refrigerator

Abstract

This embodiment provides a refrigerator that makes it easier to fill the space between the inner and outer boxes with undiluted foam insulation material, even if the space between the inner and outer boxes becomes narrower due to the thinning of the walls of the insulated box. [Solution] The refrigerator according to this embodiment comprises an insulated box body having foamed insulation material between an inner box and an outer box; an injection port provided at the upper part of the rear surface of the insulated box body, close to the side wall of the insulated box body, for injecting the raw foamed insulation material between the inner box and the outer box; a corner portion connecting from the ceiling wall of the insulated box body to the side wall of the insulated box body while changing the thickness of the insulation; a small thick portion on the side wall of the insulated box body that bulges outward from the inside of the box; and a thickened portion on the side wall of the insulated box body that connects to the corner portion above the small thick portion, wherein the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box body in the thickened portion is greater than the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box body in the small thick portion.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a heat-insulating box body constituting the main body of a refrigerator has a foamed heat-insulating material between an inner box and an outer box. Further, the foamed heat-insulating material is formed by injecting a stock solution between the inner box and the outer box from an injection port provided on the rear surface of the heat-insulating box body and foaming the stock solution between the inner box and the outer box.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In recent refrigerators, in order to increase the internal volume, the wall thickness of the heat-insulating box body has been reduced. Along with this, the space between the inner box and the outer box has become narrower. In a conventional refrigerator where the wall thickness of the heat-insulating box body is thick as disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the space between the inner box and the outer box is sufficiently wide, the stock solution of the foamed heat-insulating material easily flows in the space between the inner box and the outer box. Therefore, a region where the foamed heat-insulating material is not filled hardly occurs between the inner box and the outer box. However, in recent refrigerators with a reduced wall thickness of the heat-insulating box body, since the space between the inner box and the outer box is narrower than that of conventional refrigerators, it has become difficult to smoothly flow the stock solution of the foamed heat-insulating material, and filling defects of the foamed heat-insulating material are likely to occur.

[0005] This embodiment provides a refrigerator that can easily fill the space between the inner box and the outer box with the stock solution of the foamed heat-insulating material even when the space between the inner box and the outer box becomes narrower due to the reduction in the wall thickness of the heat-insulating box body.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The refrigerator according to this embodiment comprises an insulated box body having foamed insulation material between an inner box and an outer box; an injection port provided at the upper part of the rear surface of the insulated box body, close to the side wall of the insulated box body, for injecting the undiluted foamed insulation material between the inner box and the outer box; a corner portion connecting the ceiling wall of the insulated box body to the side wall of the insulated box body while changing the thickness of the insulation; a small-thick portion on the side wall of the insulated box body that bulges outward from the inside of the box; and a thickened portion on the side wall of the insulated box body that connects to the corner portion above the small-thick portion, wherein the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box body in the thickened portion is greater than the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box body in the small-thick portion. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A diagram illustrating a first embodiment of this disclosure, a schematic front view showing an example of the configuration of a refrigerator. [Figure 2] A diagram illustrating a first embodiment of this disclosure, showing a schematic longitudinal front view illustrating an example of the configuration of the upper part of the insulated box. [Figure 3] A diagram illustrating a first embodiment of this disclosure, showing a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of the configuration of the rear part of the heat-insulating box. [Figure 4] A diagram illustrating a first embodiment of this disclosure, showing a schematic perspective view of the configuration of the interior side surface of the left wall of the insulated box. [Figure 5] A diagram illustrating a first embodiment of this disclosure, schematically showing an example of the configuration of the inner surface of the right side wall of the insulated box. [Figure 6] A diagram illustrating a first embodiment of this disclosure, showing a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional front view illustrating an example of the configuration of a corner, an upper thickened portion, and a smaller thickened portion. [Figure 7] A diagram illustrating a first embodiment of this disclosure, showing a schematic rear view illustrating an example of the configuration of the injection port and surrounding portion. [Figure 8] A figure according to the first embodiment of this disclosure, showing a schematic vertical cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the internal structure of the side wall of an insulated box during the injection of the foamed insulation material. [Figure 9]A diagram of the first embodiment of this disclosure, showing an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of an example of the configuration inside the side wall of an insulated box when the raw foam insulation material is injected. [Figure 10] This figure, according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, schematically shows an example of how the raw foam insulation material spreads within the side wall of the insulated box. [Figure 11] This figure, according to the first embodiment of this disclosure, schematically shows an example of how the raw foam insulation material is filled into the side wall of an insulated box. [Figure 12] A diagram illustrating a first embodiment of this disclosure, schematically showing an example of how the ventilation holes, liquid leakage prevention tape, and soft tape are attached. [Figure 13] This figure, relating to a comparative example of the present disclosure, schematically shows an example of how the undiluted foam insulation material is filled into the side wall of an insulated box when no soft tape is provided. [Figure 14] This figure, according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, schematically shows an example of how the raw foam insulation material is filled into the side wall of the insulated box when soft tape is provided. [Figure 15] A diagram illustrating a second embodiment of this disclosure, showing a schematic rear view illustrating an example of the configuration of the injection port and surrounding portion. [Figure 16] This figure, according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, schematically shows an example of how the undiluted foam insulation material spreads within the side wall of an insulated box. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Several embodiments of the refrigerator will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, substantially identical elements in multiple embodiments will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0009] (First Embodiment) The refrigerator 10 illustrated in Figure 1 has multiple storage compartments 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 formed inside a rectangular, box-shaped insulated box 11 that constitutes its outer casing. Various items, such as food products, can be cooled and stored inside the storage compartments 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16.

[0010] Storage room 12 is a refrigerator that is maintained at a refrigerated temperature. Hereafter, storage room 12 may be referred to as "refrigerated room 12". Storage room 13 is a vegetable compartment that is maintained at a refrigerated temperature. Hereafter, storage room 13 may be referred to as "vegetable compartment 13". Storage room 14 is an ice-making compartment that is maintained at a freezing temperature. Hereafter, storage room 14 may be referred to as "ice-making compartment 14". Storage room 15 is a small freezer that is maintained at a freezing temperature. Hereafter, storage room 15 may be referred to as "small freezer compartment 15". Storage room 16 is a large freezer that is maintained at a freezing temperature. Hereafter, storage room 16 may be referred to as "large freezer compartment 16".

