between it and the base rail.

[0009] In the liquid freezing apparatus configured as described above, the base rail section comprises a horizontal base rail section extending horizontally, and the sliding rail section comprises a horizontal sliding rail section mounted on the upper side of the horizontal base rail section. Preferably, the horizontal base rail section is provided with a plurality of first boss sections that constitute a plurality of boss sections arranged in the depth direction of the storage basket, and the horizontal sliding rail section is provided with a first recessed groove section that engages with the plurality of first boss sections to constitute a recessed groove section for positioning the sliding rail section relative to the base rail section. Since multiple first bosses of the horizontal base rail section are engaged with the first recessed groove of the horizontal sliding rail section of the sliding rail section, the sliding rail section is positioned relative to the base rail section in the width direction of the opening. In this state, even if the sliding rail section shrinks more than the base rail section due to the cold of the antifreeze when the storage basket is immersed in antifreeze, the multiple first bosses of the horizontal base rail section can move longitudinally within the first recessed groove of the horizontal sliding rail section. This prevents the sliding rail section from being damaged due to the difference in thermal contraction rates with respect to temperature changes between it and the base rail section.

[0010] In the liquid freezing apparatus configured as described above, the base rail section comprises a horizontal base rail section extending horizontally and an upright base rail section rising upward from the outer edge of the horizontal base rail section, and the sliding rail section comprises a horizontal sliding rail section placed on the upper side of the horizontal base rail section and an upright sliding rail section rising along the upright base rail section from the outer edge of the horizontal sliding rail section, and it is preferable that the upright base rail section is provided with a plurality of second boss sections that constitute a plurality of boss sections arranged in the depth direction of the storage basket, and the upright sliding rail section is provided with a second groove section that engages with the plurality of second boss sections and constitutes a groove section for positioning the sliding rail section relative to the base rail section. Since multiple second bosses of the upright base rail section are engaged with the second recessed groove of the upright sliding rail section of the sliding rail section, the sliding rail section is positioned vertically relative to the base rail section. In this state, even if the sliding rail section shrinks more than the base rail section due to the cold of the antifreeze when the storage basket is immersed in antifreeze, the multiple second bosses of the horizontal base rail section can move longitudinally within the second recessed groove of the horizontal sliding rail section. This prevents the sliding rail section from being damaged due to the difference in thermal contraction rates with respect to temperature changes between it and the base rail section.

[0011] In the liquid freezing apparatus configured as described above, the base rail section comprises a horizontal base rail section extending horizontally, and the sliding rail section comprises a horizontal sliding rail section mounted on the upper side of the horizontal base rail section. Preferably, the horizontal sliding rail section is provided with a locking portion that engages with the lower surface of the horizontal base rail section from its inner edge. Since the locking portion of the horizontal sliding rail section is engaged with the lower surface of the horizontal base rail section of the base rail section, the sliding rail section is positioned vertically relative to the base rail. In this state, even if the sliding rail section shrinks significantly relative to the base rail section due to the cold of the antifreeze when the storage basket is immersed in the antifreeze, the locking portion can move longitudinally along the lower surface of the base rail section. Therefore, damage to the sliding rail section due to the difference in thermal contraction rate with respect to temperature changes between the sliding rail section and the base rail section can be prevented.

[0012] In the liquid freezing apparatus configured as described above, the base rail section comprises a horizontal base rail section extending horizontally and an upright base rail section rising upward from the outer edge of the horizontal base rail section, the sliding rail section comprises a horizontal sliding rail section placed on top of the horizontal base rail section and an upright sliding rail section rising along the upright base rail section from the outer edge of the horizontal sliding rail section, the storage basket has multiple liquid passages formed on both sides adjacent to the opening in the horizontal direction for passing antifreeze, and it is preferable that the upright sliding rail section is provided with claws that can engage with the liquid passages. Since the claw portion of the upright sliding rail portion is engaged with a liquid passage formed on the side surface horizontally adjacent to the opening of the storage basket, the sliding rail portion is positioned on the base rail portion via the side surface horizontally adjacent to the opening of the storage basket. In this state, even if the sliding rail portion shrinks more than the base rail portion due to the coldness of the antifreeze when the storage basket is immersed in antifreeze, the claw portion is not fixed but locked to the liquid passage, thus preventing damage to the sliding rail portion due to the difference in thermal contraction rate with respect to temperature changes between the sliding rail portion and the base rail portion.

