Cooling Storage

Abstract

To suppress unevenness in the flow rate of air passing through a cooler, to improve cooling efficiency.SOLUTION: A cold storage 10 comprises: a storage chamber 22; a cooler 42 into which air suctioned from the storage chamber 22 is flowed and which cools the air passing therethrough; a defrosting heater 92 that melts frost adhering to the cooler 42, where the defrosting heater 92 is arranged on the inflow side of the cooler 42 into which the air suctioned from the storage chamber 22 is flowed; and a wind direction plate 81 that can guide air that is about to flow into the cooler 42 after being suctioned from the storage chamber 22 to the defrosting heater 92 side, where the wind direction plate 81 is adjacent to an inflow-side end part 48A of the cooler 42 and extends so as to cover the adjacent end part 48A.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present technology relates to cooling storage. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in a cooling storage, in order to improve the heat exchange efficiency of a cooler constituting a cooling device, a technology has been proposed for making the flow of air passing through the cooler uniform, and one example of this is described in Patent Document 1. In the refrigerator described in Patent Document 1, air sucked from a storage chamber is cooled while passing through the cooler from bottom to top, and an air deflector is provided below the cooler to suppress the deviation of the air as it passes through. It is said that the air deflector can make the air passing through the cooler flow almost uniformly. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-90924 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, even if the above-mentioned air direction plate is provided, the bias of the air passing through the cooler may not be suppressed. Frost adheres to the cooler and grows during the cooling operation, and the frost obstructs the passage of air. Therefore, it is known to provide a defrosting heater near the cooler to melt the frost. When a defrosting heater is provided, the frost can be effectively melted, but the flow of air passing through the cooler may be obstructed. Therefore, even if the air direction plate described in Patent Document 1 is applied to a cooler equipped with a defrosting heater, the actual situation is that the bias of the flow rate of the air passing through the cooler cannot be suppressed.

[0005] The technology described in this specification has been completed based on the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to suppress bias in the flow rate of air passing through a cooler and improve cooling efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The cooling storage facility related to the present technology comprises a storage chamber, a cooler into which air sucked from the storage chamber flows and cools the air passing inside, a defrost heater that melts frost that has adhered to the cooler, the defrost heater being arranged on the inlet side of the cooler into which the air sucked from the storage chamber flows, and a wind deflector that can guide the air that has been sucked from the storage chamber and then attempts to flow into the cooler toward the defrost heater, the wind deflector being adjacent to the inlet side end of the cooler and extending so as to cover the adjacent end.

[0007] When the defrost heater is disposed on the inflow side of the air sucked from the storage chamber with respect to the cooler, a part of the air flowing into the cooler is blocked by the defrost heater. For this reason, the flow rate of the air flowing into the cooler from the part closer to the defrost heater is likely to be smaller than that of the other parts. As a result, the flow rate of the air passing through the cooler is likely to be biased. Therefore, in this technology, the air direction plate is adjacent to the end of the air inflow side of the cooler and extended to cover the adjacent end, thereby regulating the flow rate of the air flowing into the cooler from that part, and the air that is about to flow into the cooler is guided (induced) by the air direction plate to the defrost heater side. This suppresses the bias in the flow rate of the air passing through the cooler, and improves the heat exchange efficiency of the cooler and the cooling efficiency of the cooling storage.

[0008] The airflow direction plate may be arranged so as not to overlap the defrost heater when viewed from the cooler side in a plan view. In this way, the airflow direction plate is arranged so as to cover a portion of the inflow side end of the cooler that does not overlap with the defrost heater, so that the airflow direction plate can easily guide the air that is about to flow into the cooler to the defrost heater side.

[0009] The cooling device may further include a circulation fan that circulates air in the storage chamber so as to draw air from the storage chamber, pass it through the inside of the cooler, and return the air cooled by the cooler to the storage chamber, and the circulation fan may be disposed on the storage chamber side of the cooler at the outlet side where the air flows out of the cooler, and the air deflector may be disposed closer to the storage chamber on the inlet side of the cooler. If the circulation fan is disposed closer to the storage chamber than the cooler, the air passing through the cooler tends to flow along the storage chamber side where the circulation fan is disposed, and the flow rate of the air passing through the cooler tends to be biased. Therefore, by disposing the air deflector closer to the storage chamber on the inlet side of the cooler, the bias in the flow rate of the air passing through the cooler can be effectively suppressed, and the cooling efficiency can be improved.

