refrigerator

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator capable of further increasing the internal volume of the refrigerator by using a space conventionally used as a machine chamber.SOLUTION: A refrigerator 1 includes a heat insulation box body 50, a machine chamber 30 provided in a back surface side of the heat insulation box body 50, and a storage space (e.g., a rear storage chamber 14 in a refrigeration chamber) located next to the machine chamber 30 in a right and left direction. A heat insulation material 52 and a partition 42 are provided between the machine chamber 30 and the storage space.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a machine compartment. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, increasing the internal volume of a refrigerator has been considered. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a refrigerator that includes a freezer compartment 63 provided on one side of the left-right direction of the bottom of the refrigerator body, an ice-making compartment 64 provided on the other side, a compressor 75 provided behind the ice-making compartment 64, and a cooler 76 provided behind the freezer compartment 63, and that is arranged side by side in the left-right direction. This increases the mounting efficiency of cooling functional parts, and improves volumetric efficiency. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-289551 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In order to insulate the refrigerator from the surroundings, an insulating box is provided to cover the outer periphery of the storage space. A machine room in which a compressor constituting a refrigeration cycle is arranged is provided below the rear side of the insulating box. In order to increase the internal volume of the refrigerator, it is possible to reduce the volume of the machine room by shifting the machine room to one side in the left-right direction and use the other side in the left-right direction as the internal space. In this case, it is necessary to separate the machine room from the internal space with an insulating wall.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can further increase the internal volume by utilizing the space that was previously used as a machine room by reliably forming an insulating wall between a machine room and a storage space adjacent to each other in the left-right direction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A refrigerator according to one aspect of the present invention includes an insulating body, a machine room provided on a rear side of the insulating body, and a storage space located adjacent to the machine room in the left-right direction. In this refrigerator, a heat insulating material and a partition are provided between the machine room and the storage space. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a storage space can be formed adjacent to the left and right of the machine compartment, thereby making it possible to further increase the internal volume of the refrigerator by utilizing the space that was previously used as the machine compartment. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing the configuration of the front part of a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of a rear part of the heat-insulating box of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 3 is a plan view showing a lower part of a rear part of the heat-insulating box shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the heat-insulating box body shown in FIG. 2 along line AA. [Diagram 5] 3 is a perspective view showing a bottom component that constitutes the heat-insulating box shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] 6 is a perspective view showing the outer surface side of the bottom component shown in FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 7] 6 is a perspective view showing a second plate member that constitutes the bottom component shown in FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 8] 6 is a perspective view showing a first plate member that constitutes the bottom component shown in FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a partition that constitutes the bottom component shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 10] 10 is a perspective view of the partition shown in FIG. 9, seen from a different direction. [Figure 11] 6 is a plan view showing the inside (thermal insulation side) of the bottom surface of the bottom constituent member shown in FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 12] 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the bottom component shown in FIG. 11 along the line BB. [Figure 13] 6 is a plan view showing the inside (insulating material side) of the rear surface of the bottom constituent member shown in FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 14] 14 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the bottom component shown in FIG. 13 along the line CC. [Figure 15] 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the inside (part along line DD) of the left rear portion of the heat-insulating box shown in FIG. 3. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

[0010] <First embodiment> (Overall configuration of refrigerator) First, the overall configuration of a refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 shows the external appearance of the refrigerator 1 as seen from the front.

[0011] The exterior shape of the refrigerator 1 is mainly composed of an insulated box body 50. The insulated box body 50 forms a storage space of the refrigerator 1. The storage space formed by the insulated box body 50 is divided into a refrigerator compartment, which is the upper storage space, and a freezer compartment, which is the lower storage space, by a partition (not shown) extending horizontally at approximately the center in the vertical direction.

[0012] Thus, the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment includes a refrigeration compartment and a freezer compartment as storage spaces. The refrigeration compartment is located on the upper level of the refrigerator 1. The freezer compartment is located on the lower level of the refrigerator 1.

[0013] The refrigerator compartment is provided with left and right divided double-door refrigerator compartment doors 11a and 11b, and the freezer compartment is provided with left and right divided double-door freezer compartment doors 12a and 12b.

[0014] As described above, the refrigerator 1 according to the present embodiment is divided into an upper section and a lower section, and a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment are provided. However, the arrangement of each storage space is not limited to this. Furthermore, the configuration of the door provided in each storage space is not limited to the above.

