refrigerator

Abstract

The present invention provides a refrigerator that ensures flexibility in the arrangement of its components while also securing the cross-sectional area of ​​the return airflow path. [Solution] The refrigerator of the embodiment comprises a storage chamber, a cooler, a plurality of return air passages provided at different locations, and a plurality of outlets provided corresponding to the plurality of return air passages and opening at different locations in the storage chamber, wherein the air in the storage chamber returns to the cooler through separate return air passages from the outlets provided at different locations.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] In a refrigerator, air cooled by a cooler is supplied to a storage chamber, and the air in the storage chamber is taken into a return air duct from an outlet and returned to the cooler to circulate, thereby cooling the storage chamber. (See, for example, Patent Document 1 below).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, as the efficiency of the internal volume of the refrigerator progresses, the constraints on the arrangement of components become stricter, and it becomes difficult to secure the required air duct cross-sectional area in the return air duct.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of securing the cross-sectional area of the return air duct while ensuring the freedom of arrangement of components.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a storage chamber, a cooler, a plurality of return air ducts provided at different positions, and a plurality of outlets provided corresponding to the plurality of return air ducts and opening at different positions of the storage chamber, and the air in the storage chamber returns to the cooler through the different return air ducts from the outlets provided at different positions.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007] [Figure 1]Cross-sectional view of a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Enlarged view of the main part of Figure 1 [Figure 3] Horizontal cross-section of a refrigerator (Figure 1) [Figure 4] Figure 1: Enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the refrigerator. [Figure 5] Figure 1: Exploded perspective view of the refrigerator's partition member. [Figure 6] Front view of the refrigerator body with partition members installed. [Figure 7] Cross-sectional view of a refrigerator showing a refrigerated cooling compartment provided in a partition member. [Figure 8] Cross-sectional view of a refrigerator according to Modification Example 1 of the present invention [Figure 9] A schematic cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator according to Modification Example 6 of the present invention. [Figure 10] Front view of the refrigerator body with a partition member attached, according to Modification Example 7 of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are illustrative and the scope of the invention is not limited thereto. The following embodiments can be carried out in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The following embodiments and their variations are included in the scope of the invention as described in the claims and its equivalents.

[0009] In the following explanation, left-right, front-back, and up-down directions refer to the directions when viewing the refrigerator from the front, with the left-right direction corresponding to the width of the refrigerator. Also, unless otherwise specified, right, left, top, bottom, back, back, and front refer to the position or side of the refrigerator when viewed from the front.

[0010] (1) Configuration of Refrigerator 1 First, let's describe the overall configuration of refrigerator 1. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, refrigerator 1 includes a refrigerator body 2 which is an insulated box that opens to the front. The refrigerator body 2 is an insulated box with a space formed inside that opens to the front, and comprises an outer box made of steel plate, an inner box made of synthetic resin which is formed by vacuum forming, and an insulating material such as a vacuum insulation panel or urethane foam which is placed in the gap between the outer box and the inner box.

[0011] The space formed inside the refrigerator body 2 is insulated and divided into an upper refrigeration space and a lower freezing space by an insulating partition wall 2a, which has insulating material installed inside.

[0012] The refrigerated space is the interior space that is cooled to a refrigerated temperature range (for example, 0 to 4°C). The interior of the refrigerated space is partitioned by upper and lower partition plates 2b, partition members 50 and air passage forming members 90, allowing air to flow in and out. This partitions the space into storage compartments for storing food items such as the refrigerator compartment 3, chilled compartment 3c, and vegetable compartment 4, as well as spaces that generate and supply cold air to each storage compartment, such as the refrigerated cooler compartment 13, supply air passage 14, return air passage 29a, and switching compartment 37.

[0013] Specifically, the interior of the refrigerated space is divided vertically by an upper and lower partition plate 2b. Below the upper and lower partition plate 2b is a first storage compartment, the vegetable compartment 4, where a pull-out storage container 40 is placed, and above the upper and lower partition plate 2b is a second storage compartment, the refrigerator compartment 3. The refrigerator compartment 3 and the vegetable compartment 4 are connected by a first inlet 2c (see Figure 3) located behind the upper and lower partition plate 2b.

[0014] The front opening of the refrigerator compartment 3 is closed by a pair of double-hinged, insulated refrigerator doors 3a that divide the opening in the width direction. The front opening of the vegetable compartment 4 is closed by a pull-out vegetable compartment door 4a. A pair of left and right support frames for holding storage containers 40 are fixed to the inside of the vegetable compartment door 4a.

[0015] The interior of the refrigerator compartment 3 is partitioned vertically into multiple levels by a plurality of shelf boards 3b, and a chiller compartment 3c communicating with the refrigerator compartment 3 is partitioned in the space below the lowermost shelf board 3b. In the chiller compartment 3c, a storage container 30 vertically partitioned to allow the inflow and outflow of air is stored, forming upper and lower two-level spaces.

[0016] At the rear of the chiller compartment 3c and the vegetable compartment 4, a refrigeration cooler compartment 13, a return air duct 29a, and a switching chamber 37 partitioned front and rear by a partitioning member 50 are provided. At the rear of the refrigerator compartment 3, a supply air duct 14 partitioned front and rear by an air duct forming member 90 is provided. The supply air duct 14 is a supply air duct that sends out the air cooled by the refrigeration cooler 10 to the refrigerator compartment 3. In the refrigeration cooler compartment 13, a refrigeration cooler 10 and a refrigeration blower 11 such as a fan are stored. In the switching chamber 37, a switching device 60 such as a damper is stored. Further, on the partitioning member 50, a refrigeration temperature detection unit 23 for measuring the temperature of the refrigerated space is provided so as to be located on the back surface of the refrigerator compartment 3. The specific configurations of the partitioning member 50 and the air duct forming member 90 will be described in detail later.

[0017] The refrigerating space below the heat insulating partition wall 2a is a refrigerating storage compartment which is a third storage compartment cooled and maintained at a refrigerating temperature range (for example, -18°C to -20°C). In the present embodiment, the refrigerating storage compartment is composed of an ice making compartment, a first refrigerating compartment 5, and a second refrigerating compartment 6. The ice making compartment and the first refrigerating compartment 5 are provided side by side horizontally below the vegetable compartment 4 via the heat insulating partition wall 2a. Below the ice making compartment and the first refrigerating compartment 5, a second refrigerating compartment 6 having a lower case and an upper case is arranged. The openings of the ice making compartment, the first refrigerating compartment 5, and the second refrigerating compartment 6 are closed by draw-out type doors 5a, 6a, similar to the vegetable compartment 4. On the back surface of the second refrigerating compartment 6, a refrigeration temperature detection unit 25 for measuring the temperature inside the compartment of the second refrigerating compartment 6 is provided.

