storage

Abstract

To suppress seal failure due to unintended deformation of a center seal.SOLUTION: A refrigerator 10 has a storehouse main body 11 having an opening 11A, and two doors 15A, 15B paired like a double door. The door 15B includes: a door main body portion 30; a door packing 20 disposed at a storehouse main body 11 side of the door main body portion 30 to seal between the door main body portion 30 and opening edge portions 11B, 17 of the opening portion 11A in a close state of the door 15B; a center seal 40 longitudinally disposed along a side edge 31A positioned at the paired other door 15A side at the door main body portion 30 to seal the door 15B with respect to the other door 15A in its close state; and a spacer 70 disposed on a position not overlapped to the door packing 20 and the center seal 40 in a plane view at a storehouse main body 11 side of the door main body portion 30, and interposed between the door main body portion 30 and the opening edge portions 11B, 17 in the close state of the door 15B to regulate an interval therebetween.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This technology relates to a storage cabinet.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a wide-through type (center pillarless) cooling storage cabinet in which a columnar member (center pillar) is not arranged at the center of the opening of the storage cabinet body and the frontage can be widely used is known, and an example thereof is described in Patent Document 1. The cooling storage cabinet described in Patent Document 1 includes a pair of double doors for opening and closing the opening, and each door is provided with a longitudinal center seal in addition to a frame-shaped door packing that adheres to the opening edge of the storage cabinet body as a sealing member.

[0003] The center seal is provided along the side edges located on the other door side that forms a pair in each door. When the doors are closed, the center seals adhere to each other, and the space between the two opposing doors is sealed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, the center seal is generally formed of a soft resin having excellent flexibility and is easily deformed. For this reason, when closing the door, if the user pushes the door too far inside the cabinet, a part of the center seal may be deformed by the opening edge of the storage cabinet body, and as a result, the entire center seal may be unintentionally deformed greatly. As a result, gaps or the like may occur in the closed state of the door, and sealing failure may occur.

[0006] This technology was developed based on the circumstances described above, and its purpose is to suppress sealing defects caused by unintended deformation of the center seal. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The storage facility relating to this technology comprises a storage facility body which is an insulated box having an opening, and two doors which open and close the opening and are arranged in a double-door style, each door comprising a door body portion including an insulating material, a door packing provided on the storage facility body side of the door body portion which seals the space between the door body portion and the opening edge of the opening of the storage facility body when the door is closed, a center seal provided longitudinally along the side edge located on the other door side of the door body portion which seals the space between the door and the other door when the door is closed, and a spacer provided on the storage facility body side of the door body portion in a position that does not overlap with the door packing and the center seal when viewed in plan, which interposes between the door body portion and the opening edge when the door is closed to regulate the distance between them.

[0008] With the above configuration, the spacer ensures that a predetermined distance is maintained between the door body and the opening edge. Therefore, when closing the door, even if the user tries to push the door inward, the spacer on the door body contacts the opening edge, preventing the door body from being pushed in excessively. As a result, the center seal is less likely to be strongly pressed against the opening edge of the storage unit body and deform unintentionally, thus preventing sealing failures.

[0009] Furthermore, the center seal has a seal body that adheres closely to the center seal of the other door in its pair, and the seal body is positioned so as not to overlap with the door packing when viewed in plan, and may adhere closely to a part of the opening edge when the door is closed. In this way, the space between the two doors is sealed by the seal body, and the space between the two sealed doors is sealed to the opening edge. On the other hand, with this configuration, the seal body is easily deformed when the user pushes the door hard inward and presses against the opening edge. Even in such a case, providing a spacer can prevent the center seal from being deformed unintentionally.

[0010] Furthermore, the spacer may be made of an elastic material. This improves the cushioning function of the spacer, allowing it to absorb impact when it comes into contact with the opening edge of the storage unit body, and also prevents damage to the opening edge.

[0011] Furthermore, the spacer may be a magnet. In this case, the spacer will magnetically adhere to the opening edge of the storage unit body, making it easier to suppress the outflow of cold air to the outside. In addition, the inflow of outside air into the storage unit can be suppressed, thereby suppressing frost formation inside the storage unit.

[0012] Furthermore, the door comprises a first cover member that covers the end of the center seal and a spacer mounting member for attaching the spacer, and the spacer and the spacer mounting member may be housed within the first cover member. In this way, the spacer can be easily attached, and by housing the spacer and the spacer mounting member within the first cover member that covers the end of the center seal, they can be prevented from being seen from the outside.

[0013] Furthermore, the door may be provided with a first cover member that covers the end of the center seal, and the spacer may be integrally provided with the first cover member. In this way, the spacer can be easily provided while keeping costs down.

