Cooling warehouse

Abstract

To provide a cooler capable of cooling its contents more uniformly. [Solution] The cooler 1 comprises a storage chamber 10 for cooling its contents, a first cold air outlet 41 provided on the back of the storage chamber, and a second cold air outlet 42 provided below the first cold air outlet. A first airflow regulating member 60 is provided in front of the first cold air outlet 41 to regulate the flow of cold air blown out from the first cold air outlet 41. A second airflow regulating member 70 is provided in front of the second cold air outlet 42 to regulate the flow of cold air blown out from the second cold air outlet 42. The first airflow regulating member 60 has a first inclined plate 61 that inclins forward toward upward, and the second airflow regulating member 70 has a second inclined plate 71 that inclins forward toward upward. In a side view, the upper end of the first inclined plate 61 is located in front of the upper end of the second inclined plate 71.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator that cools stored items containing liquids such as beverages.

Background Art

[0002] Refrigerators are known that maintain containers holding liquid beverages in a supercooled state at a temperature below the freezing point of the liquid. A supercooled liquid beverage has a lower temperature than a beverage cooled in a normal refrigerator, and is therefore useful, for example, as a beverage for cooling body temperature in the middle of summer.

[0003] Further, when a supercooled liquid beverage is poured into a drinking container such as a glass, the liquid instantly changes into ice which is a solid phase to form a sherbet-like state, so that it can be suitably used, for example, as a luxury product such as soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an apparatus suitable for supercooling alcoholic beverages such as Japanese sake.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In order to bring a liquid beverage into a supercooled state, temperature management inside the refrigerator that stores the beverage is important. However, in the conventional cooling apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the like, the temperature in the cooling chamber becomes non-uniform depending on the location, so it is difficult to bring the stored items into a desired supercooled state.

[0006] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to more uniformly cool stored items in a refrigerator that cools stored items containing liquids such as beverages.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0007] A cooling cabinet according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a storage chamber for cooling contents, a first cold air outlet provided on the rear of the storage chamber, a second cold air outlet provided below the first cold air outlet, a first airflow regulating member positioned in front of the first cold air outlet and regulating the flow of cold air blown out from the first cold air outlet, and a second airflow regulating member positioned in front of the second cold air outlet and regulating the flow of cold air blown out from the second cold air outlet. The first airflow regulating member has a first inclined plate that inclins forward toward upward, and the second airflow regulating member has a second inclined plate that inclins forward toward upward. In a side view, the upper end of the first inclined plate is located in front of the upper end of the second inclined plate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cooler that can cool its contents more uniformly. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a cooling cabinet according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the cooling chamber. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a front view showing the configuration of the storage chamber of the cooling unit. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a front view showing the configuration of the storage chamber of the cooling unit. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing the configuration of the back panel forming the back of the storage chamber. [Figure 6] This is a front view showing the configuration of the back member that forms the back of the storage chamber. [Figure 7] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the storage room along line AA. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates the positional relationship between the contents and the airflow regulating member in a cooling chamber according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9]This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of a cooler according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] This diagram illustrates the positional relationship between the contents and the airflow regulating member in a cooling chamber according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] This diagram illustrates the positional relationship between the contents and the airflow regulating member in a cooling chamber according to the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed descriptions of them will not be repeated.

[0011] <First Embodiment> In this embodiment, a small cooler 1 equipped with one storage chamber 10 will be described as an example of a cooler. The cooler 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a storage chamber 10. The temperature inside the storage chamber 10 is set to a temperature range that can keep the contents B, which contain a liquid L such as a beverage, in a supercooled state.

[0012] In other words, the cooler 1 is a cooler that can store the contents B, liquid L, at a temperature below the freezing point of the liquid L, while maintaining a supercooled state in which the liquid L remains unfrozen, by circulating air (cold air) cooled by the cooler 21 within the storage chamber 10.

[0013] Furthermore, the set temperature inside the storage chamber 10 is not limited to the above temperature range, and can be set to a general refrigeration temperature range or a freezing temperature range. In other words, the cooling unit 1 can be used not only as a cooling unit for supercooling, but also as a refrigerator and a freezer. The present invention can also be applied to a refrigerator equipped with multiple storage chambers, such as a refrigerator equipped with a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment.