[0015] In this embodiment, the surface on which the door is provided is referred to as the front or front surface of the refrigerator. Based on the front surface as a reference, the surfaces of the refrigerator 1 are referred to as the top, side, back, and bottom surfaces based on the positions of the refrigerator 1 when installed in a normal state. Furthermore, the left-right direction (horizontal direction perpendicular to the up-down direction) when the refrigerator 1 is placed on an installation surface and viewed from the front is referred to as the left-right direction of the refrigerator 1 (or the insulated box body 50, etc.). Furthermore, the up-down direction (vertical direction perpendicular to the left-right direction) when the refrigerator 1 is placed on an installation surface and viewed from the front is referred to as the up-down direction of the refrigerator 1 (or the insulated box body 50, etc.).

[0016] A refrigeration cycle is provided inside the refrigerator 1. The refrigeration cycle is configured by connecting a compressor 31 (see FIG. 2), a condenser (not shown), an expander (not shown), and a cooler (not shown) via a refrigerant pipe (refrigerant flow path) through which a refrigerant flows.

[0017] A control unit (not shown) is provided inside the refrigerator 1. This control unit controls the operation of the refrigeration cycle. That is, the control unit drives the compressor 31, thereby starting the operation of the refrigeration cycle and causing the refrigerant to flow through the cycle. The compressor 31 is disposed in a machine room 30 provided in the lower back of the refrigerator 1 (see FIG. 2).

[0018] (Configuration of the insulated box) The refrigerator 1 is provided with an insulating box 50 as an insulating structure for insulating each storage space from the surroundings. Fig. 2 shows the appearance of the insulating box 50 as seen from the rear side. Fig. 3 shows the appearance of the lower part of the rear side of the insulating box 50. Fig. 3 shows the insulating box 50 with the support member 63 on the left side as seen from the rear (right side as seen from the front) removed. Fig. 4 shows the internal configuration of the lower part of the insulating box 50. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the part of line AA of the insulating box 50 shown in Fig. 2. In Fig. 4, the compressor 31 and the like arranged in the machine room 30 are omitted.

[0019] The insulating box 50 mainly comprises an outer box 60, an inner box 70, and a thermal insulating material 52.

[0020] The outer box 60 forms the outer surface of the heat-insulating box 50. The outer box 60 is mainly composed of a top surface 60a, a side surface 60b, a rear surface 60c, a bottom component 40, and a bottom surface 60d (see FIG. 2). The inner box 70 forms the inner surface of the heat-insulating box 50. The inner box 70 is mainly composed of a top surface (not shown), a side surface 70b, a rear surface 70c, and a bottom surface 70d (see FIG. 4).

[0021] The heat insulating material 52 is provided in the space between the outer box 60 and the inner box 70. The heat insulating material 52 is composed of, for example, a vacuum heat insulating material and a foam heat insulating material. The vacuum heat insulating material is a thin sheet-like or plate-like heat insulating material. The vacuum heat insulating material is arranged, for example, on the side, top, bottom, and back of the refrigerator 1. The foam heat insulating material can be formed, for example, from foamed polyurethane (also called rigid urethane foam).

[0022] The rear part of the heat-insulating box 50 is mainly composed of a rear part 60c (also called a back plate) of the outer box 60. As shown in Fig. 2, a control board installation section 62 is provided above the rear part 60c of the outer box 60. A control board having a control unit for controlling the operation of the refrigeration cycle and the like is disposed in the control board installation section 62.

[0023] A machine room 30 is provided below the rear part of the heat-insulating box 50. A compressor 31 and the like are arranged in the machine room 30. The machine room 30 is arranged outside the heat-insulating box 50. This is because the temperature in the machine room 30 increases when the compressor 31 is operated.

[0024] In this embodiment, the machine room 30 is disposed on the left side (right side in FIG. 2) below the rear side of the insulated box body 50 as viewed from the front. A storage room (in this embodiment, the rear storage room 14) is disposed next to the machine room 30 in the left-right direction (next to the right of the machine room 30 as viewed from the front in this embodiment). As shown in FIG. 4, a heat insulating material 52 and a partition 42 are provided between the machine room 30 and the rear storage room 14.

[0025] In this way, the machine chamber 30 and the storage space such as the rear storage chamber 14 are isolated by the heat-insulating box body 50. Therefore, it is possible to prevent heat generated in the machine chamber 30 from flowing into the storage space of the refrigerator 1.