[0018] At the back of the refrigerating storage compartments (ice making compartment, first refrigerating compartment 5, second refrigerating compartment 6) provided in the refrigerating space, a refrigerating partition body 17 forming a refrigerating air duct 18 is provided. The refrigerating partition body 17 partitions a refrigeration cooler compartment 19 behind the storage compartment in the refrigerating temperature range.

[0019] Inside the refrigerating cooler chamber 19, a refrigerating cooler 15 cooled to a temperature lower than that of the refrigerating cooler 10 and a refrigerating blower 16 such as a fan are provided. The refrigerating cooler 15 cools the air in the refrigerating cooler chamber 19 to a temperature lower than that of the refrigerating cooler 10. The refrigerating blower 16 provided in the refrigerating cooler chamber 19 supplies the air in the refrigerating cooler chamber 19 cooled by the refrigerating cooler 15 to the ice-making chamber, the first refrigerating chamber 5, and the second refrigerating chamber 6 through the refrigerating air duct 18, thereby cooling the ice-making chamber, the first refrigerating chamber 5, and the second refrigerating chamber 6.

[0020] The refrigerating cooler 10 and the refrigerating cooler 15, together with a compressor 21 and a condenser (not shown) housed in a machine room 20 provided at the lower rear of the refrigerator body ②, constitute a cooling device called a refrigeration cycle. The cooling device alternately cools the refrigerating cooler 10 and the refrigerating cooler 15 to a predetermined temperature by supplying the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 21 to one of the refrigerating cooler 10 and the refrigerating cooler 15 by a switching valve (not shown).

[0021] In addition, outside the refrigerator body 2, for example, at the rear upper part of the upper surface of the ceiling wall of the refrigerator body 2, a control unit 28 composed of a control board on which a microcomputer for controlling the refrigerator 1 and the like are mounted is provided.

[0022] (2) Storage container 40 The storage container 40 provided in the vegetable chamber 4 has a structure in which an upper and lower two-stage overlapping structure is provided, including a lower-stage container 41 provided over substantially the entire width of the vegetable chamber 4 and an upper-stage container 42 provided above the lower-stage container 41.

[0023] The lower-stage container 41 is a bottomed box-shaped container surrounded by a front wall, a rear wall, and left and right side walls, and storage items are put in and taken out from the upper surface opening portion that opens upward. The lower-stage container 41 is held by a pair of left and right support frames fixed to the back surface side of the vegetable chamber door ④a, and is configured to be pulled out of the cabinet together with the opening operation of the vegetable chamber door ④a.

[0024] The lower container 41 is provided with front and rear partitions 43 that protrude upward from the inner bottom surface. These front and rear partitions 43 are provided to connect the inner surfaces of the left and right side walls of the lower container 41, with the lower front container 44 formed on the front side of the front and rear partitions 43 and the lower rear container 45 formed on the rear side.

[0025] The upper opening of the lower rear container 45 is closed by the bottom surface of the upper container 42 and the functional sheet 72 stored in the case 70 when the vegetable compartment door 4a is closed as shown in Figure 1 (with the storage container 40 stored inside the vegetable compartment 4).

[0026] The functional sheet 72 is a sheet material that is waterproof and breathable, for example, a porous sheet material having many pores with a diameter of 0.5 μm to 3 μm, which allows water vapor and air to pass through but also has a predetermined wind-blocking property that restricts the direct entry of wind. For example, a breathable waterproof sheet made by laminating a polyester long-fiber nonwoven fabric and a polyethylene porous film can be used as the functional sheet 72.

[0027] Such a functional sheet 72 restricts the direct entry of air (wind) circulating in the vegetable compartment 4 into the lower rear container 45, while allowing a certain degree of air movement between the vegetable compartment 4 and the lower rear container 45.

[0028] The upper container 42 is a bottomed, box-shaped container made of a synthetic resin material that transmits ultraviolet light, and stored items are loaded and unloaded from its upper opening that opens upwards. The upper container 42 is designed to be able to be pulled out of the refrigerator independently of the lower container 41 by sliding in the front-to-back direction between the inner box rails provided on the left and right inner walls of the vegetable compartment 4 and the upper ends of the left and right side walls of the lower container 41.

[0029] When the vegetable compartment door 4a is closed and the storage container 40 is stored in the vegetable compartment 4, the top opening of the lower rear container 45 is closed by the bottom of the upper container 42 and the functional sheet 72 stored in the case 70. The top openings of the lower front container 44 and the upper container 42 are open to the inside of the vegetable compartment 4 when the storage container 40 is stored inside the vegetable compartment 4.

[0030] When the vegetable compartment door 4a is opened, the storage container 40 is pulled out of the compartment, and the top openings of the lower front container 44 and the upper container 42 are opened to the outside. At this time, the upper container 42 is pulled out of the compartment along with the lower container 41, so the top surface of the lower rear container 45 is closed by the upper container 42 and the functional sheet 72. Then, by sliding the upper container 42 backward relative to the lower container 41, the top opening of the lower rear container 45 is opened.

[0031] (3) Partition member 50 Next, the partition member 50 will be described.

[0032] As shown in Figure 2, the partition member 50 is installed on the front side of the rear wall 2d of the refrigerator body 2, spanning the vegetable compartment 4 and the chilled compartment 3c, and forms an inner surface facing the inside of the vegetable compartment 4 and the refrigerator compartment 3 (chilled compartment 3c). The partition member 50 forms the refrigerator cooler compartment 13 and the return air passage 29a behind the vegetable compartment 4, and forms a switching compartment 37 where the switching device 60 is housed behind the chilled compartment 3c. In other words, the partition member 50 is an inner surface member that forms the inner surface of the vegetable compartment 4 on the refrigerator cooler compartment 13 side.

[0033] Specifically, as shown in Figures 2, 4, and 5, the partition member 50 comprises a first member 51 and a second member 52 provided on the front side of the first member 51.

[0034] The first member 51 is made of, for example, a member formed from an insulating material such as plastic into a predetermined shape. The first member 51 includes a cooler covering portion 51a that covers the front and left and right sides of the cooler cooler 10 which is provided along the rear wall 2d of the refrigerator body 2, and a blower housing portion 51b provided above the cooler covering portion 51a.

[0035] The cooler cover portion 51a forms a refrigerator cooler compartment 13 for housing the refrigerator cooler 10 between itself and the rear wall 2d of the refrigerator body 2. A notch 51c is provided at the lower end of the cooler cover portion 51a.

