Defrosting device and refrigerator equipped with defrosting device

Abstract

To provide a thawing device having a simple structure capable of thawing food in a short time while keeping the quality of the food, and a refrigerator comprising the thawing device.SOLUTION: A thawing device 2 comprises a liquid storage case 4 comprising a liquid storage region 10 for housing food to be thawed and storing liquid, a circulating pump for circulating the liquid in the liquid storage region 10, and a heating member 20 for heating the liquid in the liquid storage region 10. The food G is thawed by the liquid in the liquid storage region 10 made to reach a predetermined temperature by the heating member 20, and made to flow by the circulating pump. A refrigerator comprises the thawing device 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1B

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a thawing device for thawing frozen food and a refrigerator equipped with this thawing device.

Background Art

[0002] By storing fresh food frozen, it can be stored for a long time. However, thawing frozen food takes a lot of time and effort. To address this, a commercial thawing device that thaws food in water at a temperature of 15°C to 20°C has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the thawing device described in Patent Document 1 is a very large-scale device and is difficult to adopt in ordinary households. Currently, in households, food may be placed in the refrigerator's refrigerating compartment to thaw, but in that case, it takes a long time until thawing is complete. Also, food may be thawed by applying tap water, but in that case, a large amount of water is required, the dripping amount during thawing increases, and there is a risk that the quality of the food will deteriorate.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and provide a thawing device with a simple structure that can thaw food in a short time while maintaining the quality of the food, and a refrigerator equipped with this thawing device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The thawing device of the present invention is A liquid storage container having a liquid storage area that holds food to be thawed and also stores liquid, A circulation pump for circulating the liquid within the aforementioned liquid storage area, A heating member for heating the liquid in the liquid storage area, Equipped with, The food is thawed by the liquid in the storage area, which is heated to a predetermined temperature by the heating element and then circulated by the circulation pump.

[0007] According to the present invention, food placed in the liquid within the liquid storage area is thawed by heat transfer between the food and the liquid within the liquid storage area, which is heated by a heating element and circulated by a circulation pump, either directly or through a packaging member. Here, "food" can refer to frozen fresh foods such as frozen meat, frozen fish, frozen vegetables, and frozen fruits. Examples of packaging members include plastic wrap to cover the food and plastic bags to put the food in.

[0008] To thaw food, the temperature of the liquid surrounding the food decreases, but because the liquid is flowing, the cooled liquid does not remain around the food, and heated liquid can be supplied to the area around the food by the heating element. Since the liquid is circulated by a circulation pump, heat transfer between the food and the liquid can be promoted by the flow of the liquid without using a large amount of liquid. Therefore, despite its simple structure, thawing can be done in a short time. Furthermore, by appropriately heating with the heating element, the liquid temperature can always be kept at a temperature suitable for thawing (for example, 5°C to 10°C), so the occurrence of drip during thawing can be suppressed and the quality of the food can be maintained.

[0009] This makes it possible to provide a thawing device with a simple structure that can thaw food quickly while maintaining its quality.

[0010] Furthermore, in the thawing device of the present invention, The liquid inlet at the outlet end of the pump outlet piping connected to the discharge port of the circulation pump is positioned at a distance from the suction port of the circulation pump in a plan view. The food is characterized in that, in a plan view, it is placed between the suction port and the liquid supply port of the circulation pump.

[0011] According to the present invention, liquid drawn in from the suction port of the circulation pump flows out from the liquid inlet of the pump outlet piping into the liquid storage area, flows through the liquid storage area, and is drawn back in to the suction port of the circulation pump. This process is repeated, causing the liquid to circulate. Since the food is placed between the suction port and the liquid inlet of the circulation pump, the food can be efficiently thawed by the flow of the circulating liquid.

[0012] Furthermore, in the thawing device of the present invention, The invention is characterized in that a metal sheet-like heat transfer promoting member is attached to the outer surface of the liquid storage housing, and a sheet-like heating member is attached to the outer surface of the heat transfer promoting member.

[0013] According to the present invention, since a metal heat transfer promoting member is placed between the liquid storage housing and the heating member, the heat generated by the heating member can be transferred evenly and efficiently to the liquid storage housing, and subsequently to the liquid in the liquid storage area. As a result, the liquid in the liquid storage area can be heated uniformly and efficiently.