[0026] The machine room 30 is mainly defined by a bottom plate 41 on which the compressor 31 and the like are installed, and a bottom component member 40 that forms the bottom portion 60d of the outer box 60.

[0027] Metallic support members 63·63 are provided on both the left and right sides of the lower back surface of the insulating box 50. That is, one of the two support members 63·63 is disposed in a lower back surface corner of the right side surface portion 60b of the insulating box 50, and the other is disposed in a lower back surface corner of the left side surface portion 60b of the insulating box 50.

[0028] The bottom constituent member 40 is supported by side portions 60b / 60b on both the left and right sides of the outer box 60, a lower end portion 61 of the back plate of the outer box 60, support members 63 / 63 on both the left and right sides, and the bottom plate 41. As a result, the outer shape of the lower back surface of the refrigerator 1 including the machine compartment 30 is formed by the side portions 60b of the outer box 60, the bottom plate 41, and the bottom constituent member 40. The bottom constituent member 40 is formed by combining a plurality of members.

[0029] (Configuration of the lower part of the storage space) Next, a more detailed configuration of the storage space of refrigerator 1 will be described. The storage space of refrigerator 1 is divided into upper and lower spaces by a partition. The upper space is a refrigeration compartment, and the lower space is a freezer compartment. The freezer compartment located below the storage space is divided into left storage compartment 13a and right storage compartment 13b by freezer compartment partition 56 extending vertically at approximately the center in the horizontal direction of the space (see FIG. 4). The left storage compartment 13a is opened and closed by left freezer compartment door 12a, and the right storage compartment 13b is opened and closed by right freezer compartment door 12b.

[0030] A plurality of storage cases are arranged inside the freezer compartment. Each storage case is configured to be slidable in the front-rear direction. Also, each storage case is configured to be removable from the refrigerator 1.

[0031] As described above, the freezer compartment is provided with the rear storage compartment 14 located adjacent to the machine compartment 30 in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the rear storage compartment 14 is formed by extending the lower section of the right storage compartment 13b rearward.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 4, the right storage chamber 13b having the rear storage chamber 14 occupies the entire area in the front-to-rear direction (depth direction) of the refrigerator 1 except for the area occupied by the thermal insulation material 52. On the other hand, the left storage chamber 13a not having the rear storage chamber 14 has the machine chamber 30 disposed behind it, and has a smaller length (depth) in the front-to-rear direction than the right storage chamber 13b. This space having a smaller depth than the rear storage chamber 14 is called the second storage chamber 15 in order to contrast it with the rear storage chamber 14 adjacent thereto in the left-right direction.

[0033] A machine compartment of a general refrigerator occupies almost the entire area in the left-right direction at the lower back surface of the refrigerator. In contrast, in the refrigerator 1 according to the present embodiment, the machine compartment 30 is provided on the left side of the lower back surface of the insulated box body 50 when viewed from the front (on the right side when viewed from the rear surface), and occupies only about half of the area in the left-right direction of the insulated box body 50 (see FIG. 4). In addition, the rear storage chamber 14 is provided in the remaining area at the lower back surface of the insulated box body 50 (see FIG. 4).

[0034] In this way, in the refrigerator 1 according to the present embodiment, the space that has conventionally been used as a machine room is utilized as a storage space, thereby enabling the internal volume of the refrigerator 1 to be increased.

[0035] (Configuration of bottom components) Next, a more detailed configuration of the bottom component 40 will be described. Figures 5 and 6 show the overall configuration of the bottom component 40. Figure 5 shows the inner surface side (the side in contact with the heat insulating material 52) of the bottom component 40. Figure 6 shows the outer surface side of the bottom component 40.

[0036] The bottom component 40 is formed by combining a plurality of components. Specifically, the bottom component 40 is mainly formed by a partition 42, a first plate member 43, and a second plate member 44. FIG. 7 shows the appearance of the second plate member 44. FIG. 7 shows the inner side (the side in contact with the heat insulating material 52) of the second plate member 44. FIG. 8 shows the appearance of the first plate member 43. FIG. 8 shows the inner side (the side in contact with the heat insulating material 52) of the first plate member 43. FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 show the appearance of the partition 42. FIG. 9 shows the inner side (the side in contact with the heat insulating material 52) of the partition 42. FIG. 10 shows the outer side (the machine room 30 side) of the partition 42.

