refrigerator

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator that comprises an air channel switch having a compact external shape and capable of reducing an air channel resistance.SOLUTION: A refrigerator 10 comprises a plurality of air channels 48 through which air blown into a storage chamber flows, and an air channel switch 30 that opens and closes the air channels 48. The air channel switch 30 has a baffle 31 provided in each air channel 48, and a baffle drive unit 33 that drives opening / closing operation of the baffle 31. The plurality of baffles 31 is arranged along a front-rear direction, and also arranged along a left-right direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly to a refrigerator including an air duct switch provided in an air duct. [Background technology]

[0002] In general, in a refrigerator, the storage compartment is cooled to a cooling temperature range by blowing air cooled by an evaporator of a refrigeration cycle through an air passage with a blower.

[0003] Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe a double damper device equipped with multiple dampers. Specifically, multiple dampers are arranged in the left-right direction, and each damper is opened and closed individually to open and close each air passage. In this way, the volume of air blown into each storage compartment can be accurately controlled, and each storage compartment can be cooled to a predetermined cooling temperature range. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-194826 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 3724978 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the damper devices described in the above-mentioned patent documents, two dampers are arranged along the left-right direction. Therefore, when providing separate air passages for three or more storage compartments, additional dampers must be arranged. Increasing the number of dampers increases the external shape of the dampers, which poses a problem of compressing the interior space of the refrigerator. Another problem is that air passage resistance increases in the air passages where each damper is installed.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator equipped with an air duct switch that has a compact external shape and can reduce air duct resistance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The refrigerator of the present invention comprises a plurality of air passages through which air to be blown into a storage compartment flows, air passage switches that open and close each of the air passages, and air passage insulation formed to extend along the air passages, wherein the air passage switches have baffles provided corresponding to each of the air passages, a baffle drive unit that drives the opening and closing operation of the baffles, and a baffle frame portion formed to surround the baffles, wherein a plurality of the baffles and the baffle frame portions are arranged along the front-to-rear direction and a plurality of the baffles and the baffle frame portions are arranged along the left-to-right direction, and the lower end of the air passage insulation is inserted into a gap formed between the baffle frame portions.

[0008] Furthermore, in the refrigerator of the present invention, the baffle drive unit has a casing, the baffle drive unit is arranged between adjacent baffles, a slit is formed in the air path insulation material, and the casing is inserted into the slit.

[0009] Furthermore, in the refrigerator of the present invention, the baffle drive unit has a casing, and ribs or recesses are provided on the outer surface of the casing, and air path insulation material that forms the air path is tightly attached to the ribs or recesses. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the refrigerator of the present invention, it is possible to provide a refrigerator having a compact external shape and equipped with an air duct switch that can reduce air duct resistance. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a front view showing an air passage configuration of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an air passage cover and other components that configure an air passage in the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an air duct cover, an air duct insulation material, an air duct switch, and an air duct cover that form an air duct in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an air duct switch of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a perspective view of the air duct switch seen from above the front, and (B) is a perspective view of the air duct switch seen from below the rear. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an air duct switch of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a perspective view of the air duct switch and a baffle as seen from above the front, and (B) is a perspective view of the baffle frame as seen from above the front. [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an air duct switch of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the air duct switch as seen from the front right side, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged perspective view of each gear constituting the air duct switch as seen from the front right side. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an open state of the air duct switch of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an air duct switch of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the air duct switch as seen from the front left side, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged perspective view of each gear constituting the air duct switch as seen from the front left side. [Figure 10] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an air duct switch and an air duct insulation material of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is an oblique view of the air duct switch and the air duct insulation material seen from the front upper side, (B) is an oblique view of the air duct switch and the air duct insulation material seen from the rear lower side, and (C) is an enlarged oblique view of the air duct switch 30 seen from the front upper side. [Figure 11]1A and 1B are diagrams showing an air duct switch and an air duct insulation material of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is an oblique view of the air duct switch and the air duct insulation material seen from the front upper side, (B) is an oblique view of the air duct switch and the air duct insulation material seen from the rear lower side, and (C) is an enlarged oblique view of the air duct switch 30 seen from the front upper side. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a cutaway perspective view showing the configuration of a baffle and each air passage of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the operation of baffles and air passages of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a cross-sectional view showing a case where only one baffle is in an open state, and (B) is a cross-sectional view showing a case where only the other baffle is in an open state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] A refrigerator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same components will generally be denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated description will be omitted. Furthermore, in the following description, up, down, front, back, left, and right directions will be used as appropriate, and left and right refer to the left and right when the refrigerator 10 is viewed from the front. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the refrigerator 10 will be exemplified as having storage compartments in the freezing temperature range and the refrigerating temperature range, but the refrigerator 10 may be one having only a storage compartment in the freezing temperature range, or one having only a storage compartment in the refrigerating temperature range.