[0014] (Overall configuration of the refrigerator) First, the overall configuration of the refrigerator 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 shows the external appearance of the refrigerator 1. FIG. 2 shows the internal configuration of the refrigerator 1.

[0015] The outer shape of the refrigerator 1 is mainly formed by a heat insulating box body 50 and a door 2. The heat insulating box body 50 mainly includes an outer box 51, an inner box 52, and a heat insulating material 53. The inner box 52 is also referred to as a food liner. The inner box 52 mainly forms the internal space of the refrigerator 1 (specifically, the storage compartment 10, the cooling compartment 20, and the like).

[0016] In the present embodiment, the surface provided with the door 2 is referred to as the front face or front surface of the refrigerator. Based on the front surface as a reference and the positions that exist when the refrigerator 1 is installed in a normal state, the respective faces of the refrigerator 1 are defined as a top face, side faces, a back face, and a bottom face. In describing the shape, positional relationship, and the like of each component of the refrigerator 1, for convenience, the refrigerator 1 is defined by three-directional coordinate axes including an X (X1-X2) direction (left-right direction), a Y (Y1-Y2) direction (up-down direction), and a Z (Z1-Z2) direction (front-rear direction) as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and the like.

[0017] Inside the heat insulating box body 50, the storage compartment 10 for storing food and the like, the cooling compartment 20, and the like are provided. The cooling compartment 20 is arranged on the back face side of the storage compartment 10. A back member 11 is provided between the cooling compartment 20 and the storage compartment 10.

[0018] Inside the cooling compartment 20, a cooler 21 and the like are provided. Cold air cooled by the cooler 21 is sent out into the storage compartment 10 by a blower fan 22 arranged above the cooler 21. The blower fan 22 is an axial fan.

[0019] A machine chamber 30 is provided on the back face side of the bottom portion of the refrigerator 1. Inside the machine chamber 30, a compressor 31 and the like are provided.

[0020] The storage chamber 10 is provided with at least one shelf. In this embodiment, two shelves (specifically, an upper shelf 15 and a lower shelf 16) are provided. These two shelves divide the storage space within the storage chamber 10 into multiple spaces (for example, an upper space 10a, a middle space 10b, and a lower space 10c). The upper shelf 15 and the lower shelf 16 are made of, for example, glass plates.

[0021] (Storage room configuration) Next, the internal configuration of the storage room 10 will be described. Figures 3 and 4 show the internal configuration of the storage room 10.

[0022] The walls inside the storage chamber 10 are formed by the inner box 52 and the back member 11. Specifically, the top, sides, and bottom of the storage chamber 10 are mainly formed by the inner box 52. The back of the storage chamber 10 is formed by the back member 11.

[0023] The storage chamber 10 is divided into an upper space 10a, a middle space 10b, and a lower space 10c by an upper shelf 15 and a lower shelf 16. For example, the upper shelf 15 is located at a height between the first discharge port 41 and the second discharge port 42, dividing the storage chamber 10 into an upper space (upper space) 10a and a middle space (lower space) 10b.

[0024] Each shelf board 15 and 16 is supported by a shelf board support 18 provided on both the left and right sides of the storage compartment 10. Multiple shelf board support 18 may be provided for a single shelf board so that each shelf board can be positioned at a different height. This allows for changes in the height of spaces such as the upper space 10a and the middle space 10b.

[0025] Figure 3 shows the state in which the upper shelf board 15 is supported by the lower shelf board support part 18. Figure 4 shows the state in which the upper shelf board 15 is supported by the upper shelf board support part 18. In the state shown in Figure 4, compared to the state shown in Figure 3, the vertical length (Y direction) of the upper space 10a is smaller, while the vertical length (Y direction) of the middle space 10b is larger.

[0026] In this specification, the state shown in Figure 3 is referred to as the state in which the upper shelf board 15 is positioned at a first height, and the state shown in Figure 4 is referred to as the state in which the upper shelf board 15 is positioned at a second height.

