Cooling warehouse

Abstract

To provide a cooling box that can restrain water from adhering to an ion supply unit provided in the interior.SOLUTION: A cooling box 1 comprises a storage chamber 11, and a cold air passage 32 for guiding cold air cooled by a cooler 21 into the storage chamber 11. An air blower 23 is arranged in the cold air passage 32. Blowoff ports (such as left side blowoff port 16a and right side blowoff port 16b) for blowing off the cold air in the cold air passage 32 into the storage chamber 11 are provided between the storage chamber 11 and the cold air passage 32. An ion supply unit 50 for supplying ions is provided above the air blower 23 in the cold air passage 32. A wall is provided in front of the ion supply unit 50.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator equipped with an ion supply unit.

Background Art

[0002] Some refrigerators are equipped with an ion supply device for sterilizing and deodorizing the interior of the refrigerator. In such a refrigerator, a problem is that dew condensation occurs on the ion generation electrode of the ion supply device due to, for example, high-humidity air entering the refrigerator from the outside when the door is opened and closed.

[0003] Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses a refrigerator capable of improving the dew condensation state on the electrode surface by supplying pre-dehumidified cold air from a cooling device to the electrode of the ion generation device. This refrigerator includes a cold air supply means for supplying cold air cooled by a cooling device to a flow path, an ion generation device having an electrode that generates ions by applying a voltage, and a control device for controlling the operation of the ion generation device. The electrode is disposed facing the inside of the flow path, and the control device is characterized in that it starts the operation of the ion generation device with a delay from the start of the operation of the cold air supply means.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in refrigerators where the internal temperature changes significantly, such as those that can switch between refrigeration and freezing modes, the problem of condensation inside the refrigerator becomes more serious. For example, if condensation water generated during the switch from freezing mode to refrigeration mode adheres to the electrodes of the ion supply device, the discharge at the electrodes will not be stable. Furthermore, if the system switches back to freezing mode while condensation water is adhering to the electrodes of the ion supply device, the condensation water around the electrodes may freeze, potentially adversely affecting the subsequent operation of the electrodes.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a cooling cabinet that can suppress the adhesion of water to the ion supply unit installed inside the cabinet. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A cooling cabinet according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a storage chamber, a cold air passage that guides cold air cooled by a cooler into the storage chamber, a blower fan located in the cold air passage, a blower outlet that blows the cold air in the cold air passage into the storage chamber, and an ion supply unit located above the blower fan in the cold air passage and supplying ions, with a wall provided in front of the ion supply unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a cooling cabinet that can suppress the adhesion of water to the ion supply unit installed inside the cabinet. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the configuration of a cooler according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a front view showing the configuration of the storage chamber of the cooling unit. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the AA line portion of the insulated box body. [Figure 4]Figure 1 is a front view showing the configuration of the cold air passage in the cooling chamber. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the upper portion of the insulated box shown in Figure 3. [Figure 6] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the ion supply unit installed in the cooling chamber. [Figure 7] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the inside of the ion supply unit. [Figure 8] Figure 6 shows the ion supply unit with the top cover removed, from a perspective view. [Figure 9] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the ion supply unit with the main body removed from the lower cover. [Figure 10] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the cooling chamber. [Figure 11] This is a schematic diagram showing the airflow inside a cooling cabinet according to one embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed descriptions of them will not be repeated.

[0011] [First Embodiment] (Overall configuration of the cooling chamber) In this embodiment, a cooler 1 having one storage chamber 11 will be described as an example. First, the overall configuration of the cooler 1 according to the first embodiment will be described. Figure 1 shows the external view of the cooler 1 with the door 12 open. Figure 2 shows the configuration inside the storage chamber 11 of the cooler 1. Figure 2 shows the configuration inside the storage chamber 11 with each storage case removed. Figure 3 shows the internal configuration of the cooler 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the portion of the insulated box 10 shown in Figure 2 along line AA.

[0012] The refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment is configured to be able to switch between a refrigerating mode and a freezing mode. For example, when the user operates the operation unit 70 of the refrigerator 1 and the refrigerating mode is selected, the storage chamber 11 becomes a refrigerating chamber. Also, for example, when the user operates the operation unit 70 of the refrigerator 1 and the freezing mode is selected, the storage chamber 11 becomes a freezing chamber.

