refrigerator

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator that improves heat exchange performance between a cooler and a cold storage material.SOLUTION: A refrigerator 1 according to the present disclosure comprises a refrigerating cooler 32 for cooling a refrigerating chamber 13, a cold storage material 100, and a low-temperature chamber 16 arranged in the refrigerating chamber 13. The refrigerator 1 has a structure in which the cold storage material 100 is arranged between the low-temperature chamber 16 and the refrigerating cooler 32, an outer frame of the refrigerating cooler 32 is formed of a nearly flat surface part, and the cold storage material 100 is arranged in thermal contact with the nearly flat surface part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to refrigerators. [Background technology]

[0002] The refrigerator in Patent Document 1 discloses a refrigerator equipped with a cold storage material in which a storage compartment is located on one side of the cold storage material and a cooling unit is located on the other side so that temperature fluctuations in the storage compartment are suppressed by the cold storage material, and when the cooling unit is projected toward the internal space of the storage compartment, the projection surface overlaps the cold storage material. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-139591 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] This disclosure states that the projection surface of the storage chamber is positioned so as to overlap the cold storage material, but does not disclose the positional relationship between the cold storage material and the cooling unit, and if heat exchange between the cooling unit and the cold storage material is not efficient, the cold storage capacity will decrease and there is a risk of large temperature fluctuations in the storage chamber. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The refrigerator disclosed herein is a refrigerator equipped with a refrigeration cooler and a cold storage material for cooling the refrigeration compartment, and a low-temperature compartment partitioned and arranged within the refrigeration compartment, in which the cold storage material is arranged between the low-temperature compartment and the refrigeration cooler, the outer casing of the refrigeration cooler is formed by a substantially flat surface, and the cold storage material is arranged in thermal contact with the substantially flat surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] In the refrigerator according to the present disclosure, the heat exchange performance between the cold storage material and the cooler is improved, which suppresses temperature fluctuations inside the refrigerator and enables energy saving. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an outline of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing an outline of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] Refrigeration cycle diagram showing the refrigeration cycle of embodiment 1 [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a refrigeration cooler according to a first embodiment; [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a refrigerating cooler and a cold storage material according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a main part of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing a protection plate according to a first embodiment; [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a main part of a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, unnecessary detailed description may be omitted. For example, detailed description of well-known matters or redundant description of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following description and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0009] 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.

[0010] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0011] [1-1.Configuration] [Refrigerator configuration] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an outline of a refrigerator according to the present invention.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 1, refrigerator 1 has a main body 10 which is an insulated box. At two positions in the vertical direction of main body 10, upper partition plate 11 and lower partition plate 12 made of insulating plates are provided to divide the inside of main body 10 into three upper and lower spaces.

[0013] The space above the upper partition plate 11 is a refrigerator compartment 13, the space between the upper partition plate 11 and the lower partition plate 12 is a freezer compartment 14, and the space below the lower partition plate 12 is a vegetable compartment 15.

[0014] A low temperature compartment 16, which is set to a lower temperature than the refrigerator compartment 13, is provided below the refrigerator compartment 13. The temperature of the low temperature compartment 16 can be set to a range lower than 0°C and up to a slightly freezing temperature (for example, about -7°C). Inside the refrigerator compartment 13, shelves 17 are provided on which food items can be placed.

[0015] Inside the freezer compartment 14, an ice making compartment 18 for storing ice is provided.

[0016] A side-opening refrigerator compartment door 20 is provided on the front of the refrigerator compartment 13 so as to be able to be opened and closed freely.

[0017] A freezer compartment drawer door 21 is provided at the front of the freezer compartment 14 so as to be freely opened and closed, and a freezer drawer case 22 for storing food therein is provided inside the freezer compartment drawer door 21.

[0018] A vegetable compartment drawer door 23 is provided at the opening on the front of the vegetable compartment 15 so as to be freely opened and closed, and a vegetable compartment drawer case 24 for storing food therein is provided inside the vegetable compartment drawer door 23.