[0010] The cooling device may further include a mounting member to which the defrosting heater is attached, the mounting member having an opening through which the air drawn in from the storage chamber flows into the cooler, and the air direction vane may be provided on the edge of the opening in the mounting member. In this way, the air direction vane can be easily provided.

[0011] The airflow direction plate and the opening edge may be formed from a single plate-like member and integrated. In this way, the airflow direction plate can be seamlessly attached to the opening edge of the mounting member, and no gaps are generated between the two. The air drawn in from the storage chamber can flow into the cooler without leaking through the gap, improving the heat exchange efficiency of the cooler and thus the cooling efficiency of the cooling storage. In addition, it is possible to prevent defrost water that has fallen onto the airflow direction plate from passing through the gap from the airflow direction plate to parts of the mounting member other than the airflow direction plate.

[0012] The cooler may be arranged such that the end of the inlet side is the lower end in the up-down direction, the airflow direction plate is arranged directly below the lower end of the cooler, and at least the upper surface of the airflow direction plate may have an inclined surface that inclines downward toward the defrost heater. When the airflow direction plate is arranged directly below the lower end of the cooler, defrost water generated by melting frost attached to the cooler falls onto the upper surface of the airflow direction plate. By having the upper surface of the airflow direction plate have an inclined surface that inclines downward, it is possible to prevent the defrost water from flowing down along the inclined surface and remaining on the airflow direction plate. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present technology, it is possible to suppress bias in the flow rate of air passing through the cooler and improve the cooling efficiency. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a cooling storage unit according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] A perspective cross-sectional view of the front side of the cooling storage unit [Diagram 3] An enlarged perspective cross-sectional view of the cooler and its surroundings in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the cooling chamber with the bracket removed. [Diagram 5] A cross-sectional view of the front side of the cooling storage facility, with the cooler area enlarged. [Figure 6] Perspective view of the bracket [Figure 7] Perspective view of the bracket [Figure 8] Plan view of the bracket from the front [Figure 9] An exploded perspective view of a second mounting portion of the bracket. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a second mounting portion of a bracket according to Comparative Example 1; [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the cooler and its surroundings in a cooling storage unit equipped with the bracket of FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a second mounting portion of the bracket according to the second embodiment; [Figure 13]FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the cooler and its surroundings in a cooling storage unit equipped with the bracket of FIG. 12; [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a second mounting portion of the bracket according to the third embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a second mounting portion of a bracket according to another embodiment; [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the cooler and its surroundings in a cooling storage unit equipped with the bracket of FIG. 15. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] <Embodiment 1> As the cooling storage cabinet 10 according to the first embodiment, a horizontal refrigerator will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 9. The symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D shown in each figure respectively indicate the front and rear in the front-rear direction of the cooling storage cabinet 10, the left and right in the width direction when viewed from the front, and the top and bottom in the vertical direction. However, the above directions are merely defined for convenience and should not be interpreted as being restrictive. In addition, for multiple identical members, a symbol may be assigned to one member and the symbols of the other members may be omitted.

[0016] 1, the cooling storage facility 10 comprises a box-shaped storage body 12 with an open front and a machine room 33 disposed to the left of the storage body 12. A center frame 14 extending in the vertical direction is attached to the center of the front opening of the storage body 12, and a pair of doors 16 are attached to both sides of the center frame 14 in a rotatable manner.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, the storage body 12 is an insulated box body including an outer box 18, an inner box 20 disposed inside the outer box 18, and an insulating material filled between the outer box 18 and the inner box 20. The internal space of the storage body 12 occupies most of the interior of the inner box 20, and is divided by a duct 98 into a storage chamber 22 in which stored items (foodstuffs, etc.) are accommodated, and a cooler chamber 23 disposed to the left of the inner box 20 and whose internal space communicates with the inner box 20. The duct 98 is attached so as to extend vertically within the storage body 12. The duct 98 is formed with an intake port 98A for sucking air from within the storage chamber 22 into the cooler chamber 23, and an outlet port 98B disposed above the intake port 98A for blowing out cold air from within the cooler chamber 23 to the storage chamber 22.