[0013] In the liquid freezing apparatus configured as described above, it is preferable that the sliding rail portion is provided with a locking rise at the end facing the opening, which rises upward to prevent the shelf portion from protruding from the opening. In this case, the locking rise can prevent the shelf portion from unintentionally protruding from the opening. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a front view of the liquid freezing apparatus of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view obtained by cutting the central part of Figure 1 in the front-to-back direction along the left-to-right direction. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view AA in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 2 is a magnified cross-sectional view of a portion of the opening of the freezing tank. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of a liquid freezing device with the lid and storage basket raised. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view seen from obliquely above the lid body and the storage cage. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view seen from obliquely below the lid body and the storage cage. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view seen from obliquely in front of the storage cage with the sliding rail part and the cap part of the right rail pulled forward. [Figure 9] It is a perspective view seen from obliquely below the storage cage with the sliding rail part and the cap part of the right rail pulled forward. [Figure 10] It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view obtained by cutting along the front-back direction of the lid body and the storage cage with the sliding rail parts and the cap parts of the upper three-stage rails removed. [Figure 11] It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the rail. [Figure 12] It is a perspective view seen from obliquely below the front part of the sliding rail part. [Figure 13] It is a schematic view centered on the refrigeration device of the liquid freezing device. [Figure 14] It is a perspective view seen from obliquely in front of the right side of the lifting mechanism. [Figure 15] It is a perspective view seen from obliquely in front of the left side of the lifting mechanism. [Figure 16] It is a block diagram of the control device. [Figure 17] It is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 6 of a modified example in which claw portions are provided at the front and rear portions of the sliding rail part. [Figure 18] It is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 6 of the modified example of FIG. 17.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0015] An embodiment of the liquid freezing apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. The liquid freezing apparatus 10 of the present invention is also called a liquid freezer and rapidly freezes food, cooked food, and other items to be frozen using an antifreeze solution containing ethanol (57 wt%). Food, cooked food, and other items to be frozen are mainly those that have been sealed in packaging bags using a vacuum packaging machine or the like, and after being frozen in the liquid freezing apparatus 10, they are stored frozen in a freezer. Furthermore, the liquid freezing apparatus 10 of the present invention uses a large freezing tank 20, and a storage basket 30 for holding the items to be frozen is fixed to the lower surface of a lid 23 that can be opened and closed to close the opening 20a on the upper surface of the freezing tank 20, and the lid 23 and the storage basket 30 can be raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism 60.

[0016] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the liquid freezing apparatus 10 is equipped with a freezing tank 20 in the upper part of the housing 11 and a machine room 12 in the lower part. As shown in Figure 2, a support plate 13 for supporting the stirring motor 56 of the stirring device 55, which will be described later, is installed on the left side of the freezing tank 20, and an opening 20a is formed on the upper surface of the part of the freezing tank 20 other than the left side, into which a storage basket 30 containing the object to be frozen is immersed. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a casing 14 that rises upward is provided on the upper surface of the left side of the freezing tank 20, and various pieces of equipment, including the stirring motor 56 of the stirring device 55 that stirs the antifreeze in the freezing tank 20, are housed inside the casing 14.

[0017] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the freezing tank 20 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape and stores antifreeze for freezing the object to be frozen. As shown in Figure 2, the freezing tank 20 is divided into two sections by a partition plate 21 located to the left of the center in the left-right direction, allowing liquid to pass through. The left side of the freezing tank 20, separated by the partition plate 21, is a cooling area 20b for cooling the antifreeze, and the area excluding the left side separated by the partition plate 21 is an immersion area 20c for immersing the object to be frozen. A temperature sensor 22 is provided on the partition plate 21, and the temperature sensor 22 detects the temperature of the antifreeze in the freezing tank 20. As shown in Figure 4, the upper part of each side of the freezing tank 20 has an inclined section 20d that slopes diagonally upward outwards. The inclined section 20d has the function of making it easier for the antifreeze falling from the top of the freezing tank 20 to return to the freezing tank 20. Furthermore, the upper end of the inclined portion 20d of the freezing tank 20 has a flat portion 20e that extends outward in the horizontal direction.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, a lid 23 is provided on the opening 20a on the upper surface of the freezing tank 20, excluding the left side, and the opening 20a of the freezing tank 20 is closed by the lid 23 so as to be able to be opened and closed. The lid 23 has a low height and is roughly rectangular in shape, with an insulating material disposed inside. The lid 23 is supported so as to be able to move up and down by a lifting mechanism 60, which will be described later. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, a packing 24 is provided on the lower peripheral edge of the lid 23, and the packing 24 is in contact with the flat portion 20e on the peripheral edge of the opening 20a of the freezing tank 20 while pressed against it. When the opening 20a of the freezing tank 20 is covered by the lid 23, the packing 24 is in close contact with the flat portion 20e on the peripheral edge of the opening 20a of the freezing tank 20, and the space between the opening 20a of the freezing tank 20 and the lid 23 is airtightly sealed.

[0019] As shown in Figures 2 to 5, a storage basket 30 capable of storing items to be frozen is fixed to the underside of the lid 23, and the storage basket 30 can be raised and lowered together with the lid 23 by a lifting mechanism 60. When the lid 23 is raised to the upper side of the freezing tank 20, the storage basket 30 is detachably fixed to the underside of the lid 23 in order to improve the workability of maintenance work such as internal maintenance of the freezing tank 20. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the storage basket 30 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape, with its top surface closed by the lid 23, and its left side, right side, rear and bottom surfaces (excluding the front) covered in a way that allows liquid to pass through. The storage basket 30 has a storage space 30a for storing items to be frozen inside, and an opening 30b on the front (one horizontal side) for loading and unloading items to be frozen. The storage basket 30 is equipped with left and right side walls 31, and numerous liquid passages 31a are formed in the left and right side walls 31 to allow antifreeze to enter both inside and outside the storage basket 30. The liquid passages 31a are rectangular in shape and are arranged at equal intervals in the front and back and top and bottom of the left and right side walls 31, and the left and right side walls 31 are formed in a grid shape by the numerous liquid passages 31a.

[0020] As shown in Figure 7, a connecting plate 32 is provided at the upper rear between the left and right side walls 31 of the storage basket 30, and a connecting bar 33 is provided at the lower front between the left and right side walls 31 of the storage basket 30, and the left and right side walls 31 are connected by the connecting plate 32 and the connecting bar 33. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, metal wire material (metal wire) 34 arranged in a grid pattern is provided at the rear and bottom between the left and right side walls 31, and the rear and bottom parts of the storage basket 30 are formed by the grid-like metal wire material 34. Antifreeze can pass between the inside and outside of the storage basket 30 through the opening 30b, the liquid passage ports 31a of the left and right side walls 31, and the grid-like metal wire material 34.

