refrigerator

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator having a drainage structure for defrosted water suitable for a blower fan.SOLUTION: A refrigerator comprises a storage chamber. A cooling chamber in which an evaporator is installed is formed on the back side of the storage chamber. The refrigerator comprises a separation part for separating the storage chamber and the cooling chamber, and a blower fan for blowing air in the cooling chamber to the storage chamber. The blower fan comprises a rotor blade, and a fan casing for guiding air made to flow by rotation of the rotor blade. A first separation plate is installed on the back side of the separation part. The fan casing is fixed to the back side of the first separation plate. In the first separation plate, a drainage ditch extending to an end part on the back side of the first separation plate is formed at a position opposed to a lower surface part of the fan casing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a refrigerator having an outer box and an inner box, a refrigerating chamber provided at the upper part of the refrigerator body, a vegetable chamber provided at the lower part of the refrigerator body, a freezing chamber provided between the vegetable chamber and the refrigerating chamber, a storage chamber back member provided at the back of the freezing chamber, a cooler cover provided behind the storage chamber back member, a cooler chamber provided between the cooler cover and the inner box, a cooler provided in the cooler chamber, a defrost heater provided below the cooler, and a freezing chamber return port provided at the lower part of the storage chamber back member and communicating the freezing chamber and the cooler chamber.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure provides a refrigerator having a drainage structure for defrosting water suitable for a blower fan.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The refrigerator in this disclosure includes a storage compartment, a cooling compartment formed on the rear side of the storage compartment where an evaporator is installed, a partition separating the storage compartment and the cooling compartment, and a blower fan for blowing air from the cooling compartment into the storage compartment. The blower fan has rotating blades and a fan casing for guiding the air flowing due to the rotation of the rotating blades. A first partition plate is installed on the rear side of the partition plate, the fan casing is fixed to the rear side of the first partition plate, and a drainage groove is formed in the first partition plate at a position facing the lower surface of the fan casing, extending to the rear end of the first partition plate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] The refrigerator in this disclosure facilitates the drainage of defrost water generated in the blower fan to the back side of the first partition plate through a drain channel. Therefore, the refrigerator in this disclosure can efficiently drain the defrost water generated in the blower fan. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Longitudinal cross-sectional view of the refrigerator in Embodiment 1 [Figure 2] Rear view showing the cooling chamber and duct in Embodiment 1 [Figure 3] Rear view of the blower fan portion of the partition in Embodiment 1, as seen from the cooling chamber side. [Figure 4] Vertical cross-sectional view of the partition in Embodiment 1 [Figure 5] Exploded perspective view of the partition in Embodiment 1, as seen from the freezer compartment side. [Figure 6] Exploded perspective view of the partition in Embodiment 1, as seen from the cooling chamber side. [Figure 7] Front view of the first partition plate of the partition section in Embodiment 1 [Figure 8] Perspective view of the molded heat insulating material of the partition in Embodiment 1, viewed from the front. [Figure 9] Perspective view of the molded heat insulating material of the partition in Embodiment 1, viewed from the rear. [Figure 10]Rear view of the molded heat insulation material of the partition in Embodiment 1 [Figure 11] Front view of the partition in Embodiment 1 [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] (Knowledge and other information that formed the basis of this disclosure) At the time the inventors conceived of this disclosure, there was a technology that provided a refrigerator compartment, a vegetable compartment, and a freezer compartment, with each compartment connected to a cooling unit compartment by ducts, so that the cold air generated from the cooling unit compartment could be sent to the refrigerator compartment, vegetable compartment, and freezer compartment.

[0009] In conventional technology, the fan used inside a refrigerator is generally an axial fan, and the fan casing is open on both sides in the axial direction. However, when using a blower fan, the fan casing tends to be structured to surround the blower fan. As a result, the inventors discovered that when the blower fan is defrosted, defrost water tends to accumulate inside the fan casing, and in order to solve this problem, they arrived at the subject matter of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure provides a refrigerator that can efficiently drain the defrost water generated in the fan casing of the blower fan.

[0010] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, some unnecessarily detailed explanations may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of already well-known matters or redundant explanations of substantially identical configurations may be omitted. The attached drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand this disclosure and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) Embodiment 1 will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 11. [1-1. Structure] [1-1-1. Refrigerator configuration] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a refrigerator in Embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a rear view showing a cooling chamber and a duct in Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a rear view of the blower fan portion of the partition seen from the cooling chamber side in Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the partition in Embodiment 1. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the partition seen from the freezer side in Embodiment 1. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the partition seen from the cooling chamber side in Embodiment 1. In the description of this specification, when referring to the front-back and left-right directions of the refrigerator 10, the references are based on FIGS. 1 and 2. That is, the left and right directions in FIG. 1 correspond to the front and back directions of the refrigerator 10 for the purpose of explanation. Also, the left and right directions in FIG. 2 correspond to the left and right directions of the refrigerator 10 for the purpose of explanation. Note that when referring to the front surface of the refrigerator 10, it may also be referred to as the front. Also, when referring to the rear surface of the refrigerator 10, it may also be referred to as the back.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator 10 includes a box-shaped housing 11 with an open front surface. Above the housing 11, a refrigerator compartment 12 at about 2°C to 4°C as the second storage compartment is formed, and below the housing 11, a freezer compartment 13 at about -18°C as the first storage compartment is formed. Between the refrigerator compartment 12 and the freezer compartment 13, a low-temperature compartment 60 at about -5°C to about 1°C as the third storage compartment is formed.