[0019] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a refrigerating cooling compartment 30 is provided on the rear side of the refrigerating compartment 13 of the refrigerator 1. A refrigerating compartment duct 31 extending above the refrigerating compartment 13 is connected to the upper part of the refrigerating cooling compartment 30. A duct cover 31a is provided to separate the refrigerating compartment 13 from the refrigerating compartment duct 31 and the refrigerating cooling compartment 30 into front and rear compartments.

[0020] The refrigerating compartment 30 accommodates a refrigerating cooler 32. The refrigerating cooler 32 is a microchannel type cooler. A microchannel type cooler is, for example, a cooler composed of a flat perforated pipe and fins. The flat perforated pipe is a flat pipe with a plurality of flow paths formed therein through which the refrigerant flows. Details of the refrigerating cooler 32 will be described later.

[0021] A cold storage material 100 is provided behind the low-temperature chamber 16. Details will be described later.

[0022] A refrigeration fan 33 is disposed above the refrigeration cooler 32 in the refrigeration cooling compartment 30. For example, a centrifugal fan is used as the refrigeration fan 33. The centrifugal fan is a fan that draws in cold air that has passed through the refrigeration cooler 32 from the center of one side of the axial direction of the rotating blades and blows it out in a centrifugal direction. The centrifugal fan also draws in cold air from the rear of the refrigeration cooling compartment 30 and blows it out in a centrifugal direction. By using a centrifugal fan, it is possible to ensure a sufficient air volume even with a narrow duct.

[0023] In this embodiment, the centrifugal fan is configured to draw in cool air from the rear of the refrigerating compartment 30, but it may also be configured to draw in cool air from the front of the refrigerating compartment 30.

[0024] Furthermore, the refrigeration fan 33 may be, for example, an axial fan. The axial fan is disposed at an angle with the outlet side facing upward so that the cold air cooled by the refrigeration cooler 32 can be efficiently blown into the refrigeration compartment 13. By using an axial fan, it becomes easier to discharge the cold air downward as well.

[0025] Frost adhering to the refrigerating cooler 32 can be defrosted by the air inside the refrigerator compartment. In this case, it is preferable to switch the switching valve 52 (described later) so that the refrigerant does not flow into the refrigerating cooler 32, or to drive the refrigerating fan 33 while the compressor 50 is stopped.

[0026] The refrigerator compartment duct 31 is connected to a casing 33a on the blowing side of the refrigerator fan 33, and the refrigerator compartment duct 31 is formed in a tapered shape that gradually increases in width toward the top.

[0027] The refrigerator compartment duct 31 is provided with a low temperature compartment duct 34 extending midway. In the refrigerator compartment 13, a refrigerator air outlet 35 communicating with the refrigerator compartment duct 31 is formed in a duct cover 31a.

[0028] When the interior of the refrigerator compartment 13 is cooled using a temperature sensor (not shown), the cold air generated by the refrigerator cooler 32 is forced into the refrigerator compartment duct 31 by the refrigerator fan 33, and the refrigerator compartment 13 is cooled to a predetermined temperature through the connected air outlet 35.

[0029] When the temperature sensor in the refrigerator compartment 13 reaches a predetermined temperature, the refrigerator fan 33 is stopped.

[0030] In addition, a low temperature room duct 34 is formed by branching off from the refrigeration room duct 31, and a low temperature room damper 36 is provided in the low temperature room duct 34. The low temperature room damper 36 is configured to switch between blowing and stopping the cold air cooled by the refrigeration cooler 32 and forcibly blown by the refrigeration fan 33 into the low temperature room 16 by opening and closing the damper.

[0031] A top duct 16b connected to the downstream of the low-temperature room damper 36 is formed in the top wall 16a of the low-temperature room 16, and a top outlet 16c for blowing air into the low-temperature room 16 is formed.

[0032] A shielding plate 39 is provided on the underside of the header, which will be described later, on the underside of the refrigerated cooler 32. The shielding plate 39 covers the bottom of the header, thereby preventing the air inside the refrigerator compartment 13 from passing through the header without passing through the fins 73, which will be described later, and has the function of guiding the air to an air flow path, which will be described later, of the refrigerated cooler 3.

[0033] The shielding plate 39 may be provided in the refrigerating compartment 30. In this case, the shielding plate 39 is provided at a position corresponding to the lower part of a header, which will be described later.