[0013] 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing an entire refrigerator 10. Refrigerator 10 mainly comprises an insulated box body 11 and a storage compartment formed inside insulated box body 11. These storage compartments are, from the top, a refrigerator compartment 12, a vegetable compartment 15, and a freezer compartment 13. The front opening of refrigerator compartment 12 is closed by an insulated door 18, the front opening of vegetable compartment 15 is closed by an insulated door 19, and the front opening of freezer compartment 13 is closed by an insulated door 20 and an insulated door 21.

[0014] Small refrigerator compartments 121 and 122 are formed at the bottom inside refrigerator compartment 12. Small refrigerator compartments 121 and 122 are separated by a synthetic resin board. Small refrigerator compartments 121 and 122 are chilled compartments for storing, for example, meat, seafood, etc.

[0015] The insulated box 11 is configured to include an outer box 111 made of a steel plate bent into a predetermined shape, an inner box 112 made of a synthetic resin plate placed inside the outer box 111, and a heat insulating material 113 filled between the outer box 111 and the inner box 112. The refrigerator compartment 12 and the vegetable compartment 15 are separated by an insulating wall 281, and the vegetable compartment 15 and the freezer compartment 13 are separated by an insulating wall 282. The insulating wall 281 and the insulating wall 282 have the same insulating structure as the insulated box 11.

[0016] A cooling compartment 115 is formed behind the freezer compartment 13. An evaporator 162, which is a cooler, is disposed inside the cooling compartment 115. A machine compartment 14 is defined at the rear of the lower end of the refrigerator 10, and a compressor 161 is disposed in the machine compartment 14. The evaporator 162 and the compressor 161 form a refrigerant compression type refrigeration cycle. The refrigeration cycle includes the compressor 161, a condenser (not shown), an expansion means (not shown), and the evaporator 162. By operating the refrigeration cycle, the evaporator 162 cools the air inside the cooling compartment 115, and the air is blown by the blower 24 to each storage compartment, so that the temperature inside each storage compartment is set to a predetermined cooling temperature range. The components of the refrigeration cycle are connected to each other by refrigerant piping made of metal pipes such as copper pipes.

[0017] Blower 24 is a centrifugal fan or an axial fan that blows air cooled by evaporator 162. Air passage 48 extends upward from blower 24. Air outlet 44 is formed at the upper end of air passage 48, and air outlet 16 is formed in the middle. Air for cooling refrigerator compartment 12 is blown out from air outlet 44 and air outlet 16. The configuration of air passage 48 will be described later with reference to FIG. 4.

[0018] Air outlet 46 is an opening of air passage 48 formed behind small refrigerator compartment 122. Air for cooling small refrigerator compartment 122 is blown out from air outlet 46. Air outlet 47 is an opening of air passage 48 formed behind vegetable compartment 15. Air for cooling vegetable compartment 15 is blown out from air outlet 46.

[0019] The air outlet 17 is an opening formed in the partition wall at the front of the cooling compartment 115, and air for cooling the freezing compartment 13 is blown out from the air outlet 17.

[0020] Air path open / close switch 30 is provided in the middle of air path 48, and opens and closes air path 48. Details of air path open / close switch 30 will be described later with reference to Fig. 6 etc. Air path open / close switch 30 is also disposed directly above blower 24.

[0021] 2 is a front view showing the air passage configuration of the refrigerator 10. In this figure, the refrigerating compartment 12 and the like are indicated by dashed lines.

[0022] As described above, air passage 48 is formed above blower 24, and air passage switch 30 is disposed below air passage 48. Air outlet 44, air outlet 16, air outlet 46, and air outlet 47 are formed in air passage 48.

[0023] Return air duct 224 is an air duct that connects vegetable compartment 15 and cooling compartment 115, and circulates air that has cooled vegetable compartment 15 and is returned to cooling compartment 115. Two return air ducts 224 are formed at both ends of refrigerator 10 in the left-right direction. A return port 221 is formed at the upper end of return air duct 224, and the air that has cooled vegetable compartment 15 flows from return port 221 to return air duct 224. A return port 222 is formed at the lower end of return air duct 224, and the air that returns from return air duct 224 to cooling compartment 115 passes through return port 222.

