refrigerator

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator that can restrain condensation caused by return cold air from a vegetable chamber.SOLUTION: A refrigerator 1 comprises a cooler chamber 509 housing a cooler 501, a heat insulation material 513 that is a vacuum heat insulation material, a back cover 521 in which a return port 510 for returning cold air to the cooler chamber 509 is formed, and a vegetable chamber 51 in order from a rear side of the refrigerator 1 toward a front side. A heat insulation material 512 having lower thermal conductivity than that of a surface of the heat insulation material 513 is arranged between an air passage 522 connecting the return port 510 and the cooler chamber 509, and the heat insulation material 513.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 15

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 states that "The refrigerator has an opening covered with a door on the front, and includes a heat-insulating box body in which a plurality of storage chambers are formed inside. Inside the heat-insulating box body, there is a first storage chamber that is set at a higher temperature than other adjacent storage chambers and stores stored items, a cooler chamber provided behind the first storage chamber where a cooler is arranged, a first vacuum heat-insulating material arranged between the first storage chamber and the cooler chamber, and a return air passage that connects the first storage chamber and the cooler chamber and through which the cold air returning to the cooler chamber flows. When the heat-insulating box body is viewed from the front, the first vacuum heat-insulating material is arranged so as to overlap a part of the cooler, the return air passage is provided adjacent to the first vacuum heat-insulating material so as not to overlap with the first vacuum heat-insulating material and to overlap with the cooler, and the outlet of the cold air in the return air passage is arranged at a position overlapping with the cooler or at a position below the cooler."

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the refrigerator described in Patent Document 1, the return air passage of the vegetable compartment is provided on the side of the vacuum heat-insulating material (Fig. 15). Since a cooler is provided behind the vacuum heat-insulating material (Fig. 9), the vacuum heat-insulating material is easily cooled by the cooler. As a result, when the high-humidity cold air in the vegetable compartment flows into the return air passage provided near the cooled vacuum heat-insulating material, the high-humidity cold air is cooled in the return air passage, and condensation may occur. The problem to be solved by the present disclosure is to provide a refrigerator capable of suppressing condensation caused by the return cold air from the vegetable compartment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The refrigerator of this disclosure is a refrigerator comprising, in order from rear to front, a cooling chamber housing a cooling unit, a first insulating material which is a vacuum insulating material, a rear cover having a return port formed therein for returning cold air to the cooling chamber, and a vegetable compartment, wherein a second insulating material having a lower thermal conductivity than the surface of the first insulating material is disposed between the air passage connecting the return port and the cooling chamber and the first insulating material. The second insulation material has a flexible structure that supports the front and bottom surfaces of the plate-shaped first insulation material. . [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] This is a front view of the refrigerator in this disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of the airflow path configuration through which the cold air generated in the second cooler flows. [Figure 4] This is a view from the front after cutting along line BB in Figure 2. [Figure 5] This is an enlarged view of section C in Figure 4. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the vegetable compartment. [Figure 7] This is an enlarged view of section D in Figure 6. [Figure 8] This is a diagram showing a section of the vegetable compartment cut away and viewed from the diagonal front side. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of a plate heater. [Figure 10] This is a top view of the vegetable compartment. [Figure 11] This is a block diagram showing the specific hardware configuration of the control device. [Figure 12] This is a front view of the vegetable compartment with containers inside. [Figure 13] This is a front view of the vegetable compartment with the container removed. [Figure 14] This is a front view of the vegetable compartment with the back cover and container removed. [Figure 15]It is a cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the return entrance in the vegetable compartment cut in the front-rear direction. [Figure 16] It is an enlarged view of part F in FIG. 15. [Figure 17] It is an exploded perspective view showing the structure on the back side of the vegetable compartment. [Figure 18] It is a view showing the structure of the back of the vegetable compartment extracted. [Figure 19] It is an enlarged view of part G in FIG. 18. [Figure 20] It is a perspective view of the container. [Figure 21] It is a perspective view of the upper container. [Figure 22] It is a perspective view of the lower container. [Figure 23] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line H-H of the container shown in FIG. 20

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0007] Hereinafter, a mode (referred to as an embodiment) for carrying out the present disclosure will be described while referring to the drawings. In the description of the following one embodiment, descriptions of other embodiments applicable to the one embodiment will be made as appropriate. The present disclosure is not limited to the following one embodiment, and different embodiments can be combined with each other or arbitrarily modified within a range not significantly impairing the effects of the present disclosure. Also, the same members will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions will be omitted. Furthermore, those having the same function will be given the same name. The illustrated content is merely schematic, and for the convenience of illustration, it may be changed from the actual configuration within a range not significantly impairing the effects of the present disclosure, or the illustration of some members may be omitted or deformed between the drawings. Also, in the same embodiment, it is not always necessary to include all the configurations.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a front view of the refrigerator 1 of the present disclosure. The refrigerator 1 includes doors 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. The door 2 is a double-opening door that can rotate about a rotation axis (not shown) provided at each left and right end of the refrigerator 1. The doors 3, 4, 5, 6 are drawer-type doors. Inside the doors 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, a heat insulating material is disposed.

[0009] Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of Figure 1. The refrigerator 1 includes a refrigerating compartment 21 closed by a door 2, an ice-making compartment 31 closed by a door 3, a vegetable compartment 51 closed by a door 5, and a freezer compartment 61 (a large freezer compartment) closed by a door 6. Although not shown in Figure 2, the refrigerator 1 further includes a freezer compartment 41 (a small freezer compartment; see Figure 3) closed by a door 4. The freezer compartment 41 is arranged adjacent to the ice-making compartment 31 in the left-right direction (horizontal direction). The refrigerating compartment 21, the ice-making compartment 31, the freezer compartment 41, the vegetable compartment 51, and the freezer compartment 61 are formed in a heat-insulating box body 10. The heat-insulating box body 10 includes an inner box 11, an outer box 12, and a heat-insulating material 13. The refrigerating compartment 21, the ice-making compartment 31, the freezer compartment 41, the vegetable compartment 51, and the freezer compartment 61 are all formed inside an inner box 11 made of, for example, resin. Between the inner box 11 and an outer box 12 made of, for example, metal that constitutes the outer shell of the refrigerator 1, a heat-insulating material 13 such as a vacuum heat-insulating material or foamed urethane foam that is foam-in-place is arranged.