[0036] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the refrigerator cooler 10 is a fin tube type cooler comprising a meandering refrigerant pipe 10a with a straight section 10a1 extending in the width direction of the refrigerator and having U-shaped bent sections 10a2 at both ends in the width direction, a number of fins 10b attached to the straight section 10a1 of the refrigerant pipe 10a, and end plates 10c connecting the left and right ends of the straight section 10a1 of the refrigerant pipe 10a to each other.

[0037] The refrigerator cooler 10 may be positioned within the refrigerator cooler compartment 13 such that its center in the width direction does not coincide with the center in the width direction of the refrigerator body 2; that is, the center of the refrigerator cooler 10 in the width direction is offset to one side in the width direction from the center in the width direction of the refrigerator body 2. As shown in Figure 6, in this embodiment, the center of the refrigerator cooler 10 in the width direction is positioned to the right of the center in the width direction of the refrigerator body 2. The center of the refrigerator cooler 10 in the width direction refers to the center position of the end plates 10c provided at both the left and right ends of the refrigerator cooler 10.

[0038] The blower housing 51b is provided so as to protrude forward from the cooler cover 51a, and the distance between it and the rear wall 2d of the refrigerator body 2 in the front-to-back direction is greater than the distance between the cooler cover 51a and the rear wall 2d of the refrigerator body 2 in the front-to-back direction. The refrigerator blower 11 is housed between the blower housing 51b and the rear wall 2d of the refrigerator body 2. The refrigerator blower 11 consists of an axial flow fan whose rotation axis is oriented vertically, and it blows air from the refrigerator cooler compartment 13 by drawing it in from below and expelling it upwards.

[0039] The blower housing 51b can be installed at any position in the width direction of the refrigerator, as long as it is above the cooler covering 51a, but in this embodiment, it is installed in the center in the width direction of the refrigerator.

[0040] The second member 52 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin molded into a predetermined shape. The second member 52 includes a rear-facing portion 52a provided at the rear of the vegetable compartment 4, a switching device housing portion 52b provided above the rear-facing portion 52a, and a connecting portion 52c provided above the switching device housing portion 52b and connected to the lower end of the air passage forming member 90.

[0041] The rear section 52a is provided to cover the front and left and right sides of the first member 51 and constitutes a part of the rear of the vegetable compartment 4. The rear section 52a includes a proximity section 52a1 provided along the cooler covering section 51a of the first member 51, an air passage forming section 52a2 provided at a distance in front of the first member 51, a blower covering section 52a3 that covers the blower housing section 51b from the front, and a purification device housing section 52a4 provided above the blower covering section 52a3.

[0042] The proximity portion 52a1 is provided so as to be in contact with the cooler covering portion 51a, or the distance between it and the cooler covering portion 51a in the front-rear direction is narrower than the distance between the air passage forming portion 52a2 and the cooler covering portion 51a in the front-rear direction. No return air passage 29a is provided between the proximity portion 52a1 and the cooler covering portion 51a.

[0043] The air passage forming section 52a2 forms a return air passage 29a between itself and the cooler covering section 51a of the first member 51. The return air passage 29a is a passage for returning air from the storage compartment side, such as the vegetable compartment 4 or the chilled compartment 3c, to the refrigerator cooler compartment 13 side. It is located between the refrigerator cooler compartment 13 and the storage compartment and is a passage that is separated from both the refrigerator cooler compartment 13 and the storage compartment, such as the vegetable compartment 4. The return air passage 29a is an air passage that connects the chilled compartment 3c and the refrigerator cooler compartment 13 to return the air from the chilled compartment 3c and the refrigerator compartment 3 to the refrigerator cooler 10, or connects the vegetable compartment 4 and the refrigerator cooler compartment 13 to return the air from the vegetable compartment 4 to the refrigerator cooler 10.

[0044] As shown in Figure 6, if the area where the refrigerator cooler 10 is projected forward on the cooler covering portion 51a of the first member 51 is called the forward projection region R, then a proximity portion 52a1 is provided in a part of the forward projection region R, and a first region is formed where the vegetable compartment 4 and the refrigerator cooler compartment 13 are adjacent to each other on the front side of the refrigerator cooler 10 without passing through the return air passage 29a. In the first region, the cold heat generated in the refrigerator cooler 10 is conducted to the vegetable compartment 4, thereby cooling the vegetable compartment 4.

[0045] Furthermore, the partition member 50 may have insulating material between the vegetable compartment 4 and the refrigerator cooler compartment 13 in the first region, for example, by providing the first member 51 with insulating material. The insulating material provided in the first region has an insulating effect sufficient to prevent freezing on the front surface of the partition member 50 while conducting the cold heat generated in the refrigerator cooler 10 to the vegetable compartment 4 and cooling the vegetable compartment 4 to a predetermined temperature.

[0046] For example, it is preferable that the insulation material provided in the first region is made of an insulation material with less thermal insulation effect than the insulation partition wall 2a that vertically separates the vegetable compartment 4 and the freezer storage compartment. It is also preferable that the insulation material provided in the first region is made of an insulation material with less thermal insulation effect than the insulation material at the front and rear of the rear wall 2d of the refrigerator body 2 that faces the refrigerator cooler 10.

[0047] Specifically, the thickness of the insulation material in the front-to-back direction provided in the first region is made thinner than the thickness of the insulation material in the vertical direction provided in the insulating partition wall 2a or the thickness of the back wall 2d in the front-to-back direction, or the insulation material provided in the first region is made of a material with higher thermal conductivity and lower insulation performance than the insulation material provided in the insulating partition wall 2a or the back wall 2d.

[0048] More specifically, when resin insulation materials such as polystyrene foam or urethane foam are provided as insulation materials in the partition member 50, the insulated partition wall 2a, and the back wall 2d, it is preferable that the thickness of the insulation material in the first region be 1.5 mm or more and 4.0 mm or less, and that the thickness of the insulated partition wall 2a in the vertical direction and the thickness of the back wall 2d in the front-to-back direction be 25 mm or more and 50 mm or less.

[0049] Furthermore, resin insulation materials such as polystyrene foam or urethane foam may be used as insulation material for the partition member 50, and vacuum insulation material may be used as insulation material for the insulated partition wall 2a and the back wall 2d, or vacuum insulation material and resin insulation material may be used in combination.

