refrigerator

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator which can humidify an interior of a storage container of a vegetable room because a conventional refrigerator is designed to prevent moisture in a vegetable case from being released when the refrigerator is in a low humidity state and cannot humidify in the low humidity state.SOLUTION: A refrigerator includes: a vegetable room; a storage container provided in the vegetable room; and a humidification unit provided at the storage container. The humidification unit absorbs moisture contents occurring due to dew condensation in the storage container and discharges the moisture contents to an interior of the storage container. Thus, the interior of the storage container can be humidified.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator equipped with a humidification unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a refrigerator that discharges moisture in the vegetable case to the outside when the humidity level is high, and prevents moisture from escaping from the vegetable case when the humidity level is low. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-800 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The refrigerator in Patent Document 1 is designed to prevent moisture from escaping from the vegetable case when the humidity level becomes low, but cannot humidify the container in a low humidity state.

[0005] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a refrigerator that can humidify the inside of a vegetable compartment storage container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The refrigerator according to the present disclosure includes a storage chamber, a storage container provided in the storage chamber, and a humidifying unit provided in the storage container and having an absorption section and a release section. A cooling fan is installed in the storage room and discharges cold air. Outlet and The humidification unit is provided with a storage container and is configured to condense moisture generated inside the storage container. Suck Absorbed in the collection area , suck Absorbed in the collection area Water minutes Released Move to the exit ,water minutes Collect Released into the container The humidification unit releases moisture by allowing cold air to flow through it. The present invention is characterized by the above. Effect of the Invention

[0007] The refrigerator according to the present disclosure can absorb moisture generated by condensation inside the storage container and release the moisture into the storage container, thereby making it possible to humidify the inside of the storage container. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a vegetable compartment of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a vegetable compartment of a refrigerator according to a second embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a vegetable compartment of a refrigerator according to a third embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a vegetable compartment of a refrigerator according to a fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] (The knowledge and other information that formed the basis of this disclosure) At the time the inventors came up with the idea of ​​this disclosure, there was a technology available that could maintain a high humidity state while preventing water spoilage due to condensation even when vegetables and fruits were stored in a vegetable case.This involved installing a moisture-sensing and moisture-permeable device in the vegetable case, which would expel moisture from the vegetable case to the outside when the humidity level became high, and would prevent moisture from escaping when the humidity level became low.

[0010] When there are many vegetables and the inside of the storage container is in a high humidity state, releasing moisture to the outside is useful because it reduces the risk of water spoilage due to condensation. When the inside of the container is in a low humidity state, it is not possible to increase the humidity, and as a result, vegetables and the like dry out, resulting in a problem of low quality.The inventors discovered this problem, and came to form the subject of the present disclosure in order to solve this problem.

[0011] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a refrigerator that maintains a high humidity state inside the storage container while suppressing the risk of water spoilage due to condensation.

[0012] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or duplicate explanation of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming more redundant than necessary and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0013] It should be noted that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0014] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0015] [1-1. Configuration] In Figures 1 and 2, the insulated box 2 of the refrigerator 1 is composed of an outer box 3 mainly made of steel plate, an inner box 4 molded from a resin such as ABS, and a foam insulation material such as rigid foamed urethane that is filled and foamed in the space between the outer box 3 and the inner box 4, and is insulated from the surroundings and divided into multiple storage compartments.

[0016] The refrigerator 1 includes a refrigerator compartment 5, a switchable compartment 6, an ice-making compartment 7, a vegetable compartment 8, and a freezer compartment 9.

[0017] At the top, refrigerator compartment 5 is provided as the first storage compartment. Below refrigerator compartment 5, switchable compartment 6 as the fourth storage compartment and ice-making compartment 7 as the fifth storage compartment are provided side by side on the left and right. Below switchable compartment 6 and ice-making compartment 7, vegetable compartment 8 as the second storage compartment is provided. And at the bottom, freezer compartment 9 as the third storage compartment is arranged.

[0018] The refrigerator compartment 5 is normally set at 1°C to 5°C as the lower limit of the temperature at which food does not freeze for refrigerated storage, and the vegetable compartment 8 is set at 2°C to 7°C, which is equal to or slightly higher than that of the refrigerator compartment 5. The freezer compartment 9 is set in the freezing temperature range, and is normally set at -22°C to -15°C for frozen storage, but may be set at a lower temperature, such as -30°C or -25°C, to improve the frozen storage condition. The switchable compartment 6 can be switched to a preset temperature range between the refrigerator temperature range and the freezing temperature range, in addition to the refrigerator temperature range set at 1°C to 5°C, the vegetable temperature range set at 2°C to 7°C, and the freezer temperature range normally set at -22°C to -15°C. The switchable compartment 6 is a storage compartment with an independent door arranged next to the ice making compartment 7, and is often equipped with a drawer-type door.