[0021] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, rails 35 are provided in five vertical rows on the left and right side walls 31 of the storage basket 30, and the rails 35 can detachably support the shelf section 39 (shown in Figure 6 only with the lowest shelf section 39 pulled forward). The rails 35 extend in the front-to-back direction (depth direction) on both the left and right side sections of the storage basket 30 (the side sections adjacent horizontally to the opening 30b). As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the rails 35 include a base rail section 36 fixed to both the left and right side sections of the storage basket 30 (the side sections adjacent horizontally to the opening 30b), a sliding rail section 37 that allows the shelf section 39 to slide above the base rail section 36, and a cap section 38 at the front end of the sliding rail section 37.

[0022] As shown in Figures 8 to 10, the base rail section 36 is made by bending a metal sheet such as stainless steel, and extends in the front-to-back direction (depth direction) on both the left and right side surfaces (side surfaces adjacent horizontally to the opening 30b). The base rail section 36 comprises a horizontal base rail section 36a extending horizontally, an upright base rail section 36b rising upward from the outer edge of the horizontal base rail section 36a (the outer edge relative to the left-to-right center of the storage basket 30), and an upper plate section 36c extending inward from the upper end of the upright base rail section 36b (towards the left-to-right center of the storage basket 30) to prevent the shelf section 39 from lifting up, and has a roughly U-shaped cross-section in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The front and rear of the upright base rail section 36b of the base rail section 36 are fixed to the left and right side walls of the storage basket 30 by fixing means such as welding.

[0023] As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the horizontal base rail section 36a extends in the front-rear direction (depth direction) and supports the sides of the shelf section 39 via the sliding rail section 37. Six first boss sections (bosses) 36d that protrude upward are provided on the upper surface of the horizontal base rail section 36a, and these first boss sections 36d are arranged in a straight line along the depth direction of the storage basket 30. These first boss sections 36d have the function of restricting the movement of the sliding rail section 37 in the left-right direction (width direction of the opening 30b).

[0024] As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the upright base rail section 36b extends in the front-to-back direction (depth direction), similar to the horizontal base rail section 36a, and has a height that allows the shelf section 39 to be placed on it. The upright base rail section 36b is provided with five second boss sections (bosses) 36e that protrude inward (towards the center side in the left-right direction of the storage basket 30), and these second boss sections 36e are arranged in a straight line along the depth direction of the storage basket 30. These second boss sections 36e have the function of restricting the movement of the sliding rail section 37 in the vertical direction. As shown in Figure 10, the upper plate section 36c covers the upper side of the shelf section 39 placed on the sliding rail section 37, preventing the shelf section 39 from lifting up. An inclined section 36f that slopes upward is formed on the front part of the upper plate section 36c, and the inclined section 36f has the function of making it easier to insert the shelf section 39 into the rail 35.

[0025] As shown in Figures 8 to 11, the sliding rail section 37 is made of a resin material with good sliding performance and extends in the front-rear direction (depth direction) on both the left and right side surfaces (side surfaces adjacent horizontally to the opening 30b), similar to the base rail section 36. The sliding rail section 37 has a sliding surface that allows the shelf section 39 to slide in the front-rear direction (depth direction), and by using a resin material with good sliding performance, it is designed to have better sliding performance than the metal base rail section 36. In this embodiment, polyacetal is used as the resin material for the sliding rail section 37 as it has high sliding performance as well as high alcohol resistance and heat resistance, but it is not limited to this, and other materials with good sliding performance may be used. The sliding rail section 37 comprises a horizontal sliding rail section 37a that is placed on top of the horizontal base rail section 36a, and an upright sliding rail section 37b that rises from the outer edge of the horizontal sliding rail section 37a (the outer edge relative to the center of the storage basket 30 in the left-right direction) along the upright base rail section 36b.

[0026] As shown in Figures 8 to 10, the horizontal sliding rail section 37a extends in the front-rear direction (depth direction), similar to the horizontal base rail section 36a, and is detachably attached to the upper surface of the horizontal base rail section 36a. A shelf section 39 is detachably mounted on the upper surface of the horizontal sliding rail section 37a, and the upper surface of the horizontal sliding rail section 37a serves as a sliding surface for sliding the shelf section 39. As shown in Figures 9, 11, and 12, a first recessed groove section 37c extending in the front-rear direction is formed on the lower surface of the horizontal sliding rail section 37a, and six first boss sections 36d provided on the upper surface of the horizontal base rail section 36a can engage with the first recessed groove section 37c. The width of the first recessed groove section 37c is formed to be slightly larger than the diameter of each first boss section 36d of the horizontal base rail section 36a. In this embodiment, the width of the first recessed groove section 37c is formed to be 0.6 mm larger than the length of the first boss section 36d.

[0027] As shown in Figure 11, the first boss portion 36d of the horizontal base rail portion 36a engages with the first groove portion 37c of the horizontal sliding rail portion 37a, so the sliding rail portion 37 is positioned in the left-right direction (width direction of the opening 30b) relative to the base rail portion 36 and its movement is restricted. When the sliding rail portion 37 is fixed to the base rail portion 36 at multiple positions separated in the longitudinal direction, if the sliding rail portion 37 contracts more than the base rail portion 36, the contracting sliding rail portion 37 may be pulled at the multiple fixed positions and be damaged. In contrast, since the first boss portion 36d of the horizontal base rail portion 36a is movable in the longitudinal direction within the first groove portion 37c of the horizontal sliding rail portion 37a, even if the sliding rail portion 37 contracts more than the base rail portion 36 in the longitudinal front-back direction, it will not be damaged due to the contracting sliding rail portion 37 being pulled at the multiple fixed positions.