[0018] 2 and 4, the machine room 33 houses parts of the cooling device 34 (compressor 38, condenser 36, and condenser fan 37) for cooling the storage room 22, as well as a control device for controlling each part of the cooling storage 10. The cooling device 34 includes a compressor 38, a condenser 36, an expansion valve (capillary tube), and a cooler 42 in the cooler room 23, which are connected in this order by a refrigerant pipe 40 to circulate the refrigerant, thereby forming a known refrigeration circuit (refrigeration cycle).

[0019] 3 and 4, the cooler chamber 23 is surrounded by the cooler box 24, which is a box body with openings on the right side and the bottom side, a mortar-shaped drain pan 94 attached to the lower part of the cooler box 24, and a duct 98, and is roughly defined by these. An outlet 96 is formed at the bottom of the drain pan 94, and a drain pipe 97 is connected to the drain pipe 96 from below the drain pan 94. In the cooler chamber 23, water droplets (defrosted water) are generated by melting frost attached to the cooler 42 and a circulation fan (cooling fan) 88 described later, and this defrosted water is received by the drain pan 94 and can be drained from the outlet 96 through the drain pipe 97 to the outside of the cooling storage facility 10.

[0020] As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the cooler box 24 houses a cooler (evaporator) 42, a circulation fan 88, and two defrosting heaters 90, 92 for melting frost adhering to the cooler 42 and the circulation fan 88. The cooler 42 generates cold air by cooling the air passing through it through heat exchange. As shown in Fig. 4, the cooler 42 includes a number of fins 48 arranged at predetermined intervals in the front-rear direction, end plates 47 provided on both sides of the arrangement direction (front-rear direction) of the number of fins 48, and an evaporation pipe 44 that penetrates each fin 48 and is folded back. Each fin 48 is a metal plate having a rectangular plate shape that is long in the vertical direction, and air that flows into the cooler 42 passes through a space (gap) formed between the fins 48 along the plate surface of the fin 48. The end plate 47 is a metal plate formed to have a large dimension in the upward direction and a large plate thickness than the fins 48. The evaporation tube 44 is connected to and forms a part of the refrigerant tube 40 of the refrigeration circuit, and the refrigerant passes through the inside of the evaporation tube 44. When the liquid refrigerant that has flowed into the evaporation tube 44 evaporates and turns into refrigerant gas, the air passing through the cooler 42 is cooled by removing heat from the air in the vicinity of the evaporation tube 44.

[0021] As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the circulation fan 88 is disposed on the upper right side (storage chamber 22 side) of the cooler 42. The circulation fan 88 has a plurality of blades and is driven to rotate by a motor. The movable range of the blades of the circulation fan 88 is illustrated in Fig. 6 as a cylinder shape. When the circulation fan 88 is operated, the air in the storage chamber 22 is sucked into the cooler chamber 23 from the intake port 98A of the duct 98 as shown by the arrows in Figs. 2 and 3, passes through the drain pan 94 from right to left toward the cooler 42, and flows into the spaces between the fins 48 of the cooler 42 from the lower part (inlet side) of the cooler 42. The air cooled while passing through the cooler 42 flows out from the upper right side (outlet side) of the cooler 42 where the circulation fan 88 is disposed, and is returned to the storage chamber 22 from the outlet port 98B of the duct 98. In this manner, the circulation fan 88 circulates the air within the storage chamber 22. Air passes through the cooler 42 in an overall direction from below toward the diagonal upward direction.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 3, the first defrost heater 90 is disposed on the lower right side of the cooler 42, and the second defrost heater 92 is disposed on the lower left side of the cooler 42. The defrost heaters 90, 92 are rod-shaped glass tube heaters that are elongated in the front-rear direction, but the specific configuration is not limited to a glass tube heater and may be, for example, a cord heater. The first defrost heater 90 heats the right part of the cooler 42 and the circulation fan 88, and the second defrost heater 92 heats the lower part of the cooler 42. Since frost adheres to the cooler 42 and the circulation fan 88 due to warm and moist air flowing from the storage chamber 22, the frost is melted and removed by the defrost heaters 90, 92 at every predetermined cooling operation time. The defrost heaters 90, 92 are attached to a bracket 50 described later, and frost adhered to the bracket 50 is also melted.

