refrigerator

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator that reduces the amount of power consumed to deal with condensation that forms on the surface of the partition that is in contact with the outside air. [Solution] The refrigerator of the present invention comprises a box-shaped body forming a storage compartment with an open front, two doors arranged side by side that can open and close the opening, and a partition that seals the gap between the two doors when the two doors are closed, wherein the partition has a water-permeable member. Preferably, one side of the water-permeable member faces the outside of the compartment and the other side of the water-permeable member faces the inside of the compartment.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a refrigerator. [Background technology]

[0002] In refrigerators where the opening of the insulated box is opened and closed by a door, it is known that the opening range may be insufficient if only the door is used. For example, when opening and closing an opening formed in the insulated box using two rotating doors (double doors) arranged side by side, or when opening and closing an opening formed in the insulated box using two pull-out doors arranged side by side or top and bottom, a gap may be provided between the two doors when they are closed to avoid contact and interference when opening and closing. To fill this gap, it is widely known to provide a partition that allows the two doors to move freely together. The partition usually has lower insulation properties than the door, and the inner surface is cooled by the internal air, causing the outer surface to become cold as well. Therefore, condensation may occur on the outside air that comes into contact with the outer surface of the partition. If condensation occurs and grows, it will drip onto the refrigerator surface or the mounting surface, forcing the user to clean it. Therefore, measures are needed to suppress condensation on the outer surface of the partition section.

[0003] For example, the technology described in Patent Document 1 is known. The refrigerator compartment of Patent Document 1 is provided with a double-hinged first door, a second door, a rotating partition that rotates in conjunction with the opening and closing of either door and blocks the airflow between the gap between the first and second doors and the refrigerator compartment, and a condensation prevention heater placed inside the rotating partition. By heating the condensation prevention heater, condensation that occurs on the outer surface of the rotating partition is prevented.

[0004] In addition, outside the refrigerator sector, it is known that in the field of refrigerated shelves used to display food products such as vegetables in supermarkets, openings are covered with insulating sheets (roll screens) to prevent cold air from escaping. For example, Patent Document 2 describes using an insulating sheet 3 made of a nonwoven fabric that has breathability and water retention properties, with the aim of suppressing food deterioration inside the refrigerated shelf (inside the shelf) where food is stored, by preventing moisture generated inside the shelf from condensing on the insulating sheet and dripping down. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-25664 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-279282 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] Patent Document 1 attempts to sufficiently prevent condensation from occurring on the outer surface of the rotating partition body, which acts as a partition, by heating it with a condensation prevention heater. However, there is room for improvement in terms of achieving both a reduction in the need to clean condensation water and a reduction in the power consumption of the refrigerator.

[0007] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 deals with refrigerated shelves and describes how to release the moisture from the humid air inside the refrigerator by making the insulation sheet breathable to promote the expulsion of humid air to the outside of the refrigerator. However, high breathability leads to increased air exchange between the inside and outside of the refrigerator, which reduces energy efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The refrigerator of the present invention, made in view of the above circumstances, A storage compartment is formed, and the box-shaped body has an opening at the front, A door located in front of the aforementioned storage room, A cooler that cools the air so that the storage chamber reaches a refrigerated temperature range, A blower that circulates air in the storage chamber and through the cooler; It includes an outer surface of the storage chamber that contacts the air outside the storage chamber, an inner surface of the storage chamber that contacts the air inside the storage chamber, and a partition portion having a water-permeable member, and the door is detachably attached thereto; Part or all of the outer surface of the storage chamber is formed by the water-permeable member; The water-permeable member absorbs moisture generated on the outer surface of the storage chamber and discharges it into the storage chamber as water droplets and / or water vapor.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009] [Figure 1] Front view of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 2] Perspective view of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 3] Exploded perspective view of the rotating partition body of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 4] Vertical sectional view of the refrigerator cut along line A-A in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] Cross-sectional view of the refrigerator cut along line B-B in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] Enlarged view of part C in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] Diagram showing the configuration of the refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 8] Enlarged view of part D in FIG. 4. [Figure 9] Exploded perspective view of the rotating partition body of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 10] Enlarged view of part C in FIG. 5 of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 11] Graph showing an example of the control state and temperature and humidity changes during the cooling operation of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In principle, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals in all the drawings. Furthermore, parts having the same function will not be described. It should be noted that the configurations described below are merely examples, and it is not intended that the embodiments of the present invention are limited to the following specific embodiments.

[0011] In the following explanation, the side visible on the right when viewing Refrigerator 1 from the front will be referred to as the right side, and the side visible on the left side will be referred to as the left side. [Examples]

[0012] Figure 1 is a front view of a refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the insulated box 10 of the refrigerator 1 has storage compartments in the following order from top to bottom: a refrigerator compartment 2, ice-making compartments 3 and an upper freezer compartment 4 located on the left and right sides, a lower freezer compartment 5, and a vegetable compartment 6.

[0013] Refrigerator 1 is equipped with doors that open and close the openings of each storage compartment. The doors include a rotating refrigerator compartment door 2a (first door) and a refrigerator compartment door 2b (second door), which are divided into left and right sections to open and close the opening of the refrigerator compartment 2. In addition, there are pull-out type doors for opening and closing the openings of the ice maker compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, the lower freezer compartment 5, and the vegetable compartment 6, respectively: an ice maker compartment door 3a, an upper freezer compartment door 4a, a lower freezer compartment door 5a, and a vegetable compartment door 6a. The interiors of these multiple doors are filled with foamed urethane or vacuum insulation material to ensure thermal insulation. Furthermore, each door is equipped with a sealing member 46 on its inner outer circumference, as described later in Figure 5.

[0014] The refrigerator compartment 2 and the ice-making compartment 3 and upper freezer compartment 4 are separated by movable insulated partition walls 27, with the refrigerator compartment doors 2a (first door) and 2b (second door), the ice-making compartment door 3a, and the upper freezer compartment door 4a each being connected. The lower freezer compartment 5 and the vegetable compartment 6 are separated by movable insulated partition walls 28, with the lower freezer compartment door 5a and the vegetable compartment door 6a each being connected. The insulated partition walls 27 and 28 divide the storage compartments into different temperature zones and are arranged across the entire width of the interior space of the storage compartments, both left and right and front and back. The refrigerator compartment doors 2a and 2b are so-called French doors (double doors), with their non-hinge sides adjacent to each other.

[0015] The ice-making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5 are basically storage compartments where the interior is kept at a freezing temperature (below 0°C), for example, an average of about -18°C. The refrigerator compartment 2 is a storage compartment where the interior is kept at a refrigeration temperature (above 0°C), for example, an average of about 4°C. The vegetable compartment 6 is a storage compartment where the interior is kept at a refrigeration temperature (above 0°C), for example, an average of about 7°C.