[0010] The refrigerating compartment 21 is a storage compartment (a storage compartment in the refrigerating temperature range) fixed at a refrigerating temperature range (for example, 3°C to 8°C). The refrigerating compartment 21 is arranged above the ice-making compartment 31 and the freezer compartment 41 and adjacent to the ice-making compartment 31 and the freezer compartment 41. Inside the refrigerating compartment 21, shelves 22 on which food and the like can be placed are arranged. Also, inside the refrigerating compartment 21, a chilled compartment 23 fixed at a temperature range of, for example, 0°C to 2°C is arranged.

[0011] Both the ice-making compartment 31 and the freezer compartment 41 are storage compartments (storage compartments in the freezing temperature range) fixed at a freezing temperature range (for example, -20°C to -18°C). The ice-making compartment 31 and the freezer compartment 41 are arranged below the refrigerating compartment 21 and above the vegetable compartment 51 and adjacent (adjacent in the vertical direction) to the refrigerating compartment 21 and the vegetable compartment 51. The sum of the capacities of the ice-making compartment 31 and the freezer compartment 41, that is, the capacity of the storage compartment in the freezing temperature range arranged above the vegetable compartment 51, is smaller than the capacity of the freezer compartment 61. That is, the ice-making compartment 31 and the freezer compartment 41 are storage compartments in the freezing temperature range with a smaller capacity than the freezer compartment 61.

[0012] The vegetable compartment 51 is a storage compartment (refrigerated temperature storage compartment) fixed at a refrigerated temperature range (for example, 3°C to 8°C). The vegetable compartment 51 is located below the refrigerator compartment 21, the ice-making compartment 31, and the freezer compartment 41, and above the freezer compartment 61, adjacent to the ice-making compartment 31, the freezer compartment 41, and the freezer compartment 61. Containers 52 capable of holding vegetables, beverages, etc., are stored in the vegetable compartment 51. By positioning the vegetable compartment 51 at a relatively high position above the ground, it is possible for users to easily take out vegetables, etc.

[0013] The freezer compartment 61 is a storage compartment (a storage compartment for the freezing temperature range) fixed at a freezing temperature range (for example, -20°C to -18°C). The freezer compartment 61 is located below the refrigerator compartment 21 and the vegetable compartment 51, and is adjacent to the vegetable compartment 51. The freezer compartment 61 houses containers 62 capable of holding frozen items such as frozen foods.

[0014] Refrigerator 1 comprises a cooling compartment 102 and a cooling compartment 509. Cooling compartment 102 (first cooling compartment) houses a cooling unit 201 (first cooling unit; evaporator) that generates cold air supplied to the refrigerator compartment 21. Cooling unit 201 is a structure installed in refrigerator 1 that cools the refrigerator compartment 21. Cooling unit 201 is set to a temperature (for example, -15°C to 0°C) that is assumed to be that of a storage room in the refrigerated temperature range. Cooling compartment 102 and cooling unit 501 are located at the rear of the refrigerator compartment 21.

[0015] The cooler room 509 (second cooler room) houses the cooler 501 (second cooler, evaporator) that generates cold air supplied to the vegetable compartment 51 and the freezer compartment 61. Cooler 501 is relatively colder than cooler 201 and is set to a temperature that simulates a storage room in the freezer temperature range (e.g., -28°C to -20°C). Therefore, cooler 501 generates cold air that can be supplied to a storage room in the freezer temperature range. However, as will be described in detail later, the cold air generated by cooler 501 that can be supplied to a storage room in the freezer temperature range is also supplied to the vegetable compartment 51. Cooler 501 is a structure installed in the refrigerator 1 that cools the vegetable compartment 51 and the freezer compartments 41 and 61. Cooler 501 and the cooler room 509 are located behind the vegetable compartment 51. However, the cooler 501 and the cooler compartment 509 do not need to be located only behind the vegetable compartment 51; at least a portion of the cooler 501 and the cooler compartment 509 may be located behind the vegetable compartment 51. In the example of this disclosure, the cooler 501 and the cooler compartment 509 are located in an area that includes the rear side of the vegetable compartment 51, and in this embodiment, they span the area behind the vegetable compartment 51 and the area behind the freezer compartment 61. However, the cooler 501 and the cooler compartment 509 may be located only on the rear side of the vegetable compartment 51.

[0016] In the example of this disclosure, the cooler 501 is positioned on the rear side of the vegetable compartment 51 and the freezer compartment 61, spanning both compartments. This allows for the supply of a large volume of cold air to the freezer compartment 61, which requires a large airflow because its capacity is larger than the combined capacity of the ice-making compartment 31 and the freezer compartment 41. Furthermore, the cooler 501 can supply cold air to the ice-making compartment 31 and the freezer compartment 41 at freezing temperatures without significantly reducing the airflow.

[0017] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the airflow path configuration through which the cold air generated by the cooler 501 flows. The refrigerator 1 is equipped with an airflow path 300, an airflow path 511 (first airflow path), and an airflow path 602 (second airflow path). The refrigerator 1 is also equipped with discharge ports 32, 44, 506, 507, and 611.

[0018] Discharge port 32 is provided in the ice-making compartment 31. Discharge port 44 is provided in the freezer compartment 41. Discharge ports 506 and 507 are provided in the vegetable compartment 51. In Figure 3, for the sake of simplicity, discharge ports 506 and 507 are shown as a single opening, but in reality, they are separate openings. Discharge port 611 is provided in the freezer compartment 61. Air passage 300 is an air passage that guides the cold air generated by the cooler 501 to discharge ports 32 and 44. Air passage 511 is an air passage that guides the cold air generated by the cooler 501 to discharge ports 506 and 507. Air passage 602 is an air passage that guides the cold air generated by the cooler 501 to discharge port 611. Discharge is performed by the rotation of fan 505, and the cold air flows as shown by the solid arrows.