[0019] In this embodiment, the switchable compartment 6 is a storage compartment including both refrigeration and freezing temperature zones, but it may be a storage compartment specialized in switching only between the above-mentioned temperature zones between refrigeration and freezing, with refrigeration left to the refrigerator compartment 5 and vegetable compartment 8, and freezing left to the freezer compartment 9. It may also be a storage compartment fixed to a specific temperature zone.

[0020] The top surface of the heat-insulating box 2 is recessed in a stepped shape toward the back of the refrigerator 1, and this stepped recess forms a machine room 2a in which the high-pressure side components of the refrigeration cycle, such as the compressor 10 and a dryer (not shown) that removes moisture, are housed. The machine compartment 2a to be provided will be formed so as to be embedded into the uppermost rear region within the refrigerating compartment 5.

[0021] The matters relating to the main parts of the invention described below in this embodiment may be applied to a conventional refrigerator type in which a machine room is provided in the rear area of ​​the storage room at the bottom of the insulated box body 2 and compressor 10 is arranged therein. Also, refrigerator 1 may have a so-called mid-freezer configuration in which freezer room 9 and vegetable room 8 are swapped.

[0022] Next, a cooling chamber 11 that generates cold air is provided on the rear side of the vegetable chamber 8 and the freezer chamber 9. Between the vegetable chamber 8 and the cooling chamber 11 or between the freezer chamber 9 and the cooling chamber 11, there are provided air passages (not shown) that have thermal insulation properties and transport cold air to each chamber, and a rear partition wall 12 that is configured to provide a thermally insulating partition between each chamber.

[0023] A cooler 13 is disposed in the cooling chamber 11. A cooling fan 14 is disposed in the space above the cooler 13, which uses a forced convection system to blow the cold air cooled by the cooler 13 to the refrigerator chamber 5, the switch chamber 6, the ice-making chamber 7, the vegetable chamber 8, and the freezer chamber 9. A radiant heater 15 made of a glass tube is disposed in the space below the cooler 13 to remove frost and ice that adheres to the cooler 13 and its surroundings during cooling. Further below the radiant heater 15 are a drain pan 16 for receiving defrost water generated during defrosting, a drain tube 17 that penetrates from its deepest part to the outside of the chamber, and an evaporator dish 18 is disposed downstream of the drain pan 16 outside the chamber.

[0024] In the vegetable compartment 8, a lower storage container 20 placed on a frame attached to a drawer door 19 of the vegetable compartment 8, and an upper storage container 21 placed on the lower storage container 20 are arranged.

[0025] Between the upper storage container 21 and the first partition wall 22a, there is provided an air passage for the cool air discharged from the outlet 23 for the vegetable room 8 formed in the rear partition wall 12. A vegetable room heater 24 is disposed near the outlet 23 for the purpose of adjusting the temperature in the vegetable room 8.

[0026] Furthermore, a space is provided between the lower storage container 20 and the second partition wall 22b below the lower storage container 20 to form a cold air passage. The vegetable compartment 8 is provided with an intake port 25 for the vegetable compartment 8 through which the cold air that has cooled the vegetable compartment 8 and exchanged heat returns to the cooler 13. A temperature sensor 26 is provided near the intake port 25.

[0027] 2, the humidification unit 28 includes an absorption section 29, a release section 30, and a transport section 31. The humidification unit 28 is configured integrally with the absorption section 29, the release section 30, and the transport section 31. The humidification unit 28 is provided on the inside of a wall surface that defines the lower storage container 20. For example, the humidification unit 28 is provided on a wall surface of the inner wall surface of the lower storage container 20 onto which the cool air discharged from the discharge port 23 is blown.

[0028] The absorbing section 29 has a role of absorbing and storing moisture generated by condensation inside the lower storage container 20. The lower side of the back surface inside the lower storage container 20 is cooled by the cold air discharged from the discharge port 23 to a temperature lower than the dew point temperature of the air inside the lower storage container 20, making it prone to condensation. The absorbing section 29 is provided on the lower side of the back surface inside the lower storage container 20 so as to absorb the moisture generated by this condensation. The absorbing section 29 is made of a fiber material such as nonwoven fabric, for example, to easily absorb the moisture generated by condensation, and has a large surface area.