[0034] A freezing cooling compartment 40 is provided on the rear side of the freezing compartment 14 of the refrigerator 1. A freezing cooler 41 is housed in the freezing cooling compartment 40.

[0035] The freezing cooler 41 is, for example, a fin-tube type cooler. A fin-tube type cooler is, for example, a cooler configured with a circular pipe and flat fins. A freezing fan 42 is disposed above the freezing cooler 41 to send the cold air cooled by the freezing cooler 41 into the freezing chamber 14.

[0036] Compared to microchannel coolers, fin-tube coolers have a larger distance between the refrigerant pipe and the fin tips, resulting in poorer heat conduction efficiency and a slower decrease in the temperature of the fin tips. This reduces clogging caused by frosting and reduces the number of times the heater needs to be energized for defrosting, thereby reducing power consumption.

[0037] For example, an axial fan is used as the freezing fan 42. The axial fan is tilted and positioned so that the outlet side faces upward so that the cold air cooled by the freezing cooler 41 can be efficiently blown into the freezing compartment 14. A freezing outlet 43 is formed on the back surface of the freezing compartment 14.

[0038] The refrigeration fan 42 may be, for example, a centrifugal fan.

[0039] Below the freezing cooler 41, a glass tube heater 44 is arranged to remove frost that has adhered to the freezing cooler 41.

[0040] In addition, instead of using the glass tube heater 44, a pipe heater that directly heats the cryocooler 41 may be used to defrost the frost that has adhered to the cryocooler 41.

[0041] The cold air in the freezer cooling compartment 40 is sent to the vegetable compartment 15 through a communication hole 45 formed in the lower partition plate 12.

[0042] A refrigeration dew tray 37 is disposed below the refrigeration cooler 32. A freezer dew tray 46 is disposed below the freezer cooler 41.

[0043] An evaporation tray 47 is disposed below the rear side of the vegetable compartment 15.

[0044] A refrigeration drain pipe 38 is connected to the refrigeration dew tray 37. A freezing drain pipe 48 is connected to the freezing dew tray 46. The lower ends of the refrigeration drain pipe 38 and the freezing drain pipe 48 pass through the upper partition plate 11 and the lower partition plate 12, respectively, and extend to near the top of the evaporation tray 47.

[0045] This allows the drainage collected in the refrigeration dew tray 37 and the refrigeration dew tray 46 to be sent to the evaporation tray 47 via the refrigeration drain pipe 38 and the freezer drain pipe 48, and the drainage is evaporated in the evaporation tray 47.

[0046] A compressor 50 is installed at the upper rear of the main body.

[0047] [Refrigeration cycle configuration] Next, the refrigeration cycle configuration of the refrigerator 1 will be described.

[0048] FIG. 3 is a refrigeration cycle diagram showing the refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator 1. As shown in FIG.

[0049] 3, refrigerator 1 is configured by connecting compressor 50, condenser 51, switching valve 52, refrigeration pressure reducing means 53, refrigeration cooler 32, refrigeration return pipe 55a, freezing pressure reducing means 54, freezing cooler 41, and freezing return pipe 55b with refrigerant return pipe 55. Refrigeration capillary tube 53 is provided as refrigeration pressure reducing means 53, and freezing capillary tube 54 is provided as freezing pressure reducing means 54.

[0050] The refrigeration pressure reducing means 53 and the refrigeration cooler 32, and the freezing pressure reducing means 54 and the freezing cooler 41 are connected in parallel with each other via a switching valve 52.

[0051] [Configuration of refrigerated cooler 32] Next, the configuration of the refrigeration cooler 32 mounted in the refrigerator 1 will be described.

[0052] Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing refrigeration cooler 32 of embodiment 1. Fig. 5 is a plan view showing refrigeration cooler 32 of embodiment 1. Fig. 6 is a front view showing refrigeration cooler 32 of embodiment 1.

[0053] 4 to 6, the refrigerant cooler 32 is provided with a refrigerant conducting member 60 through which a refrigerant flows. The refrigerant conducting member 60 is formed of a porous flat tube in which a plurality of substantially rectangular passages are arranged in succession.