[0050] In the front projection region R, at least a portion of the region other than the first region is provided with an air passage forming section 52a2, and a second region is formed in front of the refrigerator cooler 10 where the vegetable compartment 4 and the refrigerator cooler compartment 13 are adjacent via a return air passage 29a. In the second region, because a return air passage 29a is provided between the refrigerator cooler 10 and the vegetable compartment 4, the cold heat generated in the refrigerator cooler 10 is less likely to be conducted to the vegetable compartment 4 compared to the first region where the proximity section 52a1 is provided. The second region may conduct some cold heat from the refrigerator cooler 10 to the vegetable compartment 4, or it may be insulated to prevent conduction to the vegetable compartment 4.

[0051] The partition member 50 has a shape in which the first region of the forward projection area R, where the proximity portion 52a1 is provided, is recessed to the rear compared to the second region, where the air passage forming portion 52a2 is provided. In other words, the thickness of the partition member 50 that separates the vegetable compartment 4 and the refrigerator cooler 10 front to back is thinner in the proximity portion 52a1 compared to the air passage forming portion 52a2.

[0052] The first region where the proximity section 52a1 is provided and the second region where the airflow section 52a2 is provided can be arbitrarily provided in the front projection region R, but it is preferable to provide the first region and the second region side by side in the refrigerator width direction. In this embodiment, the proximity section 52a1 is provided in the center of the refrigerator width direction of the front projection region R to form the first region, and the airflow section 52a2 is provided on both sides of the proximity section 52a1 and the blower covering section 52a3 in the refrigerator width direction, and below the proximity section 52a1 to form the second region.

[0053] As a result, in this embodiment, return air passages 29a extending vertically are provided on both sides of the refrigerator width direction in the forward projection area R. These multiple return air passages 29a, provided at different locations in the vegetable compartment 4, merge into one at a connecting portion 29b provided at their lower ends and are connected to the refrigerator cooler compartment 13.

[0054] As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the upper end surface of the return air passage 29a opens to the rear of the bottom surface of the chilled compartment 3c and serves as a second outlet 3d through which air from the chilled compartment 3c and the refrigerator compartment 3 flows into the return air passage 29a. In other words, the second outlet 3d is an end-face outlet provided on the end surface of the return air passage 29a, which extends in the vertical direction.

[0055] The return air passage 29a may have a front-to-back expanding / contracting section 29c between the second outlet 3d, which is located on the bottom surface of the chilled chamber 3c, and the connecting section 29b, where the front-to-back air passage width, that is, the distance between the air passage forming section 52a2 and the cooler covering section 51a of the first member 51, gradually narrows as it approaches the connecting section 29b. In this way, the return air passage 29a may have an air passage with a wide front-to-back air passage width and a substantially constant width above the front-to-back expanding / contracting section 29c, and an air passage with a narrow front-to-back air passage width and a substantially constant width below the front-to-back expanding / contracting section 29c.

[0056] The front and rear expandable sections 29c can be provided at any position in the vertical direction of the return air passage 29a, but it is preferable that they be provided above the refrigerator cooler 10, for example. Furthermore, it is preferable that the front and rear expandable sections 29c be provided so as to overlap at least a part of the blower covering section 52a3 in the width direction of the refrigerator. By providing the front and rear expandable sections 29c in this way, the front and rear expandable sections 29c and the blower covering section 52a3 that protrude forward in the partition member 50 can be arranged side by side in the width direction, making it less likely for dead space to occur.

[0057] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the return air passage 29a has a first outlet 29d located downstream of the second outlet 3d in the airflow direction of the return air passage 29a, that is, below the second outlet 3d, from which air from the vegetable compartment 4 flows out. The air flowing out from the first outlet 29d flows into the return air passage 29a. As a result, the air from the chilled compartment 3c that flows out from the second outlet 3d enters the return air passage 29a, and downstream from there, the air from the vegetable compartment 4 that flows out from the first outlet 29d enters the return air passage 29a.

[0058] The first outlet 29d is provided on the left and right sides of the air passage forming section 52a2 so as to open outward in the width direction of the refrigerator. The first outlet 29d is provided on a different surface in the return air passage 29a from the surface on which the second outlet 3d is provided, and so as to open in a different direction from the second outlet 3d. The first outlet 29d is located below the first inlet 2c through which air flows from the refrigerator compartment 3 to the vegetable compartment 4, and is located further inward in the width direction of the refrigerator than the first inlet 2c. Furthermore, the first outlet 29d and the first inlet 2c are located above the first region on which the proximity section 52a1 is provided.

[0059] As shown in Figure 3, it is preferable that the first inlet 2c opens to the outside of the storage container 40 in a plan view (i.e., to the left, right, or rear of the storage container 40). This makes it difficult for air flowing from the refrigerator compartment 3 into the vegetable compartment 4 to flow into the storage container 40, thereby suppressing the drying of the contents inside the storage container 40.

[0060] Furthermore, it is preferable that the first inlet 2c and the first outlet 29d are arranged such that their positions in the front-to-back direction coincide in at least a portion of the same area. This allows the air that flows into the vegetable compartment 4 from the first inlet 2c to be circulated within a limited area of ​​the vegetable compartment 4, thereby suppressing drying inside the vegetable compartment 4.

[0061] Furthermore, it is preferable that the first outlet 29d is located above the front and rear expansion / contraction section 29c and is provided in a location in the return air passage 29a where the air passage width in the front and rear direction is wide.

[0062] Furthermore, it is preferable to provide the first outlet 29d above the upper end of the rear wall of the storage container 40 provided in the vegetable compartment 4. In the case of a drawer container consisting of multiple containers stacked vertically, as in the storage container 40 of this embodiment, it is preferable to provide the first outlet 29d above the upper end of the rear wall of the bottom container, and it is even more preferable to provide the first outlet 29d above the upper end of the rear wall of the top container.

[0063] Furthermore, when return air passages 29a are provided on both sides of the air passage forming section 52a2 in the refrigerator width direction, it is preferable to provide a first outlet 29d in each return air passage 29a. In this case, the opening area of ​​the first outlet 29d provided in the return air passage 29a on one side in the refrigerator width direction and the opening area of ​​the first outlet 29d provided in the return air passage 29a on the other side in the refrigerator width direction may be the same or different.

[0064] As shown in Figures 4 and 6, a notch 51c provided in the first member 51 opens at the connecting portion 29b. The connecting portion 29b is also provided with a purification member 54 that carries a catalyst for purifying the air by deodorizing and sterilizing it. Air flowing downward through the return air passage 29a merges at the connecting portion 29b, is deodorized and sterilized by the purification member 54, and is introduced into the refrigerator cooler chamber 13 through the notch 51c.

[0065] Furthermore, if the center of the refrigerator cooling unit 10 in the width direction is offset to one side in the width direction from the center of the refrigerator body 2, the lower end of the return air passage 29a provided on the other side in the width direction may be inclined such that the angle of inclination in the vertical direction is greater than that of the lower end of the return air passage 29a provided on the one side in the width direction. By making the angles of inclination different in this way, the return air passages 29a can be arranged symmetrically on both sides of the center of the refrigerator body 2 in the width direction.