[0027] If the interior of the storage chamber 10 is partitioned as shown in Figure 3, small-capacity contents B1 (for example, PET bottles with a capacity of 400 ml or less) can be placed upright in the upper space 10a and the middle space 10b, respectively. In the configuration shown in Figure 3, large-capacity contents B3 (for example, PET bottles with a capacity of 2 L or more) can also be placed horizontally in the upper space 10a (see Figure 10).

[0028] If the interior of the storage chamber 10 is partitioned as shown in Figure 4, bottle-shaped contents B can be placed horizontally in the upper space 10a regardless of their capacity, and medium-capacity contents B2 (for example, PET bottles with a capacity of 500 ml to 1000 ml) can be placed in the middle space 10b.

[0029] Thus, in the cooling cabinet 1 of this embodiment, the height of each shelf can be varied according to the volume and arrangement of the contents B stored in the storage chamber 10.

[0030] (Configuration of the rear member and the wind direction regulating member) Next, the configuration of the rear member 11 and the airflow regulating members 60 and 70 attached to the rear member 11 will be described. Figures 5 and 6 show the external appearance of the rear member 11. Figure 7 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the AA line portion of the storage chamber 10 shown in Figure 3. In Figure 7, the contents are not shown.

[0031] The rear member 11 is provided with an air outlet for discharging cold air cooled in the cooling chamber 20 to the storage chamber 10. Specifically, the rear member 11 has a first outlet 41 and a second outlet 42.

[0032] The rear side of the rear member 11 faces the cooling chamber 20. Above the rear side of the rear member 11 is a blower fan 22 (see Figure 7). As mentioned above, the blower fan 22 is an axial flow fan. In this embodiment, the blower fan 22 is positioned at an angle to blow air diagonally upward.

[0033] The first discharge port 41 is located near the upper end of the rear member 11. In this embodiment, two first discharge ports 41 are provided. The two first discharge ports 41 are located on the left and right sides above the blower fan 22, respectively.

[0034] The second discharge port 42 is located below the first discharge port 41. In this embodiment, two second discharge ports 42 are provided. The two second discharge ports 42 are located on the left and right sides below the blower fan 22, respectively.

[0035] A temperature sensor 45 is positioned at either the left or right end of the rear member 11. In this embodiment, the temperature sensor 45 is located adjacent to the second discharge port 42 on the left side (X1 side) when viewed from the front. More specifically, the temperature sensor 45 is positioned slightly above and to the left of the second discharge port 42 on the left side (X1 side).

[0036] In front of each of the discharge ports 41 and 42 of the rear member 11, airflow regulating members are attached to restrict the flow of cold air blown out from the discharge ports. Specifically, a first airflow regulating member 60 is positioned in front of the first discharge port 41 to restrict the flow of cold air blown out from the first discharge port 41, and a second airflow regulating member 70 is positioned in front of the second discharge port 42 to restrict the flow of cold air blown out from the second discharge port 42.

[0037] The first airflow regulating member 60 is located behind the upper space 10a of the storage chamber 10, and the second airflow regulating member 70 is located behind the middle space 10b of the storage chamber 10 (see Figure 2). Therefore, the cold air blown out from the first discharge port 41 is guided by the first airflow regulating member 60 and mainly sent towards the upper space 10a. Similarly, the cold air blown out from the second discharge port 42 is guided by the second airflow regulating member 70 and mainly sent towards the middle space 10b.

[0038] The first airflow regulating member 60 has a first inclined plate 61 that is inclined forward and upward. The second airflow regulating member 70 has a second inclined plate 71 that is inclined forward and upward. With these airflow regulating members 60 and 70 provided, the cold air blown out from each discharge port 41 and 42 toward the storage chamber 10 can be guided to the upper side of the upper space 10a and the middle space 10b located in front of each discharge port 41 and 42, respectively.

[0039] This prevents direct exposure of the contents B located in the upper space 10a and the middle space 10b to cold air, thereby suppressing temperature unevenness within the storage chamber 10. As a result, it is possible to prevent the contents B located directly in front of each discharge port 41 and 42 from freezing.