[0019] In the refrigerator 1 of this disclosure, cold air generated by the cooler 501 is directly discharged into the vegetable compartment 51. This allows dry cold air to be discharged into the vegetable compartment 51, suppressing condensation in the vegetable compartment 51. Furthermore, low-temperature cold air can be directly discharged into the vegetable compartment 51, accelerating the cooling rate of the vegetable compartment 51. In addition, an ice-making compartment 31 and freezer compartments 41, 61, which are in the freezing temperature range, are located above and below the vegetable compartment 51, adjacent to the vegetable compartment 51. Therefore, although separated by insulating walls 302, 601, the vegetable compartment 51 is cooled to some extent by the ice-making compartment 31 and freezer compartments 41, 61. As a result, the amount of cold air discharged directly into the vegetable compartment 51 can be reduced, improving energy efficiency.

[0020] Refrigerator 1 is equipped with return ports 43, 510, and 612. Return port 43 is located in the freezer compartment 41. The cold air from the freezer compartment 41 is returned to the condenser compartment 509 through return port 43, as indicated by the dashed arrow. Return port 510 is located in the vegetable compartment 51. The cold air from the vegetable compartment 51 is returned to the condenser compartment 509 through return port 510, as indicated by the dashed arrow. Return port 612 is located in the freezer compartment 61. The cold air from the freezer compartment 61 is returned to the condenser compartment 509 through return port 612, as indicated by the dashed arrow.

[0021] Returning to Figure 2, refrigerator 1 is equipped with insulated walls 301, 302, 601, and 503. Insulated wall 301 is a structure that partitions the refrigerator compartment 21 from the ice-making compartment 31 and the freezer compartment 41 vertically. Insulated wall 302 is a structure that partitions the ice-making compartment 31 and the freezer compartment 41 from the vegetable compartment 51 vertically. Insulated wall 601 (second insulated wall) is a structure that partitions the vegetable compartment 51 from the freezer compartment 61 vertically. Insulated wall 503 (first insulated wall) is a structure that partitions the cooler compartment 509 from the vegetable compartment 51 front to back.

[0022] Figure 4 is a view from the front, cut along line BB in Figure 2. Figure 5 is an enlarged view of section C in Figure 4. The insulating wall 302 comprises a lid 303, a housing 304, and a plate-shaped vacuum insulating material 305. The vacuum insulating material 305 is housed in the bottomed housing 304, and the lid 303 is positioned to cover the vacuum insulating material 305. The insulating wall 302 that separates the vegetable compartment 51 and the freezer compartment 41 is a separate component from the insulating box body 10, and the insulating wall 302 is fitted into a groove 111 formed on the inner surface of the inner box 11 that constitutes the insulating box body 10. Because the insulating wall 302 is a separate component from the insulating box body 10, it is easy to attach a back cover 521 (Figure 13), etc., which is positioned on the back of the insulating wall 302, to the insulating box body 10. At the fitting portion, a sealing member (not shown), such as a gasket, is placed between the insulating wall 302 and the inner surface of the inner box 11. Although I will omit the explanation, the insulating wall 601 is also a separate component (separate body) from the insulating box body 10.

[0023] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the vegetable compartment 51. Figure 7 is an enlarged view of section D in Figure 6. Figure 8 is a view of the vicinity of the vegetable compartment 51, cut and viewed from the diagonal front side. The outlets 506 and 507 for discharging cold air into the vegetable compartment 51 are provided on the rear wall 571. The rear wall 571 is the side of the rear cover 521 that faces the vegetable compartment 51. The outlet 506 (first outlet) is positioned above the upper end of the container 52 (drawer container) and is an opening that discharges cold air in at least one of the horizontal or diagonally upward directions. Preferably, the outlet 506 discharges cold air diagonally upward toward the lower surface of the insulating wall 302 (the top surface of the vegetable compartment 51).

[0024] Container 52 is installed in refrigerator 1. The top end of container 52 is open. Above the vegetable compartment 51, adjacent to the vegetable compartment 51, are the ice-making compartment 31 and the freezer compartment 41. Therefore, the insulating wall 302 that separates the vegetable compartment 51 from the ice-making compartment 31 and the freezer compartment 41 is easily cooled by the ice-making compartment 31 and the freezer compartment 41. Also, as described above, the insulating wall 302 is separate from the insulating box body 10, and even with the sealing member interposed, cold air can flow from the ice-making compartment 31 and the freezer compartment 41 into the vegetable compartment 51 through the gap formed between the insulating wall 302 and the insulating box body 10. And because there is high-humidity cold air in the vegetable compartment 51, condensation is likely to occur on the bottom surface of the insulating wall 302 (the surface facing the vegetable compartment 51). In particular, condensation is likely to occur on the bottom surface of the insulating wall 302, on the rear side closer to the cooler 501.

[0025] Therefore, by configuring the discharge port 506 in this way, cold air can be discharged so as to graze the lower surface of the insulating wall 302, as shown by the thick solid arrows in Figures 6 to 8. That is, the cold air flows forward between the upper opening (upper end) of the container 52 and the top surface of the vegetable compartment 51 (the lower surface of the insulating wall 302). At this time, the cold air is discharged horizontally, preferably upward, so as not to enter the inside of the container 52 (especially the upper space 523). The cold air discharged from the discharge port 506 is dry cold air supplied directly from the cooler chamber 509. As a result, the area near the top surface of the vegetable compartment 51 can be dried, and condensation on the top surface of the vegetable compartment 51 can be suppressed.

[0026] Furthermore, the container 52 is divided into front and rear sections, and the container 52 comprises a front space 561 and a rear space 562. The space 562 is further divided into an upper space 523 and a lower space 524. In this embodiment, the container 52 consists of an upper container 52a corresponding to the upper space 523 (forming the upper space 523 inside) and a lower container 52b corresponding to the front space 561 and the lower space 524 (forming the spaces 561 and 524 inside).