[0014] Furthermore, the door includes a spacer mounting member for attaching the spacer, a heater provided along the side edge of the door body to prevent condensation, and a second cover member covering a part of the heater, wherein the spacer mounting member may be integrally provided with the second cover member. In this way, the spacer can be easily provided while keeping costs down.

[0015] Furthermore, the door may include a spacer mounting member for attaching the spacer, and a heater provided along the side edge of the door body to prevent condensation. The heater may have a heater body routed along the side edge, a heater curved portion that curves back from the heater body at both ends of the side edge, a heater folded portion that folds back from the heater curved portion and is routed along the side edge parallel to the heater body, and a heater insertion portion that extends from the heater folded portion and is inserted into a central hole provided at the center of the extension direction of the side edge. By forming the heater folded portion in this way, the overall length of the heater can be increased, and the power supplied to the heater can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to suppress the situation in which the heater curved portion, which tends to get hot, becomes excessively hot, and the center seal near the heater curved portion is unintentionally deformed by the high temperature.

[0016] Furthermore, the heater body may be composed of heater wires, and the heater curved portion, heater folded portion, and heater insertion portion may be composed of electrical wiring. By composing the heater curved portion with electrical wiring (lead wires), the situation in which the heater curved portion overheats can be eliminated. As a result, unintended deformation of the center seal located near the heater curved portion can be suppressed.

[0017] Further, the center seal has a fin portion extending between the opening edge portion and the door packing. The seal main body portion has a hollow portion in which a magnet is accommodated, and a connecting portion connecting the hollow portion and the fin portion. The wall portion constituting the hollow portion and the thickness of the connecting portion may be substantially the same. By doing so, it is possible to suppress the flow of cold air from the inside of the storage to the outside through the fin portion. And by making the thicknesses of the hollow portion and the connecting portion of the seal main body portion uniform, it is possible to suppress a situation in which the center seal of this portion is likely to be deformed due to the difference in thickness.

[0018] Also, a coating layer having excellent lubricity may be provided on the surface of the wall portion on the side opposite to the door main body portion. The surface of the wall portion of the hollow portion on the side opposite to the door main body portion contacts the other door that forms a pair when the door is closed. By reducing the friction at the time of this contact by the coating layer, it is possible to suppress a situation in which the center seal is deformed due to the friction.

Effects of the Invention

[0019] According to the present technology, it is possible to suppress seal defects associated with unintended deformation of the center seal.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] Front view of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 [Figure 2] Front view of the refrigerator with the door removed [Figure 3] Rear perspective view of the door [Figure 4] Rear view of the door [Figure 5] Top view of the door [Figure 6] Cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 4 [Figure 7] Cross-sectional view of the center seal of FIG. 6 [Figure 8] Cross-sectional view in which a cross-section of the other door that forms a pair is added to FIG. 5 [Figure 9] Perspective view in which a corner portion near FIG. 3 is enlarged [Figure 10] Perspective view with the stopper removed from FIG. 9 [Figure 11] Top view of Figure 10 [Figure 12] Exploded perspective view of the spacer and spacer mounting member. [Figure 13] A top view showing the door closing (with the stopper removed). [Figure 14] Top view showing unintended deformation of the door in Comparative Example 1 (with stopper removed) [Figure 15] A top view showing the door in the closed position (with the stopper removed) in Comparative Example 1. [Figure 16] Top view showing the closed state of the door in Comparative Example 1 (with the stopper removed) [Figure 17] Side view of the door with the heater exposed. [Figure 18] Enlarged side view of the upper part of Figure 13 [Figure 19] Figure 13: Enlarged side view of the area near the central hole. [Figure 20] Perspective view of the heater [Figure 21] Perspective view of the stopper according to Embodiment 2 [Figure 22] Exploded perspective view of the spacer and spacer mounting member according to Embodiment 3 [Figure 23] Perspective view of the cap end according to Embodiment 4 [Figure 24] Perspective view of the heater according to Embodiment 5 [Figure 25] Perspective view of a stopper according to another embodiment [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] <Embodiment 1> A wide-through type (center pillarless) refrigerator 10 (an example of a storage compartment) according to Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 20. The symbols F, B, L, R, U, and D shown in each figure indicate the front and rear of the refrigerator 10 in the front-to-back direction, the left and right in the width direction (left-to-right direction) when viewed from the front, and the top and bottom in the vertical direction (up and down direction), respectively.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the refrigerator 10 is a four-door refrigerator that is roughly rectangular in shape and elongated vertically. The refrigerator 10 broadly consists of a storage body 11, several (specifically four) insulated doors 15, and a machine room 12 located above the storage body 11.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2, the storage unit body 11 is an insulated box with two openings 11A formed on its front. The interior of the storage unit body 11 is a storage room 14 for storing food and other items. The two openings 11A are formed by dividing one opening in the storage unit body 11 vertically with a horizontally elongated front frame 17. On the other hand, the storage unit body 11 is not provided with a vertically elongated columnar member (a so-called center pillar) that divides the openings 11A horizontally. Therefore, the opening edges 11B and 17 of the openings 11A in the storage unit body 11 are composed of the rectangular front frame 11B and the front frame 17 of the storage unit body 11 that surround the two openings 11A.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the machine room 12 is located above the storage unit body 11. The machine room 12 houses a cooling system (not shown) that constitutes the cooling cycle. The cooling system consists of an evaporator, a circulation fan, and the like. When the cooling system is in operation, the air is cooled by the evaporator. The cooled air (cold air) is circulated and supplied into the storage unit 14 by the circulation fan, thereby cooling the inside of the storage unit 14.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, the doors 15 are provided in pairs, one above the other, on the front of the storage unit body 11. The pair of doors 15 consists of two doors 15A and 15B that open outwards like double doors. Each door 15A and 15B is attached to the storage unit body 11 so that the opening 11A can be opened and closed from the front. The left door 15A is attached to the storage unit body 11 by a hinge 16A on its left edge, and the right door 15B is attached to the storage unit body 11 by a hinge 16B on its right edge. As a result, the left door 15A is pivotally supported around a pivot axis along its left edge, and the right door 15B is pivotally supported around a pivot axis along its right edge.