[0024] An air outlet 17 is formed in the cooling chamber 115, and a return port 223 is formed below the air outlet 17. The air cooled by the evaporator 162 is blown out into the freezing chamber 13 via the air outlet 17, and the air that has cooled the freezing chamber 13 is returned to the cooling chamber 115 from the return port 223.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing air passage cover 42 and other components that form air passage 48 described above in refrigerator 10. As shown in FIG.

[0026] Air passage cover 42 is attached to the rear surface of inner box 112 of refrigerator 10, and is a member that defines air passage 48 therein. Air passage cover 42, like inner box 112, is made of a synthetic resin plate.

[0027] Air outlet 44 is formed by opening the upper end surface of air passage cover 42. Furthermore, air outlet 16, air outlet 45, air outlet 46, and air outlet 47 are formed in order from above on the front surface of air passage cover 42. As described above, air is blown out from air outlet 44 and air outlet 16 into refrigerator compartment 12, air is sent from air outlet 45 and air outlet 46 to small refrigerator compartment 121 and small refrigerator compartment 122, and air is sent from air outlet 47 to vegetable compartment 15.

[0028] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing air path cover 42, air path heat insulating material 41, air path switch 30, and air path heat insulating material 43 that configure air path 48 in refrigerator 10. As shown in FIG.

[0029] Air path insulation material 41 and air path insulation material 43 are members that form air path 48, and air path insulation material 43 is incorporated into the lower end portion on the front side of air path insulation material 41. In addition, air path insulation material 41 and air path insulation material 43 are covered from the front by air path cover 42.

[0030] Air passage insulation material 41 is made of a heat insulating material such as foam resin, and by recessing the interior thereof toward the front, air passages 482 and 484 are formed through which the blown air flows. Air passage insulation material 41 is opened at the upper end portion of air passage 482 to form opening 55, and the position of opening 55 coincides with the position of air outlet 46 of air passage cover 42. Therefore, the air that has risen through air passage 482 is blown out into small refrigerator compartment 122 via opening 55 and air outlet 46.

[0031] Furthermore, opening 54 is formed by opening air path insulation 41 at the upper end of air path 484. The position of opening 54 in air path insulation 41 coincides with the position of air outlet 44 of air path cover 42. Therefore, air that has risen in air path 484 passes through opening 54 and air outlet 44 and is sent into refrigerator compartment 12.

[0032] Furthermore, a plurality of openings 29 are formed by opening the middle portion of air path insulation 41. The positions of openings 29 in air path insulation 41 overlap the positions of air outlets 16 of air path cover 42. Therefore, a portion of the air circulating through air path cover 42 is blown out into refrigerator compartment 12 via openings 29 and air outlet 16.

[0033] Air path insulation material 43 is made of a thermal insulation material such as foamed resin, similar to air path insulation material 41, and air paths 481 and 483 are formed by recessing the interior of air path 43 toward the front. Opening the upper end portion of air path 481 forms opening 57, and the position of opening 57 in air path insulation material 43 coincides with the position of air outlet 47 of air path cover 42. Therefore, air that rises up air path 481 is sent to vegetable compartment 15 via opening 57 and air outlet 47.

[0034] Furthermore, opening 56 is formed by opening the upper end portion of air passage 483, and the position of opening 56 coincides with the position of air outlet 45 of air passage cover 42. Therefore, the air that has risen in air passage 482 is blown out into small refrigerator compartment 121 via opening 56 and air outlet 45.

[0035] Air path switch 30 is incorporated into the lower end of air path insulation 41 and the lower end of air path insulation 43, and has the function of opening and closing air path 481 and the like described above. Air path switch 30 has baffle 311, baffle 312, baffle 313, and baffle 314. Baffle 311 is provided in air path 481, baffle 312 is provided in air path 482, baffle 313 is provided in air path 483, and baffle 314 is provided in air path 484. Details of air path switch 30 will be described later with reference to FIG. 5 etc.

[0036] Fig. 5(A) is a perspective view of air path opener 30 as seen from above the front side, and Fig. 5(B) is a perspective view of air path opener 30 as seen from below the rear side. In the following description, baffles 311, 312, 313, and 314 will be collectively referred to as baffles 31, and baffle frame 321, baffle frame 322, baffle frame 323, and baffle frame 324 will be collectively referred to as baffle frame 32.