[0013] In the refrigerator 10, a horizontally-opening door 14 is provided at the front opening of the refrigerator compartment 12 so as to be openable and closable. At the front opening of the freezer compartment 13, a horizontally-opening door 61 is provided so as to be openable and closable, and a plurality of drawer cases 15, 16, 17 for storing food are provided inside. Also, at the front opening of the low-temperature compartment 60, a drawer-type door 62 is provided so as to be openable and closable, and a drawer case 63 interlocked with the opening and closing of the drawer-type door 62 is provided.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a cooling chamber 20 is provided on the rear side of the freezer compartment 13 of the refrigerator 10. Above the cooling chamber 20, a duct 21 that is located on the rear side of the refrigerator compartment 12 and communicates in the vertical direction is connected. The duct 21 is provided with a refrigeration air outlet (not shown) that communicates with the refrigerator compartment 12. A heat insulation wall 64 is provided between the freezer compartment 13 and the low-temperature compartment 60. A cold air passage 64a that connects the cooling compartment 20 and the duct 21 is formed in the heat insulation wall 64. Thus, the cold air generated in the cooling compartment 20 is configured to be introduced into the duct 21 through the cold air passage 64a.

[0015] A twin damper 65 for adjusting the amount of cold air flowing to the refrigerator compartment 12 and the low-temperature compartment 60 is provided in the cold air passage 64a. As shown in FIG. 2, the twin damper 65 includes a low-temperature compartment damper 65a as a third storage compartment damper and a refrigerator compartment damper 65b as a first storage compartment damper, which are arranged adjacent to each other in the left-right width direction of the refrigerator 10. The low-temperature compartment damper 65a and the refrigerator compartment damper 65b are controlled according to the respective indoor temperatures of the low-temperature compartment 60 and the refrigerator compartment 12, and perform the opening and closing operations of the dampers independently to adjust the amount of cold air flowing into the low-temperature compartment 60 and the refrigerator compartment 12.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the freezer compartment 13 and the cooling compartment 20 are partitioned by a thick plate-shaped partition portion 29. The partition portion 29 has a first partition plate 30 disposed on the front side of the cooling compartment 20. The partition portion 29 also has a second partition plate 40 disposed on the back side of the freezer compartment 13. A cold air passage 29a is formed between the first partition plate 30 and the second partition plate 40. An inclined surface 35 that slopes away from the second partition plate 40 as it goes upward is formed at the upper part of the first partition plate 30. A blower fan 26 is attached to the back side of the inclined surface 35.

[0017] The blower fan 26 is a fan classified as one of the air blowing fans. There are also axial flow fans among the air blowing fans. Generally, an axial flow fan has a rotating blade attached to the central part of a frame, sucks air from one end in the rotating axis direction of the rotating blade, and blows it out at the other end in the rotating axis direction. In conventional refrigerators, axial flow fans are often used for the circulation of cold air.

[0018] In contrast, the blower fan 26 comprises a rotating blade 27 and a fan casing 28 that covers the rotating blade 27. It is configured to draw in air from the axis of rotation of the rotating blade 27 and blow it out radially (corresponding to the upward direction in Figure 4 in this embodiment), and to blow it out to the side of the rotating blade 27. The fan casing 28 is formed in a shape that follows an involute curve with respect to the rotation center C1 of the rotating blade 27, and is formed in a substantially spiral shape. In the following description, the rotation center C1 may also be referred to as the axis of rotation C1.

[0019] As shown in Figure 3, the fan casing 28 is formed in a roughly spiral shape, with the distance from the rotation center C1 gradually increasing in the clockwise direction. A cold air intake port 28a is formed in the central part of the fan casing 28 opposite the rotation center C1 of the blower fan 26, for drawing cold air from the cooling chamber 20 into the fan casing 28. A second opening 28b is formed at the top of the fan casing 28, communicating with the lower end of the cold air passage 64a. The fan casing 28 is provided with a connection portion 28c that expands from its top toward both the left and right sides of the fan casing 28 and connects to the cold air passage 64a via the second opening 28b.