[0026] The two paired doors 15A and 15B are symmetrical in shape, but otherwise have the same configuration. The following explanation will mainly describe the configuration of the right-hand door 15B. The left-hand door 15A, which is paired with door 15B, may also be referred to as the other door 15A.

[0027] Door 15B, broadly speaking, as shown in Figures 3 to 6, comprises a door body 30, a door packing 20, a first magnet 29, a center seal 40, a second magnet 49, a support member 50, a stopper 60 (first cover member), a cap end 65 (second cover member), a spacer 70, a spacer mounting member 75, and a heater 80 for preventing condensation. Each part will be described in detail below.

[0028] [Door body section 30] The door body 30 occupies most of the door 15B and has a structure in which an insulating material made of foamed resin (such as foamed urethane foam) is filled in the internal space between the opposing exterior panel 31 and interior panel 32. The exterior panel 31 is made of metal such as stainless steel. The exterior panel 31 constitutes the front surface (outside the storage area) of the door 15B and the opposing side edge 31A that faces the other door 15A. The interior panel 32 is made of synthetic resin, for example. The interior panel 32 constitutes the rear surface 32A (inside the storage area) of the door 15B.

[0029] As shown in Figure 3, a rectangular frame-shaped rib 32B is formed along the outer edge of the rear surface 32A of the door 15B. The rib 32B protrudes inward and is inserted into the opening 11A when the door 15B is closed. The rib 32B is provided to prevent cold air from the inside of the storage compartment from leaking out through the gap between the interior panel 32 and the opening edges 11B and 17 of the storage compartment body 11. Also, as shown in Figure 6, a gasket mounting groove 32C is formed on the rear surface 32A, into which the door gasket 20 is fitted.

[0030] [Door gasket 20] As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the door packing 20 is attached to the packing mounting groove 32C of the door body 30. In a plan view, the door packing 20 has a rectangular frame shape that is slightly larger than the rib 32B, surrounding the rib 32B of the door body 30. The door packing 20 is made of an elastic material such as a soft resin. The door packing 20 has a packing body 21 and mounting legs 22.

[0031] As shown in Figure 6, the mounting legs 22 are attached to the packing mounting grooves 32C of the interior panel 32. As a result, the door packing 20 is attached to the door body 30 with the packing protruding from the rear surface 32A of the door body 30.

[0032] When the door 15B is closed, the packing body 21 adheres tightly to the opening edges 11B and 17 of the storage body 11, sealing the space between the door 15B and the storage body 11. However, the portion of the packing body 21 that is covered by the center seal 40 from the inside of the storage body does not adhere directly to the opening edges 11B and 17, but rather comes into contact with them via the fin portion 42.

[0033] As shown in Figure 6, the packing body 21 has a magnet holding portion 21A and an elastic deformation portion 21B. The magnet holding portion 21A is a hollow, rectangular cylindrical portion, and a rectangular prism-shaped first magnet 29 is held in its internal space. The first magnet 29 is magnetically attracted to the opening edges 11B and 17 of the storage body 11 when the door 15B is closed. The first magnet 29 is attracted to the metal plates that make up the opening edges 11B and 17, or to magnets disposed on them.

[0034] The elastically deformable portion 21B of the packing body 21 is located between the magnet holding portion 21A and the mounting leg 22, and supports the magnet holding portion 21A. The elastically deformable portion 21B is substantially cylindrical with a hollow interior and supports the first magnet 29 in a displaceable manner. The elastically deformable portion 21B elastically deforms in accordance with the attractive force of the first magnet 29 and adheres tightly to the opening edges 11B and 17 of the storage body 11, thereby sealing the space between the door body portion 30 of the door 15B and the opening edges 11B and 17.