[0011] The refrigerator compartment 12 is the uppermost of the multiple storage compartments 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 provided by the refrigerator 10. The vegetable compartment 13 is located below the refrigerator compartment 12 and is positioned in or near the center in the vertical direction of the insulated box 11. The ice-making compartment 14 and the small freezer compartment 15 are located below the vegetable compartment 13 and are arranged along the left-right direction of the refrigerator 10 within the insulated box 11. The large freezer compartment 16 is located below the ice-making compartment 14 and the small freezer compartment 15 within the insulated box 11. The large freezer compartment 16 is the lowermost of the multiple storage compartments 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 provided by the refrigerator 10.

[0012] The refrigerator compartment 12 has a rectangular opening 12a on its front surface. The front opening 12a of the refrigerator compartment 12 is opened and closed by storage chamber doors that are rotatable in the left - right direction, namely, two refrigerator compartment doors 12D[R] and 12D[L] of the so - called double - door type. That is, the front opening 12a of the refrigerator compartment 12 is configured to be opened and closed by at least two storage chamber doors. In this case, the right refrigerator compartment door 12D[R] and the left refrigerator compartment door 12D[L]. Note that the refrigerator compartment door may be a single storage chamber door that opens and closes the front opening 12a of the refrigerator compartment 12. Also, the front opening 12a of the refrigerator compartment 12 may be configured to be opened and closed by a plurality of three or more storage chamber doors.

[0013] The vegetable compartment 13 has a rectangular opening 13a on its front surface. The front opening 13a of the vegetable compartment 13 is opened and closed by a storage chamber door that is movable in the front - rear direction, namely, a so - called drawer - type vegetable compartment door 13D. The ice - making compartment 14 has a rectangular opening 14a on its front surface. The front opening 14a of the ice - making compartment 14 is opened and closed by a storage chamber door that is movable in the front - rear direction, namely, a so - called drawer - type ice - making compartment door 14D. The small freezer compartment 15 has a rectangular opening 15a on its front surface. The front opening 15a of the small freezer compartment 15 is opened and closed by a storage chamber door that is movable in the front - rear direction, namely, a so - called drawer - type small freezer compartment door 15D. The large freezer compartment 16 has an opening 16a on its front surface. The front opening 16a of the large freezer compartment 16 is opened and closed by a storage chamber door that is movable in the front - rear direction, namely, a so - called drawer - type large freezer compartment door 16D.

[0014] Also, a chilled compartment 17 is provided in the refrigerator compartment 12. The chilled compartment 17 is a storage chamber formed by partitioning a part of the space in the refrigerator compartment 12. In this case, the chilled compartment 17 is formed at the lower part in the refrigerator compartment 12. Note that the position and size of the chilled compartment 17 in the refrigerator compartment 12 can be changed as appropriate for implementation.

[0015] As illustrated in Figure 2, the insulated box 11 is equipped with vacuum insulation material 23 and foamed insulation material 24 between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22. The vacuum insulation material 23 is an insulation material that is molded before the inner box 21 and the outer box 22 are combined to assemble the insulated box 11, and is formed in a predetermined shape, in this case, a thin rectangular plate. The foamed insulation material 24 is formed after the inner box 21 and the outer box 22 are combined, that is, after the insulated box 11 is assembled, by foaming and solidifying a liquid foamed insulation material 24 that is injected between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22. On the left and right walls of the insulated box 11, the outer box 22, vacuum insulation material 23, foamed insulation material 24, and inner box 21 are arranged in that order from the outside of the box. The refrigerator 10 has thin side walls of the insulated box 11, and the thickness of the foamed insulation material 24 within the side walls of the insulated box 11 is thinner than the thickness of the vacuum insulation material 23. The refrigerator 10, in which the side walls of the insulated box 11 have been made thinner, can increase the volume inside the storage compartment.

[0016] As illustrated in Figure 3, the rear surface of the insulated box 11 is provided with multiple, in this case four, injection ports 25 for injecting the raw foam insulation material 24 between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22. All of the injection ports 25 are circular in shape. Two of these injection ports 25 are located on the upper part of the rear surface of the insulated box 11, close to the left and right walls of the insulated box 11, respectively. The remaining two injection ports 25 are located on the lower part of the rear surface of the insulated box 11, close to the left and right walls of the insulated box 11, respectively.

[0017] As illustrated in Figure 4, a corner 26 is provided in the inner box 21 where the left wall of the insulated box 11 connects to the ceiling wall. Also, as illustrated in Figure 5, a corner 26 is provided in the inner box 21 where the right wall of the insulated box 11 connects to the ceiling wall. The corners 26 are formed to gradually widen from the front to the rear of the insulated box 11. Furthermore, as illustrated in Figure 6, when viewed from the front of the refrigerator 10, the corners 26 are formed to incline inward at a predetermined angle D1 with respect to the vertical direction. In other words, the corners 26 connect from the ceiling wall of the insulated box 11 to the side wall of the insulated box 11, gradually shortening the "thickness of the insulation" in the left-right direction, that is, the "distance between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22". Although Figure 6 illustrates the left corner 26 when viewed from the front of the refrigerator 10, the right corner 26 when viewed from the front of the refrigerator 10 is also formed to incline inward with a predetermined angle D1 in the vertical direction.