[0054] The refrigerant conducting member 60 is formed in a serpentine shape and includes a plurality of flat tubes 61 formed approximately parallel to each other at a predetermined interval, and bent portions 62 connecting the ends of each of the flat tubes 61.

[0055] In this embodiment, four flat tubes 61 are provided between headers, which will be described later.

[0056] The number of flat tubes 61 is not limited to this, but can be set arbitrarily.

[0057] Alternatively, each flat tube 61 and the bent portion 62 may be integral with each other, and one flat tube 61 may be formed between the headers in a meandering manner.

[0058] In this embodiment, the flat tubes 61 and the bent portions 62 are divided into three regions in the vertical direction: an upper region 63, a middle region 64, and a lower region 65.

[0059] In this embodiment, the image is divided into three regions in the vertical direction, but it may be divided into two regions in the vertical direction, or into four or more regions.

[0060] An inlet header 66 and an outlet header 67 extending vertically are provided at one end of the outermost flat tube 61 .

[0061] The inlet header 66 and the outlet header 67 are made of, for example, circular pipes.

[0062] The inlet side header 66 and the outlet side header 67 are arranged with their positions shifted in the width direction (left and right direction) of the refrigeration heat exchanger 32, with the inlet side header 66 being arranged close to the flat tubes 61 and the outlet side header 67 being arranged at a position farther away from the flat tubes 61 than the inlet side header 66, and the inlet side headers 66 and the outlet side headers 67 being arranged alternately.

[0063] Alternatively, the outlet side header 67 may be disposed near the flat tubes 61 , and the inlet side header 66 may be disposed at a position farther away from the flat tubes 61 than the outlet side header 67 .

[0064] The inlet side header 66 and the outlet side header 67 are attached so as not to protrude from the end faces in the depth direction (front-to-back direction) of the flat tubes 61. The inlet side header 66 is connected to the flat tubes 61 via a bent portion 61a formed by bending the end of the flat tube 61, and the outlet side header 67 is connected to the flat tube 61 via a bent portion 61a formed by bending the end of the flat tube 61.

[0065] By arranging the inlet side header 66 and the outlet side header 67 in this manner, the end faces of the inlet side header 66 and the outlet side header 67 are flush with the outer surfaces of the flat tubes 61 of the refrigerant conducting member 60, and the sides of the inlet side header 66 and the outlet side header 67 are arranged so as not to protrude beyond the thickness of the flat tubes 61.

[0066] This allows the thickness dimension of the refrigeration cooler 32 to be reduced, and when the refrigeration cooler 32 is housed inside the refrigeration cooling compartment 30, the internal space of the refrigeration compartment duct 31 can be reduced. As a result, the internal space of the refrigeration compartment 13 can be increased.

[0067] Furthermore, an inlet side pipe 68 is connected to the side surface of the inlet side header 66 that is on the rear side of the refrigeration compartment 13 and at a height corresponding to the lower region 65. Specifically, the inlet side pipe 68 is connected to the side surface of the inlet side header 66 in a direction toward the flat tubes 61 to which the outlet side header 67 is connected. Furthermore, it is preferable that the inlet side pipe 68 is connected approximately parallel to the depth direction (front-to-back direction) of the refrigeration cooler 32.

[0068] The outlet-side header 67 is formed to be taller than the height dimension of the inlet-side header 66. An outlet-side piping 69 is connected to a side surface of the outlet-side header 67 that faces the front of the refrigeration compartment 13 and is located above the upper end of the upper region 63. Specifically, the outlet-side piping 69 is connected to the side surface of the outlet-side header 67 in a direction toward the flat tubes 61 to which the inlet-side header 66 is connected. Furthermore, the outlet-side piping 69 is preferably connected approximately parallel to the inlet-side piping 68. That is, the outlet-side piping 69 is connected to a position above the upper end of the uppermost flat tube.

[0069] The inlet side piping 68 extends upward generally parallel to the inlet side header 66, and the outlet side piping 69 extends upward generally parallel to the outlet side header 67. The inlet side piping 68 protrudes in the thickness direction (front-to-back direction) of the flat tube 61 toward the outlet side header 67 side, and the outlet side piping 69 protrudes in the thickness direction (front-to-back direction) of the flat tube 61 toward the inlet side header 66 side.