[0035] [Support member 50] The support member 50 is a member that supports the center seal 40 and the heater 80. The support member 50 is longitudinal and is attached along the entire length of the opposing side edge 31A of the door body 30. It is preferable that the support member 50 be made of a resin with higher rigidity than the center seal 40 (for example, rigid polyvinyl chloride resin). As shown in Figure 6, the support member 50 has a base 50A and a sliding cover 50B.

[0036] As shown in Figure 6, the base 50A is fixed to the opposing side edge 31A of the door body 30. The rear end portion (inside the storage compartment portion) of the base 50A protrudes rearward (inward) from the opposing side edge 31A. The base 50A has a first locking portion 51 with a roughly C-shaped cross section, two convex hooking portions 52 and 53, and a heater holding groove 54. The first locking portion 51 is provided on the portion of the base 50A that protrudes to the rear. The extended end 43B of the first locked portion 43 of the center seal 40, which will be described later, is fitted into the first locking portion 51. The heater 80 is held in the heater holding groove 54.

[0037] As shown in Figure 6, the sliding cover 50B is mounted on the left side (the side of the other door 15A) of the base 50A, which is attached to the opposing side edge 31A. The sliding cover 50B is fitted onto the base 50A by sliding it in from above or below. The sliding cover 50B has a second locking portion 56 and two locking grooves 57 and 58. The two locking grooves 57 and 58 fit with the locking portions 52 and 53 of the base 50A, respectively. The extended end 44B of the second locked portion 44 of the center seal 40, which will be described later, is fitted into the second locking portion 56.

[0038] [Center seal 40] The center seal 40 is elongated and is fitted into and supported by the support member 50, so as to be attached along the entire length of the opposing side edge 31A of the door body 30. As shown in Figure 7, the center seal 40 has a seal body 41, a fin 42, a first locking portion 43, a second locking portion 44, and a lip portion 45. The center seal 40 is attached with a gap G1 between it and the door packing 20, as shown in Figure 6, by locking the extended end 43B of the first locking portion 43 and the extended end 44B of the second locking portion 44 to the support member 50. The center seal 40 is made of a soft resin such as an olefin-based elastomer.

[0039] As shown in Figure 8, the seal body 41 adheres closely to the center seal 40 of the other door 15A, sealing the space between the pair of doors 15A and 15B. The seal body 41 also adheres closely to a portion of the opening edges 11B and 17 of the storage unit body 11, sealing the space between the pair of doors 15A and 15B and the opening edges 11B and 17. The seal body 41 has a hollow rectangular cylindrical portion 41A and a flat connecting portion 41B.

[0040] As shown in Figure 6, a flattened prismatic second magnet 49 is inserted into the internal space of the hollow section 41A. When doors 15A and 15B are closed, the second magnets 49 on both doors 15A and 15B attract each other, causing the hollow sections 41A to come into close contact and sealing the space between doors 15A and 15B. Also, when doors 15A and 15B are closed, the second magnets 49 on both doors 15A and 15B are magnetically attracted to the opening edges 11B and 17 of the storage unit body 11, causing the rear surface of the hollow section 41A to come into close contact with the opening edges 11B and 17.

[0041] The connecting portion 41B is the part that connects the hollow portion 41A and the fin portion 42. As shown in Figure 7, the thickness L41B of the connecting portion 41B is formed to be substantially the same as the thickness L41A of the wall portion of the hollow portion 41A, which is located on the same straight line. If there were a difference in these thicknesses, when the second magnet 49 is magnetically attracted, the degree of expansion and contraction between the connecting portion 41B and the wall portion of the hollow portion 41A would differ due to the difference in thickness. As a result, unintended deformation would occur in the seal body portion 41, and there would be concerns that the pair of doors 15A and 15B could not be properly sealed to the opening edges 11B and 17 of the storage body 11, resulting in gaps or other defects. In this embodiment, however, the thickness of the connecting portion 41B and the wall portion of the hollow portion 41A, which is located on the same straight line, are substantially the same, thus mitigating such concerns.

[0042] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the fin portion 42 extends further to the right (between the opening edges 11B and 17 of the storage compartment body 11 and the door packing 20), with the right end of the connecting portion 41B of the seal body portion 41 as its base. The fin portion 42 is formed to be thin and covers the magnet holding portion 21A of the door packing 20 from the rear (inside the compartment). The fin portion 42 also covers the gap G1 between the magnet holding portion 21A and the first locking portion 51 of the support member 50. This prevents cold air inside the compartment from flowing to the outside through the gap G1.