[0020] As the rotating blades 27 rotate, the airflow radiates from the rotation center C1 and flows along the inner surface of the fan casing 28, causing the air to blow out from the side of the fan casing 28, i.e., from the radially positioned opening (corresponding to the second opening 28b located at the top in this embodiment). Generally, a blower fan 26 can easily achieve higher static pressure than an axial fan of the same size. Also, the number of rotating blades 27 in a blower fan 26 is generally greater than the number of rotating blades in an axial fan, which also makes it easier to achieve higher static pressure.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an evaporator 22 is installed below the blower fan 26 of the cooling chamber 20. A compressor 23 is located at the upper rear of the refrigerator chamber 12. The compressor 23, a condenser (not shown), an expansion mechanism, and the evaporator 22 are connected by refrigerant piping, forming a refrigeration cycle. The system is configured to generate cold air inside the cooling chamber 20 by discharging the refrigerant from the compressor 23 to a predetermined temperature, and then exchanging heat with the internal air of the cooling chamber 20 and the evaporator 22.

[0022] Here, by rotating the blades 27, the cold air from the cooling chamber 20 is drawn into the blower fan 26 from the cold air intake 28a of the fan casing 28, and blown out into the interior of the fan casing 28 from the outer circumference of the blower fan 26. The cold air blown into the interior of the fan casing 28 is guided along the inner surface of the fan casing 28 and sent to the duct 21 through the cold air passage 64a from the second opening 28b.

[0023] [1-1-2. Configuration of the partition section] Figure 7 is a front view of the first partition plate 30 of the partition section 29 in Embodiment 1. The first partition plate 30 of the partition section 29 has a substantially rectangular base section 31. A partition wall section 31a projecting to the rear is formed at the left end of the base section 31. The partition wall section 31a extends in the vertical direction. A partition wall 51a (see Figures 5 and 6) made of molded insulation material 50 is attached to the partition wall section 31a.

[0024] A fan plate portion 32 is formed in the base portion 31 at a position corresponding to the fan casing 28, projecting forward in a pedestal-like manner. In a front view, the fan plate portion 32 is formed in a roughly rectangular shape with rounded corners. In other words, in a front view, the fan plate portion 32 is roughly a rounded rectangle. The fan plate portion 32 is roughly a rounded rectangle, longer horizontally than vertically. A cutout portion 32a is formed in the lower part of the fan plate portion 32, cut out in a planar manner. A recessed portion 33 is formed on the front (seat surface) of the fan plate portion 32, recessed to the rear. The recessed portion 33 is composed of an inclined surface 35 corresponding to the bottom surface of the recessed portion 33 and a surrounding wall 34 corresponding to the side surface of the recessed portion 33. The surrounding wall 34 connects the periphery of the inclined surface 35 to the front surface of the fan plate portion 32.

[0025] A circular fan mounting portion 36 is formed on the inclined surface 35. Multiple fan support portions 36a, 36b, and 36c are formed around the fan mounting portion 36. The fan support portions 36a to 36c are formed circumferentially at approximately equal intervals. In this embodiment, the fan support portions 36a to 36c are formed in three locations: above, to the lower left, and to the lower right of the fan mounting portion 36. The fan support portions 36a to 36c are formed as recesses that are recessed from the back to the front (see Figure 6). Mounting portions for a fan frame (not shown) that rotatably supports the rotating blades 27 are fixed to each fan support portion 36a to 36c by screws (not shown). The rotating blades 27 are rotatably supported on the fan frame (not shown).

[0026] On the outer circumference of the fan mounting portion 36, between the fan support portions 36a, 36b, and 36c, a roughly arc-shaped first opening 38 is formed along the fan casing 28. The first opening 38 is formed on the inclined surface 35. In this embodiment, three first openings 38 are formed. The three first openings 38 are designated as the upstream first opening 38a, the midstream first opening 38b, and the downstream first opening 38c, respectively, from the upstream side of the airflow from the blower fan 26, with the top as the reference point.

[0027] The opening areas of the upstream first opening 38a, the midstream first opening 38b, and the downstream first opening 38c are formed such that the opening width gradually increases from the upstream side to the downstream side of the airflow. This ensures sufficient airflow to the freezer chamber 13, allowing for efficient cooling. Furthermore, if sufficient airflow can be ensured, a configuration in which at least the upstream first opening 38a gradually increases in size is also acceptable.

[0028] Since the blower fan 26 is attached to the inclined surface 35 of the first partition plate 30, the rotation center C1 of the blower fan 26 is positioned at an inclination with respect to the front-rear direction (see Figure 4). As a result, the blower fan 26 blows cold air upward from the first opening 38, making it easier for the cold air to circulate.

[0029] A rectangular plate-shaped insulating material 39 is positioned below the fan plate section 32. The insulating material 39 insulates the cold air that has been transmitted from the cooling chamber 20 to the first partition plate 30. This prevents the condensation water that flows down from the recess 33 from freezing.

[0030] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, a second partition plate 40 is positioned in front of the first partition plate 30. A molded heat insulating material 50, such as expanded polystyrene, is attached tightly to the second partition plate 40. The second partition plate 40 and the molded heat insulating material 50 have corresponding shapes.