[0018] Furthermore, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, upper thickened portions 27 are provided on the left and right walls of the insulated box 11, respectively. The upper thickened portions 27 are examples of thickened portions and first thickened portions. When viewed from the front of the refrigerator 10, the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the upper thickened portion 27 on the left side bulges out to the right, which is on the inside of the interior, below the left corner 26, thereby increasing the thickness of the left wall of the insulated box 11. Also, when viewed from the front of the refrigerator 10, the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the upper thickened portion 27 on the right side bulges out to the left, which is on the inside of the interior, below the right corner 26, thereby increasing the thickness of the right wall of the insulated box 11. The upper thickened portions 27 are provided as components different from the corners 26 described above. Furthermore, the upper thickened portions 27 are provided as components different from the components that protrude inward on the side wall of the insulated box 11. Examples of components that protrude inward from the side wall of the insulated box 11 include beads that support shelf members (not shown), and rails that support storage containers (not shown) so that they can move in the front-to-back direction.

[0019] Furthermore, a smaller thickness portion 28 is provided below the portion of the side wall of the insulated box 11 where the upper thickened portion 27 is formed. When viewed from the front of the refrigerator 10, the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the left smaller thickness portion 28 bulges outwards to the left, which is the outside of the box, below the upper thickened portion 27 on the left side, thus reducing the thickness of the left side wall of the insulated box 11. Also, when viewed from the front of the refrigerator 10, the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the right smaller thickness portion 28 bulges outwards to the right, which is the outside of the box, below the right corner portion 26, thus reducing the thickness of the right side wall of the insulated box 11. The smaller thickness portions 28 make the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box 11 smaller than at least the thickness of the portion where the upper thickened portion 27 is formed. With this configuration example having smaller thickness portions 28 that are recessed outwards, the volume inside the refrigerator compartment 12 can be further increased.

[0020] The upper thickened portion 27 is connected to the corner portion 26 above the thinner portion 28 of the side wall of the insulated box 11. The thickness of the side wall of the insulated box 11 in the upper thickened portion 27 is greater than the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box 11 in the thinner portion 28. Furthermore, the upper thickened portion 27 extends from the rear wall of the insulated box 11 to the front opening 12a of the refrigerator compartment 12.

[0021] Furthermore, front thickened portions 29 are provided on the left and right walls of the insulated box 11, respectively. The front thickened portions 29 are examples of thickened portions and second thickened portions. When viewed from the front of the refrigerator 10, the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the left front thickened portion 29 bulges out to the right, which is on the inside of the refrigerator, in the region below the left upper thickened portion 27 and in front of the small thickened portion 28, thereby increasing the thickness of the left wall of the insulated box 11. Also, when viewed from the front of the refrigerator 10, the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the right front thickened portion 29 bulges out to the left, which is on the inside of the refrigerator, in the region below the right upper thickened portion 27 and in front of the small thickened portion 28, thereby increasing the thickness of the right wall of the insulated box 11. The upper thickened portion 27 and the front thickened portion 29 make the thickness of the side walls of the insulated box 11 greater than the thickness of at least the portion where the small thickened portion 28 is formed.

[0022] The front thickened portion 29 is provided in a certain range within the insulated box body 11, extending from the front opening 12a of the refrigerator compartment 12 towards the rear, and forms a portion where the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box body 11 is increased compared to the small thickened portion 28. The front-to-back dimensions of the front thickened portion 29 can be changed as appropriate. The vertical dimensions of the front thickened portion 29 are approximately or exactly the same as the vertical dimensions of the small thickened portion 28. However, the vertical dimensions of the front thickened portion 29 may be shorter or longer than the vertical dimensions of the small thickened portion 28.

[0023] The amount of bulge inward from the upper thickened portion 27 and the front thickened portion 29 is approximately the same or completely the same, and the entire upper thickened portion 27 and the front thickened portion 29, including the boundary portion R where the two portions intersect, is approximately flush or completely flush. In other words, the refrigerator 10 is configured such that the portion of the inner box 21 forming the front thickened portion 29 is provided on approximately or completely extended from the portion of the inner box 21 forming the upper thickened portion 27. Furthermore, the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box 11 at the boundary portion R where the upper thickened portion 27 and the front thickened portion 29 intersect is approximately or completely the same as the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box 11 at the upper thickened portion 27 and the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box 11 at the front thickened portion 29. Note that at the boundary portion R between the upper thickened portion 27 and the front thickened portion 29, there may be a step or slope that can be considered as being flush.

[0024] Furthermore, as illustrated in Figure 6, the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the upper thickened portion 27 is aligned in the vertical direction in this case. In other words, the angle that the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the upper thickened portion 27 makes with the vertical direction is approximately or completely zero degrees in this case. However, the angle that the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the upper thickened portion 27 makes with the vertical direction does not have to be approximately or completely zero degrees; that is, the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the upper thickened portion 27 may be inclined with respect to the vertical direction. However, if the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the upper thickened portion 27 is inclined with respect to the vertical direction, the angle that the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the upper thickened portion 27 makes with the vertical direction can be an angle within a range smaller than the angle D1 that the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the corner portion 26 makes with the vertical direction.

[0025] Furthermore, the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the upper thickened portion 27 is connected to the portion that forms the smaller thickened portion 28 via a connecting portion 30. The connecting portion 30 constitutes the lower end of the upper thickened portion 27 and is formed to be inclined at a predetermined angle D2 with respect to the vertical direction. The predetermined angle D2 is preferably an angle within the range of 15 to 50 degrees, but more preferably an angle within the range of 25 to 35 degrees. Although Figure 6 illustrates the upper thickened portion 27 and connecting portion 30 on the left side when viewed from the front of the refrigerator 10, the upper thickened portion 27 and connecting portion 30 on the right side when viewed from the front of the refrigerator 10 are configured to be symmetrical to the upper thickened portion 27 and connecting portion 30 on the left side when viewed from the front of the refrigerator 10.