[0027] The cold air from the discharge port 506, flowing from rear to front between the container 52 and the insulating wall 302, collides with the inner surface of the door 5. As a result, the cold air flows into the space 561 adjacent to the inner surface of the door 5 from above. This allows the interior of space 561, which is furthest from the discharge port 506, to be cooled. Furthermore, space 561 and the lower space 524 are connected through a communication port 525 located at the rear of space 561. Therefore, the cold air that flows into space 561 from above flows into the lower space 524 through the communication port 525. The cold air inside the lower space 524 is discharged to the outside of the container 52 through a communication port 528 formed at the rear of the lower space 524. By providing the discharge port 506, dry cold air can be introduced into the lower space 524, which is difficult to access directly from the discharge ports 506 and 507 due to the rear wall of the container 52, thereby suppressing condensation inside.

[0028] In another embodiment, the discharge port 506 is positioned near the upper end of the container 52 and discharges cold air diagonally upward. Here, "near the upper end of the container 52" means being close to the upper end of the container 52 (at the same height as the upper end, above the upper end, or below the upper end) so that most of the container discharged from the discharge port 506 does not blow onto the container 52. More specifically, the position near the upper end is a position where the axis extending from the opening that constitutes the discharge port 506 (the axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the opening) does not overlap with the container 52. Even in this way, condensation on the lower surface of the insulating wall 302 can be suppressed.

[0029] On the other hand, the discharge port 507 (second discharge port), which is located below the discharge port 506, is provided in the insulating wall 503 within the height range of the container 52. The discharge port 507 discharges cold air toward the insulating wall 601 (second insulating wall) as shown by the dashed lines in Figures 6 to 8. That is, the discharge port 507 is positioned lower than the upper end of the container 52 and discharges cold air in at least one of the following directions: horizontally or diagonally downwards. Because cold air has a high specific gravity, for example, cold air discharged horizontally will move downwards due to its own weight and toward the insulating wall 601. As a result, cold air is discharged toward the insulating wall 601.

[0030] Below the vegetable compartment 51, adjacent to it, is a freezer compartment 61. Therefore, condensation can occur on the upper surface of the insulating wall 601 (the bottom surface of the vegetable compartment 51) that separates the vegetable compartment 51 and the freezer compartment 61. By discharging dry cold air toward the upper surface of the insulating wall 601, the area near the upper surface of the insulating wall 601 can be dried, and condensation on the insulating wall 601 can be suppressed.

[0031] As described above, the discharge port 506 (first discharge port) and the discharge port 507 (second discharge port) are connected to the cooler room 509, which houses the cooler 501 that cools the vegetable compartment 51. Therefore, the vegetable compartment 51 is supplied with some of the cold air that is supplied to the storage compartments in the freezing temperature range (ice-making compartment 31, freezer compartments 41, 61). Since high-humidity cold air is present in the vegetable compartment 51, condensation in the vegetable compartment 51 can be suppressed by supplying dry cold air directly from the cooler room 509, as described above.

[0032] Furthermore, the refrigerator 1 is equipped with a damper 508 that switches the presence or absence of cold air discharge through the outlets 506 and 507. By opening the damper 508, the outlets 506 and 507 communicate with the refrigerator chamber 509, and cold air is discharged from the outlets 506 and 507. On the other hand, by closing the damper 508, the communication between the outlets 506 and 507 and the refrigerator chamber 509 is released, and the discharge of cold air from the outlets 506 and 507 stops. As in this embodiment, both the opening and closing of the outlets 506 and 507 may be switched by one damper 508, but two dampers 508 may be used to switch the opening and closing of each of the outlets 506 and 507.

[0033] The amount of cold air discharged per unit time from outlet 507 is greater than the amount of cold air discharged per unit time from outlet 506. In this way, the vegetables and other items contained in container 52 can be sufficiently indirectly cooled with the container 52's wall in between. Furthermore, by flowing cold air through outlet 506 along the bottom surface of the insulated wall 301 with a relatively small airflow, condensation on the bottom surface can be suppressed.

[0034] The amount of cold air (airflow) discharged from outlets 506 and 507 can be adjusted, for example, by changing the ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the air passage 526 connected to outlet 506 to the cross-sectional area of ​​the air passage 527 connected to outlet 507. For example, if the amount of cold air discharged per unit time from outlet 507 is to be greater than the amount of cold air discharged per unit time from outlet 506, the cross-sectional area of ​​the air passage 527 connected to outlet 507 should be made larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the air passage 526 connected to outlet 506. Also, if two dampers 508 are used, the dampers 508 should be opened and closed so that the opening time of outlet 507 is longer than the opening time of outlet 506 per unit time.

[0035] Furthermore, a fin packing 7 may be provided at the rear lower end of the upper container 52a. The fin packing 7 is provided over substantially the entire width of the rear lower end of the upper container 52a so as to seal the gap between the rear lower end of the upper container 52a and the rear upper end of the lower container 52b, except for a portion (in this embodiment, except for the vicinity of both the left and right ends). This prevents excessive intrusion of cold air from the discharge port 507 through the gap.

[0036] Figure 9 is a perspective view of a heating mechanism 504 located within an insulating wall 601 that separates the vegetable compartment 51 and the freezer compartment 61. The refrigerator 1 is equipped with a heating mechanism 504 in the insulating wall 601 that heats the bottom surface of the vegetable compartment 51. The heating mechanism 504 is located in the insulating wall 601 that separates the vegetable compartment 51 and the freezer compartment 61. In this example, the heating mechanism 504 is a plate heater and is built into the insulating wall 601. Since the freezer compartment 61 is located below the vegetable compartment 51, the insulating wall 601 is easily cooled by the cold air in the freezer compartment 61. As a result, condensation is likely to occur on the upper surface of the insulating wall 601 due to the high humidity cold air present in the vegetable compartment 51. Therefore, by heating the insulating wall 601 with the heating mechanism 504, condensation on the upper surface of the insulating wall 601 can be suppressed. The heating mechanism 504 can also be used to heat the vegetable compartment 51 if it becomes too cold.