[0031] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the molded insulation material 50 of the partition 29 in Embodiment 1, viewed from the front. Figure 9 is a perspective view of the molded insulation material 50 of the partition 29 in Embodiment 1, viewed from the rear. Figure 10 is a rear view of the molded insulation material 50 of the partition 29 in Embodiment 1. In Figure 10, for the sake of explanation, a grid-like mesh is used to show the fan plate portion 32.

[0032] The molded insulation material 50 has a plate-shaped base portion 51 having thickness in the front-rear direction. The base portion 51 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front. A duct portion 52 is formed on the base portion 51, protruding towards the freezer chamber 13 from the front surface of the base portion 51. A duct space 52s (see Figure 9) is formed on the duct portion 52, recessed toward the freezer chamber 13 relative to the rear surface of the base portion 51. A cold air passage 29a (see Figure 4) is formed by the duct space 52s surrounded by the duct portion 52 and the first partition plate 30.

[0033] The duct section 52 has a middle duct section 53 at a position corresponding to the fan plate section 32 of the first partition plate 30. The middle duct section 53, when viewed from the front, has a rounded rectangular front surface 53a, side surfaces 53b and 53c provided on the left and right of the front surface 53a and extending in the vertical direction, a bottom surface 53d provided below the front surface 53a and extending in the horizontal direction, and curved side surfaces 53e and 53f connecting the side surfaces 53b and 53c and the bottom surface 53d. The curved side surfaces 53e and 53f curve inward in the horizontal direction as they extend downward.

[0034] A middle duct space (air passage) 53s (see Figure 9) is formed in the middle duct section 53, which forms part of the duct space 52s. As shown in Figure 10, the middle duct space 53s has an inner circumferential shape that corresponds to the outer circumferential shape of the fan plate section 32. That is, the fan plate section 32 can be fitted into the middle duct space 53s. The middle duct space 53s is formed in the rotation axis direction C1 of the blower fan 26. That is, the middle duct space 53s is provided on the extension of the rotation center C1 of the blower fan 26.

[0035] Front openings 53a1, 53a2, and 53a3 are formed on the front surface 53a of the middle duct section 53, penetrating in the thickness direction. Specifically, a center front opening 53a1 is formed at the lower part of the front surface 53a, extending horizontally along the lower surface 53d. At both ends of the center front opening 53a1, it curves upward along the curved sides 53e and 53f. Furthermore, side front openings 53a2 and 53a3 are formed at both the left and right ends of the front surface 53a, extending along the sides 53b and 53c. Below the side front openings 53a2 and 53a3 are the left and right ends of the center front opening 53a1.

[0036] Side openings 53b1 and 53c1 that penetrate in the thickness direction are formed on the sides 53b and 53c of the middle duct section 53. Specifically, side openings 53b1 and 53c1 are formed on the sides 53b and 53c, extending vertically along the sides 53b and 53c. The lower ends of the side openings 53b1 and 53c1 extend to the curved sides 53e and 53f, and curve along the curved sides 53e and 53f. Therefore, the side openings 53b1 and 53c1 open in the left-right (lateral) direction and downward.

[0037] Cold air is sent from the cold air passage 29a to the freezer compartment 13 through the front openings 53a1 to 53a3 and the side openings 53b1 and 53c1. In other words, cold air is sent forward through the front openings 53a1 to 53a3. Also, cold air is sent from the cold air passage 29a in the left-right and downward directions through the side openings 53b1 and 53c1.

[0038] Above the middle duct section 53, a top duct section 54 is formed, extending in the left-right direction. The top duct section 54 is formed to protrude less from the front surface of the base section 51 than the middle duct section 53. The top duct section 54 is formed to be wider in the left-right direction than the middle duct section 53. A top duct space 54s, which forms part of the duct space 52s, is formed in the top duct section 54. The top duct space 54s extends upward to the left and right from the upper ends on both the left and right sides of the middle duct space 53s.

[0039] Top openings 54a and 54b are formed on the front surface of the top duct section 54, penetrating in the thickness direction at both the left and right ends. Cold air is sent forward from the top duct space 54s through the top openings 54a and 54b.

[0040] Below the middle duct section 53, a lower duct section (second duct section) 55 is formed, extending downward from the left-right center of the middle duct section 53. The lower duct section 55 is formed to protrude less from the front surface of the base section 51 than the middle duct section 53. The lower duct section 55 has a front surface 55a, side surfaces 55b and 55c provided on the left and right sides of the front surface 55a and extending in the vertical direction, and curved side surfaces 55e and 55f extending downward from the lower ends of the side surfaces 55b and 55c. The curved side surfaces 55e and 55f curve outward in the left and right directions as they extend downward.