[0037] 5(A), air path open / close switch 30 has baffles 31 and baffle drive unit 33 that drives the opening and closing operation of baffles 31. Baffles 311, 312, 313, and 314 are arranged in a matrix in the front-rear and left-right directions. Baffle 31 has a generally rectangular outer edge shape when viewed from above.

[0038] Baffle driving unit 33 is disposed between baffles 311 and 312 and between baffles 313 and 314. In this manner, one baffle driving unit 33 can drive baffle 31 to open and close.

[0039] Furthermore, baffle 31 is driven to open and close inside baffle frame 32. Specifically, baffle 311 is housed in baffle frame 321, baffle 312 is housed in baffle frame 322, baffle 313 is housed in baffle frame 323, and baffle 314 is housed in baffle frame 324.

[0040] 5(B), a substantially rectangular opening 581 is formed by opening the bottom surface of baffle frame 321, and when closing air passage 481 shown in FIG. 4, opening 581 is closed by baffle 311. Similarly, opening 582 is formed by opening baffle frame 322, and when closing air passage 482 shown in FIG. 4, opening 582 is closed by baffle 312. Furthermore, opening 583 is formed by opening baffle frame 323, and when closing air passage 483 shown in FIG. 4, opening 583 is closed by baffle 313. Furthermore, opening 584 is formed by opening baffle frame 324, and when closing air passage 484 shown in FIG. 4, opening 584 is closed by baffle 314.

[0041] FIG. 6(A) is a perspective view of the air passage opener 30 and the baffle 31 as viewed from above the front side, and FIG. 6(B) is a perspective view of the baffle frame 32 as viewed from above the front side.

[0042] 6(A), baffle 311 has a pivot shaft 491 protruding to the left formed at its rear left end, and a pivot shaft 492 protruding to the right formed at its rear right end. Baffle 312 has a pivot shaft 493 protruding to the left formed at its rear left end, and a pivot shaft 494 protruding to the right formed at its rear right end. Baffle 313 has a pivot shaft 498 protruding to the left formed at its rear left end, and a pivot shaft 497 protruding to the right formed at its rear right end. Baffle 314 has a pivot shaft 496 protruding to the left formed at its rear left end, and a pivot shaft 495 protruding to the right formed at its rear right end. Here, pivot shaft 495 is hidden by baffle drive unit 33 and is not shown.

[0043] A rotation shaft 491 of baffle 311, a rotation shaft 493 of baffle 312, a rotation shaft 497 of baffle 313, and a rotation shaft 495 of baffle 314 are connected to a baffle gear 374 (described later) and the like so as not to rotate relative to each other.

[0044] 6(B), holes 501 and 502 are formed by opening walls of baffle frame 321 that face each other in the left-right direction in a generally circular shape. Similarly, holes 503 and 504 are formed by opening baffle frame 322. Holes 507 and 508 are formed by opening baffle frame 323. Holes 505 and 506 are formed by opening baffle frame 324. Here, holes 502, 504, 506, and 508 do not necessarily have to be formed as through holes, but may be formed as bottomed holes that are recessed outward in the left-right direction.

[0045] Rotation shafts 491 and 492 of baffle 311 shown in Fig. 6(A) are rotatably inserted into holes 501 and 502 of baffle frame 321 shown in Fig. 6(B). Similarly, rotation shafts 493 and 494 of baffle 312 are rotatably inserted into holes 503 and 504 of baffle frame 322. Rotation shafts 497 and 498 of baffle 313 are rotatably inserted into holes 507 and 508 of baffle frame 323. Furthermore, rotation shafts 495 and 496 of baffle 314 are rotatably inserted into holes 505 and 506 of baffle frame 324.

[0046] 7(A) is a perspective view of the air path opener 30 as seen from the front right side, and FIG. 7(B) is an enlarged perspective view of each gear constituting the air path opener 30 as seen from the front right side.

[0047] Referring to FIG. 7(A), the baffle driving unit 33 is located in the center of the air passage opening / closing device 30, and has a plurality of gears for rotating the baffle 31.

[0048] 7(B), the baffle driving unit 33 has a motor 34, a motor gear 35, a driven gear 364, a driven gear 363, a baffle gear 374, and baffle gears 373, 374.