[0029] The discharge section 30 serves to discharge the absorbed moisture into the inside of the lower storage container 20. The upper side of the back surface of the inside of the lower storage container 20 is where the dry cool air discharged from the discharge port 23 flows upward. The moisture is introduced through the gap between the upper storage container 21 and the lower storage container 20. Therefore, the atmosphere surrounding the upper side of the interior back surface of the lower storage container 20 has a lower humidity than the atmosphere surrounding the absorption section 29 and the conveying section 31. To be able to release the absorbed moisture, the release section 30 is provided on the upper side of the interior back surface of the lower storage container 20. In addition, the release section 30 is made of a fibrous material such as a nonwoven fabric to facilitate release of moisture, and has a large surface area.

[0030] The transport section 31 has a role of transferring the moisture absorbed and stored in the absorption section 29 to the release section 30 by capillary force. Here, capillary force is the force that generates the capillary phenomenon. The transport section 31 is provided at a position that connects the absorption section 29 and the release section 30. The transport section 31 is made of a fibrous material such as a nonwoven fabric.

[0031] [1-2. Operation] The operation and function of the refrigerator 1 configured as above will be described below.

[0032] Based on FIG. 2, the operation of humidification unit 28 of refrigerator 1 to absorb, move, and release moisture generated by condensation will be described. First, the operation of the refrigeration cycle will be described. The refrigeration cycle operates in response to a signal from a control board (not shown) according to the set temperature inside the refrigerator, and cooling operation is performed. The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged by the operation of compressor 10 is condensed and liquefied to some extent in a condenser (not shown). The refrigerant is further condensed and liquefied while preventing condensation in refrigerator 1 through refrigerant piping (not shown) arranged on the side and rear surface of refrigerator 1 and at the front opening of refrigerator 1, and reaches a capillary tube (not shown). After that, in the capillary tube, the refrigerant is decompressed while exchanging heat with a suction pipe (not shown) to compressor 10, and becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant and reaches cooler 13.

[0033] Here, the low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant exchanges heat with the air in each storage compartment transported by the operation of the cooling fan 14, and the refrigerant in the cooler 13 evaporates. At this time, cold air for cooling each storage compartment is generated in the cooling chamber 11.

[0034] The low-temperature cold air generated in the cooling compartment 11 is diverted from the cooling fan 14 to the refrigerator compartment 5, the switch compartment 6, the ice-making compartment 7, the vegetable compartment 8, and the freezer compartment 9 using air ducts and cooling dampers 27, and is adjusted by the cooling dampers 27 so as to cool each compartment to its respective target temperature range.

[0035] The air cooled to -20°C or lower by the cooler 13 rises in temperature to 2 to 7°C on average in the vegetable compartment 8. Therefore, the air outside the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21 in the vegetable compartment 8 is dry with an average relative humidity of about 15 to 29% RH. On the other hand, the vegetables in the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21 are physiologically active and continue to evaporate moisture even during storage, so the air in the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21 becomes more humid. Through the gap between the first partition wall 22a and the upper storage container 21 and the gap between the upper storage container 21 and the lower storage container 20, the dry air around the periphery of the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21 is replaced by the high humidity air inside the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21. Therefore, part of the moisture is discharged from the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21.

[0036] If the humidity inside the lower storage container 20 becomes too high, condensation will occur, and if the moisture produced by the condensation comes into contact with vegetables, etc., there is a risk that the vegetables will spoil. On the other hand, if the humidity inside the lower storage container 20 becomes too low, there is a risk that the evaporation of the vegetables will be promoted, causing the vegetables to wilt. Taking into consideration the balance between these two risks, a storage humidity of 90 to 95% RH is considered to be appropriate for most vegetables. In this embodiment, a humidifying unit 28 is installed to absorb and store moisture produced by condensation in the lower storage container 20, thereby reducing the risk of water spoilage. In addition, when the inside of the lower storage container 20 becomes low-humidity, the absorbed and stored moisture is released into the inside of the lower storage container 20. Therefore, the inside of the lower storage container 20 is kept in a high-humidity state while reducing the risk of water spoilage due to condensation. Can be controlled.

[0037] In FIG. 2, the humidification unit 28 absorbs moisture generated by condensation in the lower storage container 20 in the absorption section 29, transfers the absorbed moisture in the transfer section 31, and releases the transferred moisture in the release section 30.