[0066] The blower covering portion 52a3 is provided above the proximity portion 52a1 so as to protrude forward of the proximity portion 52a1, and covers the blower housing portion 51b of the first member 51 from the front. As shown in Figure 2, the front end of the blower covering portion 52a3 is located in front of the airflow forming portion 52a2 which constitutes the front of the return airflow passage 29a.

[0067] As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the purification device housing 52a4 is provided so as to protrude upward from the blower cover 52a3 between the left and right return air passages 29a. The purification device housing 52a4 is provided with a light source 55 that emits ultraviolet light, such as an ultraviolet LED, between the blower housing 51b of the first member 51 and the purification device housing 52a4.

[0068] The front surface of the purification device housing 52a4 is sloped upwards towards the front, and is provided with a window 52a5 that emits ultraviolet light generated by the light source 55. As shown in Figure 4, the window 52a5 is located in front of the front end of the blower covering 52a3 and the airflow forming section 52a2 that constitutes the front of the return airflow passage 29a.

[0069] The light source 55 is fixed to the purification device housing 52a4 so as to be located at the rear upper part of the upper container 42 stored in the vegetable compartment 4. The light source 55 irradiates ultraviolet light into the interior of the upper container 42 of the storage container 40 provided in the vegetable compartment 4 through the window 52a5 of the purification device housing 52a4, thereby mainly purifying the air inside the upper container 42 and the stored items stored in the upper container 42.

[0070] The switching device housing 52b is located at the rear of the chilled compartment 3c and forms a switching chamber 37 between it and the rear wall 2d of the refrigerator body 2, into which air blown from the refrigerator fan 11 flows.

[0071] The switching device housing section 52b is provided with a chilled outlet 52b1 that opens to the rear of the chilled compartment 3c. The switching compartment 37 and the chilled compartment 3c are in communication via the chilled outlet 52b1.

[0072] The switching chamber 37 houses a switching device 60, including a damper mechanism. The switching device 60 changes the angle of the operating plate 60a to guide the air that has flowed into the switching chamber 37 by the blowing action of the refrigerated fan 11 forward and to supply it to the chilled compartment 3c from the chilled outlet 52b1, or to supply it to the refrigerated compartment 3 via the supply air passage 14 formed on the back of the air passage forming member 90.

[0073] (4) Airflow forming member 90 As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the air passage forming member 90 provided at the rear of the refrigerator compartment 3 has a plate-like portion 92 that forms the back surface of the refrigerator compartment 3, and a pair of left and right protrusions 94 that project rearward from its back surface.

[0074] The plate-shaped portion 92 has a length in the width direction of the refrigerator that is smaller than the refrigerator compartment 13 formed in the partition member 50, and is provided in the vertical direction from the lowest shelf 3b to a position above the uppermost shelf 3b, covering almost the entire length of the refrigerator compartment 3. The protrusions 94 are provided along the vertical direction at both ends in the width direction of the plate-shaped portion 92. Multiple second inlets 95 are opened in the protrusions 94.

[0075] The air passage forming member 90 is provided in front of the rear wall 2d of the refrigerator body 2 such that a pair of left and right protrusions 94 directly contact the rear wall 2d of the refrigerator body 2 or contact it via a sealing member (not shown) such as soft tape. As a result, the plate-shaped portion 92 of the air passage forming member 90 is positioned at a distance in front of the rear wall 2d of the refrigerator body 2, and a supply air passage 14 is formed between the plate-shaped portion 92, the rear wall 2d of the refrigerator body 2, and the protrusions 94 in the center of the width direction of the refrigerator compartment 3.

[0076] The lower end of the air passage forming member 90 is connected to the connection portion 52c of the partition member 50, thereby connecting the supply air passage 14 to the switching chamber 37 of the partition member 50. As a result, air blown upward from the switching chamber 37 provided in the partition member 50 flows into the supply air passage 14 and flows upward through the supply air passage 14, being supplied to the refrigerator compartment 3 from the second inlet 95 provided in the protrusion 94.

[0077] In a front view as shown in Figure 6, the airflow passage 14 of the airflow forming member 90 is preferably located in the refrigerator width direction between the second region of the partition member 50 where the airflow forming portion 52a2 is provided, and above the first region where the proximity portion 52a1 is provided. Furthermore, it is preferable that the airflow passage 14 of the airflow forming member 90 is positioned above the refrigerator blower 11. In other words, it is preferable to provide the airflow passage 14 such that the positions of the airflow passage 14 and the refrigerator blower 11 in the refrigerator width direction coincide in at least a part of the airflow passage 14, and it is more preferable to provide the airflow passage 14 such that the entire refrigerator width direction of the refrigerator blower 11 coincides with the airflow passage 14. By positioning the airflow passage 14 above the refrigerator blower 11 in this way, pressure loss within the airflow passage 14 can be suppressed and cold air can be supplied to the refrigerator compartment 3.

[0078] Furthermore, it is preferable that the air supply passage 14 does not meander in the width direction of the refrigerator when viewed from the front, and extends upward so that the center of the air supply passage 14 in the width direction of the refrigerator is located in a straight line in the vertical direction.

[0079] Furthermore, in the case where a switching device 60 is provided between the air supply passage 14 and the refrigerated fan 11, as in this embodiment, it is preferable to arrange the switching device 60 and the air supply passage 14 so that the switching device 60 and the air supply passage 14 are located above the refrigerated fan 11.

[0080] (5) Cooling operation of refrigerator 1 In refrigerator 1, based on the internal temperature of the refrigerated space and the internal temperature of the freezer space detected by the refrigerated temperature detection unit 23 and the freezer temperature detection unit 25, the refrigerator refrigeration operation, which cools the refrigerator compartment 3, chiller compartment 3c and vegetable compartment 4 in the refrigerated temperature range, and the freezer cooling operation, which cools the ice maker compartment, first freezer compartment 5 and second freezer compartment 6 in the freezer temperature range, are switched and executed.

[0081] When the refrigeration start conditions are met, the control unit 28 drives the compressor 21 at a predetermined frequency, opens the outlet of the switching valve on the refrigerant flow path side to allow refrigerant to flow to the refrigerator cooler 10, and further rotates the refrigerator blower 11 at a predetermined rotational speed to start the refrigeration operation. An example of the refrigeration start conditions is when the temperature detected by the refrigeration temperature detection unit 23 becomes equal to or above the ON temperature (for example, 5°C) set for the refrigerated space.