[0028] Furthermore, even if the sliding rail portion 37 shrinks more than the base rail portion 36 in the width direction, the first boss portion 36d of the horizontal base rail portion 36a engages with the left and right side walls of the first groove portion 37c of the horizontal sliding rail portion 37a via a small gap. Therefore, even if the sliding rail portion 37 shrinks more than the base rail portion 36 in the antifreeze in the freezing tank 20, the first boss portion 36d of the horizontal base rail portion 36a can move in the width direction within the first groove portion 37c of the horizontal sliding rail portion 37a. As a result, even if the sliding rail portion 37 shrinks more than the base rail portion 36, the first boss portion 36d of the horizontal base rail portion 36a can move within the first groove portion 37c of the horizontal sliding rail portion 37a, preventing damage caused by the sliding rail portion 37 being firmly fixed to the base rail portion 36.

[0029] As shown in Figures 8 to 12, the upright sliding rail portion 37b is formed to rise upward from the outer edge of the horizontal sliding rail portion 37a along the upright base rail portion 36b, extends in the front-rear direction (depth direction) similar to the horizontal sliding rail portion 37a, and is detachably attached to the inner side surface of the upright base rail portion 36b. As shown in Figures 8, 9, 11, and 12, a second recessed groove portion 37d extending in the front-rear direction is formed on the outer surface of the upright sliding rail portion 37b (the surface opposite to the center side in the left-right direction of the storage basket 30), and five second boss portions 36e provided on the inner side surface of the upright base rail portion 36b can engage with the second recessed groove portion 37d. The width of the second groove portion 37d is formed to be slightly larger than the diameter of each second boss portion 36e of the upright base rail portion 36b. In this embodiment, the width of the second groove portion 37d is formed to be 0.6 mm larger than the second boss portion 36e.

[0030] As shown in Figure 11, the second boss portion 36e of the upright base rail portion 36b engages with the second groove portion 37d of the upright sliding rail portion 37b, so that the sliding rail portion 37 is positioned vertically relative to the base rail portion 36 and its movement is restricted. When the sliding rail portion 37 is fixed to the base rail portion 36 at multiple positions separated in the longitudinal direction, if the sliding rail portion 37 contracts more than the base rail portion 36, the contracting sliding rail portion 37 may be pulled at the multiple fixed positions and be damaged. In contrast, since the second boss portion 36e of the upright base rail portion 36b is movable in the longitudinal direction within the second groove portion 37d of the upright sliding rail portion 37b, even if the sliding rail portion 37 contracts more than the base rail portion 36 in the longitudinal front-rear direction, it will not be damaged due to the contracting sliding rail portion 37 being pulled at the multiple fixed positions.

[0031] Furthermore, even if the sliding rail portion 37 contracts more than the base rail portion 36 in the vertical direction, the second boss portion 36e of the upright base rail portion 36b engages with the vertical side wall of the second groove portion 37d of the upright sliding rail portion 37b via a small gap. Therefore, even if the sliding rail portion 37 contracts more than the base rail portion 36 in the antifreeze in the freezing tank 20, the second boss portion 36e of the upright base rail portion 36b can move vertically within the second groove portion 37d of the upright sliding rail portion 37b. As a result, even if the sliding rail portion 37 contracts more than the base rail portion 36, the second boss portion 36e of the upright base rail portion 36b can move within the second groove portion 37d of the upright sliding rail portion 37b, preventing damage caused by the sliding rail portion 37 being firmly fixed to the base rail portion 36.

[0032] As shown in Figures 9, 11, and 12, a locking portion 37e is formed on the inner edge of the horizontal sliding rail portion 37a (the inner edge that is on the left-right central side of the storage basket 30), extending from below to the lower surface of the horizontal base rail portion 36a. The locking portion 37e extends in the front-rear direction (depth direction) similar to the horizontal sliding rail portion 37a. The cross-sectional shape of the locking portion 37e in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is approximately J-shaped, and the tip of the locking portion 37e locks to the lower surface of the horizontal base rail portion 36a. Since the locking portion 37e locks to the lower surface of the horizontal base rail portion 36a, the sliding rail portion 37 is positioned vertically relative to the base rail portion 36, and its movement is restricted.

[0033] As shown in Figure 11, the tip of the locking portion 37e provided on the horizontal sliding rail portion 37a is locked to the lower surface of the horizontal base rail portion 36a, so that the sliding rail portion 37 is positioned vertically relative to the base rail portion 36 and its movement is restricted. When the sliding rail portion 37 is fixed to the base rail portion 36 at multiple positions separated in the longitudinal direction, if the sliding rail portion 37 contracts more than the base rail portion 36, the contracting sliding rail portion 37 may be pulled at multiple fixed positions and may break. In contrast, even if the sliding rail portion 37 contracts more than the base rail portion 36 in the longitudinal front-rear direction, the tip of the locking portion 37e is locked to the lower surface of the horizontal base rail portion 36a, and the deformation of the sliding rail portion 37 in the longitudinal direction is not restricted, so the contracting sliding rail portion 37 will not be pulled at multiple fixed positions and will not break.