[0041] A connecting duct space (connecting air passage) 55s is formed in the lower duct section 55, forming part of the duct space 52s. The connecting duct space 55s extends in the vertical direction. At its lower end, the connecting duct space 55s has a connecting section 55s1 that curves outward in the left-right direction as it extends downward, corresponding to the curved sides 55e and 55f. The connecting duct space 55s is formed according to the lower surface 53d (see Figure 8) and has a larger opening width than the top duct space 54s. Cold air flows easily into the connecting duct space 55s from the middle duct space 53s.

[0042] Below the lower duct section 55, a bottom duct section (third duct section) 56 is formed, extending to the left and right. The bottom duct section 56 is wider than the middle duct section 53 but narrower than the top duct section 54. The bottom duct section 56 is formed in the same way as the lower duct section 55, with a protrusion from the front surface of the base section 51. The upper surfaces 56b and 56c of the bottom duct section 56 are smoothly connected to the sides 55b and 55c of the lower duct section 55 via curved sides 55e and 55f.

[0043] A bottom duct space 56s is formed in the bottom duct section 56, which forms part of the duct space 52s. The bottom duct space 56s communicates with the connecting duct space 55s at the left and right central portions. The bottom duct space 56s extends from the connecting duct space 55s in the left and right directions. The bottom duct space 56s is smoothly curved and connected to the connecting duct space 55s by a connecting portion 55s1.

[0044] The bottom duct section 56 has a bottom opening 56a that extends in the left-right direction. The bottom opening 56a is formed over the entire front surface of the bottom duct section 56. The width of the bottom opening 56a is greater than that of the connecting duct space 55s. The bottom opening 56a is longer to the left and right than the center front opening 53a1.

[0045] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a second partition plate 40 is positioned in front of the molded insulation material 50. The second partition plate 40 is formed in a cover shape corresponding to the molded insulation material 50. The second partition plate 40 has a shape corresponding to the molded insulation material 50. The duct portion 42 of the second partition plate 40 is formed in the same shape as the duct portion 52 of the molded insulation material 50, except that the side openings 43b1, 43b2, 43c1, and 43c2 are divided into two vertical sections.

[0046] To elaborate on the specific correspondence, the second partition plate 40 corresponds to the base portion 51, duct portion 52, duct space 52s, middle duct portion 53, front surface 53a, side surfaces 53b, 53c, bottom surface 53d, curved side surfaces 53e, 53f, middle duct space 53s, front openings 53a1, 53a2, 53a3, top duct portion 54, top duct space 54s, top openings 54a, 54b, lower duct portion 55, front surface 55a, side surfaces 55b, 55c, curved side surfaces 55e, 55f, connecting duct space 55s, bottom duct portion 56, bottom duct space 56s, bottom opening 56a, top surfaces 56b, 56c of the molded insulation material 50. It has a base section 41, a duct section 42, a duct space 42s, a middle duct section (first duct section) 43, a front surface 43a, side surfaces 43b, 43c, a bottom surface 43d, curved side surfaces 43e, 43f, a middle duct space 43s, front openings 43a1, 43a2, 43a3, a top duct section 44, a top duct space 44s, a top opening 44a, 44b, a lower duct section (second duct section) 45, a front surface 45a, side surfaces 45b, 45c, curved side surfaces 45e, 45f, a connecting duct space 45s, a bottom duct section (third duct section) 46, a bottom duct space 46s, a bottom opening (lower front opening) 46a, and top surfaces 46b, 46c. Furthermore, the second partition plate 40 has side openings 43b1, 43b2, 43c1, and 43c2 that are divided into upper and lower sections, corresponding to the side openings 53b1 and 53c1 of the molded insulation material 50.

[0047] In the partition section 29, the base portion 51 of the molded insulation material 50 is attached to the base portion 41 of the second partition plate 40 so as to be in close contact with it. In other words, the duct portion 52 of the molded insulation material 50 is fitted into the duct space 42s of the second partition plate 40. As a result, the duct space 52s of the molded insulation material 50 communicates with the freezer compartment 13 through the openings 53a1-53a3, 53b1, 53c1, 54a, 54b, 56a of the molded insulation material 50 and the openings 43a1-43a3, 43b1, 43b2, 43c1, 43c2, 44a, 44b, 46a of the second partition plate 40.

[0048] Furthermore, the base portion 31 of the first partition plate 30 is attached to the base portion 51 of the molded insulation material 50 so as to be in close contact with it. As a result, a cold air passage 29a is formed by the duct space 52s enclosed by the inner surface of the duct portion 52 and the front surface of the first partition plate 30.

[0049] At this time, the fan plate portion 32 of the first partition plate 30 enters the middle duct space 53s in a way that raises the bottom of the middle duct space 53s. Because the fan plate portion 32 allows the blower fan 26 to be positioned closer to the freezer compartment 13, air can be supplied into the freezer compartment 13 in the forward direction with less air resistance.