[0040] In a side view, the upper end of the first inclined plate 61 is located further forward than the upper end of the second inclined plate 71. In Figure 7, a dashed line indicates the position of the upper end of the second inclined plate 71. This dashed line indicates the position of the furthest point of the second inclined plate 71 in the front-to-back direction (Z direction) of the storage chamber 10. As shown in Figure 7, the upper end of the first inclined plate 61 is located further forward than the furthest point of the second inclined plate 71.

[0041] This configuration allows for restricting the placement of the contents B within the upper space 10a to a more forward position. For example, as shown in Figure 2, even if one attempts to place the contents B placed on the upper shelf 15 further back in the upper space 10a, the upper part of the contents B will hit the upper end of the first inclined plate 61, preventing it from being placed any further back.

[0042] A second discharge port 42 is located beneath the upper shelf 15 on the rear side of the storage chamber 10. The cold air blown out from the second discharge port 42 flows upward along the second inclined plate 71, then hits the upper shelf 15, and is guided forward along the underside of the shelf. The upper shelf 15 is made of a thin plate, such as a glass plate. The glass plate has higher thermal conductivity compared to the insulating wall that forms the top surface. Cold air from the second discharge port 42 tends to concentrate at the tip of the second inclined plate 71, and if the contents B placed in the upper space 10a are located behind the tip of the second inclined plate 71 in the front-to-back direction (Z direction) of the storage chamber 10, there is a possibility that the contents B will be rapidly cooled through the shelf.

[0043] Therefore, by positioning the upper end of the first inclined plate 61 forward of the tip of the second inclined plate 71, the position of the contents B in the upper space 10a is restricted, thereby reducing the possibility of the contents B placed in the upper space 10a being rapidly cooled.

[0044] In this embodiment, it is preferable that the tip of the second inclined plate 71 is located forward of the rear end E of the upper shelf 15 (see Figure 7). With this configuration, it is possible to suppress the direct flow of cold air, which is guided from the second discharge port 42 by the second airflow regulating member 70 and then discharged from the upper end of the second inclined plate 71 to the storage chamber 10, into the upper space a above the upper shelf 15.

[0045] In this embodiment, the inclination angle of the upper end of the first inclined plate 61 with respect to the horizontal plane may be greater than the inclination angle of the upper end of the second inclined plate 71 with respect to the horizontal plane.

[0046] In this configuration, the cold air blown out from the first outlet 41 is guided upward (towards the top surface of the storage chamber 10) along the first inclined plate 61, which has a larger inclination angle. This effectively cools the top insulating wall of the storage chamber 10, which tends to become relatively hot inside the storage chamber 10. This prevents heat from being conducted from outside the chamber to the top surface.

[0047] On the other hand, the cold air blown out from the second outlet 42 flows upward along the second inclined plate 71, then hits the upper shelf 15, and is guided forward along the underside of the shelf. The upper shelf 15 is made of a thin plate, such as a glass plate. The glass plate has higher thermal conductivity than the insulating wall that forms the top surface. Therefore, if cold air is concentrated on the upper shelf 15, the contents B placed in the upper space 10a, especially the contents B placed at the back of the shelf, will be rapidly cooled through the shelf. To address this, the second inclined plate 71 is given a relatively gentle inclination angle, which prevents the contents B placed on the upper shelf 15 from being locally cooled from below.

[0048] This prevents the contents B, especially those placed at the back of the shelves, from being rapidly cooled and freezing. It also prevents localized overcooling within the storage chamber 10, particularly around the cold air outlets 41 and 42, thereby suppressing temperature variations and rapid temperature changes within the chamber. As a result, a cooling chamber 1 is obtained that can cool the contents within the storage chamber 10 more uniformly.

[0049] In this embodiment, the width of the second wind direction restricting member 70 in a front view may be longer than the width of the first wind direction restricting member 60 in a front view. That is, if the width of the first wind direction restricting member 60 in a front view is W1 and the width of the second wind direction restricting member 70 in a front view is W2, then W2 > W1 may be the case (see Figure 6).

[0050] Because the width W2 of the second airflow regulating member 70 in the left-right direction is relatively large, it is possible that cold air from the second discharge port 42 will be more easily supplied to the temperature sensor 45 located near either the left or right end of the rear member 11.