[0014] Furthermore, in the thawing device of the present invention, The bottom surface of the liquid storage container is formed with a plurality of convex members extending in a certain direction at predetermined intervals in a plan view, the upper surface of the convex members which is higher than the bottom surface supports the food, and liquid flows in the region between the lower surface of the food and the bottom surface between adjacent convex members.

[0015] According to the present invention, since the food does not come into contact with the bottom surface of the liquid storage container to which the heating element is attached, uneven heating during thawing can be prevented. Furthermore, since liquid can be flowed in the area between the bottom surface of the food and the bottom surface of the liquid storage container between adjacent protruding members, liquid can be flowed not only above and to the sides of the food but also below, allowing heat to be applied to the food from all sides for efficient thawing.

[0016] Furthermore, if the thawing device of the present invention is a separate device from the refrigerator, Furthermore, it includes a component that has the function of cooling the liquid in the liquid storage area, It is characterized in that the food after thawing is stored in a liquid at refrigeration temperature.

[0017] According to the present invention, food can be efficiently thawed using a liquid heated by a heating member, and the liquid can be cooled to refrigeration temperature by a member for cooling the liquid, and the food after thawing can be stored in the liquid at refrigeration temperature. Thereby, not only can the food be thawed, but the thawed food can be stored while maintaining its quality.

[0018] Further, the refrigerator of the present invention is characterized in that it includes the above-described thawing device in a refrigerating chamber.

[0019] According to the present invention, since the thawing device is arranged in the refrigerating chamber of the refrigerator, the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage region where the thawed food is arranged can be continuously maintained at an appropriate refrigeration temperature, so that the food can be stored while maintaining its quality.

Effect of the Invention

[0020] As described above, the present invention can provide a thawing device with a simple structure that can thaw food in a short time while maintaining the quality of the food, and a refrigerator equipped with this thawing device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] [Figure 1A] It is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a thawing device according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing a state where a liquid storage housing is removed from a drive housing. [Figure 1B] It is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a thawing device according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing a state where a liquid storage housing is attached to a drive housing and thawing is being performed. [Figure 2] It is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of a magnetic coupling connecting a pump body and a drive part of a circulation pump. [Figure 3] It is a schematic perspective view including a cross-section A - A of FIG. 1B. [Figure 4]This is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator in which a thawing device according to one embodiment of the present invention is placed inside the refrigerator compartment. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a refrigerator control system. [Figure 6] The refrigerator is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing a thawing device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0022] Embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The refrigerator described below is intended to embody the technical concept of the present invention, and unless otherwise specified, the present invention is not limited to this. The size and positional relationships of the components shown in each drawing may be exaggerated in order to clarify the explanation. In the following description and drawings, the vertical direction is shown assuming that the refrigerator is installed on a liquid surface.

[0023] (A defrosting device according to one embodiment of the present invention) Figures 1A and 1B are schematic side cross-sectional views showing a thawing device 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1A shows the liquid storage housing 4 detached from the drive housing 6, and Figure 1B shows the liquid storage housing 4 attached to the drive housing 6 and performing thawing. Figure 2 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the structure of a magnetic coupling 36 connecting the pump body 32 and the drive unit 34 of the circulation pump 30. Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view including cross-section AA of Figure 1B. Figure 4 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing a refrigerator 100 in which a thawing device 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention is placed inside a refrigerator compartment 102.

[0024] First, an overview of a thawing device 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1A to 4. The thawing device 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention is located inside the refrigerator compartment 102 of a refrigerator 100. The thawing device 2 comprises a liquid storage housing 4 and a drive housing 6 that are detachable from each other. The drive housing 6 is fixed to the refrigerator compartment 102 and is electrically connected to the control unit and power supply unit of the refrigerator 100. The user can remove the liquid storage housing 4 from the drive housing 6, take it outside the refrigerator 100, and then reattach the liquid storage housing 4 to the drive housing 6 inside the refrigerator compartment 102.