[0013] The outer shape of the refrigerator 1 is mainly composed of a heat-insulating box body 10 and a door 12. The heat-insulating box body 10 has a heat-insulating structure for heat-insulating each storage chamber from the surroundings. Inside the heat-insulating box body 10, a storage chamber 11 is formed. In the storage chamber 11, a plurality of storage cases 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d are provided. As a result, the inside of the storage chamber 11 is partitioned into a plurality of storage spaces.

[0014] The door 12 is configured to be able to change the left and right opening and closing directions of the door by replacing the components constituting the hinge portion. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the hinge portion on the left side of the door 12 as viewed from the front is fixed by components. As a result, the refrigerator 1 is opened and closed from the right side as viewed from the front. Note that the configuration of the door of the refrigerator 1 is not limited to the above. That is, the door 12 may be configured to be opened and closed only from either the left or the right.

[0015] In this embodiment, the surface on which the door is provided is taken as the front (front face) of the refrigerator 1. Then, based on the position that exists when the refrigerator 1 is installed in the normal state with the front face as a reference, each surface of the heat-insulating box body 10 of the refrigerator 1 is taken as the upper surface, side surface, back surface, and bottom surface. Also, in the state where the refrigerator 1 is viewed from the front side, the side located on the left is called the left side of the refrigerator 1 (or the heat-insulating box body 10), and the side located on the right is called the right side of the refrigerator 1 (or the heat-insulating box body 10).

[0016] A refrigeration cycle is installed inside the cooler 1. The refrigeration cycle consists of a compressor 22, a condenser, an expander, and a cooler 21, which are connected via refrigerant pipes through which the refrigerant flows. The cooler 21 is located in a cooling chamber 31, which is located on the rear side of the storage chamber 11 (i.e., on the back side of the rear portion 11a of the storage chamber 11). The compressor 22 is located in a machine room 33, which is located at the lower rear side of the insulated box 10.

[0017] The air cooled by the cooler 21 is guided to the storage chamber 11 through the cold air passage 32. The cold air passage 32 is located above the rear side of the storage chamber 11 and is in communication with the cooling chamber 31 where the cooler 21 is located. The cold air passage 32 and the storage chamber 11 are separated by a duct forming member 15.

[0018] The cold air passage 32 is equipped with a blower fan 23, an ion supply unit 50, and the like. The blower fan 23 is provided to circulate air between the cooling chamber 31 and the storage chamber 11. The blower fan 23 is, for example, an axial flow fan.

[0019] Multiple cold air outlets are provided between the cold air passage 32 and the storage chamber 11. In this embodiment, multiple outlets (i.e., left outlet 16a, right outlet 16b, and central outlet 17) are formed in the duct forming member 15. Note that the arrangement of each outlet is just an example, and the arrangement of each outlet in this invention is not limited to this.

[0020] The ion supply unit 50 is located on the upper side within the cold air passage 32. The ion supply unit 50 supplies positive (+) ions (e.g., H + (H2O) m (where m is any natural number) and negative (-) ions (e.g., O2) - (H2O) nIt generates at least one of the following (where n is any natural number). By providing an ion supply unit 50 in the cold air passage 32, ions can be contained in the air blown out from each outlet through the cold air passage 32. This makes it possible to disinfect and deodorize the storage room 11.

[0021] Furthermore, a control unit 60 (see Figure 10) is provided inside the cooling chamber 1. The control unit 60 is located, for example, in the machine room 33. This control unit 60 controls the operation of the refrigeration cycle, such as the compressor 22, the operation of the blower fan 23, and the operation of the ion supply unit 50.

[0022] (Regarding the arrangement of the blower fan, ion supply unit, and duct forming member) Next, the more detailed configurations of the blower fan 23, the ion supply unit 50, and the duct forming member 15 will be described. Figure 4 is a front view showing the internal configuration of the cold air passage 32. Figure 4 shows the insulated box 10 shown in Figure 3 with the duct forming member 15 removed. Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the upper part of the cross-sectional view of the insulated box 10 shown in Figure 3.

[0023] The cold air passage 32 is located on the rear side of the insulated box 10 and communicates with the cooling chamber 31 below (see Figure 3). The front side of the cold air passage 32 is formed by a duct forming member 15. The blower fan 23 is located approximately in the center of the cold air passage 32 on the rear side of the duct forming member 15. An ion supply unit 50 is located above the blower fan 23.