[0037] The heating mechanism 504 comprises a support member 541 and a heating element 542 positioned on the upper surface of the support member 541. The heating element 542 is connected to the power supply (not shown) of the refrigerator 1. When the control device 500 (Figure 2) energizes the heating element 542, the heating element 542 generates heat, which can heat the floor surface of the vegetable compartment 51, which is the upper surface of the insulating wall 531. The heating mechanism 504 may heat the vegetable compartment 51 continuously, or it may heat intermittently at any time. Specifically, when heating intermittently, when cold air is discharged through the outlet 507, the discharged cold air is directed towards the floor surface of the vegetable compartment 51, making the floor surface prone to condensation. Therefore, for example, heating by the heating mechanism 504 can be performed when cold air is discharged through the outlet 507. This can suppress excessive cooling near the floor surface.

[0038] Figure 10 is a top view of the vegetable compartment 51. The discharge port 506 is positioned to one side or the other, off-center from the left-right center of the vegetable compartment 51 in a top view of the vegetable compartment 51. In the illustrated example, the discharge port 506 is positioned off-center to the left. The discharge port 506 further discharges cold air toward the side wall surface 622 of the vegetable compartment 51 opposite to the side wall surface 621 on the side closer to the discharge port 506. In this way, cold air can reach the side wall surface 622, which is relatively far from the discharge port 506 and therefore difficult for cold air to reach. In the example of this disclosure, the discharge port 506 discharges cold air in at least two directions: toward the front of the refrigerator 1 and toward the side wall surface 622. Of these, the discharge port 506 mainly discharges cold air toward the front of the refrigerator 1.

[0039] Figure 11 is a block diagram showing the specific hardware configuration of the control device 500. The control device 500 is a control device that controls the operation of the refrigerator 1. The control includes, for example, control of the refrigeration cycle (not shown) including the coolers 201 and 501, rotation control of the fan 505, opening and closing control of the damper 508, and power supply control of the heating mechanism 504.

[0040] The control device 500 is configured with, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1001, RAM (Random Access Memory) 1002, ROM (Read Only Memory) 1003, I / F (Interface) 1004, and a bus 1005. The CPU 1001, RAM 1002, ROM 1003, and I / F 1004 are connected, for example, via the bus 1005. The control device 500 is realized when a predetermined program stored in ROM 1003 is loaded into RAM 1002 and executed by the CPU 1001. The exchange of signals and information between the control device 500 and various devices (servers, etc.) and external networks is carried out in hardware terms through the I / F 1004.

[0041] The control device 500 discharges cold air through the discharge port 506 according to the temperature of the vegetable compartment 51. At the same time, the control device 500 discharges cold air into the vegetable compartment 51 at predetermined intervals. As described above, the cold air generated by one cooler 501 is discharged to the ice-making compartment 31, the freezer compartments 41 and 61, and the vegetable compartment 51. Therefore, if the room temperature of the vegetable compartment 51 is within the set temperature range and no cold air is discharged into the vegetable compartment 51, but the room temperature of the freezer compartments 41 and 61 is not within the set temperature range and cold air is discharged into the freezer compartments 41 and 61, condensation may occur in the vegetable compartment 51. In addition, the relatively low-temperature, dry cold air discharged into the vegetable compartment 51 accumulates at the bottom, while the relatively high-temperature, high-humidity cold air rises and tends to accumulate near the top of the vegetable compartment 51. Therefore, the control device 500 discharges cold air into the vegetable compartment 51 at predetermined intervals, regardless of the temperature of the vegetable compartment 51. This prevents relatively high-temperature, high-humidity cold air from accumulating near the top surface of the vegetable compartment 51, thereby suppressing condensation in the vegetable compartment 51.

[0042] The temperature of the vegetable compartment 51 is measured, for example, by a temperature sensor 603 (Figure 13) provided in the vegetable compartment 51. The predetermined time for discharging cold air may be constant, or it may be changed according to the environment in which the refrigerator 1 is placed, such as the season or room temperature. For example, it can be made relatively shorter in winter when the temperature is low, and relatively longer in summer when the temperature is high.

[0043] Figure 12 is a front view of the vegetable compartment 51 with the container 52 inside. The discharge port 506 is positioned higher than the top of the container 52, or near the top of the container 52, as described above. Therefore, in Figure 12, which shows the vegetable compartment 51 with the door 6 that closes it removed, the discharge port 506 is often visible from the front. In the illustrated example, the discharge port 506 is positioned higher than the top of the container 52, so the discharge port 506 is visible from the front.

[0044] Figure 13 is a front view of the vegetable compartment 51 with the container 52 removed. By removing the container 52, the discharge port 507, temperature sensor 603, and return port 510, which are located on the rear side of the container 52, are exposed on the front side. An insulating wall 503 is located on the rear side of the vegetable compartment 51. On the side of the insulating wall 503 facing the vegetable compartment 51, the rear wall 571 of the rear cover 521 is located, as described above. The rear wall 571 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front of the vegetable compartment 51 and has four corners 552.

[0045] On the rear wall 571 of the vegetable compartment 51, a discharge port 506 and a return port 510 for returning cold air from the vegetable compartment 51 are arranged on or near the diagonal line L1 when viewed from the front of the vegetable compartment 51. The diagonal line L1 is a line segment connecting two diagonally opposite corners 552. In the example of this disclosure, the discharge port 506 and the return port 510 are arranged near the diagonal line L1. By doing so, the discharge port 506 and the return port 510 can be placed as far apart as possible, thereby increasing the effect of suppressing condensation on the top surface of the vegetable compartment 51. The vicinity of the diagonal line L1 refers to the space between the diagonal line L1 and an axis L2 that extends in a direction intersecting the diagonal line L1 at an angle θ of, for example, within ±20°.

[0046] In the illustrated example, the discharge port 506 is located near corner 552. The return port 510 is located near the corner 552 opposite to the corner 552 where the discharge port 532 is located.

[0047] Figure 14 is a front view of the vegetable compartment 51 with the rear cover 521 and container 52 removed. Immediately behind the rear cover 521, there is an insulating material 513, which is a vacuum insulating material. The insulating material 513 has a shape that avoids the discharge ports 506 and 507, for example, a polygonal shape (pentagonal in the illustrated example).