[0025] <Liquid storage enclosure> The liquid storage container 4 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape and an open top. It is preferable to form the liquid storage container 4 from a translucent resin material so that the inside of the liquid storage container 4 can be seen. The opening on the top is covered with a lid 4A. A liquid storage area 10 for storing liquid is located at the bottom of the inside of the liquid storage container 4. Food G to be thawed is placed in the liquid stored in the liquid storage area 10. Examples of food G to be thawed include frozen meat, frozen vegetables, frozen fruits, and other frozen fresh foods. Frozen fresh foods may be placed in the liquid in the liquid storage area 10 without any covering, or they may be placed in the liquid while covered with plastic wrap or stored in a resin bag. In other words, frozen food G, either unpackaged or covered with packaging material, is placed in the liquid in the liquid storage area 10.

[0026] The liquid stored in the liquid storage area 10 is used to thaw food G, and tap water can be an example. The user can remove the liquid storage unit 4 from the drive unit 6, take it outside the refrigerator 100, and fill the liquid storage area 10 of the liquid storage unit 4 with tap water. After filling the liquid storage area 10 with tap water, the user immerses food G in the stored tap water and then reattaches the liquid storage unit 4 to the drive unit 6 in the refrigerator compartment 102. Any liquid other than tap water can be used to fill the liquid storage area 10, as long as it is suitable for thawing frozen food.

[0027] Inside the liquid storage housing 4, the pump body 32 of a circulation pump 30 is located to circulate the liquid stored in the liquid storage area 10. The disc-shaped pump body side portion 36A of a magnetic coupling 36 is attached to the rotating shaft of the impeller 32A of the pump body 32. As will be described later, the impeller 32A of the pump body 32 is driven by a drive unit 34 located in the drive housing 6 via the magnetic coupling 36. It is preferable to use a non-positive displacement pump as the circulation pump 30, as it is low cost and easy to maintain. More specifically, centrifugal pumps such as volute pumps and propeller pumps such as axial flow pumps can be used.

[0028] The pump body 32 is located within the liquid storage area 10, and its suction port 32B opens into the liquid stored in the liquid storage area 10. A pump outlet pipe 38 is connected to the discharge port of the pump body 32. The pump outlet pipe 38 extends from the discharge port of the pump body 32 to above the liquid level of the liquid stored in the liquid storage area 10, then extends horizontally, and then curves slightly downward to terminate. A liquid inlet port 38A is provided at the outlet end of the pump outlet pipe 38 that curves slightly downward to terminate.

[0029] The liquid inlet 38A is located near the opposite end of the liquid storage area 10 from the end where the circulation pump 30 is located, in a plan view. In other words, the liquid inlet 38A of the pump outlet piping 38 is located at a distance from the suction port 30B of the circulation pump 30. As will be described later, the food G to be thawed is located between the suction port 32B and the liquid inlet 38A of the circulation pump 30 in a plan view.

[0030] The liquid drawn into the pump body 32 from the suction port 32B flows through the pump outlet piping 38 and flows down from the liquid inlet 38A toward the liquid surface in the liquid storage area 10. The liquid that has flowed down into the liquid storage area 10 flows toward the suction port 32B side of the pump body 32 and is drawn back into the pump body 32 from the suction port 32B. This causes the liquid in the liquid storage area 10 to circulate.

[0031] By placing the food G between the suction port 32B of the circulation pump 30 (pump body 32) and the liquid inlet 38A of the pump outlet piping 38, the food G can be placed in the flow of circulating liquid. When thawing food G with liquid, the heat transfer coefficient between the liquid and food G can be improved when the liquid is flowing compared to when it is stopped. In particular, since the liquid flows down from the liquid inlet 38A above the liquid surface toward the liquid surface, the flow of the liquid can be promoted, thereby improving the heat transfer coefficient.

[0032] In this embodiment, the liquid flows down toward the liquid surface from the liquid inlet 38A of the pump outlet piping 38, which is located above the liquid surface of the liquid stored in the liquid storage area 10, but this is not the only configuration. The liquid inlet 38A of the pump outlet piping 38 may also be open into the liquid within the liquid storage area 10. Even in this case, the food G can be placed in the flow of the circulating liquid by positioning it between the suction port 32B of the circulation pump 30 (pump body 32) and the liquid inlet 38A of the pump outlet piping 38.