[0038] Next, an operation will be described in which moisture generated by condensation is absorbed and stored in absorption section 29 using humidification unit 28, the absorbed moisture is moved to release section 30 by transport section 31, and the moved moisture is released by release section 30. When vegetables are placed in lower storage container 20, the vegetables release moisture over time. If any of the surfaces that divide lower storage container 20 at this time is below the dew point temperature, condensation will occur on that surface.

[0039] The surface on which condensation occurs may vary slightly depending on the design position of the vegetable compartment 8 and the operating conditions of the refrigerator, but in this case, condensation basically occurs on part of the back surface of lower storage container 20, which is relatively cold as a result of the cold air discharged from discharge port 23 being blown thereon. The upper side of lower storage container 20, where the density of vegetables is low, is also affected by the intrusion of dry cold air discharged from discharge port 23 and becomes in a low humidity state. Therefore, the lower side of lower storage container 20, where the density of vegetables is high, is relatively more humid than the upper side of lower storage container 20, so condensation is expected to occur on the lower side of the back surface of lower storage container 20.

[0040] At this time, by installing the absorption section 29 of the humidification unit 28 in the part where condensation occurs, it is possible to absorb and store the moisture generated by condensation in the lower storage container 20. The moisture absorbed and stored in the absorption section 29 is moved by the conveying section 31 to the release section 30 provided on the upper side of the back surface of the lower storage container 20. Compared to the absorption section 29 and the conveying section 31, the surroundings of the release section 30 are convected with low humidity air due to the intrusion of dry cold air discharged from the discharge port 23. Therefore, the moisture that has moved to the release section 30 is discharged from the humidification unit 28 here. In particular, the humidity difference between the air in the lower storage container 20 and the atmosphere around the release section 30 increases as the number of vegetables in the lower storage container 20 decreases. Therefore, the release of moisture becomes more active, and as a result, the lower storage container 20 can maintain a high humidity state regardless of the number of vegetables.

[0041] [1-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, in this embodiment, the refrigerator 1 includes the vegetable compartment 8, the lower storage container 20, the upper storage container 21, and the humidifying unit 28. The humidifying unit 28 is integrally configured with the absorbing section 29, the conveying section 31, and the discharging section 30. When there are many vegetables in the lower storage container 20 and the humidity level is high, the absorbing section 29 first absorbs and stores the moisture generated by condensation on the lower side of the inner back surface of the lower storage container 20. Next, the moisture absorbed by the conveying section 31 moves to the discharging section by utilizing capillary force. Finally, when the humidity level inside the lower storage container 20 is low, the discharging section 30 discharges the moisture into the lower storage container 20.

[0042] As a result, when the inside of the lower storage container 20 becomes low humidity due to the intrusion of dry cold air or a decrease in the amount of vegetables, moisture is supplied from the humidification unit 28 to the inside of the lower storage container 20. Therefore, the lower storage container 20 can maintain a high humidity state whether there are a lot of vegetables or not. In addition, the risk of water spoilage of vegetables due to condensation can be reduced.

[0043] In order to maintain the freshness of vegetables, it is necessary to increase the airtightness of the storage containers. If the gap between the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21 is reduced in order to increase the airtightness of the storage containers, the exchange of dry, cool air outside the lower storage container 20 with the high humidity air inside the lower storage container 20 will be reduced. As a result, condensation is more likely to occur inside the lower storage container 20. In response to this, the humidifying unit 28 can absorb the moisture generated by condensation inside the lower storage container, and therefore ... inside the lower storage container and the high humidity air inside the lower storage container 20. It is possible to further reduce the gap between the container 20 and the upper storage container 21. Therefore, it is possible to increase the airtightness of the storage container in the vegetable room 8 more than ever before, and it is possible to further increase the humidity inside the lower storage container 20.

[0044] In the present embodiment, the lower storage container 20 has been described as an example of a location where the humidifying unit 28 is installed, but the location where the humidifying unit 28 is installed is not limited to the lower storage container 20. As another example, the humidifying unit 28 may be installed in the upper storage container 21, for example.

[0045] This allows moisture generated by condensation inside upper storage container 21 to be absorbed by absorption section 29 and released into upper storage container 21 by release section 30. As a result, the inside of upper storage container 21 is maintained in a high humidity state, reducing the risk of water spoilage due to condensation.