[0051] Therefore, it is preferable that a wall is provided between the second discharge port 42 and the temperature sensor 45 to separate them. In this embodiment, a plurality of reinforcing ribs 72 and 73 are provided on the back surface of the second inclined plate 71 of the second airflow regulating member 70 (see Figure 5). The reinforcing ribs 72 and 73 are flat plate-shaped members that extend substantially vertically from the second inclined plate 71 toward the front surface of the back surface member 11.

[0052] Of these multiple reinforcing ribs, the reinforcing rib 72 located on the left side acts as a wall separating the second discharge port 42 from the temperature sensor 45. By providing such a reinforcing rib 72, it is possible to prevent cold air from the second discharge port 42 from directly hitting the temperature sensor 45 located on the left end of the rear member 11. Therefore, it is possible to prevent false detection of the internal temperature due to the temperature sensor 45 being locally cooled by the cold air.

[0053] (Regarding the positional relationship between the wind direction regulating member and the contents) Next, the positional relationship between the contents B placed in the storage chamber 10 and the airflow regulating members 60 and 70 will be explained with reference to Figure 8. Figure 8 shows the configuration of the storage chamber 10 when the upper shelf 15 is positioned at a first height.

[0054] In this embodiment, the relationship between the contents B and the airflow regulating members 60 and 70 is defined when the upper shelf 15 is positioned at a first height and relatively small contents (for example, PET bottles with a capacity of 400 ml or less) are placed upright in the upper space 10a on the upper shelf 15.

[0055] As an example, Figure 8 shows the upper shelf 15 positioned at a first height, with a 280ml container B1 placed in the upper space 10a above the upper shelf 15. Another container B is placed in the middle space 10b above the lower shelf 16.

[0056] In this embodiment, when the upper shelf 15 is positioned at a first height, the upper portion of the contents B1 placed on the upper shelf 15 is in contact with the tip of the first inclined plate 61, and the tip of the second inclined plate 71 is positioned behind the contents B1.

[0057] Here, let h1 be the height of the upper end of the first inclined plate 61 of the first wind direction regulating member 60, and let h2 be the height of the upper shelf 15. Also, let t1 be the position in the front-rear direction (Z direction) of the upper end (tip) of the first inclined plate 61, and let t2 be the position in the front-rear direction (Z direction) of the upper end (tip) of the second inclined plate 71.

[0058] In order to satisfy the above conditions, the first wind direction regulating member 60 and the second wind direction regulating member 70 are preferably configured as follows.

[0059] In other words, it is preferable that the distance z1 from t1 to t2 is designed to be within the range of 20 mm to 30 mm. Furthermore, it is preferable that the distance y1 from height h1 to height h2 is designed to be within the range of 110 mm to 140 mm.

[0060] With the above configuration, when a relatively small-capacity container B1 is placed upright on the upper shelf 15, the entire container B1 can be positioned in front of the tip t2 of the second inclined plate 71. Therefore, the possibility of the container B1 placed in the upper space 10a being rapidly cooled by the cold air blown out from the tip of the second inclined plate 71 can be more reliably reduced.

[0061] (Summary of the first embodiment) As described above, the cooler 1 according to this embodiment includes a storage chamber 10 for cooling the contents B. The back member 11 forming the back of the storage chamber 10 is provided with a first cold air outlet 41 and a second cold air outlet 42. The second outlet 42 is located below the first outlet 41. In front of the first outlet 41 is a first airflow regulating member 60 that restricts the flow of cold air blown out from the first outlet 41. In front of the second outlet 42 is a second airflow regulating member 70 that restricts the flow of cold air blown out from the second outlet 42. The first airflow regulating member 60 has a first inclined plate 61, and the second airflow regulating member 70 has a second inclined plate 71. In a side view, the upper end of the first inclined plate 61 is located in front of the upper end of the second inclined plate 71.

[0062] At the tip of the second inclined plate 71, cold air from the second discharge port 42 tends to concentrate, which could rapidly cool the contents B placed in the upper space 10a located above it.