[0016] Furthermore, the front edge between the ice-making compartment 3 and the upper freezer compartment 4, which are arranged side by side, is provided with a partition 29 that allows the ice-making compartment door 3a and the upper freezer compartment door 4a to move toward and toward each other. The front edge between the upper ice-making compartment 3 and the upper freezer compartment 4 and the lower freezer compartment 5 adjacent to them below is provided with a partition 30 that allows the ice-making compartment door 3a, the upper freezer compartment door 4a, and the lower freezer compartment door 5a to move toward and toward each other. The partitions 29 and 30 divide the storage compartments into two storage compartments of the same temperature range and are arranged on the front edge side of the insulated box body 10, extending across the entire width of the interior space of the storage compartments. However, since air circulation does not cause any problems in the ice-making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5, which are all at the same temperature, the partitions 29 and 30 only need to create a seal between the ice-making compartment door 3a, the upper freezer compartment door 4a, and the lower freezer compartment door 5a, and do not need to extend across the entire front and rear of the storage compartments. Therefore, they are placed only near the front opening of the refrigerator 1. The partitions 29 and 30 can be attached to the left and right side walls of the insulated box 10. Alternatively, they can be attached to the door instead of the insulated box 10. For example, the partition 29 can be attached to the ice-making compartment door 3a or the upper freezer compartment door 4a.

[0017] In this specification, the term "freezer 60" may be used to refer collectively to the ice-making compartment 3, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5, which are storage compartments at freezing temperatures.

[0018] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing refrigerator 1 with one of its refrigerator compartment doors 2a, 2b, specifically door 2b, open.

[0019] Door hinges are provided on the front of the outer top surface of the insulated box 10 and on the front edge of the insulated partition wall 27 to fix the insulated box 10 and the refrigerator doors 2a and 2b of the refrigerator 1. The door hinges consist of upper door hinges 17a and 17b provided on the top of the refrigerator doors 2a and 2b and lower door hinges (not shown) provided on the bottom of the refrigerator doors 2a and 2b. The upper door hinges 17a and 17b provided on the outer top surface are covered with door hinge covers 16. The refrigerator doors 2a and 2b are supported by the insulated box 10 of the refrigerator 1 by the upper door hinges 17a and 17b and the lower door hinges, and are opened and closed by pulling a handle (not shown) provided on the bottom of the refrigerator doors 2a and 2b.

[0020] One of the refrigerator doors 2a and 2b has a rotating partition 39 as a divider on the side opposite the door hinge. In this embodiment, the left refrigerator door 2a has the rotating partition 39 on the right side, which is the side opposite the door hinge. The rotating partition 39 is mounted on the rear side of the refrigerator door 2a so as to be rotatable on an axis in the vertical direction. A guide part (not shown) is provided on the top surface inside the refrigerator 2, which is inserted into a guide for the rotating partition (described later) to guide the rotation of the rotating partition, and the rotating partition 39 rotates approximately 90° when the refrigerator door 2a is fully closed and when it starts to open. The rotating partition 39 rotates guided by the guide part so that, when viewed from the front of the refrigerator 2, the left-right dimension visible when the refrigerator door 2a is closed is larger than the left-right dimension visible when it is open. As a result, when both the refrigerator door 2a and the refrigerator door 2b are closed, the right-hand portion of the rotating partition 39 abuts against the rear side of the refrigerator door 2b. Doors 2a and 2b are provided with a certain front-to-back dimension to ensure thermal insulation and for other reasons. Furthermore, since doors 2a and 2b are rotatable, a gap G is provided between them to prevent interference when attempting to open one door when both are closed, or when attempting to close one door when one is open and the other is closed. The rotating partition 39 can seal the gap G (see Figure 6) that occurs between the sides of each of these doors 2a and 2b from the rear, and interference with door 2b is avoided by being guided by rotation. This sealing is achieved by the rotating partition 39 abutting against doors 2a and 2b, preferably via a sealing member 46. Thus, doors 2a and 2b can move freely toward and away from the rotating partition 39, either via the sealing member 46 or without the sealing member 46, thereby reducing cold air leakage from the refrigerator compartment 2, which is a storage compartment located behind the sealed portion. In both cases, it can be considered that doors 2a and 2b can move freely toward and away from the rotating partition 39. The sealing member 46 is located at least in the left-right direction of the gap G, facing the rear end of the gap G. Since the sealing member 46 deforms due to the pressure caused by the door contact, if it has water retention properties, there is a risk of water dripping during deformation. Therefore, it is preferable that it be formed from a material with a closed-cell structure or a non-cell structure, for example.

[0021] As described above, the rotating partition 39 rotates so that it does not interfere with the refrigerator door 2b, whether the refrigerator door 2a is closed or open. The rotating partition 39 may also be attached to the side of the refrigerator door 2b that is not hinged. Alternatively, the rotating partition 39 may be non-rotatable, meaning it may be fixed inside the refrigerator room 2 as a columnar partition extending from the ceiling to the bottom. In this case, the rotating partition 39 is fixed and does not rotate (it becomes a simple partition). Even as a partition, it still contacts the doors 2a and 2b when they are closed, respectively. Note that the rotating partition 39 is an example of a partition, not a partition wall, in the sense that it does not extend across the entire front-to-back dimension of the storage room.

[0022] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the rotating partition 39 of the refrigerator 1. The rotating partition 39 in Figure 3 is drawn according to the orientation when the door 2a is closed. Hereafter, the names indicating the orientation of the rotating partition 39 and the permeable member 200 (e.g., front, rear) will be named according to the orientation when the door 2a is closed. The vertical direction of the rotating partition 39 is the longitudinal direction.

[0023] The rotating partition 39 in this embodiment has a water-permeable member 200 that extends vertically along the gap G, and rotating partition hinges 40 attached to the upper and lower ends of the water-permeable member 200, respectively.

[0024] The front surface of the water-permeable member 200 includes a portion that abuts against the doors 2a and 2b via the sealing member 46 when the doors are closed, and a portion that faces the gap G and is in contact with the outside air of the refrigerator. The water-permeable member 200 can absorb moisture generated by condensation and allow it to permeate to other parts of the water-permeable member 200, such as the opposite side (rear surface) and / or other surfaces that come into contact with the inside air of the refrigerator (in this embodiment, the left surface, right surface, top surface, and bottom surface). The water-permeable member 200 is equipped with a rotating partition hinge 40 on its top and bottom surfaces. The water-permeable member 200 has shaft holes 200a on its top and bottom surfaces, into which the shaft 40a of the rotating partition hinge 40 is rotatably inserted. The rotating partition hinge 40 is fixed to the right side of the rib 2a1 (see Figure 6) that extends rearward from the back surface of the refrigerator door 2a, and operates integrally with the refrigerator door 2a. A guide 200b is formed on the upper surface of the water-permeable member 200, serving as a groove into which a guide portion, positioned on the top surface of the refrigerator compartment 2, is inserted. When the refrigerator compartment door 2a is fully closed and when it begins to open, the guide portion slides within the guide 200b, causing the rotating partition 39 to rotate approximately 90°. The right end of the guide 200b is open, allowing the guide portion to detach from the guide 200b when the refrigerator compartment door 2a is opened, enabling the rotating partition 39 to detach from the refrigerator compartment 2.

[0025] The permeable member 200 is preferably designed to suppress air exchange between the refrigerator compartment 2 (inside the refrigerator) and the outside of the refrigerator 1 (outside the refrigerator), and is also preferably designed to retain water after absorbing it, in order to suppress the dripping of condensation. The rotating partition hinge 40 can be integrally formed with the permeable member 200, that is, it can be formed from the same material as the permeable member 200.