[0034] As shown in Figures 8 to 10, the sliding rail section 37 is equipped with a cap section 38 on the front side of the horizontal sliding rail section 37a, and the cap section 38 is fixed to the upright base rail section 36b by a screw member 40. The cap section 38 is fixed to the front of the upright base rail section 36b and has the function of restricting the forward movement of the sliding rail section 37 (preventing the sliding rail section 37 from coming off). The cap section 38, like the sliding rail section 37, is made of polyacetal, a resin material with high sliding performance as well as high alcohol resistance and heat resistance. A locking rise section 38a is formed at the front end of the cap section 38, and the shelf section 39 placed on the rail 35 is less likely to unintentionally jump forward due to the locking rise section 38a of the cap section 38. The locking rise section 38a has a curved shape that rises upward in a mountain shape, and the shelf section 39 is less likely to get caught on the locking rise section 38a when it is pulled forward.

[0035] As shown in Figure 6, the shelf section 39 is formed in a grid shape using metal wire material, and divides the inside of the storage basket 30 into multiple levels vertically while allowing liquid to pass through. The shelf section 39 can be loaded into and out of the storage basket 30 through the opening 30b on the front. The shelf section 39 can hold items to be frozen, and the shelf section 39 allows the items to be frozen to be arranged vertically in multiple levels inside the storage basket 30. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a float prevention member 41 is provided at the top of the storage basket 30, and the float prevention member 41 prevents the items to be frozen placed on the uppermost shelf section 39 from floating above the liquid level of the antifreeze.

[0036] As shown in Figure 2, the evaporator tube 54, which constitutes the refrigeration system 50, is arranged in a spiral shape in the cooling region 20b of the freezing tank 20, and the antifreeze in the freezing tank 20 is cooled by the refrigerant passing through the evaporator tube 54. As shown in Figure 13, the refrigeration system 50 is located in the machine room 12, excluding the evaporator tube 54, and includes a compressor 51 that compresses the refrigerant, a condenser 52 that cools and liquefies the refrigerant pumped from the compressor 51, an expansion valve 53 that expands the liquefied refrigerant liquefied in the condenser 52 to produce low-pressure liquefied refrigerant, and an evaporator tube 54 that vaporizes the liquefied refrigerant expanded by the expansion valve 53 to cool the antifreeze in the freezing tank 20. The refrigeration system 50 constitutes a refrigeration circuit in which the refrigerant circulates by connecting the compressor 51, condenser 52, expansion valve 53 and evaporator tube 54 in a ring shape with refrigerant pipes. When the refrigerant in the refrigeration system 50 is circulated, the refrigerant pumped from the compressor 51 is cooled in the condenser 52 to become liquefied refrigerant. The liquefied refrigerant then becomes low-pressure liquefied refrigerant in the expansion valve 53, and the heat of vaporization generated when the low-pressure liquefied refrigerant evaporates in the evaporator tube 54 cools the antifreeze in the freezing tank 20.

[0037] As shown in Figure 2, an agitator 55 is provided on the left side of the freezing tank 20, and the antifreeze in the freezing tank 20 is agitated by the agitator 55 to make the temperature uniform. The agitator 55 comprises an agitator motor 56 on the upper side of the support plate 13, a rotating shaft 57 that hangs down from the agitator motor 56 into the inside of the spirally wound evaporator tube 54 in the cooling region 20b of the freezing tank 20, and an agitator blade 58 attached to the tip of the rotating shaft 57. When the agitator motor 56 is operated and the agitator blade 58 is rotated inside the spiral evaporator tube 54 in the cooling region 20b of the freezing tank 20, the antifreeze in the freezing tank 20 circulates between the cooling region 20b and the immersion region 20c, making the temperature uniform.

[0038] As shown in Figures 3, 14, and 15, a lifting mechanism 60 for raising and lowering the lid 23 is provided on the rear side (one side) of the freezing tank 20. The lifting mechanism 60 comprises left and right side frames 61 erected on both the left and right sides of the rear of the freezing tank 20, a base frame 62 (shown only in Figure 3) installed in the middle of the left and right side frames 61 in the vertical direction, a top frame 63 installed on the upper part of the left and right side frames 61, a bottom frame 64 installed on the lower part of the left and right side frames 61, and a center frame 65 fixed to the base frame 62 and the top frame 63 in the center between the left and right side frames 61.

[0039] As shown in Figures 14 and 15, shafts 66 extending vertically are provided on the left and right sides between the base frame 62 and the top frame 63, and sliders 67 using linear bearings are supported on the shafts 66 so as to be movable up and down. The left and right sliders 67 provided on the left and right shafts 66 are connected by a connecting frame 68, and the left and right sliders 67 move up and down simultaneously by the connecting frame 68. An arm 69 extending above the freezing tank 20 is supported at the front of the slider 67 so as to be rotatable around the horizontal axis in the left-right direction, and a lid 23 is fixed to the arm 69.

[0040] As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the lifting mechanism 60 is equipped with a drive mechanism 70 that moves the left and right sliders 67 up and down. The drive mechanism 70 moves the left and right sliders 67 up and down via a connecting frame 68 using a ball screw mechanism. The drive mechanism 70 includes a screw shaft 71 rotatably supported by the base frame 62 and the top frame 63 at the rear of the center frame 65, a ball screw nut 72 (shown only in Figure 3) screwed onto the screw shaft 71 so as to be vertically movable, and a gear motor 73 provided on the upper side of the top frame 63 to rotate the screw shaft 71. When the gear motor 73 is driven in forward rotation, the screw shaft 71 rotates in forward rotation, and together with the ball screw nut 72, the connecting frame 68 and the left and right sliders 67 move upward, and the lid 23 fixed to the arm 69 together with the sliders 67 rises together with the storage basket 30. In contrast, when the gear motor 73 is driven in reverse, the screw shaft 71 reverses direction (rotates in the opposite direction), causing the connecting frame 68 and the left and right sliders 67 to move downwards along with the ball screw nut 72, and the lid 23, which is fixed to the arm 69 along with the sliders 67, to descend together with the storage basket 30.