[0070] The inlet pipe 68 and the outlet pipe 69 have a smaller diameter than the inlet header 66 and the outlet header 67 .

[0071] By arranging the inlet side pipe 68 and the outlet side pipe 69 as described above, the space required for arranging the inlet side pipe 68 and the outlet side pipe 69 can be reduced.

[0072] The inlet pipe 68 is connected to the refrigeration capillary tube 53, and the outlet pipe 69 is connected to the refrigeration return pipe 55a.

[0073] The refrigeration capillary tube 53 extends above the inlet header 66 and is then buried in the rear insulating wall of the main body 10. The refrigeration return pipe 55a extends above the outlet header 67 and is then buried in the rear insulating wall of the main body 10.

[0074] The refrigeration capillary tube 53 and the refrigeration return pipe 55a are tightly connected within the rear insulating wall so as to exchange heat.

[0075] Furthermore, no accumulator (gas-liquid separator) for preventing liquid refrigerant from flowing into the compressor 50 is provided between the outlet side pipe 69 and the refrigeration return pipe 55a connected downstream.

[0076] 4, a partition plate 70 is provided at a position corresponding to the boundary between the lower region 65 and the middle region 64 of the inlet header 66. The middle region 64 of the inlet header 66 communicates with the upper region 63 at a position corresponding to the boundary between the lower region 65 and the middle region 64 of the inlet header 66.

[0077] A partition plate 71 that blocks communication within the outlet-side header 67 is provided at a position corresponding to the boundary between the upper region 63 and the middle region 64 of the outlet-side header 67. The middle region 64 and the lower region 65 of the outlet-side header 67 are in communication with each other.

[0078] The refrigerant that flows in from the bottom of the inlet header 66 passes through the inside of the lower region 65 of the refrigerant conduit 60 and flows to the outlet header 67. The refrigerant that flows into the outlet header 67 flows into the middle region 64 of the refrigerant conduit 60 and flows to the inlet header 66, passes through the lower region 65 via the inlet header 66, and then flows out from the top of the outlet header 67.

[0079] That is, the refrigerant that flows into the inlet header 66 flows in series through the lower region 65, middle region 64, and upper region 63 of the flat tubes 61 in that order, and then reaches the outlet header 67. Here, the flat tubes 61 are connected in series. This prevents the refrigerant from accumulating at the bottom due to gravity, even when the ventilation direction of the cool air is aligned with the direction of gravity. Therefore, the refrigerant can be distributed throughout the entire heat exchanger, and a decrease in heat exchange efficiency can be prevented.

[0080] An air flow path 72 is formed between the flat tubes 61 of the refrigerant conducting member 60 .

[0081] Fins 73 are arranged inside the air flow path 72, and are inclined at a predetermined angle to the flat tube 61 and bent in a zigzag pattern, and these fins 73 form a continuous air flow path 72 with an approximately triangular cross-sectional shape inside the air flow path 72.

[0082] The air flow passage 72 having a rectangular cross section may be formed continuously.

[0083] The air flow path 72 is formed in the vertical direction so as to follow the vertical direction of the refrigerating compartment 30 .

[0084] As a result, the air inside the refrigerator, flowing from the bottom to the top of the refrigeration chamber 30, flows through the air flow path 72, and at this time, exchanges heat with the refrigerant flowing inside the refrigerant conducting member 60, and is cooled to a predetermined temperature. [Composition of the cooling material] The cold storage material 100 is composed of an internal cold storage agent that has a freezing point in the range of -10°C to 0°C and changes phase between solid and liquid, and an external cold storage container in which the cold storage agent is sealed. The cold storage container is made of a metal material such as aluminum, and is flexible and deformable.

[0085] As shown in the figure, a metal cold storage material case 101 is fixed to the outer shell of the refrigeration cooler 32 facing the back of the low-temperature chamber 16. The cold storage material case 101 is formed in a substantially L-shaped cross section, and a cold storage material 100 is disposed inside the cold storage material case 101 so as to be freely attached and detached from above.

[0086] One side of the cold storage material 100 housed in the cold storage material case 101 is in contact with or close to the flat portion of the outer flat tube 61 located on the outer casing of the refrigeration cooler 32, and the other side is in contact with the cold storage material case 101. The bottom surface 101a of the cold storage material case 101 is fixed to the lower end of the refrigeration cooler 32 without any gap.