[0037] The bottom constituent member 40 having the first plate member 43, the second plate member 44, and the partition 42 is disposed on the rear side of the insulated box body 50, and as a whole forms the outer shape of the lower rear part of the insulated box body 50. Specifically, the bottom constituent member 40 forms the wall surface that divides the machine room 30, part of the rear side of the insulated box body 50, and the bottom of the insulated box body 50.

[0038] The partition 42 separates the machine room 30 from the storage space (specifically, the rear storage room 14) (see FIG. 4). The partition 42 mainly includes a partition body 45, a metal plate 46, a first auxiliary plate 47a, a second auxiliary plate 47b, and a reinforcing member 65 (see FIGS. 9 and 10).

[0039] The partition body 45 is, for example, a resin member formed by molding a resin material into a predetermined shape. However, the material of the partition body 45 is not limited to resin. In another embodiment, the partition body 45 may be formed of a metal material.

[0040] The partition body 45 has a first groove 45a into which an end of the first plate member 43 (specifically, the first connecting end 43c) is inserted, and a second groove 45b into which an end of the second plate member 44 (specifically, the first connecting end 44c) is inserted. The first groove 45a is provided along an end of the surface of the partition body 45 facing the machine chamber 30. The second groove 45b is provided along an end of the surface of the partition body 45 facing the heat insulating material 52.

[0041] The upper end of the partition body 45 is provided with a screw hole 42a into which a screw is inserted. This screw hole 42a is provided at a position corresponding to a hole 61a (see FIG. 3) formed in the lower end 61 of the back plate of the outer box 60. When attaching the bottom component 40 to the heat-insulating box body 50, the hole 61a formed in the lower end 61 of the outer box 60 and the screw hole 42a provided in the partition 42 are aligned so that they match, and a fixing screw is inserted through the hole 61a.

[0042] This allows the bottom constituent member 40 to be fixed to the back surface 60c of the outer box 60. The partition 42, located approximately in the center in the left-right direction of the bottom constituent member 40, is fixed in a state aligned with the back surface 60c of the outer box 60, thereby preventing distortion of the shape of the bottom constituent member 40 that may occur when forming the foam insulation material.

[0043] The metal plate 46, the first auxiliary plate 47a, and the second auxiliary plate 47b are formed of a plate-shaped metal material (i.e., metal plates). The metal plate 46 is provided so as to cover the main surface of the partition body 45 on the machine room 30 side. By disposing the metal plate 46 on the machine room 30 side surface of the partition 42, the thermal conductivity of the wall surface of the machine room 30 can be improved. The first auxiliary plate 47a and the second auxiliary plate 47b are provided so as to cover a part of the surface of the partition body 45 on the heat insulating material 52 side. By providing these metal plates, the heat resistance, strength, etc. of the partition 42 can be improved.

[0044] The reinforcing member 65 is a structure having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The reinforcing member 65 is formed of a resin material such as polystyrene foam. As shown in Fig. 9, the reinforcing member 65 is disposed so as to protrude from the main surface of the partition body 45 on the heat insulating material 52 side.

[0045] The first plate member 43 is connected to the partition 42 and forms the front portion of the machine chamber 30. The first plate member 43 separates the machine chamber 30 from a storage space (specifically, the second storage chamber 15) (see FIG. 4). The first plate member 43 is formed, for example, by forming a plate-like member such as a metal plate into a predetermined shape. The first plate member 43 has a main surface portion 43a, a first connecting end portion 43c, a second connecting end portion 43d, and an upper end portion 43e.

[0046] The main surface portion 43a forms a wall surface on the front side of the machine chamber 30.

[0047] The first connection end 43c is an end that is connected to the partition 42. The first connection end 43c is inserted into the first groove portion 45a of the partition 42. As a result, the partition 42 and the first plate member 43 are connected to each other.

[0048] The second connection end 43d is an end that is connected to the second plate member 44. The second connection end 43d is disposed so as to overlap with the second connection end 44d of the second plate member 44. The second connection end 43d of the first plate member 43 and the second connection end 44d of the second plate member 44 are then fastened together with a screw, thereby connecting the first plate member 43 and the second plate member 44.

[0049] The upper end 43e forms a part of the upper end of the bottom component 40. The upper end 43e is fixed to a lower end 61 of a back plate of the outer box 60.

[0050] The second plate member 44 is connected to the partition 42 and the first plate member 43, and forms the back surface and bottom surface of the heat-insulating box 50. The second plate member 44 separates the storage space (specifically, the left storage chamber 13a and the right storage chamber 13b) from the outside of the storage (see FIG. 4). The second plate member 44 is formed, for example, by forming a plate member such as a metal plate into a predetermined shape. The second plate member 44 has a bottom surface portion 44a, a back surface portion 44b, a first connecting end portion 44c, a second connecting end portion 44d, and an upper end portion 44e.