[0041] As shown in Figure 16, the liquid freezing apparatus 10 is equipped with a control device 80, which is connected to the temperature sensor 22, the refrigeration apparatus 50, the stirring motor 56, the gear motor 73, and the operation panel 81 located on the front of the casing 14. The control device 80 has a microcomputer (not shown), which is equipped with a CPU, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, and other non-volatile memory (non-volatile storage units) and timers (all not shown), which are connected via a bus.

[0042] The ROM stores programs for a freezing operation mode that cools the antifreeze in the freezing tank 20 to a freezing temperature (in this embodiment, -35°C) suitable for freezing objects to be frozen, a cooling operation mode that cools the antifreeze in the freezing tank 20 to a cooling temperature suitable for storage, and a maintenance operation mode that raises the antifreeze in the freezing tank 20 to a discharge temperature suitable for discharge. The programs for each mode can be executed by operating the control unit on the control panel 81. Alternatively, the control unit on the control panel 81 may be used to control the system to switch between the freezing operation mode and the cooling operation mode at set intervals using a timer.

[0043] When freezing an object using this liquid freezing device 10, the control panel 81 is operated to activate the freezing operation mode using the control device 80. When the freezing operation mode is activated, the antifreeze in the freezing tank 20 is cooled as it flows downward inside the spirally wound evaporator tube 54 within the cooling region 20b by the liquid flow generated by the rotation of the stirring blades 58 of the agitator 55. The antifreeze flowing downward inside the evaporator tube 54 is sent to the immersion region 20c by passing under the partition plate 21. The antifreeze sent from the cooling region 20b to the immersion region 20c returns to the cooling region 20b through an opening formed in the partition plate 21, and the antifreeze returned to the cooling region 20b flows in from the upper side of the spirally wound evaporator tube 54 and is cooled as it flows inside the evaporator tube 54.

[0044] When immersing the object to be frozen into the freezing tank 20, the operation panel 81 is operated to drive the gear motor 73 of the drive mechanism 70, which constitutes the lifting mechanism 60, in the forward direction. This causes the storage basket 30 to rise together with the lid 23, and the object to be frozen is carried into the raised storage basket 30. Subsequently, the operation panel 81 is operated to drive the gear motor 73 of the drive mechanism 70 in the reverse direction. This causes the storage basket 30 to descend together with the lid 23, immersing the storage basket 30 in the antifreeze in the freezing tank 20, and the lid 23 closes the opening 20a of the freezing tank 20. The object to be frozen in the storage basket 30 is cooled and frozen through heat exchange with the antifreeze flowing in the freezing tank 20.

[0045] The frozen items in the storage basket 30 are cooled by heat exchange with the antifreeze in the freezing tank 20. After the time required for the frozen items to freeze has elapsed, the operation panel 81 is operated to drive the gear motor 73 of the drive mechanism 70 in forward rotation, causing the lid 23 to rise and the opening 20a of the freezing tank 20 to open, and the storage basket 30 to be lifted above the antifreeze in the freezing tank 20. Because the storage basket 30 has been lifted above the antifreeze in the freezing tank 20, the frozen items inside the storage basket 30 can be removed from the opening 30b.

[0046] This liquid freezing apparatus 10 uses a large freezing tank 20 and allows a large amount of material to be frozen to be stored in a storage basket 30 at once, enabling the material to be frozen. The storage basket 30 is large to match the large freezing tank 20, and a large amount of material to be frozen can be placed on each shelf 39 of the storage basket 30. When a large amount of material to be frozen is placed on each shelf 39, it is desirable that the rail 35 has the strength to support the shelf 39 with a large amount of material to be frozen, and the sliding performance to easily pull the shelf 39 out from the opening 30b of the storage basket 30. For this reason, the rail 35 comprises a high-strength metallic base rail section 36 fixed to the left and right side walls 31 of the storage basket 30, and a sliding rail section 37 made of a resin material provided above the base rail section 36 and having high sliding performance against the shelf 39. Because the resin sliding rail portion 37 has a different thermal expansion rate due to temperature changes compared to the metal base rail portion 36, when the storage basket 30 is immersed in antifreeze cooled in the freezing tank 20, the sliding rail portion 37 shrinks more than the base rail portion 36. For this reason, when the sliding rail portion 37 is fixed to the base rail portion 36 at multiple points using a strong fixing means such as a screw member, the resin sliding rail portion 37 may shrink more than the metal base rail portion 36 and be damaged.

[0047] In this liquid freezing apparatus 10, the storage basket 30 includes a storage space 30a for storing items to be frozen, an opening 30b on the front (one horizontal side) for loading and unloading items to be frozen, a shelf section 39 that divides the storage space 30a vertically in a way that allows liquid to pass through, enabling the items to be frozen to be stored in multiple levels, and rails 35 that extend in the front-to-back direction (depth direction) on the left and right side sections (side sections on both sides horizontally adjacent to the opening 30b) to support the sides of the shelf section 39. The rails 35 include a base rail section 36 fixed to the left and right side walls 31 (side sections on both sides horizontally adjacent to the opening 30b), and a sliding rail section 37 made of a material with better sliding performance than the base rail section 36, which slides the shelf section 39 above the base rail section 36.