[0049] The motor gear 35 is rotationally driven by the motor 34, and is meshed with the transmission gear 366. The transmission gear 366 is integrated with the driven gear 364 and the driven gear 362. A baffle gear 374 is disposed in front of the driven gear 364, and the driven gear 364 and the baffle gear 374 are meshed with each other. A rotation shaft 491 of the baffle 311 is inserted into the baffle gear 374 so as not to rotate relative to each other. Therefore, when the motor 34 rotates the motor gear 35, the rotational force rotates the baffle gear 374 via the transmission gear 366 and the driven gear 364, and thereby the baffle 311 rotates.

[0050] The perspective view of FIG. 8 shows the air passage opening and closing device 30 in which only the baffle 311 is in an open state, and the baffles 312, 313, and 314 are in a closed state.

[0051] 7(B), the gear ratio of baffle gear 374 is set smaller than that of driven gear 364. This allows baffle gear 374 to rotate by a larger amount than the rotation amount of driven gear 364. For example, by rotating driven gear 364 by 80 degrees, baffle gear 374 can be rotated by 90 degrees. Therefore, when baffle 311 is opened, baffle 311 can be reliably placed in a vertical position, and the airflow resistance of airflow path 481 described above can be reduced.

[0052] Furthermore, the motor gear 35 is meshed with a transmission gear 365. The transmission gear 365 is integrated with the driven gear 363 and the driven gear 361 (see FIG. 9(B)). A baffle gear 373 is disposed behind the driven gear 363, and the driven gear 363 and the baffle gear 373 are meshed with each other. A rotation shaft 493 of the baffle 312 is inserted into the baffle gear 373 so as not to rotate relative to each other. Again, the gear ratio of the baffle gear 373 is made smaller than that of the driven gear 363 to ensure that the baffle 312 is rotated 90 degrees in the open state.

[0053] 9(A) is a perspective view of the air path opener 30 as seen from the front left side, and FIG. 9(B) is an enlarged perspective view of each gear constituting the air path opener 30 as seen from the front left side.

[0054] 9(B), driven gear 362 is integrated with transmission gear 366 described above. Furthermore, baffle gear 372 is disposed in front of driven gear 362 so that driven gear 362 and baffle gear 372 can mesh with each other. Furthermore, a rotation shaft 497 of baffle 313 is inserted into and connected to baffle gear 372 so as not to rotate relative to it. Again, the gear ratio of baffle gear 372 is set smaller than that of driven gear 362 to ensure that baffle 313 can rotate 90 degrees in the open state.

[0055] The front portion of transmission gear 365 meshes with transmission gear 366. Furthermore, transmission gear 365 is integrated with driven gear 361 and driven gear 363 (see FIG. 7(B)). Baffle gear 371 is disposed behind driven gear 361, and driven gear 361 and baffle gear 371 are disposed so as to be able to mesh with each other. A rotating shaft 495 of baffle 314 is inserted into baffle gear 371 so as not to rotate relative to each other.

[0056] When motor gear 35 is rotated by motor 34, the rotational force rotates baffle gear 371 via transmission gear 366, transmission gear 365, and driven gear 361, thereby rotating baffle 314. Again, the gear ratio of baffle gear 371 is set small relative to driven gear 361 to ensure that baffle 314 rotates 90 degrees in the open state.

[0057] Figure 10(A) is an oblique view of the air path open / close switch 30 and the air path insulation material 41 viewed from the front upper side, Figure 10(B) is an oblique view of the air path open / close switch 30 and the air path insulation material 41 viewed from the rear lower side, and Figure 10(C) is an enlarged oblique view of the air path open / close switch 30 viewed from the front upper side.

[0058] 10(A), substantially plate-shaped insertion portions 521 and 522 are formed at the lower end of air passage insulation material 41. Furthermore, a substantially rectangular slit 51 is formed between insertion portions 521 and 522 when viewed from the front.

[0059] The baffle drive unit 33 of the air path open / close switch 30 has a casing 38. The casing 38 is made of synthetic resin and is molded into a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The gears and other components that make up the baffle drive unit 33 described above are housed inside the casing 38.

[0060] 10(B), abutment portion 49 is disposed on the rear side of slit 51. Abutment portion 49 is the lower end surface of the portion that separates air passage 482 from air passage 484, and may be a flat surface or may have an inverted shape of recess 40, which will be described later.