[0082] During refrigeration operation, the low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant flowing into the refrigerator 10 vaporizes, generating cold air in the refrigerator compartment 13. The generated cold air is blown into the switching compartment 37 by the airflow action of the refrigerator fan 11, and is supplied to the chilled compartment 3c from the chilled outlet 52b1 by the switching device 60, or supplied to the refrigerator compartment 3 from the second inlet 95 via the air supply passage 14.

[0083] The air supplied to the refrigerator compartment 3 and the chilled compartment 3c flows through the refrigerator compartment 3 and the chilled compartment 3c, and then a portion of it returns to the refrigerator cooler compartment 13 through the second outlet 3d which opens at the rear of the bottom of the chilled compartment 3c, and through the return air passage 29a and the connecting section 29b, while the remaining portion is introduced into the vegetable compartment 4 through the first inlet 2c drilled in the upper and lower partition plate 2b, and cools the vegetable compartment 4.

[0084] Since the first outlet 29d is located above the upper end of the rear wall of the storage container 40, the air introduced into the vegetable compartment 4 is less likely to enter the lower container 41 or the upper container 42 of the storage container 40, and is more likely to flow over the lower container 41 or the upper container 42 and into the return air passage 29a from the first outlet 29d.

[0085] Furthermore, when the refrigerator cooler 10 is cooled by the refrigeration operation, the cold heat generated in the refrigerator cooler 10 is conducted from the proximity section 52a1 provided in the partition member 50 to the vegetable compartment 4, thereby cooling the vegetable compartment 4.

[0086] Then, if the conditions for terminating the refrigeration cooling operation are met while the refrigeration cooling operation is in progress, the control unit 28 terminates the refrigeration cooling operation. After terminating the refrigeration cooling operation, the control unit 28 drives the compressor 21 at a predetermined frequency, opens the outlet of the switching valve on the refrigerant flow path side to allow refrigerant to flow to the refrigeration cooler 15, and further rotates the refrigeration blower 16 at a predetermined rotational speed to perform the refrigeration cooling operation.

[0087] During refrigeration operation, cold air from the refrigeration cooler chamber 19 circulates through the ice-making chamber, the first freezing chamber 5, and the second freezing chamber 6 by the blowing action of the refrigeration blower 16, cooling the ice-making chamber, the first freezing chamber 5, and the second freezing chamber 6 to a predetermined refrigeration temperature range.

[0088] The cold air that circulates within the ice-making compartment, the first freezing compartment 5, and the second freezing compartment 6 returns to the refrigeration cooler compartment 19 through an intake port located at the rear of the second freezing compartment 6, is cooled by the refrigeration cooler 15, and then is blown back into the ice-making compartment, the first freezing compartment 5, and the second freezing compartment 6.

[0089] Then, when the refrigeration termination condition is met during the execution of the refrigeration operation, the control unit 28 will The cryo-cooling operation will be terminated.

[0090] (6) Effects In this embodiment, a first region without a return air passage 29a is provided in front of the refrigerator cooler 10, and the cold heat generated by the refrigerator cooler 10 is easily conducted to the vegetable compartment 4 in this first region. Therefore, compared to the case where cooling is performed only by supplying cold air generated by the refrigerator cooler 10 with a fan, the storage compartment can be cooled while suppressing drying.

[0091] Since a return air passage 29a is provided in front of the refrigerator cooler 10, the cooling capacity of the vegetable compartment 4 can be ensured by supplying the air cooled by the refrigerator cooler 10 to the vegetable compartment 4. In addition, since the vegetable compartment 4 is cooled by the heat conduction of the cold energy generated by the refrigerator cooler 10, the cooling burden on the vegetable compartment 4 can be reduced, and the cooling capacity of the refrigerator compartment 3 can be increased.

[0092] Furthermore, since a return air passage 29a is provided in front of the refrigerator 10, the air passage arrangement of the return air passage 29a can be easily simplified, thereby reducing pressure loss.

[0093] In this embodiment, the partition member 50 has a shape that is recessed towards the rear in the first region, and the thickness of the partition member 50 that separates the vegetable compartment 4 and the refrigerator cooler 10 front to back is thin, so that the cold heat generated in the refrigerator cooler 10 is easily conducted to the vegetable compartment 4.

[0094] In this embodiment, return air passages 29a are provided on both sides in the width direction of the refrigerator on the front side of the refrigerator cooler 10, and two return air passages 29a are provided on the front side of the refrigerator cooler 10. As a result, the area occupied by one return air passage 29a can be reduced, making it easier to ensure flexibility in the arrangement of components. In addition, by providing the return air passages 29a in the width direction of the refrigerator, it becomes easier to arrange the return air passages 29a evenly on the left and right sides of the storage compartment, and dead space is less likely to occur.

[0095] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first region is located in the center of the refrigerator width direction, and the first region, which facilitates the conduction of cold heat from the refrigerator cooler 10 to the vegetable compartment 4, is positioned in front of the center of the refrigerator cooler 10 where the fins 10b are densely arranged. This enhances the cooling capacity through heat conduction of the cold heat generated in the refrigerator cooler 10.

[0096] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the first outlet 29d is provided on the left and right sides of the air passage forming section 52a2 so as to open outward in the width direction of the refrigerator, it becomes easier to arrange other components on the rear front and bottom surfaces of the vegetable compartment 4, thereby improving space efficiency and making it easier to achieve a higher volume.

[0097] In this embodiment, a first outlet 29d is provided on the widthwise outer surface of the return air passage 29a, and a second outlet 3d is provided on the end surface of the return air passage 29a. By providing the outlets 3d and 29d for each of the multiple storage chambers on different surfaces of the return air passage 29a in this way, the return air passages connecting the multiple storage chambers can be made into a simple shape, such as a shape that extends linearly in the vertical direction.

[0098] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the first outlet 29d is located downstream of the second outlet 3d in the airflow direction in the return air passage 29a, the second outlet 3d can be provided on the end face of the return air passage 29a, and the shape of the return air passage 29a can be effectively utilized.

[0099] Furthermore, by providing a first inlet 2c through which air flows into the vegetable compartment 4 and a first outlet 29d that introduces the air from the vegetable compartment into the return air passage 29a, above the first region where the cold heat generated by the refrigerator cooler 10 is easily conducted to the vegetable compartment 4, the air that flows into the vegetable compartment 4 can be circulated unevenly towards the upper part of the vegetable compartment 4, thereby suppressing the drying of stored items in the vegetable compartment 4.