[0048] The base rail section 36 includes a horizontal base rail section 36a extending horizontally, and the sliding rail section 37 includes a horizontal sliding rail section 37a mounted on top of the horizontal base rail section 36a. The horizontal base rail section 36a is provided with six (or more) first boss sections 36d arranged in the front-to-back direction (the depth direction of the storage basket 30), and the horizontal sliding rail section 37a is provided with first groove sections 37c that engage with the six first boss sections 36d to position the sliding rail section 37 relative to the base rail section 36. Since the six first bosses 36d of the horizontal base rail section 36a are engaged with the first groove 37c of the horizontal sliding rail section 37a, the sliding rail section 37 is positioned in the left-right direction (width direction of the opening 30b). In this state, even if the sliding rail section 37 shrinks more significantly in the longitudinal direction than the base rail section 36 due to the cold of the antifreeze when the storage basket 30 is immersed in the antifreeze, the six (or more) first bosses 36d engaged with the first groove 37c of the sliding rail section 37 can move within the first groove 37c. Therefore, damage to the sliding rail section 37 due to the difference in thermal contraction rate with respect to temperature changes between the sliding rail section 37 and the base rail section 36 can be prevented.

[0049] Furthermore, the base rail section 36 comprises a horizontal base rail section 36a extending horizontally and an upright base rail section 36b rising upward from the outer edge of the horizontal base rail section 36a, and the sliding rail section 37 comprises a horizontal sliding rail section 37a placed on top of the horizontal base rail section 36a and an upright sliding rail section 37b rising from the outer edge of the horizontal sliding rail section 37a along the upright base rail section 36b. The upright base rail section 36b is provided with five (or more) second boss sections 36e arranged in the front-to-back direction (depth direction) of the storage basket 30, and the upright sliding rail section 37b is provided with a second groove section 37d that engages with the five (or more) second boss sections 36e to position the sliding rail section 37 relative to the base rail section 36. Since the five second bosses 36e of the upright base rail portion 36b are engaged with the second groove 37d of the upright sliding rail portion 37b, the sliding rail portion 37 is positioned vertically. In this state, even if the sliding rail portion 37 shrinks more longitudinally than the base rail portion 36 due to the cold of the antifreeze when the storage basket 30 is immersed in the antifreeze, the five second bosses 36e engaged with the second groove 37d of the sliding rail portion 37 can move to some extent within the groove 38d. This prevents the sliding rail portion 37 from being damaged due to the difference in thermal contraction rates with respect to temperature changes between it and the base rail portion 36.

[0050] Furthermore, the horizontal sliding rail portion 37a is provided with a locking portion 37e that engages with the lower surface of the horizontal base rail portion 36a from its inner edge (the end on the left-right central side of the storage basket 30). Since the locking portion 37e of the horizontal sliding rail portion 37a of the sliding rail portion 37 is engaged with the lower surface of the horizontal base rail portion 36a of the base rail portion 36, the sliding rail portion 37 is positioned vertically relative to the base rail portion 36. In this state, even if the sliding rail portion 37 shrinks more than the base rail portion 36 due to the cold of the antifreeze when the storage basket 30 is immersed in antifreeze, the sliding rail portion 37 is not fixed longitudinally to the base rail portion 36 and is movable longitudinally. Therefore, damage to the sliding rail portion 37 due to the difference in thermal contraction rate with respect to temperature changes between the sliding rail portion 37 and the base rail portion 36 can be prevented. In this embodiment, the sliding rail portion 37 is positioned vertically by the engagement of the second boss portion 36e of the upright base rail portion 36b with the second groove portion 37d of the upright sliding rail portion 37b, and by the locking portion 37e of the horizontal sliding rail portion 37a engaging with the lower surface of the horizontal base rail portion 36a. However, this is not limited to this configuration, and the vertical positioning of the sliding rail portion 37 may be achieved by using only one of these methods.

[0051] Furthermore, the sliding rail section 37 is equipped with a cap section 38 on its front side and a locking rise section 38a at its front end (the end on the side of the opening 30b of the storage basket 30) that rises upward to prevent the shelf section 39 from popping out of the opening 30b. Since the sliding rail section 37 is equipped with a locking rise section 38a at its front end, the shelf section 39 placed on the rail 35 inside the storage basket 30 can be locked to the locking rise section 38a to prevent it from unintentionally popping out of the opening 30b.

[0052] Furthermore, in the embodiments described above, as shown in Figures 17 and 18, the upright sliding rail portion 37b may be provided with claw portions 37f that can engage with the lower ends of the liquid passage ports 31a of the left and right side walls 31 of the storage basket 30. The claw portions 37f are provided at the front and rear of the upright sliding rail portion 37b, with the front claw portion 37f engaging with the lower end of the frontmost liquid passage port 31a and the rear claw portion 37f engaging with the lower end of the lastmost liquid passage port 31a. Note that it is sufficient for one or more claw portions 37f to be formed in the longitudinal direction of the upright sliding rail portion 37b. Since the upright sliding rail portion 37b is provided with claw portions 37f that can engage with the lower ends of the liquid passage ports 31a of the left and right side walls 31 of the storage basket 30, the sliding rail portion 37 is positioned on the base rail portion 36 via the left and right side walls 31 of the storage basket 30 (side portions adjacent horizontally to the opening 30b). In this state, even if the sliding rail portion 37 shrinks significantly in the longitudinal direction compared to the base rail portion 36 due to the coldness of the antifreeze when the storage basket 30 is immersed in antifreeze, the sliding rail portion 37 is not fixed to the base rail portion 36 in the longitudinal direction and is movable in the longitudinal direction, so damage to the sliding rail portion 37 due to the difference in thermal contraction rate with respect to temperature changes between the sliding rail portion 37 and the base rail portion 36 can be prevented. Furthermore, it is preferable to make the length of the claw portion 37f in the front-rear direction shorter than the length of the liquid passage port 31a in the front-rear direction. When this is done, the claw portion 37a can move in front of and behind the liquid passage port 31a when the sliding rail 37 is contracted in the longitudinal direction, making the sliding rail portion 37 even less susceptible to damage.