[0061] 10(C), a recess 40 is formed on the top surface of the casing 38. The recess 40 is formed so as to extend linearly along the front-rear direction on the top surface of the casing 38. Furthermore, the recess 40 is also formed so as to extend linearly along the left-right direction on the top surface of the casing 38. In other words, the recess 40 is formed in a substantially cross shape on the top surface of the casing 38.

[0062] The casing 38 of the air path switch 30 is inserted into the slit 51 shown in Fig. 10(B). The top surface of the casing 38, on which the recess 40 is formed, is in close contact with the abutment portion 49. In this way, the space between the top surface of the casing 38 and the abutment portion 49 of the air path insulation material 41 is sealed, air path 482 and air path 484 are separated, and it is possible to prevent air from entering from air path 482 to air path 484, for example.

[0063] Here, instead of the recess 40 described above, a rib may be formed on the upper surface of the casing 38 so that the rib comes into close contact with the contact portion 49 .

[0064] 10(C), a gap 532 is formed between baffle frame 321 and baffle frame 322. Furthermore, baffle wall 3221 of baffle frame 321 faces gap 532, and baffle wall 3211 of baffle frame 322 faces gap 532. Furthermore, baffle wall 3211 of baffle frame 322 is formed higher than baffle wall 3221 of baffle frame 321. Here, baffle frame 321 is a first baffle frame, and baffle frame 322 is a second baffle frame.

[0065] Similarly, baffle wall portion 3241 of baffle frame 324 faces baffle wall portion 3231 of baffle frame 323 across gap 531. Baffle wall portion 3241 is formed higher than baffle wall portion 3231.

[0066] 10(A) can be easily inserted into gaps 531 and 532 of air path insulation material 41. Specifically, when inserting insertion portion 521 of air path insulation material 41 into gap 531 of air path switch 30, high baffle wall portion 3241 functions as a guide plate. Furthermore, because baffle wall portion 3241 and baffle wall portion 3231 are at different heights, a large opening is formed at the top of gap 531, and insertion portion 521 can be easily inserted into gap 531.

[0067] Similarly, on the right side of the air path opening / closing device 30 shown in Figure 10(C), the baffle wall portion 3211 is formed higher than the baffle wall portion 3221, so that the insertion portion 522 of the air path insulation material 41 shown in Figure 10(A) can be easily inserted into the gap 532.

[0068] Figure 11(A) is an oblique view of the air path open / close switch 30 and the air path insulation material 41 viewed from the front upper side, Figure 11(B) is an oblique view of the air path open / close switch 30 and the air path insulation material 41 viewed from the rear lower side, and Figure 11(C) is an enlarged oblique view of the air path open / close switch 30 viewed from the front upper side.

[0069] 11(C), baffle frame 322, baffle frame 323, and baffle frame 324 are integrally formed from synthetic resin. For example, baffle frame 323 is a first baffle frame, and baffle frame 324 is a second baffle frame. A substantially horizontal flat surface 62 is formed between baffle frame 323 and baffle frame 324. In this manner, abutment surface 64, which is the lower surface of air path open / close switch 30 shown in FIG. 11(B), can be brought into contact with and tightly adhered to flat surface 62 of air path open / close switch 30, thereby separating air path 483 opened and closed by baffle 313 from air path 484 opened and closed by baffle 314.

[0070] 11(C), the outer surface 63 of the baffle 31 is a substantially flat surface. Specifically, the outer surface 63 is, for example, the right side and front side of the baffle frame 322, the right side and front side of the casing 38, the front side and left side of the baffle frame 323, and the left side of the baffle frame 324. In this way, the outer surface 63 of the air path opener 30 can be brought into close contact with the inner surface 61 formed at the lower end of the air path insulation material 41 shown in FIG. 11(B), and the space between each air path and the air path opener 30 can be sealed.

[0071] FIG. 12 is a cutaway perspective view showing the configuration of each baffle and each air passage.

[0072] As described above, air path open / close switch 30 has baffles 311 and 312, and cavity 60 is formed between baffles 311 and 312. Cavity 60 is an internal space made of synthetic resin and formed with a hat-shaped cross section. As described above, baffle 311 opens and closes air path 481, and baffle 312 opens and closes air path 482.

[0073] FIG. 13(A) is a cross-sectional view showing the case where only baffle 311 is in the open state, and FIG. 13(B) is a cross-sectional view showing the case where only baffle 312 is in the open state.