[0050] Here, the fan plate section 32 is located behind the side openings 53b1, 53c1, and 43b1-43c2. Therefore, the fan plate section 32 does not reduce the opening area of ​​the side openings 53b1, 53c1, and 43b1-43c2. In addition, the front surface of the fan plate section 32 is pedestal-shaped and wide. Therefore, compared to a narrow front surface, for example, a long, narrow rib shape, the cold air blown from the recess 33 is less likely to meander as it tries to pass radially over the fan plate section 32. Thus, pressure loss of the cold air is more easily suppressed.

[0051] A shutter 70 is positioned in the middle duct space 53s. The shutter 70 has a teardrop shape when viewed from the front. The shutter 70 is fixed to a shaft 71 that extends forward. The shaft 71 is rotatably supported, passing through the molded insulation material 50 and the second partition plate 40. An operating knob 72 is fixed to the front end of the shaft 71. The shutter 70 rotates by rotating the operating knob 72.

[0052] Figure 11 is a front view of the partition 29 in Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 11, in a front view, the center front opening 43a1 and the midstream first opening 38b overlap. That is, the lower end of the midstream first opening 38b is exposed from the center front opening 43a1. Also in a front view, the right side front opening 43a3 and the downstream first opening 38c overlap. That is, the downstream first opening 38c is exposed from the right side front opening 43a2. Note that the left side front opening 43a2 and the upstream first opening 38a do not overlap significantly.

[0053] Here, by rotating the operating knob 72, the shutter 70 rotates around the shaft 71, overlapping with the front openings 43a1, 43a2 and the side openings 43b1, 43b2 in front and side views. This makes it possible to change the amount of cold air flowing out from the middle duct space 53s by changing the opening area of ​​the front openings 43a1, 43a2 and the side openings 43b1, 43b2.

[0054] [1-1-3. Configuration for defrosting] Inside the refrigerator 10, condensation may form and water droplets may freeze, resulting in frost formation. The refrigerator 10 has a configuration that melts the frost that has formed inside to create defrost water and drains the defrost water. The following describes the configuration of the refrigerator 10 for defrosting, and the drainage structure from the inside of the blower fan 26 and duct section 52, which are particularly prone to frost formation. As shown in Figure 1, a defrosting heater 25 is provided below the blower fan 26 and evaporator 22 in the cooling chamber 20. The heater 25 is, for example, an electric heating device that heats the air inside the cooling chamber 20 to melt the frost that has accumulated on the evaporator 22 and blower fan 26. Below the heater 25, a defrosting water tray 25a is provided so as to cover the bottom surface of the cooling chamber 20. The defrosting water tray 25a receives the defrosting water dripping from the evaporator 22 and the defrosting water flowing along the back side of the first partition plate 30.

[0055] [1-1-3-1. Drainage structure of defrost water from the blower fan] As shown in Figure 4, when the blower fan 26 is mounted on the inclined surface 35, the lower surface portion 28d of the fan casing 28 is inclined downward toward the front. The lower surface portion 28d is part of the side surface of the fan casing 28 that guides the air blown radially from the rotating blades 27, and is the portion that covers the rotating blades 27 from below. Because the lower surface portion 28d is inclined downward toward the front, the defrost water generated inside the blower fan 26 is more likely to flow forward toward the lower end 28e of the fan casing 28 along the lower surface portion 28d due to the action of gravity. Note that, when viewed from the partition portion 29, the side facing the freezer compartment 13 (storage compartment side) corresponds to the front side. Also, when viewed from the blower fan 26, the side facing the freezer compartment 13 corresponds to the front side.

[0056] The lower end 28e of the fan casing 28 is located near the lower end of the inclined surface 35 and is positioned in front of the base portion 31. As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the first partition plate 30 has a drainage groove 34b formed below the lower end 28e of the fan casing 28, overlapping the lower end 28e vertically. In other words, the first partition plate 30 has a drainage groove 34b for draining defrost water at a position facing the lower surface portion 28d of the fan casing 28 in the vertical direction. The drainage groove 34b is a groove that extends in the front-rear direction and is formed by the downward recession of the bottom surfaces of the surrounding wall 34 and the second surrounding wall 34a. The second surrounding wall 34a is the portion of the first partition plate 30 that connects the lower end of the inclined surface 35, which is located in front of the back surface of the base portion 31, with the base portion 31 (see Figure 6). The drain channel 34b is a groove that extends to the rear side of the base portion 31, that is, to the rear end of the first partition plate 30, and opens towards the rear side. The bottom surface 34c of the drain channel 34b is formed to slope downward toward the rear side. At the front end of the drain channel 34b, a stepped portion 34d is formed that rises upward from the bottom surface 34c. In other words, at the end of the drain channel 34b on the freezer compartment 13 side, a stepped portion 34d is formed that rises upward from the bottom surface 34c. The defrost water flowing through the drain channel 34b is drained by flowing down the rear side of the first partition plate 30.