[0051] The bottom surface portion 44a forms the bottom surface portion of the heat-insulating box 50. The bottom plate 41 is disposed on the lower surface of the bottom surface portion 44a. The rear surface portion 44b forms the lower portion of the rear surface portion of the heat-insulating box 50.

[0052] The first connection end 44c is an end that is connected to the partition 42. The first connection end 44c is inserted into the second groove portion 45b of the partition 42. As a result, the partition 42 and the second plate member 44 are connected to each other.

[0053] The second connection end 44d is an end that is connected to the first plate member 43. The second connection end 44d is disposed so as to overlap the second connection end 43d of the first plate member 43. The second connection end 43d of the first plate member 43 and the second connection end 44d of the second plate member 44 are then screwed together, thereby connecting the first plate member 43 and the second plate member 44.

[0054] The upper end 44e forms a part of the upper end of the bottom component 40. The upper end 44e is fixed to a lower end 61 of a back plate of the outer box 60.

[0055] By connecting the partition 42, the first plate member 43, and the second plate member 44 having the above-mentioned configuration to one another, a bottom constituent member 40 as shown in FIG. 5 is obtained.

[0056] The front portion and the central side portion of the machine room 30 are formed by this bottom constituent member 40. The other side of the machine room 30 is formed by the side portion 60b of the outer box 60. The bottom surface of the machine room 30 is formed by a bottom plate 41 arranged below the bottom constituent member 40.

[0057] (Regarding the connections between the partitions and each plate component) Next, a more detailed description will be given of the configuration of the connection portion between the partition 42 and the first and second plate members 43 and 44. Figures 12 and 14 show the shapes of the ends of the first and second plate members 43 and 44 that are fitted into the grooves 45a and 45b provided in the partition 42.

[0058] Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the line BB portion of the bottom surface of the bottom component 40 shown in Fig. 11. Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the line CC portion of the back surface of the bottom component 40 shown in Fig. 13. Fig. 12 shows the shape of the ends of the plate members 43 and 44 inserted into the grooves 45a and 45b on the lower front side of the partition 42. Fig. 14 shows the shape of the ends of the plate members 43 and 44 inserted into the grooves 45a and 45b on the upper rear side of the partition 42.

[0059] As shown in Figure 12, on the front lower side of the partition 42, the first connection end 43c of the first plate member 43, which is inserted into the first groove portion 45a of the partition 42, and the first connection end 44c of the second plate member 44, which is inserted into the second groove portion 45b, are arranged in a position that is approximately flush with each other (i.e., so as to be located on the same plane as each other).

[0060] Also, as shown in FIG. 14, at the upper rear side of the partition 42, the first connecting end 43c of the first plate member 43, which is inserted into the first groove portion 45a of the partition 42, and the first connecting end 44c of the second plate member 44, which is inserted into the second groove portion 45b, are arranged in a position that is approximately flush with each other (i.e., so as to be located on the same plane as each other).

[0061] By configuring the connection between the partition 42 and the first plate member 43 and the second plate member 44 as described above, the force applied from the first plate member 43 to the partition 42 and the force applied from the second plate member 44 to the partition 42 can be made to act so as to cancel each other out. This makes it possible to prevent the partition 42 from moving, such as rotating in the left-right direction, due to the forces applied from the first plate member 43 and the second plate member 44 to the partition 42, and suppress distortion of the shape of the bottom component member 40 that may occur when assembling the insulated box body 50.

[0062] Resin plates (specifically, an inner resin plate 48a and an outer resin plate 48b) for preventing leakage of the foam insulation material are attached to the connection portion between the second connection end 43d of the first plate member 43 and the second connection end 44d of the second plate member 44. The inner resin plate 48a is arranged so as to cover the inner surface (the insulation material 52 side) of the overlapping portion between the second connection end 43d and the second connection end 44d (see FIG. 5). The outer resin plate 48b is arranged so as to cover the outer surface (the outside of the storage unit) of the overlapping portion between the second connection end 43d and the second connection end 44d (see FIG. 6).