[0026] Furthermore, as illustrated in Figure 7, the refrigerator 10 is configured such that, when viewed from the rear side of the insulated box 11, a portion of the inner box 21 that forms the upper thickened portion 27 is located within the range in which the inlet 25 opens. Also, when viewed from the rear side of the insulated box 11, the refrigerator 10 is configured such that the outer ends of the inlet 25 in the left-right direction are located at a position that substantially overlaps, or completely overlaps, with the extension line L1 of the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the small thick portion 28. Note that the refrigerator 10 may also be configured such that, when viewed from the rear side of the insulated box 11, the outer ends of the inlet 25 in the left-right direction are located inside the interior of the refrigerator 10, beyond the extension line L1 of the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the small thick portion 28. In addition, Figure 7 illustrates the configuration around the right side of the inlet 25 when viewed from the front side of the refrigerator 10, but the configuration around the left side of the inlet 25 when viewed from the front side of the refrigerator 10 is symmetrical to the configuration around the right side of the inlet 25 when viewed from the front side of the refrigerator 10.

[0027] Furthermore, according to the refrigerator 10, the inlet 25 and the upper thickened portion 27 are located above the uppermost shelf member of a plurality of shelves (not shown) provided in the refrigerator compartment 12. However, the inlet 25 and the upper thickened portion 27 may be located below the uppermost shelf member of a plurality of shelves (not shown) provided in the refrigerator compartment 12.

[0028] Furthermore, as illustrated in Figure 8, when the raw foam insulation material 24 is injected between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22 of the insulated box 11 during the manufacturing of the refrigerator 10, the insulated box 11 is positioned in an injection posture with the front side, where the front openings 12a, 13a, 14a, 15a, and 16a are formed, facing downwards, and the rear side, where the injection port 25 is formed, facing upwards. Then, a discharge nozzle 100 of the injection device, which is an example of a discharge part, is inserted into the injection port 25 of the insulated box 11 in the injection posture. An injection device (not shown) is configured to discharge the raw foam insulation material 24 from this discharge nozzle 100 into the space between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22.

[0029] An inclined section 31 is provided in the inner box 21 at the point where the rear wall and side wall of the insulated box body 11 are connected. When the insulated box body 11 is in the pouring position, the inclined section 31 slopes downward from the inside of the box to the outside. The discharge nozzle 100 inserted into the pouring port 25 is positioned facing upwards from this inclined section 31.

[0030] Furthermore, in the lower region of the side wall of the insulated box 11, which is in the injection position, a shelf support 40 is provided where the undiluted foam insulation material 24 is injected. The shelf support 40 has a support portion 40a located on the inside of the compartment that supports shelf members (not shown), and a locking portion 40b that engages with the outside surface of the inner box 21. In other words, the shelf support 40 is configured such that the locking portion 40b, which constitutes a part of the shelf support 40, is provided between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22 as an example of an internal wall member different from the vacuum insulation material 23 and the foam insulation material 24. The shelf support 40 is fixed to the inner surface of the refrigerator compartment 12 by engaging the locking portion 40b with the outside surface of the inner box 21. The shelf support 40 is a component that allows shelf members to be supported at the user's preferred height.

[0031] Furthermore, the shelf support 40 has a locking portion 40b which is a part of it, and includes a longest separation portion 41a, a shortest separation portion 41b, and an intermediate separation portion 41c. The longest separation portion 41a is the part of the locking portion 40b that has the longest separation distance from the vacuum insulation material 23. The shortest separation portion 41b is the part of the locking portion 40b that has the shortest separation distance from the vacuum insulation material 23. The intermediate separation portion 41c is the part of the locking portion 40b whose separation distance from the vacuum insulation material 23 is shorter than the longest separation portion 41a and longer than the shortest separation portion 41b.

[0032] As illustrated in Figure 9, according to the refrigerator 10, the separation distance H1 between the longest separated portion 41a of the locking portion 40b and the vacuum insulation material 23 is, for example, 4.4 millimeters. Also, according to the refrigerator 10, the separation distance H2 between the shortest separated portion 41b of the locking portion 40b and the vacuum insulation material 23 is, for example, 1.4 millimeters. Also, according to the refrigerator 10, the separation distance H3 between the intermediate separated portion 41c of the locking portion 40b and the vacuum insulation material 23 is, for example, 3.4 millimeters. In other words, each of the separation distances H1, H2, and H3 is configured to be, for example, 8 millimeters or less. Furthermore, according to the refrigerator 10, the thickness of the thinnest part of the foam insulation material 24 in the side wall of the insulated box body 11 is 1.4 millimeters, which is the separation distance H2 between the vacuum insulation material 23 and the shortest separated portion 41b. In other words, according to the refrigerator 10, the thickness of the thinnest part of the side wall of the insulated box 11 where the foamed insulation material 24 is located is also configured to be, for example, 8 millimeters or less.

[0033] The thickness of the thinnest part of the foamed insulation material 24 in the side wall of the insulated box 11 can be appropriately changed depending on the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box 11, the thickness of the vacuum insulation material 23 provided inside the side wall, and the size and shape of wall components other than the vacuum insulation material 23 and foamed insulation material 24. For example, it may be 7 mm or less, 6 mm or less, 5 mm or less, 4 mm or less, 3 mm or less, 2 mm or less, 1 mm or less, etc.

[0034] Furthermore, as illustrated in Figure 8, the insertion depth H4 of the discharge nozzle 100 into the inlet 25 when injecting the undiluted foam insulation material 24 is, for example, 20 millimeters. The distance H5 from the tip of the discharge nozzle 100 inserted into the inlet 25 to the locking portion 40b of the shelf support 40 is, for example, 100 millimeters or less. The insertion depth H4 of the discharge nozzle 100 can be appropriately changed depending on, for example, the diameter of the inlet 25 and the diameter of the discharge nozzle 100. The distance H5 from the tip of the discharge nozzle 100 to the locking portion 40b of the shelf support 40 can also be appropriately changed, for example, 90 millimeters or less, 80 millimeters or less, 70 millimeters or less, 60 millimeters or less, 50 millimeters or less, 40 millimeters or less, 30 millimeters or less, 20 millimeters or less, 10 millimeters or less, etc.