[0026] From the standpoint of breathability, the permeable member 200 has an air permeability of approximately 0 in the front-to-back direction when not retaining water, as measured by the Frazier method described in JIS-L-1096A, for example, 1 cc / cm³. 2 • sec or less, preferably 0.5 cc / cm³ 2 Measurement is impossible if the value is less than 1 second or below the lower limit of detection.

[0027] Considering the viewpoints of suppressing breathability and ensuring water retention, the water-permeable member 200 is not in the form of a sheet, and is not a fibrous sheet such as a woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, or paper. It is permissible to use a fibrous molded body, preferably in a single layer, which is significantly thicker than a sheet, for example, 1 cm or more, as the water-permeable member 200, but it is preferable that it is not a fibrous molded body.

[0028] The water-permeable member 200 can, for example, have an open-cell structure. Examples of water-permeable members 200 having an open-cell structure include molded powder having an open-cell structure, which is formed from powder, more specifically, by filling a mold with powder and a binder and firing it to form an integral structure. Other examples include continuous bodies having an open-cell structure, such as foams formed using a foaming reaction, more specifically, foamed resin bodies formed by expanding a raw liquid injected into a mold through a foaming reaction. Examples of the former include ceramics, and examples of the latter include urethane foamed by known methods to form an open-cell structure. The latter generally becomes a soft porous body, and a suitable embodiment is shown in Example 2 below. As an example of such a molded powder or foam with sufficiently low permeability, the permeability measured by the test method for refractory permeability described in JIS-R-2115 is, for example, 1.0 × 10⁻⁶. -15 m 2 The following will be used. This air permeability is a value that is approximately 0 in the Fragile method described above.

[0029] In a continuous-cell structure, the lower limit of the average cell diameter is preferably, for example, 2 nm or more. The upper limit is, for example, 10 μm or less, preferably 1 μm or less, and more preferably 50 nm or less. When the average cell diameter is 2 nm or more, the moisture in the permeable member 200 can be evaporated by the difference with the water vapor concentration (absolute humidity) in the air, reducing the need to remove water by heating or other means, which is preferable from the viewpoint of energy saving. Furthermore, when it is 10 μm or less, the sedimentation of moisture due to gravity can be suppressed. When it is 1 μm or less, the porous structure is usually not visible to the naked eye, and it is preferable in that it exhibits a smooth appearance and has excellent design properties. When it is 50 nm or less, even when water is not supplied from the outside of the refrigerator as condensation water, an autonomous moisture absorption and release function is activated, making it easier to maintain a suitable humidity environment inside the refrigerator. The average cell diameter can be measured by the mercury intrusion method specified in JIS-R-1655.

[0030] Furthermore, the diameter of the bubbles in porous materials is broadly classified into macropores with a diameter of 50 nm or more, mesopores with a diameter of 2 nm to 50 nm, and micropores with a diameter of less than 2 nm. From the viewpoint of ensuring water permeability, it is preferable that the continuous bubble structure of the water-permeable member 200 is macropore or mesopore, and more preferably mesopore.

[0031] From the viewpoint of ensuring the water retention capacity of the permeable member 200, it is preferable that the cross-sectional area of ​​the permeable member 200 be large in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (in this embodiment, the vertical direction) of the gap G in which the permeable member 200 is in contact with the outside air. This cross-section is a cross-section in this embodiment, as illustrated in Figure 6. From the viewpoint of obtaining a permeable member 200 that has such a large cross-sectional area, it is preferable that the permeable member 200 be produced by a pressure molding method using a mold, extrusion molding, injection molding, or casting method, rather than by production methods such as extrusion molding or solution casting into a sheet or film. The cross-sectional area of ​​the permeable member 200 is, for example, 1000 cm². 2The above can be achieved. In this embodiment, the permeable member 200 has a substantially uniform cross-sectional area throughout its entire vertical range. However, for example, in the vertical positions of the permeable member 200 that do not come into contact with the outside air (vertical positions that do not face the gap G), the amount of condensation water supplied to the permeable member 200 at these positions is less than at other positions, so the cross-sectional area can be reduced. For this reason, at least one location in the vertical range facing the gap G, preferably 50% or more of that range, can have a cross-sectional area of ​​1000 cm². 2 It can be done to the extent of above. Furthermore, the shorter dimension (left-right dimension in this embodiment) of the water-permeable member 200 is larger than the shorter dimension (left-right dimension in this embodiment) of the gap G.

[0032] Since the water-permeable member 200 is prone to dripping water if it is deformed or compressed while retaining water, it is preferable that the rotating partition body 39 equipped with the water-permeable member 200 can suppress deformation and compression of the water-permeable member 200 even when gripped by a person, for example, 30 kgf. For this reason, it is preferable to use a material with high rigidity for the water-permeable member 200 itself. For example, it is preferable to use molded powder as the water-permeable member 200 rather than using a soft material such as soft urethane or sponge. It is also conceivable to use a member to house and protect the water-permeable member 200, but this will be described later in Example 2.

[0033] Therefore, in this embodiment, a hard ceramic material with an open-cell structure is used as the water-permeable member 200. Due to the open-cell structure, water adhering to the surface quickly penetrates into the interior. As the hard water-permeable member 200 with an open-cell structure, alumina, zirconia, diatomaceous earth, etc., can be used. By adopting relatively inexpensive diatomaceous earth, it is possible to provide a product with a reduced price.

[0034] Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of refrigerator 1 obtained by cutting Figure 1 along line AA.

[0035] As shown in Figure 4, the refrigerator 1 is separated from the outside by an insulated box 10 formed by filling a foamed insulation material between a steel plate outer box 10a and a synthetic resin inner box 10b. In addition to the foamed insulation material, the insulated box 10 is fitted with a vacuum insulation material 15, which has a lower thermal conductivity than the foamed insulation material. Furthermore, the heat dissipation performance is improved by mounting wall-mounted heat dissipation pipes 72, which are the heat dissipation parts of the refrigeration cycle, on the top and both sides of the insulated box 10 so as to be in contact with the outer box 10a.

[0036] The material of the insulation for the insulating partition walls 27 and 28 is not particularly limited, but for example, expanded polystyrene or expanded polyurethane can be used. Furthermore, if the inside of the insulating partition wall 28 is connected to the inside of the insulating box 10, then in the process of foaming and filling polyurethane between the outer box 10a and inner box 10b of the insulating box 10, the polyurethane can be filled into the insulating partition wall 28 along with the expanded polyurethane of the insulating box 10.

[0037] The rear of the refrigerator compartment 2 is a refrigerator cooler compartment 8a which houses the refrigerator cooler 14a, and above the cooler compartment 8a is a refrigerator fan 9a which circulates air through a path that includes the refrigerator compartment 2 and the refrigerator cooler 14a.

[0038] Refrigerator 1 has a freezer cooler compartment 8b located behind the lower freezer compartment 5, which houses a freezer cooler 14b, and a freezer fan 9b located above the freezer cooler compartment 8b.