[0063] (Reinforcing members for bottom components) Next, a configuration for suppressing deformation of the bottom component 40 will be described. In the process of forming the foam insulation inside the heat-insulating box 50, for example, the bottom component 40 may be distorted in shape due to the influence of gas generated by a chemical reaction of the heat-insulating material and pressure caused by filling the foam insulation. In particular, since the partition 42 has an attachment position (first groove 45a) to the first plate member 43 and an attachment position (second groove 45b) to the second plate member 44 at different positions on the left and right, the partition 42 may move when an uneven force is applied to the partition 42. For example, when a force in the left-right direction is applied to the front upper side of the partition 42, the partition 42 may move, such as rotating, with the connection part between the first plate member 43 and the second plate member 44 shown in FIG. 12 or FIG. 14 as a fulcrum. As a result, the foam insulation may leak from a gap generated between the partition 42 and the first plate member 43 or the second plate member 44.

[0064] Therefore, in order to maintain the shape of the bottom constituent member 40, the bottom constituent member 40 is provided with reinforcing members such as a reinforcing member 65 and a second reinforcing member 66.

[0065] The reinforcing member 65 is a structure having a predetermined shape and made of a resin material such as polystyrene foam. As shown in Fig. 4, the reinforcing member 65 is disposed inside the heat insulating material 52 so as to bridge between the partition 42 and the back part 70c of the inner box 70.

[0066] The provision of this reinforcing member 65 can suppress deformation of the bottom constituent member 40. For example, the provision of the reinforcing member 65 on the surface of the partition 42 facing the insulation material 52 can suppress movement of the partition 42 when the foamed insulation material that is the material for the insulation material 52 is formed.

[0067] The reinforcing member 65 is preferably disposed above the front side of the partition 42, and is preferably disposed at a position between the lower front side of the partition 42 (i.e., the position of line BB in FIG. 11) and the upper rear side of the partition 42 (i.e., the position of line CC in FIG. 13) (preferably at a position approximately equidistant from both). This makes it possible to prevent the partition 42 from moving even if a force in the left-right direction is generated on the partition 42 when the foamed insulation material is formed in the insulation box 50. That is, the lower front side and the upper rear side of the partition 42 are prevented from moving in the left-right direction by the connection between the first plate member 43 and the second plate member 44 shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 14, and the upper front side of the partition 42 is prevented from moving in the left-right direction by the structure in which the first plate member 43 is inserted into the first groove portion 45a of the partition 42 and the reinforcing member 65. Therefore, left-right movement is prevented at least at three points within the plane of the partition 42, so that movement of the partition 42 due to a force perpendicular to the plane of the partition 42 can be reliably prevented, and leakage of the foam insulation material can be prevented.

[0068] The second reinforcing member 66 is attached to an end portion (the end portion opposite the machine room 30) of the rear portion 44b of the second plate member 44 (see FIG. 6). In this embodiment, the second reinforcing member 66 is disposed below the end portion on the left side when viewed from the rear side of the insulated box body 50 (the right side when viewed from the front side) (see FIG. 3).

[0069] Fig. 15 shows a cross-sectional configuration of a portion corresponding to the portion along line DD in Fig. 3. Although the illustration of the support member 63 is omitted in Fig. 3, Fig. 15 shows the support member 63.

[0070] The second reinforcing member 66 is formed of a plate-like member having a certain degree of rigidity, such as a metal plate. The second reinforcing member 66 has a shape in which a plate-like member is bent at a substantially right angle. The second reinforcing member 66 has a first surface portion 66a and a second surface portion 66b that is substantially perpendicular to the first surface portion 66a. The second reinforcing member 66 is not limited to the above configuration, and may have a rib shape protruding from the back surface portion 44b of the second plate member 44 to form the second surface portion 66b of the second reinforcing member 66.

[0071] The first surface portion 66a is fixed to the back surface portion 44b of the second plate member 44. The second surface portion 66b is fixed to the support member 63. By providing such a second reinforcing member 66, the support member 63 prevents the second plate member 44 from moving toward the machine chamber 30. This reliably prevents the partition 42 from moving due to the second plate member 44 being misaligned toward the machine chamber 30 when assembling the bottom component 40 or when attaching it to the outer box 60, and prevents leakage of the foamed insulation material. Note that when forming the foamed insulation material, the outer box 60 is usually covered by a foaming mold, and the second plate member 44 rarely moves in a direction away from the machine chamber 30.

[0072] In this way, by providing the reinforcing member 65 and the second reinforcing member 66, the shape of the bottom constituent member 40 as a whole can be maintained, and leakage of the foam insulating material can be prevented.