[0100] In this embodiment, since the first outlet 29d, which takes in air from the vegetable compartment 4 into the return air passage 29a, is located above the upper end of the rear wall of the storage container 40, the air that flows into the vegetable compartment 4 is less likely to enter the interior of the lower container 41 and the upper container 42 of the storage container 40, and is more likely to flow over the lower container 41 and the upper container 42 and into the return air passage 29a from the first outlet 29d.

[0101] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the air supply passage 14 is provided between the return air passages 29a, which are spaced apart on the left and right sides, and is positioned in the center in the width direction of the refrigerator. As a result, the air cooled by the refrigerator cooler 10 is less likely to be supplied unevenly to one side in the width direction of the refrigerator compartment 3, and the refrigerator compartment 3 can be cooled uniformly.

[0102] In this embodiment, the first storage compartment, the vegetable compartment 4, is separated vertically from the third storage compartment, the frozen storage compartment, which is cooled by the refrigeration cooler 15, by an insulating partition wall 2a with insulating material inside, thereby preventing the vegetable compartment 4 from becoming too cold. On the other hand, the partition member 50 that separates the vegetable compartment 4 from the refrigeration cooler compartment 13, where the refrigeration cooler 10 is installed, has a smaller insulating effect than the insulating partition wall 2a that separates the vegetable compartment 4 and the frozen storage compartment vertically, so it can obtain an appropriate cooling effect on the side of the refrigeration temperature range.

[0103] (7) Example of changes Examples of modifications to the above embodiment will now be described. Any one of the following modifications may be applied to the above embodiment, or any two or more of the following modifications may be applied in combination. In the following description of modifications, the same reference numerals are used for components identical to those in the above embodiment.

[0104] (7-1) Example of change 1 In the embodiments described above, a case with two coolers 10 and 15 was explained, but the present invention can also be applied to refrigerators that cool both the refrigerated space and the frozen space with a single cooler.

[0105] Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, the back of the freezer storage chambers, that is, the ice-making chamber, the first freezer chamber 5, and the second freezer chamber 6, are not provided with a refrigerator or refrigerator. Instead, a refrigeration-side air supply passage 118 connected to the refrigerator chamber 13 is provided. Air cooled by the refrigerator 10 flows into the refrigeration-side air supply passage 118 and supplies the incoming air to the ice-making chamber, the first freezer chamber 5, and the second freezer chamber 6. A refrigeration-side switching device (not shown), such as a damper mechanism, is provided between the refrigeration-side airflow passage 118 and the refrigerated cooler chamber 13. The refrigeration-side switching device, together with the switching device 60 provided in the switching chamber 37, constitutes the airflow destination changing section.

[0106] The airflow destination changing section uses a freezing-side switching device to block the refrigerated cooler chamber 13 from the freezing-side airflow passage 118, and a switching device 60 to connect the refrigerated cooler chamber 13 from the airflow passage 14. As a result, more air cooled by the refrigerated cooler 10 in the refrigerated cooler chamber 13 is supplied to the refrigerator chamber 3 and vegetable compartment 4 compared to the freezing storage chamber, thereby performing a refrigerated cooling operation to cool the refrigerator chamber 3, chilled compartment 3c, and vegetable compartment 4.

[0107] Furthermore, the airflow destination changing section connects the refrigerator compartment 13 and the refrigerator side airflow passage 118 using a refrigeration-side switching device, and blocks the refrigerator compartment 13 and the airflow passage 14 using a switching device 60. As a result, a larger amount of air cooled by the refrigerator 10 in the refrigerator compartment 13 is supplied to the freezer storage compartment compared to the refrigerator compartment 3 and vegetable compartment 4, thereby performing a refrigeration cooling operation to cool the freezer storage compartment.

[0108] In this revised example, even when a refrigeration cooling operation is performed and air cooled by the refrigerator 10 is not introduced into the vegetable compartment 4 where the refrigerator 10 is installed, or even when more air cooled by the refrigerator 10 is supplied to the freezing storage compartment than to the vegetable compartment 4, the vegetable compartment 4 can still be cooled by the heat conduction of the cold energy generated in the refrigerator 10.

[0109] (7-2) Example of change 2 In the embodiment described above, air from the refrigerator compartment 3 is introduced into the vegetable compartment 4 through the first inlet 2c located behind the upper and lower partition plates 2b. However, the inlet may be a gap between components placed between the storage compartments, such as a gap between the side or back of the inner box of the refrigerator body 2 and the upper and lower partition plates 2b.

[0110] (7-3) Example of modification 3 In the embodiment described above, the thickness of the cooler covering portion 51a of the first member 51 provided on the partition member 50 may be made thinner in the second region where the return air passage 29a is provided than in the first region where the adjacent portion 52a1 of the second member 52 is provided. In other words, the thickness of the insulating material placed in front of the cooler in the second region may be made thinner than in the first region. This ensures sufficient insulating thickness of the first member 51 in the first region where there is no return air passage 29a in front of the refrigerator cooler 10, thereby preventing the front surface of the partition member 50 from freezing. Furthermore, in the second region where there is a return air passage 29a in front of the refrigerator cooler 10, the cross-sectional area of ​​the return air passage 29a can be secured while suppressing the thickness in the front-rear direction.

[0111] (7-4) Example of modification 4 In the above embodiment, a switching device 60 is provided on the partition member 50, and the air cooled by the refrigerator cooler 10 is configured to be switched and supplied to the chilled compartment 3c and the refrigerator compartment 3. However, it is not necessary to provide the switching device 60.

[0112] (7-5) Example of change 5 In the embodiment described above, a partition member 50 was provided separately from the refrigerator 10 as an internal component forming the inner surface of the storage chamber on the refrigerator cooler chamber 13 side. However, a roll-bond type cooler, in which refrigerant pipes are attached to a plate member such as a metal plate, may be used, and the front side of the cooler may be covered with the plate member that constitutes the cooler itself, so that the refrigerator cooler 10 itself is used as an internal component forming the inner surface of the storage chamber on the cooler chamber side.

[0113] (7-6) Example of modification 6 In the embodiments described above, a refrigerator in which multiple storage compartments are provided inside the refrigerator body 2 was explained, but the present invention can also be applied to a refrigerator in which only one storage compartment is provided inside the refrigerator body.

[0114] As shown in Figure 9, the refrigerator 200 in this modified example has one storage compartment 203 inside the refrigerator body 202, which is made of an insulated box. A flat partition member 250 is provided at the rear of the storage compartment 203. The partition member 250 is provided at a distance in front of the rear wall 202d of the refrigerator body 202, and a cooler compartment 213 is formed between the rear wall 202d and the cooler 210 and the blower 211.