[0039] Furthermore, a vegetable compartment air outlet (not shown) is provided at the outlet of the vegetable compartment air passage (not shown). A vegetable compartment return opening 136 is provided on the lower surface of the insulating partition wall 28 between the lower freezer compartment 5 and the vegetable compartment 6, and a vegetable compartment return air passage 135 is provided within the insulating partition wall 28, extending from the vegetable compartment return opening 136 to the lower front of the cooler compartment 8. One or more vegetable compartment containers 6b are arranged in the vegetable compartment 6 (Figure 4 shows two containers, one above the other). Each of these vegetable compartment containers 6b can be covered to create a nearly sealed space inside. For example, the upper opening of the lower vegetable compartment container 6b can be covered by the upper vegetable compartment container 6b, and the upper vegetable compartment container 6b can be provided with a separate lid (not shown). This makes it less likely for the air blown into the vegetable compartment 6 from the vegetable compartment outlet to come into contact with the stored vegetables, fruits, and other food items, and prevents a large amount of moisture generated from these items from being released outside the vegetable compartment containers 6b. The vegetable compartment 6 tends to store more fresh produce such as vegetables and fruits, which tend to release more moisture than the refrigerator compartment 2 and the freezer compartments 3, 4, and 5. However, this prevents the air inside the vegetable compartment 6, which is in contact with the insulated partition wall 28, from becoming excessively humid.

[0040] A refrigerator temperature sensor 41, a freezer temperature sensor 43, and a vegetable temperature sensor 45 are provided on the rear side of the interior of the refrigerator compartment 2, the upper freezer compartment 4, and the vegetable compartment 6, respectively. A refrigerator cooler temperature sensor 42 is provided in the refrigerator cooler compartment 8a, and a freezer cooler temperature sensor 44 is provided in the freezer cooler compartment 8b.

[0041] Furthermore, an outside air temperature sensor 37 and an outside air humidity sensor 38 are provided inside the door hinge cover 16 on the ceiling of the refrigerator 1 to detect the temperature and humidity of the outside air (air outside the refrigerator). In addition, door sensors (not shown) are provided to detect the open / closed state of each door (refrigerator doors 2a, 2b, ice maker door 3a, upper freezer door 4a, lower freezer door 5a, and vegetable door 6a).

[0042] Below the freezer cooler 14b in the refrigeration cooler room 8b, there is a defrost heater 21 that heats the freezer cooler 14b. A freezer gutter 23 is formed on the lower surface of the refrigeration cooler room 8b, and a refrigerator gutter 25 is formed on the lower surface of the refrigerator air passage 110. A freezer drain pipe 22, which communicates with the machine room 7, is provided downward from the lower end of the freezer gutter 23, and a refrigerator drain pipe 26, which communicates with the machine room 7, is provided downward from the lower end of the refrigerator gutter 25. The machine room 7 is also equipped with a compressor 24 and an evaporation tray 32 located above the compressor 24. When the air in contact with the coolers 14a and 14b, especially the freezer cooler 14b which is at a lower temperature, is cooled, moisture in the air freezes and frost forms on the coolers 14a and 14b. The freezer cooler 14b melts the frost that has accumulated by heating with the defrost heater 21, and the melted frost can be drained to the evaporation tray 32, which is outside the refrigerator 1, through the freezer gutter 23 and the freezer drain pipe 22. As a result, the air in the freezer compartments 3, 4, 5 and the vegetable compartment 6, which are cooled by the freezer cooler 14b, can be made less humid.

[0043] The refrigerator compartment cooler 14a cools at least the air circulating through the refrigerator compartment 2, which is in contact with the inner surface of the rotating partition 39. When the compressor 24 is driven and the three-way valve 92 is open at the connection opening 92c in the refrigeration cycle described later, the refrigerator compartment cooler 14a is cooled to below the frost point of the air inside the compartment, for example, below -5°C or below or below -10°C. This allows the moisture in the air to freeze and form frost on the refrigerator compartment cooler 14a when it exchanges heat with the air inside the refrigerator compartment 2. This cools the air inside the refrigerator compartment 2 so that its relative humidity is below 100%, for example, below 90%, and if the humidity is excessive, it can be appropriately reduced. In other words, the air inside the refrigerator compartment 2, including the part in contact with the inner surface of the permeable member 200, is above the dew point. This creates an environment where water vapor can easily be discharged from the outer surface of the permeable member 200 into the refrigerator compartment 2 when the outer surface absorbs water. Furthermore, it is not necessary to install a humidity sensor to monitor the humidity inside the refrigerator compartment 2; it is sufficient to ensure that such humidity conditions are met through the design of the cooling control in advance. Frost accumulated on the refrigerator compartment cooler 14a may be removed by heating with a defrost heater (not shown), similar to the freezer compartment cooler 14b. Alternatively, in the refrigeration cycle described later, the cooling of the refrigerator compartment cooler 14a may be stopped by closing at least the connection opening 92c of the three-way valve 92, and during this time the refrigerator compartment fan 9a may be driven to cool the refrigerator compartment 2 with the latent heat of the ice and melt the frost, or these methods may be used in combination. The melted water is drained to the evaporation tray 32 through the refrigerator compartment gutter 25 and the refrigerator compartment drain pipe 26.

[0044] Inside the machine room 7 at the lower rear of the insulated box 10, there is a control device that controls the refrigerator fan 9a, freezer fan 9b, compressor 24, three-way valve 92, etc., which adjust the cooler temperature based on various temperature sensors, humidity sensors, etc.

[0045] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of refrigerator 1 taken by cutting Figure 1 along line BB. Figure 6 is an enlarged view of section C in Figure 5. The double-hinged doors of the refrigerator compartment 2 are composed of refrigerator compartment door 2a and refrigerator compartment door 2b. Sealing members 46 are provided on the outer periphery of refrigerator compartment door 2a and refrigerator compartment door 2b, respectively.

[0046] As described above, the refrigerator door 2a is equipped with a rotating partition 39 formed of a water-permeable member 200, which is rotatably supported by a rotating partition hinge 40. In this embodiment, the portion of the front surface of the water-permeable member 200 of the rotating partition 39 that is exposed through the gap G is in contact with the outside air, the rear surface of the water-permeable member 200 is in contact with the inside air, and more preferably, one or both of the sides are in contact with the inside air. As a result, condensation water that forms on the front surface of the rotating partition 39 due to contact with the outside air is absorbed from the front surface inside the water-permeable member 200 and retained inside. This moisture permeates towards the other surfaces of the water-permeable member 200 according to the concentration gradient. Moisture that is exposed to the inside air, for example, that reaches the rear surface, is promoted to evaporate by contact with the inside air. The evaporated moisture (water vapor) is discharged into the refrigerator compartment 2.

[0047] The rotating partition 39 is provided to block the flow of air between the outside of the refrigerator and the inside of the refrigerator compartment 2 through the gap G. This suppresses the leakage of cold air from the inside of the refrigerator compartment 2 to the outside of the refrigerator, thereby improving energy-saving performance.

[0048] On each side of the rotating partition 39, there are ribs 2a1 and 2b1 that extend rearward from the back surfaces of the refrigerator doors 2a and 2b, with a gap in between, and reach behind the rear end of the rotating partition 39. This prevents evaporation from the left and right sides of the permeable member 200 from being obstructed, and also prevents unintended external forces from being applied to the rotating partition 39.