[0033] <Drive housing> Inside the drive housing 6 is the drive unit 34 of the circulation pump 30, which is an electric motor. The drive unit side portion 36B of the magnetic coupling 36 is attached to the drive shaft of the drive unit 34. When the liquid storage housing 4 is attached to the drive housing 6, the drive shaft of the drive unit 34 and the rotation shaft of the impeller 32A of the pump body 32 are arranged to be coaxial. Power is supplied to the drive unit 34 from the power supply unit of the refrigerator 100.

[0034] An insertion portion 6A is formed on the upper part of the drive housing 6. When the liquid storage housing 4 is attached to the drive housing 6, the insertion portion 6A is inserted into a guide hole provided in the liquid storage housing 4. This allows for simultaneous positioning when pushing the liquid storage housing 4 towards the drive housing 6. When the contact surface 4B of the liquid storage housing 4 and the contact surface 4B of the drive housing 6 come into contact, the liquid storage housing 4 and the drive housing 6 are fixed together by the snap engagement mechanism. By pressing the engagement portion of the snap engagement mechanism, the engagement between the liquid storage housing 4 and the drive housing 6 can be released, and the liquid storage housing 4 can be easily removed from the drive housing 6.

[0035] <Magnetic coupling> Figure 2 shows the liquid storage housing 4 attached to the drive housing 6, with the pump body side portion 36A and the drive unit side portion 36B of the magnetic coupling 36 in a drive transmission state. The pump body side portion 36A of the magnetic coupling 36, which is attached to the rotation shaft of the impeller 32A of the pump body 32, is magnetic. The drive unit side portion 36B of the magnetic coupling 36, which is attached to the drive shaft of the drive unit 34, has magnetism with opposite polarity (SN) to the pump body side portion 36A. As a result, the driving force of the drive unit 34 is transmitted to the rotation shaft of the impeller 32A of the pump body 32 in a non-contact state by the magnetic force between the pump body side portion 36A and the drive unit side portion 36B.

[0036] From the state shown in Figure 2, by moving the liquid storage housing 4 in a direction that separates it from the drive housing 6 in a substantially horizontal manner (to the left in the drawing), the liquid storage housing 4 can be removed from the drive housing 6, and the pump body side portion 36A and the drive unit side portion 36B that constitute the magnetic coupling 36 can be separated. On the other hand, by moving the removed liquid storage housing 4 in a direction that approaches the drive housing 6 in a substantially horizontal manner (to the right in the drawing), the liquid storage housing 4 can be attached to the drive housing 6, and the magnetic coupling 36 can be positioned in a drive transmission state.

[0037] <Heating component> When the liquid in the liquid storage area 10 comes into contact with the food G, it releases heat of fusion to the food G, causing its temperature to drop. If the circulation of the liquid continues in this state, the temperature of the liquid will continue to drop, reducing the efficiency of thawing. The thawing device 2 of this embodiment is equipped with a heating element 20 that heats the liquid in the liquid storage area 10. Examples of the heat-generating element of the heating element 20 include a cord heater, a Peltier element, and a PCT (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater. The heating element 20 according to this embodiment is formed in a sheet shape.

[0038] In particular, in this embodiment, a sheet-shaped metal heat transfer promoting member 22 is attached to the outer surface (bottom surface) of the liquid storage housing 4, and a sheet-shaped heating member 20 is attached to the outer surface of the heat transfer promoting member 22. The heat transfer promoting member 22 is preferably made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

[0039] If the heating element 20 is directly attached to the outer surface of the liquid storage housing 4, high adhesion cannot be obtained, resulting in uneven heat transfer. Therefore, the heat from the heating element 20 cannot be efficiently transferred to the liquid storage housing 4, making uniform heating difficult. In this embodiment, by arranging a heat transfer promoting member 22 between the liquid storage housing 4 and the heating element 20, the adhesion between each member can be increased, and the thermal resistance at the boundary can be reduced. As a result, the heat from the heating element 20 can be efficiently transferred to the liquid storage housing 4, and uniform heating can be achieved. To further increase adhesion, it is preferable to fix the heating element 20 so that it is pressed against the liquid storage housing 4 side using fastening members or the like.