[0023] As shown in Figs. 6 to 8, the defrost heaters 90, 92 and the circulation fan 88 are accommodated in the cooler box 24 in a manner attached to a bracket 50 (one example of an attachment member) that is L-shaped as a whole. The bracket 50 is inserted into the cooler box 24 (Fig. 4) in a state in which the cooler 42 is accommodated therein from the right side opening side of the cooler box 24, and a first attachment part (fan bracket) 52 of the bracket 50, which will be described later, is fixed to the cooler box 24 with a screw, thereby being attached to the cooler box 24. The bracket 50 is configured to be detachable separately from the cooler 42, and the bracket 50 can make the attachment and detachment work of the circulation fan 88 and the defrost heaters 90, 92 more efficient. In addition, the bracket 50 makes it easy to position the circulation fan 88 and the defrost heaters 90, 92, and allows for accurate alignment. Furthermore, by attaching various components to the bracket 50 (specifically, the partition plate 64, the protrusion 68, the air deflector 81, and the roof portion 86 described below), components for adjusting the air flow around the cooler 42, suppressing frost from falling onto the defrost heaters 90, 92, and promoting the melting of frost can be easily provided.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 6 to Fig. 8, the bracket 50 includes a first mounting portion 52 and a second mounting portion (heater bracket) 72. The first mounting portion 52 extends in the vertical direction so as to form one side of an L-shape, and a circulation fan 88 and a first defrost heater 90 are attached to the first mounting portion 52. The second mounting portion 72 extends in the horizontal direction so as to form another side of the L-shape, and a second defrost heater 92 is attached to the second mounting portion 72. The two mounting portions 52, 72 are fixed together by fastening members 51 (specifically, screws) and assembled into an L-shape.

[0025] As shown in Figs. 6 to 8, the first mounting portion 52 includes a first plate portion 54 having a first opening 56, a second plate portion 58 that faces the first plate portion 54 with a gap therebetween and to which a circulation fan 88 is attached, a connecting portion 62, a partition plate 64, and a protruding portion 68. When the bracket 50 is housed in the cooler box 24, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the right side of the cooler 42 covers the first opening 56 of the first mounting portion 52, and the circulation fan 88 attached to the second plate portion 58 is located on the upper right side of the cooler 42. The connecting portion 62 connects the first plate portion 54 and the second plate portion 58. The first defrost heater 90 is attached below the circulation fan 88 by being inserted through a heater support plate 63 provided between the first plate portion 54 and the second plate portion 58.

[0026] As shown in Figs. 6 to 8, the partition plate 64 is provided between the circulation fan 88 and the first defrost heater 90 so as to be inclined downward from the second plate portion 58 toward the first opening 56 side (i.e., toward the cooler 42 side). When the bracket 50 is housed in the cooler box 24, a gap is formed between the end of the partition plate 64 on the cooler 42 side and the cooler 42, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. Furthermore, below the first defrost heater 90, a protruding portion 68 is provided which protrudes downward from the second plate portion 58 toward the first opening 56 side (i.e., toward the cooler 42 side). When the frost adhering to the circulation fan 88 falls, the fallen frost is guided by the partition plate 64 toward the cooler 42 side without falling onto the first defrost heater 90, and the frost is melted by the cooler 42 heated by the first defrost heater 90. Moreover, frost that slides down on the partition plate 64 is received by the protrusions 68 and is directly irradiated by the first defrost heater 90, thereby increasing the efficiency of melting the frost. Furthermore, the partition plate 64 prevents the heat from the first defrost heater 90 from flowing upward.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 9, the second mounting portion 72 is a rectangular frame-like shape elongated in the front-rear direction as a whole, and has openings on the upper and lower surfaces so that air drawn from the storage chamber 22 can flow into the cooler 42. When the bracket 50 is housed in the cooler box 24, the second mounting portion 72 is interposed between the cooler 42 and the drain pan 94, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. In addition, the lower end portion 48A of the fin 48 of the cooler 42 covers the upper opening of the second mounting portion 72. Furthermore, the second mounting portion 72 supports the cooler 42 from below. The second mounting portion 72 is provided with a roof portion 86 and a wind direction plate 81 in addition to the front frame portion 74, the rear frame portion 76, the right frame portion 78, and the left frame portion 80 that form a frame shape. The front frame portion 74 and the rear frame portion 76 form the front and rear short sides of the frame, and a rod-shaped second defrost heater 92 is inserted into an insertion hole provided in each portion. The upper end portion 74A of the front frame portion 74 and the upper end portion 76A of the rear frame portion 76 are formed wide. The right frame portion 78 (the frame portion on the circulation fan 88 side) and the left frame portion 80 form the right side and right long sides of the frame. The right frame portion 78 is fixed by a first mounting portion 52 and a screw 51 (FIG. 7).