[0048] Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of the vegetable compartment 51, showing the area near the return port 510 in the front-to-back direction. Figure 16 is an enlarged view of section F in Figure 15. The refrigerator 1 comprises, in order from rear to front, a cooler compartment 509 housing a cooler 501, an insulating material 513 which is a vacuum insulating material, a rear cover 521 with a return port 510 formed therein for returning cold air to the cooler compartment 509, and the vegetable compartment 51. The high-humidity cold air from the vegetable compartment 51 flows into the return port 510 and flows through the air passage 522, as shown by the thick solid arrow in Figure 16. Therefore, high-humidity cold air accumulates around the return port 510.

[0049] As described above, the cooler 501 for the freezing temperature range is positioned behind the vegetable compartment 51 and the freezer compartment 61, straddling them. Therefore, although the insulating wall 503 positioned on the back side of the vegetable compartment 51 has an insulating material 513 built in, the return port 510 positioned directly in front of the cooler 501 is easily cooled by the cooler 501. Furthermore, the insulating material 513 (first insulating material) is a vacuum insulating material as described above. The vacuum insulating material has, for example, a core material inside, and a foil made of, for example, metal (for example, aluminum) is arranged to cover the core material. Therefore, the surface of the insulating material 513 is made of metal, and the return port 510 positioned on the front side of the insulating material 513 is easily cooled by the cooler 501 positioned on the back side of the insulating material 513. When the return port 510 is cooled, at least one of the following phenomena is likely to occur: condensation and frost formation in the vicinity of the return port 510 and in the air passage 522 through which high-humidity cold air flows.

[0050] Therefore, an insulating material 512 (second insulating material) with a lower thermal conductivity than the surface of insulating material 513 is placed between the air passage 522 connecting the return port 510 and the cooler chamber 509 and the insulating material 513 (first insulating material). This suppresses the cooling of high-humidity cold air by the insulating material 513, and suppresses condensation and frost formation on the return port 510, the surface of the insulating material 513, the air passage 522, etc.

[0051] The insulating material 512 may be, for example, polystyrene foam, resin material, rubber, etc. The insulating material 512 may also be an insulating material that improves its insulating effect by, for example, including an air layer.

[0052] The air passage 522 is formed at least directly in front of the insulation material 513, which is a vacuum insulation material. This prevents the highly humid cold air passing through the air passage 522 from being cooled by the insulation material 512, thereby suppressing condensation and frost formation.

[0053] The return opening 510 is positioned to overlap with the portion of the insulation material 513 projected onto the front side of the refrigerator 1. That is, when viewing the vegetable compartment 51 from the front side of the refrigerator 1, the return opening 510 overlaps with the insulation material 513. Therefore, the highly humid cold air around the return opening 510 is easily cooled by the insulation material 513. However, by positioning the insulation material 512 between the return opening 510 and the insulation material 513, the cooling of the highly humid cold air around the return opening 510 can be suppressed, thereby suppressing condensation and frost formation.

[0054] In the example of this disclosure, the air passage 522 is also positioned at least below the insulation material 513 (first insulation material). An insulation material 512 (second insulation material) is positioned between the air passage 522 and the insulation material 513. This arrangement suppresses the cooling of the high-humidity cold air flowing below the insulation material 513, thereby suppressing condensation and frost formation.

[0055] Figure 17 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the rear side of the vegetable compartment 51. However, in Figure 17, the rear cover 521 has been removed, and an exploded perspective view of the structure shown in Figure 14 is shown. In the vegetable compartment 51, from the front to the rear of the refrigerator 1, there are, for example, a resin rear cover 521, an insulating material 512, an insulating material 513 which is a vacuum insulating material, an insulating material 533 such as a foamed insulating material (such as polystyrene foam) which has a part into which the insulating material 513 is fitted, and a resin rear panel 514. Of these, the insulating materials 512, 513, and 533 constitute the insulating wall 503 (Figure 2).

[0056] An insulating material 533 is provided on the back side of the insulating material 513. This prevents heat from the heater 572 (Figure 16), which is located on the opposite side of the insulating material 513 from the insulating material 533, from being transferred to the insulating material 513. The heater 572 is a structure for defrosting the cooler 501. The output of the heater 572 (amount of heat generated per unit time) is greater than the output of the heating mechanism 504 (amount of heat generated per unit time). In addition, a return port 612 is formed in the back panel 514. A groove 5031 is formed in the insulating material 533 into which the L-shaped insulating material 512 is inserted.

[0057] Figure 18 is a diagram showing an excerpt of the structure of the back of the vegetable compartment 51. Figure 19 is an enlarged view of section G in Figure 18. The insulation material 512 is a pre-formed foamed insulation material. This allows the insulation material 512 to be positioned according to the structure of the air passage 522. The pre-formed foamed insulation material is not so-called on-site foamed foam that is foamed inside the insulated box 10 (refrigerator 1), but rather foamed insulation material that has been pre-formed so that it can be attached to the insulated box 10 (refrigerator 1) as is.

[0058] Furthermore, the insulation material 512 is exposed to the air passage 522. This allows the distance between the insulation material 513 and the air passage 522 to be shortened, and the size of the insulation material 512 can be increased to improve the insulation effect.

[0059] The thermal insulation material 512 has a bent structure that supports the front and bottom surfaces of the plate-shaped thermal insulation material 513. With such thermal insulation material 512, the thermal insulation material 513 can be fixed without using a separate member for fixing the thermal insulation material 513. However, a member for fixing the thermal insulation material 513 (e.g., tape) may be used as an auxiliary. In the example of this disclosure, the thermal insulation material 512 has an L-shape and supports the thermal insulation material 512 near its corner.

[0060] Figure 20 is a perspective view of container 52. In container 52, an upper container 52a that forms an upper space 523 and a lower container 52b that forms a lower space 524 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. Figure 21 is a perspective view of the upper container 52a. Figure 22 is a perspective view of the lower container 52b. Figure 23 is an HH cross-sectional view of container 52 shown in Figure 20.