[0087] As shown in Figure 4, the flat tubes 61 are formed in three upper regions 63, a middle region 64, and a lower region 65 in the upper and lower stages and in the left and right width directions, and the cold storage material 100 is arranged so as to contact or be close to the front surfaces of these flat tubes 61.

[0088] A plurality of openings 102 are formed in a duct cover 31a at the rear of the low-temperature chamber 16, and a cold storage case 101 is disposed in contact with the duct cover 31a.

[0089] Further, a refrigerator compartment return port 103 is provided below the opening 102 at the bottom of the duct cover 31a.

[0090] [1-2. Operation] The operation of the refrigerator 1 configured as above will be described below.

[0091] First, the compressor 50 is driven to send the refrigerant to the condenser 31, and the switching valve 52 is switched to send the refrigerant to either the refrigerating cooler 32 or the freezing cooler 41.

[0092] The refrigerant sent to the cold storage cooler 32 flows in from the inlet header 66 of the refrigerant conducting member 60 and flows inside the upper region 63. The refrigerant that flows to the outlet header 67 flows through the middle region 64 via the outlet header 67, is sent to the inlet header 66, and flows through the inlet header 66 to the lower region 65. The refrigerant that has flowed through the lower region 65 flows out from the outlet header 67 and is returned to the compressor 50.

[0093] By driving the refrigeration fan 33 while the refrigerant is flowing inside the refrigerant conducting member 60, the air circulating inside the refrigeration compartment 13 is drawn into the refrigeration cooling compartment 30 through the intake port 103 formed in the duct cover 31a, and the generated cold air passes from bottom to top through the air flow path 72 while the heat transfer area is increased by the fins 73 of the refrigeration cooler 32, improving the heat exchange efficiency with the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant conducting member 60.

[0094] As a result, cold air is blown out from the refrigerating air outlet 35, cooling the refrigerating compartment 13 to an appropriate temperature.

[0095] In addition, the opening and closing of the low-temperature room damper 36 is controlled depending on the set temperature of the low-temperature room 16, and the volume-controlled cold air passes through the top duct 16b and is blown out from the top outlet 16c, thereby controlling the temperature of the low-temperature room 16 by forced ventilation from the top wall 16a and radiant heat from the cold storage material 100 on the back.

[0096] The refrigerant material 100 has a freezing point of -10°C and is placed in direct contact with or close to the flat surface of the flat tube 61 on the outside of the refrigerated cooler 32, and is cooled by thermal conduction from the refrigerated cooler 32, which has an evaporation temperature of approximately -15°C.

[0097] Furthermore, the cold storage material 100 maintains its freezing point temperature for a predetermined period of time without changing temperature due to latent heat associated with the phase change from solid to liquid at its freezing point of -10°C, and heat is conducted through the metal cold storage material case 101, passing through the opening 102 of the duct cover 31a and radiating heat from the back of the low-temperature chamber 16 to cool the room to a temperature lower than 0°C.Therefore, when cold air is not blown out from the top outlet 16c, i.e., when no refrigerant is flowing to the refrigeration cooler 32, such as when the compressor 50 is stopped or when the refrigerant is flowing to the freezing cooler 41 side via the switching valve 52, the radiant heat of the cold storage material 100 can suppress temperature fluctuations in the low-temperature chamber 16.

[0098] Furthermore, the cold storage material 100 is formed in a cold storage container made of a flexible material, and is stored in a metal cold storage material case 101 by being pressed into contact with the flat surfaces of the upper and lower multiple tiers of flat tubes 61 located on the outer casing of the refrigeration cooler 32, thereby allowing it to be in close contact with the refrigeration cooler 32 and reducing contact thermal resistance, improving heat exchange and increasing cold storage efficiency.

[0099] Furthermore, since the bottom surface 101a of the cold storage case 101 is fixed to the lower end of the refrigeration cooler 32 without any gaps, the return cold air circulating within the refrigerator compartment 13 is prevented from passing between the cold storage material 100 and the refrigeration cooler 32, thereby further improving the heat exchange performance between the cold storage material 100 and the refrigeration cooler 32.