[0028] As shown in FIG. 9, the roof portion 86 extends in an elongated manner so as to connect between the upper end portion 74A of the front frame portion 74 and the upper end portion 76A of the rear frame portion 76, and has an umbrella-shaped cross section so as to cover the second defrost heater 92 from above. The roof portion 86 is flat directly above the second defrost heater 92, and slopes downward from the flat surface in both the left and right directions. The upper opening of the second mounting portion 72 is divided into two in the left and right directions by the roof portion 86. Hereinafter, among the upper openings of the second mounting portion 72, the opening on the left side of the roof portion 86 may be distinguished as 72A, and the opening on the right side of the roof portion 86 as 72B. The left opening 72A of the roof portion 86 is defined by the roof portion 86, the upper end portion 74A of the front frame portion 74, the upper end portion 76A of the rear frame portion 76, and the upper end portion of the left frame portion 80, which constitute the opening edge portion of the left opening 72A. The right-side opening 72B of the roof portion 86 is defined by the roof portion 86, the upper end portion 74A of the front frame portion 74, the upper end portion 76A of the rear frame portion 76, and the upper end portion 78A of the right frame portion 78, which constitute the opening edge portion of the right-side opening 72B. When the bracket 50 is housed in the cooler box 24, the roof portion 86 is located between the second defrost heater 92 and the lower end portion 48A of the fins 48 of the cooler 42, as shown in Figures 3 and 5. The roof portion 86 prevents frost falling from the cooler 42 from hitting the second defrost heater 92.

[0029] As shown in Figs. 6 and 9, the airflow direction plate 81 extends in an elongated manner from the upper end 74A of the front frame portion 74 to the upper end 76A of the rear frame portion 76, and its right long side portion 81A engages with the upper end portion 78A of the right frame portion 78. The airflow direction plate 81 is a flat plate, and the airflow direction plate 81 partially covers the right opening 72B of the upper opening of the second mounting portion 72. The airflow direction plate 81 is provided to guide (induce) air that is about to flow into the cooler 42 (between the fins 48) toward the second defrost heater 92. In this embodiment, the main body portion 72M (part other than the airflow direction plate 81) of the second mounting portion 72 is manufactured by bending a single plate-shaped member as shown in Fig. 9, and when the airflow direction plate 81 is attached to the main body portion 72M, the airflow direction plate 81 is inserted from the lower opening of the main body portion 72M. Then, the upper surface 81B of the airflow direction plate 81 is brought into contact with the upper end portion 74A of the front frame portion 74 and the upper end portion 76A of the rear frame portion 76, and the contacting portions are spot welded, thereby attaching the airflow direction plate 81 to the main body portion 72M.

[0030] When the bracket 50 is housed in the cooler box 24, the airflow direction vane 81 is disposed directly below the lower end 48A of the fins 48 of the cooler 42, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The airflow direction vane 81 is not in contact with the lower end 48A of the cooler 42, but is adjacent to it in a non-contact manner. In addition, the airflow direction vane 81 is disposed to the right of the roof portion 86 and the second defrost heater 92 so as not to overlap with the roof portion 86 and the second defrost heater 92 when viewed in a plan view from the cooler 42 side. The airflow direction vane 81 extends to cover a portion of the lower end 48A of the cooler 42 that is closer to the storage chamber 22 and to the right of the second defrost heater 92.

[0031] Next, the action and effect of the air deflector 81 will be described. In the cooling storage 10, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the second defrost heater 92 is disposed on the inflow side where air flows into the cooler 42. For this reason, a part of the air flowing into the cooler 42 is blocked by the presence of the second defrost heater 92. If the air deflector 81 is not provided, the flow rate of the air flowing into the cooler 42 from the left side portion near the second defrost heater 92 is likely to be smaller than that of the other portions. As a result, the flow rate of the air passing through the cooler 42 is likely to be biased. In this embodiment, the air flowing into the cooler 42 is guided (introduced) to the defrost heater 92 side by the air deflector 81, thereby suppressing the bias in the air flow rate. More specifically, the air direction plate 81 is disposed directly below and adjacent to the end portion 48A of the cooler 42 on the air inflow side, and extends to cover a portion of the end portion 48A that is closer to the storage chamber 22 and to the right of the second defrost heater 92, thereby regulating the flow rate of air flowing into the cooler 42 from the covered portion. This allows the air flowing into the cooler 42 to be guided toward the defrost heater 92, as shown by the arrows in Figures 3 and 5.