[0049] Figure 7 shows the configuration of the cycle of refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0050] The refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator 1 in this embodiment consists of a refrigerant compression means, a heat dissipation means connected to the refrigerant compression means, a moisture removal means connected to the heat dissipation means via a three-way valve 92, a pressure reducing means connected to the heat dissipation means via the moisture removal means, and a cooling means connected to the pressure reducing means.

[0051] The compressor 24, which is a refrigerant compression means, compresses the refrigerant and discharges it as a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous state.

[0052] The heat dissipation means consists of an external heat radiator 71, wall-surface heat dissipation piping 72 provided so as to be in contact with the inner surface of the outer casing 10a of the insulated box body 10, and condensation suppression piping 73 (heating section) that heats the front edges of the insulated partition walls 27, 28 and partition sections 29, 30. The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 24 in the gas phase dissipates heat in the external heat radiator 71, changing into a gas-liquid two-phase system, and then dissipates heat further in the wall-surface heat dissipation piping 72 and condensation suppression piping 73, changing into a liquid phase.

[0053] The connection opening 92a of the three-way valve 92 is connected to the refrigerant pipe 77c on the outlet side of the condensation suppression pipe 73, the connection opening 92b is connected to the refrigerant pipe 77e leading to the dryer 90b and the refrigeration capillary tube 75b, and the connection opening 92c is connected to the refrigerant pipe 77f leading to the dryer 90a and the refrigeration capillary tube 75a.

[0054] The depressurization means, refrigerator capillary tube 75a and freezer capillary tube 75b, depressurize the high-pressure refrigerant that has been heated by the heat dissipation means, converting it into a low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant.

[0055] The cooling means, the refrigerator compartment cooler 14a and the freezer compartment cooler 14b, cool the storage compartment by evaporating a low-pressure refrigerant, undergoing a phase change to a gas phase, and absorbing heat from the air.

[0056] Furthermore, downstream of the refrigerator compartment cooler 14a and downstream of the freezer compartment cooler 14b, there are a refrigerating gas-liquid separator 28a and a freezer gas-liquid separator 28b, respectively, to prevent liquid refrigerant from flowing into the compressor 24. In addition, a check valve 89 is provided downstream of the freezer gas-liquid separator 28b.

[0057] In this embodiment, the refrigeration cycle is formed by connecting these components with media piping 77. In this refrigerator embodiment, the temperatures of the refrigerator compartment cooler 14a and the freezer compartment cooler 14b are adjusted by the rotational speed of the compressor 24, the refrigerator compartment fan 9a, and the freezer compartment fan 9b, so the compressor 24, the refrigerator compartment fan 9a, and the freezer compartment fan 9b are referred to as cooler temperature adjustment means.

[0058] Figure 8 is an enlarged view of section D in Figure 4. The rotating partition 39 is colder than the outside due to the cold air inside the refrigerator compartment 2, so the outside air in contact with the outside surface (front) of the rotating partition 39 condenses, and condensed water is generated on the front surface of the rotating partition 39. At least a part of the front surface of the rotating partition 39 has the front surface of the permeable member 200 exposed, and the condensed water generated on the rotating partition 39 is absorbed and retained in the open-cell structure, which is the internal structure of the permeable member 200, and permeates toward the inside surface (rear, left, right, top, and bottom). When the amount of water retained in the permeable member 200 becomes saturated, the condensed water accumulates on the front surface of the rotating partition 39, and as the water droplets grow, they move downward due to gravity and may eventually drip from the bottom surface of the rotating partition 39. The treatment of this dripping water will be explained below. First, the rotating partition 39 has a top portion 39c at the lower end of its front surface that extends rearward and downward from the front surface of the rotating partition 39, connecting the front surface and the bottom surface. Below the rotating partition 39, an insulating partition wall 27 is located with a gap H between them. If water drips down the front surface of the rotating partition 39 or if water that cannot be retained inside the rotating partition 39 flows down, the water drips from the bottom surface of the rotating partition 39, for example, from the top portion 39c, and falls onto the insulating partition wall 27 through the gap H. The space above the insulating partition wall 27 is inside the refrigerator compartment 2, and the relative humidity is maintained at least below 100% by the refrigerator compartment cooler 14a, so the fallen moisture can evaporate.

[0059] In the insulated partition wall 27, a condensation suppression pipe 73, which serves as a heat source, is placed near the area where water drips. The condensation suppression pipe 73 is positioned in the area including the water dripping area and is in approximate contact with a steel plate 18, which is made of a material that conducts heat more easily than the resin that makes up the other parts of the insulated partition wall 27, such as metal. A rotating partition body 39, preferably its top portion 39c, is located directly above the steel plate 18. As a result, when the compressor 24 is driven, the high-temperature refrigerant flows through the condensation suppression pipe 73 and heats the steel plate 18, making it easier for water dripping from the rotating partition body 39 onto the steel plate 18 of the insulated partition wall 27 to evaporate. A heater may be provided instead of the condensation suppression pipe 73.

[0060] Furthermore, as long as it does not impair the function of introducing water into the refrigerator compartment 2, a sealing member may be placed in the gap H to suppress the circulation of air inside and outside the compartment. In addition, a slope that descends toward the rear may be formed on the upper surface of the insulated partition wall 27 to further ensure that water is guided into the refrigerator compartment 2.

[0061] The effects of the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, as described above, are explained below.

[0062] In this embodiment, the refrigerator 1 allows condensation water formed on the outer surface of the rotating partition 39 to permeate into the interior until the permeable member 200 is saturated, thereby suppressing the growth of condensation on the outer surface of the rotating partition 39. In other words, the amount of heat required for the heater to suppress the growth of condensation can be eliminated or reduced, providing a refrigerator with improved energy-saving performance. Furthermore, the evaporation of condensation water within the storage compartment can increase the humidity inside the storage compartment. Note that since the permeable member 200 has sufficiently low permeability, it does not significantly affect the air circulation inside and outside the compartment.

[0063] In this embodiment, the refrigerator 1 has an outer surface of the water-permeable member 200 that is in contact with the outside air, and an inner surface of the water-permeable member 200 that is in contact with the inside air. This allows condensation water that forms on the outer surface of the rotating partition 39 to permeate into the interior of the water-permeable member 200 and evaporate from the inner surface, thereby suppressing the growth of condensation on the outer surface of the rotating partition 39. Alternatively, instead of guiding the condensation water that forms on the outer surface of the rotating partition 39 to the inner surface for evaporation, the refrigerator could be configured to guide it to another location on the outer surface for evaporation.

[0064] In this embodiment, although a portion of the outer surface of the water-permeable member 200 is covered by the refrigerator doors 2a and 2b and the sealing member 46, the area of ​​the water-permeable member 200 exposed to the inside of the refrigerator (at least the sum of the areas of the rear, left, and right sides) is larger than the area of ​​the water-permeable member 200 exposed to the outside of the refrigerator (the area of ​​the front minus the area covered by the sealing member 46). This makes it possible to more reliably suppress the growth of condensation on the outer surface of the rotating partition 39.