[0063] According to the above configuration, the possible positions of the contents B placed in the space in front of the first discharge port 41 (specifically, the upper space 10a) can be restricted to the forward side. By positioning the upper end of the first inclined plate 61 further forward than the tip of the second inclined plate 71, the position of the contents B in the upper space 10a is restricted, thereby reducing the possibility of the contents B placed in the upper space 10a being rapidly cooled.

[0064] Therefore, according to this embodiment, the cooler 1 can prevent specific contents in the storage chamber 10 from becoming too cold, and can also suppress temperature variations and sudden temperature changes inside the cooler. As a result, a cooler 1 can be obtained that can cool the contents in the storage chamber 10 more uniformly.

[0065] <Second Embodiment> Next, a second embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, the configuration of the first wind direction regulating member 60 for regulating the placement of contents arranged in the upper space 10a will be described.

[0066] Figures 9 and 10 show the internal configuration of the cooler 1 according to the second embodiment. Figures 9 and 10 show the configuration inside the storage chamber 10 when the upper shelf 15 is positioned at a first height.

[0067] Similar to the first embodiment, the cooler 1 according to this embodiment has a back member 11 that forms the back of the storage chamber 10. The back member 11 is provided with a first discharge port 41 and a second discharge port 42. A first airflow regulating member 60 is positioned in front of the first discharge port 41 to regulate the flow of cold air blown out from the first discharge port 41. A second airflow regulating member 70 is positioned in front of the second discharge port 42 to regulate the flow of cold air blown out from the second discharge port 42.

[0068] The first wind direction restricting member 60 and the second wind direction restricting member 70 have the same configuration as in the first embodiment. In addition to the configuration described in the first embodiment, the first wind direction restricting member 60 is provided with a position restricting section 65 for restricting the placement position of the contents to be placed in the upper space 10a.

[0069] Here, the positional relationship between the contents B placed in the storage chamber 10 and the airflow regulating members 60 and 70 will be explained with reference to Figure 10.

[0070] In this embodiment, the relationship between the contents B and the airflow regulating members 60 and 70 is defined when the upper shelf 15 is positioned at a first height and relatively large-capacity contents (for example, PET bottles with a capacity of 1L or more) are placed horizontally in the upper space 10a on the upper shelf 15.

[0071] As an example, Figure 10 shows a configuration where the upper shelf 15 is positioned at a first height, and a 2L container B3 is placed in the upper space 10a on the upper shelf 15 with its bottom facing the rear. A relatively small container B1 is placed upright in the middle space 10b on the lower shelf 16.

[0072] In this embodiment, when the upper shelf 15 is positioned at a first height, a position regulating section 65 is provided to position the rear end (bottom surface) of the contents B3 placed on the upper shelf 15 forward of the front end of the second inclined plate 71.

[0073] Here, if we define the position of the tip of the position regulating section 65 in the front-rear direction (Z direction) as t3, and the position of the upper end (tip) of the second inclined plate 71 in the front-rear direction (Z direction) as t2, it is preferable that t3 is located further forward (towards Z1) than t2. This allows the rear end of the contents B placed on the upper shelf 15 to be positioned further forward than the tip of the second inclined plate 71 when the upper shelf 15 is positioned at the first height.

[0074] In one example, it is preferable that the distance z2 from t3 to t2 is designed to be within the range of 0 mm to 5 mm.

[0075] With the above configuration, the space at the rear of the upper space 10a can be used as effectively as possible, while the entire contents B within the upper space 10a can be positioned in front of the tip of the second inclined plate 71.

[0076] This configuration is particularly suitable when the height h3 of the contents B placed on the upper shelf 15 is lower than the height h1 of the upper end of the first inclined plate 61. More specifically, when the contents are placed on the upper shelf 15 such that the distance y2 from height h2 to height h3 is 90 mm or more and 105 mm or less (in other words, when the Y-direction dimension of the contents placed on the upper shelf 15 is 90 mm or more and 105 mm or less), applying the above configuration makes it possible to effectively utilize the space on the rear side while reducing the possibility of the contents on the upper shelf 15 being rapidly cooled.