[0073] Also, the first plate member 43 may be provided with a structure for restricting movement in the left-right direction. In this case, it is preferable to provide a structure for restricting movement on the front upper side of the first plate member 43. This can reliably prevent the partition 42 from moving due to the first plate member 43 being misaligned toward the rear storage chamber 14 during assembly of the bottom component 40 or attachment to the outer box 60, and can prevent leakage of the foam insulation material. The structure for restricting movement of the first plate member 43 can be configured such that a protrusion protruding downward is provided on a component disposed above the machine chamber 30 and is engaged with a groove or hole provided in the first plate member 43. For example, a protrusion may be provided on the inner box 70 disposed above the machine chamber 30, or a drain pipe leading into the machine chamber through a hole provided in the inner box 70 may be used.

[0074] (Summary of the first embodiment) As described above, the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment includes the insulated box body 50, the machine room 30 provided on the back side of the insulated box body 50, and a storage space (specifically, the rear storage room 14 in the freezer compartment) located adjacent to the machine room 30 in the left-right direction. A heat insulating material 52 and a partition 42 are provided between the machine room 30 and the storage space.

[0075] In a conventional general refrigerator, the machine compartment is provided over the entire area in the left-right direction on the rear side of the insulated box body. In contrast, in the refrigerator 1 according to the present embodiment, a storage space is provided next to the machine compartment 30 in the left-right direction on the rear side of the insulated box body 50. Specifically, a rear storage compartment 14 is provided behind the right storage compartment 13b in the freezer compartment.

[0076] In this way, in the refrigerator 1 according to the present embodiment, the space that has conventionally been used as a machine room is utilized as a storage space, thereby enabling the internal volume of the refrigerator 1 to be increased.

[0077] In addition, a partition 42, a heat insulating material 52, and the like are disposed between the machine room 30 and the rear storage room 14. This makes it possible to improve the thermal insulation between the machine room 30 and the rear storage room 14.

[0078] In this embodiment, the outer shape of the lower part on the back side of the insulated box 50 in which the machine room 30, the rear storage room 14, etc. are arranged is formed by a bottom component member 40. The bottom component member 40 is mainly composed of a partition 42, a first plate member 43, and a second plate member 44. The first plate member 43 is connected to the partition 42 and forms the front part of the machine room 30. The second plate member 44 is connected to the partition 42 and the first plate member 43 and forms the back part of the insulated box 50.

[0079] In this way, by combining a plurality of members to form the bottom component 40, it is possible to form an asymmetric shape, for example, as shown in Fig. 6. Therefore, it is relatively easy to form the outer shape of the insulated box 50 in which the machine chamber 30 and the storage space (for example, the rear storage chamber 14) are arranged adjacent to each other on the left and right sides on the rear side.

[0080] <Second embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the above-mentioned first embodiment, the main body portion of the partition 42 is formed of a partition body 45 made of resin. In contrast, in the second embodiment, the partition 42 is formed of a metal material. This makes it possible to increase the rigidity of the partition 42. The shape of the partition 42 can be the same as that of the partition body 45 of the first embodiment.

[0081] In this embodiment, metal plates such as the metal plate 46, the first auxiliary plate 47a, and the second auxiliary plate 47b may not be provided.

[0082] Furthermore, in the case of the partition 42 made of metal as in this embodiment, the connection parts with the plate members 43 and 44, such as the first groove part 45a and the second groove part 45b, may be formed of a material separate from the main body part of the partition 42. When the connection parts are separate from the main body part of the partition 42, it is preferable that the connection parts are formed of a material that is easier to mold, such as resin.

[0083] As for the configuration other than the above, the same configuration as in the first embodiment can be applied.

[0084] <Third embodiment> Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment described above, the partition 42 is provided with the first groove 45a and the second groove 45b as a configuration for connecting the partition 42 to the first plate member 43 and the second plate member 44.

[0085] In contrast to this, in the third embodiment, the first groove portion 45a is provided in the first plate member 43, and the second groove portion 45b is provided in the second plate member 44. Then, the end portion of the partition 42 on the machine chamber 30 side is inserted into the first groove portion 45a of the first plate member 43. Also, the end portion of the partition 42 on the heat insulating material 52 side is inserted into the second groove portion 45b of the second plate member 44.

[0086] As for the configuration other than the above, the same configuration as in the first embodiment can be applied.