[0057] [1-1-3-2. Drainage structure for defrost water from the duct section] As shown in Figures 8 to 11, the bottom surfaces 56d and 56e of the bottom duct section 56 are inclined downward toward the center in the left-right direction of the bottom duct section 56. Furthermore, the central section 56f, which corresponds to the left-right central portion of the bottom surfaces 56d and 56e of the bottom duct section 56, has a shape that is concave downward. In addition, a drain hole 56g for draining defrost water generated inside the duct section 52 is opened at the rear of the central section 56f. The drain hole 56g is a hole with a circular cross-section that extends vertically, formed in the base portion 51 of the molded insulation material 50. The drain hole 56g penetrates the molded insulation material 50 below the central section 56f of the bottom surfaces 56d and 56e of the bottom duct section 56, and opens above the defrost water receiving tray 25a in the cooling chamber 20 (see Figure 4). In other words, the drain hole 56g connects the bottom duct space 56s and the cooling chamber 20. Furthermore, a drainage hole 46g is formed at the lower end of the second partition plate 40, which corresponds to the drainage hole 56g of the molded insulation material 50.

[0058] [1-2. Operation] Next, the operation of the refrigerator 10 during defrosting in Embodiment 1 will be explained using Figures 4 and 11. The refrigerator 10 performs a defrosting operation at predetermined intervals to remove frost that has accumulated on the evaporator 22, blower fan 26, etc. During the defrosting operation, the heater 25 in the refrigerator 10 is activated, warming the air in the cooling chamber 20. As shown by the white arrows in Figure 4, the warm air rises while defrosting the cooling chamber 20. As a result, as shown by the arrows in Figure 4, the frost that has accumulated on the evaporator 22 melts and becomes defrost water. The defrost water generated in the evaporator 22 drips down due to gravity and is guided to the defrost water tray 25a.

[0059] Furthermore, warm air flows into the fan casing 28 through the cold air intake 28a. This melts the frost adhering to the inner surfaces of the rotating blades 27 and the fan casing 28, creating defrost water. The defrost water generated on the inner surfaces of the rotating blades 27 and the fan casing 28 flows into the lower surface 28d of the fan casing 28 due to gravity. The defrost water that has flowed into the lower surface 28d flows down the downward-sloping lower surface 28d toward the lower end 28e of the fan casing 28 due to gravity. The defrost water that has reached the lower end 28e drips toward the drainage channel 34b located below due to gravity. At this time, the defrost water that has dripped into the drainage channel 34b is blocked by the stepped section 34d, and its movement toward the front is restricted.

[0060] The defrost water dripping into the drain channel 34b flows backward along the bottom surface 34c, which slopes downwards towards the rear. After reaching the rear end of the drain channel 34b, the defrost water flows out from the open rear end of the drain channel 34b and flows along the back of the base portion 31 of the first partition plate 30. Subsequently, the defrost water is guided to the defrost water receiving tray 25a by gravity.

[0061] Furthermore, a portion of the warm air flows from the inside of the fan casing 28 into the duct space 52s through the three first openings 38, driven by the rotating blades 27. As a result, as shown in Figure 11, the frost adhering to the inner surface of the duct section 52 melts and becomes defrost water. The defrost water generated inside the duct section 52 flows downward due to gravity and into the bottom surfaces 56d and 56e of the bottom duct section 56. The defrost water that flows into the bottom surfaces 56d and 56e travels along the bottom surfaces 56d and 56e, which are inclined downward toward the center in the left-right direction of the bottom duct section 56, and flows into the central section 56f. At this time, the defrost water is pushed into the central section 56f by the air flowing along the bottom surfaces 56d and 56e inside the bottom duct section 56. Since the central section 56f is concave downward, the defrost water collects in the central section 56f and flows into the drain hole 56g provided at the rear of the central section 56f.

[0062] The defrost water that flows into the drain hole 56g flows downward through the drain hole 56g and into the cooling chamber 20 through the drain hole 46g. At this time, the defrost water inside the drain hole 56g is pushed downward by the air flowing downward through the connecting duct space 55s and the bottom duct space 56s. The defrost water that flows into the cooling chamber 20 through the drain holes 56g and 46g flows downward due to gravity and is guided to the defrost water receiving tray 25a.

[0063] [1-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, in this embodiment, the refrigerator 10 is equipped with a freezer compartment 13 as an example of a storage compartment, a cooling compartment 20 in which an evaporator 22 is installed on the rear side of the freezer compartment 13, a partition 29 separating the freezer compartment 13 and the cooling compartment 20, and a blower fan 26 that blows air from the cooling compartment 20 into the freezer compartment 13. The blower fan 26 has a rotating blade 27 and a fan casing 28 that guides the air flowing due to the rotation of the rotating blade 27. A first partition plate 30 is installed on the rear side of the partition 29, and the fan casing 28 is fixed to the rear side of the first partition plate 30. The first partition plate 30 has a drainage groove 34b that extends to the rear end of the first partition plate 30 at a position facing the lower surface portion 28d of the fan casing 28. As a result, the defrost water generated in the blower fan 26 is more easily drained through the drain channel 34b to the back side of the first partition plate 30. Therefore, the defrost water generated in the blower fan 26 can be drained efficiently.