[0100] The cold storage case 101 is placed in contact with the duct cover 31a at the rear of the low-temperature chamber 16, and radiant heat is used to cool the inside of the low-temperature chamber 16 through the opening 102, forming the rear wall of the low-temperature chamber 16 and maintaining cooling performance.

[0101] Also, as shown in the figure, the cold storage material case 101 may also be partially formed with a case opening 101b.

[0102] This allows radiant heat from the cold storage material 100 to pass directly from the case opening 101b through the opening 102, thereby cooling the inside of the low-temperature chamber 13.

[0103] In addition, in order to improve the rate at which the cold storage material 100 stores cold, the refrigeration fan 33 is stopped, and the heat exchange with the air in the refrigeration cooler 32 is suppressed, thereby lowering the evaporation temperature, and the cold storage material 100 is cooled and efficiently maintained at a temperature below the freezing point. Thereafter, the refrigeration fan 33 is operated, and the low-temperature room damper 34a is controlled according to the set temperature of the low-temperature room 16, thereby cooling to an appropriate temperature.

[0104] Furthermore, although it has been stated that the cold storage material 100 is in direct contact with the refrigeration cooler 32, the front surface of the flat tubes 61 of the refrigeration cooler 32 may be provided with a protective plate 104 made of the same material as the flat tubes 61 or of a metal with high thermal conductivity to prevent corrosion due to contact between dissimilar metals, and the flat tubes 61 and the protective plate 104 may be fixed in contact with each other, and the cold storage material 100 may be pressed into the protective plate 104 and placed in contact with it, thereby storing cold storage material 100 from the refrigeration cooler 32.

[0105] The protective plate 104 is formed in a flat plate shape across the three regions of the refrigerating cooler 32: the upper region 63, the middle region 64, and the lower region 65.

[0106] This makes it possible to protect the cold storage container of the cold storage material 100 and the flat tubes 61.

[0107] The protective plate 104 and the flat tubes 61 may be disposed close to each other while being in thermal contact with each other. This allows the protective plate 104 to be made of a material with high thermal conductivity different from that of the flat tubes 61, and even when disposed close to each other, the heat exchange performance between the refrigeration cooler 32 and the regenerator material 100 can be maintained. Furthermore, by switching the switching valve 52 and driving the freezing fan 42, the refrigerant sent to the freezing cooler 41 exchanges heat with the air flowing from the bottom to the top of the freezing cooling chamber 40, and the generated cold air is blown out from the freezing outlet 43 into the freezing chamber 14, cooling it to an appropriate temperature.

[0108] [1-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, in this embodiment, in a refrigerator equipped with a refrigeration cooler 32 and a cold storage material 100 for cooling the refrigeration compartment 13, and a low temperature compartment 16 partitioned and arranged within the refrigeration compartment 13, the cold storage material 100 is arranged between the low temperature compartment 16 and the refrigeration cooler 32, the outer casing of the refrigeration cooler 32 is formed by a substantially flat surface, and the cold storage material 100 is arranged in thermal contact with the substantially flat surface.

[0109] As a result, the cold storage material 100 and the refrigeration cooler 32 face each other and are in thermal contact with each other, so that the heat exchange performance is improved and the cold storage efficiency of the cold storage material 100 can be improved.

[0110] In this embodiment, the regenerator material 100 is in surface contact with the substantially flat surface portion.

[0111] This allows the cold storage material 100 and the refrigeration cooler 32 to be arranged face to face, increasing the surface contact area, improving heat exchange performance and increasing the cold storage efficiency of the cold storage material 100.

[0112] In this embodiment, the substantially flat surface portion is formed by flat tubes 61 arranged in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction.

[0113] This further increases the contact area with the cold storage material 100, improving the cold storage efficiency of the cold storage material 100 and enabling the cooling capacity of the cold storage material 100 to be improved.

[0114] The substantially flat surface portion is formed of a thermally conductive protective plate 104. Specifically, the protective plate 104 is made of the same material as the flat tubes 61 or is made of a metal that prevents corrosion due to contact between dissimilar metals, and is provided in fixed contact with the flat tubes 61.