[0024] In the duct-forming member 15, a protruding portion is provided on the front side at a position that overlaps with the arrangement area of ​​the blower fan 23 and the ion supply unit 50 when viewed from the front. As a result, the front and above of the blower fan 23 and the ion supply unit 50 are covered by the wall formed by the duct-forming member 15 (i.e., the vertical wall portion 15a and the inclined wall portion 15b).

[0025] The duct forming member 15 is provided with multiple outlets. Specifically, a left outlet 16a and a right outlet 16b are provided on the left and right sides of the vertical wall portion 15a and the inclined wall portion 15b of the duct forming member 15, and a central outlet 17 is provided above the vertical wall portion 15a.

[0026] The left outlet 16a and the right outlet 16b have approximately the same opening area. On the other hand, the central outlet 17 has a smaller opening area than the left outlet 16a and the right outlet 16b. More specifically, the vertical opening width of the central outlet 17 is smaller than the vertical opening width of the left outlet 16a and the right outlet 16b. This makes it possible to suppress the obstruction of the generation of vortices formed in front of the ion supply unit 50 by the central outlet 17.

[0027] In this embodiment, the blower fan 23 is an axial flow fan. The rotation axis of the blower fan 23 is positioned to be slightly tilted upward toward the front. As a result, the blower fan 23 forms an airflow that flows diagonally upward from the rear side of the fan toward the front side.

[0028] In this embodiment, the ion supply unit 50 is positioned above the blower fan 23. The front side of the ion supply unit 50 is covered by the wall of the duct forming member 15 (specifically, the vertical wall portion 15a and the inclined wall portion 15b). In other words, each outlet provided in the duct forming member 15 is positioned so as not to overlap with the area where the ion supply unit 50 is located when viewed from the front. This makes it possible to configure the system so that if water from the storage chamber 11 enters the cold air passage 32 through the outlets, it is less likely for water to come into contact with the ion supply unit 50.

[0029] Furthermore, an inclined wall portion 15b of the duct forming member 15 is provided at a position that overlaps with the placement area of ​​the ion supply unit 50 when viewed from the front. In other words, the wall located in front of the ion supply unit 50 is inclined. As a result, as will be described later, an airflow (vortex) that rotates in front of the ion supply unit 50 is formed by the operation of the blower fan 23 (see Figure 11).

[0030] Furthermore, the central outlet 17 is positioned below the area where the ion supply unit 50 is located. This makes it less likely for water entering the cold air passage 32 from the central outlet 17 to be splashed by the ion supply unit 50. In this embodiment, the central outlet 17 is positioned so as to overlap with the upper end of the area where the blower fan 23 is located when viewed from the front.

[0031] (Configuration of the ion supply unit) Next, the more detailed configuration of the ion supply unit 50 will be described. Figure 6 shows the external appearance of the ion supply unit 50. Figure 7 shows the internal configuration of the ion supply unit 50. Figure 8 shows the lower side of the ion supply unit 50 and the inside of the upper cover 52a. Figure 9 shows the main body 51 of the ion supply unit 50 removed from the lower cover 52b.

[0032] The ion supply unit 50 mainly comprises a main body 51 that generates ions, a cover member 52 that covers a part of the main body 51 (specifically, the power supply unit 54), and a sealing material (for example, a first sealing member 57a) provided between the main body 51 and the cover member 52.

[0033] The main body 51 mainly comprises an electrode section 53, a power supply section 54, and a harness 55. The electrode section 53 has a positive electrode 53a and a negative electrode 53b. The electrode section 53 is exposed from the cover member 52, and the positive electrode 53a and the negative electrode 53b are positioned to protrude forward. The positions of the positive electrode 53a and the negative electrode 53b may be reversed left and right.

[0034] The power supply unit 54 is located behind the electrode unit 53 and is covered by a cover member 52. The power supply unit 54 is connected to the control unit 60 via a harness 55. As a result, the power supply unit 54 is supplied with electrical signals from the control unit 60.

[0035] The cover member 52 is composed of an upper cover 52a and a lower cover 52b. The upper cover 52a and the lower cover 52b are made of, for example, a resin material. A space is formed between the upper cover 52a and the lower cover 52b. The main body 51 is placed in this space. In other words, this space is the main body placement area 52c.

[0036] On the inside of the upper cover 52a (on the side of the main body placement area 52c), a first sealing member 57a is provided so as to surround the outer circumference of the main body placement area 52c. As a result, when the main body 51 is placed inside the main body placement area 52c, the first sealing member 57a is sandwiched between the upper cover 52a and the lower cover 52b.