[0035] Furthermore, when injecting the undiluted foam insulation material 24, the distance H6 from the outer end of the injection port 25 in the left-right direction to the inner end of the vacuum insulation material 23 is, for example, 12 millimeters. Note that the distance H6 from the outer end of the injection port 25 in the left-right direction to the inner end of the vacuum insulation material 23 when injecting the undiluted foam insulation material 24 can be appropriately changed within a range of, for example, 20 millimeters or less, and the present invention is particularly effective when set within a range of 15 millimeters or less.

[0036] Furthermore, the distance H7 from the injection port 25 to the upper end of the vacuum insulation material 23 when injecting the undiluted foam insulation material 24 is, for example, 52 millimeters. Note that the distance H7 from the injection port 25 to the upper end of the vacuum insulation material 23 when injecting the undiluted foam insulation material 24 can be appropriately changed within a range of, for example, 80 millimeters or less, and the present invention is particularly effective when set within a range of 60 millimeters or less.

[0037] Furthermore, a bundle of wires 50 is positioned between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22, in the portion connecting the rear wall and the side wall of the insulated box body 11. The bundle of wires 50 extends along the vertical direction of the insulated box body 11. The bundle of wires 50 is composed of multiple linear members bundled together. The linear members constituting the bundle of wires 50 include, for example, electrical wires or power supply wires that supply power to various parts of the refrigerator 10, communication wires that transmit and receive signals and data between control devices and sensors (not shown) provided by the refrigerator 10, and connecting wires that connect various electrical components provided by the refrigerator 10. The linear members constituting the bundle of wires 50 may also include refrigerant pipes that constitute the refrigeration cycle for generating cold air.

[0038] Furthermore, the bundled wires 50 are fixed to the outer surface of the inner box 21 by, for example, a position-regulating tape 51. The position-regulating tape 51 is an example of a position-regulating part and is made of, for example, adhesive tape. The position-regulating tape 51 regulates the position of the bundled wires 50 in a direction away from the inlet 25 when viewed from the rear side of the insulated box 11. More specifically, the position-regulating tape 51 regulates the position of the bundled wires 50 so that it is moved outward in the left-right direction of the inlet 25 when viewed from the rear side of the insulated box 11. Preferably, the bundled wires 50 are regulated by the position-regulating tape 51 at a position completely outside the range in which the inlet 25 opens when viewed from the rear side of the insulated box 11. However, a portion of the bundled wires 50 may be regulated by the position-regulating tape 51 at a position that is within the range in which the inlet 25 opens when viewed from the rear side of the insulated box 11.

[0039] Furthermore, as illustrated in Figure 10, when the insulation box 11 in the injection position is viewed from the side during the injection of the foam insulation material 24 raw material G, the foam insulation material 24 raw material G discharged from the discharge nozzle 100 flows along the inclined section 31, spreading outwards as it moves downwards. According to a simulation by the inventors of the present invention, when the foam insulation material 24 raw material G is discharged from the injection port 25 from a discharge nozzle 100 with a diameter of, for example, 30 millimeters, the spreading range S1 by which the foam insulation material 24 raw material G discharged from the discharge nozzle 100 spreads to reach the upper thickened section 27 is, for example, about 150 millimeters. In that case, the amount of spreading S2 of the foam insulation material 24 raw material G spreading from the radial end of the discharge nozzle 100 is the value obtained by dividing the spreading range S1 of 150 millimeters by the diameter of the discharge nozzle 100, which is 30 millimeters, by two, i.e., about 60 millimeters. As illustrated in Figure 7, according to the refrigerator 10, the upper thickened portion 27 is positioned so as to fit within the spread range S1 when viewed from the rear side of the insulated box 11. Therefore, the undiluted foam insulation material G discharged from the discharge nozzle 100 can be efficiently flowed into the space between the upper thickened portion 27 and the outer box 22. The amount of spread S2 of the undiluted foam insulation material G spreading from the radial end of the discharge nozzle 100 may be 60 millimeters or less, for example, about 50 millimeters, or for example, 35 millimeters or less.

[0040] In the refrigerator 10 illustrated above, the inner box 21 is provided with an upper thickened portion 27 that connects to the corner portion 26 above the narrow-thick portion 28 of the side wall of the insulated box 11, in addition to the corner portion 26 that connects to the side wall of the insulated box 11 in a sloping manner from the ceiling wall toward the side wall. The thickness of the side wall of the insulated box 11 in the upper thickened portion 27 is greater than the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box 11 in the narrow-thick portion 28.

[0041] According to this configuration example, as illustrated in Figure 11, the undiluted foam insulation material 24 G injected from the injection port 25 flows downward through the space between the upper thickened portion 27 of the inner box 21 and the outer box 22, gradually filling the lower side of the insulation box 11 in the injection position. Therefore, even in a refrigerator 10 where the space between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22 has narrowed due to the thinning of the side walls of the insulation box 11, the undiluted foam insulation material 24 G can flow easily in the space between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22, and the occurrence of areas V, so-called "voids," between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22 where the undiluted foam insulation material 24 G is not filled can be suppressed. In other words, according to the refrigerator 10 of this disclosure, in a configuration in which the side walls of the insulation box 11 are thinned, the occurrence of insufficient filling of the undiluted foam insulation material 24 G can be suppressed. Furthermore, even in a refrigerator 10 where the space between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22 has narrowed due to the thinning of the side walls of the insulated box 11, the undiluted foam insulation material G can be quickly filled into the space between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22, thereby shortening the manufacturing time.

[0042] Furthermore, according to the refrigerator 10, the angle formed vertically by the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the upper thickened portion 27 is smaller than the angle D1 formed vertically by the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the corner portion 26. Therefore, the amount of bulging of the upper thickened portion 27 toward the inside of the refrigerator can be suppressed, and while the upper thickened portion 27 makes it easier to fill with the undiluted foam insulation material 24 G, the amount of reduction in the internal volume due to the provision of the upper thickened portion 27 can be suppressed.