[0032] In addition, in the cooling storage 10, a circulation fan 88 for circulating air in the storage chamber 22 is disposed on the upper right side of the cooler 42. For this reason, if the air direction plate 81 is not provided, the air passing through the cooler 42 tends to concentrate on the right side (the storage chamber 22 side where the circulation fan 88 is disposed) where the path to the circulation fan 88 is the shortest. In other words, the air passing through the cooler 42 is prevented from flowing in by the second defrost heater 92, and tends to concentrate on the right side where the circulation fan 88 is disposed, resulting in a situation where bias is likely to occur. In contrast, in this embodiment, the air direction plate 81 is disposed directly below the cooler 42, closer to the storage chamber 22 where the circulation fan 88 is disposed. For this reason, the flow rate of air that flows into the cooler 42 from the right side (the storage chamber 22 side) and passes vertically upward through the cooler 42 toward the circulation fan 88 can be reduced. This makes it possible to increase the flow rate of air that flows into the cooler 42 from the left side (the second defrost heater 92 side) and passes diagonally upward through the cooler 42 toward the circulation fan 88. In particular, it is possible to effectively increase the flow rate of air that flows into the cooler 42 from the left opening 72A of the roof portion 86, among the openings on the top surface of the second mounting portion 72. As a result, it is possible to effectively suppress bias in the flow rate of air passing through the cooler 42, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the cooler 42 and, ultimately, improving the cooling efficiency of the refrigerated storage facility 10.

[0033] Also, for example, as in Comparative Example 1 shown in Figs. 10 and 11, if the airflow direction plate 981 is not adjacent to (directly below) the lower end portion 48A of the fin 48 of the cooler 42 and the positions of the airflow direction plate 981 and the lower end portion 48A of the fin 48 are separated, it becomes difficult for the airflow direction plate 981 to guide the air flowing into the cooler 42 toward the second defrost heater 92. The airflow direction plate 981 according to Comparative Example 1 is provided so that its right long side portion 981A engages with the lower portion of the right frame portion 78 of the second mounting portion 972 and is lower than the second defrost heater 92 in the vertical direction. In this case, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 11, even if the airflow direction plate 981 is used to guide the air flow toward the second defrost heater 92, the airflow direction changes so as to move away from the second defrost heater 92 (toward the storage chamber 22) before the airflow flows into the lower end portion 48A of the cooler 42. Since the flow resistance between the roof portion 86 and the left frame portion 80 of the second mounting portion 972 is greater than that between the roof portion 86 and the airflow direction plate 981, it is difficult to increase the flow rate of air flowing into the cooler 42 from the left opening 72A of the roof portion 86 through the gap between the roof portion 86 and the left frame portion 80. Therefore, in order to reliably guide the air flowing into the lower end portion 48A of the cooler 42 toward the second defrost heater 92, it is preferable that the position of the left long side portion 81C, which is the extension end of the airflow direction plate 81, in the vertical direction is equal to or higher than the lower end of the second defrost heater 92.

[0034] The above-mentioned effect obtained by the airflow direction plate 81 of this embodiment becomes greater as the position of the extension end 81C of the airflow direction plate 81 in the left-right direction approaches the second defrost heater 92. However, if the airflow direction plate 81 covers the upper part of the second defrost heater 92 and extends until the extension end 81C overlaps with the roof portion 86, the proportion of the part of the lower end portion 48A of the cooler 42 covered by the airflow direction plate 81 becomes too large, making it difficult for air to pass through the cooler 42. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, it is preferable that the airflow direction plate 81 is provided so that the distance L1 between the extension end 81C and the roof portion 86 is approximately the same as or slightly smaller than the distance L2 between the roof portion 86 and the left frame portion 80 of the second mounting portion 72. In this way, the flow rate flowing into the cooler 42 from the left opening 72A of the roof portion 86 is more likely to be increased.