[0040] As described above, in this embodiment, since a metal heat transfer promoting member 22 is placed between the liquid storage housing 4 and the heating member 20, the heat generated by the heating member 20 can be transferred evenly and efficiently to the liquid storage housing 4, and subsequently to the liquid in the liquid storage area 10. This allows the liquid in the liquid storage area to be heated uniformly and efficiently.

[0041] A temperature sensor 40 is located in the liquid storage area 10 of the liquid storage enclosure 4. Based on the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage area 10 measured by the temperature sensor 40, the on / off switch and heating intensity of the heating element 20 are controlled. Terminals C1, such as power lines that supply power to the heating element 20 and signal lines that transmit signals from the temperature sensor 40, are located on the contact surface 4B of the liquid storage enclosure 4. When the liquid storage enclosure 4 is attached to the drive enclosure 6, terminals C1 located on the contact surface 4B of the liquid storage enclosure 4 are connected to terminals C2 located on the contact surface 6B of the drive enclosure 6, which is electrically connected to the refrigerator 100. As a result, the temperature data measured by the temperature sensor 40 is transmitted to the control unit of the refrigerator 100, and the control unit can control the power supplied to the heating element 20 based on the liquid temperature.

[0042] In this embodiment, the heating element 20 is attached to the lower surface of the liquid storage housing 4, but it is not limited to this. The heating element 20 can be attached to any other surface of the liquid storage housing 4, including the side surface, and multiple heating elements 20 can be attached to different surfaces. Furthermore, instead of attaching a sheet-like heating element 20 to the outer surface of the liquid storage housing 4, for example, a rod-shaped heater can be placed in the liquid within the liquid storage area 10 to directly heat the liquid. The liquid can be heated by any other method.

[0043] <Multiple protruding members> When food G is placed in the liquid in the liquid storage area 10, food G sinks due to gravity so that it comes into contact with the bottom surface 4C of the liquid storage container 4. In this case, the temperature rises, especially in the area that comes into contact with the heating element 20, which may cause uneven thawing of the food G. Therefore, the thawing device 2 according to this embodiment is provided with a support shape to prevent food G from directly contacting the bottom surface 4C of the liquid storage container 4.

[0044] As a specific example of the support shape, in the thawing device 2 according to this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, a plurality of convex members 12 extending in a certain direction at predetermined intervals are formed on the bottom surface 4C of the liquid storage container 4 in a plan view. The food G can be supported by the upper surface of the convex members 12, which is higher than the bottom surface 4C of the liquid storage container 4.

[0045] The direction in which the convex member 12 extends is preferably in line with the flow of liquid from the liquid inlet 38A of the pump outlet piping 38 to the suction port 32B of the circulation pump 30. As schematically shown by the dotted arrows in Figure 3, liquid flows in the region between the lower surface of the food G and the bottom surface 4C between adjacent convex members 12.

[0046] As described above, according to this embodiment, since the food G does not come into contact with the bottom surface 4C of the liquid storage container 4 to which the heating element 20 is attached, uneven heating during thawing can be prevented. Furthermore, since liquid can be flowed in the area between the bottom surface of the food G and the bottom surface 4C of the liquid storage container 4 between adjacent convex members 12, liquid can be flowed not only above and to the sides of the food G, but also below, allowing heat to be applied to the food G from all sides for efficient thawing.

[0047] (A refrigerator equipped with a defrosting device according to one embodiment of the present invention) The refrigerator 100 is equipped with a refrigerator compartment 102 and a freezer compartment 104, and an evaporator 106 and a fan 108 are arranged in the cooling passage behind the refrigerator compartment 102 and the freezer compartment 104. The evaporator 106 is cooled by a cooling cycle in which the refrigerant is circulated by the compressor 110. The defrosting device 2 according to this embodiment is located inside the refrigerator compartment 102 of the refrigerator 100.

[0048] The fan 108 causes the gas inside the compartment to circulate, and by opening the refrigerator compartment damper, the gas that has passed through the evaporator 106 and been cooled flows into the refrigerator compartment 102. The thawing device 2, located inside the refrigerator compartment 102, is kept in a refrigerated environment (for example, 2°C to 6°C).