[0043] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the lip portion 45 is a part that protrudes rearward from the space between the seal body portion 41 and the fin portion 42. As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 9, the total length of the lip portion 45 in the vertical direction is smaller than that of the seal body portion 41 and the fin portion 42, and is formed so as not to overlap with their ends (upper and lower ends). The lip portion 45 has a roughly umbrella-like cross-section. The protruding ends of the lip portion 45 are formed to be thin and extend to the left and right, respectively, while slightly inclined forward (outside the cabinet). The portion of the lip portion 45 that extends to the left covers the seal body portion 41 from the rear, blocking cold air flowing from the inside of the cabinet toward the seal body portion 41. The portion of the lip portion 45 that extends to the right covers the fin portion 42 from the rear, blocking cold air flowing from the inside of the cabinet toward the fin portion 42.

[0044] As shown in Figure 6, the first locking portion 43 is locked to the base 50A that constitutes the support member 50 between the seal body portion 41 and the door packing 20. The first locking portion 43 extends forward toward the support member 50, with its base end located between the seal body portion 41 and the fin portion 42. The extended end 43B of the first locking portion 43 is formed to be thicker than the rest of it and is fitted into the first locking portion 51.

[0045] The portion of the first locking portion 43 other than the extended end 43B is thin-walled and formed to have an extended length that leaves a slight margin when the extended end 43B is fitted into the first locking portion 51. This makes it easier to fit the extended end 43B of the first locking portion 43 into the first locking portion 51. In addition, the center seal 40 can be made flexible so that it moves toward the other door 15A side and returns to its original position in response to the magnetic attraction force of the second magnet 49.

[0046] As shown in Figure 6, the second locking portion 44 is the part that locks onto the slide cover 50B of the support member 50. The second locking portion 44 extends forward from the lower end of the hollow portion 41A of the seal body portion 41 toward the slide cover 50B. The extended end 44B of the second locking portion 44 is formed to be thicker than the rest of the portion and is fitted into the second locking portion 56. The portion of the second locking portion 44 other than the extended end 44B is formed to be thinner.

[0047] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, a coating layer 47 with excellent lubricity is formed on the left side of the second locking portion 44 (the side opposite to the door body portion 30), excluding the extended end 44B, and on the left and rear sides of the wall portion of the hollow portion 41A (the side opposite to the door body portion 30). The coating layer 47 is formed by applying a lubricant to these surfaces. The surfaces on which the coating layer 47 is formed have higher lubricity (slidability) than the other surfaces.

[0048] Incidentally, when the other door 15A is closed after the first door 15B is closed, as shown in Figure 13, the corner of the hollow portion 41A of the center seal 40 of the other door 15A comes into contact with the second locking portion 44 of the center seal 40 of the closed door 15B. If the frictional resistance at this contact is large, the corner of the hollow portion 41A may catch on the second locking portion 44 and interfere, raising concerns that the second locking portion 44 may deform. Therefore, in this embodiment, by providing a coating layer 47, the frictional resistance at contact is reduced, allowing the other door 15A to be closed smoothly. This prevents the second locking portion 44 of the center seal 40 from being unintentionally deformed due to friction. Note that in drawings other than Figures 7 and 13, the coating layer 47 is omitted in order to clearly show other components.

[0049] [Stopper 60 (First Cover Member)] As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 9, one stopper 60 is provided at the upper end and one at the lower end of the opposing side edge 31A of the door body 30. The stopper 60 is a shallow, tray-shaped lid made of soft resin and is attached and fixed by engaging with the cap end 65 (Figure 10), which will be described later. The stopper 60 is sized to cover the upper or lower end of the center seal 40, the gap G1 between the center seal 40 and the door packing 20, the cap end 65, the spacer 70, the spacer mounting member 75, and the screws used to attach them. As shown by the comparison in Figures 9 and 10, these various parts are covered and hidden by the stopper 60 so that they are not visible from the outside. Furthermore, the gap G1 is covered from above and below by the stopper 60, thereby suppressing the inflow of ambient air into the gap G1 and reducing the occurrence of condensation.

[0050] [Cap end 65 (second cover member)] As shown in Figures 10 and 11, one cap end 65 is provided at the upper end and one at the lower end of the opposing side edge 31A of the door body 30. The cap end 65 is screw-fastened to the opposing side edge 31A on the upper or lower surface of the door body 30. The cap end 65 is roughly L-shaped and bent in a direction along the opposing side edge 31A from the upper or lower surface of the door body 30. The cap end 65 is sized to cover the upper or lower end of the base 50A of the support member 50, and the upper or lower end of the heater 80 (more specifically, the heater curved portion 82 described later) from above or below.