[0037] Furthermore, in the main body 51, a second sealing member 57b is provided between the electrode portion 53, which is exposed to the outside, and the power supply unit 54, which is located within the main body arrangement portion 52c. In addition, a third sealing member 57c is provided at the connection portion between the power supply unit 54 and the harness 55.

[0038] The sealing members, such as the first sealing member 57a, the second sealing member 57b, and the third sealing member 57c, are formed from, for example, a flame-retardant sealing material. Furthermore, it is preferable that the sealing members are formed from an elastic material, such as a sponge. This improves the airtightness of the space within the main body arrangement portion 52c where the sealing members are located.

[0039] The provision of the first sealing member 57a prevents water and other liquids from entering the main body mounting section 52c from the outside. Furthermore, the provision of the second sealing member 57b between the electrode section 53 and the power supply section 54 prevents water and other liquids from entering the power supply section 54, which is located inside the cover member 52, from the electrode section 53, which is exposed to the outside of the cover member 52. In addition, the provision of the third sealing member 57c at the connection section (connector) between the power supply section 54 and the harness 55 prevents water and other liquids that travel along the harness 55 from entering the connector.

[0040] Furthermore, the presence of the sealing member enhances the thermal insulation within the main body mounting section 52c. This makes the main body 51, which is located within the main body mounting section 52c, less susceptible to temperature changes within the cold air passage 32.

[0041] Furthermore, multiple ribs 58a are provided on the inside of the upper cover 52a, where the main body mounting section 52c is formed (see Figure 8). Also, multiple ribs 58b are provided on the inside of the lower cover 52b, where the main body mounting section 52c is formed (see Figure 9).

[0042] The presence of these ribs 58a and 58b allows the power supply unit 54, which is located within the main body placement section 52c, to not be in close contact with the upper cover 52a and the lower cover 52b, thus creating a space between them. This further improves the thermal insulation within the main body placement section 52c.

[0043] (Control method for Cooling Cabinet 1) As described above, the cooler 1 according to this embodiment is configured to allow switching between refrigeration mode and freezing mode. The control method for switching the cooling mode of the cooler 1 will be described below.

[0044] Figure 10 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the cooler 1. Figure 10 illustrates the main units that operate when switching cooling modes. The configurations of the compressor 22, blower fan 23, and ion supply unit 50 are as described above.

[0045] The control unit 70 is located at the front of the top surface of the cooler 1. The control unit 70 has a touch panel, mechanical switches, etc. The control unit 70 is equipped with multiple operation buttons for switching the cooling mode of the storage chamber 11, setting the temperature inside the storage chamber 11, and performing various other operations and settings. When the user operates the control unit 70, various commands are transmitted from the control unit 70 to the control unit 60.

[0046] The temperature sensor 71 is located inside the storage chamber 11 and measures the temperature inside the storage chamber 11. The temperature information measured by the temperature sensor 71 is transmitted to the control unit 60.

[0047] The control unit 60 mainly comprises a control unit 61, a memory 62, and a timer 63, among other components.

[0048] The control unit 61 is implemented by a CPU or the like. The control unit 61 controls the operation of each unit and device in the cooling cabinet 1 by executing programs stored in the memory 62. The memory 62 is implemented by various types of RAM, various types of ROM, etc. The memory 62 stores programs executed by the control unit 61 and data generated by the execution of programs by the control unit 61. The timer 63 has a clock function and measures time.

[0049] For example, if the cooling mode in the storage chamber 11 is set to freezing mode, the control unit 61 stops the operation of the ion supply unit 50. This is because, in the temperature environment inside the cold air passage 32 when freezing mode is selected, an ice film is likely to form on the surface of the electrode section 53, causing the operation of the ion supply unit 50 to become unstable.

[0050] When the cooling state inside the storage chamber 11 is set to freezing mode, and the control unit 70 is operated to switch to refrigeration mode, the control unit 61 changes the set temperature inside the storage chamber 11 to the refrigeration temperature and switches to control for refrigeration mode. That is, in order to raise the temperature inside the storage chamber 11, the operation of the compressor 22 is stopped and the operation of the refrigeration cycle is stopped.

[0051] Immediately after switching from freezing mode to refrigeration mode, the control unit 61 maintains the operation of the blower fan 23 while stopping the operation of the ion supply unit 50. Operating the blower fan 23 promotes drying within the cold air passage 32, reducing the possibility of condensation forming around the ion supply unit 50.