[0077] In this embodiment, the position restricting portion 65 is formed by a protruding structure located on the front surface of the first inclined plate 61. However, the position restricting portion 65 is not limited to such a protrusion. In another embodiment, the position restricting portion 65 can also be realized by changing the inclination angle of the first inclined plate 61 and the shape of the first inclined plate 61 itself to have the above configuration.

[0078] <Third Embodiment> Next, a third embodiment will be described. In the third embodiment, a configuration will be described in which the upper shelf 15 is positioned at a second height higher than the first height in a cooling cabinet 1 equipped with a first airflow regulating member 60 having a position regulating section 65. Figure 11 shows the internal configuration of the cooling cabinet 1 according to the third embodiment.

[0079] In this embodiment, the relationship between the contents B and the airflow regulating members 60 and 70 is defined when the upper shelf 15 is positioned at a second height and medium-sized contents (for example, PET bottles with a capacity of about 500 ml) are placed horizontally in the upper space 10a on the upper shelf 15.

[0080] As an example, Figure 11 shows a configuration where the upper shelf 15 is positioned at a second height, and a 500ml container B2 is placed in the upper space 10a on the upper shelf 15, with its bottom facing the rear. A container B2 of a similar capacity is also placed in the middle space 10b on the lower shelf 16.

[0081] In this embodiment, when the upper shelf 15 is positioned at a second height, a position regulating section 65 is provided to position the rear end (bottom surface) of the contents B2 placed on the upper shelf 15 forward of the front end of the second inclined plate 71.

[0082] Here, if we define the position of the tip of the position regulating section 65 in the front-rear direction (Z direction) as t3, and the position of the upper end (tip) of the second inclined plate 71 in the front-rear direction (Z direction) as t2, it is preferable that t3 is located further forward (towards Z1) than t2. This allows the rear end of the contents B placed on the upper shelf 15 to be positioned further forward than the tip of the second inclined plate 71 when the upper shelf 15 is positioned at the first height.

[0083] In one example, it is preferable that the distance z2 from t3 to t2 is designed to be within the range of 0 mm to 5 mm.

[0084] With the above configuration, the space at the rear of the upper space 10a can be used as effectively as possible, while the entire contents B within the upper space 10a can be positioned in front of the tip of the second inclined plate 71.

[0085] This configuration is particularly suitable when the height h3 of the contents B placed on the upper shelf 15 is lower than the height h1 of the upper end of the first inclined plate 61. More specifically, when the contents are placed on the upper shelf 15 such that the distance y3 from the height h4 to the height h3 of the upper shelf 15 is 50 mm or more and 80 mm or less (in other words, when the Y-direction dimension of the contents placed on the upper shelf 15 is 50 mm or more and 80 mm or less), applying the above configuration makes it possible to effectively utilize the space on the rear side while reducing the possibility of the contents being rapidly cooled.

[0086] In this embodiment, the position restricting portion 65 is formed by a protruding structure located on the front surface of the first inclined plate 61. However, the position restricting portion 65 is not limited to such a protrusion. In another embodiment, the position restricting portion 65 can also be realized by changing the inclination angle of the first inclined plate 61 and the shape of the first inclined plate 61 itself to have the above configuration.

[0087] (summary) A cooling cabinet according to one aspect of the present invention (for example, cooling cabinet 1) comprises a storage chamber (for example, storage chamber 10) for cooling contents, a first cold air outlet (for example, first outlet 41) provided on the back of the storage chamber (for example, back member 11), a second cold air outlet (for example, second outlet 42) provided below the first outlet, a first airflow regulating member (for example, first airflow regulating member 60) positioned in front of the first outlet to regulate the flow of cold air blown out from the first outlet, and a second airflow regulating member (for example, second airflow regulating member 70) positioned in front of the second outlet to regulate the flow of cold air blown out from the second outlet. The first airflow regulating member has a first inclined plate (for example, first inclined plate 61) that inclins forward toward upward, and the second airflow regulating member has a second inclined plate (for example, second inclined plate 71) that inclins forward toward upward. The upper end of the first inclined plate is located forward of the upper end of the second inclined plate in a side view.