[0046] (Embodiment 2) The second embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0047] [2-1. Configuration] Refrigerator 1 according to the second embodiment differs from refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment at least in that humidification unit 28 is installed on the wall surface of the bottom surface of upper storage container 21 facing lower storage container 20. As in the first embodiment, humidification unit 28 is composed of absorption section 29, release section 30, and conveying section 31. In the present embodiment, humidification unit 28 is provided on the wall surface of the bottom surface of upper storage container 21 facing lower storage container 20, and is composed of absorption section 29, conveying section 31, and release section 30 arranged in this order from the back side of upper storage container 21.

[0048] The absorbing section 29 is provided on a wall surface that is cooled by the cold air entering the lower storage container 20 and has a temperature below the dew point.

[0049] In addition, the discharge section 30 is provided on the front side of the upper storage container 21, on a wall surface which is heated by the outside air that enters the vegetable compartment 8 when the drawer door 19 is opened, and which is in a lower humidity state than the absorption section 29 and the conveying section 31.

[0050] The transport section 31 is provided to connect the absorption section 29 and the release section 30 .

[0051] [2-2. Operation] In this embodiment, the operations of the parts other than the operation of the humidification unit 28 are similar to those of the first embodiment.

[0052] The operation of the humidification unit 28 in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0053] The absorbing section 29 is provided on a wall surface that is cooled by the cold air entering the lower storage container 20 and has a temperature below the dew point, so that if there are vegetables in the upper storage container 21, condensation occurs and the absorbing section 29 absorbs the moisture generated by the condensation.

[0054] When moisture is absorbed in the absorbing section 29, the transport section 31 moves the moisture to the releasing section 30 by capillary force.

[0055] The release section 30 is provided on the wall surface at the front side of the upper storage container 21, which is heated by the outside air that enters the vegetable compartment 8 when the drawer door 19 is opened, and is in a lower humidity state than the absorption section 29 and the conveying section 31. Therefore, if there is moisture in the release section 30, the release section 30 releases the moisture into the air by diffusion due to the humidity difference.

[0056] In this embodiment, dry cool air passes between the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21, so that convection occurs around the release section 30, accelerating the release of moisture.

[0057] [2-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, in the present embodiment, the refrigerator 1 has the humidification unit 28 installed on the wall surface of the bottom of the upper storage container 21, on the lower storage container 20 side.

[0058] This makes it possible to enhance the discharging effect of the discharging section 30 even in a situation where condensation occurs on the wall surface of the lower storage container 20 side at the bottom surface of the upper storage container 21. This makes it possible to reduce the risk of vegetables spoiling due to moisture generated by condensation on the wall surface dropping into the lower storage container 20, and also makes it possible to maintain high humidity inside the lower storage container 20.

[0059] In addition, since the portion where the humidifying unit 28 is installed is unlikely to be touched by a user's hands when removing vegetables, etc. from the lower storage container 20, it is easier to prevent the humidifying unit 28 from being damaged or soiled.

[0060] (Embodiment 3) Hereinafter, the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0061] [3-1. Configuration] The refrigerator 1 according to the third embodiment differs from the refrigerator 1 according to the first and second embodiments in that at least in the humidifying unit 28, the absorbing section 29 is provided on the bottom surface of the lower storage container 20, the discharging section 30 is provided on the upper side of the front inside the lower storage container 20, and they are connected by a conveying section 31. The humidifying unit 28 is composed of the absorbing section 29, the discharging section 30, and the conveying section 31, similarly to the first embodiment.

[0062] In this embodiment, the absorption section 29 is provided on the bottom surface of the lower storage container 20, on a wall surface that is cooled by heat transfer from other rooms and by cold air flowing outside the lower storage container 20, including between the lower storage container 20 and the second partition wall 22b, and whose temperature becomes below the dew point temperature.

[0063] In addition, the discharge section 30 is provided on the front side of the interior of the lower storage container 20, on a wall surface that is heated by the outside air that enters the vegetable compartment 8 when the drawer door 19 is opened, and is in a lower humidity state than the absorption section 29 and the conveying section 31.

[0064] The transport section 31 is provided to connect the absorption section 29 and the release section 30 .

[0065] [3-2. Operation] In this embodiment, the operations of the parts other than the operation of the humidification unit 28 are similar to those of the first embodiment.