[0043] Furthermore, according to the refrigerator 10, the upper thickened portion 27 extends from the rear wall of the insulated box 11 to the front opening 12a of the refrigerator compartment 12. In other words, when the insulated box 11 is in the injection position, the upper thickened portion 27 extends from the top end to the bottom end of the insulated box 11. According to this configuration, the raw foam insulation material 24 G injected from the injection port 25 flows more easily downwards through the space between the part of the inner box 21 where the upper thickened portion 27 is formed and the outer box 22, making it even less likely for the raw foam insulation material 24 G to be poorly filled.

[0044] Furthermore, according to the refrigerator 10, when viewed from the rear side of the insulated box 11, a portion of the inner box 21 that forms the upper thickened portion 27 is located within the range where the injection port 25 opens. With this configuration, the raw foam insulation material 24 G injected from the injection port 25 flows more easily to the portion between the upper thickened portion 27 of the inner box 21 and the outer box 22, making it even less likely for the raw foam insulation material 24 G to be poorly filled.

[0045] Furthermore, according to the refrigerator 10, below the portion of the side wall of the insulated box 11 that forms the upper thickened portion 27, there is a portion of the side wall of the insulated box 11 that forms a smaller thickened portion 28, where the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box 11 is smaller than that of the upper thickened portion 27. When viewed from the rear side of the insulated box 11, the outer end of the inlet 25 in the left-right direction is located at a position that substantially coincides with the extension line L1 of the portion of the inner box 21 that forms the smaller thickened portion 28, or at a position inside the refrigerator that is further inside than the extension line L1.

[0046] According to the refrigerator 10, the side wall of the insulated box 11 is a thin wall section with a narrow thickness section 28. Therefore, if the upper thickened section 27 were not provided, the entire inlet 25 would face the rear surface of the inner box 21, and in such a configuration, the flow of the undiluted foam insulation material G injected from the inlet 25 would be easily obstructed by the rear surface of the inner box 21. According to the refrigerator 10, in a configuration in which the side wall of the insulated box 11 is thinned to the extent that the entire inlet 25 faces the rear surface of the inner box 21, the upper thickened section 27 is provided to face the inlet 25. Therefore, even with a configuration in which the side wall of the insulated box 11 is thinned, the flow of the undiluted foam insulation material G can be promoted by the portion in which the upper thickened section 27 is formed.

[0047] Furthermore, according to the refrigerator 10, the side wall of the insulated box 11 is arranged in the following order from the outside: outer box 22, vacuum insulation material 23, foamed insulation material 24, and inner box 21. The thickness of the part of the side wall of the insulated box 11 where the foamed insulation material 24 is thinnest in the lower region where the undiluted foamed insulation material 24 is injected is, for example, 8 millimeters or less. In other words, the refrigerator 10 of this disclosure is assumed to have a thinned insulation wall configuration in which the thickness of the part where the foamed insulation material 24 is thinnest is, for example, 8 millimeters or less. Even with a configuration that requires filling the undiluted foamed insulation material 24 with undiluted foamed insulation material 24 in such a narrow area, the undiluted foamed insulation material 24 can be filled well.

[0048] Furthermore, in the refrigerator 10, within the side wall of the insulated box 11, a shelf support 40 is provided between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22 as an internal wall member different from the vacuum insulation material 23 and the foamed insulation material 24. In the refrigerator 10, where such a structure as the shelf support 40 exists within the side wall of the insulated box 11, the present invention is particularly effective when the distance H5 from the tip of the discharge nozzle 100, which is inserted into the inlet 25 to discharge the undiluted foamed insulation material 24 G, to the structure is, for example, 100 millimeters or less. By securing a distance of this magnitude as distance H5, it is easier to avoid the flow of the undiluted foamed insulation material 24 G discharged from the discharge nozzle 100 being obstructed by the structure, and the occurrence of insufficient filling of the undiluted foamed insulation material 24 G can be further suppressed. Note that the present invention is particularly effective when the distance from the inlet 25 to the structure, rather than the tip of the discharge nozzle 100, that is, the sum of distance H4 and distance H5, is, for example, 120 millimeters or less.

[0049] Furthermore, according to the refrigerator 10, the insulated box 11 is provided with a front thickening section 29 that increases the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box 11 compared to the thinning section 28, in a certain range extending from the front opening 12a of the refrigerator compartment 12 towards the rear. In this configuration example, when the insulated box 11 is in the injection position, the front thickening section 29 forms a space that extends in the left-right direction at the lower end of the insulated box 11. Therefore, the undiluted foam insulation material G injected from the injection port 25 flows downward through the space formed by the upper thickening section 27 and easily flows laterally through the space formed by the front thickening section 29, thus making it easier to gradually fill the insulated box 11 with the undiluted foam insulation material G from the lower side in the injection position.

[0050] Furthermore, according to the refrigerator 10, the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box body 11 at the boundary portion R where the upper thickened portion 27 and the front thickened portion 29 intersect is approximately or completely the same as the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box body 11 at the upper thickened portion 27 and the front thickened portion 29. With this configuration example, even though two types of thickened portions 27 and 29 are provided on the interior surface of the side wall of the insulated box body 11, it is possible to form an appearance in which these thickened portions 27 and 29 are approximately or completely flush, and to realize a continuous and aesthetically pleasing appearance in which these thickened portions 27 and 29 are integrated. In addition, even if a load is applied to the interior surface of the side wall of the insulated box body 11 due to the weight of shelf members (not shown) or stored items provided in the refrigerator compartment 12, it is possible to avoid stress concentration at the boundary portion R of the upper thickened portion 27 and the front thickened portion 29, and a configuration that is advantageous in terms of strength can be realized.