[0087] (summary) A refrigerator (e.g., refrigerator 1) according to one aspect of the present invention includes an insulated box (e.g., insulated box 50), a machine room (e.g., machine room 30) provided on the rear side of the insulated box, and a storage space (e.g., rear storage room 14) located adjacent to the machine room in the left-right direction. A heat insulating material (e.g., heat insulating material 52) and a partition (e.g., partition 42) are provided between the machine room and the storage space.

[0088] In a refrigerator (e.g., refrigerator 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, a first plate member (e.g., first plate member 43) connected to the partition (e.g., partition 42) and forming a front portion of the machine chamber (e.g., machine chamber 30) and a second plate member (e.g., second plate member 44) connected to the partition and the first plate member and forming a rear portion of the insulated box may be provided on the rear side of the insulated box (e.g., insulated box 50).

[0089] In a refrigerator (e.g., refrigerator 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, the partition (e.g., partition 42) may be provided with a first groove portion (e.g., first groove portion 45a) into which an end portion (e.g., first connecting end portion 43c) of the first plate member (e.g., first plate member 43) is inserted, and a second groove portion (e.g., second groove portion 45b) into which an end portion (e.g., first connecting end portion 44c) of the second plate member (e.g., second plate member 44) is inserted.

[0090] In a refrigerator (e.g., refrigerator 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, an end (e.g., first connecting end 43c) of the first plate member (e.g., first plate member 43) inserted into the first groove portion (e.g., first groove portion 45a) and an end (e.g., first connecting end 44c) of the second plate member (e.g., second plate member 44) inserted into the second groove portion (e.g., second groove portion 45b) may be arranged at a position that is approximately flush with each other.

[0091] In a refrigerator (e.g., refrigerator 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, a reinforcing member (e.g., reinforcing member 65) for suppressing misalignment of the partition may be provided inside the insulation material (e.g., insulation material 52) adjacent to the partition (e.g., partition 42).

[0092] In a refrigerator (e.g., refrigerator 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, a second reinforcing member (e.g., second reinforcing member 66) that suppresses misalignment of the second plate member may be provided at an end of the second plate member (e.g., second plate member 44) on the storage space side in the left-right direction.

[0093] In a refrigerator (e.g., refrigerator 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, the partition (e.g., partition 42) may have a resin member (e.g., partition main body 45) and a metal plate (e.g., metal plate 46, first auxiliary plate 47a, and second auxiliary plate 47b, etc.).

[0094] In the refrigerator (e.g., refrigerator 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, the partition (e.g., partition 42) may be fixed to a rear portion (e.g., lower end portion 61 of rear portion 60c) of the insulated box (e.g., insulated box 50).

[0095] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. In addition, configurations obtained by combining the configurations of the different embodiments described in this specification are also included in the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 1: Refrigerator 30: Machine room 31: Compressor 40: Bottom component 41: Bottom plate 42: Partition 43:First plate member 43c: First connection end (of first plate member) 44:Second plate member 44c: (second plate member) first connection end 45: Partition body (plastic material) 45a: First groove 45b: Second groove portion 46: Metal plate 47a: First auxiliary plate (metal plate) 47b: 2 auxiliary plates 47b (metal plates) 50: Insulated box 52: Insulation material 65: Reinforcement member 66: Second reinforcing member

Claims

1. A heat-insulating box; A machine room provided on a rear side of the insulating box; A storage space located next to the machine room in the left and right direction; Equipped with A heat insulating material and a partition are provided between the machine room and the storage space, On the rear side of the heat-insulating box, a first plate member connected to the partition and forming a front portion of the machine room; A second plate member connected to the partition and forming a back surface portion of the heat-insulating box body on the storage space side, It is provided, the partition is provided with a first groove into which an end of the first plate member is inserted and a second groove into which an end of the second plate member is inserted, At least a portion of the first groove portion and at least a portion of the second groove portion are provided at different positions on the left and right sides, A reinforcing member is provided between the partition and a wall that faces the partition among the walls that configure the storage space. refrigerator.

2. A front end of the first plate member inserted into the first groove portion, and a front end of the second plate member inserted into the second groove portion, a rear end of the first plate member inserted into the first groove, and a rear end of the second plate member inserted into the second groove; At least one pair of the above is disposed in a substantially flush position.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1.

3. A second reinforcing member is provided at the end of the second plate member on the storage space side in the left-right direction to suppress misalignment of the second plate member.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The partition has a resin member and a metal plate. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A refrigerator described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the partition is fixed to the rear portion of the insulated box body.

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