[0066] The operation of the humidification unit 28 in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0067] The absorbing section 29 is provided on a wall surface that is cooled by the influence of heat absorption from the freezer compartment 9 located below the vegetable compartment 8 and by cold air flowing outside the lower storage container 20 including between the lower storage container 20 and the second partition wall 22b, and has a temperature below the dew point. Therefore, if there are vegetables in the lower storage container 20, condensation will occur, and the absorbing section 29 will absorb and store the moisture generated by the condensation.

[0068] When moisture is absorbed in the absorbing section 29, the transport section 31 transports the absorbed moisture to the releasing section 30 by capillary force.

[0069] The release section 30 is provided on the wall surface of the lower storage container 20 at the front side of the interior of the lower storage container 20, which is heated by the outside air that enters the vegetable compartment 8 when the drawer door 19 is opened, and is in a lower humidity state than the absorption section 29 and the conveying section 31. Therefore, if there is moisture in the release section 30, the release section 30 releases the moisture into the air by diffusion due to the humidity difference.

[0070] In this embodiment, dry, cool air passes between the lower storage container 20 and the upper storage container 21, so that convection occurs around the release portion 30, accelerating the release of moisture.

[0071] [3-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, in the present embodiment, the refrigerator 1 has the absorbing section 29 of the humidifying unit 28 disposed near the rear surface of the bottom surface of the lower storage container 20, and the discharging section 30 disposed on the front side inside the lower storage container 20.

[0072] As a result, even if condensation occurs on a surface other than the bottom surface of the lower storage container 20, such as the back surface, the absorbing section 29 can absorb and store the moisture generated by the condensation running down the back surface. This can reduce the risk of vegetables spoiling due to condensation on the back surface. At the same time, the inside of the lower storage container 20 can be kept at a high humidity.

[0073] In the present embodiment, the lower storage container 20 has been described as the location where the humidifying unit 28 is installed, but the location where the humidifying unit 28 is installed is not limited to the lower storage container 20. As another example, the humidifying unit 28 may be installed in the upper storage container 21, for example.

[0074] This allows moisture generated by condensation inside upper storage container 21 to be absorbed by absorption section 29 and released into upper storage container 21 by release section 30. As a result, the inside of upper storage container 21 is maintained in a high humidity state, reducing the risk of water spoilage due to condensation.

[0075] (Embodiment 4) Hereinafter, the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0076] [4-1. Configuration] The refrigerator 1 according to the fourth embodiment differs from the refrigerator 1 according to the first to third embodiments in that the refrigerator 1 according to the fourth embodiment has a lid 32 for the purpose of suppressing at least the intrusion of cold air into the storage container 33, and that the humidifying unit 28 is provided on the wall surface of the lid 32 on the storage container 33 side. The humidifying unit 28 is composed of an absorbing section 29, a releasing section 30, and a conveying section 31, similar to the first embodiment.

[0077] In this embodiment, the absorption section 29 is provided on the wall surface of the lid 32 facing the storage container 33, which is cooled by the influence of heat absorption from the switchable chamber 6 and the ice-making chamber 7 above the vegetable chamber 8 and by the cold air flowing outside the storage container 33, and which becomes below the dew point temperature.

[0078] In addition, the discharge section 30 is provided on the wall surface on the front side of the lid 32, facing the storage container 33, which is heated by the outside air that enters the vegetable compartment 8 when the drawer door 19 is opened, and which has a lower humidity level than the absorption section 29 and the conveying section 31.

[0079] The transport section 31 is provided to connect the absorption section 29 and the release section 30 .

[0080] [4-2. Operation] In this embodiment, the operations of the parts other than the operation of the humidification unit 28 are similar to those of the first embodiment.

[0081] The operation of the humidification unit 28 in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0082] Absorption section 29 is provided on the wall surface of lid 32 facing storage container 33, which is cooled by the influence of heat absorption from switchable compartment 6 and ice-making compartment 7 located above vegetable compartment 8 and by cold air flowing outside storage container 33 and has a temperature below the dew point. Therefore, if there are vegetables in storage container 33, condensation will occur, and absorption section 29 will absorb and store the moisture generated by the condensation.

[0083] When moisture is absorbed in the absorbing section 29, the transport section 31 transports the absorbed moisture to the releasing section by capillary force.

[0084] The release section 30 is provided on the wall surface on the front side of the lid 32, facing the storage container 33, which is heated by the outside air that enters the vegetable compartment 8 when the drawer door 19 is opened, and is in a lower humidity state than the absorption section 29 and the conveying section 31. Therefore, if there is moisture in the release section 30, the release section 30 releases the moisture into the air by diffusion due to the difference in humidity. The side surface on the front side of the lid 32 facing the storage container 33 is generally near the vent through which air escapes to the outside of the storage container 33, and convection of dry air occurs around the periphery. This improves the ability to release moisture from the release section 30.