[0061] A handle portion 52a1 is formed on the front wall of the upper container 52a. This handle portion 52a1 is recessed from the flange portion 52a2 on the upper edge of the upper container 52a. The inner box sliding portions 52a3, formed on the upper part of both the left and right side walls of the upper container 52a, are formed at approximately the same height as the flange portion 52a2, and are continuous with it. When the door 5 is opened and closed, the inner box sliding portions 52a3 slide in the front-rear direction on the support portions 112 (see Figure 5) formed on the left and right side walls of the inner box 11. The upper container 52a is formed so that the height of the upper ends of its front and rear walls is lower than the height of the upper ends of its left and right side walls. This allows the cold air (see Figures 6 and 7) from the discharge port 506 located at the rear of the upper container 52a to be efficiently guided into the space in front of the vegetable compartment 51 (in front of the front wall of the upper container 52a).

[0062] Multiple container sliding portions 52a4 are formed in the front-rear direction at the lower part of both the left and right side walls of the upper container 52a (three in this embodiment), and are in contact with the sliding receiving portions 52b2 of the lower container 52b. Between each container sliding portion 52a4, ribs 52a5 are formed that do not contact the sliding receiving portions 52b2. On the lower container 52b, flange portions 52b1 are formed on the upper edges of both the left and right side walls, protruding upward from the sliding receiving portions 52b2. The lower end of the rib 52a5 is formed below the upper end of the flange portion 52b1. The flange portions 52b1 and the sliding receiving portions 52b2 are formed extending in the front-rear direction.

[0063] When the door 5 is open and the upper container 52a is pulled out or pushed back, the container sliding part 52a4 on the upper container 52a side slides in the front-rear direction while in contact with the sliding receiving part 52b2 on the lower container 52b side. The rib 52a5 is formed in a substantially L-shape in cross-section so as to cover the upper and outer sides of the flange part 52b1. This prevents cold air from the discharge port 506 from entering the lower space 524 through the gap S created between the upper container 52a and the lower container 52b.

[0064] This disclosure encompasses the following technical concepts (including appendices).

[0065] [Technical thought 1] In conventional refrigerators, the cold air used in the refrigerator compartment flows into the vegetable compartment, cooling the vegetable compartment (paragraph 0015). Therefore, the cold air flowing into the vegetable compartment is highly humid because it contains moisture from the refrigerator compartment, which can cause condensation in the vegetable compartment. The problem that Technical Concept 1 aims to solve is to provide a refrigerator that can suppress condensation in the vegetable compartment. [Note 1-1] Refrigerator compartment, A first cooler chamber housing a first cooler that generates cold air supplied to the aforementioned refrigerator compartment, Located below the aforementioned refrigerator compartment is a vegetable compartment containing containers, Below the vegetable compartment, adjacent to the vegetable compartment, A second cooler chamber is located behind the vegetable compartment and houses a second cooler that generates cold air supplied to the vegetable compartment and the freezer compartment. A first air passage guides the cold air generated by the second cooler to the outlet of the vegetable compartment, The system includes a second air passage that guides the cold air generated by the second cooler to the discharge port of the freezer. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Appendix 1-2] The second cooler is positioned across the vegetable compartment and the freezer compartment, Above and adjacent to the aforementioned vegetable compartment, there is a storage compartment with a smaller capacity and a smaller freezing temperature range than the aforementioned freezer compartment. The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-1, characterized by the features described herein. [Appendix 1-3] A first insulating wall separates the second cooling chamber and the vegetable compartment, A second insulating wall separates the vegetable compartment and the freezer compartment, The container comprises, within the height range of the container, an outlet provided in the first insulating wall that discharges cold air toward the second insulating wall. The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-1, characterized by the features described herein. [Appendix 1-4] The container is divided into front and back sections, The aforementioned vegetable compartment is equipped with an outlet for discharging cold air, The aforementioned discharge port is It is positioned above the upper end of the aforementioned container and discharges cold air in at least one of the following directions: horizontally or diagonally upward, It is positioned near the upper end of the container and discharges cold air diagonally upward. The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-1, characterized by the features described herein. [Appendix 1-5] The insulating wall separating the vegetable compartment and the freezer compartment is equipped with a heating mechanism for heating the bottom surface of the vegetable compartment. The refrigerator described in Appendix 1-1, characterized by the features described herein.

[0066] [Technical thought 2] In conventional refrigerators, the freezer compartment is located adjacent to the vegetable compartment, with the freezer compartment above it. However, to improve the ease of assembly, an insulating wall, which is a separate component from the insulating box, may be attached to the insulating box. In this case, cold air from the freezer compartment may leak into the vegetable compartment through gaps in the later-attached insulating wall. As a result, condensation may form on the top surface of the vegetable compartment when the highly humid air from the vegetable compartment comes into contact with the insulating wall separating the freezer and vegetable compartments. The problem that Technical Concept 2 aims to solve is to provide a refrigerator that can suppress condensation on the top surface of the vegetable compartment.

[0067] [Note 2-1] Container and An insulated box body having a vegetable compartment for storing the aforementioned container and a freezer compartment above and adjacent to the vegetable compartment, A separate insulating wall, distinct from the insulating box body, separates the vegetable compartment and the freezer compartment. The vegetable compartment is equipped with a first outlet for discharging cold air, The aforementioned discharge port 1 is, It is positioned above the upper end of the aforementioned container and discharges cold air in at least one of the following directions: horizontally or diagonally upward, It is positioned near the upper end of the container and discharges cold air diagonally upward. refrigerator. [Note 2-2] On the rear wall of the vegetable compartment, the first discharge port and the return port for returning the cold air from the vegetable compartment are arranged diagonally or near the diagonal when viewed from the front of the vegetable compartment. The refrigerator described in Appendix 2-1, characterized by the features described herein. [Appendix 2-3] It is provided with a second discharge port positioned lower than the upper end of the container and discharging cold air in at least one of the horizontal or diagonally downward directions, The first and second discharge ports are connected to a cooler chamber that houses a cooler for cooling the vegetable compartment. The refrigerator described in Appendix 2-1, characterized by the features described herein. [Appendix 2-4] The amount of cold air discharged per unit time from the second outlet is greater than the amount of cold air discharged per unit time from the first outlet. A refrigerator as described in Appendix 2-3, characterized by the features described herein. [Appendix 2-5] The aforementioned discharge port 1 is, In a top view of the vegetable compartment, it is positioned to the left or right of the center of the vegetable compartment in the left-right direction. Furthermore, cold air is discharged toward the side wall surface of the vegetable compartment opposite to the side wall surface of the vegetable compartment that is closer to the first discharge port. The refrigerator described in Appendix 2-1, characterized by the features described herein. [Appendix 2-6] The system includes a control device that discharges cold air through the first discharge port according to the temperature of the vegetable compartment, and also discharges cold air into the vegetable compartment at predetermined intervals. The refrigerator described in Appendix 2-1, characterized by the features described herein. [Appendix 2-7] It comprises a first cooler for cooling the refrigerator compartment and a second cooler for cooling the vegetable compartment and the freezer compartment. The second cooler is positioned on the rear side of the vegetable compartment and the freezer compartment, straddling the vegetable compartment and the freezer compartment. The refrigerator described in Appendix 2-1, characterized by the features described herein.