[0051] [Spacer 70] The spacer 70 according to this embodiment is a rectangular parallelepiped elastic member, for example, made of rubber. As shown in Figures 10 to 12, the spacer 70 is provided at the upper or lower end of the rear surface of the door body 30. More specifically, the spacer 70 is provided on the rear surface of the door body 30, above the top or below the bottom of the door packing 20, and on the hinge 16B side (opposite the opposing side edge 31A) of the center seal 40. The spacer 70 is positioned so as not to overlap with the door packing 20 and the center seal 40 when viewed in plan. The protruding surface 70A of the spacer 70 (rear surface, interior side surface) protrudes to the same extent as the rear surface of the magnet holding portion 21A of the door packing 20.

[0052] In this manner, the spacer 70 is interposed between the door body 30 and the opening edges 11B and 17 when the door 15B is closed, thereby regulating the distance between them. When the door 15B is closed, the protruding surface 70A of the spacer 70 contacts the opening edges 11B and 17, preventing the door 15B from being pushed in too far. As a result, unintended deformation of the center seal 40 can be suppressed, and consequently, sealing defects can be prevented. Furthermore, the spacer 70 is positioned so as not to overlap with the door packing 20 and the center seal 40 when viewed in plan, and the position of the protruding surface 70A (protrusion length L70A) is adjusted so that the door packing 20 and the center seal 40 are in close contact with the opening edges 11B and 17. Therefore, the spacer 70 ensures that the door packing 20 and the center seal 40 have a sealing performance against the opening edges 11B and 17, while also regulating the distance between the door body 30 and the opening edges 11B and 17, thereby preventing the door 15B from being pushed in too far.

[0053] If, for example, doors 915A and 915B are not provided with spacer 70 (hereinafter referred to as Comparative Example 1), when door 915B is pushed in excessively, the second locking portion 44 of the center seal 40 will bend to protrude on the opposite side of the door body 30 (opposite side of the hinge 16B), as shown in Figure 14, resulting in unintended deformation. In this state, when the other door 915A is closed, as shown in Figure 15, the corner of the hollow portion 41A of the center seal 40 of the other door 15A will come into contact with the bent second locking portion 44 of the center seal 40 of door 15B, causing it to get stuck. If the other door 15A is then forcibly closed in this state, as shown in Figure 16, a gap G2 will be created between the center seal 40 and the opening edges 11B and 17, resulting in a sealing failure.

[0054] In contrast, in this embodiment, the above-mentioned sealing defects can be suppressed by providing a spacer 70. Furthermore, by constructing the spacer 70 from an elastic material, the cushioning function can be improved. When the spacer 70 comes into contact with the opening edges 11B and 17, it can absorb the impact and prevent damage to the opening edges 11B and 17.

[0055] [Spacer mounting component 75] The spacer mounting member 75 is a member for attaching the spacer 70. As shown in Figures 10 to 12, the spacer mounting member 75 is a sheet metal part (bracket) that has been cut and bent into a predetermined shape. One end of the spacer mounting member 75 is inserted between the upper or lower surface of the door body 30 and the cap end 65 and is fixed together with the cap end 65 by screws. The other end 75A of the spacer mounting member 75 protrudes inward and holds the spacer 70. The spacer 70 is attached and fixed to the other end 75A by screws and adhesive. By providing the spacer mounting member 75, the spacer 70 can be easily attached to the door body 30.

[0056] [Heater 80] As shown in Figures 17 to 20, the heater 80 is cord-shaped and is provided along the opposing side edge 31A of the door body 30. The heater 80 has a heater body 81, a heater curved portion 82, a heater folded portion 83, a heater insertion portion 84, and a molded portion 85. Figures 17 to 19 show the door 15B with the center seal 40, slide cover 50B, stopper 60, cap end 65, spacer 70, and spacer mounting member 75 removed in order to clearly show the heater 80.

[0057] The heater body portion 81 is a heating element routed along the opposing side edge 31A. The heater curved portion 82 is a portion that curves back from the heater body portion 81 at both ends (upper and lower ends) of the opposing side edge 31A. The heater folded portion 83 is a portion that is folded back from the heater curved portion 82 and routed along the opposing side edge 31A parallel to the heater body portion 81.

[0058] In this embodiment, the heater body 81, the heater curved portion 82, and the heater folded portion 83 are all made of heater wire and are integrated together. The heater wire is constructed by winding a nichrome wire around a glass core, for example, and covering them with silicone rubber. The heater insertion portion 84 is the part that is inserted into the central hole 31A1, which is located at the center of the opposing side edge 31A in the vertical direction (extension direction). The base 50A attached to the opposing side edge 31A has an insertion hole formed therein that overlaps with the central hole 31A1 when viewed in plan. The heater insertion portion 84 is made of lead wire, which is an electrical wiring covering with copper wire, for example. The molded portion 85 is a connector between the heater wire and the lead wire, and in this embodiment, it connects the heater folded portion 83 and the heater insertion portion 84. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the end of the heater insertion portion 84 (lead wire) opposite to the molded portion 85 extends outwards through the inside of the door body portion 30 and through a hole for attaching the hinge 16B.