[0049] (Refrigerator control system) Figure 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the control system for the refrigerator 100 shown in Figure 4. The illustrated control unit 60 constitutes part of the control device for the refrigerator 100 and controls the compressor 110, fan 108, etc., to cool the refrigerator compartment 102 and the freezer compartment 104. Furthermore, when terminal C1 on the liquid storage housing 4 side and terminal C2 on the drive housing 6 side are electrically connected, the circulation pump 30 of the defrosting device 2 can be controlled to switch the circulation of the liquid in the liquid storage area 10 on and off, or to change the circulation speed of the liquid. In addition, based on the temperature measured from the temperature sensor 40, the heating element 20 can be controlled to switch the operation of the heating element 20 on and off, or to change the amount of heating by the liquid heating element 20.

[0050] The control unit 60 can determine whether terminal C1 on the liquid storage housing 4 side and terminal C2 on the drive housing 6 side are electrically connected or not. Any method can be used to determine whether the terminals on the liquid storage housing 4 side and the terminals on the drive housing 6 side are connected or not, including a method of transmitting a detection signal from a detection terminal or a method of detecting a change in the resistance between terminals. When the connection between the terminals on the liquid storage housing 4 side and the terminals on the drive housing 6 side is confirmed by the control unit 60, it controls the operation of the thawing device 2 based on the operation signal from the operation panel.

[0051] (Method for thawing food using a thawing device) Next, a method for thawing food G using the thawing device 2 according to this embodiment will be described. First, open the door of the refrigerator compartment 102, release the snap engagements that were securing the liquid storage unit 4 and the drive unit 6, and pull out the liquid storage unit 4. This allows the liquid storage unit 4 to be easily removed from the refrigerator. Remove the top lid 4A of the removed liquid storage unit 4, and pour tap water as liquid into the liquid storage area 10 of the liquid storage unit 4 through the top opening.

[0052] After a predetermined amount of liquid is stored in the liquid storage area 10, the frozen food G covered with packaging material is placed in the liquid stored in the liquid storage area 10, and the lid 4A is closed. Then, the door of the refrigerator compartment 102 is opened, and the liquid storage container 4 is pushed in and attached to the drive housing 6 of the defrosting device 2. As the liquid storage container 4 is pushed in, the insertion part 6A of the drive housing 6 is inserted into the guide hole provided in the liquid storage container 4, and as positioning is performed, the contact surface 4B of the liquid storage container 4 comes into contact with the contact surface 4B of the drive housing 6. At this time, the liquid storage container 4 and the drive housing 6 are fixed in place by the snap engagement mechanism. In this state, the magnetic coupling 36 enters a drive transmission state, and the terminal C1 on the liquid storage container 4 side and the terminal C2 on the drive housing 6 side are electrically connected. The control unit 60 of the refrigerator 100 confirms that the terminal C1 on the liquid storage container 4 side and the terminal C2 on the drive housing 6 side are electrically connected.

[0053] When the user operates the control panel of the refrigerator 100 and sends a signal to start defrosting, the control unit 60 of the refrigerator 100 supplies power to the drive unit 34 of the circulation pump 30 and starts driving it. As a result, the liquid inside the liquid storage area 10 circulates. Then, based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 40, the power supply to the heating element 20 is controlled so that the liquid temperature is in the range of 5°C to 10°C.

[0054] When the liquid temperature falls below 5°C, the thawing speed decreases. On the other hand, when the liquid temperature exceeds 20°C, the amount of drip from the thawed food increases, leading to a deterioration in quality. In the thawing device 2 according to this embodiment, by constantly circulating a liquid in a temperature range of 5°C to 10°C, the food G to be thawed can be thawed efficiently in a short time while maintaining its quality.

[0055] When thawing in a short time, it is preferable to control the liquid temperature to around 10°C, for example, within a range of 8°C to 10°C. On the other hand, when the freshness of food G is important, it is preferable to control the liquid temperature to around 5°C, for example, within a range of 5°C to 7°C. The discharge volume of the circulation pump 30 can also be adjusted accordingly.