[0052] Subsequently, the control unit 61 starts the operation of the ion supply unit 50 when predetermined conditions are met. In this embodiment, the operation of the ion supply unit 50 is started after the temperature inside the storage chamber 11 has risen sufficiently. This stabilizes the operation of the ion supply unit 50.

[0053] On the other hand, if the cooling mode in the storage chamber 11 switches from refrigeration mode to freezing mode, the control unit 61 changes the set temperature in the storage chamber 11 to the freezing temperature and switches to control for freezing mode. That is, in order to lower the temperature in the storage chamber 11, it starts the operation of the compressor 22 and starts the refrigeration cycle. Also, if the cooling mode in the storage chamber 11 switches from refrigeration mode to freezing mode, the control unit 61 immediately stops the operation of the ion supply unit 50.

[0054] (Regarding airflow within the cold air passage) Figure 11 shows the results of an analysis of the airflow when the blower fan 23 was operated in the cooling chamber 1. The rotation speed of the blower fan 23 during the analysis was 3350 rpm, and the flow rate was 1.2 m³. 3 It was / minutes.

[0055] Figure 11 shows the measurement results using fluid analysis software, with arrows indicating the airflow at various points in the cold air passage 32 and storage chamber 11. The thicker arrows shown in Figure 11 are representative of the many arrows in the analysis results and were added to more clearly indicate the direction of the airflow.

[0056] As shown in Figure 11, when the blower fan 23 is operated, it was confirmed that a vortex flow in the direction indicated by the arrow is formed in the front part of the ion supply unit 50. In this way, a downward-flowing airflow is formed near the front part of the ion supply unit 50 (i.e., the part where the electrode part 53 is provided), which allows moisture and other substances adhering to the front part of the ion supply unit 50 to be pushed downwards. This is thought to be because an inclined wall 15b is provided in front of the ion supply unit 50.

[0057] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the blower fan 23 is an axial flow fan, vortices are easily formed in the direction along the rotation direction of the blower fan 23. As a result, in addition to the downward-flowing air, air is also generated in the left-right direction near the front of the ion supply unit 50 (i.e., the part where the electrode section 53 is provided). This makes it possible to supply ion-containing cold air to the storage chamber 11 even if the left outlet 16a and the right outlet 16b are provided on both the left and right sides that do not overlap with the blower fan 23 and the ion supply unit 50 when viewed from the front. In addition, since the opening of the central outlet 17 can be made smaller or eliminated, it is possible to suppress the obstruction of the generation of vortices formed in front of the ion supply unit 50 by the central outlet 17.

[0058] (Summary of the first embodiment) As described above, the cooler 1 according to this embodiment includes a storage chamber 11 and a cold air passage 32 that guides the cold air cooled by the cooler 21 to the storage chamber 11. A blower fan 23 is positioned inside the cold air passage 32. Between the storage chamber 11 and the cold air passage 32, there are outlets (for example, a left outlet 16a, a right outlet 16b, a central outlet 17, etc.) that blow the cold air from the cold air passage 32 into the storage chamber 11. An ion supply unit 50 that supplies ions is provided above the blower fan 23 inside the cold air passage 32.

[0059] Furthermore, a wall (for example, the vertical wall portion 15a and the inclined wall portion 15b of the duct forming member 15) is provided in front of the ion supply unit 50. In other words, there is no outlet in the area where the ion supply unit 50 is located when viewed from the front, and it is covered by the wall.

[0060] With the above configuration, if water in the storage chamber 11 enters the cold air passage 32 through the outlet, it is possible to make it less likely for water to come into contact with the ion supply unit 50.

[0061] Furthermore, an inclined wall portion 15b of the duct forming member 15 is provided at a position that overlaps with the placement area of ​​the ion supply unit 50 when viewed from the front. This allows, for example, as shown in Figure 11, the operation of the blower fan 23 to form a rotating airflow (vortex) in front of the ion supply unit 50. The formation of such a vortex allows the area around the ion supply unit 50 to be dried and also allows any moisture adhering to the front surface of the ion supply unit 50 to be pushed downwards.

[0062] Therefore, according to the cooling cabinet 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to suppress water from adhering to the ion supply unit installed inside the cabinet.