[0074] 13(A), when baffle 311 is opened by rotating it approximately 90 degrees around pivot shaft 492, low-temperature air cooled by evaporator 162 is blown out into vegetable compartment 15 via air passage 481 and opening 57. At this time, cavity 60 provides thermal insulation between air passage 481 and air passage 482, preventing pivot shaft 494 of baffle 312 from freezing.

[0075] 13(B), baffle 312 can be opened by rotating it about rotation shaft 494 by approximately 90 degrees, and air can be blown toward refrigerator compartment 12 via air passage 482. At this time, baffle 311 is closed by rotating it about rotation shaft 492 by approximately 90 degrees in the opposite direction to that described above. At this time, cavity 60 provides thermal insulation between air passage 482 and air passage 481, thereby preventing rotation shaft 492 from freezing.

[0076] According to the above-described embodiment, the following main effects can be achieved.

[0077] 5(A), it is possible to provide a refrigerator 10 that has a compact external shape and is equipped with an air path switch 30 that can reduce air path resistance. That is, by arranging a plurality of baffles 31 along the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions, it is possible to reduce air path resistance in the air path switch 30 and further reduce the difference in air volume between the left-side air path 48 and the right-side air path 48. As a result, it is possible to efficiently cool each storage compartment to a predetermined temperature.

[0078] Furthermore, referring to FIG. 5(A), by disposing the baffle driving section 33 between the baffles 31, it is possible to effectively drive the opening and closing operations of all the baffles 31 with one baffle driving section 33.

[0079] Also, referring to Figure 9(B), by making the gear ratio of the baffle gear 371 smaller than that of the driven gear, a large amount of rotation of the baffle gear 371 can be obtained with a small rotation of the driven gear, and the opening and closing operation of the baffle 31 can be performed reliably.

[0080] Also, referring to Figure 10(C), by adhering air passage insulation material 41 to ribs or recesses 40 provided on the outer surface of casing 38, the gap between baffle drive unit 33 and casing 38 can be sealed, preventing air from leaking from the gap between the two.

[0081] Also, referring to Figure 10(C), in the gap between baffle frame portion 321 and baffle frame portion 322, either baffle wall portion 3221 of baffle frame portion 321 or baffle wall portion 3211 of baffle frame portion 322 is formed higher than the other, so that the lower end of air path insulation material 41 can be easily inserted into the gap between baffle frame portion 321 and baffle frame portion 322.

[0082] Furthermore, referring to FIG. 11(C), baffle frame portion 323 and baffle frame portion 324 are integrally formed, so that air passages 48 in which each baffle 31 is provided can be reliably separated.

[0083] Also, referring to Figure 11 (C), since the outer surface 63 of the baffle frame portion 322 or the baffle frame portion 324 is a flat surface, the outer surface 63 of the baffle frame portion 321 or the baffle frame portion 322 can be brought into close contact with the air path insulation material 41, thereby improving the airtightness of the air path 48.

[0084] Furthermore, referring to FIG. 13(A), the cavity 60 can insulate the baffles 31 from each other, and when the baffle 311 is in the open state, it is possible to prevent the drive portion of the adjacent baffle 312 from freezing.

[0085] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the present invention. In addition, the above-described embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0086] The invention that can be understood from the above-described embodiment will be described below together with its effects.

[0087] The refrigerator of the present invention includes a plurality of air passages through which air flows to be blown into a storage compartment, and an air passage switch that opens and closes each of the air passages. The air passage switch includes a baffle corresponding to each of the air passages and a baffle drive unit that drives the opening and closing operation of the baffle. The baffles are arranged in multiple locations along the front-to-rear direction and in multiple locations along the left-to-right direction. Therefore, the refrigerator of the present invention can provide a refrigerator with a compact external shape and an air passage switch that can reduce air passage resistance. Specifically, by arranging multiple baffles along the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions, air passage resistance at the air passage switch can be reduced, and the difference in air volume between the left air passage and the right air passage can be reduced. This allows each storage compartment to be efficiently cooled to a predetermined temperature.

[0088] In the refrigerator of the present invention, the baffle drive unit is disposed between the baffles adjacent to each other in the left-right direction. Therefore, according to the refrigerator of the present invention, by disposing the baffle drive unit between the baffles, it is possible to effectively drive the opening and closing operations of all the baffles with a single baffle drive unit.