[0035] <Embodiment 2> The second mounting portion 172 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 12 and Fig. 13. The second mounting portion 172 differs from the first embodiment in that the airflow direction plate 181 has an inclined surface 181B1 that inclines downward. A duplicated description of the configuration and the operation and effects similar to those of the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0036] At least the upper surface 181B of the airflow direction vane 181 includes an inclined surface 181B1 that inclines downward toward the second defrost heater 92, as shown in Fig. 12. The upper surface 181B of the airflow direction vane 181 is composed of an inclined surface 181B1 and a horizontal surface 181B2. The horizontal surface 181B2 is a horizontal surface (non-inclined surface) that extends horizontally from the right long side portion 181A that engages with the upper end portion 78A of the right frame portion 78. The inclined surface 181B1 is an inclined surface that inclines downward from the horizontal surface 181B2 and extends to the extension end 181C, and is formed by bending.

[0037] Since the airflow direction plate 181 is disposed directly below the lower end portion 48A of the fin 48 of the cooler 42, the defrost water generated by melting the frost attached to the cooler 42 falls onto the upper surface 181B of the airflow direction plate 181. Since the upper surface 181B of the airflow direction plate 181 has an inclined surface 181B1, the defrost water that falls onto the upper surface 181B flows down along the downwardly inclined inclined surface 181B1. Then, the flowing down defrost water falls from the extension end 181C into the drain pan 94. This makes it possible to suppress a situation in which the defrost water remains on the airflow direction plate 181 and the moisture from the remaining defrost water causes frost to adhere again to the cooler 42.

[0038] <Embodiment 3> The second mounting portion 272 according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 14. The second mounting portion 272 differs from the second embodiment in that the wind direction plate 281 and the other portions (portions of the second mounting portion 272 other than the wind direction plate 281) are made of a single plate-like member and are seamlessly integrated. A duplicated description of the configuration and the actions and effects similar to those of the first and second embodiments will be omitted.

[0039] The second mounting portion 272 is formed by bending a single flat plate-like member to form the front frame portion 74, rear frame portion 76, right frame portion 78, left frame portion 80, and roof portion 86, which are shaped like a frame, and is further formed by drawing the second mounting portion 272 to form the wind direction plate 281. The upper surface 281B of the wind direction plate 281 includes an inclined surface 281B1, a horizontal surface 281B2, and a curved surface 281B3. The horizontal surface 281B2 is a horizontal surface (non-inclined surface) that extends horizontally from the upper end portion 78A of the right frame portion 78 that is formed by bending. The inclined surface 281B1 is an inclined surface that slopes downward from the horizontal surface 281B2 toward the extending end 281C. The curved surface 281B3 is a curved surface that connects the inclined surface 281B1 and the upper end 74A of the front frame portion 74, and the inclined surface 281B1 and the upper end 76A of the rear frame portion 76. The curved surface 281B3 is formed by applying pressure (squeezing) to a single plate-like member through drawing. In addition, the wind direction plate 281 and the other portion (the portion of the second attachment portion 272 other than the wind direction plate 281) are composed of a single plate-like member through drawing, and are seamlessly integrated.

[0040] In this way, the curved surface 281B3 can prevent a gap from being generated between the inclined surface 281B1 and each of the upper ends 74A, 76A. The air sucked from the storage chamber 22 can flow into the cooler 42 without leaking from the gap. As a result, the heat exchange efficiency of the cooler 42 and the cooling efficiency of the cooling storage can be improved. In addition, it is possible to suppress a situation in which the defrost water that has fallen onto the inclined surface 281B1 of the airflow direction plate 281 passes through the gap and flows to a part of the second attachment portion 272 other than the airflow direction plate 281. Furthermore, since the curved surface 281B3 that closes the gap is formed into a curved shape by drawing, it is possible to prevent the defrost water from remaining on the curved surface 281B3.

[0041] <Other embodiments> The technology described in this specification is not limited to the embodiments described in the above description and drawings, and for example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the technology described in this specification.

[0042] (1) The airflow direction plate 81, 181 may be adjacent to the lower end portion 48A of the cooler 42 and may partially cover the lower end portion 48A, and the shape of the airflow direction plate 81, 181 is not limited. For example, as shown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16, the airflow direction plate 381 may have an inclined surface 381B1 that inclines upward as it approaches the second defrost heater 92. In this case, the air flowing into the cooler 42 is more likely to be guided toward the second defrost heater 92 along the inclined surface 381B1 of the airflow direction plate 381. On the other hand, in this case, the defrost water generated by melting the frost attached to the cooler 42 flows down along the inclined surface 381B1 of the airflow direction plate 381 and tends to remain at the lower end portion of the inclined surface 381B1, so that it is preferable to form a drain hole 381D at the lower end portion. The drain hole 381D allows the defrost water that flows down the inclined surface 381B1 to fall into the drain pan 94. Moreover, it is preferable that the drainage hole 381D is provided above the lower end portion 78B of the right frame portion 78 of the second mounting portion 372. This makes it possible to prevent the air flowing into the cooler 42 from passing through the drainage hole 381D from bottom to top and flowing directly into the cooler 42 from the right side.