[0064] As in this embodiment, a stepped portion 34d that rises upward may be formed at the end of the drain channel 34b on the freezer compartment 13 side. As a result, the defrost water that flows into the drain channel 34b is less likely to move towards the freezer compartment 13 side due to the stepped section 34d, and is more easily drained to the back side of the first partition plate 30. Therefore, the defrost water generated in the blower fan 26 can be drained efficiently.

[0065] As in this embodiment, the lower surface portion 28d of the fan casing 28 may be inclined downward toward the freezer compartment 13, and the drain groove 34b may be inclined downward toward the rear. As a result, the defrost water generated in the blower fan 26 flows more easily through the lower surface 28d of the fan casing 28 and the drainage channel 34b of the first partition plate 30 due to the action of gravity. Therefore, the defrost water generated in the blower fan 26 can be efficiently drained.

[0066] (Other embodiments) As described above, Embodiments 1 and 2 have been explained as examples of the technology disclosed in this application. However, the technology in this disclosure is not limited thereto and can be applied to embodiments that have been modified, replaced, added, or omitted. Therefore, other embodiments are illustrated below.

[0067] In Embodiment 1, a configuration in which the storage compartment is a freezer compartment 13 was described. The present invention is not limited thereto, and for example, the storage compartment may be a refrigerator compartment 12, or a refrigerator having only one of the refrigerator compartment 12 or the freezer compartment 13. Furthermore, the storage compartment may be a low-temperature compartment 60.

[0068] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, the rotation center C1 of the blower fan 26 is positioned at an angle, but the invention is not limited to this, and for example, the rotation center C1 may be positioned to be approximately horizontal.

[0069] (Note) Based on the above description of embodiments, the following technologies are disclosed.

[0070] (Technical 1) A refrigerator comprising a storage chamber, a cooling chamber formed on the rear side of the storage chamber in which an evaporator is installed, a partition separating the storage chamber and the cooling chamber, and a blower fan for blowing air from the cooling chamber into the storage chamber, wherein the blower fan has rotating blades and a fan casing for guiding the air flowing due to the rotation of the rotating blades, a first partition plate is installed on the rear side of the partition plate, the fan casing is fixed to the rear side of the first partition plate, and a drainage groove is formed in the first partition plate at a position facing the lower surface of the fan casing, extending to the rear end of the first partition plate. This configuration allows defrost water generated in the blower fan to be easily drained through the drain channel to the back of the first partition plate. Therefore, the defrost water generated in the blower fan can be drained efficiently.

[0071] (Technical 2) The refrigerator according to Technical 1, characterized in that a step portion rising upward is formed at the end of the drainage channel on the storage chamber side. This configuration makes it difficult for defrost water flowing into the drain to move towards the storage compartment due to the stepped section, and it is more easily drained to the back side of the first partition plate. As a result, the defrost water generated in the blower fan can be drained efficiently.

[0072] (Technical 3) The refrigerator according to Technical 1 or 2, characterized in that the lower surface of the fan casing is inclined downward toward the storage chamber side, and the drainage channel is inclined downward toward the rear side. This configuration allows defrost water generated in the blower fan to flow easily through the drainage channels of the fan casing and the first partition plate due to gravity. Therefore, the defrost water generated in the blower fan can be drained efficiently. [Industrial applicability]

[0073] This disclosure is applicable to refrigerators. Specifically, it is particularly suitable for use in refrigerators that use a blower fan to circulate cold air. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0074] 10 Refrigerator 13. Freezer (storage room) 20 Cooling room 22 Evaporator 26 Blower fan 27 rotating blades 28. Fan casing 28d Bottom part 29 Partition 30. First partition plate 34b Drainage ditch 34d Step section

Claims

1. Equipped with a storage room, A cooling chamber is formed on the rear side of the aforementioned storage chamber, where an evaporator is installed. The system includes a partition separating the storage chamber and the cooling chamber, and a blower fan that blows air from the cooling chamber into the storage chamber. The blower fan comprises a rotating blade and a fan casing that guides the air flowing due to the rotation of the rotating blade. A first partition plate is installed on the rear side of the partition section. The fan casing is fixed to the rear side of the first partition plate, The first partition plate has a drainage groove formed at a position facing the lower surface of the fan casing, extending to the rear end of the first partition plate. A refrigerator characterized by the following features.

2. An upward-rising step is formed at the end of the drainage channel on the storage chamber side. The refrigerator according to feature 1.

3. The lower surface of the fan casing is inclined downward toward the storage chamber side, The drainage channel is inclined downward toward the rear side. A refrigerator according to feature 1 or 2.

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