[0051] Furthermore, according to the refrigerator 10, a bundle of wires 50, which is made up of multiple linear members, is provided in the portion between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22 that connects the rear wall and the side wall of the insulated box body 11. The position of this bundle of wires 50 is restricted by a position-regulating tape 51, which directs it away from the injection port 25 when viewed from the rear side of the insulated box body 11. Despite the space between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22 becoming narrower due to the thinning of the side wall of the insulated box body 11, if the bundle of wires 50, which is made up of multiple linear members and is thick as a whole, is not positioned in any way, there is a high possibility that the flow of the undiluted foam insulation material G will be obstructed by the bundle of wires 50. According to the configuration example of the refrigerator 10 of this disclosure, it is possible to avoid the flow of the undiluted foam insulation material G injected from the injection port 25 being obstructed by the bundle of wires 50, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of insufficient filling of the undiluted foam insulation material G.

[0052] Furthermore, as illustrated in Figure 12, according to the refrigerator 10, ventilation holes 61 are provided in multiple locations on the inner box 21. According to the refrigerator 10, the multiple ventilation holes 61 are provided in the part of the inner box 21 where the narrow thickness portion 28 is formed. Note that each ventilation hole 61 has a configuration in which multiple small holes are densely packed together. However, each ventilation hole 61 may be composed of a single small hole or a slit.

[0053] When the insulated box 11 is in the injection position, the multiple ventilation holes 61 are arranged horizontally. Furthermore, the multiple ventilation holes 61 are arranged at predetermined intervals horizontally. The ventilation holes 61 are for venting gas generated as the raw foam insulation material 24 injected between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22 expands to the outside of the insulated box 11.

[0054] Furthermore, before injecting the undiluted foam insulation material 24 between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22, a leak-proof tape 62 is attached to the outer surface of the inner box 21. The leak-proof tape 62 is an example of a ventilation-ensuring member and is attached to the outer surface of the inner box 21 so as to straddle and cover multiple ventilation holes 61, thereby suppressing the leakage of the undiluted foam insulation material 24 injected between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22 through the ventilation holes 61. The leak-proof tape 62 is also made of a breathable material such as a film. Therefore, the leak-proof tape 62 suppresses the leakage of the undiluted foam insulation material 24 itself through the ventilation holes 61, while allowing the gas generated as the undiluted foam insulation material 24 expands to leak out through the ventilation holes 61. In other words, the leak-proof tape 62 has the function of covering the ventilation holes 61 while ensuring the ventilation of those ventilation holes 61.

[0055] Furthermore, before the raw foam insulation material 24 is injected between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22, a soft tape 63 is sandwiched between the raw material leakage prevention tape 62 and the inner box 21. The soft tape 63 is an example of a separating member. The soft tape 63 is made of, for example, a sponge-like porous material and is configured to be deformable by being pressed when an external force is applied. In the refrigerator 10, the soft tape 63 is installed sandwiched between the raw material leakage prevention tape 62 and the inner box 21 between multiple ventilation holes 61. The soft tape 63 provided in this manner partially separates the raw material leakage prevention tape 62 and the inner box 21, forming a ventilation space through which gas generated as the raw foam insulation material 24 expands can flow.

[0056] According to the refrigerator 10, the soft tape 63 is positioned near the middle of the three ventilation holes 61 arranged horizontally. More specifically, the soft tape 63 is located upstream of the middle of the three ventilation holes 61 that the undiluted foam insulation material 24 injected between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22 reaches. The soft tape 63 forms the aforementioned ventilation space upstream of the middle of the three ventilation holes 61, thereby maintaining a state where ventilation is possible, particularly at the middle of the three ventilation holes 61.

[0057] Figure 13 illustrates a comparative example where no soft tape 63 is provided between the undiluted liquid leak prevention tape 62 and the inner box 21. When no soft tape 63 is provided between the undiluted liquid leak prevention tape 62 and the inner box 21, as illustrated in Figure 13(a), if all the ventilation holes 61 are blocked by the undiluted liquid G during the process of injecting the undiluted liquid G of the foamed insulation material 24 between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22, the gas generated as the undiluted liquid G expands cannot escape from the ventilation holes 61. Therefore, as illustrated in Figure 13(b), a region V, also known as a "void," is created between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22 where gas remains and the undiluted liquid G of the foamed insulation material 24 is not filled. In other words, when no soft tape 63 is provided between the undiluted liquid leak prevention tape 62 and the inner box 21, the likelihood of insufficient filling of the undiluted liquid G of the foamed insulation material 24 increases.

[0058] In contrast, Figure 14 illustrates a case where a soft tape 63 is provided between the raw liquid leakage prevention tape 62 and the inner box 21. When a soft tape 63 is provided between the raw liquid leakage prevention tape 62 and the inner box 21, as illustrated in Figure 14(a), during the process of injecting the raw liquid G of the foamed insulation material 24 between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22, a ventilation space W is formed by the soft tape 63 near at least one of the multiple ventilation holes 61, in this case, the middle ventilation hole 61 of the three ventilation holes 61 arranged horizontally. Therefore, the gas generated as the raw liquid G filled between the inner box 21 and the outer box 22 foams can be discharged through this ventilation space W from the middle ventilation hole 61 of the three ventilation holes 61 arranged horizontally, and thus, as illustrated in Figure 14(b), it is possible to suppress the occurrence of insufficient filling of the raw liquid G of the foamed insulation material 24. Furthermore, the ventilated space W formed by the soft tape 63 will eventually disappear almost completely or entirely as the soft tape 63 is crushed by the foamed foam insulation material 24.

[0059] (Second Embodiment) As illustrated in Figure 15, according to the second embodiment, when viewed from the rear side of the heat-insulating box 11, the inlet 25 is provided at a position spaced apart from the upper thickened portion 27. The upper thickened portion 27 includes a connecting portion 30 on the inlet 25 side, and therefore, the end of the upper thickened portion 27 on the inlet 25 side is the end of the connecting portion 30 on the inlet 25 side. The distance H8 between the end of the inlet 25 on the upper thickened portion 27 side and the end of the upper thickened portion 27 on the inlet 25 side is, for example, 50 millimeters or less.

[0060] As illustrated in Figure 16, the separation distance H8 should be set appropriately, taking into consideration the spreading range S1 of the undiluted foam insulation material G discharged from the discharge nozzle 100 until it reaches the upper thickened portion 27, and the amount of spreading S2 of the undiluted foam insulation material G spreading from the radial end of the discharge nozzle 100.