[0056] By controlling the heating element 20 and the circulation pump 30, the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage area 10 and the rate at which the liquid flows can be adjusted to achieve the desired thawing speed. For example, the user can select a desired thawing pattern from several options, such as "rapid thawing in 15 minutes," "normal thawing in 1 hour," or "delicious thawing in 4 hours," using the control panel. When thawing is complete, the system can notify the user with a buzzer, lamp, voice, etc., or notify the user's mobile device.

[0057] When the set time has elapsed, the control unit 60 stops supplying power to the circulation pump 30 and the heating element 20, terminates the thawing process, and performs a predetermined notification process. The thawing device 2 is located inside the refrigerator compartment 102 of the refrigerator 100. Since the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 102 is about 2°C to 6°C, the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage area 10 (for example, 5°C to 10°C) is maintained similarly, so that the thawed food G can be stored while maintaining its quality.

[0058] The control of the thawing process is not limited to time-based management; for example, it can also be controlled based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 40. When the thawing of food G is complete, the amount of heat of fusion removed from the liquid decreases, causing the liquid temperature to tend to rise. Therefore, the thawing process can be controlled to terminate when the gradient of the liquid temperature rise exceeds a predetermined threshold. Furthermore, by providing an infrared sensor that directly measures the surface temperature of food G, the thawing process can also be controlled to terminate based on the surface temperature of food G.

[0059] On the other hand, if various tests and experiences have revealed the liquid temperature and flow rate at which food G can be thawed while maintaining its quality, a simpler control method may be possible. This method may not include a temperature sensor 40 for measuring the liquid temperature in the liquid storage area 10, but instead turns on the heating element 20 and circulation pump 30 when thawing begins, and then turns off the heating element 20 and circulation pump 30 to end thawing after a predetermined time has elapsed.

[0060] As described above, the thawing device 2 according to this embodiment comprises a liquid storage casing 4 having a liquid storage area 10 that contains the food G to be thawed and stores liquid, a circulation pump 30 that circulates the liquid in the liquid storage area 10, and a heating member 20 that heats the liquid in the liquid storage area 10. The food G is thawed by the liquid in the liquid storage area 10, which is heated to a predetermined temperature by the heating member 20 and circulated by the circulation pump 30.

[0061] According to this embodiment, the food G placed in the liquid within the liquid storage area 10 is thawed by heat transfer between the food G and the liquid within the liquid storage area 10, which is heated by the heating element 20 and circulated by the circulation pump 30, either directly or via the packaging material. In order to thaw the food G, the temperature of the liquid surrounding the food G decreases, but since the liquid is flowing, the cooled liquid does not remain around the food G, and the liquid heated by the heating element 20 can be supplied to the area around the food G. Since the liquid is circulated by the circulation pump 30, heat transfer between the food G and the food G can be promoted by the flow of the liquid without using a large amount of liquid.

[0062] Therefore, despite its simple structure, it can thaw food in a short time. Furthermore, the heating element 20 appropriately heats the liquid, keeping it at a temperature suitable for thawing (for example, 5°C to 10°C), thus suppressing drip loss of food G during thawing and maintaining its quality. This provides a thawing device with a simple structure that can thaw food G in a short time while maintaining its quality.

[0063] In particular, since the food G is placed between the suction port 32B and the liquid inlet 38A of the circulation pump 30 (pump body 32), the food G can be efficiently thawed by the flow of the circulating liquid.

[0064] In the refrigerator 100 equipped with the thawing device 2 according to this embodiment, the thawing device 2 is located inside the refrigerator compartment 102, so the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage area 10 where the thawed food G is placed can be maintained at an appropriate refrigeration temperature, thus allowing the food G to be preserved while maintaining its quality.

[0065] (Defrosting device according to other embodiments of the present invention) Figure 6 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing a thawing device 2' according to another embodiment of the present invention, which is a separate device from the refrigerator 100. The thawing device 2' shown in Figure 6 exists as a standalone thawing device. Therefore, in order to allow the thawed food G to be stored at refrigeration temperature after thawing, it is equipped with a component 24 that has the function of cooling the liquid in the liquid storage area 10. In this embodiment, it is equipped with a heating / cooling component 24 using a Peltier element. The heating / cooling component 24 can heat and cool the liquid stored in the liquid storage area 10.