[0065] In this embodiment, the refrigerator 1 uses a self-supporting material, such as hard ceramic, as the water-permeable member 200. This eliminates the need for a separate member to maintain the shape of the rotating partition 39, making it possible to provide a low-cost refrigerator with high energy efficiency. [Examples]

[0066] Next, a refrigerator according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described using Figures 9 to 11. The same configuration as refrigerator 1 in Embodiment 1 will not be described.

[0067] Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of the rotating partition 39 of the refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 2, and Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration near the rotating partition 39, which corresponds to an enlarged view of section C in Figure 5.

[0068] As shown in Figure 9, the rotating partition 39 is equipped with outer shells 391 and 392 made of rigid synthetic resin (polystyrene, for example) that are divided into front and rear sections, serving as protective members for the permeable member 200. The top and bottom of the permeable member 200 are covered by an upper cover 394 and a lower cover 395, both made of rigid synthetic resin. The upper cover 394 and the lower cover 395 are equipped with shaft holes 394a and 395a, respectively, into which the shaft 40a of the rotating partition hinge 40 is rotatably inserted. A guide 394b, which is a groove into which a guide part located on the top surface of the refrigerator compartment 2 is inserted, is formed on the upper surface of the upper cover 394. Magnets 393a and 393b are fixed to the left and right sides of the inner surface of the front outer shell 391. For the outer shells 391 and 392, the upper cover 394, and the lower cover 395, it is preferable to select a rigid material with a bending modulus of 700 MPa or more and a thermal conductivity of 0.3 W / mK or less. This provides sufficient rigidity while also reducing heat intrusion from outside the refrigerator.

[0069] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the outer shells 391 and 392 expose at least a portion of the surface of the permeable member 200, both the outer surface and the inner surface of the permeable member 200, while covering the other portion or the remainder. In this embodiment, the central part of the front surface of the water-permeable member 200, which is the outer surface of the storage unit, is exposed by the front opening 391a of the outer casing 391, and the rest is covered by the outer casing 391. That is, the front surface of the water-permeable member 200 is exposed at the front opening 391a, and is covered by the first front protective part 391c extending vertically and the second front protective part 391d extending horizontally. In Figure 9, four second front protective parts 391d are arranged, dividing the front opening 391a into three sections. The configuration of the outer casing 391 is not limited to this; for example, a second front protective part 391d is also provided below the lowest front opening 391a, but it is not necessary to provide a second front protective part 391d there.

[0070] The front projection surface of the front opening 391a is preferably contained within the gap G. This protects the water-permeable member 200 from external forces, etc., while suppressing the growth of condensation water generated on the front surface of the water-permeable member 200. Condensation water generated on the second front protective sections 391d, other than the lowest section, drips down by its own weight and moves through the front opening 391a to the front surface of the water-permeable member 200. The front opening 391a may be a single section, but in this embodiment it is divided into three sections. As a result, the second front protective sections 391d cross the front surface of the water-permeable member 200 from left to right, making it easier to support the water-permeable member 200 even if it is too soft to stand on its own. The front protective sections 391c and 391d may be in contact with or separated from the front surface of the water-permeable member 200.

[0071] Furthermore, the outer casing 392 also has a rear opening 392a, rear protective sections 392c and 392d on its rear side, protecting the rear of the water-permeable member 200 while facilitating the evaporation of retained moisture from the rear. On the other hand, prioritizing the protection of the water-permeable member 200, the opening on the rear side may be omitted. In this case, the moisture retained by the water-permeable member 200 will drip from the lower surface of the water-permeable member 200 onto the insulating partition wall 27. The outer casings 391 and 392 extend to both left and right sides of the water-permeable member 200, and by connecting at these points, they form a cylindrical member that houses the water-permeable member 200. The upper cover 394 and lower cover 395 are not essential, and these parts may be formed by the water-permeable member 200 as in Embodiment 1.

[0072] For the lower surface or near the lower surface, the outer casings 391, 392 and the lower cover 395 may be omitted, or holes may be provided on the lower surface or near the lower surface of the outer casings 391, 392 and the lower cover 395 to facilitate the dripping of water overflowing from the permeable member 200 to the outside of the rotating partition 39. In this embodiment, the upper, left, right, and lower surfaces of the permeable member 200 are all covered and protected by the outer casings 391, 392 and the upper cover 394 and lower cover 395, but a part of them may be exposed.

[0073] At least a portion of the front opening 391a faces the gap G. It is desirable that the total area of ​​the openings on the back and other sides that expose the interior surface of the permeable member 200 be larger than the total area of ​​the front opening 391a that exposes the exterior surface of the permeable member 200.

[0074] The permeable member 200 inside the outer shell 391 may be a rigid, self-supporting material as shown in Example 1, or it may be a flexible material that deforms without being self-supporting (for example, a flexible porous material such as flexible urethane). Even in the case of a flexible material, it has good water permeability due to its open-cell structure, and water adhering to the surface quickly penetrates into the interior. Although the flexible porous material deforms under its own weight, it is supported by the outer shell 391 and can generally maintain its shape along the internal space of the outer shell 391.

[0075] In this embodiment, the amount of condensation on the water-permeable member 200 is suppressed in the area where the second front protective portion 391d crosses, so the cross-sectional area of ​​the water-permeable member 200 in this area may be smaller than elsewhere. However, since the water-permeable member 200 is permeable to water, moisture is supplied to the water-permeable member 200 in that area from other parts by water permeation, so it is preferable to make the cross-sectional area the same as that of the other parts.

[0076] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10, the outer casing 391 has a magnet 393a fixed to the first front protective part 391c. The front surface of the outer casing 391 itself may also be made magnetic. In addition, a sealing member 46 is provided to seal the space between the refrigerator doors 2a and 2b and the front surface of the rotating partition 39. Inside the sealing member 46, a magnet 393b is provided at a position that is substantially opposite to the magnet 393a when the refrigerator doors 2a and 2b are closed. This makes it easier to bring the refrigerator doors 2a and 2b into close contact with the rotating partition 39. Note that either or both of the magnets 393a and 393b may be replaced with a magnetic material (for example, iron). A heater 202 is provided on the portion of the refrigerator doors 2a and 2b that faces the rotating partition 39, preferably the portion that faces the front opening 391a. The heater 202 and other components can also be applied to Embodiment 1 to the extent that they do not contradict this embodiment.

[0077] Note that the heater 202 can heat the inner surfaces of the refrigerator doors 2a and 2b where condensed water is difficult to be absorbed by the water-permeable member 200, and condensation is suppressed. Note that the heater 202 which is a heating mechanism may be installed on only one of the refrigerator doors 2a and 2b to suppress costs. Also, the heater 202 may be installed so as to contact the rotary partition 39 and heat by transferring heat to the inner surfaces of the refrigerator doors 2a and 2b. That is, at least one heating mechanism, the heater 202, may be installed on the refrigerator doors 2a and 2b or the rotary partition 39 so that the inner surfaces of the refrigerator doors 2a and 2b where condensed water is difficult to be absorbed by the water-permeable member 200 can be heated.

[0078] When a fiber molded body is used as the water-permeable member 200, if one with front and rear dimensions larger than the front and rear dimensions of the inner space of the outer shell 391 is prepared and stored in the outer shell 391 in a compressed state, although there is a risk of a decrease in water retention, it is easy to reduce the air permeability.