[0059] As shown in Figures 6 and 18, the heater body 81 is housed in the heater retaining groove 54 of the base 50A, which is attached to the opposing side edge 31A. The heater insertion portion 84 and the molded portion 85 are housed in the internal space between the base 50A and the sliding cover 50B. As shown in Figure 18, the heater curved portion 82 protrudes slightly above or below the upper or lower end of the base 50A. This protruding portion is covered by the cap end 65 as previously described.

[0060] Incidentally, the curved portion 82 of the heater tends to become hotter than other parts of the heater 80 due to its shape and other factors. Therefore, there is a concern that the center seal 40 near the curved portion 82 may undergo unintended deformation due to heat. In this embodiment, the length of the folded portion 83 of the heater is increased by moving the molded portion 85 closer to the central hole 31A1. As a result, even when the power applied to the heater wire is reduced (for example, halved from 6.5W to 3W), it is possible to ensure sufficient heat generation to prevent condensation while suppressing the situation in which the curved portion 82 of the heater becomes excessively hot. Consequently, unintended deformation of the center seal 40 due to heat is suppressed, and consequently, sealing defects can be suppressed.

[0061] <Embodiment 2> The spacer 170 and stopper 160 according to Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to Figure 21. The spacer 170 differs from that of Embodiment 1 in that it is integrally provided with the stopper 160. A redundant explanation of the same configuration and effects as in Embodiment 1 will be omitted.

[0062] The spacer 170 is provided inside the stopper 160 at a position that contacts the opening edges 11B and 17 of the storage container body 11. The spacer 170 is integrally formed with the stopper 160, which is made of soft resin. This eliminates the need for additional parts (such as the spacer mounting member 75 according to Embodiment 1) and the associated installation work when installing the spacer 170. This reduces costs and streamlines the installation process.

[0063] <Embodiment 3> The spacer 270 and spacer mounting member 175 according to Embodiment 3 will be described with reference to Figure 22. The spacer 270 differs from that of Embodiment 1 in that it is a magnet. A redundant explanation of the same configuration and effects as in Embodiments 1 and 2 will be omitted.

[0064] The spacer 270 is a magnet, and the spacer mounting member 175 has a housing section 175B that can accommodate the spacer 270 from above. In this way, even if the opening edges 11B and 17 of the storage unit body 11 bend, the spacer 270 is magnetically attracted to the opening edges 11B and 17, suppressing the occurrence of gaps that cause cold air leakage and frost formation inside the unit. In particular, the front frame 17, which is the opening edge 17, tends to bend so that the central part in the left-right direction protrudes forward (outside the unit) because the inner surface of the unit contracts due to the cold air inside the unit, while the outer surface expands due to the heat generated by the heater. Even if such bending occurs, the spacer 270 is attracted to the opening edges 11B and 17, effectively suppressing the gap. In addition, since the spacer 270 can be easily inserted into and removed from the housing section 175B of the spacer mounting member 175, attachment and removal work is easy, and the magnetic force can be adjusted according to the size of the spacer 270.

[0065] <Embodiment 4> The cap end 165 according to Embodiment 4 will be described with reference to Figure 23. The spacer 270 differs from Embodiment 1 in that it is housed in the cap end 165. A redundant explanation of the same configuration and effects as in Embodiments 1 to 3 will be omitted.

[0066] The cap end 165 differs in shape from the cap end 65 according to Embodiment 1. The cap end 165 has a housing portion 165A that can accommodate the magnetic spacer 270 from above. In other words, the cap end 165 also serves as a spacer mounting member. This eliminates the need for additional parts when installing the spacer 270, thus reducing costs. Furthermore, it makes it easier to attach and detach the spacer 270, and allows for adjustment of the magnetic force depending on the size of the spacer 270.

[0067] <Embodiment 5> The heater 180 according to Embodiment 5 will be described with reference to Figure 24. The heater 180 differs from Embodiment 1 in that the heater curved portion 182 and the heater folded portion 183 are made of electrical wiring (lead wires) instead of heater wires. A redundant explanation of the same configuration and effects as Embodiments 1 to 4 will be omitted.

[0068] In this embodiment, the heater curved portion 182, the heater folded portion 183, and the heater insertion portion 84 are made of lead wires and are integrated together. In this embodiment, the molded portion 85 connects the heater body portion 81 and the heater curved portion 182. In this way, since the heater curved portion 182 is not a heater wire, it does not become hot, and the center seal 40 near the heater curved portion 182 is prevented from being unintentionally deformed by heat.

[0069] <Other Embodiments> This technology is not limited to the embodiments described above and in the drawings, and the following embodiments, for example, are also included in the technical scope of this technology.

[0070] (1) The configuration of the storage unit body 11 is not limited to what is shown. The number of openings 11A and the number of pairs of doors 15 can be changed as appropriate. Also, depending on the configuration of the storage unit body 11, the openings 11A may be top openings instead of front openings.