[0063] Furthermore, the cooling cabinet 1 according to this embodiment is configured to allow switching the cooling state of the storage chamber 11 between refrigeration mode and freezing mode. With such a configuration, there is a higher possibility of condensation occurring inside the cabinet, for example, when switching from freezing mode to refrigeration mode. If the condensed water generated when switching to refrigeration mode adheres to the electrode part of the ion supply unit, the discharge at the electrode will not be stable. Also, if the system switches back to freezing mode while the condensed water is adhering to the electrode of the ion supply unit, there is a possibility that the condensed water will freeze around the electrode.

[0064] Therefore, by configuring the ion supply unit 50 and its surroundings in a way that minimizes water adhesion, as seen in the cooling chamber 1, the discharge at the electrodes of the ion supply unit 50 can be stabilized.

[0065] Furthermore, in the configuration according to this embodiment, a cover member 52 is provided so as to cover the main body 51 (more specifically, the power supply unit 54) of the ion supply unit 50. A sealing member, such as a first sealing member 57a, is provided between the main body 51 and the cover member 52.

[0066] This improves the airtightness of the ion supply unit 50. Therefore, it is possible to prevent condensation water generated when switching the cooling state from freezing mode to refrigeration mode from entering the space where the power supply unit 54 is located from the cover member 52. In addition, by insulating the main body 51 inside the ion supply unit 50 from the outside, it becomes less susceptible to temperature changes caused by the cold air in the cold air passage 32, and ions can be generated stably.

[0067] [Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the cooler 1 according to the second embodiment, the control method for switching the cooling state in the storage chamber 11 from freezing mode to refrigeration mode differs from that of the first embodiment. The other configurations of the cooler 1 are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0068] In the first embodiment, when the cooling state inside the storage chamber 11 switches from freezing mode to refrigeration mode, the control unit 61 determines the timing for starting the operation of the ion supply unit 50 based on the temperature inside the storage chamber 11.

[0069] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the control unit 61 determines the timing for starting the operation of the ion supply unit 50 based on the dry state in the cold air passage 32. Specifically, a humidity sensor is placed in the cold air passage 32, and when the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor falls below a predetermined value, the control unit 61 starts the operation of the ion supply unit 50. This stabilizes the operation of the ion supply unit 50.

[0070] Furthermore, as another control method, the timer 63 is activated after the cooling state in the storage chamber 11 switches from freezing mode to refrigeration mode, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit 61 starts the operation of the ion supply unit 50. In addition, the control unit 61 may start the operation of the ion supply unit 50 after a predetermined time has elapsed after the temperature in the storage chamber 11 rises above a predetermined temperature or the humidity falls below a predetermined humidity.

[0071] [Third Embodiment] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the first and second embodiments described above, a cooler 1 capable of switching between a refrigeration mode and a freezing mode was used as an example. However, the cooler according to the present invention is not limited to a configuration that can switch between a refrigeration mode and a freezing mode.

[0072] The refrigerator according to the third embodiment includes a refrigerator compartment 11 and a freezer compartment. A cold air passage 32 for supplying cold air to the refrigerator compartment 11 is equipped with a blower fan 23 and an ion supply unit 50, etc. The configuration of the cold air passage 32, the blower fan 23, and the ion supply unit 50 can be the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0073] As described above, a refrigerator compartment 11 that does not have a function to switch between refrigeration mode and freezing mode may be fitted with the same configuration as the storage compartment 11 described in the first embodiment. This makes it possible to provide a refrigerator that can suppress the adhesion of water to the ion supply unit installed inside the compartment.

[0074] (summary) A cooling cabinet according to one aspect of the present invention (for example, cooling cabinet 1) comprises a storage chamber (for example, storage chamber 11, cold storage chamber 11), a cold air passage (for example, cold air passage 32) that guides cold air cooled by a cooler (for example, cooler 21) to the storage chamber, a blower fan (for example, blower fan 23) disposed within the cold air passage, outlets (for example, left outlet 16a, right outlet 16b, central outlet 17) that blow the cold air in the cold air passage into the storage chamber, and an ion supply unit (for example, ion supply unit 50) disposed above the blower fan in the cold air passage and supplying ions, wherein a wall (for example, a vertical wall portion 15a and an inclined wall portion 15b) is provided in front of the ion supply unit.

[0075] In a cooling chamber (for example, cooling chamber 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, the wall located in front of the ion supply unit (for example, ion supply unit 50) may be inclined (for example, as inclined wall portion 15b).