[0079] Only one water-permeable member 200 may be stored in the outer shell 391, or two or more may be arranged side by side. In such a case, two or more arranged water-permeable members 200 can be considered as a "water-permeable member" collectively. When arranging two vertically, for example, the upper water-permeable member may be exposed outside the storage to absorb water, drip as water droplets from the lower surface, and the lower water-permeable member receives the dripped moisture and discharges it into the storage room as water droplets and / or water vapor.

[0080] <Control of the Refrigerator 1 for Reducing the Water Retention Amount of the Water-Permeable Member 200> Next, the control of the refrigerator 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 11. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing changes in the outside air temperature and humidity detected by the refrigerator 1 and the control state. The control of the refrigerator 1 can also be applied in the first embodiment.

[0081] The refrigerator 1 of this embodiment measures the outside air temperature T out and the outside air relative humidity RH out by the outside air temperature sensor 37 and the outside air humidity sensor 38. Also, the surface temperature T tar of the rotary partition 39 is the outside air temperature T outThis is estimated from the refrigerator compartment temperature measured by the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 41, and also from the outside air temperature T out and outside relative humidity RH out From the dew point temperature T dew To find the surface temperature T of the rotating partition 39, tar and dew point temperature T dew The temperature difference ΔT is calculated. Refrigerator 1 determines the control state of the compressor 24, refrigerator fan 9a, and heater 202 based on the temperature difference ΔT. tar The calculation of the temperature difference ΔT and the control of the compressor 24, the refrigerator fan 9a, and the heater 202 are performed by the CPU (Central Processing Unit) of a control device (not shown) executing a program stored in ROM (Read Only Memory).

[0082] Surface temperature T of the rotating partition 39 tar The dew point temperature is T dew If the following conditions persist for an extended period, the amount of water retained by the permeable member 200 will continue to increase, increasing the likelihood of exceeding its water retention capacity. Therefore, upon detecting such a situation, the refrigerator 1 will control the system to reduce the amount of water retained by the permeable member 200 and / or to promote the evaporation of water dripped onto the insulating partition wall 27. Specifically, it will perform controls such as lowering the temperature of the refrigerator compartment cooler 14a, increasing the rotation speed of the refrigerator compartment fan 9a, increasing the rotation speed of the compressor 24, and increasing the power supplied to the heater 202. An example will be explained below.

[0083] Up to time t3 shown in Figure 11, refrigerator 1 is set to ambient temperature T out The temperature is 32°C, and the ambient relative humidity is RH. out In an environment with 70% humidity, stable cooling operation is being performed. When the ambient temperature is 32°C and the relative humidity is 70%, the dew point temperature is T dew The temperature is calculated to be 25.8℃. Based on the refrigerator temperature detected by the refrigerator temperature sensor 41 at time t0, the surface temperature T of the rotating partition 39 is calculated. tar The temperature is calculated to be 18.0℃. At time t0, the refrigerator temperature sensor 41 detects that the refrigerator temperature has risen to a predetermined temperature, and the compressor 24 starts operating at low speed (1300 min). -1) is driven. At this time, the connection opening 92c of the three-way valve 92 is opened so that refrigerant flows to the refrigerant pipe 77f leading to the refrigerant capillary tube 75a (dryer 90a), and the refrigerator fan 9a is driven at low speed (1400 min). -1 It is driven by ). Also, heater 202 is not energized. This allows the refrigerator compartment 2 to be cooled (refrigerator compartment cooling operation).

[0084] At time t1, the refrigerator compartment temperature detected by the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 41 drops to a predetermined value, causing the three-way valve 92 to close its connection opening 92c and open its connection opening 92b, allowing refrigerant to flow into the refrigerant piping 77e leading to the freezing capillary tube 75b (dryer 90b). This enables cooling of the freezer compartment 60 and the vegetable compartment 6 (frozen vegetable cooling operation). At this time, the refrigerator compartment fan 9a operates at low speed (1400 min⁻¹). -1 The drive state in ) will continue.

[0085] At time t2, the freezer temperature detected by the freezer temperature sensor 43 drops to a predetermined value, ending the frozen vegetable cooling operation. The connection openings 92b and 92c of the three-way valve 92 are closed, the compressor 24 and the refrigerator fan 9a stop, and the system enters a stopped state.

[0086] At time t3, in order to increase the amount of condensation on the rotating partition 39, humidification of the outside air, which is the experimental environment, is started, and the relative humidity of the outside air RH is increased. out The relative humidity (RH after humidification) was increased. out 95%. Dew point temperature T dew The temperature also rose to 31.1℃, and the surface temperature of the rotating partition 39 T tar and dew point temperature T dew The temperature difference ΔT also widens, and at time t4, a threshold ΔT is used to determine a state where there is a high risk of condensation growth. th It has reached this point. This initiates the energization of heater 202.

[0087] Next, at time t5, the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 41 detects that the refrigerator compartment temperature has risen to a predetermined temperature, and the connection opening 92c of the three-way valve 92 is opened, causing the refrigerator compartment fan 9a and compressor 24 to be driven at high speed. In the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, the rotational speed of the refrigerator compartment fan 9a and compressor 24 at this time is 2400 min⁻¹. -1 and 2500min -1 That is the case.

[0088] At time t6, the refrigerator compartment temperature detected by the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 41 drops to a predetermined value, causing the connection opening 92b of the three-way valve 92 to open and the cooling of the freezer compartment 60 and the vegetable compartment 6 (frozen vegetable cooling operation) to begin. At this time, the refrigerator compartment fan 9a operates at high speed (2400 min⁻¹). -1 The drive state in ) will continue.

[0089] At time t7, the freezer temperature detected by the freezer temperature sensor 43 drops to a predetermined value, ending the frozen vegetable cooling operation. The connection openings 92b and 92c of the three-way valve 92 close, and the compressor 24 stops. At this point, the refrigerator fan 9a continues to operate and stops at time t8. In this way, the refrigerator fan 9a is controlled to increase its operating rate (percentage of operating time) when there is a high risk of condensation growth. 13 Control is performed based on the same judgments as in t5~t9.

[0090] The effects of the control described above are explained below.

[0091] In this embodiment, the refrigerator 1 is equipped with an outside air temperature sensor 37 and an outside air humidity sensor 38 as means for determining the risk of condensation growth. If the risk of condensation growth is high, heating is performed by the heater 202. This ensures that condensation is reliably suppressed, resulting in a highly reliable refrigerator.

[0092] In this embodiment, the refrigerator 1 increases the rotation speed of the compressor 24 when cooling the refrigerator compartment 2 when there is a high risk of condensation growth. This increases the amount of refrigerant circulating through the refrigerator compartment cooler 14a that cools the refrigerator compartment 2, causing the cooler 14a to cool down, and the air in the refrigerator compartment 2 after heat exchange with the cooler 14a also becomes cold. Since cold air can hold less water vapor and is dry air, evaporation on the inner surface of the rotating partition 39 can be promoted.

[0093] In this embodiment, the refrigerator 1 increases the rotation speed of the refrigerator compartment fan 9a that forms a circulating airflow within the refrigerator compartment 2 when there is a high risk of condensation growth. This increases the airflow rate circulating in the refrigerator compartment 2, which in turn increases the airflow near the inner surface of the rotating partition 39, promoting evaporation and reducing the risk of condensation growth.