[0043] (2) The airflow direction vanes 81, 181 may be adjacent to each other with at least a portion of them in contact with the lower end portion 48A of the cooler 42. In this specification, adjacent (directly below in the vertical direction) refers to being adjacent to each other (below in the vertical direction) regardless of whether they are in contact or not.

[0044] (3) The airflow direction plates 81, 181 may be provided in a form that allows them to be attached to a member other than the bracket 50 (for example, the end plate 47 of the cooler 42).

[0045] (4) The present technology is not limited to being applied to cooling storage cabinet 10, which is a horizontal refrigerator, but may also be applied to cooling storage cabinets of other shapes (for example, vertical refrigerators). [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 10: horizontal refrigerator (cooling storage), 22: storage room, 42: cooler, 48A: lower end of fin (inlet end of cooler), 50: bracket (mounting member), 72A: left side opening (opening), 72B: right side opening (opening), 74A, 76A: upper end (opening edge), 81, 181, 281, 381: air deflector, 88: circulation fan, 92: second defrost heater (defrost heater), 181B1, 281B1: inclined surface, 272: second mounting portion (one plate-shaped member)

Claims

1. A storage room; a cooler into which air drawn from the storage chamber flows and cools the air passing therethrough; A defrosting heater that melts frost adhering to the cooler, the defrosting heater being disposed on an inlet side of the cooler into which air drawn from the storage chamber flows; An airflow direction plate capable of guiding the air that is drawn from the storage chamber and then flows into the cooler to the defrost heater side, the airflow direction plate being adjacent to an end portion of the inlet side of the cooler and extending so as to cover the adjacent end portion; a circulation fan that circulates air in the storage chamber by sucking air from the storage chamber, passing the air through the inside of the cooler, and returning the air cooled by the cooler to the storage chamber; The cooler is arranged such that the end portion on the inlet side is a lower end portion in the up-down direction, The airflow direction plate is disposed directly below the lower end portion of the cooler, The circulation fan is disposed on one side of the cooler, which is on the storage chamber side with respect to the cooler, at an outlet side where air flows out from the cooler, The air deflector is arranged on the inlet side of the cooler, toward the one side where the circulation fan is arranged.

2. The cooling storage facility according to claim 1 , wherein at least an upper surface of the airflow direction plate has an inclined surface that slopes downward as it approaches the defrosting heater.

3. A storage room; a cooler into which the air drawn from the storage chamber flows and cools the air passing therethrough; A defrosting heater that melts frost adhering to the cooler, the defrosting heater being disposed on an inlet side of the cooler into which air drawn from the storage chamber flows; An airflow direction plate capable of guiding the air that is drawn from the storage chamber and then flows into the cooler to the defrost heater side, the airflow direction plate being adjacent to an end portion of the inlet side of the cooler and extending so as to cover the adjacent end portion; A mounting member to which the defrosting heater is attached, The mounting member is provided with an opening through which the air drawn from the storage chamber flows into the cooler, The air deflector is provided at the opening edge portion of the opening in the mounting member.

4. The cooling storage facility according to claim 3 , wherein the wind direction plate and the opening edge portion are integrally formed from a single plate-like member.

5. a circulation fan that circulates air in the storage chamber so as to draw air from the storage chamber, pass the air through the inside of the cooler, and return the air cooled by the cooler to the storage chamber; The circulation fan is disposed on the storage chamber side with respect to the cooler, at an outlet side where air flows out from the cooler, The cooling storage facility according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the airflow direction plate is disposed on the inlet side of the cooler and closer to the storage chamber.

6. The cooler is arranged such that the end portion on the inlet side is a lower end portion in the up-down direction, The airflow direction plate is disposed directly below the lower end portion of the cooler, The cooling storage facility according to claim 3 , wherein at least an upper surface of the airflow direction plate has an inclined surface that slopes downward as it approaches the defrosting heater.

7. The cooling storage facility according to claim 1 , wherein the air direction vane is arranged so as not to overlap with the defrost heater when viewed in a plan view from the cooler side.

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