[0115] This makes it possible to prevent and protect the cold storage container of the cold storage material 100 from being damaged or the flat tubes 61 from being corroded.

[0116] The cold storage material 100 is held on the substantially flat surface side of the refrigeration cooler 32 .

[0117] This makes it possible to suppress variations in the contact area between the cold storage material 100 and the refrigeration cooler 32, improving heat exchange performance and increasing the cold storage speed.

[0118] The cold storage material 100 is composed of a cold storage agent having a freezing point in the range of -10 degrees to 0 degrees, and a cold storage container made of a flexible material that stores the cold storage agent.

[0119] This allows the cold storage material 100 to be press-fitted and held in the cold storage case 101, improving heat exchange performance and increasing the cold storage speed, thereby enabling efficient cooling down to the solidification point.

[0120] In addition, a refrigerating cooler 32 is provided at the rear of the low temperature compartment 16.

[0121] This makes it possible to suppress temperature fluctuations in the low-temperature room 16 when the compressor 50 is turned on and off, or when the refrigerant flows to the freezing cooler 41 by switching the switching valve 52, for example.

[0122] (Variation) Next, a modified example of the present invention will be described.

[0123] The figure is a plan view showing a modified example of the present invention.

[0124] As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, the duct cover 31a is configured to hold the cold storage material 100. The duct cover 31a is made of resin and has a resin holding member 105 formed thereon, and the cold storage material 100 is held by the holding member 105.

[0125] The holding member 105 is formed so that when the duct cover 31a is fixed to the main body 10 from the front of the refrigeration cooler 32 with the refrigeration material 100 held by the holding member 105, the refrigeration material 100 comes into direct contact with the refrigeration cooler 32.

[0126] In this modification, the cold storage material 100 is held by the duct cover 31a, which makes it easy to attach during the manufacturing process.

[0127] The holding member 105 is formed on the duct cover 31 a so as to be positioned above the upper ends of the upper flat tubes 61 of the refrigeration cooler 32 and below the lower ends of the lower flat tubes 61 .

[0128] In the left-right direction, holding means (not shown) are formed at positions corresponding to the bent portions 61 a and the bent portions 62 on the outer side of the horizontal portions of each flat tube 61 .

[0129] Therefore, the holding member 105 is prevented from hitting the flat tubes 61, and the contact of the cold storage material 100 with the flat tubes 61 increases the contact area between the refrigeration cooler 32 and the cold storage material 100, thereby improving heat exchange performance.

[0130] As described above, the first embodiment has been described as an example of the technology disclosed in the present application. However, the technology in the present disclosure is not limited to this, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. Furthermore, it is also possible to combine the components described in the first embodiment above to create new embodiments. [Industrial Applicability]

[0131] The present disclosure is suitably applicable to refrigerators that can improve the heat exchange efficiency of a refrigeration heat exchanger. [Explanation of symbols]

[0132] 1 refrigerator 10 Main Unit 11 Upper partition 12 Lower partition plate 13 Refrigerator 14 Freezer 15 Vegetable compartment 16 Cold room 18 Ice Maker 30 Refrigerated cooling room 31 Refrigerator duct 31a Duct cover 32 Refrigerated Cooler 33 Refrigeration fan 61 Flat tube 100 Cold storage materials 104 protection board

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising: a refrigeration cooler for cooling a refrigeration compartment; a low-temperature compartment disposed within the refrigeration compartment; and a cold storage material disposed between the refrigeration cooler and the low-temperature compartment; a heat-conductive protective plate on a front surface of the refrigerating cooler, the protective plate being in contact and fixed with the refrigerating cooler, and the cold storage material being detachably attached from above and pressed into the protective plate so as to be in surface contact with the protective plate.

2. A refrigerator as described in Claim 1, characterized in that the protective plate is fixed in contact with the flat surface of flat tubes arranged in multiple rows in the vertical direction of the refrigeration cooler.

3. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the cold storage material is disposed behind an opening of a duct cover located at the rear of the low-temperature compartment.

4. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cold storage material is composed of a cold storage agent having a freezing point in the range of -10 degrees to 0 degrees, and a cold storage container made of a flexible material that contains the cold storage material.

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