[0076] In a cooling cabinet (for example, cooling cabinet 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, the blower fan (for example, blower fan 23) is an axial flow fan, and outlets (for example, left outlet 16a, right outlet 16b) may be provided on both the left and right sides of the blower fan when viewed from the front.

[0077] In a cooling cabinet (for example, cooling cabinet 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, the ion supply unit (for example, ion supply unit 50) may have a main body (for example, main body 51) that generates ions, a cover member (for example, cover member 52) that is provided to cover the main body, and a sealing material (for example, first sealing member 57a) provided between the main body and the cover member.

[0078] In a cooling cabinet (for example, cooling cabinet 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, the main body (for example, main body 51) has an electrode section (for example, electrode section 53) and a power supply section (for example, power supply section 54), and a further sealing material (for example, a second sealing member 57b) may be provided between the electrode section and the power supply section.

[0079] In a cooling cabinet (for example, cooling cabinet 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, ribs (for example, ribs 58a, ribs 58b) may be provided between the main body (for example, main body 51) and the cover member (for example, cover member 52) to form a space.

[0080] In a cooler (for example, cooler 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, the storage chamber (for example, storage chamber 11) is configured to allow switching between a refrigeration mode and a freezing mode, and when in freezing mode, the operation of the ion supply unit (for example, ion supply unit 50) may be stopped.

[0081] In a cooler (for example, cooler 1) according to one aspect of the present invention described above, when the cooling state of the storage chamber (for example, storage chamber 11) switches from the freezing mode to the refrigeration mode, the blower fan (for example, blower fan 23) may be set to an operating state and the operation of the ion supply unit (for example, ion supply unit 50) may be set to a stopped state.

[0082] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims are intended to be included. Configurations obtained by combining the configurations of the different embodiments described herein are also included in the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1: Refrigerator 11: Storage Room 15: Duct forming member 15a: Vertical wall (wall) 15b: Inclined wall (wall) 16a: Left-side air vent (air vent) 16b: Right-side air vent (air vent) 17: Central air outlet (air outlet) 21:Cooler 22: Compressor 23: Blower fan 32: Cold air passage 50: Ion supply unit 51: Main body 52: Cover component 52a: Top cover 52b: Lower cover 52c: Main body placement part 53: Electrode part 53a: Positive electrode 53b: Negative electrode 54: Power supply section 55: Harness 57a: First sealing member (sealing member) 57b: Second sealing member (sealing member) 57c: Third sealing member (sealing member) 58a: Rib 58b: Rib

Claims

1. Storage room and An outlet that opens forward and blows cold air into the storage chamber, A cold air passage is provided between the cooling chamber where the cooler is located and the storage chamber, and guides the cold air cooled by the cooler to the storage chamber via the outlet, A fan is positioned within the aforementioned cold air passage and blows air toward the storage chamber located in front of it, An ion supply unit is positioned above the blower fan in the cold air passage, with its front surface located in front of the front upper end of the blower fan, and supplies ions to the cold air in the cold air passage. Equipped with, The cold air passage includes an outlet passage connected to the outlet, The aforementioned air outlet passage extends toward the front, In a front view, the front of the ion supply unit is covered by a wall, and the outlet is positioned below the area where the ion supply unit is located. The aforementioned air outlet passage includes a space formed between the ion supply unit and the wall, which is closed at the top. The blower fan creates a rotating vortex in the space, The ion supply unit supplies the ions to the vortex formed in the space. Refrigerator.

2. The cooling cabinet according to claim 1, wherein the wall is inclined downward toward the front.

3. The aforementioned blower fan is an axial flow fan installed in a direction that blows air forward. In a front view, the air outlets are provided on both the left and right sides of the blower fan. The cooling cabinet according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The ion supply unit is The main unit that generates ions, A cover member is provided to cover the main body, A sealing material provided between the main body and the cover member A cooler according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having the following:

5. The main body comprises an electrode section and a power supply section. A further sealing material is provided between the electrode section and the power supply section. The cooling cabinet according to claim 4.

6. A rib is provided between the main body and the cover member to form a space. The cooler according to claim 4 or 5.

7. The storage chamber is configured to allow switching between a refrigeration mode and a freezing mode. In the aforementioned freezing mode, the operation of the ion supply unit is stopped. A cooler according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. When the cooling state of the storage chamber switches from the freezing mode to the refrigeration mode, The blower fan is set to the operating state, and the ion supply unit is set to the stopped state. The cooling cabinet according to claim 7.

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