[0089] In addition, in the refrigerator of the present invention, the baffle drive unit has a casing, and ribs or recesses are provided on the outer surface of the casing, and air path insulation that forms the air path is tightly attached to the ribs or recesses. Therefore, according to the refrigerator of the present invention, by tightly attaching the air path insulation to the ribs or recesses provided on the outer surface of the casing, it is possible to seal the gap between the baffle drive unit and the casing and prevent air from leaking from the gap between them.

[0090] In addition, in the refrigerator of the present invention, the baffle includes a first baffle and a second baffle adjacent to the first baffle, a first baffle frame portion is disposed around the first baffle, a second baffle frame portion is disposed around the second baffle, and one of the first baffle frame portion and the second baffle frame portion is formed higher than the other in the gap between the first baffle frame portion and the second baffle frame portion. Therefore, according to the refrigerator of the present invention, by forming one of the first baffle frame portion and the second baffle frame portion higher than the other in the gap between the first baffle frame portion and the second baffle frame portion, it is possible to easily insert the lower end of the air passage insulation into the gap between the first baffle frame portion and the second baffle frame portion.

[0091] In addition, the refrigerator of the present invention is characterized in that a cavity is formed between the baffles adjacent to each other in the left-right direction. Therefore, according to the refrigerator of the present invention, the cavity can insulate the baffles from each other, and when one baffle is in the open state, the drive unit of the adjacent baffle can be prevented from freezing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 10. Refrigerator 11 Insulated box 111 outer box 112 Inner box 113 Insulation 115 Cooling room 12 Refrigerator 121 Small refrigerator compartment 122 Small refrigerator compartment 13 Freezer 14 Machine room 15 Vegetable compartment 16 Air outlet 161 Compressor 162 Evaporator 17 Air outlet 18 Insulated Door 19 Insulated Door 20 Insulated Door 21 Insulated Door 221 Return Exit 222 Return Exit 223 Return Exit 224 Return Air Path 24 Blower 281 Insulated Wall 282 Insulated Wall 29 Opening 30 Air duct switch 31 Baffle 311 Baffle 312 Baffle 313 Baffle 314 Baffle 32 Baffle frame 321 Baffle frame 3211 Baffle wall 322 Baffle frame 3221 Baffle wall 323 Baffle frame 3231 Baffle wall 324 Baffle frame 3241 Baffle wall 33 Baffle drive unit 34 Motor 35 Motor gear 361 Driven gear 362 Driven gear 363 Driven Gear 364 Driven Gear 365 Transmission Gear 366 Transmission Gear 371 Baffle Gear 372 Baffle Gear 373 Baffle Gear 374 Baffle Gear 38 Casing 40 recess 41 Air channel insulation 42 Air duct cover 43 Air channel insulation 44 Air outlet 45 Air outlet 46 Air outlet 47 Air outlet 48 Wind path 481 Wind path 482 Wind path 483 Wind path 484 Wind path 49 Contact part 491 Rotating shaft 492 Rotating shaft 493 Rotating shaft 494 Rotating shaft 495 Rotating shaft 496 Rotating shaft 497 Rotating shaft 498 Rotating shaft 501 Hole 502 Hole 503 Hole 504 Hole 505 Hole 506 Hole 507 Hole 508 Hole 51 Slit 521 Insertion part 522 Insertion part 531 Gap 532 Gap 54 Aperture 55 Aperture 56 Aperture 57 Aperture 581 Opening 582 Opening 583 Opening 584 Opening 60 Cavity 61 Inner 62 Flat surface 63 External surface 64 Contact surface

Claims

1. a plurality of air passages through which air blown into the storage chamber flows; air path switches that open and close the air paths; an air passage heat insulating material formed to extend along the air passage, the air path open / close device includes baffles provided corresponding to the respective air paths, a baffle drive unit that drives the opening and closing operation of the baffles, and a baffle frame unit formed to surround the baffles, a plurality of the baffles and the baffle frame portions are arranged along the front-rear direction and a plurality of the baffles and the baffle frame portions are arranged along the left-right direction, The refrigerator is characterized in that a lower end of the air passage heat insulating material is inserted into a gap formed between the baffle frame portions.

2. the baffle drive unit has a casing, the baffle drive unit is disposed between adjacent baffles, A slit is formed in the air passage insulation material, 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the casing is inserted into the slit.

3. the baffle drive unit has a casing, a rib or a recess is provided on the outer surface of the casing; The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the air passage heat insulating material forming the air passage is in close contact with the rib or the recess.

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