[0094] In this embodiment, the refrigerator 1 increases the operating rate of the refrigerator compartment fan 9a that forms a circulating airflow within the refrigerator compartment 2 when there is a high risk of condensation growth. This increases the proportion of time that the circulating airflow acts near the inner surface of the rotating partition 39, thereby promoting evaporation.

[0095] One way to check whether a refrigerator is performing such control to reduce the amount of water retained by the permeable member 200 is to install the refrigerator 1 in an environment where the outside air temperature can be kept roughly constant, with an external humidity sensor installed on the outside of the insulated box 10, and then leave the refrigerator in an environment where the relative humidity of the outside air is, for example, 30% or less and 90% or more, by humidifying and dehumidifying. We will then examine whether this refrigerator exhibits characteristics such as lowering the temperature of the storage compartment facing the permeable member, driving the fan that circulates air into the storage compartment at high speed, or increasing the heating amount of the heater near the permeable member in a high-humidity environment compared to a low-humidity environment.

[0096] <Other examples of places where partitions are installed> In the above embodiment, the rotating partition body 39 of the refrigerator compartment 2 was described as a partition equipped with a water-permeable member 200 that absorbs condensation water from the outer surface of the refrigerator compartment, but it is not limited to this. Any partition that allows the outer surface of the refrigerator compartment to become cold by contact with the low-temperature air inside the refrigerator compartment, and that does not cause the inner surface to freeze, is acceptable.

[0097] For example, even with insulated partition walls 27 and 28 that separate storage rooms with different temperature zones and are arranged across the entire width of the interior space of the storage rooms on the left, right, front, and back, there is a risk of condensation forming on the exterior surface of the storage room. In the case of insulated partition walls 27 and 28, a partition can be provided if the interior surface of the permeable member 200 faces the space on the refrigeration temperature zone side but does not face the space on the freezing temperature zone side, and the exterior surface faces the outside air.

[0098] Furthermore, consider a refrigerator with a storage room layout in which the storage room adjacent to the lower part of the refrigerator room 2 is a vegetable room 6, rather than an ice-making room 3 and an upper freezer room 4. In this case, since the refrigerator room 2 and the vegetable room 6, which are adjacent to each other vertically, are both within the refrigeration temperature range, there is no problem even if air is exchanged between the refrigerator room 2 and the vegetable room 6. Therefore, the insulated partition wall that separates these storage rooms 2 and 6 will not extend across the entire internal space of the storage room, as shown in Figure 4, but will have a shorter front-to-back dimension (i.e., as shown in Figure 4, the partition section 30), from the viewpoint of increasing the internal volume of the storage room. Then, the shortened insulated partition wall 27, i.e., the partition section, will still be susceptible to condensation on the outer surface of the refrigerator, so it can be provided as a partition section with a permeable member 200 running horizontally, similar to the rotating partition body 39 which has a permeable member 200 running vertically.

[0099] The embodiments described above are detailed for the purpose of clearly illustrating the present invention and are not necessarily limited to those comprising all the described configurations. Furthermore, it is possible to replace some of the configurations of each embodiment with those of other embodiments. It is also possible to appropriately add configurations from other embodiments to the configuration of one embodiment. It is also possible to add, delete, or replace some of the configurations of this embodiment with those of other embodiments. In addition, the mechanisms and configurations described above are those considered necessary for explanation and do not necessarily represent all of the mechanisms and configurations shown in the product. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0100] 1...Refrigerator, 2...Refrigerator compartment, 2a,2b...Refrigerator compartment door, 8a...Refrigerator cooler compartment, 9a...Refrigerator compartment fan, 10...Insulated box body, 14a...Refrigerator cooler, 18...Steel plate (heat transfer part), 27...Insulated partition wall, 28...Insulated partition wall, 29,30...Partition part, 37...Outside air temperature sensor, 38...Outside air humidity sensor, 39...Rotating partition body (example of partition part), 40...Rotating partition body hinge, 41...Refrigerator compartment temperature sensor, 46...Sealing member, 73...Condensation suppression piping (heating part), 200...Water permeable member, 202...Heater, 391...Outer casing (protective member), G...Gap between the two doors, H...Gap between the rotating partition body and the insulated partition wall

Claims

1. A storage compartment is formed, and the box-shaped body has an opening at the front, A door located in front of the aforementioned storage room, A cooler that cools the air so that the storage chamber reaches a refrigerated temperature range, A blower that circulates air in the storage chamber and through the cooler, The storage chamber comprises an outer surface that is in contact with the air outside the storage chamber, an inner surface that is in contact with the air inside the storage chamber, and a partition having a water-permeable member, the door being able to move in and out of the storage chamber. A part or all of the outer surface of the storage unit is formed by the water-permeable member, The refrigerator is characterized in that the water-permeable member absorbs moisture generated on the outer surface of the refrigerator and discharges it into the storage chamber as water droplets and / or water vapor.

2. A part or all of the inner surface of the storage unit is formed by the water-permeable member, The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that the air inside the storage chamber is raised to a dew point or higher, and the moisture retained by the permeable member is discharged as water vapor into the storage chamber from the portion of the permeable member that is on the inner surface of the storage chamber.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that the air inside the storage chamber is raised to a dew point or higher, and the moisture retained by the water-permeable member is discharged into the storage chamber as water droplets.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, characterized in that the water droplets are heated in the heating section.

5. The refrigerator is characterized in that the water-permeable member has an open-cell structure.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, characterized in that the average bubble diameter of the open-cell structure of the permeable member is 10 μm or less and 2 nm or more.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 5, characterized in that the water-permeable member is a molded powder.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 5, characterized in that the water-permeable member is a foam.

9. The water-permeable member has a cross-sectional area of ​​1000 cm² in a section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the region in contact with the outside air at at least one location. ２ The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that it is more than or equal to the above.

10. The doors located at the front of the aforementioned storage room consist of two French-style doors, arranged side by side, A rotating partition hinge attached to the non-hinge side of one of the two rotating doors, The storage room has a guide section, The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the water-permeable member comprises a guide guided by the guide portion and an axial hole into which the rotating partition hinge is rotatably inserted.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that the partition portion includes a protective member that houses the water-permeable member in a state where it is exposed to the air outside the refrigerator.

12. It has another door adjacent to the aforementioned door, The partition closes the gap between the door and the other door from the rear. At least a portion of the water-permeable member faces the rear of the gap, The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that the cooler is capable of being cooled to below the frost point of the air in contact with the cooler.

13. It has another door adjacent to the aforementioned door, The partition closes the gap between the door and the other door from the rear. At least a portion of the water-permeable member faces the rear of the gap, The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the storage chamber and / or another storage chamber that can be opened and closed by the other door has a container and a lid that can substantially seal the container.

14. The air permeability of the aforementioned water-permeable member, measured by the Frazier method described in JIS-L-1096A, was 1 cc / cm². ２ - The air permeability is less than or equal to sec or below the detection limit, or the air permeability measured by the test method for air permeability of refractories described in JIS-R-2115 is 1.0 × 10 －１５ I understand ２ A refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it is as follows:

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