[0085] [4-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, in the present embodiment, the absorbing section 29 of the humidifying unit 28 of the refrigerator 1 is provided on the wall surface of the lid 32 facing the storage container 33, and the discharging section 30 is provided on the wall surface of the front side of the lid 32 facing the storage container 33.

[0086] As a result, even if condensation occurs inside the lid 32, the moisture generated by the condensation can be absorbed and stored in the absorption section 29, and the moisture can be released to the low humidity section by the release section 30. This reduces the risk of moisture generated by condensation from the lid 32 dropping onto the stored vegetables. Furthermore, the risk of water spoilage of the vegetables due to condensation can be reduced, and the inside of the storage container 33 can be maintained at a high humidity level.

[0087] In this embodiment, the discharge section 30 is provided on the wall surface of the storage container 33 on the front side of the lid 32. This section generally serves as a passage for cool air passing through the storage container 33, and the surrounding air undergoes convection. Providing the discharge section 30 in this section can increase the discharge capacity. This allows the size of the discharge section 30 to be reduced, leading to cost reduction.

[0088] (Other embodiments) As described above, the first to fourth embodiments have been described as examples of the technology disclosed in the present application. However, the technology in the present disclosure is not limited to these, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. In addition, it is also possible to combine the components described in the first to fourth embodiments to create new embodiments.

[0089] Therefore, other embodiments will be exemplified below.

[0090] In the first to fourth embodiments, the vegetable compartment has been described as an example of a location where the humidifying unit 28 is installed, but the location where the humidifying unit 28 is installed is not limited to the vegetable compartment. As another example, the humidifying unit 28 may be installed in another storage compartment such as a refrigerator compartment or a freezer compartment. Also, not only vegetables but also fruits and rice may be stored in the vegetable compartment.

[0091] In the first to fourth embodiments, a fibrous material such as a nonwoven fabric has been described as an example of a material constituting the absorbent part 29. The absorbent part 29 may be any porous material capable of absorbing a large amount of moisture generated by condensation. Therefore, the absorbent part 29 is not limited to a fibrous material such as a nonwoven fabric. By forming the absorbent part 29 from a porous material, the surface area becomes large and a large amount of moisture can be absorbed and stored.

[0092] This allows the device to absorb the large amount of moisture that is expected to occur when there are a lot of vegetables, and can effectively suppress the risk of condensation. Furthermore, when there are only a few vegetables, this also leads to an increase in the amount of moisture released by the release unit 30, making it easier to respond to fluctuations in the amount of vegetables. This extends the time that the inside of the storage container can be kept in a high humidity state, allowing the vegetables to stay fresh for a longer period of time.

[0093] The absorbing section 29 may also be configured with grooves. This allows the absorbing section 29 to retain moisture generated by condensation between the grooves. Also, since the moisture generated by condensation can be absorbed and stored simply by providing grooves on the wall surface of the storage container, there is no need to install new members, and costs can be reduced.

[0094] In the first to fourth embodiments, a fibrous material such as a nonwoven fabric has been described as an example of a material constituting the transport section 31. The transport section 31 may be a porous body capable of transporting the moisture absorbed in the absorption section 29 to the release section 30 by capillary force. Therefore, the transport section 31 is not limited to a fibrous material such as a nonwoven fabric. By making the transport section 31 a porous body, a large amount of moisture absorbed in the absorption section 29 can be moved to the release section 30 by the capillary force of the porous body.

[0095] Therefore, even in the case where condensation occurs continuously, it is possible to continuously move the moisture absorbed by the absorbing part 29. This improves the absorption performance of the absorbing part 29, and reduces the risk of condensation inside the storage container.

[0096] Furthermore, the material constituting the transport section 31 may be anisotropic in the direction in which moisture moves from the absorption section 29 to the release section 30. By making the transport section 31 out of an anisotropic material, moisture moving within the transport section 31 flows with a certain directionality, and the moisture can be quickly transported to the release section 30, which is the intended destination.

[0097] Therefore, even if the amount of water absorbed by the absorbing section 29 becomes excessive, the water can be quickly transported to the releasing section 30. This improves the storage capacity of the absorbing section 29, and reduces the risk of water generated by condensation dropping into the storage container when the amount of vegetables increases or decreases.