[0061] To illustrate an example of setting the separation distance H8, if the diameter of the discharge nozzle 100 is, for example, 30 millimeters, and the spreading range S1 of the undiluted foam insulation material G discharged from the discharge nozzle 100 to reach the upper thickened portion 27 is, for example, 150 millimeters, then the amount S2 of the spreading of the undiluted foam insulation material G from the radial end of the discharge nozzle 100 will be 60 millimeters. Therefore, if the separation distance H8 is set to a range shorter than 60 millimeters, for example, 50 millimeters or less, the upper thickened portion 27 can overlap the spreading range S1 of the undiluted foam insulation material G by at least 10 millimeters, making it possible to efficiently flow the undiluted foam insulation material G discharged from the discharge nozzle 100 into the space between the upper thickened portion 27 and the outer box 22. Note that a shorter separation distance H8 is preferable, and therefore it may be 40 millimeters or less, 30 millimeters or less, etc. Furthermore, the separation distance H8 is more preferably 20 millimeters or less, and may even be 10 millimeters or less.

[0062] (Other embodiments) This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and modifications and extensions can be made as appropriate without departing from its essence. For example, the refrigerator 10 may be configured by combining embodiments appropriately selected from the embodiments described above.

[0063] Furthermore, for example, a groove may be provided on the side of the vacuum insulation material 23 that faces the foam insulation material 24, and this groove may function as a flow path for the undiluted foam insulation material 24. In addition, although this disclosure illustrates a configuration in which the large-thick sections 27, 29 and small-thick sections 28 are provided in the refrigerator compartment 12, the large-thick sections 27, 29 and small-thick sections 28 may be provided in storage compartments other than the refrigerator compartment 12. In other words, the positions in which the large-thick sections 27, 29 and small-thick sections 28 are provided can be appropriately changed depending on the position in which the inlet 25 is provided. Furthermore, the thickness of the side walls in the large-thick sections 27, 29 can be appropriately changed within a range greater than the thickness of the side walls in the small-thick section 28. Furthermore, the thickness of the side walls in the large-thick sections 27, 29 may be set based on the thickness of the side walls in the small-thick section 28, in which case it is appropriate to specify a concrete value such as 1.2 times or 1.5 times the thickness of the side walls in the small-thick section 28.

[0064] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented merely as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0065] In the drawing, 10 is a refrigerator, 11 is an insulated box, 12 is a refrigerator compartment (storage compartment), 12a, 13a, 14a, 15a, 16a are openings, 21 is an inner box, 22 is an outer box, 23 is vacuum insulation material, 24 is foam insulation material, 25 is an inlet, 26 is a corner, 27 is an upper thickened section (thickened section, first thickened section), 28 is a small thickened section, 29 is a front thickened section (second thickened section), 40 is a shelf support (wall internal member), 50 is a bundle of wires, 51 is a position regulating tape (position regulating section), 61 is a ventilation hole, 62 is a raw liquid leak prevention tape (air ventilation ensuring member), 63 is a soft tape (separating member), and 100 is a discharge nozzle (discharge section).

Claims

1. An insulated box having foam insulation material between the inner box and the outer box, An inlet is provided on the upper part of the rear surface of the insulated box body, at a position close to the side wall of the insulated box body, for injecting the raw foam insulation material between the inner box and the outer box, The corners connecting the ceiling wall of the insulated box to the side walls of the insulated box, while varying the thickness of the insulation, The side wall of the aforementioned insulated box body has a small thick portion that bulges outwards toward the outside of the box, The side wall of the aforementioned heat-insulating box has a thickened portion that connects to the corner portion above the narrow portion, Equipped with, A refrigerator in which the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box in the thickened portion is greater than the thickness of the side wall of the insulated box in the less thick portion.

2. The aforementioned insulated box has an opening on the front, The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the thickened portion extends from the rear wall of the insulated box to the opening.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein, when viewed from the rear side of the insulated box, the thickened portion is located within a part of the range in which the inlet opens.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the outer end of the inlet in the left-right direction is located at a position that substantially coincides with the extension line of the portion of the inner box that forms the small thick portion, or at a position inside the refrigerator that is further inside the extension line.

5. A wall-mounted member different from the vacuum insulation material and the foamed insulation material is provided within the side wall of the aforementioned insulated box. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the distance from the tip of the discharge part, which is inserted into the inlet and discharges the raw foam insulation material, to the wall interior member is 100 millimeters or less.

6. The front of the aforementioned insulated box is provided with an opening, The aforementioned thickened portion includes a first thickened portion, The aforementioned heat-insulating box body is provided with a second thickened portion in which the thickness of the side wall of the heat-insulating box body is increased compared to the thin portion, in a certain range extending from the opening towards the rear. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the side wall of the insulating box at the point where the first thickened portion and the second thickened portion intersect is the same as the thickness of the side wall of the insulating box in the first thickened portion and the second thickened portion.

7. A bundle of wires, consisting of multiple electrical wires bundled together, is placed between the inner box and the outer box, in the portion connecting the rear wall and the side wall of the insulated box body. A position restricting section, viewed from the rear side of the insulated box, restricts the position of the bundled wires in a direction away from the injection port, The refrigerator according to claim 1, comprising:

8. Multiple ventilation holes are provided in the inner box, A ventilation member is provided on the outer surface of the inner box so as to cover the ventilation holes and to ensure ventilation of the ventilation holes, A separating member that partially separates the ventilation member and the inner box, Equipped with, The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the separating member is provided at an upstream position where the undiluted foam insulation material injected between the inner box and the outer box reaches before it reaches the ventilation hole, thereby maintaining a state in which ventilation is possible at the ventilation hole.

9. When viewed from the rear side of the insulated box, the inlet is spaced apart from the thickened portion. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the end of the inlet on the thickened portion side and the end of the thickened portion on the inlet side is 50 millimeters or less.

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