[0053] In the above embodiment, an opening 30b is formed on the front of the storage basket 30, and rails 35 are provided on the left and right side walls 31 as the horizontally adjacent side surfaces to the opening 30b. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and an opening may be formed on the rear of the storage basket 30, and rails 35 may be provided on the left and right side walls 31 as the horizontally adjacent side surfaces to the opening. Alternatively, openings may be formed on the left and right side surfaces of the storage basket 30, and rails 35 may be provided on the front and rear side surfaces as the horizontally adjacent side surfaces to the opening. Furthermore, the first boss portions 36d provided on the horizontal base rail portion 36a are provided in 6 locations, and the second boss portions 36e provided on the upright base rail portion 36b are provided in 5 locations. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and it is acceptable to provide them in multiple locations.

[0054] 10...Liquid freezing device, 20...Freezing tank, 20a...Opening, 30...Storage basket, 30a...Storage space, 30b...Opening, 31a...Liquid passage, 35...Rail, 36...Base rail section, 36a...Horizontal base rail section, 36b...Upright base rail section, 36d...Boss section (first boss section), 36e...Boss section (second boss section), 37...Sliding base rail section, 37a...Horizontal sliding base rail section, 37b...Upright sliding base rail section, 37c...Recessed groove section (first recessed groove section), 37d...Recessed groove section (second recessed groove section), 37e...Locking section, 37f...Claw section, 38a...Locking rise section, 39...Shelf section.

Claims

1. A freezing tank that freezes the object to be frozen using antifreeze stored inside, A liquid freezing apparatus comprising a storage basket for storing the object to be frozen and immersing it in the antifreeze in the freezing tank, The storage basket comprises a storage space for storing items to be frozen, an opening on one horizontal side for loading and unloading items to be frozen, a shelf section that divides the storage space vertically in a way that allows liquid to pass through, enabling the items to be frozen to be stored in multiple levels, and rails that extend in the depth direction on both horizontally adjacent side sections to the opening and support the sides of the shelf section. The rail comprises a base rail section fixed to both side surfaces horizontally adjacent to the opening, and a sliding rail section made of a material with better sliding performance than the base rail section, which slides the shelf section above the base rail section. The base rail portion has a plurality of boss portions arranged in the depth direction of the storage basket, The sliding rail portion is provided with grooves into which the plurality of boss portions engage. A liquid freezing apparatus characterized in that the sliding rail portion is positioned on the base rail portion by engaging the plurality of boss portions with the groove portion.

2. In the liquid freezing apparatus according to claim 1, The aforementioned base rail section includes a horizontal base rail section extending in the horizontal direction. The sliding rail section comprises a horizontal sliding rail section that is placed on top of the horizontal base rail section. The horizontal base rail section includes a plurality of first boss sections that constitute the plurality of boss sections arranged in the depth direction of the storage basket, A liquid freezing apparatus characterized in that the horizontal sliding rail portion is provided with a first recessed portion which engages with the plurality of first boss portions and constitutes the recessed portion for positioning the sliding rail portion relative to the base rail portion.

3. In the liquid freezing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, The base rail section comprises a horizontal base rail section extending horizontally and an upright base rail section rising upward from the outer edge of the horizontal base rail section. The sliding rail section comprises a horizontal sliding rail section placed on top of the horizontal base rail section, and an upright sliding rail section rising from the outer edge of the horizontal sliding rail section along the upright base rail section. The upright base rail section includes a plurality of second boss sections that constitute the plurality of boss sections arranged in the depth direction of the storage basket, A liquid freezing apparatus characterized in that the upright sliding rail portion is provided with a second groove portion which engages with the plurality of second boss portions and constitutes the groove portion for positioning the sliding rail portion relative to the base rail portion.

4. In the liquid freezing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, The base rail section includes a horizontal base rail section extending in the horizontal direction. The sliding rail portion comprises a horizontal sliding rail portion that is placed on the upper side of the horizontal base rail portion. A liquid freezing apparatus characterized in that the horizontal sliding rail portion is provided with a locking portion that engages with the lower surface of the horizontal base rail portion from its inner edge.

5. In the liquid freezing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, The base rail section comprises a horizontal base rail section extending horizontally and an upright base rail section rising upward from the outer edge of the horizontal base rail section. The sliding rail section comprises a horizontal sliding rail section placed on top of the horizontal base rail section, and an upright sliding rail section rising from the outer edge of the horizontal sliding rail section along the upright base rail section. The storage basket has multiple liquid passages formed on both sides adjacent to the opening in the horizontal direction, allowing antifreeze to pass through. A liquid freezing apparatus characterized in that the upright sliding rail portion is provided with a claw portion that can engage with the liquid passage port.

6. In the liquid freezing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, The liquid freezing apparatus is characterized in that the sliding rail portion is provided with a locking rise at the end on the opening side, which rises upward to prevent the shelf portion from protruding from the opening.

Images