[0098] Furthermore, the transport section 31 may be configured with a groove. This allows the moisture absorbed by the absorbing section 29 to be moved by the capillary force of the groove. Also, since moisture can be moved simply by providing a groove on the wall surface of the storage container, there is no need to install new members, and costs can be reduced.

[0099] In the first to fourth embodiments, a fiber material such as a nonwoven fabric has been described as an example of a material constituting the release section 30. The release section 30 may be a porous body capable of releasing a larger amount of moisture generated by condensation. Therefore, the release section 30 is not limited to a fiber material such as a nonwoven fabric. By forming the release section 30 from a porous body, the surface area becomes larger and a larger amount of moisture can be released.

[0100] Therefore, when the amount of vegetables changes or the humidity inside the storage container decreases due to the inflow of dry cold air, it is possible to release a large amount of moisture in a short time. This makes it possible to prevent the vegetables in the storage container from drying out and to maintain their freshness.

[0101] In the second to fourth embodiments, as an example of a location where the release unit 30 is installed, the absorption unit 29 and the vegetable compartment 8 are heated by the influence of the outside air that enters the vegetable compartment 8 when the drawer door 19 is opened. The wall surface that is in a lower humidity state than the conveying section 31 has been described. The discharge section 30 may be provided near the inlet where cold air flows into the storage container from outside. This allows convection of dry air to occur near the discharge section 30, improving the ability to discharge moisture from the discharge section 30. Therefore, when trying to achieve the same discharge ability, the size of the discharge section 30 can be made smaller, leading to cost reduction.

[0102] In addition, the cold air entering the storage container is relatively dry compared to the air inside the storage container, and the inflowing dry air can be humidified by releasing moisture from the release section 30. This prevents the dry air from hitting vegetables, etc., and is expected to prolong the freshness of the vegetables, etc. In order to improve the release performance of the release section 30, the release section 30 can be provided in a part of the inflow section of the cold air where the inflowing cold air is particularly turbulent, thereby further improving the release performance.

[0103] In the first to fourth embodiments, the humidifying unit 28 including the absorbing section 29, the conveying section 31, and the releasing section 30 has been described. The humidifying unit 28 may be configured such that the absorbing section 29, the conveying section 31, and the releasing section 30 are integrally formed from the same material. This simplifies the configuration compared to when the absorbing section 29, the conveying section 31, and the releasing section 30 are each made from a different material and structure. This is expected to reduce the number of assembly steps, leading to cost reduction. In addition, the humidifying unit 28 may be configured such that the absorbing section 29, the conveying section 31, and the releasing section 30 are integrally formed from nonwoven fabric, and this nonwoven fabric is housed inside a case.

[0104] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology of the present disclosure, and various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, and the like can be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents. [Industrial Applicability]

[0105] The present disclosure prevents vegetables from spoiling due to condensation by absorbing moisture generated by condensation inside a storage container in a humidification unit and releasing the moisture into the storage container, and can also maintain a high humidity level inside the storage container.Therefore, it can be implemented in household or commercial refrigerators or vegetable storage units, and can also be applied to distribution, warehouses, and other applications where high humidity storage is required, including for items other than vegetables. [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 1. Refrigerator 8 Vegetable compartment 20 Lower storage container 21 Upper storage container 23 Outlet 28 Humidification unit 29 Absorption section 30 Emission part 31 Conveyor 33 Storage Container

Claims

1. 1. A refrigerator comprising: a storage chamber; a storage container provided in the storage chamber; a humidification unit provided in the storage container and having an absorption section and a release section; and an outlet provided in the storage chamber for discharging cold air, wherein the humidification unit absorbs moisture generated by condensation inside the storage container in the absorption section, the moisture absorbed by the absorption section moves to the release section and releases the moisture into the storage container, and the humidification unit releases the moisture as the cold air flows.

2. A refrigerator as described in claim 1, further comprising an upper storage container provided above the storage container, characterized in that the cold air is introduced through the gap between the storage container and the upper storage container.

3. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a heater provided near the outlet, the heater controlling a temperature inside the storage compartment.

4. 4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the discharge port is provided on a rear surface of the storage chamber, the absorption section is provided on a lower side of the rear surface of the storage container, and the release section is provided on an upper side of the rear surface of the storage container, and the cold air flows above the release section, causing the release section to release the moisture.

5. 5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the humidifying unit has a nonwoven fabric, and the moisture moves from the absorbing section to the releasing section by capillary action.

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