[0068] [Technical thought 3] In conventional refrigerators, the return air duct for the vegetable compartment is located to the side of the vacuum insulation material (Figure 15). Since a cooler is located behind the vacuum insulation material (Figure 9), the vacuum insulation material is easily cooled by the cooler. As a result, when the highly humid cold air from the vegetable compartment flows into the return air duct located near the cooled vacuum insulation material, the highly humid cold air is cooled in the return air duct, which can cause condensation. The problem that Technical Concept 3 aims to solve is to provide a refrigerator that can suppress condensation caused by cold air returning from the vegetable compartment.

[0069] [Note 3-1] It is a refrigerator, The refrigerator comprises, in order from rear to front, a cooling compartment housing a cooling unit, a first insulating material which is a vacuum insulating material, a rear cover having a return port for returning cold air to the cooling compartment, and a vegetable compartment. Between the air passage connecting the return port and the cooler chamber and the first insulating material, a second insulating material having a lower thermal conductivity than the surface of the first insulating material is arranged. A refrigerator characterized by the following features. [Note 3-2] The cooler generates cold air that can be supplied to a storage room at freezing temperatures. The refrigerator described in Appendix 3-1, characterized by the features described herein. [Appendix 3-3] The air passage is formed at least directly in front of the vacuum insulation material. The refrigerator described in Appendix 3-1, characterized by the features described herein. [Appendix 3-4] The second type of insulation is a pre-formed foam insulation material. The refrigerator described in Appendix 3-1, characterized by the features described herein. [Appendix 3-5] The return opening is positioned to overlap with the portion of the first insulating material projected onto the front side of the refrigerator. The refrigerator described in Appendix 3-1, characterized by the above features. [Appendix 3-6] The air passage is located at least below the first insulation material. The second insulation material is placed between the air passage and the first insulation material. The refrigerator described in Appendix 3-1, characterized by the features described herein. [Appendix 3-7] The second insulation material is exposed to the air passage. The refrigerator described in Appendix 3-6, characterized by the features described herein. [Appendix 3-8] The second insulation material has a flexible structure that supports the front and bottom surfaces of the plate-shaped first insulation material. The refrigerator described in Appendix 3-1, characterized by the features described herein. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0070] 1. Refrigerator 10 Insulated box 102 Cooler room (1st cooler room) 11 Inner box 111 Groove 112 Support part 12 Outer box 13. Insulation 2 doors 201 Cooler (1st cooler) 21 Refrigerator 22 shelves 23 Chilled compartment 3 doors 300 Wind path 301 Insulated Wall 302 Insulated wall 303 Lid 304 cabinets 305 Vacuum Insulation Material 31 Ice maker 32 Discharge port 4 doors 41 Freezer 43 Return 44 Discharge port 5 doors 500 Control Device 501 Cooler (second cooler) 503 Insulated wall (First insulated wall) 5031 Groove 504 Heating mechanism 505 Fans 506 Discharge port 507 Discharge port 508 Damper 509 Cooler room 51 Vegetable compartment 510 Return Exit 511 Wind path (1st wind path) 512 Insulation 513 Insulation 514 Rear Panel 52 Container 52a Upper container 52a1 Handle 52a2 Flange 52a3 Inner box sliding part 52a4 Container sliding part 52a5 Rib 52b Lower container 52b1 Flange 52b2 Sliding bearing part 521 Back cover 522 Wind path 523 Upper space 524 Lower space 525 Connecting Port 526 Wind path 527 Wind path 528 Connecting Port 531 Insulated wall 532 Discharge port 533 Insulation 541 Support member 542 Heating wire 552 corner 561 Space 562 Space 571 Back wall 572 Heater 6 doors 601 Insulated wall (second insulated wall) 602 Wind path (2nd wind path) 603 Temperature Sensor 61 Freezer 611 Discharge port 612 Return Exit 62 Container 621 Side wall 622 Side wall 7. Fin packing L1 Diagonal L2 axis θ angle

Claims

1. It is a refrigerator, The refrigerator comprises, in order from rear to front, a cooling compartment housing a cooling unit, a first insulating material which is a vacuum insulating material, a rear cover having a return port for returning cold air to the cooling compartment, and a vegetable compartment. A second insulating material with a lower thermal conductivity than the surface of the first insulating material is placed between the air passage connecting the return port and the cooler chamber and the first insulating material. The second insulating material has a flexible structure that supports the front and bottom surfaces of the plate-shaped first insulating material. A refrigerator characterized by the following features.

2. The cooler generates cold air that can be supplied to a storage room at freezing temperatures. The refrigerator according to feature 1.

3. The air passage is formed at least directly in front of the vacuum insulation material. The refrigerator according to feature 1.

4. The second type of insulation material is a pre-formed foam insulation material. The refrigerator according to feature 1.

5. The return opening is positioned to overlap with the portion of the first insulating material projected onto the front side of the refrigerator. Refrigerator according to feature 1

6. The air passage is located at least below the first insulating material. The second insulation material is placed between the air passage and the first insulation material. The refrigerator according to feature 1.

7. The second insulation material is exposed to the air passage. The refrigerator according to feature 6.

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