[0115] The cooler 210 is installed in the cooler chamber 213 in contact with or close to the partition member 250, so that the cold heat generated in the cooler 210 is conducted to the storage chamber 203 via the partition member 250.

[0116] The cooler 210, along with the compressor 221 and a condenser (not shown), which are housed in a machine room located at the lower rear of the refrigerator body 202, constitute a cooling system called a refrigeration cycle. The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 221 is supplied to the cooler 210, where it is cooled to a predetermined temperature, thereby cooling the air in the cooler chamber 213. In this modified example, a refrigeration cycle is used as the cooler 210, but various coolers utilizing other principles, such as Peltier elements, can be used.

[0117] In this type of refrigerator 200, the compressor 221 is driven to lower the temperature of the cooler 210 while the blower 211 is rotated. This allows for a cooling effect from the supply of air cooled by the cooler 210, as well as a cooling effect from heat conduction through the partition member 250.

[0118] Furthermore, in this modified example, by stopping the blower 211 and lowering the temperature of the cooler 210 by driving the compressor 221, it is also possible to obtain only the cooling effect through heat conduction via the partition member 250.

[0119] (7-7) Example of change 7 In the embodiment described above, the area projected forward of the refrigerator / cooler 10 is given a first region and a second region in the forward projection region R. However, the second region may be omitted, and only the first region may be given in the forward projection region R.

[0120] In other words, as shown in Figure 10, in this modified example, a proximity section 352a1 is provided across the entire front side of the refrigerator cooler 10, and a first region is provided across the entire front projection region R, which is the projection of the refrigerator cooler 10 forward, where the vegetable compartment 4 and the refrigerator cooler compartment 13 are adjacent to each other without passing through the return air passage 329a. The cold heat generated in the refrigerator cooler 10 is conducted to the vegetable compartment 4 via the proximity section 352a1.

[0121] The return air passage 329a, which returns air from storage compartments such as the vegetable compartment 4 and the chilled compartment 3c back to the refrigerator compartment 13, is preferably provided on one or both of the left and right sides of the refrigerator compartment 13. Furthermore, it is preferable that at least a portion of the return air passage 329a in the front-to-back direction overlaps with the refrigerator compartment 13 in a side view. The lower end of the return air passage 329a is connected to the refrigerator chamber 13 at a position below the refrigerator cooler 10, so that the air from the return air passage 329a is returned from below to the refrigerator cooler 10 located in the refrigerator cooler chamber 13. Alternatively, the lower end of the return air passage 329a may be connected to the refrigerator chamber 13 at the side of the refrigerator cooler 10, so that the air from the return air passage 329a is returned from the side to the refrigerator cooler 10 located in the refrigerator cooler chamber 13.

[0122] In this modified example, the proximity section 352a1 provided on the front side of the refrigerator 10 has a flat surface on the side facing the storage chamber (front side), but a portion of the proximity section 352a1 may be recessed towards the rear.

[0123] Furthermore, in this modified example, the return air passages 329a provided on the left and right sides of the refrigerator cooler 10 protrude forward more than the proximity section 352a1 provided on the front side of the refrigerator cooler 10, and the first region is formed in the area recessed behind the return air passages 329a.

[0124] Even with this modified example, the cold heat generated by the refrigerator cooler 10 in the first region is more easily conducted to the vegetable compartment 4. Therefore, compared to the case where cooling is done solely by supplying cold air generated by the refrigerator cooler 10 with a fan, drying can be suppressed and the storage compartment can be cooled.

[0125] (7-8) Example of modification 8 In the above-described embodiment, a first region is provided in front of the cooler where the storage chamber and the cooler chamber are adjacent without passing through a return air passage, and a second region is provided in front of the cooler where the storage chamber and the cooler chamber are adjacent via a return air passage. However, the air passage located in front of the cooler is not limited to a return air passage, but can be any air passage.

[0126] In other words, a modified version of the present invention can also be implemented in which a supply air passage that sends the air cooled in the cooler chamber to the storage chamber overlaps the front of the cooler, and a second region is provided where the storage chamber and the cooler chamber are adjacent to each other via the supply air passage.

[0127] Alternatively, regardless of whether the air passage located in front of the cooler is a supply air passage or a return air passage, the air passage connecting the cooler chamber and the storage chamber overlaps the front of the cooler, and a second region is provided through this air passage where the storage chamber and the cooler chamber are adjacent to each other. This is another way to understand the modified version of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0128] 1...Refrigerator, 2...Refrigerator body, 2b...Upper and lower partition plates, 2c...Inlet, 2d...Rear wall, 3...Refrigerator compartment, 3c...Chilled compartment, 3d...Second outlet, 4...Vegetable compartment, 10...Refrigerator cooler, 11...Refrigerator blower, 13...Refrigerator cooler compartment, 14...Air supply passage, 28...Control unit, 29a...Return passage, 29b...Connecting section, 29c...Expansion / contraction section, 29d...First outlet, 50...Partition member, 51...First member, 51a...Cooler covering section, 51b...Blower housing section, 51c...Notch section 52...Second member, 52a...Back forming part, 52a1...Air passage forming part, 52a2...Proximity part, 52a3...Blower covering part, 52a4...Purification device housing part, 52a5...Window part, 52b...Switching device housing part, 52b1...Chilled outlet, 52c...Connection part, 54...Purification member, 55...Light source, 60...Switching device, 60a...Operating plate, 70...Case, 72...Functional sheet, 90...Air passage forming member, 92...Plate-shaped part, 94...Protrusion, 95...Second inlet, R...Front projection area

Claims

1. The system comprises a storage chamber, a cooler, a plurality of return air passages located at different positions, and a plurality of outlets corresponding to the plurality of return air passages and opening at different positions in the storage chamber. A refrigerator in which the air in the storage chamber returns to the cooler through separate return air passages from outlets located at different positions.

2. The cooler is equipped with a supply air passage for supplying cooled air to the storage chamber, The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the air supply passage is provided between a pair of left and right return passages that are spaced apart in the width direction of the refrigerator.

3. The storage chamber and the cooler, which is located behind the storage chamber, are separated by a partition member that separates them front to back. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the partition member is provided with a pair of left and right return air passages and a recess recessed to the rear between the pair of left and right return air passages.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the recess is provided within the forward projection region of the cooler.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of storage chambers, wherein each of the plurality of return air passages is provided passing through the plurality of storage chambers and has an outlet that opens to each of the storage chambers.

6. The cooler comprises a supply air passage for supplying cooled air to the storage chamber, and a light source for irradiating ultraviolet light toward the storage chamber. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the light source is provided on a protruding portion of the air supply passage that protrudes forward from the return air passage.

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