[0066] In this embodiment, sheet-shaped heating and cooling members 24 are attached to the bottom and side surfaces of the liquid storage housing 4. A sheet-shaped heat transfer promoting member 22 is positioned between the liquid storage housing 4 and the heating and cooling members 24, similar to the above. This allows the liquid in the liquid storage area 10 to be cooled to a temperature of approximately 5°C after thawing, thereby preserving the quality of the food G contained within the liquid. While the above example shows the inclusion of heating and cooling members 24, the embodiment is not limited to this. It is possible to provide separate members for heating and cooling the liquid in the liquid storage area 10. For example, cooling may be performed using a compressor motor.

[0067] The thawing device 2' includes a control unit that controls the circulation pump 30 and controls the heating / cooling element 24 based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 40. The structure and control for thawing, notification, and other processes are the same as described above, and further explanation is omitted.

[0068] As described above, the thawing device 2' relating to this sub-model is a separate device from the refrigerator 100, and in addition to the configuration of the thawing device 2 described above, it is equipped with a member 24 that has the function of cooling the liquid in the liquid storage area 10, so that the thawed food G is stored in a liquid at refrigeration temperature.

[0069] According to this embodiment, the food G can be efficiently thawed using the liquid heated by the heating element 24, and the liquid can be cooled to a refrigeration temperature by the liquid cooling element 24, allowing the thawed food G to be stored in the refrigeration temperature liquid. This not only allows the food G to be thawed, but also allows the thawed food G to be stored while maintaining its quality.

[0070] While embodiments and modes of implementation of the present invention have been described, the disclosed content may change in the details of the configuration, and changes in the combination and order of elements in the embodiments and modes of implementation can be realized without departing from the claimed scope and spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0071] 2 Defrosting device 4. Liquid storage enclosure 4A Lid 4B Contact surface 4C Bottom 6 drive chassis 6A Loading section 6B Contact surface 10 Liquid storage area 12 Convex member 20 Heating element 22 Heat transfer promoting member 24 Heating and Cooling Components 30 Circulation pump 32 Pump body 32A Impeller 32B Inlet 34 Drive unit 36 Magnetic Coupling 36A Pump body side 36B Drive unit side portion 38 Pump outlet piping 38A Liquid supply port 40 Temperature Sensors 100 Refrigerator 102 Refrigerated compartment 104 Freezer 106 Evaporator 108 Fans 110 Compressor G Food C1, C2 terminals

Claims

1. A liquid storage container having a liquid storage area that holds food to be thawed and also stores liquid, A circulation pump for circulating the liquid within the aforementioned liquid storage area, A heating member for heating the liquid in the liquid storage area, A temperature sensor is placed in the aforementioned liquid storage housing, A control unit controls the power supply to the heating element based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor, Equipped with, When food to be thawed is placed in the liquid within the liquid storage area, the heating element brings the temperature to a range suitable for thawing, between 5°C and 10°C, and the food is thawed by the liquid within the liquid storage area, which is circulated by the circulation pump. A defrosting device characterized in that a metal sheet-like heat transfer promoting member is attached to the outer surface of the liquid storage housing, and a sheet-like heating member is attached to the outer surface of the heat transfer promoting member.

2. The liquid inlet at the outlet end of the pump outlet piping connected to the discharge port of the circulation pump is positioned at a distance from the suction port of the circulation pump in a plan view. The thawing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the food is placed between the suction port and the liquid supply port of the circulation pump in a plan view.

3. The thawing device according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of convex members are formed on the bottom surface of the liquid storage container, extending in a certain direction at predetermined intervals in a plan view, the upper surfaces of the convex members which are higher than the bottom surface support the food, and liquid flows in the region between the lower surface of the food and the bottom surface between adjacent convex members.

4. A refrigerator is a separate device, Furthermore, it includes a component that has the function of cooling the liquid in the liquid storage area, A thawing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the thawed food is stored in a liquid at refrigerated temperature.

5. A refrigerator characterized by having a thawing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 installed in the refrigerator compartment.

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