[0088] In a cooling cabinet (for example, cooling cabinet 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, the storage chamber (for example, storage chamber 10) is provided with a shelf (for example, upper shelf 15) located at a height between the first discharge port (for example, first discharge port 41) and the second discharge port (for example, second discharge port 42), which divides the storage chamber into an upper space (for example, upper space 10a) and a lower space (for example, middle space 10b), and when the shelf is positioned at a first height, the upper part of the contents placed on the shelf is in contact with the tip of the first inclined plate (for example, first inclined plate 61), and the tip of the second inclined plate (for example, second inclined plate 71) may be positioned behind the contents.

[0089] In a cooling cabinet (for example, cooling cabinet 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, the first inclined plate (for example, first inclined plate 61) may have a configuration (for example, a position regulating portion 65) that positions the rear end of the contents placed on the shelf (for example, upper shelf 15) to be in front of the front end of the second inclined plate (for example, second inclined plate 71) when the shelf is positioned at the first height.

[0090] In a cooling cabinet (for example, cooling cabinet 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, the first inclined plate (for example, first inclined plate 61) may have a configuration (for example, a position regulating portion 65) that positions the rear end of the contents placed on the shelf (for example, upper shelf 15) to be in front of the front end of the second inclined plate (for example, second inclined plate 71) when the shelf is positioned at a second height higher than the first height.

[0091] In a cooling cabinet (for example, cooling cabinet 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, the storage chamber (for example, storage chamber 10) is provided with a shelf (for example, upper shelf 15) located at a height between the first discharge port (for example, first discharge port 41) and the second discharge port (for example, second discharge port 42), which divides the storage chamber into an upper space (for example, upper space 10a) and a lower space (for example, middle space 10b), and the tip of the second inclined plate (for example, second inclined plate 71) may be located forward of the rear end of the shelf.

[0092] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims are intended to be included. Configurations obtained by combining the configurations of the different embodiments described herein are also included in the scope of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0093] 1: Refrigerator 2: Door 10: Storage Room 10a: Upper space (upper space) 10b: Middle space (lower space) 10c: Lower space 11: Rear panel (rear of the storage room) 15: Upper shelf (shelf) 16: Lower shelf 20: Cooling room 21:Cooler 22: Blower fan (axial flow fan) 41: 1st discharge port 42:Second outlet 45: Temperature sensor 50: Insulated box 52: Inner box 60: First wind direction regulating member 61: 1st inclined plate 65:Position regulation part 70: Second wind direction regulating member 71:Second inclined plate 72: Reinforcement ribs (wall section) B: Containment

Claims

1. A storage room for cooling the contents, A first cold air outlet is provided on the rear of the storage chamber, A second cold air outlet is provided below the first outlet, A first airflow regulating member is positioned in front of the first discharge port and regulates the flow of cold air blown out from the first discharge port, A second airflow regulating member is positioned in front of the second discharge port and regulates the flow of cold air blown out from the second discharge port. Equipped with, The first wind direction restricting member has a first inclined plate that is inclined forward and upward, and the second wind direction restricting member has a second inclined plate that is inclined forward and upward. The upper end of the first inclined plate is located in front of the upper end of the second inclined plate in a side view. Refrigerator.

2. The storage chamber is provided with a shelf located at a height between the first discharge port and the second discharge port, which divides the storage chamber into an upper space and a lower space. When the shelf is positioned at a first height, the upper portion of the contents placed on the shelf is in contact with the tip of the first inclined plate, and the tip of the second inclined plate is positioned behind the contents. The cooling cabinet according to claim 1.

3. The first inclined plate is configured such that, when the shelf is positioned at a first height, the rear end of the contents placed on the shelf is positioned further forward than the front end of the second inclined plate. The cooling cabinet according to claim 2.

4. The first inclined plate is configured such that, when the shelf is positioned at a second height higher than the first height, the rear end of the contents placed on the shelf is positioned forward of the front end of the second inclined plate. The cooler according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The storage chamber is provided with a shelf located at a height between the first discharge port and the second discharge port, which divides the storage chamber into an upper space and a lower space. The tip of the second inclined plate is located in front of the rear end of the shelf board. The cooling cabinet according to claim 1.

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