[0071] (2) The shapes of the spacers 70, 170, and 270 are not limited to those shown in the figures. For example, the spacer 170, which is integrally provided with the stopper 160, may have a hollow shape as shown in Figure 25. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0072] 10: Refrigerator (storage compartment), 11: Storage compartment body, 11A: Opening, 11B: Front frame (opening edge), 15, 15A, 15B: Door, 17: Front frame (opening edge), 20: Door gasket, 30: Door body, 31A: Opposing side edge (side edge), 31A1: Center hole, 40: Center seal, 41: Seal body, 41A: Hollow part, 41B: Connection part, 42: Fin part, 47: Coating layer, 60, 160: Stopper (first cover member), 65, 165: Cap end (second cover member), 70, 170, 270: Spacer, 75, 175: Spacer mounting member, 80, 180: Heater, 81: Heater body, 82, 182: Heater curved part, 83, 183: Heater folded part, 84: Heater insertion part

Claims

1. The storage unit body is an insulated box with an opening, The aforementioned opening is opened and closed, and the structure comprises two doors that open in a double-door fashion, The aforementioned door is The door body including the insulation material, A door packing is provided on the storage unit body side of the door body, and in the closed state of the door, seals the space between the door body and the opening edge of the opening of the storage unit body. The door body is provided with a center seal that is provided longitudinally along the side edge located on the other door side and seals the space between the door and the other door when the door is closed, On the storage compartment side of the door body, a spacer is provided in a position that does not overlap with the door packing and the center seal when viewed in plan, and is interposed between the door body and the opening edge when the door is closed to regulate the distance between them. A first cover member that covers the end of the center seal, The spacer mounting member for attaching the aforementioned spacer is provided, The spacer and the spacer mounting member are housed in a storage compartment within the first cover member.

2. A storage container body which is an insulated box having an opening, The aforementioned opening is opened and closed, and the structure comprises two doors that open in a double-door fashion, The aforementioned door is The door body including the insulation material, A door packing is provided on the storage unit body side of the door body, and in the closed state of the door, seals the space between the door body and the opening edge of the opening of the storage unit body. The door body is provided with a center seal that is provided longitudinally along the side edge located on the other door side and seals the space between the door and the other door when the door is closed, On the storage compartment side of the door body, a spacer is provided in a position that does not overlap with the door packing and the center seal when viewed in plan, and is interposed between the door body and the opening edge when the door is closed to regulate the distance between them. A spacer mounting member for attaching the aforementioned spacer, A heater is provided along the side edge of the door body to prevent condensation, The heater comprises a second cover member that covers a portion of the heater, The spacer mounting member is a storage compartment integrally provided with the second cover member.

3. A storage container body which is an insulated box having an opening, The aforementioned opening is opened and closed, and the structure comprises two doors that open in a double-door fashion, The aforementioned door is The door body including the insulation material, A door packing is provided on the storage unit body side of the door body, and in the closed state of the door, seals the space between the door body and the opening edge of the opening of the storage unit body. The door body is provided with a center seal that is provided longitudinally along the side edge located on the other door side and seals the space between the door and the other door when the door is closed, On the storage compartment side of the door body, a spacer is provided in a position that does not overlap with the door packing and the center seal when viewed in plan, and is interposed between the door body and the opening edge when the door is closed to regulate the distance between them. A spacer mounting member for attaching the aforementioned spacer, The door body is provided with a heater along the side edge for preventing condensation, The aforementioned heater is A heater body portion routed along the aforementioned side edge, A heater curved portion that curves back from the heater body portion at both ends of the side edge, A heater return portion is folded back from the heater curved portion and routed along the side edge parallel to the heater body portion, A storage container having a heater insertion portion that extends from the heater folded portion and is inserted into a central hole provided at the center of the extension direction of the side edge.

4. The heater body is composed of heater wires, The storage unit according to claim 3, wherein the heater curved portion, the heater folded portion, and the heater insertion portion are made of electrical wiring.

5. The aforementioned center seal has a seal body portion that is in close contact with the center seal of the other door in the pair, The storage cabinet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the seal body is positioned so as not to overlap with the door packing when viewed in plan, and is in close contact with a part of the opening edge when the door is closed.

6. The storage unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the spacer is an elastic member.

7. The storage unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the spacer is a magnet.

8. The center seal has a fin portion that extends between the opening edge and the door packing, The seal body has a hollow portion in which a magnet is housed, and a connecting portion that connects the hollow portion and the fin portion. The storage cabinet according to claim 5, wherein the thickness of the wall portion and the connecting portion constituting the hollow portion are substantially the same.

9. The storage cabinet according to claim 8, wherein a coating layer with excellent lubricity is provided on the side of the wall portion opposite to the door body portion.

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